Racial disparity Essay

Prevalence of racial disparity in the criminal justice system is most troubling and critical problem for criminal justice executives as it directly affects the people. The safety and liberty of American people depend on integrity of American justice system but racial discrimination in the criminal justice system impairs this integrity, which in turn harms American people directly. So this is the most critical dilemma facing the criminal justice system managers at present. The causes of this racial discrimination are both subtle and intricate and are not easy to locate. However it is obvious that fault does not lie with American criminal laws but these are implemented in a manner that is substantially and pervasively biased. Certain factors external to American criminal laws like personal discretion, natural proclivity and mental approach of the people that responsible to implement these laws, also collaborate rendering distortion of these laws. This institutional materialization of racial discrimination in the justice system is the most critical people predicament facing mangers of American criminal justice system. Although certain legal reform has been suggested by various sector but past history manifests that criminal justice manager cannot simply legislate to put an end to this problem. Some concrete measure should be undertaken by criminal justice manager to solve this problem rather than redefining criminal justice system.

Passion and Betrayal in “Roman Fever” Essay

â€Å"Roman Fever† is a very dynamic story, were things aren’t necessarily what they appear. The characters have two faces: the ones they show each other and the ones evident to the reader through the narration. The setting, the title, and the dialogue all develop the plot. Hypocrisy and deceit are present throughout the whole story, and they greatly drive the plot. Wharton uses irony, an omniscient narrator, and symbolism to convey the theme of passion and how it can poison the mind, leading to destructive actions. The way the author chose to narrate the story is vital to how it is perceived. The story is in a third person omniscient point of view, which greatly develops the characterization of Grace and Alida. Various times throughout the story, one of the women says something to the other and afterward that narrator will reveal to the reader what she is really thinking. This helps show the reader the hypocrisy and deception in their words. One example of this is when the women are talking about roman fever and its dangers. In the midst of this, the narrator tells us that Alida thinks she â€Å"must make one more effort not to hate her† (Wharton 115). This exposes to the reader directly for the first time that there are some underlying issues and unfinished business between these characters that they are avoiding. Another factor that contributes to the progress of the plot are the numerous symbols that Wharton chose to employ. One of the most noticeable of these is the setting. Rome is a city that almost always evokes images of passion and romance. Within this setting, the climate and time changes directly parallel the gradual changes in the women’s relationship. This is especially evident when Alida first reveals that she wrote the letter that Grace had though she received from Delphin many years ago. After this information is brought to light, the two women stand â€Å"for a minute staring at each other in the last golden light† (117). The last few moments of sun are representative of the  last moments of politeness between these two women. After â€Å"the clear heaven overhead was emptied of all it’s gold† (118), all of the women’s passionate secrets start spilling out. Grace divulges that she answered to the letter, and that Delphin came to meet her tha t night. This revelation completely changes Alida’s idea of her relationship with her late husband. The ruins that are described, the forum and the Colosseum, also mirror what happened between these two women. These structures, once representatives of Rome’s magnificence, are now reduced to a â€Å"great accumulated wreckage of passion and splendor† (114). The same goes for the friendship between these women. Love and passion came between them, causing great betrayal on both sides. This has diminished their friendship until it is really no longer there, replaced by lies and treachery. Right before Grace reveals her greatest secret, that Barbara was really Delphin’s daughter, she is â€Å"looking away from [Slade] toward the dusky secret mass of the Coliseums† (119). The â€Å"secret mass† of ruins is a direct description of their friendship, which was destroyed because of jealousy and lies. Another important symbol in the sort story is the title. â€Å"Roman Fever† has a double meaning; it was an outburst of malaria that plagued Rome in the past, but it also represents the feverish passion present in the women’s story. It is a symbol for Alida’s jealousy of Grace, and how it has simmered inside her for all of these years. Both of the women are victims of roman fever in the sense that they both fell into dangerous games of love, passion, and betrayal. This betrayal is also alluded to in the story about Aunt Harriet. The story goes that Aunt Harriet â€Å"sent her little sister to the Forum after sunset to gather a night blooming flower†¦but she really sent her because they were in love with the same man† (115). The sister died. It is possible that Alida was inspired by this story to write the fateful letter to Grace. An element that greatly contributes to the overall tone of the story is irony. Many lines throughout the narrative all culminate to the final line of the story: â€Å"I had Barbara†(119). Here, Grace is revealing that her daughter Barbara is also daughter of Alida’s husband Delphin. This line alone exposes the irony in many other parts of the story. This is apparent when Alida is thinking about Barbara Ansley. â€Å"Babs†¦ had more edge. Funny where she got it, with those two nullities as parents† (112). Irony is also present when Alida tells Grace that she was â€Å"wondering how two such exemplary characters as you  [Grace] and Horace had managed to produce anything quite so dynamic?† (114). These lines are very ironic because the reader later learns that Horace Ansley had nothing to do with the birth of Barbara. Through the use of irony, symbols, and an all-knowing narrator, Edith Wharton presents passion, betrayal, and deceit between two women. It is repeatedly conveyed in the story that things are not always what they appear on the surface, it takes a second look to realize the underlying sentiments that are occurring. This is present both in the infinite symbols in the story as well as the passion that drove Grace and Alida’s friendship to ruin. Even though they had known each other for a long time, â€Å"these two ladies visualized each other, each through the wrong end of her little tel escope†(113). Because of the destruction that their betrayals had caused when they were young women, these two people who had been â€Å"intimate since childhood† (112) discover that they truly know nothing about the other at all.

The Secret of Ella and Micha Chapter 15

8 months earlier†¦ Ella â€Å"You're not seriously going to climb up that tree, are you?† Micha frowns at me through the dark. He's dressed in a pair of sexy jeans that make his butt look good and his black t-shirt fits him perfectly. â€Å"You're gonna break your neck.† I rub my hands together and give him a devious look. â€Å"You know how much I love a challenge.† From behind him, the moon shines from the sky and his blonde hair nearly glows. â€Å"Yeah, but you're a little out of it right now and I don't think you should be climbing up any trees.† â€Å"I'll be fine.† I wave him off, pushing the sleeves of my leather jacket up. He always worries about me. I like that he does, but it doesn't mean I always listen to him. â€Å"Besides, if my dad catches me coming in, and he happens to be sober, I'm going to get chewed out for sneaking out and being drunk, especially because I was supposed to be on mom duty tonight.† Gripping a branch, I attempt to wedge my foot up in the tree. But it falls to the ground and I grunt with frustration. Micha laughs, shaking his head as he walks around behind me. â€Å"If you break your neck, pretty girl,† he says. â€Å"It's not my fault.† â€Å"You know your nickname for me is not fitting.† I grab the branch again. â€Å"You need to think of a new one.† He sweeps my hair to the side and puts his lips beside my ear. â€Å"It's completely fitting. You're the most beautiful girl I know, Ella May.† Through my foggy brain, I try to process what he's saying. â€Å"Are you trying to be funny?† He shakes his head. â€Å"I'm being completely serious. But there's no need to panic. I'm sure you'll forget all about it by the time morning rolls around.† I bob my head up and down. â€Å"You're probably right.† He laughs again and his warm breath tickles my ear, sending a shiver through my body. I almost turn around, rip open his shirt, and thrust my tongue into his mouth, but I don't want to ruin our friendship. He's all I have at the moment and I need him more than air. So I bottle my feelings up the best I can. He spreads his fingers across my waist where my shirt rides up, making the situation a little awkward. â€Å"Okay, on the count of three I'm going to boost you into the tree. Be Careful. One†¦ Two†¦ Three†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He lifts me up into the tree and I swing my legs up. The bark scratches at the back of my legs a little and the palms of Micha's hands cup my ass as he pushes me up the rest of the way. It makes me giggle. Once I'm up, he climbs up himself. His hands reunite with my waist and he assists me up the tree and into my window. I tumble through it and onto the floor with his quiet laughter surrounding me. â€Å"You're going to regret this in the morning,† he says with laughter in his voice. â€Å"You're going to have a headache from hell.† I kneel beside the window as he steps back out onto the branch. â€Å"Hey, Micha.† I crook my finger at him and he rolls his eyes, but tolerates me and returns to the windowsill. I throw my arms around his neck. â€Å"You're my hero. You know that?† I kiss his cheek. His skin is so soft. I start to move away when his head turns toward me and our lips connect briefly. When he pulls back, I can't read him at all. â€Å"Sweet dreams, pretty girl.† He grins and climbs back down the tree. My head becomes even foggier as I shut the window. Did he kiss me on purpose? I shake the thought away and wrestle my arms out of my jacket. The house is silent, except for the sound of flowing water coming from the bathroom. I head out into the hall, figuring my mom's left the bath running again. She does that sometimes when she's distracted. The door is locked, so I knock on it. â€Å"Mom, are you in there?† I call out. Water swishes from inside and I realize the carpet beneath my feet is sloshy. I sober up real quick, and rush to my closet to grab a hanger. Stretching it out, I shove the end into the lock of the bathroom. It clicks and I push the door open. The scream that leaves my mouth could shatter the world's happiness into a thousand pieces. But the silence that follows it is enough to dissolve it completely. Micha â€Å"What are you so happy about tonight?† my mom questions when I walk into the house. â€Å"I'm as happy as I always am.† I join her at the kitchen table and steal a cookie from a plate. She takes off her glasses and rubs the sides of her nose. There's a calculator, a checkbook, and a whole lot of bills stacked in front of her. â€Å"No, I haven't seen you smile like this in a while.† â€Å"I just had a really good night.† I take out my wallet and hand my mom a couple of twenties and a hundred dollar bill. â€Å"Here, this is what I got for working a weekend at the shop.† My mom shakes her head and tosses the money in my direction. â€Å"Micha Scott, I'm not going to take my son's money.† I throw it on top of the bills and push away from the table. â€Å"Yes, you are. I want to help out.† â€Å"Micha I – â€Å" â€Å"Stop arguing and take it young lady,† I warn with humor in my tone. She sighs, defeated, and collects the money. â€Å"You're a good son. Do you know that?† â€Å"Only because I was taught to be.† I head for my room, but hear a scream from outside. I backtrack into the kitchen. â€Å"Did you just hear that?† My mom's eyes are wide as she stares at the back door. â€Å"I think it came from the Daniel's house.† A billion different scenarios rush through my head as I run outside, hop the fence, and burst into her house. â€Å"Ella!† It's quiet, except for water running upstairs. I dash up the staircase, skipping steps. â€Å"Ella†¦Ã¢â‚¬  My body chills like ice. Ella is standing in the doorway and her mom is in the bathtub filled with red water that's spilling out all over the floor. â€Å"Ella, what happened?† She flinches and then turns to me. Her pupils have taken over her eyes and the look on her face will haunt me for the rest of my life. â€Å"I think she killed herself,† she says numbly and holds out her hands, which are smudged with blood. â€Å"I checked her pulse and she doesn't have one.† I take out my cell phone and call 911. When I hang up, Ella collapses into my arms and stays there, unmoving until the ambulance shows up. She doesn't cry – she barely breathes and it nearly kills me because I can't do anything to help her.

Terror problem in Turkey Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Terror problem in Turkey - Research Proposal Example It is noted that terrorism is an exaggerated way of expression that demeans the values of democracy in the world. As a result, the incumbent governments have to initiate several ways and avenues of combating terror to enhance democracy. The Turkish government has been actively involved in fighting terrorism. It is noted that Turkey established an anti-terror law in 1991. The ostensible reason for the law was to annihilate the activities of terror groups, and one of the outstanding groups was the Kurdistan Workers Party (Jones 1). The activities of the group were deemed unconstitutional as they affected a part of the society. However, in the recent time, the Turkey government has been criticized by world leaders in concerns to fighting terror attacks. The world leaders have stated that Turkey should have control mechanisms in limiting the financing of terror groups in its territory. It is evident that terror groups need massive finances to execute their ill motives, and consequentially, when they do not have finances they are unlikely to cause havoc. According to sources, the Turkish government has an intention of acting on the issue, as it is concerned about the safety of the nation. Several cases of terror attacks have been recorded in Turkey. The recent case is the bombing near the embassy of the United States. Consequentially, terror attacks in Turkey are divided into different categories. The first category is the car and truck bombings. These include the Diyarbakir incident in 2008 and 2013 Istanbul bombing (Ahmed 18). The second category involves attacks by organizations, which include Al-Qaeda and Kurdistan Workers Party. Thirdly, there is suicide bombing, which includes 2007 bombing in Ankara and 2010 Istanbul blast. Therefore, it is evident that turkey has experienced various terror attacks. As such, there is need to enhance commitment to fighting terror activities. Jones, Dorian. Turkeys Anti-Terror Law Casts Increasingly Wide Net.

Mall of America Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4750 words

Mall of America - Research Paper Example United States is also known worldwide for its state of the art shopping centers. By the end of 1992, America was almost running 39000 shopping Malls across the country. Mall of America is a shopping Mall with all the dynamic qualities of a Mall. It is located in the twin cities of Bloomington and Minnesota in United States (Mall of America (b) 2011). The Mall is the third largest in North America and second largest in America due to its retail space. Mall of America accommodates more than 13000 cars on seven different stories of the building for parking purposes (Mall of America (b) 2011). The Mall is spread over an area of 95 acres (Mall of America (b) 2011). Expansion of the great Mall is under process. Expansion will help to exceed the size of the Mall of America by almost doubling it. The expansion work is expected to consume about 2.1 billion (Mall of America (b) 2011). Extension of the project will attract more tourists. Phase II will be able to generate huge amount for the fie lds of education and health. Mall of America is also exposed to certain vulnerabilities. Terrorism is the threat which requires thorough training and understanding of the terror activities. Certain remedial measures are also necessary to strengthen the existing surveillance and security system. The Mall of America is a combination of a classical construction with provision of vast variety of facilities under one roof. Mainly the worth mentioning facilities include, an indoor theme park, underwater sea creature aquarium, magic shop, flight simulators, Lego store, theater, mountain golf adventure and American girl store. All these features of the Mall of America shall be focused upon in details in paragraphs to follow. The paper shall follow the under mentioned sequence:- History of the Mall of America. Services offered by the Mall and tourist interests. Expansion and future prospects. Vulnerabilities to different threats and their Remedial Measures Conclusion. History of the Mall of America Ghermezian brothers of Canada first gave the concept of â€Å"Mall of America†. â€Å"West Edmonton† shopping Mall of North America was also the brilliant idea of same brothers (Farrell 2007). The Mall of America is situated at the old site of metropolitan stadium in Bloomington, Minnesota (Crawford 1992). The leveling of the ground for construction started in 1989. The Mall saw its completion in 1992 and during same year it was opened for the public (Mall of America (c) 2011). The Mall of America carries the characteristics of all the modern Malls due to its huge size, central management and versatile architecture. The visitor of Mall can carry equal impression of western market as well as American urban expressions (Crawford 1992). The Mall represents the history of galleria. The concept of Cleveland galleria got fame in nineteenth century in America (Jackson 1996). The Mall also pays respect to the old site of metropolitan city by placing home plate on the g round floor (Mall of America (c) 2011). One seat has been placed in the Mall, which attracts the visitor’s attention due to its historical importance (Farrell 2007). The seat has exactly been placed at its original place that it occupied in the stadium prior to construction of the Mall of America. Seat is placed to pay homage to Harmon Killebrew for hitting a home run in 1967 (Crawford 1992). Mall was given few nicknames prior to its inauguration in 1992 (Spellmeyer 1993). Fewer of

Overview of Qualitative Research Study-Terence Essay

Overview of Qualitative Research Study-Terence - Essay Example This research method answers the how and why of decision making. It goes further than quantitative research method which only answers the where, what, and when? This paper aims at dissecting qualitative research to gain an understanding on the characteristics of the research design and to know when and where it is appropriate for use. A sample size refers to a subset of a population that gets selected for a given study. Sample size is a vital aspect of any research study. It provides for a basis from which inferences about a population can be determined. It refers to the number of observation used to calculate or determine the characteristics of a given population (Barbour, 2013). When undertaking sample size determination for qualitative studies, it is vital to know that there are no fixed or fast rules. However, it is important to give at least two considerations when coming up with the sample size. The first consideration should be how large does the sample need to be to enable the identification of consistent patterns. The sample size should be large enough to leave the researcher with nothing left to learn or no emergent trend. The second consideration should be how large the sample should be to provide a reflection of the target population. The sample size must be large enough to help assess an appropriate amount of diversity represented across the target population. Under qualitative studies, the researcher may estimate the sample size base on his or her data collection methods or the approach of their study. For example when undertaking a case study approach in a qualitative study, the researcher selects one case or one person. Another example can be when using focus group discussions as a data collection method. The researcher gets to create groups that average 5-10 people each (Silverman, 2013). The researcher also has to consider the number of focus groups that will be

GBS---JP MORGAN CHASE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

GBS---JP MORGAN CHASE - Essay Example Several factors such as business laws, political stability, economical stability, information and communication technology, social activities and cultural practices affect the business environment and some of these factors are difficulty to analyze since they occur at the global and large scale levels. The strategy is a worldwide analysis of various areas and regions as new market to be exploited to increase their profitability through international diversification. It involves coming up with authority structures along with function of the organization that may include managerial designs, organizational structures, supervision resources and employees and executive’s competence, interactions with the subsidiary of the organizations and managing strategy (The Strategic Management Society, n.y.) The analysis helps the managers understand the internal and external environmental factors that affect the operation of the organization as well as how the organization interact with thes e environmental factors in order to improve its efficiency by evaluation of the available data, and identification of environmental aspects to be analyzed through SWOT investigations, Porter’s five forces examinations, value chain studies, PEST investigations among others (Downey 2007, P 3). This paper will critically evaluate the internalization strategy of JP Morgan Chases. History of JP Morgan Chase The origin this organization can be traced back to the year 1971 when it was started as Drexel, Morgan & Co as an agent for European executives and investors in United States America, later the company grew to a well-established private and foreign bank with wide customer base. The company has undergone a lot of changes and expansion through acquisition and merger to form the current JP Morgan Chase. JP Morgan Chase is the biggest banking organization in United States of America with about 1.56 trillion in US dollars Asset base and 123.2 billion in US dollars in form of Equity (Datamonitor 2010, P. 33). JP Morgan Chase is a United States of America based financial institution with its headquarters in New Yolk that was created subsequent to the merger of Chase Manhattan and J.P. Morgan (Marcial 2001, P. 107) to form a strong company at time when there was prediction that the economy will improve. The merger has impacted positively on the performance and valuation of the company (Bernstein research 2001, P. 67).The company offer financial services such as asset management, commercial banking services, government bonds and treasury, investments banking, securities and shares services and cash deposited and withdrawal banking services through various divisions’ and subsidiaries to its customers across the globe in more than sixty countries for more than two hundred years. The company vision is to help its customers to become financially independent through management and planning of their wealth and operates in United States of America, Middle East, Eu rope and Africa and has 261,453 across the globe. (MarketLine 2012, P. 3). The company recorded growth of 7.6 percent in their working profit and 9.2 percent in their net profit for the physical year that ended in December 2012 (MarketLine 2012, P. 3). The company has a strategy to overturn their performance and also

Analyzing Psychological Disorders Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Analyzing Psychological Disorders - Term Paper Example Courses of treatment based on this model are proposed in both case studies. In the end, this paper points to the more balanced perspective of biopsychology as offering more possibilities for effective treatment of mental illness. Introduction The human body is a team of components working together as a whole entity. Therefore, in understanding mental illness, we must not compartmentalize as separate functions the biological and experiential processes operating in persons presenting themselves to us with psychological issues. The experience of a person offers an environment, a history, and a perspective essential to a thorough understanding of his biological components. The biological processes of the human body are essential in the understanding and treatment of mental illness especially the central nervous system, brain functioning, and neurotransmitter activity. Their interactions have a crucial impact on a person’s psychological health, affecting how he or she perceives and lives life. Part A: Schizophrenia Schizophrenia is the most complex of the mental illnesses in its causality, symptomology, and treatment. Yet, an understanding of the neurological and biological functioning of the brain can not only assist medical professionals in finding and applying the best treatments, but also assist patients in coping with the illness in a positive and productive way. (Frese, 1993) The most common symptoms of schizophrenia include: auditory hallucinations, delusions of persecution and/or control or delusions of grandeur, disorganized thinking and speech, flat affect (consistently showing little or no emotion), and inappropriate behavior (such as social isolation or catatonia). (See Pinel pg. 457) Two of these symptoms must be present for at least 30 days to meet criteria for a diagnosis of schizophrenia, and ideally a thorough physical examination including diagnostic testing should be administered to rule out any other possible diagnoses. (Haycock, 2009) Som e of the diagnostic testing that includes brain imaging technologies such as MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) and PET (positron emission tomography) scans has also clearly shown that the frontal and temporal lobes and the amygdala are the areas of the brain most altered in schizophrenia patients. (Kircher, et al. 2006, pg 302) Studies that include brain imaging technologies have shown that the connectivity between these regions of the brain is dysfunctional. (Tregallas, 2009) They have also shown both gray and white brain matter volume abnormalities in schizophrenic patients. (Lim, 2007) In addition, there are also abnormalities in the neurotransmitter systems regulating brain function; the first discovered abnormality being the presence and transmission of dopamine. The neural basis for understanding and treating schizophrenia began with the â€Å"dopamine theory† (see Pinel, pg 458) that schizophrenia is caused by excessively high dopamine levels in the brain. As research c ontinued in the effects of the drugs given to schizophrenia patients, it was discovered that while some drugs deplete the supply of dopamine, others bind themselves to dopamine receptors effectively blocking the ability of dopamine to activate them. This blocking of the dopamine activity sends a signal to the brain to produce more dopamine which is then broken down in the synapse resulting in an

Introduction to child development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Introduction to child development - Essay Example The first child that I observed was a boy. The boy was aged 8 years, and he lived in a suburban area. The family lived in an apartment, which had a spacious compound used for play and various outdoor activities. The observation took around 10 minutes, and it entailed checking how the child played with his peers and parents. In the first three minutes, the boy was grossly engaged in role-play. In this instance, the boy was pretending to be a pirate who had captured a ship containing treasure loot. The boy together with his friends had turned the table upside-down to be used as the ship. In order to make the event more realistic, he wore costumes that represented a pirate. The ship was captured and all the treasure loot taken by the pirate. After the pirate had taken the loot, he sank the ship using bombshells. The children made the sound of the bombs and the pirate was chanting victory songs. The children in the â€Å"captured ship† fell down to symbolize the capsizing of the bombed ship. The â€Å"pirate† was seen to be very happy after a successful mission. However, a few seconds later, government authorities appeared and arrested the pirate for causing havoc to sea-travellers. Immediately, the mood of the pirate changed to sadness to illustrate the loss of the treasure loot. In the next three minutes, the boy in a group of others began playing dance revolution. In this game, the boys competed against each other for who could dance better. Each boy was given thirty seconds to show his skills. A popular song was played, and each boy was supposed to dance to the tune of the song. Though sophisticated, each child was seen to be enjoying what was happening. The winner of the event was given a dummy cup. The boy isolated himself from the group designing a house using sticks and pieces of paper. The manner in which the boy designed the house was amazing. He created the blueprint and began putting the sticks in their right place. However, the boy left what he was doing immediately and went to the backyard. In the last two minutes, the boy went to play with his parent (father). The father of the boy was painting a picture in the backyard. The child took his drawing book and crayons and began imitating what the father was doing. It is evident from the observation that the child was particularly keen to what the father was doing. The ease of use of the crayons on the drawing book indicated a considerable growth of the child in terms of fine motor skills. From the observations, it seemed that the child was very comfortable both when playing alone and with others. In all the plays, the boy showed some level of sophistication in the way he played and interacted with the group and his father . The second child was a girl aged six years. The girl also lived in a suburban area and just like the first child; they lived in an apartment that possessed a spacious compound. Like in the first case, the girl was observed for close to ten minutes and it involved checking how the girl played, that is, alone and with others. The girl child was deeply involved in playing with her doll. For a better part of the observation time, the girl remained in one place. At the first, the girl was seen bathing the doll. It is important to state that the girl even checked the temperature of the bath water to see if it was optimal for bathing the doll. Immediately after bath, the girl combed the hair of the doll and made small braids on the doll’s head. Though the braids were not very good, the girl showed some level of skill probably acquired from the parent. The doll was dressed in neat clothes, and it was placed on its beds. After a minute, the girl picked the doll and began cooing the child as if it was crying. After the â€Å"supposed child† had slept, the girl was seen making some food for either her or the doll. At this stage, the girl went to pick something (ice cream) from the kitchen. The girl picked the

The Strength of Harley Company Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Strength of Harley Company - Essay Example SWOT Analysis; is another framework that can be used in external analysis and it looks at the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in the market. These factors are used for determining the growth or decline of the market, the position of the business, direction, and potential for operations. The strength of Harley Company included customer loyalty and good reputation that they enjoyed in the local market, the dominance of super heavyweight motorcycle segment, state of art technological equipment for production, excellent workforce due to good treatment of employees and good strategies and organizational leadership. And the main threat was competition which was very stiff in the motorcycle market as well as an entrant of cheap products into the market. This analysis shows that Harley was in a greater position of making use of its opportunities and strengths to create strategies that would help it improve sales and gain a competitive advantage over its competitors. The creation of Harley Owners Group further saw an improved and close relationship between the company and the consumers because they were involved in social and charity events in the community. This delivered an atmosphere and the kind of emotions where the consumers felt an experience like they had never felt before linking with the Harley-Davidson Company. This help the company improved its sales and gain customer loyalty as well as competitive advantage in the market. Traditionally the majority of Harley consumers were blue-collar men aged the 20s and 30s but the demographic profile shifted and in 2002 the age group rose up from 30s to 40s. The company also recorded a 9% increase in female consumers down from 2 percent in 1987. The introduction of baby boomers into the market also improved their sales and as the prices rose up, the middle-aged professionals became the demographic targets and as they were the most attractive for the company.

Exploration Notes- as Level Drama and Theatre Studies Essay Example for Free

Exploration Notes- as Level Drama and Theatre Studies Essay 1) Discuss and compare the exploration of characterisation in Metamorphosis by Steven Berkoff and (A Doll’s House). Draw your own practical understanding of the skills used including use of language and voice to portray character. In our practical sessions of Modelling Gregor in â€Å"Metamorphosis†, we thought about how we would physically see Gregor. To do this, we had to individually create the shape of Gregor with our bodies. We all started off thinking about it really literally- â€Å"How would a beetle look?† rather than thinking about how our body represented Gregor and his feelings towards society. We then expanded on our thoughts about Gregor and then tried to empathise with him and think about how we would look if we were in his situation. My finished individual beetle was crouched/curled up on the floor on my side with my head down, hidden away- this represented Gregor’s vulnerability (a beetle on his back is helpless and cannot move, but a beetle has a hard shell which protects him; I was half and half because with my head down, I didn’t want to be seen by society and I was ashamed of what I had become however with my front/underside slightly showing, I was exposed to society and helpless but because you could see my back/shell, I was half protected by family- I think that throughout the show this would change and I would end up completely on my back because the family does end up abandoning/killing Gregor) , one of my arms was in a jerky/awkward position and the other was outstretched away from my body- the jerky arm represented Gregor changing and being abnormal and different, the outstretched arm however showed that I was reaching for someone to help and save me from what I was turning into; my legs were limp, lifeless and in an awkward shape to show that I was, again, turning into something new and weird but could not move and physically get away from it. After we made our individual beetle, we then worked in partners and modelled them into Gregor. I decided to use props for this (I used a chair). Hana (my model Gregor) ended up being positioned on her side, with her head under the chair and one of her arms reaching out onto it, her legs were crooked and awkward to show that she couldn’t move from her pain. After that, we raced our â€Å"beetles†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Hana lost.. but this showed that Gregor was in a good position because he found it difficult to manoeuvre himself and get away from what was happening to him- his movement was limited and awkward when he did so. Hana then modelled me, she had me stood up with my legs wide open (showing vulnerability) and one of my legs turned in and that knee bent (which looked awkward, abnormal and hard to move), my head was dropped and my stomach was contracted in. She placed my arms out to the sides in awkward positions, which was quite physically demanding as I was holding the position. We then used these positions for a scene of Metamorphosis. The dream scene; we incorporated our ideas of how Gregor felt and moved into this scene. We decided to have a narrator and an actor onstage being Gregor. I tried to capture the essence of Gregor’s franticness yet vulnerability in the way I directed Hana as Gregor. I did this by changing the speed and dynamics of how she was moving; this matched the way I was narrating as I also changed the tempo, dynamics and pitch of my voice to really capture how Gregor’s character felt. To create the family we thought about the physical features of a beetle and applied them to the metaphors of the family. We ended up putting Mr Samsa in the middle, seeing as he is the heart of the family; we then had Gregor again in the middle with his arms over Mr Samsa almost saying that he is protecting him and the family with his income but he is still exposed to society and therefore vulnerable. We had Mrs Samsa knelt in front of Gregor and Mr Samsa looking straight forward with a blank expression almost as if she hasn’t got much to say about the situation and is just disregarding Gregor. Greta was at the very front of the beetle as the antenna, looking out for Gregor and being his sense of feeling. The legs of Gregor were made up of society, but reaching out and away from the beetle and from Gregor. We also (as a practical exercise) held hands as a whole group and twisted ourselves into a character from the play each†¦ this ended up looking abnormal, as the family’s situation is and a lot of it also looked quite painful but we were as one as a unit, as the family is. In order to characterise Nora in a Doll’s House, we used the techniques of Stanislavski because A Doll’s House is a much more naturalistic play compared to Metamorphosis. We started with a focus exercise in which we lay down on the floor and concentrated only on our breathing and our body contact with the floor. We then got thought about some key words to describe Nora’s character and tried to focus on each of them individually, letting each emotion overwhelm our bodies. We then were counted down to stand up and walk around the room as Nora, showing her feelings through non- verbal communication. We also created some tableaux of the family in a dolls house. For this we used visual, aural and spatial techniques. 2) Discuss and compare the Visual, Aural and Spatial elements and the use of non-verbal communication techniques to present issues and ideas in both plays studied. Make reference to your practical work. Visual, aural and spatial elements either have an iconic or symbolic reference. Iconic is always visual, for example a prop; it is iconic because it is what it is and only serves its primary function (e.g. a stool is a stool and is used for sitting on etc.) However a symbolic reference is something that represents something and has a metaphor behind it (e.g. a chair could be symbolic for a particular person). Metamorphosis is an extremely abstract play and the visual, aural and spatial techniques used are very important. The play is commonly set with Gregor at the back on a platform above everyone else, slowly becoming more and more deformed. This is a very visual thing and represents the time’s changing and matters are slowly getting worse and worse for the family. The fact he is higher up than everyone else as well could also symbolise the fact he is hanging over everyone’s head and is a burden on the family. His height could also represent his status and the fact he is the cause for everything happening on stage and when he changes, everything else does as well. Another common way of positioning Gregor is to have scaffolding angling up to the back of the stage like this: This gives perspective; it also makes Gregor look further away but because of the angle, you are drawn in, giving a stronger emotional impact on you as an audience member. The scaffolding itself makes the whole aesthetic of the performance seem more skeletal; which Gregor is also slowly becoming. It is also, obviously, very structured which contradicts how the family’s situation is in the play. In the script it says that every prop is mimed other than 3 black stools places equidistantly of each other for the family to use. I think these proxemics show how the family are as a unit and detached from Gregor. In order to explore and interpret this, we created a series of 10 tableaux. In these 10 tableaux, we used visual, aural and spatial elements to show the subtext of the plot- we mainly focussed on the family and how Gregor’s change affected the family. We used a ladder laid down on its side for scaffolding in which Gregor spent a lot of the time in various awkward ways, becoming more and more deformed and trapped as the tableaux progressed. We thought we should only use the organic sounds from our movement and the ladder for our performance to represent the tension and how awkward the situation/plot/subtext was. In the changeover of each tableau, we decided to move a chair gradually towards the back of the stage to represent Gregor slowly distancing from his family. One element of these tableaux I was quite proud of was the proxemics of each member of the family compared to Gregor and the ladder/scaffolding. This is said ladder; as you can see, there is a divide across it. We used this as a barrier stopping the family from getting to Gregor; apart from in one tableau where we â€Å"broke† this barrier and Greta reached out to Gregor through the partition. Gregor was slowly becoming more and more deformed into the corner during the tableaux. Greta reaching over through the barrier to Gregor. Mrs Samsa reaching over to Greta trying to stop her from â€Å"breaking the barrier†. Mr Samsa: Back turned to Mrs Samsa and Greta (and obviously Gregor, wanting no part of it) Gregor was slowly becoming more and more deformed into this corner during the tableaux. We also used visual, aural and spatial techniques when studying A Doll’s House. Unlike Metamorphosis being abstract, A Doll’s House is much more realistic than Metamorphosis and therefore uses lots of props which are all in one way or another, symbolic of something and metaphorical. As a class we discussed the characters and props and what they may metaphorically represent: * Christmas Tree- The family’s relationships falling apart simultaneously with the pine needles falling off the tree. It could also show that looks can be deceiving because of the fact that while this tree is looking beautiful, the family is deteriorating. * Door- Freedom when Nora leaves. Trouble when she enters from the unknown outside world. * Dr Rank- Society hiding their decay. * Money- Power and all things bad and poisonous. * Nanny- The calm, security and support of Nora and the children. * â€Å"Skylark†- Nora is just a pretty singing bird with no other purpose than looking beautiful. Also the fact that a skylark cannot speak words, this is reflected in Nora; she is not allowed an opinion or it is not heard. * Stove- The characters always go back to it (especially Nora), this could stand for support and forgiveness, the warmth of friendship and loyalty because it is always there. * Macaroons- Nora’s deceit. * Lamp- The light of truth. * The Doll’s House- Nora is a kept woman, everyone’s play thing†¦or so they assume. It is actually Nora who plays with and manipulates the characters around her. Again, looks can be deceiving. Another way we explored visual, aural and special elements in A Doll’s House was when we studied the Tarantella scene. A tarantella is a traditional Italian folk dance. It gets its name from the venomous spider, the tarantula and it is supposed that when one gets bitten by this spider, the victims needed to engage in a frenzied dance in order to prevent death or disease, using very rhythmical music. Now, in context with A Doll’s House, I believe that the reason a Tarantella is danced by Nora is because she is trying to rid herself of the poison from Torvald, Krogstad and maybe even Dr Rank; or she could be trying to rid herself from lies she’s told as this is her poison. We re-enacted the tarantella scene with the proper script. We played with spatial awareness of characters, use of voice and visual effects. Nora’s movement gets gradually more and more frantic and her speech also more frantic and louder and high pitched. Torvald moves with purpose but in a much more organised and authoritative way compared to Nora; he is always keeping his eyes on her and making sure she does it ALL correctly. Mrs Linde comes in from side stage quite discretely, says her line to Nora then moves slowly and almost mysteriously to a chair in the LDF corner. Dr Rank, playing the piano, cannot keep his eyes off Nora but is fairly wary of Torvald’s presence so near him. Nora used a shawl while she was dancing which added to the visual effects and at the end of the dance she threw the shawl on the floor as if her freedom of dance had gone and the poison had come back. We then performed our own interpretive dance for the subtext of the tarantella and the whole play without any script work. We started with Torvald controlling Nora, almost as a puppeteer- for this we used music box doll music. The music then ran into Kashmir by Bond which starts with quite a distorted wave of sound which we used to show Nora slowly changing and fighting back with Torvald. Throughout the dance, Nora got stronger and less poisoned- instead, the poison was transferring into the other characters. After Nora had kicked Torvald to the floor, Mrs Linde came in and started controlling him alongside Torvald; after having liaised with Nora, she became poisoned and slowly deteriorated to the floor. Dr Rank then came into the picture, stepped over Torvald to get to Nora. They danced together until she pushed him away and transferred the poison. Finally, Nora ended up sat down on the floor, looking around almost like a child who had just broken all of her toys. Aurally, there is one very poignant moment in A Doll’s House where the door is slammed at the end by Nora. This gives the play a final point of closure where Nora has gone and has gone for good. Similarly in Metamorphosis, when the apple is thrown into Gregor’s back, this is a definitive sound of the end of the main plot. 3) Evaluate your understanding of the practitioners studied and their influences on Metamorphosis. Use your interpretation notes to aid this question making reference to the practitioners, playwright, and your own practical exploration. Leslie Steven Berkovitch, better known as Steven Berkoff, was born on the 3rd August 1937 to Russian Jews. He came from a poor family and because of their descent; he never fitted in as a child and found it hard to be a part of a group of friends. Growing up in the East End of London is a gritty, tough time for most people let alone someone of the likes of Berkoff. He was a badly behaved child and got kicked out of school a lot. You could argue he was the original â€Å"East Ender† until he then moved to New York- he lived in a 1 bedroom flat, shared with 3 other families (who were also outsiders in New York). Wherever he travelled, he could never fit in and never found anywhere to call home. He grew up to resent his family and moved back to London at age 13. As an outsider, a Russian Jew living in London, he wanted to be a gangster. He was in a stage of identity crisis where didn’t know where to belong and after being so badly influenced and behaved, he ended up in a young offenders prison which obviously made him extremely angry! After this, he changed his name to Berkoff because he didn’t want to be seen as a Jew or associated with his roots. He brought a whole new movement to British playwriting in British society. These plays he wrote commented on equality and people- they were often based in the home. When he came out of prison, he decided to go over to Europe and learn the skill of tailoring like his father had done. During his stay, he was given the book â€Å"Metamorphosis† by Franz Kafka. When he read this, he could instantly make connections between himself and Gregor. After this, he went back to the East End and started writing plays. Unlike his fellow playwrights John Osbourne and Edward Bond, he believed drama should still be abstract. Berkoff was influenced by Greek theatre; he was a â€Å"Megalomaniac of theatre styles† who loved over exaggeration and the use of masks to rid people of their identity. He loved the use of chorus (voices together) and poetic verse because it takes things out of context. I was inspired by Brecht and his political (borderline social) take on drama and the use of gestus and satire. He also like Artaud and his theatre of cruelty and the way he used the senses and sounds to put over metaphorical messages. He then travelled to France and worked under Lecoq who was a mime artiste and physical theatre worker and trained with him until he decided to move back to London. When he got back to London, he built up his manifesto of theatre. TOTAL THEATRE. Total theatre Greek theatre (chorus, unison, exaggeration), theatre of cruelty (loud sounds, harsh, gritty images and metaphors) and epic theatre (Brecht- teaches a message, gestus, stereotypes, alienation). Berkoff moulded all these ideas together and created his characters as comic and caricatures. Using the whole of the body was very important to him as he was an extremely physical director, well demonstrated with the character of Gregor in Metamorphosis. As a practitioner, Berkoff also wrote plays as well as acted and directed. He liked using lots of language and words (almost Shakespearian). He was extremely articulate and using beautiful language he talked about the gritty East End and reality of life. To put Berkoff’s views into practice, we had to pretend to be in love with a chair. We exaggerated our love and feelings and the chair was like a metaphor for our lover. We then had to flip our mood and become angry with the chair; it got us all to think how people would stereotypically act with someone you loved and then hated. We also had to pretend we were at a picnic on our own, slowly becoming more and more exaggerated with our eating and drinking, and gradually more grotesque. It really got us to focus into it and get into it, so when it was time to â€Å"fake wretch†, I actually felt physically sick! We also practiced slow motion. This was very physically demanding, like how Steven Berkoff would have directed. It was very important to control your movements but not forget that when you sped up the movements, they should look exactly the same as the slow ones. 4) Evaluate your understanding of the practitioner studied and his influence on A Doll’s House. Use your interpretation notes to aid this question making reference to the practitioners, playwright, and your own practical exploration. Henrik Ibsen was born in Norway in 1828 and died in 1906. He was from a well to do Merchant family, however his father’s fortunes took a significant turn for the worse and he ended up a moody, nasty man and turned to alcoholism which he then took out on his family. Ibsen subsequently, only wrote about money and marriage as this was influenced from his own life. His plays were seen as scandalous to many of his era because they were always touching on sensitive subjects like human rights. This then influenced many other playwrights and novelists such as George Bernard Shaw, Oscar Wilde, Arthur Miller and James Joyce. He is one of the founders of modernism in theatre. During his time, despite failing to achieve success as a playwright, he gained a lot of practical experience at the Norwegian theatre company. His play â€Å"A Doll’s House† is a realistic drama that highlights the cultural conflicts of the 19th century. The play was very controversial when it was first published as it was sharply critical of 19th century marriage norms. Her ended up having to change the ending of the original script because the leading actress didn’t like the idea of having to act out abandoning her children. It also manifests Ibsen’s concerns for women’s rights and human rights in general. This was widely considered as a landmark in the development of what would soon become a highly prevalent genre of theatre- REALISM. Realism was consequently realised. It wasn’t however until the likes of Stanislavski came along that realism became so well known and loved. He wanted a sense of realism in his work and he wanted his actors to really connect with their character. In his eyes, the actors WERE the characters. He believed REAL ACTORS=REAL ACTING. We used Stanislavski’s techniques to get into our roles when studying A Doll’s House. We began with a focus exercise, lying on the floor and zoning out our thoughts. We then thought about our character and let their feelings overwhelm our own like Stanislavski would have got his actors to. We then connected with their emotions, felt how they felt and immediately after, acted out a short scene between Nora and Torvald. This helped us all enormously because got us to lose out inhibitions and focus entirely on the story, situation and emotions of the characters. 5) Discuss the Social, Historical, Cultural and Political content of the texts studied and compare the impact on an audience and on yourself as a student of drama. In Metamorphosis, the social, historical and cultural background is made apparent in a number of ways throughout the play. Franz Kafka (the author of the original novel) took his inspiration for the characters from his own relationship between himself and his father. Unforgettable images of dislocation seem to represent both the madness of the modern world and his own desperate neurosis. Similarly, Berkoff wasn’t very close with his father. Practitioners like Brecht and Artaud influenced his work- this is clearly visible in Metamorphosis as he took Artaud’s Theatre of Cruelty and gave it Brecht’s Epic Theatre attributes. Berkoff’s own unique style created this play incorporating his personal passion of mime and the genre of expressionism. Acknowledging what I know about both Berkoff and Kafka, it is blatent that the Social, Cultural, Historic and Political aspects in terms of the two writers were their personal experiences of suppression from society, the culture they were brought up in (Kafka brought up in the a Jewish community and Berkoff brought up in the lower class and status he was born into by Russian Jews). Metamorphosis can be seen as a reaction against society and its demands. Gregors physical separation could represent his alienation and understandable desire. He was crushed by authority and routine and had been imprisoned by social and economic demands: Just dont stay in bed being useless . . .† It prevents the forthcoming rebellion of the son against the father. Gregor had become strong as a result of his fathers failure. He destroyed his fathers self-esteem and took over the fathers posts and duties within the family. After the catastrophe, the same sequence takes place in reverse: son becomes weak, and father kills him. Gregor is shown as a symbol of anxiety and alienation who is a lonely character, isolated in his own mind from the community and true friendship (much like Kafka and Berkoff). Looking at where Gregor’s values were anchored: servant to the needs of an oppressive boss in order to meet the needs of a family that continuously exploits him. The metamorphosis was inevitable. Metamorphosis shows the views and attitudes of society. It isn’t necessarily the one we live in today, but looking at it from a historical point of view it could have been representing the society in the nineteen hundreds (1915) when metamorphosis was first published. Kafka was born in Germany and could be referring to the time of the war, and how the Jewish communities were discriminated against. In A Doll’s House, patriarchal ideals were supported and reinforced by a social structure in which women had very little political or economic power. They were economically, socially, and psychologically dependent upon men and especially dependent upon the institutions of marriage and motherhood. Motherhood within marriage was considered a woman’s highest possible achievement. It was a social responsibility, a duty to society, and therefore, a full-time job. Mothering was no longer something that came naturally, but was something that had to be learned. High infant mortality rates, particularly in urban areas, were solely blamed on mothers. Working class mothers were labeled neglectful, when in truth they struggled with both child care and feeding a family. The plot concerns the collapse of a middle class marriage. It sparked debates about women’s rights and divorce. It was considered innovative and daring because of its focus on psychological tension instead of external action. It also created a new acting style that required emotion be conveyed through small, controlled gestures, shifts in action, and pauses and it was groundbreaking in that it caused drama to be viewed as social commentary and not just entertainment. For me, I think that these factors in both plays have different effects on me because in A Doll’s House, the living situation is so much more common these days compared to the monstrosity it was back when it was written. I feel like I can however relate to Nora and how she’s feeling because she is quite feministic like myself. I become quite confused when thinking about how Metamorphosis affects me because it’s obviously a very abstract play but I can empathise with Gregor and moreover Greta because she just wants to help her brother but the higher members of the family won’t let her.

Internal External Strategies Essay Example for Free

Internal External Strategies Essay Tradeoffs between an internal and external growth strategy goes together in an organization. The internal organization which focuses on the internal growth of the firm look upon the comforts for the internal people and the facilities are provided internally for the employees. The employees are boosted up and they are encouraged from giving them bonus, over time etc. the internal growth of an organization helps it to groom itself completely but this sets a backward area. The internal growth comprises on the employees moral, the expansion of the organization, more opportunities are overwhelmed for the employees and they are trained in such a manner that they become sharp and confident and boast them in an orderly manner. As a result only the internal growth is focused and the external has to go through a tough time as the only focus becomes the internal growth and the cost is ignored. The production cost gets higher and the demand is affected which leads to a decrease in the sale of goods in the market (Clare Stutely, 1995). On the other hand when the external growth is focused the budget and the cost are kept in view and the people are mainly focused on the output in the market. Cost cutting is observed and this even leads to the suspension of employees from their job. The cost of the product is kept in view and then decisions are taken to avoid any kind of disturbance in the demand of the product. This creates misconception among the employees and the owners and a huge gap is created among relations. Employees are not focused and not considered for increment. These are the tradeoffs between external and internal growth strategy (Triant, 2006). In international strategy external growth is focused as it is more profitable for them. In international trade only the cost and the demand is focused. Profit is only the motive of the international traders and therefore external trade strategy is the best approach.

Ethics And Social Responsibility In Strategic Planning

Ethics And Social Responsibility In Strategic Planning Ethics and social responsibility occupy an important place in our personal value system. Customer confidence in how business operates has been severely shaken by recent corporate scandals and collapses, such as Enron and bank failures. Hence it is important for companies to consider incorporating ethics and social responsibility into their strategic planning. This applies whether a company is involved with customers one-on-one, such as a Taco Bell or Dell, Inc., or their involvement is indirect, through their relationship with their clients, such as newspaper distributor Pogo Distribution Company, or wholesale food seller, Del Monte. This paper analyzes what are ethics and social responsibility, how each applies to a companys strategic planning, and the overall impact on stakeholders when ethics and social responsibility is considered in strategic planning. The paper will conclude with how my ethical perspective has evolved throughout the program. The Role of Ethics and Social Responsibility in Strategic Planning To be their most successful, companies must consider ethics and social responsibility as critical parts, inherent components of strategic plan. Ethical and social responsibility criteria must be included as part of the strategic process in before-profit decisions rather than after-profit decisions in order to receive the maximum benefit, i.e. corporate profits. The Role of Ethics in Strategic Planning Reflecting critically and actively on ethical issues is an obligation of every professional. Reflecting such ethical content or implications in ones decisions and actions must be salient in every aspect of how companies operate. Ethics ensure that a company achieves its mission, vision, goals, and objectives in such a manner that they give a company a sense of direction and framework. Ethics ensure guidelines are created that bind the entire organization into one common thread, govern the action of the organizational employees, and avoid deviation from the desired strategic path. Ethics ensure that strategic plan is prepared as per the best interest of all a companys stakeholders, whether employees, vendors, customers or even the society in which the organization operates. What is ethics? According to authors Andre and Velasquez, ethics has two parts. First, it refers to well based standards of right and wrong behavior. What individuals ought to do, usually in terms of rights, obligations, and benefits to society, fairness, or specific virtues. Second, it refers to continually examining our moral beliefs and moral conduct, and striving to live up to these well based standards (Andre, C, Velesquez, M., 1987). Recent corporate scandals such as Enron (Business Wire, 2002), and the collapse of a major Wall Street banking house, Lehman Bros. (Jaffe, 2009), have scarred the business industry. Everyday poor customer service, such as from Dell, Inc. has brought high levels of frustration to customers (Gizmodo, 2010). All have left customers with levels of distrust in our businesses, resulting in more scrutiny from regulatory authorities, government and the public. Adhering to the highest possible ethical standards, and integrating these ethics into their strategic planning, can build a good corporate image in front of all the stakeholders of the organization. Integrating and planning must go beyond compliance issues and reactive disciplinary policies to actually manage integrity. Five ways a company can ensure ethics is included in their strategic planning are: Establish explicit ethical goals and criteria, Demonstrate commitment to ethical goals and criteria, Communicate ethical expectations and train workforce to enact ethical goals and criteria, Assess and monitor employee behavior and decisions, and Maintain on-going proactive integrity continuity management (Valentino, 2007) Such a strong focus on ethics will ensure that each set of stakeholders will be happy and assured that strategic plan will address their needs and wants and the organization will act in the best interest of each stakeholder. The Role of Social Responsibility in Strategic Planning Another major element of todays strategic planning is corporate social responsibility (CSR) where managers face a varied and increasing demand from stakeholders (McWilliams and Siegel, 2001). This demand has been marked by numerous claims linking corporate social responsibility to a firms profits, particularly in professional publications (Kanter, 1999), in the media, and by emerging international CSR organizations such as the United Nations Global Compact. The motivation is laudable: if a positive CSR financial performance relationship can be demonstrated, and then firms will be motivated to increase spending on CSR activities. However, academic research to date has been inconclusive, finding positive, negative and curvilinear relationships between CSR and financial performance (McWilliam and Siegel; Margolis and Walsh, 2001). Nevertheless, for those companies who include social responsibility as one of their criteria, companies are leaving no stone unturned to ensure that they co ntribute to the improvement and well being of the society, while minimizing any negative impact of their operations on the society. Thus CSR focuses on two areas: Internal behaviors, which refers to the way a corporation conducts the day-to-day operations of its core business functions, and External behaviors, which refers to a corporations engagement outside of its direct business interest (Jones, 2004). It goes beyond good public relations tactics or being nice to have. (Valentino, 2007). Internal behavior planning generally starts in the Human Resource Department. It can be an aid to recruitment and retention. (Lingham, 2009). Examples are going green, matching employee charitable contributions; creating help the community programs, and sponsoring community events. While external behaviors can include the latter three internal behaviors, they differ from internal CSR because management and public relations will consider the financial impact of their decisions because of their stakeholders, such as owners and shareholders. Business exists for many reasons but survival ultimately depends on profits. My Ethical Perspective My ethical perspective has broadened via this program as I have understood the linkage between ethics and its implications on the organization from strategic perspective. I have understood the strategic importance of ethics in terms of benefiting all the stakeholders of an organization and its importance in the organizations day to day operations. The program has taught me the relationship between ethics and the different components of the strategic plan of the organization. The future of our organizations, the people they represent, and the wider community can only be strengthened by embedding ethics into the strategic planning process. Ethics should be central, not peripheral, to the overall management of the firm.

Genetic Screening :: Science Genes Biology Papers

Genetic Screening What is genetic screening? Health care is becoming more and more of a concern today as the profession is constantly creating new procedures and what we hope are better ways to administer care. How would things be, though, if patients could be told beforehand what diseases they are likely to contract in the future? This is where genetic screening comes into play. Genetic screening is the ability to examine the genetic code for possible defects and the consequences thereof. What is a genetic disease? Professor Kare Berg of the University of Oslo describes genetic diseases as "†¦(including) diseases caused by a mutant gene at a single locus (Mendelian diseases), disorders caused by numerical or structural chromosomal anomalies, and diseases or malformations caused by the action of several genes or by interaction between genes and environmental factors" (1996). How can we test for these defects? Most often, a simple blood test can supply enough DNA to perform a thorough examination. Researchers are also developing new ways to test the genes of the unborn. For example, a new test in Korea extracts eggs from the mother and brings them to maturity. The eggs are then fertilized with the husband’s sperm and allowed to divide once or twice. A cell is then removed from each group and tested for known genetic diseases. University of California at San Francisco professor Yuet Wai Kan has developed a way to test an unborn baby’s blood without the use of amniocentesis. A blood sample is taken from the mother and immature red blood cells from the fetus are separated. Kan’s team can then run tests on these immature red blood cells. The procedure is said to be tedious but does not require expensive equipment or the costly time of an obstetrician, not to mention the pain that can accompany amniocentesis. Social, Economic, and Moral Issues Science is constantly seeking new uses for what we learn from genetics. Not everyone, however, is in favor of such findings. There are many things to consider as we put what we learn about genetics out for the world to see. How and when are these tests to be performed? Should they be performed? Who has the right to see the results of these tests? Who has the right to suggest such testing? Genetic tests and their results can have serious consequences on the lives of people tested and those who surround them. For instance, if employers know of an applicant who is susceptible to a deadly disease, they could most likely refrain from hiring the individual and save themselves trouble down the road. Genetic Screening :: Science Genes Biology Papers Genetic Screening What is genetic screening? Health care is becoming more and more of a concern today as the profession is constantly creating new procedures and what we hope are better ways to administer care. How would things be, though, if patients could be told beforehand what diseases they are likely to contract in the future? This is where genetic screening comes into play. Genetic screening is the ability to examine the genetic code for possible defects and the consequences thereof. What is a genetic disease? Professor Kare Berg of the University of Oslo describes genetic diseases as "†¦(including) diseases caused by a mutant gene at a single locus (Mendelian diseases), disorders caused by numerical or structural chromosomal anomalies, and diseases or malformations caused by the action of several genes or by interaction between genes and environmental factors" (1996). How can we test for these defects? Most often, a simple blood test can supply enough DNA to perform a thorough examination. Researchers are also developing new ways to test the genes of the unborn. For example, a new test in Korea extracts eggs from the mother and brings them to maturity. The eggs are then fertilized with the husband’s sperm and allowed to divide once or twice. A cell is then removed from each group and tested for known genetic diseases. University of California at San Francisco professor Yuet Wai Kan has developed a way to test an unborn baby’s blood without the use of amniocentesis. A blood sample is taken from the mother and immature red blood cells from the fetus are separated. Kan’s team can then run tests on these immature red blood cells. The procedure is said to be tedious but does not require expensive equipment or the costly time of an obstetrician, not to mention the pain that can accompany amniocentesis. Social, Economic, and Moral Issues Science is constantly seeking new uses for what we learn from genetics. Not everyone, however, is in favor of such findings. There are many things to consider as we put what we learn about genetics out for the world to see. How and when are these tests to be performed? Should they be performed? Who has the right to see the results of these tests? Who has the right to suggest such testing? Genetic tests and their results can have serious consequences on the lives of people tested and those who surround them. For instance, if employers know of an applicant who is susceptible to a deadly disease, they could most likely refrain from hiring the individual and save themselves trouble down the road.

The Left and Right Brain Hemispheres: Independent Centers of Consciousness? :: Biology Health Term Papers

The Left and Right Brain Hemispheres: Independent Centers of Consciousness? "I'm of two minds on the matter." "I can't make up my mind." "I'm having an internal argument." Our language is full of idioms that make it sound as if there were two disagreeing voices inside our heads. Often, that is indeed how it feels. But is that sensation physiologically supported? Can a brain fight with itself? Can there be multiple independent centers of consciousness in a single head? Until the 1960s, there was no way for us to test this feeling of internal disagreement. But when a surgery aimed at alleviating epileptic seizures also isolated the two hemispheres of the patient's brain, science was surprisingly afforded that opportunity. Background The left and right hemispheres of the brain are connected by a dense bundle of neurons called the corpus callosum. This bundle is primarily responsible for communication of information between the two hemispheres, connecting them with approximately 200 million callosal axons (in humans.) (1) In some cases of multifocal epilepsy, the electrical discharges that cause seizures can start in one hemisphere and spread to the other by way of the corpus callosum, greatly increasing the severity of the fit. Sometimes this condition is unresponsive to medication, at which point the spasms can only be controlled with more drastic measures.(2) In 1961, Dr. Michael Gazzaniga performed an operation which had been pioneered on animals by Drs. Ronald Meyers and Roger Sperry, but which had never before been tested on human patients. In this procedure, called a commissurotomy, the surgeon opens the skull, lays back the brain coverings with a cerebral retractor, and cuts through the corpus callosum. While this prevents a seizure from spreading, it also prevents information from being passed between hemispheres. Thanks to Dr. P. J. Vogel, we now know that severing the anterior  ¾ of the corpus callosum can effectively stop the spread of a seizure, while allowing full communication between the hemispheres to remain. (3) However, the behavior of full-commissurotomy patients has been extensively documented, and provides fascinating insight into the specialization of the hemispheres, the nature of the brain, and the nature of consciousness itself. Results To understand these behaviors, one must first remember that neurological wiring of the body is, for the most part, contralateral. Signals travel from the left side of the body to the right hemisphere of the brain and back, and vice versa.

A Scream in the Night :: essays research papers

natasha Smith. A Scream in the Night. Chapter 1 Ahhhhhhhh†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ I jumped out of my bed and turned on the night. I slowly creaped over to my bedroom window, what I saw was petrifying. A humongous light came bursting in at me I was sure that it wasn’t the sun. It came closer each second, closer, closer and closer, bigger, bigger and bigger. But before I got to faint, Mum got up and the light dissapeared. Weird. Chapter 2 I put on my warm and cosy dressingown, slipped my foot into my bright and yellow slippers, and crept down the creaky stairs for breakfast, trying to act normal. When I got there I said,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å" Morning Mum, Morning Dad.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å" Morning,† Replied Mum and Dad. I sat down and said nothing, Still wondering what weird thing could happened this morning. Chapter 3 I sat there thinking what could have happened?, what could it be?, how could it be? Mum noticed me being quiet, she asked, â€Å" Dear what is the matter? You look awfully pale.† At first I wasn’t listening, then she asked again,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å" Oh, Oh nothing mother†, trying to keep it to myself.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å" Look what ever it is you can tell me you know I wont bite! She explained.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬Å" Look mother, I’m ok, just abit tired that’s all.† I roared. I knew it wasn’t ok though. Just maybe I’ll tell her one day, but just maybe. Chapter 4 When I went to bed, I woke up again at midnight, I turned on my light, but when I turned around†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Ahhhhhhhh†¦. Cried a voice coming from outside. I went to the window and looked in the sky, there was a man he was very red and looked half alive and half dead. Then he said nothing else, and just layed there, then he dissapeared. I ran into mums room and said â€Å" Mum, Mum wake up,† Mum said â€Å" Yes dear,†she mumbled.

How Indian Cinema Evolved over the Years Essay

A hundred years ago on this date, India’s first film Raja Harishchandra was released. Over the past hundred years, our cinema and its facets have evolved and how!! The hero From mooch to macho From a bulky mustached Raj Kapoor in the 40s to a six-pack flaunting, butt-baring John Abraham now, the Bollywood hero has had quite a makeover. The 50s was the era of method-acting with the likes of Dilip Kumar, while in the 60s, Rajesh Khanna and Dev Anand epitomised romance on screen. After Khanna’s guru kurtas and fluffy hairtop, Amitabh Bachchan brought the angry young man into the picture in the 70s and 80s with Zanjeer, Deewar and Agneepath, also bringing to the fore, bell bottoms and side burns. The 90s was the time of the lover boys Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan and Salman Khan dancing in exotic foreign locales. Now, the Bollywood hero is not restricted by genre or style and fits into every mould. He is a looker, chocolatey, experimental and total paisa vasool, read Ranbir Kapoor and Imran Khan. The heroine From feeble to fabulous In the early decades, the heroine in Indian cinema had only one objective in life, that of being a sati-savitri, who never looked beyond her family and husband. The kitchen was her cocoon, and she epitomised all things good. Through the 1940s, 50s and 60s, heroines such as Mala Sinha, Meena Kumari, Madhubala, Nanda and Asha Parekh ruled these roles. It was only in the 80s and 90s that she evolved as a strong character (Rekha in Khoon Bhari Mang, 1988), (Meenakshi Sheshadri in Damini, 1993). While in the early 2000s, she was still the demure girl, she managed to live her life on her terms like Rani Mukerji in Kabhie Alvida Naa Kehna. And the heroine today is the sexy, uber cool woman who cares for little more than her own life. Way to go girl! The villain From scary to suave From the usual lot of wicked village zamindars, smugglers, murderers, rapists, dacoits and terrorists, the larger-than-life Bollywood villains have become rare in new age cinema. Thus the traditional villain, Loin, Shakal, Mogambo, Dr Dang and Badman, has died a natural death. The wigged, cigar-smoking avatars played by the likes of Pran, Prem Chopra, Amrish Puri, have made way for smart and sometimes more-adorable-than-the-hero kind of villains. Exhibit A- Saif Ali Khan (Omkara) and Shah Rukh Khan (Don). No lines are drawn now and black characters have became grey with lead actors playing antagonists in films, almost replacing the dedicated villains. This marked the end of ever reverberating iconic one liners like â€Å"Kitne aadmi the?† and â€Å"Saara sheher mujhe Loin ke naam se jaanta hain.† The maa Rona-dhona to supercool From the God fearing and homely mum to a party freak, mothers in Bollywood have come a long way since 1930s. While Nargis in Mother India (1957) played a mother who went through hardships and struggled to bring up her offsprings, Nirupa Roy in the 70s became synonymous with white saris and a melancholic look. Then came Reema Lagoo, with her bindi and sindoor, an ideal middle class Indian mother in Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988) and Maine Pyar Kiya (1989), who tried to be a friend to her son. But now, mothers are the uber cool women who are ready to accept even same-sex couples, case in point, Kirron Kher in Dostana (2008). And now there are mom who drink and dance at weddings, ala Dolly Walia in Vicky Donor (2012). The item girl Taboo to must-haves The dancing girl evolved from the Cabaret seductress, the free-spirited banjaran, the sensuous courtesan to dancing temptresses in half-saris. In the 40s and 50s, Cuckoo Moray, hotted up the screen with her innocent charm. The 50s saw Vyjayanthimala woo the audience in songs such as Chad Gayo Papi Bichua in Madhumati (1958) in ghagra cholis, and junk silver jewellery. Helen ruled the 60s and 70s, emerging in a bold avatar with dramatic ensembles. The 80s saw the trend of heroines appear in item numbers with Zeenat Aman in Qurbani (1980). Madhuri Dixit’s Choli Ke Peeche Kya Hai became the ultimate tease in the 90s. The item girls of 2000s are sexy, not afraid to show skin and love to play hard to get, be it Malaika Arora Khan in a mid-riff baring choli dancing atop a train or Katrina in Sheila Ki Jawani. The comedian Funny face to frontman The comedian in the 40s, was the fat man with funny facial expressions, whose mere presence made audiences laugh. In the 1950s, the lean Johnny Walker broke that trend and managed to win hearts with his slapstick humour. Kishore Kumar, essentially a singer, redefined comedy by using his songs like Meri Pyari Bindu (Padosan 1968) as elements of fun in films. But it was Mehmood, with his fringed hair and impeccable dialogue delivery who became the king of comedy in the 1970s. The next big thing in comedy was Johnny Lever, who left audiences in splits with his body language and dialogues in films like Raja Hindustani (1996) and Dulhe Raja (1998). Now, it’s the heroes — Akshay Kumar (Hera Pheri), Ajay Devgn (Golmaal) who are doubling as comedians. The friend Sidekick to the right-hand man The side kick or hero’s best friend, every Bollywood film has had one. The role could be that of a fun buddy who provides comic relief to the film or that one jigari dost who stays with the hero through thick and thin (in other words, fights for the hero and often dies in the end). From the days of Mukri and Mehmood, who played the hero’s good friend in the 1950s and 60s to the current time where actors like Arshad Warsi and Sharman Joshi play as powerful characters as the hero himself, this portrayal has had a sea change. Mehmood in Humjoli (1970), for instance, played a sidekick who brought the house down with his antics, but Arshad Warsi in the Munnabhai series (2003/06) played the ideal Robin to Sanjay Dutt’s Batman, and got some of the best lines in the films. The romance Touch-me-not to pre-marital sex Romance in Bollywood turned from bold to coy and back to racy and bold. The silent film, ‘A Throw of Dice’ (1929) saw actor Seeta Devi kiss actor Charu Roy. Post-independence, in the 1940s, romance became conservative. The Cinematograph Act in 1952, called kissing on screen indecent and romance became associated with clasping hand and staring into each other’s eyes. Kissing was shown with two flowers coming together or honey bees sucking nectar from flowers. 1970s was Raj Kapoor’s era that brought a passion back to romance with movies such as Bobby (1973), Satyam Shivam Sundaram (1978). It was the 90s that romance took a pure and sweet form the two blockbuster hits Hum Aapke Hain Kaun (1994) Dilwale Duhaniya Le Jayenge (1995). Now, in the 2000s, pre-marital sex shown in films like Salaam Namaste (2005) and Rockstar (2011), is considered cool. The music Melodies to racy tracks The 1930 and 40s, were defined by nasal renditions by the likes of KL Saigal (Jab Dil Hi Tooth Gaya, Shahjahan, 1946) and Noorjehan. The 50s were all about soul-soothing melodies. Songs like it Pyaar Huya Ekraar Huya (Shree 420 1952) or Jaane Woh Kaise Log The (Pyaasa 1957) became epics. However, it was R D Burman, who single-handedly changed the course of Bollywood film music, and introduced westernised tunes in songs in the 60s. While 70s remained the decade of a mix of soft and fast numbers, the 80s turned Bollywood music on its head, as Bappi Lahiri brought in disco music. Disco Dancer (1982) marked the beginning of a range of high-on-noise, low-on-lyrics songs. The 1990s churned out several hugely forgettable numbers, except for musical hits like 1942 a Love Story (1994), Saajan (1991). The 2000s have been the decade of experimenting – thus Sonu Nigam and Yo Yo Honey Singh both find place in the same film. The dialogues Melodrama to quirky Power-packed dialogues get the maximum seetis from the audience, and why not. A film is often remembered for its iconic dialogues. Kaun kambakth bardasht karne ke liye peeta hai, from Devdas that’s a favourite even with the ‘daarubaaz’ of today. However, dialogues like Kitne aadmi the, and â€Å"Kuttey main tera khoon pi jaunga† from Sholay, â€Å"Pushpa, I hate tears† from Amar Prem and â€Å"Mere paas maa hai† from Deewar; have gone on to become epic. In the 1990s, heroes impressed their lady love with dialogues. Thus came, â€Å"I love you Kkk†¦ Kiran† (Darr), â€Å"Bade bade shehron mein aisi chhoti chhoti baatein hoti rehti hain.† (DDLJ 1995). In 2000, quirky dialogues such as, Main apni favourite hoon (Jab We Met), Picture Abhi Baki Hai Dost (Om Shanti Om) are the big hits among film buffs.

Hamlet and the Man in the Iron Mask Essay

The Man in the Iron Mask, by Alexandre Dumas, and Hamlet, by William Shakespeare, both follow similar plot lines and relate to each other through their themes. Shakespeare and Dumas both discuss themes of family, justice and judgement, lies and deceit, loyalty and the consequences of revenge. These major themes blend seamlessly in the stories of Shakespeare’s Hamlet and The Man in the Iron Mask. The themes are consistent throughout the play and the book, ultimately addressing the search for truth and justice in each of the protagonist’s situations. Although a number of similarities exist between the two stories, they approach the subject of loyalty differently. What Shakespeare and Dumas have discussed in their stories demonstrates a similar challenge, the search for the truth behind the lies. Hamlet and Philippe suffer mentally as they consider the consequences of their actions and inaction. As other characters become tied to their reactions, they too pay a price for their involvement. First, in both books there are themes about the consequences of revenge. The main theme is that revenge leads to destruction instead of solving the problem, ultimately escalating the primary problem further. Both forms show justice and judgement in the revenge displayed towards the kings. In the play of Hamlet, the main character is confronted with the ghost of his father who reveals that his death was not an accident but a murder. As Hamlet takes revenge, other people become involved and a cycle of revenge for death takes place. In order to accomplish what he knows as justice, Hamlet uses sound judgement as he takes revenge, both physically and emotionally, on those around him. In the Man in the Iron Mask, the musketeers want to take their own revenge on the king for the lack of food for the starving people in the village and his cruelty in general toward his people. Vengeance in this book turns into a cycle as the three musketeers take revenge on the king; the king later takes revenge onto his people. The son of the recently deceased king is known to us as a young man named Hamlet. The truth of the death of his father becomes known to Hamlet when his father’s ghost appears to him, explaining that he was murdered with poison at the hand of his own brother, Hamlets uncle. This method of death by poisoning foreshadows the death of the main characters later in the play. Prince Hamlet then devotes himself to avenging his father’s death, but delays the physical death of his uncle in order to torture him psychologically. The people involved enter into a deep melancholy and madness as Hamlet lets go of his closest relationships, judging family and friends for their disrespect toward his dead father. Hamlet psychologically tortures his uncle by arranging for a play named â€Å"Mouse Trap. † Hamlet plans it so that it parallels his father’s death, in an effort to witness Claudius’, Hamlet’s uncle’s, reaction. Claudius goes through physiological distress as he begins to wonder if Hamlet knows the truth behind the death of his father. Claudius then runs out of the theatre in order to pray for forgiveness. Hamlet follows and begins to draw his sword as this becomes the ideal moment to enact justice onto his uncle. However, Hamlet takes notice that Claudius killed his father while his father’s sins were unforgiven. King Hamlet had no time to repent due to the fact of his murder and was left to the divine to judge him. Hamlet decided to kill Claudius another time, perhaps when the king is drunk, angry or in the middle of an immoral act. This way, there would be no uncertainty about whether Claudius would go to Hell or not. Hamlet admires his father to the extent that he is determined not only to kill Claudius but also to make him suffer the wrath and judgement, sending him to a similar afterlife in Hell. (Shakespeare pg. 85 Act III, Scene 3). As Hamlet goes to his mother in anger, he is determined to inflict pain on her emotionally, using his own judgement again to enact justice. â€Å"Nay, but to live in the rank sweat of an enseamed bed, Stewed in corruption, honeying and making love Over the nasty sty. † (Shakespeare pg. 89. Act III, Scene 4). As the queen cries out for help, Hamlet accidentally kills Polonius, Claudius’ adviser, as he thrashes his sword into the curtain in hopes that it is Claudius. This causes Ophelia, Polonius’ daughter, great distress as she quickly becomes psychologically distressed and senseless. â€Å"And will ‘a not come again? And will ‘a not come again? No, no he is dead, Go to thy deathbed, He never will come again. † (Shakespeare pg. 109. Act IV, Scene 5). In this state of mind, she dances to the river and falls in, drowning to her death. Laertes, Ophelia’s brother and Polonius’ son, arrives from his travels. He is enraged and takes revenge for the death in his family. King Claudius takes this opportunity to turn Laertes against Hamlet as he devises a plan with Laertes so that they both can take their revenge on him. Again poison is used for the death. Poison is placed in a cup of water that is offered to Hamlet during a sword fight. Furthermore, Laertes places poison on his sword before the duel. This scheme radically backfires on the King as his new wife, Gertrude, drinks out of the cup, and Laertes and Hamlet get stabbed with the poison. In the end Claudius is forced by Hamlet to drink the poison and all four major characters die to poison. Shakespeare pg. 140 Act X, Scene 2). Fortunately, before his death, Hamlet was finally successful in his revenge as the details surrounding the death of Hamlet’s father become revealed to the crowd of people watching the dual. Therefore, by taking revenge, it leads the avengers to their own destruction as they took justice and judgement into their own hands and accomplished what they had promised. In The Man in the Iron Mask the theme on the consequences of revenge in justice and judgement are similar to that in Hamlet, as it begins a cycle of death. In this novel, justice is whatever King Louis XIV says it is. This explains how the system of government worked in France during the 16th and 17th century. At the beginning of the novel, Paris is starving but King Louis XIV is more interested in economic gain and seducing women. Madame de la Valliere becomes the woman after whom the king is lusting and sends Raoul, her finance to war. As Raoul begins to become depressed from his broken heart, he is sent off to battle. According to the king’s orders, he is sent to the front lines and all men are to abandon him. Raoul inevitably dies in battle. When Athos, Raoul’s father, hears about the death of his son, he becomes enraged at the king. Athos forcefully criticized the King for his behaviour regarding La Valliere and the death of his son. Aramis, Athos and Porthos band together with a plan to replace the king (Alexandre Dumas, chapter 10. pg. 79). This plan involves the replacement of King Louis XIV with his twin brother. The three musketeers free the imprisoned Philippe who has been behind prison doors for six years and placed in an iron mask. In the end, all three musketeers die and Philippe is placed back in prison hidden, forever beneath the mask of iron. Although all of the characters in the novel seek out revenge, their efforts fall short of being truly successful. The Man in the Iron Mask and Hamlet show the consequences of revenge depicted in each of the characters’ struggles to take justice into their own hands. Their revenge ultimately results in a cycle of death. The main difference between the play Hamlet and the novel The Man in the Iron Mask is the theme of loyalty. In the play, loyalty remains consistent as Hamlet is loyal to his father and his vengeance. However, in The Man in the Iron Mask, loyalties are continually being changed as the characters are pitted against each other. The characters in the novel are expected to always be loyal to King Louis XIV; however, this requirement in the king’s subjects conflicts with loyalties between friends, family, and the self-interest of the musketeers. This main theme demonstrates that the search for the revelation of truth comes at the price of either breaking loyalties or staying true to loyalties, and facing death in the process. In Hamlet, there are several different characters that portray loyalty continuously throughout the novel. The main character, Hamlet, shows his loyalty to his father, growing angry at the fact that he was murdered by his uncle. When his father asks Hamlet to take revenge on Claudius, Hamlet becomes enraged and his willingness to take revenge becomes revealed. â€Å"Ghost: Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder. Hamlet: Murder? Ghost: Murder most foul, as in the best it is But this most foul strange and unnatural. Hamlet: Haste me to know’t, that I, with wings as swift, As meditation or the thoughts of love, May sweep to my revenge. † (Shakespeare pg. 29 Act I, Scene 5). Hamlet stays loyal to his father’s memory through the whole novel, seeking revenge on Claudius until he is able to kill him, accomplishing this task as he dies alongside Claudius. Loyalty is also shown by Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, courtiers and former friends of Hamlet from Wittenberg. They are summoned by the new king, Claudius, to discover the cause of Hamlet’s strange, negative and morbid behaviour. Their loyalty to the king causes them to lose Hamlet’s friendship and respect. As Hamlet discovers this, he arranges their death, making them pay for their betrayal to him with their lives. Loyalty is also shown in Act I, when Horatio, Marcellus and Bernardo reveal to Hamlet what they see of ghost of his father. They also swear to keep silent about the event, which remains kept secret throughout the novel. Again, Horatio shows loyalty to Hamlet as he watches the reaction of the king during the play â€Å"Mouse Trap† performed by the players. He later tells Hamlet about the facial reactions of the king as he watched the performer kill the fake king, revealing his guilt in the murder of Hamlet’s father. However, in The Man in the Iron Mask, loyalties change continuously, most notably demonstrated in the ending of the famous friendship of the three musketeers. The broken loyalties within the kingdom break the trust of all characters through scandals and lies. For xample, the queen gives her loyalty to Philippe but sacrifices Philippe for her political stability. Also, Aramis demonstrates betrayal in his disloyalty to the new prince Philippe. At the beginning of the novel, Aramis praises Philippe through his love, respect and service; however, he leaves Philippe to fend for himself without a backward glance. Aramis chooses his career advancement over his friendships and loyal ties. This is revealed to us by his treatment of Porthos and Philippe, when he suggests Porthos be killed to preserve the secret of Philippe. Another example of disloyalty is when Aramis, one of the main three musketeers shows true and loyal feelings to Philippe, but chooses political stability gain over faithfulness to Philippe. â€Å"A friend’s word is the truth itself. If I think of touching, even with one finger, the son of Anne of Austria, the true King of this realm of France; if I have not the firm intention of prostrating myself before his throne; if, according to my wishes, to-morrow here at Vaux will not be the most glorious day my King ever enjoyed, – may Heaven’s lightning blast me where I stand! Aramis had pronounced these words with his face turned towards the alcove of his bedroom, where d’Artagnan, seated with his back towards the alcove, could not suspect that any one was lying concealed. The earnestness of his words, the studied slowness with which he pronounced them, the solemnity of his oath, gave the Musketeer the most complete satisfaction. (Alexandre Dumas, chapter 14. pg . 104) Later on in the novel it is clear that Aramis no longer feels any real loyalty to Prince Philippe. â€Å"Warn the Prince, and then- do what? Take him with me? Carry this accusing witness about with me everywhere? War, too, would follow,- civil war, implacable in its nature! And without any resource- alas, it is impossible! What will he do without me? Without me he will be utterly destroyed! Yet who knows? let destiny be fulfilled! Condemned he was, let him remain so, then! (Dumas, chapter 21 pg. 231) By the end of the novel, King Louis XIV has obtained absolute power, where his word is law, accepting no disagreement to what he says. Aramis desires to have influence and power alongside of King Louis XIV. Soldier, priest, and diplomat; gallant, greedy, and cunning; Aramis took the good things in this life as steppingstones to rise to bad ones. Generous in mind, if not noble in heart, he never did ill but for the sake of shining a little more brilliantly. † (Alexandre Dumas chapter 6. pg. 34). In order to live and have power, loyalty needed to be kept to the king. Philippe’s friends chose loyalty to Philippe; and they were killed as a result. In the end, after the death of his friends, Aramis retreats to a Spanish estate in his glorious riches. The Queen, however, wants the kingdom to succeed and she sees that the only way to do so is to listen to the people. The people beg for food and help from the king. However, King Louis XIV shows no compassion towards his people and is only interested in personal pleasure. For the sake of the country, Anne of Austria, the Queen and mother of Philippe, chooses to help her son, but as her power begins to decline she sacrifices Philippe for her political stability. In Hamlet and The Man in the Iron Mask loyalty is portrayed differently. Both stories show that being loyal exacts a high price. The death of all those who are loyal in these stories is an example of the high price that must be paid. In Hamlet, loyalty is continuous throughout the play, but in The Man in the Iron Mask, there is no loyalty when power begins to corrupt the characters. Therefore, all these examples show that the portrayals of the themes of loyalty in Hamlet and The Man in the Iron Mask are very different. In Hamlet, the truth is found through the loyal bonds of Horatio as he tells the story of the death of the true king. In The Man in the Iron Mask the truth of Philippe is revealed to the kingdom through the courageous acts of the three musketeers.