Neel,Alice(USA) Self Portrait,1980 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Neel,Alice(USA) Self Portrait,1980 - Essay Example Her eyeglasses portray frailty, yet proclaim her as one who sees. The glasses were her way of saying, â€Å"look, I’m somebody who inspects, I’m someone who scrutinizes. That’s who I am.† Such contrary elements hint of her singularity (Sandra 2004). She completed the nude self-portrait in 1980; apparently it was one of the many experimental self-portraits. When she was quizzed on why she did it, her response was, â€Å"the reason I did it was because my face bores me. I cannot bear that little Anglo-Saxon face. But with the whole body, strange things are happening; the flesh is falling off bones. I always had bad feet†¦I have a big toe, and there is a leg that is frightful, but as a work of art, it is gorgeous.† With a career, spanning much of the twentieth century, the self-portrait suggests her conservancy with its major art movements, as shown by the Matisse-like to strip chair and collusion of green and orange diagonal planes of color on the bottom half of the canvas. Neel’s self-portrait portrays the emergence of women as artists in their own right. She paints herself into a corner sitting in a blue-stripped chair near the point where two rear walls of a white room meet at what we presume is her reflecti on in the mirror. The subject’s naked body, framed by a layer of bluish shadow from an invisible origin of light on her right is the focus of the painting. Her hidden vagina is at its center. The brush reveals to us that she is an artist as does the rag and the rather not glamorizing eye-glasses (Nochlin 247). From another angle, Neel presents the viewer as a woman artist who has found her way out that neglected space on her own conditions. Her body at a three-quarter angle is not idealized as a female nude or a representation of an aging woman. Neel’s body with its bending shoulders, its hanging breasts over her full stomach and fleshy legs sags in every

Childhood Obesity Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Childhood Obesity - Research Paper Example An experimental research conducted by Harris, Bargh and Brownell (2009) suggests that children and adolescents are more influenced by advertisements than adults. Authors carried out two experiments to evaluate the behaviors of both children and adults after watching television advertisements. The eating behaviors were analyzed and the results concluded that children’s junk food intake increased by 45% after advertisements. On the other hand, adults were more motivated to take healthy meals rather than junk food (Harris, et al., 2009). The group that is badly affected by media exposure, television programs and advertising campaigns are youngsters. Many researches and surveys are conducted to understand the effects of food, alcohol, smoking and general advertisements on children and their behaviors. The food advertisements lead to a great change in children’s food choices and intake (Hastings et al., 2003; IOM, 2006; Story & French, 2004). Other studies examining the corr elation and quasi-experiments reveal that more exposure to media leads to greater consumption of unhealthy dietary habits among children (IOM, 2006). Importance of the Problem of Childhood Obesity Obesity is the result of a number of factors; unhealthy dietary habits and food consumption patterns remain the most important of them. ... There is a strong relationship between unhealthy food advertisement and increasing obesity among children Lobstein & Dibb, 2005). On the other hand, Ebbeling, Pawlak & Ludwig (2002) also discuss the role of overeating due to High glycaemic index foods which end up producing a great increase in postprandial blood glucose concentrations and affect the appetite regulation. Fast food is considered as the root cause of adverse eating habits as it comprises all adverse dietary factors like saturated and trans fat, high glycaemic index, high energy density, and, increasingly, large portion size. Moreover, fast food is considered to have low amounts of fibre, micronutrients, and antioxidants which help in tackling the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes (Ebbeling, Pawlak & Ludwig, 2002). Method of data collection In order to carry out a qualitative analysis of the problem childhood obesity and the role of media (particularly of advertisements) on its prevalence, the research papers f rom various sources will been used. The journals of health, behavior and physical activity as well as reviews of important researches will be included in the research paper. Search engines that are used include Google and the online libraries including EbscoHost and Jstor are being used to gather information from credible journals. Preliminary Results Obesity is a disease state which is now turning into a matter of global concern because of the increase in the statistics associated with the pathology. This condition serves as an underlying cause for many degenerative diseases which include diabetes mellitus and diseases of the major organs systems of the body. Obesity is a condition which is not restricted to adults but it also affects a large number of children as well. This

Learning Team Reflection Essay Example for Free

Learning Team Reflection Essay Learning Team D discussed the learning objectives provided for Week Three. Each Team Member posted a response to three informational questions posted by the Team Leader. During week three The Team Members felt comfortable with different topics. Sherly, Andrea and Katrina all felt the most comfortable with the topics dealing with Technology, R D, and Efficiency which were covered in chapter 11W. Sherly found the topic of invention the most fascinating because it allows people to just think up of an idea, experiment with it and develop it before finally developing it with the intent of putting it out on the market and earning some profits. An example of invention at work is a TV show on ABC called Shark Tank where inventors present their invention to members of the panel who are entrepreneurs/potential investors with the intention of selling a percentage of their business or product. Andrea felt that the chapter was an easy read and was more of a review on how businesses stay profitable and viable. From this chapter Andrea was able to learn that creating a fresh product at the optimal price is the key to success. Katrina was most interested in Technological Advance and Efficiency section covered in the chapter. The fact that improving ones technology can also contribute to economic efficiency was something that Katrina found interesting. Mark was comfortable with all the topics covered in week three and especially enjoyed learning more about the differences in operating in a monopoly, monopolistic competition, and an oligopoly. Danielle felt most comfortable with the process of supply and demand and how it plays an important role in the economy. Danielle feels that understanding how the supply and demand process works is beneficial and can be used to analyze decisions about prices and quantity. For Danielle having Learning Team D struggled with different topics that were covered during week three. Sherly struggled with Exploiting University and Government Scientific Research. Sherly thought that any product or potential product created by an individual or members of an organization could be patented. Andrea found it hard to understand visual presentations of the data by the example graphs. Andrea considered herself to be a visual learner but cannot seem to understand the graphs given. Katrina, like Andrea, found it hard to follow the examples given within each chapter but the reason behind her confusion dealt with actually being able to match the example to the reading. Katina felt that having to flip back and forth while reading to match the example that was given within the reading caused her to not fully understand what the example was trying to get across. Nonprice barriers to entry was the topic that Mark felt the most unsure about this week. Mark found it challenging to look beyond the numbers when analyzing something. Danielle struggled with pricing decisions, price elasticity, inelasticity, and elasticity of demand. The differences in monopolies and oligopolies was a bit of a struggle for Danielle but the examples that were provided within the reading helped her to grasp the information better. Each Team Member was able relate topics of the week to their organization’s field of business. Sherly works as an underwriter for an insurance company which provides health, life and disability insurance products and services. Reduced cost via process innovation was the topic that Sherly felt related to Underwriting. Sherly and her team are always looking for ways to change/update processes, reduce turnaround times between the receipt of an application for life/disability insurance coverage request to making the final determination whether to approve, postpone or decline a file. As an example, the introduction of a new system where applicants could go online to apply and depending on the information entered and the amount being requested, a determination can be done right there. This new system saved the company both time and money. We do not have to go through the omission process with this system since every question must be answered for the online application to be processed. When, we have to send applicants omission letters, the entire process takes longer since we have to wait to receive the missing information back from the applicant before the application can be processed. Andrea works in the finance industry for an airport. Andrea was able to apply the topic of mergers the most to my daily business field. At the airport, the airlines and rental car agencies combined resources on a regular basis. Department of Justice generally gets involved with these types of mergers to prevent monopoly behavior. For example, American and US Airways are currently under review and comment period for their merger. In addition to combining ticket counter space, it is anticipated that gates will be combined as well. The airport will lose money on the merger but customers will benefit from lower fares. The more customers that fly will make up for the shortfall in revenue for space rent lost by the airport. Katrina works in the field of Worker’s Compensation as a Claims Assistant. The topic of invention related the most to the type of work Katrina does at her job. Each day new claims are called into her office on a day to day bases and the way in which those calls are entered into the system must be efficient. Katrina and her team at her office created a new system for entering a new claim that is called into the office. Mark relates the topic of most of cost control and using developing technologies to lower cost to his field. That is an area we are constantly trying to improve upon whether the ideas come from our staff or from outside our organization and we work out a plan to implement them to help our business. Our franchise location does not develop technology but we have the opportunity to seek technology to increase the efficiency of our workers and also help save costs. Danielle works as a project manager for an energy efficiency consulting agency. As a project manager Danielle’s role is very significant in budgeting for a project for he/she is the one who determines the project costs and project budgets in line with the stakeholder’s specifications and resources. Budget allocation, collaborates with the project stakeholders and project financial coordinators to build a sensible budget plan that will sustain the whole project in all of its phases. Using cost control measures to insure they are staying within budget, as we understand the importance of increasing revenue and staying within budget. Revenue management is integral to a companys long-term strategy; without adequate income administration, the company may not be around long enough to implement its operating tactics. Each member of the Learning Team experienced a learning curve for Week Three. Sherly learning curve increased a little bit during this week. The additional information on monopoly provided Sherly with more information that helped her better understand what was taught in week two. The fact that certain opics such as monopoly, oligopoly, short run and long run, are being covered more in depth has also helped to increase her learning curve. Andrea’s still struggles with the graphs presented representing the demand curves. The economy of scale section has also been a struggle for her this week but Andrea has gone over the text in these sections multiple times for a better understanding. To increase her learning curve she finds that the lectures provided by our instructor breakdowns the topics in a mor e day to day format for easier comprehension. This week Katrina’s learning curve increased because she started to feel more comfortable with the terms and having a chapter that was easy to read through and understand made her feel more at ease with learning new Economic information. Mark’s learning curve for this week was changing his focus to look at big picture items using more theoretical concepts rather than concrete numbers. Mark enjoys the challenge that is presented by applying a different approach to analyzing what will impact a business from a market structure standpoint which will continue to increase his learning curve. Danielle feels that she’s beginning to understand the importance of Economics and how it relates to more than just money. Danielle hopes to continue to improve her understanding of the mathematical equations and graphs representing demand curves as the week’s progress. As the weeks go by the team still struggles with a few concepts but as the team moves forward they are developing and getting a better hold on the topics that are covered on a week to week bases.

Evolution Of The Bric Countries And Their Future Economics Essay

Evolution Of The Bric Countries And Their Future Economics Essay Q1) Map the proposed sequence of evolution of the economy of the BRICS. What indicators might companies monitor to guide their investment and organize their local market operations? In 2001 the Goldman Sachs global economic team in their paper Dreaming with BRICs: The Path to 2050 developed the BRIC theory that groups together the economies of Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRICs). These countries look set to become the dominant economies by 2050. The BRICS have experienced a lot of changes in their economies. Around the middle of the 20th century China witnessed its communist revolution, India became independent, Brazil was controlled by the military for 21 years and Russia came out of the Second World War as a major rival to the US. This was just the starting point for the BRIC economies. Brazil During the financial crisis, Brazil remained very strong and its early recovery, including 2010 growth of 7.5%, has contributed to the countrys transition from a regional to a global power. (www.traveldocs.com) The economy is the worlds eighth-largest and is expected to rise to fifth within the next several years. Brazil is classified as an upper-middle-income country with a GDP (Gross Domestic Product) of à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬973 billion. During the administration of former President Lula, surging exports, economic growth and social programs helped lift tens of millions of Brazilians out of poverty. For the first time, a majority of Brazilians are now middle-class, and domestic consumption has become an important driver of Brazilian growth. The economy of Brazil is characterised by large well developed agricultural, mining, manufacturing sectors and service sectors. The services sector takes the biggest share of their economy (66% of GDP), supplying services for the domestic economy mainly. Brazil has enjoyed sustained economic growth since the year 2004, which has increased the rate of employment and real wages. After an economic growth in 2007 and 2008, the global financial crisis finally hit Brazil however Brazil was one of the first emerging markets to stage a recovery, with GDP growth returning to positive levels. Brazil is becoming a global power like the other BRIC nations. There are a number of reasons for this. Brazil is involved in major manufacturing industries such as aerospace, bio-ethanol and auto-motives. Since 2004, a more outward look policy has been implemented by the government, promoting exports and fostering technological development to increase international competitiveness. In 2008, additional tax incentives for investment, RD and exports were introduced. Since 2003, Brazil has made progress towards putting in place the foundations for growth, with particular emphasis on achieving economic stability. Stabilisation has paid off: inflation has fallen and some progress has been made on reducing the public debt. However, stabilisation has come at a high price. Real GDP growth has averaged only 2.7% since 2003, with the adjustment explaining in part why actual growth rates were lower than the rate of 3.7% used in our BRICs studies. The future for Brazil will be very interesting to see. According to Goldman Sachs, over the next 50 years, Brazils GDP growth rate averages 3.6%. The size of Brazils economy overtakes Italy by 2025, France by 2031 and the UK and Germany by 2036. According to Sachs, Brazil will remain an important destination for fixed income, equities and direct foreign investment inflows, because of the high carry trade, the value of the embedded option on growth, and its sound macroeconomic policies and external credit fundamentals. Brazil is generally open to and encourages foreign investment. It is the largest recipient of foreign direct investment (FDI) in Latin America, and the United States is traditionally the top foreign investor in Brazil. Since domestic savings are not sufficient to sustain long-term high growth rates, Brazil must continue to attract FDI, especially as the government plans to invest billions of dollars in off-shore oil, nuclear power, and other infrastructure sectors over the next few years. The major international athletic competitions that Brazil will host every year until the 2016 Rio Olympics are also leading the government to invest in roads, airports, sports facilities, and other areas. Russia Russia is currently the 6th largest economy in the world in terms of purchasing power. They are the worlds 2nd largest oil producing country with up to 14% of world proved oil in reserves and 36% of world gas reserves. A lot has happened in Russia in the last 10 to 20 years. The Russian economy underwent tremendous stress in the 1990s as it moved from a centrally planned economy to a free market system. Difficulties in implementing fiscal reforms aimed at raising government revenues and a dependence on short-term borrowing to finance budget deficits led to a serious financial crisis in 1998. Lower prices for Russias major export earners (oil and minerals) and a loss of investor confidence due to the Asian financial crisis exacerbated financial problems. The result was a rapid and steep decline (60%) in the value of the ruble, flight of foreign investment, delayed payments on sovereign and private debts, a breakdown of commercial transactions through the banking system, and the threat of runaway inflation. With oil prices low and the economy in a deep recession, the government was unable to collect taxes to cover its large expenditure commitments. The government embarked on a rapid privatisation of state-owned assets, in a struggle for control of the most valuable assets. After the collapse of the USSR in 1991, the world community supported a plan of economic reform. However in 1992 Russia became plagued with serious poverty and political conflict. This hampered their efforts for global reform. Despite all the pitfalls, there has been significant growth in their economy in recent years. In fact the Russian economy has been booming in the past decade Russian GDP growth exceeded 8% in 2007; even in 2008, when the global financial turmoil started to bite, GDP growth still reached 5.6%. During the past five years, real GDP increased by more than 40%. 2010 saw Russias economy return to growth with a 3.8% increase in GDP. Russias Economic Development Ministry predicts that the nations GDP will grow 4.2% in 2011. In 2007, a new long-term development programme and a new industrial policy, respectively, was launched, aiming at the diversification of the production structure towards (high-tech) manufacturing by improving the investment climate, promoting public private partnership and investing more in infrastructure. From essentially a government led and government controlled economy to something of a more free market base and international trading economy was the starting point towards the Russian economy which we see today. Russia is now an emerging market worthy of the same breath as the other BRIC nations. The success in Russia can be seen through companies investing here. Examples of Russian investments include Novartis who have committed $500 million to be invested over a 5 year period. The centrepiece of this agreement is the creation of a manufacturing plant in St. Petersburg. Foreign direct investment (FDI) in 2009 fell to less than $40 billion after reaching an all-time high of $75 billion in 2008. Much of the FDI in recent years was Russian capital. Moreover, although the annual flow of FDI into Russia was in line with those of China, India, and Brazil, Russias per capita cumulative FDI lagged far behind such countries as Hungary, Poland, and the Czech Republic. Most foreign mergers and acquisitions in 2009 were in the politically sensitive energy sector, largely because of the huge capital requirements required relative to other sectors. By the end of 2010, analysts predicted that the total FDI for the year would again top $40 billion, but not reach the levels seen in 2008. (Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, 2011) India India has fared the global financial crisis remarkably well. Despite the 2008-2009 downturn, the government expects the annual GDP  growth to return to around 9%. Indias population is estimated at more than 1.1 billion and is growing at 1.55% a year. It has the worlds 12th largest economyand the third largest in Asia behind Japan and Chinawith total GDP in 2008 of around $1.21 trillion ($1,210 billion). Services, industry, and agriculture account for 54%, 29%, and 18% of GDP. Since 2003, India has been one of the fastest major growing economies in the world. Its economic development is essentially service-led, supported by exports of services (especially IT-enabled services); manufacturing exports are relatively small and are concentrated on a few sectors only. India is capitalizing on its large numbers of well-educated people skilled in the English language to become a major exporter of software services and software workers, but more than half of the population depends on agriculture for its livelihood. India continues to move forward with economic reforms that began in 1991. Reforms include foreign investment and exchange regimes, industrial decontrol, reductions in tariffs and other trade barriers, opening and modernization of the financial sector, significant adjustments in government monetary and fiscal policies, and more safeguards for intellectual property rights. The economy has posted an average growth rate of more than 7% in the decade since 1997, reducing poverty by about 10 percent. India achieved 9.6% GDP growth in 2006, 9.0% in 2007, and 6.6% in 2008, significantly expanding manufactures through late 2008. Growth for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2009 was initially expected to be between 8.5-9.0%, but has been revised downward by a number of economists to 7.0% or less because of the financial crisis and resulting global economic slowdown. However economic growth is hampered by inadequate infrastructure, bureaucracy, corruption, low wages, regulatory and foreign investment controls. India  could become the worlds  third largest economy  by purchasing power parity (PPP), overtaking  Japan  in 2012.  This would be almost 20 years ahead of Goldman Sachs projection of 2032 in its BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China) report.   India is also expected to grow faster than  China  after 2020. China, which was projected to become the worlds largest economy by 2041, now looks set to achieve the distinction sometime around 2020. Foreign investment is particularly sought after in power generation, telecommunications, ports, roads, petroleum exploration/processing, and mining. Indias external debt was nearly $230 billion by the end of 2008, up from $126 billion in 2005-2006. Foreign assistance was approximately $3 billion in 2006-2007, with the United States providing about $126 million in development assistance. The World Bank plans to double aid to India to almost $3 billion a year, with focus on infrastructure, education, health, and rural livelihoods. China China is seen as the most continuous civilisation in history, not just in terms of politics but also in terms of cultural continuity. The country has a tragic history marked by economic decline, political instability, military humiliation and social regression. China was seen as an economic disaster. This is not only due to the Civil War and Japanese invasion but also due to the plans of the Cultural Revolution. Between the end of the 18th century and the 1960s, Chinas GDP fell from nearly one third of the worlds GDP to less than 5% and only managed to recover in the 2000s. Between 1976 and 2004, China achieved an average GDP growth rate of 9.6%. No other country has experienced such a rapid increase in living standards and working conditions. (Overholt, 2005) Now we have a China that supports economic reform and a China that joins the IMF (International Monetary Fund), World Bank and WTO (World Trade Organisation). But more importantly we have a China that believes in political stability, free trade and free investment. The success of China can be associated with liberalisation and globalisation. In 2004 international trade accounted for 70 percent of Chinas GDP, as compared with 24 percent for Japan. Chinas economic development is driven by manufacturing exports and by investments. (Including infrastructure) Foreign Direct Investment plays an important role, especially for exports. Recently outward FDI, mainly to secure raw materials, has been increasing. Although generating fast growth for over 30 years, the Chinese economic system has come under criticism recently because of rising income inequalities, rapidly increasing energy demands and external imbalances. (O Regan Herciu, 2010) China has also established competition as a very important economic practice. (Failoa, 2009) By incorporating local brands into Chinese local culture it has given China a competitive advantage over countries that are less educated. Education is very important in a nations competitive advantage. It is easier to start operations in a nation with a trained workforce, than in nations where time-consuming and costly training is necessary. China has had great success in promoting first, second and third level education. In fact it is the success of China that is influencing its neighbors like India. India has learned from China the advantages of a more economy open economy. Chinese growth has brought American companies new markets. Their booming economy has attracted firms from Europe, North America, and Asia that are eager to sell their products to the countrys 1.2 billion resident. (Griffin and Pustay, 2005) Like the other BRIC nations, China also faces challenges for the future. In order for China to continue to be recognized internationally as a global power it must reform its areas on human rights. It must also continue to reform state run enterprises. Currently Chinas banking system is the worst in the world. Other than that the future of globalization for China is looking very bright. As Napoleon Bonaparte once said 200 years ago let China sleep, for when she wakes, she will shake the world. (Wolf, 2006). These large emerging economies are playing a huge role in the world economy. The BRICS economies are on the verge of the rapid growth of their consumer markets. (Experience indicates that consumer demand takes off when GNI per capita reaches levels between $3,000 and $10,000 per year.) In Russia there is already significant evidence of the growth of consumerism during the past decade. There are also early signs of similar trends in China and India, where the growth of their middle classes is very rapid. It is expected that within a decade or so, each of the BRICs will show higher returns, increased demand for capital, and stronger national currencies. Rising incomes in the BRICs nations will create a new middle consumer class. Growth in the middle class will be led by China, where number of people entering the middle class is accepted to peak during this decade. Meanwhile, middle class growth in India will accelerate throughout this decade. As China and India are the worlds two most populous countries, rising incomes there will have much greater impact on global demand than any other countries could. Other BRICs (and other emerging markets) will also see a rising middle class in the next decade, and should also see a rising upper class. With the explosion of the middle classes, spending patterns are likely to change. Thus, foreign firms will want to monitor major economic indicators such as GNI (Gross National Income), PPP (Purchasing Power Parity), and the Human Development Index, as well as developments in the cultural, political, and legal environments of those nations in order to guide their investments and organise their local market operations. Q2) What are the implications of the emergence of the BRICs to careers and companies in your country? The implications of the emergence of the BRICs to careers and companies can be analysed by looking at the opportunities and threats for Ireland. In the last year, Ireland like many other countries has been affected by the global economic crisis. The emergence of the BRIC countries can offer huge benefits for Ireland and the BRIC countries can gain a lot by interacting with Ireland. Research shows that the BRIC countries struggle with innovation due to shortages of human capital, limited access to the latest technology, and limited access to capital. These disadvantages can be overcome by the BRICs interacting with countries that do have access to an innovative and highly skilled work-force, lime Ireland. During this time of global financial turmoil, emerging markets will be the main driver of economic growth in future years. Currently the BRIC nations offer some of the most exciting investment opportunities in the world. However, according to figures from the Central Statistics Office, from January 2008 to Oct 2010, the share of Irish trade with the BRICs constituted less that 4% of our overall external trade. (Central Statistics Office) Yet, in terms of potential growth and income, the BRICs represent an opportunity for Ireland. Ireland has a solid reputation for being business friendly to foreign investors as it seeks to attract investment to create jobs. Ireland has the potential to further grow our existing key markets in high-growth and high-potential markets, such as Brazil, Russia, India and China. Key strengths for Ireland include our strong entrepreneurial culture, an educated and highly skilled workforce, a favourable taxation regime, EU membership, our track record in attracting FDI, our strong indigenous sector, and our reputation as a premium tourist destination. Key challenges are in the areas of cost competitiveness, access, transport links, telecommunications infrastructure and banking links. The BRIC group of countries will play an important role in Irelands trade, investment and tourism strategy for the years ahead, reflecting changes in the global economy. In order to create jobs in Ireland, it may be necessary to engage in ventures with, and in the other BRIC nations, firstly, Brazil. (www.labour.ie) Despite Brazils economic success, it is fair to say that the level of trade and investment between Brazil and Ireland does not match the potential of both countries. In fact, while total trade reached US$ 202 billion between January and October 2009, bilateral trade was only US$ 670 million (US$ 265 million exports from Brazil and US$ 404 million imports from Ireland). As export-led growth is the only sustainable route for Ireland, the growing Brazilian demand and the valuation of the Real (Brazils national currency) will certainly ensure high levels of imports in the coming years. On the other hand, Brazil is an important and competitive world supplier of both manufactured and primary goods, as well as a significant service provider. Therefore, more could enter the Irish market. (The Embassy of Brazil in Ireland, 2011) Enterprise Irelands trade mission to Brazil back in November 2010 is an example of the successful relationship between the two countries. The trade mission had brought 34 Irish companies to Brazil with an aim to increase export sales to this vast market. Enterprise Ireland said the country holds huge business opportunities for Irish firms as Brazil is in the middle of major modernisation, infrastructure and development projects. Some examples of Irish companies setting up in Brazil include, Louth Company, Suretank. This company won a contract worth à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬900,000 to supply its cargo carrying units to ISEW, a major supplier of tanks and containers to the oil and gas exploration industry. Also Monaghans Combilift has secured a deal valued at à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬800,000 with Brazilian steel giant Gerdau. Not only are Brazil gaining foreign investment but they are also gaining valuable expertise from Ireland. Its important that Ireland keep up this relationship with Brazil and if there are more opportunities for companies to open new markets, they should. Russia is Europes largest emerging market and the 11th largest economy in the world and continues to offer opportunities to Irish companies. It is a key export market for Irish businesses in sectors such as ICT, engineering, aviation and aerospace, education and training, the life sciences, construction and building services and food and beverages. With the rapid emergence of Russia as one of the BRICs, Ireland continues to benefit from this with more companies both Russian and Irish locating here and in Russia, providing many jobs in different sectors of Industry. Irish companies are responding to the worldwide economic slowdown by actively developing opportunities in new markets. While Russia has not been immune to the current economic difficulties, the continued economic development of Russia has resulted in a much wider range of business and commercial opportunities for Irish companies. Irish exports to Russia continue to grow year-on-year and combined exports of goods and service are now over à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬1.3bn. Irish-owned SMEs export more to Russia than any of the other BRIC countries. According to Enterprise Irelands Head of International Sales and Partnering Gerry Murphy, there are particular opportunities for RD collaboration between the two countries, Ireland and Russia have a very similar national research and development goals, with a strong focus on funding research in nanotechnology, life sciences and ICT. There is considerable scope for Irish educational institutions to build linkages with Russian universities in joint programmes and the commercialisation of Russian RD. Such linkages could benefit both Ireland and Russia, as both countries continue to build knowledge-based economies. (Enterprise Ireland, 2009) It is vital, Ireland continue its trade links with Russia. This relationship will offer huge employment opportunities for people in Ireland and Russia. The political relationship between both countries also contributes to the deepening of the trade-economic cooperation. (Russia IC, 2008) Like the other BRIC countries, India also offers some opportunities to Irish companies and careers. India is a land of opportunity for Irish software and IT companies. Significant potential exists for increasing trade between Ireland and India particularly through software, information technology and e-Business partnerships. India is not only a major market in itself for Irish business but it is also seen by Irish companies as offering an excellent opportunity for developing business, products and markets internationally. Many Irish companies are taking a greater interest in India and Indian companies are also looking towards Ireland. India could provide a safety valve for the Irish Software industry which is currently experiencing a skills shortage in certain disciplines. However Ireland has to compete with the United States and other countries for this talent. The government of Ireland has identified India as a country in Irelands Asia Strategy, and this new thrust could be utilised to increase economic and commercial relations. Indian businesses could exploit the opportunities of investment in Ireland provided by its membership of the European Union, its low corporate tax and its tax incentives for investment in innovation, research and new technologies. Not only that but Ireland is becoming a significant destination in Europe for Indian students for higher education, particularly for post-graduate, doctoral and post-doctoral studies in the areas of engineering/technology and management studies. About 1200 Indian students are currently studying in Ireland. Because of the high quality of higher education institutions in Ireland, there is considerable promise for bilateral linkages between higher education institutions, particularly in science and engineering. Concerted efforts are under way to promote and intensify such linkages. The emergence of India will benefit Ireland hugely in both employment opportunities and investment opportunities for Irish businesses.

Stages Of Group Development :: GCSE Business Marketing Coursework

Stages Of Group Development Group development is broken down into five stages. These stages are forming, storming, norming, performing and adjourning. The following is a description of how our group passed through each of these stages. Forming In the first stage our group was formed. Each member of our group introduced themselves. We basically made small talk in an effort to relieve some of the initial awkwardness. We discussed our expectations of the project; we then talked about when and where our meeting would be. We had to figure out when all of the group members were available and to find a convenient place to meet that was accessible by all members. Storming In the storming stage our group members began to take on specific roles. Mandy and Cory seemed equally capable of taking on the leadership role. As we each tried to establish our own identity within the group, we found out what was expected of us from other members. We didn’t have an official leader, but if one person had to be named I’m sure all of the group would agree on Mandy. Norming During this stage are we pooled our individual thoughts and expectations together. We discovered that we were all in agreement on how the project should be executed. Discussions concerning the project went smoothly after this point and more progress was made. In this stage I discovered that I had a higher degree of cohesiveness with Mandy than with other group members. This could be due to the fact that Mandy and I were the only female members in the group. It could also be due to the fact that Mandy was the group â€Å"leader† and I looked to her for information on group meetings. Performing In this stage our group shifted from discussing and establishing objectives to actually taking the actions necessary to accomplish them. We finished our surveys and began to pass them out to be completed. Each member of our group was responsible to carry out the task effectively and within the designated time limit.

Thousand Acres Essay -- essays research papers

A Thousand Acres, by Jane Smiley, is a story of incest, ignorance, and the imperialistic voice of the almighty man. Ignorance of being lead by a man, particular views of Rose and Ginny, and domesticated to believe that "When we are good girls and accept our circumstances, we're glad about it. . .When we are bad girls, it drives us crazy" (99). The imperialistic voice usually comes from the omnipotent Larry Cook, Rose, Ginny, and Caroline’s father. And the incestuous relations only entangle this dysfunctional family. The eldest daughter, Ginny, is the most loyal and idolizes her father. The second eldest daughter, Rose, is linked to her father through Ginny, who keeps her from losing faith in him. Rose questions whether the loyalty that Ginny shows her father makes her obedient or if her reluctance to judge him proves her ignorance. Rose has two daughters, Pammy and Linda, who are also first hand witnesses to the episodes of the Cook family trauma, but remain dormant to what goes on around them. Caroline, the youngest daughter has left the one thousand acres of land they grew up on to become a lawyer. Caroline is married to Frank Ras, whom also is a lawyer and they do not have any children. The book is narrated from Ginny’s viewpoint. Ginny is married to Ty and they don’t have any children, but Ginny secretively keeps trying. Ginny also has an extramarital affair with Jess Clark, son of Harold Clark the neighbor and best friend of Larry Cook. Jess has just returned to Zebulon County from the food corp. Given the basic character summary, one of the themes or recurrent ideas that was present throughout the whole book was domination. This domination concept was usually brought to life through the character, Larry Cook, over issues like farming, food, appearance or anything else that didn’t sit well with his expectations in life. Being that domination is not something tangible, conflicts such as the above mentioned were used to develop the theme idea into a concrete representation and also illustrate the effects that the domination theme had on the women of Zebulon County. The whole farming conflict begins when Larry Cook impulsively decides to distribute his one thousand acres of farmland to his three daughters and Caroline, the youngest daughter... ... with his opinions. In this male-dominated culture, it’s as if women are material possessions and the place of women is dependent on men. And at first, the women accepted this. Ginny remarks, "of course it was silly to talk about my point of view. When my father asserted his point of view, mine vanished" (176). And so did her dignity. Larry Cook, Farmer of the Year! In conclusion, the above conflicts portray the domination overtones and the effect that the domination had on the women. Larry Cook seems to be a jack of all trades. He is portrayed as being a god, a businessman, and a farmer. But Larry lacks when it comes to the being, Larry Cook, the father. He is so strict about having things done a certain way with little variations that it blinds him to the wants and needs of those around him. Initially the novel, Ginny suppresses her voice and remained an obedient figure. She has been cultured to believe that a woman has to rely upon the masculine authority figure. As Ginny’s character develops, she begins to break through the mental chains of masculine dependency and start a new life for herself without regret.

Is Social Networking Good for Society?

Is Social Networking Good For Society? Irma Barrios Brandman University Is Social Networking Good for Society? With various ongoing debates about why social networking may be bad for society, I have found it to be a positive resource. Social networking comes in many forms. It comes in the form of facebook, twitter, and even professional forums such as Linkedin. In such a fast-paced world, I find social networking to be an invaluable way of sharing ideas and interests that allow me to remain engaged.Although some may debate that social networking takes away from face to face and/or quality interactions, I have found it to be an invaluable tool in building community and networks. In fact, I believe it has given us a more effective way of communicating and engaging with one another especially in our fast-paced society. If I am on a work assignment that requires me to keep abreast of current events, one of my favorite tools to use is twitter. I find it to be a quick news feed and I usual ly learn about news first from there before learning it from the mainstream media such as television or radio.On a professional level, I have found Linkedin to be highly valuable. It has given me the ability to connect with prospective clients or sponsors that otherwise may have never been possible. And of course facebook has been the staple for me as for many in helping us remain engaged and to keep abreast of graduations, weddings, births or other special events regarding our family and friends. Social media continues to make strides to make communication more accessible and easier for all of us.Just this week Mark Zuckerberg, founder of facebook, has announced that it is now offering a Graph Search function in order for the user to have the ability to run queries from one’s network of friends. It allows users to run queries in order to find commonalities or other areas of interest within friend networks. Twitter has allowed many in suppressed countries to organize and make their voices heard to the point of overthrowing oppressive government leaders. Here at home many have opted to use facebook or twitter to raise awareness for their special causes and obtain signatures for legislation they are hoping to pass.On a more critical note, there have been cases where people have found an organ donor match or long lost loved one using social network sites. The deaf and mute have found a voice via their use of twitter and facebook and it has giving them a platform to be on par with the rest of the world. For the elderly, it has given them the ability to remain connected with loved ones. It has given them a way of remaining engaged and a way of overcoming obstacles of face to face interactions especially if they are experiencing physical limitations (Lu, 2011).For those who have been concerned about their online image, they can take control by taking advantage of the resource Linkedin. There you can list professional achievements, build a professional rolodex , and ask for recommendations for visibility on your online profile. Various career sites have mentioned that prospective employers place as much value on Linkedin recommendations as they do on traditional references. It is also thrilling to see that social networking has provided a platform for online learning.It is because of this invaluable resource that many, including myself, now have the opportunity of completing a formal education that otherwise may have been an impossible dream. Yet with all of these positive aspects of social networking, there are many who oppose the idea of it and for their own personal reasons. Michael Bugeja, director of the Greenlee School of Journalism and Communication at Iowa State University, has written a book entitled Interpersonal Divide: The Search for Community in a Technological Age. According to his book, one of Bugeja’s main objections to online social networking is the business models.He argues that the main goal of online social net working is to generate revenue through their ads, not to build a community experience. Another one of his concerns is that online social networking, in particular facebook, can lend itself to creating addiction (Jayson, 2009). But according to Nancy Bayam, an associate professor of communication studies at the University of Kansas, â€Å"There is not compelling evidence that spending time on social networking sites and expanding our social circles damages the close relationships we have.People think that if you’re hanging out on Facebook, you’re not having quality face-to-face time. That is not supported† (Jayson, 2009). Also, in a study conducted by Robert Kraut, a professor of human computer interaction at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, in the journal Information, Communication & Society showed that for those who communicated online with someone they knew, experienced a reduction in depression (as cited in Jayson, 2009).Furthermore, Barry Wellman wh o is a sociologist at the University of Toronto stated, â€Å"The mythology we have is that people used to spend whole days hanging around community – like the bar at Cheers. They didn’t. They stayed home. If we switch from television to social networking sites, it’s a switch toward sociability-not away from it† (Jayson, 2009). Some oppose facebook because they believe it is a superficial means of communication. Others oppose it due to the cyber bullying and cyber stalking stories they hear in the news. Others fear it due to a feeling that it leads to an invasion of privacy or identity theft.Some may oppose twitter because they don’t understand how there could be any value of sending messages at 140 characters per tweet. Other critics have the preconceived notion that the time people spend in front of a computer on social sites is time taken away from other positive aspects in life such as exercising or attending events in person. As you can see th ere are many reasons why critics of social networking believe it is bad for our society, yet the powerful effects of online social interaction seem to outweigh what can be misconceptions or fears.Sharon Jayson, the author of the article published in USA Today entitled â€Å"Flocking behavior lands on social networking sites† (Jayson, 2009) finds that social networking influences human behavior regardless of it occurring face to face or online. In her article she quotes Claude Fischer, a sociology professor at University of California-Berkeley, â€Å"Those of us who study social networks believe they matter – that things do spread along social networks. † She adds that Nicholas Christakis, a physician and Harvard University sociologist states, â€Å"In many ways, human beings behave like flocks of birds or schools of fish. She shares the observations by James Fowler, a social scientist at the University of California-San Diego, and Christakis, â€Å"Whether the y’re face-to-face or virtual social networks influence human behavior and shape everything from finance to the way people vote. † Since it is human nature to belong to a group, one can see how â€Å"joining† twitter, facebook or Linkedin groups is a natural part of our human behavior. Some experts state that studying the long-term effects of social networking is still in its early stages since this form of interaction is relatively ew. However, there are experts who are already disclosing positive findings from various studies. Scientific American Mind (as cited in Jayson, 2009) discloses that â€Å"social support and social networking offer benefits, from additional resilience to greater life satisfaction to reducing the risk of health problems. † Apparently, other studies in recent years have found that in a large group the feeling of belonging to a larger group was beneficial for stroke victims in their recovery, and another benefit was that of improvin g memory.A major benefit is that of helping to boost a feeling of well-being. Christakis and Fowler conducted a study based off of the Framingham Heart Study with a group consisting of 5,124 adults within a network of 12,067 people from Framingham, Massachusetts. Their findings indicated that participants had an average of 10. 4 ties to others and totaled 53,228 ties (as cited in Jayson, 2009). The results of this study are telling in that they demonstrate the community building that has taken place via these social sites.With a all of the hustle and bustle and stresses of the world, achieving a feeling of well-being is priceless. Note The Australian Psychological Society in 2010 conducted a survey that disclosed some interesting findings. Participants stated some of the reasons they used social network sites were to check up on their kids, receive event invitations, and for business, promotional and professional networking purposes. Surprisingly, more than 50% of the participants s tated they felt they would lose touch with friends if they were not actively using a social network site.Some participants valued the use of social network sites especially if they had issues with being shy or for matters related to the heart. Nearly 80% had a date with someone they had met online and 82% had formed an intimate relationship with someone they had met online. The use of social network sites have also proved to be effective in the political arena. There was a telling study conducted by Matthew James Kushin, Department of Communication-Utah Valley University and Masahiro Yamamoto, from The Edward R.Murrow College of Communications-Washington State University. It analyzed the online media use by college students for political purposes during the 2008 election. Facebook users could express themselves politically in various ways such as by making online donations, encouraging their friends to vote, and posting graphics or status updates expressing political attitudes and o pinions. Twitter and blogs were used by candidates and voters alike to comment on social and political issues, share information, and encourage participation. – Kushin and Yamamoto, 2010Twitter has proved to be such an effective means of communication for political activists that it is banned in China. Ai Weiwei a Chinese activist explains that in China twitter is used differently compared to other countries. In China 140 characters lends itself to writing a novel. This allows activists to share deeper ideas as they relate to democracy and freedom (Ladhani, 2011). All in all, there appears to be a consensus among experts in the social studies, communications, and other relative fields who have discovered that there are many benefits that come from social networking, even if it is via a computer.As Christakis said, â€Å"So many things we normally think of as individualistic – like what our body size is, or what we think about a political topic, or whether we are happy – are actually collective phenomena† (Jayson, 2009). In conclusion, social networking sites have in fact given us additional tools to nurture our relationships, build community and professional networks. It has provided an avenue for people in the world including those in oppressive countries, to have a voice and create positive change on important political matters.In essence, it has provided an equal platform where regardless if you are someone who has a physical or social impediment, you can remain engaged and be heard, even in this fast-paced world. References APS National psychology week survey 2010, The Australian Psychological Society, Retrieved January 18, 2013 from http://www. psychology. org. au Bugeja, M. (2005). Interpersonal divide: The search for community in a technological age. Retrieved from www. amazon. com Christakis and Fowler (2011). The surprising power of our social networks and how they shape our lives.Retrieved from www. amazon. com Jayson, S. (2009, September 28). Flocking behavior lands on social networking sites. USA Today. Retrieved January 28, 2013 from http://www. usatoday. com Kraut, R. (n. d. ). Information, Communication & Society. Retrieved from http://www-bcf. usc. edu/~wdutton/ics_journal. html Kushin, M. J. and Yamamoto, M. (2010), Did social media really matter? College students’ use of online media and political decision making in the 2008 election. Mass Communications and Society, 13, p. 608-630. doi: 10. 1080/15205436. 2010. 16863. Ladhani, N. (2011). The organizing impact of social networking. Social Policy. Retrieved January 16, 2013 from http://www. socialpolicy. org Lu, X. A. (2011), Social networking and virtual community. Proteus a Journal of Ideas, 27, p. 51-56. Retrieved February 1, 2013 from http://www. ship. edu Rosenquist, J. N. (2011), Social network determinants of depression. Molecular Psychiatry, 16, p. 273-281. doi: 10. 1038/mp. 2010. 13. Scientific American Mind (n. d. ). Retrieved from http://www. nature. com/scientificamericanmind/index. html