Mission Vision and Objectives of The Group TATA Free Essay Example, 3000 words

Recently TATA has introduced world s cheapest passenger car (NANO) priced only $ 2500. In fact TATA wants to help the poor people with this product. Poor families of medium income families can afford a car with the introduction of NANO. While most of the other car manufacturers are trying to develop luxury cars, TATA thinks in the opposite direction. They wanted to make car which is affordable to even poor people and the outcome was NANO. Contaminated drinking water is causing thousands of deaths in India. In order to help poor people to purify drinking water, TATA introduced TATA Swatch or water purifier priced less than 1000 Indian rupees in 2009(Graham, 2010, p. 9). It should be noted that there is no need for TATA like big companies to introduce products such as water purifier. However, they introduced this product only to demonstrate their social commitments. The TATA group has a set five core values; integrity, understanding, excellence, unity and responsibility (Angwin, 2011 , p. 133). These core values can be seen in every TATA business segments. Even though TATA s business groups are operating independently, they understand each other work strictly in accordance with the vision, mission and core values of TATA group. We will write a custom essay sample on Mission Vision and Objectives of The Group TATA or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/page During the last 144 years of operations, TATA group has grown significantly and they are one of the prominent companies in the world at present. Even though TATA started its business operations as a trading company, they are currently operating in different fields such as engineering sectors, service sectors, energy sector, chemical sector and consumer product sectors. Steel industry, investment industry, telecommunication industry, automobile industry, tea plantation and distribution etc are some of the major business portfolios of TATA. They have business units in various parts of world including India, China, Europe, Africa, Asia Pacific, Middle East, North America, South America and United Kingdom. Even though diversification is perceived as a business strategy which involves high risk, TATA had no hesitation in accepting it. In fact they perceived diversification as a strategy for survival in international market. It should be noted that TATA is curren tly producing ordinary cars such as NANO as well as luxury cars. Their acquisition of Jaguar-Land rover clearly states that they are interested in luxury car manufacturing segment also. In other words, TATA group is interested in doing business is all consumer segments irrespective of the abilities of the consumers in purchasing ordinary products or luxury products. They know very well that both luxury segments as well as ordinary product segments are important for them to prosper in international market. It should be noted that the purchasing power of the consumers depend on their financial abilities. Since each country has different consumer segments, it is necessary to have products which cater the needs of all people irrespective of their purchasing abilities. That is why TATA is producing NANO like cars on one side and acquiring firms such as Jaguar and Land Rover on the other side.

The Autobiography By Frederick Douglass - 1632 Words

The autobiography by Frederick Douglass is very interesting. It talks about his life and his contribution to the abolition movement. This is an incredible tell perseverance to be with his love that is free in the north and to help others that have been in captivity. Before the book starts he gives a pretty face by William Lloyd Garrison and a letter from Wend ale Phillips. He s done this because he wants people to know that he is a runaway slave that is smart and able to write in his book is his own book. And the pre-face when Lloyd Garrison describe his first encounter with Fredrick Douglas at and it is labor convention in and Tackett Massachusetts in 1841. This led to a longtime friendship between Douglas and the antislavery Clytie. Douglas spoke to the audit about his life undersleeves very and already responded well to Douglas impressions and the intellectuals. Also Garrison says that he fully supports the narrative by Douglas and declared that this narrative is Douglass’ s own work and is entirely truthful. It gives the book its merits to become a bestseller. Garrison also gives a story about a white man that was ship wreck and became a slave or Africa for three years. After he was found he was unable to remove his language and his power a reason. This concluded that the Detroit deterioration of the man s mine to a result of slavery you and not to a certain race. Garrison off so discusses the issues of slave-owners Kelly slaves and being not punished. DouglasShow MoreRelatedLife as a Slave in the autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave834 Words   |  4 Pageslife is of interest to you, as far as I’m concerned, I didn’t do anything miraculous, like raise the dead or cure cancer. But if my story will motivate someone to fight against human injustice, then I will tell you all about it. My story began as Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey, on a cold February day around 1818, in Talbot County, M aryland. I was born into slavery, to a black woman, Harriet Bailey, and a white father, who I would never know. They took me from my grandmother at six years ofRead MoreEssay Frederick Douglass and Slavery1448 Words   |  6 PagesFrederick Douglass and Slavery Frederick Douglass the most successful abolitionist who changed America’s views of slavery through his writings and actions. Frederick Douglass had many achievements throughout his life. His Life as a slave had a great impact on his writings. His great oratory skills left the largest impact on Civil War time period literature. All in all he was the best black speaker and writer ever. Douglass was born a slave in 1817, in Maryland. He educatedRead MoreFrederick Douglass, An American Slave1114 Words   |  5 Pages Frederick Douglass is well known for many of his literary achievements. He is best known, now, as a writer. As a writer, Frederick Douglass shined. As a speaker, he was the best. There was no abolitionist, black or white, that was more for his speaking skills. (McFeely, 206) So impressive were Frederick Douglass’s oratorical and intellectual abilities that opponents refused to believe that he had been a slave and alleged that he was a impostor brought up on the public byRead MoreNarrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass1405 Words   |  6 PagesLife is always compared to be like a roller coaster ride, having its ups and downs. The book Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass is an autobiography written by Fredrick Douglass. The book is written from his perspective of being a slave who hoped to be free someday. This autobiography occurs in the years 1835 to 1845 in Boston, Massachusetts. This book shows the roller coaster ride of going from slavery to freedom. In the beginning of this book, there is a preface which is told by a whiteRead MoreFrederick Douglass and the Abolition of Slavery600 Words   |  3 PagesFrederick Douglass and the Abolition of Slavery There were many influential people who fought for the abolition of slavery in the 1800s. Among these people are Harriet Tubman, William Lloyd Garrison, and our sixteenth president, Abraham Lincoln. Frederick Douglass is one of these people. As a former slave, Frederick Douglass believed he could not enjoy his freedom while the rest of his people suffered under the burden of slavery. Therefore, he spent much of his adult life working to abolishRead MoreNarrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass1257 Words   |  6 PagesBook Review By Mary Elizabeth Ralls Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass: An autobiography written by Frederick Douglass Millennium publication, 1945edition 75 pages Frederick Douglass whose real name was Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey approximately birthdate is in1818, the month or day is not known, he died in 1895. He is one of the most famous advocates and the greatest leaders of anti-slavery in the past 200 or so years.Read MoreNarrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass1155 Words   |  5 PagesEmily Tovar Mr. Obadiah English 3.1+, Period A 15 December 2014 Douglass Essay The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass was an autobiography published in 1845. This story is from an outspoken past slave about the injustices of slavery to African Americans. As it is an autobiography he describes his own experience and what he witnessed as a slave. Author, Frederick Douglass, uses rhetorical and literary devices to prove his point that slavery was an injustice and a cruelRead MoreEliot s Influences On Literature1013 Words   |  5 PagesFrederick Douglass and T.S. Eliot’s Influences On Literature The nineteenth and twentieth century were pivotal times in the world of literature. Many new elements of writing and style were evolving and authors all over the world were finding ways to present what they felt most passionate about. Some writers opened their readers up to newer ideas by the means of, as Ezra Pound once stated, â€Å"making it new.† Two writers in particular who did a fantastic job of this were Frederick Douglass and T.S.Read MoreFrederick Douglass And The Abolitionist Movement1337 Words   |  6 PagesFrederick Douglass’s Contributions to the Abolitionist Movement Throughout the nineteenth century there was a movement that swept the upper south. This movement was the abolitionist movement which made an effort to emancipate all slaves and stop racial segregation along with discrimination. This movement led to many renowned historical figures contributing through speeches and writings with the goal of seeking an end to slavery. One of these individuals was Frederick Douglass who escaped slaveryRead MoreNarrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass1126 Words   |  5 PagesAbigail De Rousselle Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass Critique Douglass, Frederick. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass. Boston: Anti-Slavery Office, 1845. Ibiblio.org. Elegant Ebooks. Web. 29 Nov. 2015. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass is an autobiography about Frederick Douglass a fugitive slave from Maryland. The book follows Douglass as he grows up under slavery and begins to recognize the cruel institution to which he is subject to, and ultimately leading to his

Anylasis Disabled Wilfred Qown free essay sample

â€Å"Disabled† by Wilfred Owen is a reflective analysis on the experiences of a World War I solider. The poem effectively contrasts the current life of the solider to his past. Owen’s offers the poem as a personal statement on war and its effect on people. This poem ultimately makes an argument for the proper understanding, acceptance, and appreciation of veterans. As a solider himself, Owen’s sympathizes with the speaker and relates to his plight (Heath). Consequently, his background is reflected in â€Å"Disabled. † Wilfred Owen grew up with a Christian background. Although he studied to become a clergyman, he was often unsure of his religion. He joined the war at the age of 22. During the war, he saw the worst of the battlefield and began to write poetry to document his perspective on the war. In 1917, he was affected by an explosion and sent to a war hospital in England. We will write a custom essay sample on Anylasis Disabled Wilfred Qown or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Afterwards, he returned to service and died in battle in 1918 (â€Å"Poetry Foundation†). His biographical context is essential to understand Owen’s point of view for â€Å"Disabled. † To fully understand this poem, there is an implied assumption of knowledge regarding the facts of World War I, as well as knowledge into the amount of disabled veterans that resulted from the war. Wilfred Owen’s poem is essentially about a disabled veteran. He is sitting in the wheelchair, â€Å"waiting for the dark† (1). The dark creates a reference not only to the end of the day, but also to the end of life. As he sits, he listens to the sound of children playing. However, he is aware that soon these kids will be called home for bedtime. â€Å"Till gathering sleep had mothered them from him† (6). Again, he is alluding to the end of their lifeful sounds, as well as too the end of their consciousness. He continues on to reflect on the way his town used to be. — In the old times, before he threw away his knees† (10). Here, Owen makes a compelling choice in diction by selecting the words, â€Å"threw away. † He does not describe his loss as honorable or as a sacrifice to a just cause. Instead, he assigns the phrase a negative connotation and establishes that the loss of his legs was a waste. Owen discusses the aftermath of this injury in stating, â€Å"half his lifetime lapsed in the hot race† (19). The word â€Å"lapsed† is another way of saying expired or failed. Therefore, the speaker acknowledges that in losing his legs, he also lost a large portion of his life. Lapsed† could also be a play on the word â€Å"lap† making a comment on the race itself. The speaker could be observing that, because of his injury, the world is passing by and leaving him behind. In particular, the he reflects on the loss of female affection. The speaker thinks back to a day when he held women’s interests. He appears to be injured most by their rejection since his injury. â€Å"To-night he noticed how the women’s eyes / Passed from him to the strong men that were whole† (42-43). The speaker expresses feelings of inadequacy, helplessness, and weakness. This image conflicts with the view of how he imaged a solider would be. He had joined picturing that he would impress girls and appear strong and fearless. However, upon returning from war, he realized that he was not going to receive the warm welcome that he had initially imagined. â€Å"Some cheered him home, but not as crowds cheer Goal† (36). This line indicates that people were more enthusiastic and concerned about the athletes than they were soldiers. In the end, the speaker says, â€Å"How cold and late it is! Why don’t they come / And put him into bed? Why don’t they come? † (45-46). He is, in part, asking why the medical attendants are not coming to take care of him. However, he is also speaking about death. The speaker is waiting for death to arrive and to him, it is continually delayed. He is asking why death will not come and end his suffering. What finally is one to make of this poem? Overall, the poem should be interpreted as an argument for acknowledgment of disabled veterans. Owen’s is trying to show the struggles that these veterans are put through. He calls not only for respect, but also for understanding. â€Å"Disabled† was written with the intention of bringing the tragedies of war to light, and asking the public to acknowledge the sacrifices of the veterans.

Rollerblade Micro

Rollerblade Micro-Environment analysis Businesses are affected by both internal and external factors; to remain competitive leaders should keep making timely, quality, responsive business decisions.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Rollerblade Micro-Environment analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The United States apparels industry is highly competitive with international and domestic players; in2010, US footwear industry recorded a decrease in sales by 2%, the industry was worth US$42,045 with 2 billion pairs sold. This paper discusses micro-environment of Rollerblade Corporation (Rollerblade Official website, 2011). Sport market in the United States Despite global financial crisis of 2007, the United States sports market recorded an increased sale in the years 2010, during the year, the market increased with 3%; this was a total value of US$27,371. Shoes recorded a marginal decrease in these sales with wom en sportswear shoes recording the highest decline in 2010. In relation to unit prices for the products, the prices increased marginally in 210 to record an increase of 1% on average; the products that experienced the highest increase were children sports footwear which recorded an increase by 3%. With the growth in globalization, there have been growth in online selling where the target are international markets; in 2009, Amazon was able to complete sales worth US$930 through its online sellers like Zappos.com. In 2010, Jones Apparels announced that it had increased its sales with 2%; the move had been attributed to growth in clothing sectors mostly children clothing’s. Competitors There are a number of players in the sportswear industry; the players are both national and international. The main competitors that Rollerblade has to deal with include Fila and Nike; they are companies that specify on sporting apparels. Nike Competition in the United States sportswear industry is high, however Nike has been able to share the largest market where it shares about quarter of the market at 23%, and payless shoesources Inc. follows a distance second at 5% of the market share. The company has a strong brand name thus Rollerblade has to devise mechanisms to compete with the multinational; it also enjoys economies of scale (Nike Official Website, 2011).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Fila Fila Company is another competitor that Rollerblade has to consider when making marketing and product development strategies. Fila Company is an Italian multinational that operates in more than none countries United States included. The company had strong marketing team that advises the management on the right approach to marketing. The company has invested in investment in skating footwear and other apparels, in 2009, the company introduced the Fila carving skates, with active steering technology which are skating shoes with high levels of comfort. With the market aggressiveness, Rollerblade has to enact effective selling and marketing policies to sell their products effectively. Although Rollerblade has been favoured by the growth of skiing sport, its competitors have developed products, shoes that are preferred by sportsmen than the products made by the company. The fast developments of the company’s products have make Rollerblade face high competition from the company. Fila are highly supported by its strong brand names; the company is able to venture into new business arenas because of the strength of its name (Fila Official Website, 2011). New Balance Athletic Shoe Inc Another competitor that Rollerblade has to consider when making its products is New Balance Athletic Shoe Inc. The company accounted for 0.2 % of Unites States sales of apparels in 2010; the amounts realized are US$774 million in US sales. The level sales had reached that record high because of its business diversification to footwear sporting items. To remain competitive the company has embraced technology and engaged in business partnership with wholesalers and retailers like J Crew. It was ranked the seventh in foot ware sales in 2010; Rollerblade has the task of coming up with project that address such strong competitors (New Balance Athletic Shoe Inc, 2011). Customer Rollerblade choose its customers from a wide range of potential customers, the main area that the company has concentrated in are sports people, both men and women where it sponsors some sports as marketing tools. Other than the established players, the company has programs that reach to future markets; they include policies and marketing strategies that address children, college students, and high school students.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Rollerblade Micro-Environment analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The method of marketing is aimed at creating close marketing link with the youthful population in preparation of future markets (Neal and Quester, 2006). Rollerblade marketing team is conscious of the method of selling that its competitors are using; the method is superior as it assists the company know the right approach to the market and the kind of commodities that markets are looking for. When developing products, the company undertakes wide research on the right developments they should adopt in their strategies. The aim of the company is always to offer high quality products and create and maintain its customer’s loyalty (Metters, Kathryn, Madeleine and Steve, 2006). References Fila Official Website. 2011. Fila. Web. Metters, R., Kathryn, K., Madeleine, P., and Steve, W.,2006. Successful Service Operations Management. Thomson South-Western: Mason. National Museum of Roller skating Website, 2011. National Museum of Roller skating. Web. Neal, C. and Quester, P.,20 06. Consumer behaviour: implications for marketing strategy.NewJersey: McGraw-Hill.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More New Balance Athletic Shoe Inc., 2011. New Balance Athletic Shoe Inc. Web. Nike Official Website., 2011. Nike. Web. Rollerblade Official website.,2011. Rollerblade. Web. This essay on Rollerblade Micro-Environment analysis was written and submitted by user Bo B. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Free Essays on Abstinence

Abstinence Abstinence means choosing not to have intercourse. There are all kinds of ways to accomplish this you may abstain from all sexual contact, or you may kiss and pet and even have oral sex. The important point is that there is no penis-to-vagina contact. None. The man secretes sperm-laden fluid long before he ejaculates, which can result in pregnancy as well as transmission of STD's. Don't push your luck on this point. If abstinence is your only form of protection, it must be practiced scrupulously. However, the reward for doing so is 100% reliability. It's an all-or-nothing deal which many women are quite satisfied with. One word of caution. If you choose to engage in sexual contact without intercourse, you are sharing the responsibility of protection with your partner to a greater degree than with other methods. Once you get the man to put on the condom, or to wait until you get your diaphragm in, or whatever, the precaution has been taken. But with abstinence, you must constantly be aware of what actions could be dangerous, and you are partly relying on him to remember also. Abstinence is a more intimate form of protection than most other methods. I recommend practicing it only with someone you really trust, or else practicing it to the extreme (ie, no sexual contact). Abstinence should not be confused with a technique called "withdrawal," in which the man does penetrate, but pulls out before ejaculation. Withdrawal does not work! The pre-ejaculate has plenty of sperm in it, and can transmit STD's (including HIV). Not to mention that it's quite difficult to stop oneself just before an orgasm and remember to pull out; many men don't accomplish the withdrawal. Don't get bullied into using this method if what you want is abstinence. That's why you should only attempt sex-without-intercourse with a truly trusted partner. If you are practicing complete abstinence from sexual contact, you may nontheless want some sexual ... Free Essays on Abstinence Free Essays on Abstinence Abstinence Abstinence means choosing not to have intercourse. There are all kinds of ways to accomplish this you may abstain from all sexual contact, or you may kiss and pet and even have oral sex. The important point is that there is no penis-to-vagina contact. None. The man secretes sperm-laden fluid long before he ejaculates, which can result in pregnancy as well as transmission of STD's. Don't push your luck on this point. If abstinence is your only form of protection, it must be practiced scrupulously. However, the reward for doing so is 100% reliability. It's an all-or-nothing deal which many women are quite satisfied with. One word of caution. If you choose to engage in sexual contact without intercourse, you are sharing the responsibility of protection with your partner to a greater degree than with other methods. Once you get the man to put on the condom, or to wait until you get your diaphragm in, or whatever, the precaution has been taken. But with abstinence, you must constantly be aware of what actions could be dangerous, and you are partly relying on him to remember also. Abstinence is a more intimate form of protection than most other methods. I recommend practicing it only with someone you really trust, or else practicing it to the extreme (ie, no sexual contact). Abstinence should not be confused with a technique called "withdrawal," in which the man does penetrate, but pulls out before ejaculation. Withdrawal does not work! The pre-ejaculate has plenty of sperm in it, and can transmit STD's (including HIV). Not to mention that it's quite difficult to stop oneself just before an orgasm and remember to pull out; many men don't accomplish the withdrawal. Don't get bullied into using this method if what you want is abstinence. That's why you should only attempt sex-without-intercourse with a truly trusted partner. If you are practicing complete abstinence from sexual contact, you may nontheless want some sexual ...

How to use adverbs effectively - Emphasis

How to use adverbs effectively How to use adverbs effectively Adverbs convey information about how things happen, as well as when, where and to what extent. As the name suggests, they modify verbs but they can also modify adjectives, other adverbs and whole sentences, writes Cathy Relf. For example, in the sentence I need to see you urgently, the adverb urgently tells us about the verb need. But in Recently, weve been incurring a lot of delays, the adverb recently tells us about the whole sentence. However, informative and descriptive though adverbs certainly are, you should still use them with thought and moderation like all language. We tend to use a lot of fairly meaningless adverbs in conversation, to emphasise certain points, create rhythm and elicit empathy from the listener. But good, clear writing is more about communicating your meaning efficiently than banging your point home and that means only using adverbs that add genuine, useful information. Whenever possible, show, dont tell. Some adverbs are used so frequently in speech that they have become little more than verbal tics, and these are the ones you should be particularly suspicious of if they turn up in your writing. Below are five such words, each of which you should sternly interrogate before deciding whether to grant it a place in your final draft. Interestingly Interestingly, many writers like to introduce facts with the word interestingly. Interestingly, its often followed by something that isnt. If you have an interesting observation to share, let it speak for itself. And if you have a dull but necessary fact to convey, dont try to pep it up by calling it interesting. Youll lose your readers trust, as well as their attention. Heres what happened when we asked a group of editors on Twitter how they felt about sentences beginning with interestingly. Warning: its not pretty. Use it: in speeches, to create a moment of suspense before delivering a genuinely interesting point. Dont use it: to add interest where there is none. Significantly Much like interestingly, the thing about significantly is that most truly significant things can speak for themselves. Pinpoint the reason that you know your fact is significant do you have a statistic, for example? If so, can you use that instead, and let the reader be the judge of its significance? Instead of UK tourists pay significantly less for petrol, why not UK tourists pay 8.6 per cent less for petrol? Sometimes, however, youll have expertise that your reader isnt privy to, meaning you may be able to see significance where they cant. In this case, you can use the word to signal that a particular piece of information youre conveying is significant, and then follow up on how, or why, in the next sentence. Youre basically telling your reader hold on to this bit; youll understand why in a minute. Used like this, significantly can be a useful tool for creating reader engagement. Also, its worth noting that in statistics, significant has a specific meaning, with the significance level being the amount of evidence required to indicate that a result did not happen by chance. Too often, however, significant is simply used to create persuasive, attention-grabbing sentences that gloss over an absence of evidence. For example, see this headline from the Daily Mail: Less than 6 hours sleep significantly increases risk of a stroke even if you are fit and healthy. The article gives no information about the size of the increased risk it could be one per cent higher or 100 per cent higher. The reader is left none the wiser regarding the level of significance, and the same is probably true of the writer. Use it: to highlight facts that the reader may not immediately realise are significant. Dont use it: as a substitute for real information, or to make something seem more important than it is. Obviously Before you use obviously or clearly, ask yourself three things: firstly, if its obvious to everyone, do you need to make the point at all? Take, for example, the introductory sentence to this article in The Hindu: Quite obviously, the Reserve Bank of India, while reviewing the credit policy the mid-quarter review is scheduled for later on June 18 would take note of the recent developments affecting the economy. Once you unpick the sentence, it is obvious that a bank would consider economic developments when reviewing its credit policy. But did they need to say so? After all, if its obvious, is it news? Secondly, if its not obvious to your readers, how are they going to feel? Foolish, perhaps or, worse, patronised. And, thirdly, are you using obviously to discourage questioning? (After all, who would argue with something that has been declared universally obvious?) If so, take a moment to think about why youre using such a defensive tactic. It may be that there are holes in your own argument. Use it: as little as possible. Dont use it: if its likely that the information will not be obvious to some readers. Actually Actually is a useful discourse marker in speech. We use it for emphasis, surprise, contrast or correction (we thought it would be a good move, but it was actually a mistake, no, I live in Hove, actually, he was actually trying to take all the credit himself). However, in writing, actually should be used sparingly. If youre someone who writes like a demon in first drafts, itll often end up in there because your writing tumbles out structured like speech. Its actually a great way to get a first draft on to paper, but when you go back to edit it and actually look at the contribution each word is making, thats the time to question whether theyre actually adding any value or clarity. In the sentence above, wed delete the first two actuallys, but keep the third, which subtly intensifies the action of adding value. Use it: when it adds a useful hint of contrast or surprise to the sentence. Dont use it: just because you would when speaking. Literally This is, without doubt, the adverb with the most enemies. There are whole social media accounts devoted to pointing out inappropriate uses of literally. See @literallypolice on Twitter and The Literally Tsar on Facebook, if you dont believe us. The problem with literally is that it has developed a colloquial meaning that is the opposite of its literal, or dictionary, meaning. Often, when people say literally, they mean its opposite, figuratively. The footballer Jamie Redknapp has a particular fondness for the colloquial usage of the word, according to this Guardian article (he had to cut back inside on to his left, because he literally hasnt got a right foot). Despite all this fuss, only the most pedantic person would interrupt you in the middle of a story to question whether you were literally shaking like a leaf or literally chomping at the bit. But readers are pickier than listeners, and sentences such as these seem more incongruous in black and white. So, just to be completely literal about it, here are the definitions from Collins: Literal: in exact accordance with or limited to the primary or explicit meaning of a word or text. Figurative: of the nature of, resembling, or involving a figure of speech; not literal; metaphorical. In short, if it didnt really, literally happen, dont use literally. Use it: to describe things that really happened. Dont use it: for metaphors or exaggerated expressions. Want more advice on getting the most out of your business writing? Read about our in-company High-impact business writing course. Or, if you want to train only one or two people, check out our open course sessions. Then give us a call on +44 (0)1273 732 888, email us or tweet us at @EmphasisWriting.

Cultural Superstition Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Cultural Superstition - Essay Example I will discuss the myth associating the number 13 to bad luck, and even more recently extending it to Friday the 13th being unlucky (Vyse 21). Even people and societies who claim not to have superstitious inclinations are prone to do some things they cannot explain, like hanging on to the fear of the number 13. It is such a widespread phenomenon that has its own name; triskaidekaphobia (Weisstein 1). I learned of the superstition as a child in the junior school through narratives and story books. I also encountered it practically on a public transport bus. The passenger seats were numbered from one to 62, but without any explanation, there was no seat number 13. As expressed in numerology, the number 12 is viewed as a symbol of completeness. Going forth to number 13 is seen as an irregular transgression. This can be shown in examples such as the 12 gods of Olympus, 12 months of the year, 12 tribes of Israel, 12 hours of the clock, 12 Disciples of Jesus, 12 signs of the Zodiac and Muh ammad’s successors in Shia Islam (Wilson and Reill 31). Among the many origins of the superstition, some date back to the biblical days of Jesus Christ and His 12 disciples (Turcan 10). In Christian theology, there were 13 people at the Last Supper before Jesus Christ was betrayed. Further linking the misfortunes of number 13 to Friday, after the betrayal, Jesus Christ died on a Friday. Ironically, Judas Iscariot, who was the betrayer, was the 13th person to take his place at the dinner table. This myth is still held today that if there at 13 people having a meal together, it will lead to the death of one of them (Turcan 12). Still on Biblical times, even before the birth of Jesus Christ, there were only 12 tribes of Israel, which bears His ancestry (Turcan 12). In the Norse mythology, 12 benevolent gods were sitting in a gathering in a hall (Vyse 29). Then the evil, uninvited god, Loki, turned up and attacked them. Loki happened to be the 13th person to arrive at the gatheri ng, and his attack led to the death of the god named Balder. Balder’s death eventually resulted to the deaths of several other gods, a chain of natural disasters and the abolition of all things on earth except for two humans who survived. Although this is only a myth, it emphasizes the swing of misfortunes that followed the arrival of the 13th person at an otherwise peaceful gathering (Wilson and Reill 14). History also has records that the superstition is also upheld by the high in society. Among these dignitaries was American President Franklin D. Roosevelt. He was rather fearful of the number 13, that he took extensive measures to steer clear of hosting a meal that had 13 guests. He would invite his secretary, even though not necessary to non state functions, to increase the number from 13 to 14 (Vyse 25). In the traditional Roman Empire, there were 13 steps of the stairs leading up to the gallows. The legend also offers that the hangman’s noose traditionally had 13 turns. These two notions present a direct link to death with number 13 (Turcan 12). Further on the connection of 13th to Friday, in the year 1307, there occurred a mass arrest followed by executions of the Knights Templar on Friday, October 13th (Weisstein 1). The arrests, which took place in France, were allegedly financially motivated by the royal bureaucracy under Philip IV to raise the prestige associated with the crown. Although it is widely accepted that this is a relatively recent observation,

ALFRED THAYER MAHAN Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

ALFRED THAYER MAHAN - Essay Example Commissioned as a Lieutenant in 1861, Mahan served the Union in the American Civil War as an officer on Congress, Pocahontas, and James Adger, and as an instructor at the Naval Academy. In 1865 he was promoted to Lieutenant Commander and then to Commander (1872), and Captain (1885). Despite his success in the Navy, his skills in commanding a ship was not exemplary, and a number of vessels under his command were involved in collisions, with both moving and stationary objects. With strong affection for old square-rigged vessels, he did not like smoky, noisy steamships of his times and he tried to avoid active sea duty. On the other hand, the books he wrote ashore made him arguably the most influential naval historian. In 1885, he was appointed lecturer in naval history and tactics and the Naval War College. It was here he began researching and writing his lectures. He later became the president of the Naval War College and sometime in 1887, he became acquainted with a young visiting lecturer named Theodore Roosevelt, who would later become the president of the United States. During this period Mahan organized his Naval War College lectures into his most influential books, The Influence of Sea Power upon History, 1660–1783, and The Influence of Sea Power upon the French Revolution and Empire, 1793–1812, published in 1890 and 1892, respectively. Some of his other noteworthy works include Life of Farragut (1892), The Life of Nelson, the Embodiment of the Sea Power of Great Britain (2 vols., 1897), Sea Power in its Relation to the War of 1812 (1905), and From Sail to Steam (1907), the last a book relating to his own career. In his later years he also wrote many articles for the magazine s, and out of them were formed several volumes of essays. Mahan believed that control of seaborne commerce was the determining factor to domination in war. It emphasized that if one combatant could deny the use of the sea to the other party, then the economy of the other side would

The Foremost Negotiator in Africa Essay Example for Free

The Foremost Negotiator in Africa Essay Lade Adeyemi is a man known to some and referred to be many, as Africas foremost Negotiation trainer, coach and author. The commonwealth trained lawyer and Negotiation specialist is the founder of Africas first Business Negotiation School, the Transatlantic Negotiation School of Business which was incorporated in California USA and has training centres in West, East and Southern Africa. The Negopreneur ( has he called fondly by some of his products), started his career as a legal officer and solicitor ,with work experiences from organisations in Singapore, United States, Australia, Nigeria and Mauritius, His skill acquisition and expertise in the area of Business Negotiation has been severally harnessed not only in his innate abilites, but also his intercultural prowess in the usage of Negotiation techniques for and on behalf of the various National and International Organisations as well as professionals he has be privileged to serve over the years. The Harvard University trained Negotiation professional has tutored and taught over 100,000 professionals from 6 continents , comprising of Magistrates ,Lawyers, Entrepreneurs, Governments, NGOs, CEOs, Insurers, HR executives, Managers, Political leaders,Engineers, Fellows of the Sloan School of Management at the MIT in Cambridge USA, African delegates of the Harvard Universitys Programs on Negotiation, as well as other students from the following Universities; Idaho State University USA, Brigham Young University Rexburg USA, Fresno Community College California, Legion University Accra, Ghana, University of Lagos Lagos, Nigeria, University of Cape Town Cape Town, South Africa, Members of the Rotract Club, Africa. The Certified Negotiation Expert (CNE), is also a member of various organizations such as the African Round Table, Academy of International Business, International Bar Association, Investment Management Consultants Association, International Association of Business Communications, Commonwealth Association of Lawyers, Rotary International etc. The California Advocate Newspaper front page personality has also been involved in capacity building of youths and entrepreneurs and has a great passion for youth development and growth. Lade Adeyemi has also amongst a few written various articles some of which include, Looking Next Door: Indentifying Undermining Characteristics of Legal and Business Negotiation Ethics from an Afro-Asian Stand Point:Article written and published in an Entrepreneurial Magazine in Perth, Australia. Amongst some of the books he has authored are, Think Wealth, Think Africa, 123Business Negotiation Techniques for Managers as the best selling Negotiating as a Pro. Others to be published in 2013 include; Intercultural Negotiations: an international Business guide for Win-Win outcomes, Negotiating the Non-Negotiables: Dealing with the Principalities in Negotiations,100 Key Negotiation and Persuasion Techniques for Effective Communication: co- authored with Prof Andra Hansen, Negotiation and Church Leadership: co- authored with Dr J. Blackwood and the long awaited Legal Professionals Negotiations: 100 Negotiation techniques for lawyers and judicial officers. On the employment side (from the recent), he is currently the convener of Africas first Business Negotiation School, Founder / President, Transatlantic Negotiation School of Business USA, Founder Africas first Wax and digital museum; Our Heritage House of Wax and digital Imagery Company, Group Chairman, Nubian Group, Africa, currently serves as the Subject Matter Expert on Negotiation, Lagos State Government, was the Special / Legal Assistant to the E.C Lagos State Public Works Corporation, served as Legal Adviser / Company Secretary, Taxi-AD Germany, Managing / Life Partner Funmi Adeyemi Co, was the first African to be employed as the International Business Executive Asian Centre for Professional Excellence- Singapore. Before setting off tonSingapore, he practiced as a Lawyer in Chamber with IDOWU Queens Chambers, Gadzama Attoneys at Law Abuja as well as Lateef Adegbite Co. A man of numerous indigenous and international awards amongst which are, the Paul Harris Fellowship award Rotary International, Honorary Member, Worldwide Whos Who, USA , Role Model Award recipient , Young Entrepreneurs’ Network of Africa, Role Model award recipient , faculty of Arts and Communication, University of Lagos, Award of Recognition in Negotiation and Leadership, Faculty of Communications, Fresno Community College Carlifornia  USA as well as the first African to be presented with the prestigious African Leadership Award in Negotiation by the African Leadership Magazine, Cairo, to mention but a few.

Euthanasia - An Immoral Act Essay -- Euthanasia, Argumentative Essay

Euthanasia - An Immoral Act Should an individual be allowed to choose assisted suicide with the help of a physician, or be forced to follow their theological beliefs of the dominant religion they practice when life seems pointless? The choice of whether to live or not live is directly influenced by the decision to indulge in a process characterized as â€Å"physician assisted suicide† or simply called Euthanasia. Many people believe it is solely left upon God to determine when death should occur, but some people believe that a doctor has the right to take their life and help the patient destroy it. In this paper I will be discussing what euthanasia is, how it affects the patients life, and the implication it has on the religious community as an unmoral act.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One may wonder why in the end to choose euthanasia as a means to deliberately end their life. Some individuals live in excessive chronic pain, some due to poverty or lack of health-care coverage and cannot afford pain-killing medication. Others are denied adequate painkillers because of their physician's lack of knowledge and or inadequate training. They have a terminal illness where disease has adversely affected their quality of life to the point where they no longer wish to continue living. Some have lost their independence and must be cared for continually or simply they realize that they will be dying in the near future and simply want to have total control over the process. But whatever the case may be, the people who decide to commit suicide are unable to accomplish the act alone. They need assistance from their physician to assist the suicide and help them die under conditions in which they wish. Euthanasia includes the Passive and Active action of death. Passive Euthanasia can be defined as the hastening death of a person by altering some form of support and letting nature take its course. This can happen either by removing life support equipment, stopping medical procedures, stopping food and water and allowing the person to dehydrate or starve to death. The most common form of passive euthanasia is to give patients large doses of morphine to control pain. Such doses of these painkillers have a dual effect of relieving pain and hastening death and are mostly performed on terminally ill people in a persistent vegetative state.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another type of euthanasia is Active Euthanasia, wh... ...y hastening the hour of death, should be able to accept it with full responsibility and dignity,†(Declaration of Euthanasia). Works Citied Bohr, David. Catholic Moral Tradition. Indiana: Our Sunday Visitor, (1999): 149- 55., 309-18. â€Å"Catechism of the Catholic Church on Assisted-Suicide.† 2276 – 79., 2280-83 Edmund D. Pellegrino, Evangelium Vitae, â€Å"Euthanasia, and Physician Assisted Suicide.† D.C.: Georgetown University Press, (1997): 240. â€Å"Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide.† International Task Force.  © 1996 – 2004 â€Å"Euthanasia.† The Verbal Battle over Euthanasia.† Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance.  © 1997 to 2001 http://www.religioustolerance.org/ O’Connell, Timothy. Principles For A Catholic Morality. New York: Harper Collins, (1990): 134-36. â€Å"On the Value and Inviolability of Human Life.† A papal encyclical dealing with life and death, also euthanasia. Rachels, James. The End of Life: The Morality of Euthanasia. New York : Oxford University Press, (1986) Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith. Declaration on Euthanasia. Boston: Pauline Books and Media, 1990. The Bible (King James Version). Michigan: Zondervan, 2000.

Sociology Interactive Quiz #1

Sociology Quiz #1: The Sociological Imagination 1. Which of the following is the BEST example of something that sociologists might study? – How wireless technology has enabled people in developing countries to communicate beyond their local communities. 2. Anything that humans create or take notice of, that exerts influence or pressure on their behavior is termed a social force . Which of these is the BEST application of the concept, â€Å"sociological imagination†? – understanding the technology of cellular phones The sociologist who first identified â€Å"social facts† as the subject of sociology was Emile Durkheim .Things like norms for using cell phones, the cost of education, types of jobs that are the most available, and the fact that English is the dominant language spoken in the U. S. may seem very different from each other. But one thing they have in common is that Durkheim would consider all of them social facts. Peter Berger describes the  "miracle of love† as being â€Å"somewhat synthetic. † What does he mean by this? – The process of finding a romantic partner is largely directed by social forces, as opposed to being purely individualistic. Which sociologist was the first to make the distinction between troubles and issues?C. Wright Mills A trouble is caused by a person's personal difficulties or shortcomings. Mills called the ability to see the connection between personal circumstances and the social and historical context, or outside forces, the sociological imagination. Which of the following BEST describes the relationship between the individual and society? Individual troubles occur within and shaped by a particular historical and social context. The transition from muscle-driven, labor-intensive systems of production to mechanization and the use of power sources such as coal and water is called the Industrial Revolution.  Read also  Sociology and Social Integration.The period of rapid industrialization and colonial expansion that followed the Industrial Revolution is called the Age of Imperialism. The term â€Å"sociology† was first invented by Auguste Comte, who defined the new discipline as a positivist science that studies the results of the human intellect. According to Comte's â€Å"Law of Three Stages,† society develops in three stages. The last, and superior stage, according to Comte, was based on using direct observation and the scientific method to understand the world. 15. Karl Marx was most interested in the effects of capitalism upon society.According to Marx, the primary cause of change in society is conflict. According to Emile Durkheim, the sociologist's task is to analyze and explain solidarity within society. Durkheim explained rates of suicide in terms of social ties instead of an individual's emotional state. An anomic state is one in which individual ties to the group are disrupted by a dramatic change in circumstances. Weber def ined social action that is pursued because it was pursued in the past as traditional. According the Max Weber, the sociologist's task is to analyze and explain – the reasons for, and the consequences of, social actions.A woman finds a wallet that contains a driver's license, in addition to hundreds of dollars. Despite the fact that she is experiencing serious financial difficulties, the woman returns the wallet and all of the money. Weber would define returning the wallet as value-rational action. According to W. E. B. DuBois, the â€Å"strange meaning of being black† in America includes double consciousness , which he defined as the â€Å"sense of always looking at one's self through the eyes of the others and measuring one's self by the tape of the world. â€Å"In order to better understand how mobile phone technology impacts the culture of a Native American group, a group of sociology students arranges to live several months on a reservation, and participate in th e community life of the Native American group. Which classical sociologists would be most likely to have suggested this strategy for conducting research? Jane Addams 25. The continuing extension of social relationships across borders, so that goods, services, money, people, technology and information all flow throughout the world, is referred to as globalization.

A Brief History Of The Internet Origins

By default, any definitive history of the Internet must be short, since the Internet (in one form or another) has only been in existence for less than 30 years. The first iteration of the Internet was launched in 1971 with a public showing in early 1972. This first network, known as ARPANET (Advanced Research Projects Agency NETwork) was very primitive by today's standards, but a milestone in computer communications. ARPANET was based upon the design concepts of Larry Roberts (MIT) and was fleshed out at the first ACM symposium, held in Gaithersburg, TN in 1966, although RFPs weren't sent out until mid 1968. The Department of Defense in 1969 commissioned ARPANET, and the first node was created at the University of California in Los Angeles, running on a Honeywell DDP-516 mini-computer. The second node was established at Stanford University and launched on October first of the same year. On November 1, 1969, the third node was located at the University of California, Santa Barbara and the fourth was opened at the University of Utah in December. By 1971 15 nodes were linked including BBN, CMU, CWRU, Harvard, Lincoln Lab, MIT, NASA/Ames, RAND, SDC, SRI and UIU(C). In that same year, Larry Roberts created the first email management program. As a side note, Ray Tomlinson is the person who established the â€Å"@† sign as a domain/host designator from his Model 33 Teletype. The first international connection to ARPANET is established when the University College of London is connected in 1973, and RFC-454 â€Å"File Transfer Protocol† was published. 1973 was also the year that Dr. Robert Metcalf's doctoral thesis outlined the specifications for Ethernet. The theory was tested on Xerox PARCs computers. 974 saw the launch of TELNET public packet data service. UUCP (Unix-to-Unix Copy Protocol) was developed at AT&T Bell Labs in 1976, and distributed with UNIX the following year. 1978 saw the split of TCP into TCP and IP. In 1979 the first MUD (Multi-User Domain) was created by Dr. Richard Bartle and Roy Trubshaw from the University of Essex, and was the foundation for multi-player games (among other things). This event marked the gradual decline of productivity over the Internet. In 1981 a cooperative network between CUNY (City University of New York) and Yale was established. This network was called BITNET (Because It's There NETwork) and was designed to provide electronic mail transfer and list serve services between the two institutions. RFC-801 â€Å"NCP/TCP Transition Plan† was published that same year. It was because of the growing interconnectivity of new networks that the phrase â€Å"Internet† was coined in 1982, and the Department of Defense also declared TCP/IP to be its defacto standard. The first name server was developed in 1983 at the University of Wisconsin, allowing users to access systems without having to know the exact path to the server. 1983 also saw the transition from NCP to TCP/IP, and it was at this same time that ARPANET was split into ARPANET and MILNET. 68 of the current 113 existing nodes were assigned to MILNET. It was also in 1983 that a San Francisco programmer, Tom Jennings wrote the first FidoNet Bulletin Board System, which was capable of allowing both email and message passing over the Internet between networked BBSs by 1988. In 1984, the number of hosts on the Internet broke 1000, and DNS (Domain Name Services) was introduced. Moderated newsgroups also made their first appearance this year, although it would be almost a year and a half before NNTP (Network New Transfer Protocol) would be introduced. In 1985, the WELL (Whole Earth ‘Lectronic Link) was launched out of Sausalito California, allowing San Francisco Bay Area users free access to the Internet. The Internet had grown so fast, and to such large proportions by this time that some control was needed to oversee its expansion, so in 1986, the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) and Internet Research Task Force (IRTF) came into existence under the IAB. 1988 Saw the advent of IRC (Internet Relay Chat), developed by Jarkko Oikarinen, and it can be safely assumed that the first â€Å"Hot Chat† took place very shortly afterwards. By 1989 the number of Internet hosts had capped 100,000, and the first commercial Internet mail service was created by MCI. In 1990, ARPANET was finally closed down and ceased to exist. Two other notable events this year include the release of ARCHIE by Peter Deutsch, Alan Emtage, and Bill Heelan at McGill, and the first remotely controlled machine to be linked to the Internet; a toaster (controlled by SNMP). 1991 was the year what WAIS (Wide Area Information Servers), was released by Brewster Kahle, of Thinking Machines Corporation; Paul Lindner and Mark P. McCahill released Gopher from the University of Minnesota, and most notably, World-Wide Web was released by Tim Berners-Lee of CERN. By 1992 the number of hosts on the Internet had exceeded 1,000,000 and the first MBONE audio multicast was made. In 1993 InternNIC was created by, the National Science Foundation (NSF). InterNIC provided a centralized organization for domain name registration, and continues to regulate that function today. As the great, unwashed hordes began to flood into the Internet, it was only natural that vendors would soon follow. So in 1995, the first Internet based â€Å"shopping mall† was opened on the World Wide Web. It was also in this year that the World Wide Web edged out FTP as the most popular service on the Internet. In 1995, Compuserve, America Online and Prodigy opened up Internet access portals, and hundreds of thousands of commercial users flooded into what had previously been the private domain of veteran computer users. The average IQ dropped dramatically at this point. Since 1995, some of the new and/or emerging technologies have included Server Push, Multicasting, Streaming Media, E-Commerce, ASP and XML. Although the Internet started out of military necessity, it is doubtful that its creators could envision its impact, not only on the American culture or the world in general, but on the future of the human race. The Internet will continue to grow and evolve in the years to come, becoming an indispensable channel of communication and a catalyst for human evolution.

Culture on performance Essay Example

Culture on performance Essay Example Culture on performance Essay Culture on performance Essay Gordon and DiTomaso (1992) also investigated culture strength as well as adaptability and stability and measured the growth of assets and premiums in eleven insurance companies over six years. This study suggests that culture strength and adaptability are positively related to profitability. Kotter and Heskett (1992) present various studies that support a link between culture and performance. In the first they examine the hypothesis that strong cultures are associated with performance and conclude that culture strength has a moderate positive relationship with long-term, economic performance. Their second study exploring the effect of a strategy-culture fit on performance suggests that culture contributes to performance on the condition that the culture fits the environment. Their third study compares twelve companies with performance enhancing cultures to twenty companies without such cultures. The results imply that companies with a performance-enhancing culture outperform companies lacking a performance enhancing culture by a wide margin. Marcoulides and Heck (1993) also provide convincing support for a link between culture and performance in their study of twenty-six American firms. Dimensions of organisational structure, values, task organisation, organisational climate and employee attitudes were measured along with gross revenue, product value ratios, market share, profit and investment returns. All the cultural dimensions were found to have an effect on performance. Denison and Mishra additionally report a link between organisational culture and performance and from their research conclude that profitability in large firms is best predicted by stability dimensions such as mission and consistency; that sales can be predicted by flexibility dimensions such as adaptability and involvement and that all cultural traits are positively related to return on assets, particularly mission. Despite the improvements in developing and testing the concept of the C-P link, the empirical studies presented in the 1990s nonetheless possess serious methodological and conceptual shortcomings. The major issues include the lack of agreed upon definition of culture; the questionable construct validity in operationalising the two variables in question, culture and performance; the relatively small number of organisations participating in each study; problems with respondents that are not representative of entire organisational cultures; and the direction of the relationship between culture and performance being ambiguous. Furthermore, the studies lack a relationship with each other and thus do not cumulatively build on one another. What is organisational culture? Ogbonna (1990 1996) suggests that there are as many definitions of culture as there are experts on the subject (see for example Jaques, 1952; Eldridge Crombie, 1974; Louis, 1980; Schwartz Davis, 1981; Gold, 1982; Pacanowsky ODonnell-Trujillo, 1982; Schein, 1985; Morgan, 1986; Lorrsch, 1986; Scholz, 1987; Denison, 1990; Kotter Heskott, 1992; Drennan, 1992; Williams, Dobson Walters, 1993; Brown, 1995- all of which provide varying definitions of culture) and that the definition adopted by each researcher is bound up in their view of the world and the methodology utilised. Ogbonna identifies two extreme arguments based in the conception of the subject. The two stances seem mutually exclusive- one viewing culture as something that an organisation is and the other as something an organisation has. If we view culture as something that an organisation has, culture can be seen as a powerful tool that can shape behaviour and establish premises for decision-making. When culture is viewed as something an organisation is, it cannot be controlled, as it is inseparable from organisation (Ogbonna, 1990 1996). Brown (1995) draws attention to the fundamental distinction between those who think of culture as a metaphor to be developed for understanding how organisations work and those who view culture as an objective entity. Most commentators on the subject of culture tend to regard culture as an objective entity, where an organisation including all systems and processes are elements of its cultural life. However if everything is considered part of the culture, it is impossible to use the concept to frame causal explanations of other aspects of organisational activity. Another approach to defining organisational culture views the concept as a set of basic assumptions (Schein, 1985). Members of an organisation possess these predispositions and are consequently led to work and think in certain manners. It is clear that there is a lack of agreed upon definition of organisational culture and since the manner in which we examine and research it is contingent upon the definition this has far-reaching implications. Definitions of concepts employed to help understand organisations are important in that they influence how we approach the phenomena they refer to, and determine operationalisation and measurement. Culture: cannot define it, how do we operationalise it? The operationalisation of organisational culture (the independent variable) is as problematic as its definition and considerably different in each study presented. Every quantitative study appears to operationalise culture in a different manner, questioning whether culture can be operationalised at all. The variety in the operationalisation of culture is evident in the empirical literature not only when considering characterisations of culture, but also when examining the plethora of questionnaire items utilised. The only dimension that repeatedly surfaces is adaptability and the variation in its opertationalisation and the lack of information in studies prevents an adequate comparison (Wilderum et al 2000). Clearly, the validity of a link between culture and performance is greatly undermined by the wide array of operationalisms of organisational culture and this in turn questions the constructs validity and prevents cumulation of a body of knowledge supporting the C-P link. Operationalising performance: The measurement of performance of organisations is also controversial and there is much academic discourse debating the issue (Christenson Gordon, 1999) In many cases publicly available performance data is not readily available and performance data are not consistent across industries. For instance Christenson and Gordon (1999) found in their exploration of industry moderated relationships between organizational culture that mutual insurance companies report no clear measure of profit and, therefore, no returns on equity and assets. Given the difficulties of equating variables across industries, and because they wished to include as many industries and firms as possible in the analyses, they focused on revenue growth as a single and narrow indicator of performance. Thus, some studies are forced to limit the relationship between culture and revenue growth and not to wider aspects of performance such as profitability, adaptability or efficiency Further issues also arise out of the operationalisation of performance. Many organisational performance researchers focus on the rational goal (profit maximisation) when studying profit-seeking firms. The performance is typically assessed using counting based indicators such as returns on assets, sales or equity. These measures are easily accessible and are generally considered comparable across industries. However, according to some commentators such measures are prone to manipulation, lack of consistency in accounting methods, and they have an orientation which is backward (Brown and Laverick, 1994; Kaplan Norton, 1992). Of the studies discussed in the C-P link section of this paper, most applied a pure financial performance approach (Calori Sarnin 1991; Denison, 1990; Gordon DiTomaso, 1992; Kotter Heskett, 1992; Marcoulides Heck, 1993). Rousseau (1990) utilised a unidimensional approach and four used multi-dimensional approach that Wilderom, Glunk and Maslowski (2000) suggest is good practice. However, the studies that did use multi-dimensional methods did not typically provide a sound theoretical basis for the decision on performance dimensions as required (Denison Mishra, 1995; Koene, 1996; Petty et al and Wilderom Van den Berg, 1998). Therefore of the empirical literature supporting a link between organisational culture and performance, the operationalisation of performance is inadequate and lacking in validity, once again questioning the C-P concept. What Theory? The concept of culture continues to be considered by managers and commentators as a key variable in the success or failure of organisational improvement. However several academics point out that although the concept is entering its third decade, debates about epistemology, manifestations of the concept and appropriate methodology persist, jeopardising the maturity of the concept (DiMaggio, 1997; Martin Frost, 1996; OReilly Chatman, 1996; Detert, Schroeder Mauriel, 2000). Detert, Schroeder and Mauriel (2000) claim there is a lack of consolidation followed by systematic empirical investigation concerning organisational culture and upon reviewing the literature it appears to me this is the case. It is even proposed that unless this hole in the research is addressed, the concept of culture as a driver of organisational performance will cease to exist (Firestone Lewis, 1998; Pettigrew, 1990; Reichers Schneider, 1990; Smart St. John, 1996). The literature provides several different approaches to theorising the link between culture and performance, although none appear to provide an adequate or valid explanation. Consequently, research investigating the link between culture and organisational performance lacks a clear theoretical conception of the phenomenon. One approach views that an organisations culture effects performance and success when culture is based on consensus or culture strength. This serves as a control system and leads to enhancement of the functioning of the organisation. The strong organisational culture is argued to facilitate goal alignment, lead to high levels of employee motivation and is able to learn from its past (Brown, 1995). However, the so-called strong culture theory is rife with flaws. For example, a strong culture may facilitate goal alignment, but this is not useful if the goals are not positive. It also cannot be assumed that all strong cultures are related to high levels of employee motivation. Brown (1995), for example points out that many UK public services have strong cultures, with less than motivated employees. Additionally, even though the literature presents examples of organisations with both strong cultures and superior performance, the evidence is circumstantial and not adequate to support the culture strength hypothesis. Furthermore, a relationship between two variables is not synonomous with causation or indicative of the direction of the realtionship. It is possible for example that performance effects culture. The strong culture theory also does not account for the fact that most organisations do not possess one single, unilateral culture. Another theoretical hypothesis postulated to explain the relationship between culture and performance suggests that high economic performance is associated with a strategically appropriate culture. In this case, varying cultures would be appropriate in different competitive environments and for different strategies. Unfortunately testing this theory objectively is difficult and Kotter and Hesketts attempt at doing so contains the methodological flaws discussed earlier. Additionally, there are conceptual issues such as accounting for changes in the environment, which would require organisations to also be culturally adaptive. The concept of adaptiveness relates to Denisons (1990) framework that includes an adaptability hypothesis, stating that a culture that allows an organisation to adapt to changing demands will promote effectiveness. Dennisons presents an explanatory framework encompassing involvement, consistency, adaptability and mission. However Denisons theory like, Kotter and Heskotts general features of the culture of organisations associated with economic success, is a one best culture framework, which is problematic (see Brown, 1995 for further explanation). Other researchers have postulated that the culture-performance link may be moderated or contingent upon some other variable such as the industry of the organisation. For example Christenson Gordon, (1999), report the existence of cultural practices that are industry specific, suggesting that the C-P link is not universal. It is clear from a brief discussion of C-P theory that there is an absence of a solid conceptual framework. Lim (1995), based on an analysis examining organisational culture and performance via a discussion of models of culture and empirical research conducted to investigate causal relationships between them reiterates that the culture-performance link remains unclear. There is a desperate need to improve on the application of the concepts involved and focus of methodological issues. Cumulative empirical research, based on a theoretical framework is required to validate the culture- performance concept. Can all managers create and use an organisations culture to improve organisational performance? If subsequent research shows that culture does affect performance, it is likely that creating, changing or using culture will be a difficult task. Depending on the conceptual viewpoint adopted, it could be considered impossible. For example, Krefting and Frost (1985 In Ogbonna, 1996) argue that culture simply exists and cannot be managed or created, because by definition assumptions exist without the individual being aware. Even commentators who believe that culture can be managed point to the difficulties in doing so (for example Uttal, 1983 Fombrun, 1983. In Ogbonna, 1996). Morgan (1997) also argues that managers can never control culture, but can influence others by being aware of their actions and fostering desired values. It is also important to note that not all managers have the expertise or leadership qualities to exercise adequate influence on others to create change. In conclusion, the contention that an organisations culture is a powerful tool that all managers can create and use to improve organisational performance is not supported by the literature. Although empirical studies appear to support a link between organisational culture and performance there are several issues which question the validity of such research. There is a lack of solid definition of organisational culture, there is no clear operationalisation of culture, the operationalisation of performance has been typically questionable and there is a lack of a conceptually sound framework. It is only when these challenges are tackled, and studies are more methodologically sound that research investigating the culture performance link can more effectively establish the predictive effect of organisational culture on performance. Following this, the challenge will be to determine if culture can actually be managed and to make the tool available to all managers to utilise optimally.

How To Write Newspaper Editorial Essays

How To Write Newspaper Editorial Essays A guide to writing a persuasive Newspaper Editorial Essay Editorial Essay Definition To understand and personally define an editorial, you should first try to define the word â€Å"editorial.† It is a newspaper article that covers the diverse concepts of the author. The author may choose to write about any topic, but it should focus on social issues concerning the subject matter. Each point expressed should be backed up with reliable support evidence or facts to give meaning to your work. Detailed research should be done to identify a suitable topic for discussion. An editorial essay should highlight and discuss the problem identified, and at the end offer reliable solutions. For example, if you as the author plan to address issues that are related to the mentally handicapped population, you should give detailed feedback about ways to tackle such an issue for a suitable solution. You should develop a message that addresses those affected with this issue, with part of the message sent to the healthcare providers on how to handle the situation. A newspaper editorial essay also addresses the ruling government on the issue at hand and the need for them to take necessary actions. Writing an editorial essay is similar to writing a research or a normal essay paper. If you know this, then writing your piece will be easy and the work with come out interesting to the reader in the long run. Ways of writing Different Editorial Essays Editorial essays are quite different from other types of essays. They are clustered according to the purpose they serve, unlike other essays where they are categorized according to their nature. With the above information, it’s safe to say that there is no single way of answering what an editorial essay is, without gaining knowledge of all the types of editorial essays. There are several ways of writing your essay. You could: Define/Expound/Interpret the Subject While writing your newspaper article, highlight how it addresses a specific subject. For instance, as an editor of a fashion companys magazine, you could address the different fashion trends on the rise to your readers. Criticize the Problem Critical thinking is needed by all writers to come up with a meaningful and interesting piece which addresses a vital issue. Bear in mind that an excellent editorial essay provides a critique on cases in question which provide solutions to existing problems. This craft is intended to make the reader identify the problem and not just the solutions offered. Use the Central Argument Focus of the Editorial to Convince your Audience You should inspire your readers to implement solutions by getting involved in the action from the introduction of your essay. While editorial essays only offer critique, persuasive papers handle all the suggested solutions without paying attention or providing information about the problem. Compliment Editorials relating to this theme focus on praising and admiring the works of organizations or people involved in a beneficial activity to society. While writing these types of essays, remember to place your focus on highlighting the positive outcome and appreciation of the subjects involved. If by now you are still not fully satisfied with the information given about editorial essays, no need to worry. Below I have introduced and explained other ways that can help you to craft a first-class editorial essay. More Ways to Ensure You Always Write a Persuasive and Attractive Editorial Essay Social media is the reason for the fierce writing we all experience in this time and age. For that reason, many people cannot craft a creative piece for a persuasive newspaper editorial. However, this should not be a problem as I have provided more vital tips and advice on how to be a professional writer of an editorial essay. Look for controversial problems: -the use of this theme provides a debatable discussion which will engage your readers. Since the use of this theme provides room for research, ask your audience questions as you gain more perspective of the subject in question. Making the right decision is important in writing a persuasive editorial essay: -the author can only support one side of a controversial paper. Before you start writing one, choose a side you feel best fit for you and you can back up with your experience and knowledge about it. Read a famous newspaper from your state: -reading this type of newspapers is helpful in many ways. They contain the relevant topics that need to be addressed while providing facts and solutions to the issues addressed. As they lay down their opinion, they leave the final judgment in the hands of public opinion. There are many ways to explain solutions in an editorial essay: -it is important for you to provide your audience with multiple solutions for them to make their own preferred individual choices. An inspirational excerpt by Minyvonne Burke from the United States’ Daily News says that: For an argument to make sense, make sure you talk about a couple of analogies. You are entitled to choose diverse social, cultural and political analogies as many people place trust in such areas. For instance, your research problem could be about the rising suspicion of the integrity of the several mobile spying applications in the market. Burke adds that search for relating issues in other technologically advanced countries whose family adopt this type of security to ensure the safety of their families. When it comes to writing an editorial, youre searching for solutions as you realize what other places did to resolve their issues. Steps of Writing a Newspaper Editorial There are several features for writing an editorial essay you will require as an editor to know and have them at the back of your mind. An impressing and engaging introduction, which will be accompanied by the body paragraphs and a compelling solution. You will realize that the structure is similar to many other essay types. Your interpretation of the issue-at-hand should make sense, through the use of factual or statistical evidence. At this point, have in mind that the complex issues should get more attention. Find the most effective news angle and use it appropriately. You need to know that the arguments brought forward by the opposing group are totally impartial and objective. While you write an editorial essay, make sure that you put across your different perspectives on the topic of discussion and do it in the most formal language. Utilize professionalism and criticism while crafting solutions. Don’t forget to put down a summary and a persuasive call for action. Ensure that you read the instructor’s guidelines before you start writing your persuasive essay. Consider factors that you need to develop your work such as the content, formatting and the number of words you are limited to. Topics for Editorial Essays Below are some of the best essay subjects you can use to create your own. Additionally, you will find appealing research issues and their respective solutions. For Charter Institutions, driving to the right decision is paramount For example: Public charter schools are associated with the public schooling program, which sticks to the required standards of learning. These types of institutions should demonstrate high levels of efficiency in all their adopted teaching methods. Any school which does not stick to these aspects should be closed if they do not uphold the required standards. The teachers have the mandate to educated heir students according to the standards set by the United States of America learning system.† Reality alternation and development by reality television programs Example: Reality shows aired on television mislead people into losing touch with the reality. Most of the directors try to convince the audience that the problems faced by their characters are the same we face in our day to day lives. They even try to convince the viewers that the consequences face by their characters is far more adverse than those faced in reality. Research conducted by Michigan State University by Dr. Gibson states that long term viewing of such programs brings about specific challenges. One of the challenges is heightened levels of aggression within the people living in the United States. The viewer rating of such programs should be placed at an age that will prevent the adolescent age group from viewing them. Other topic designs include: Advantages of higher education in the United States. Understanding the reasons and consequences of the Subprime crisis. Is legalization of marijuana a good move for its soothing effects, or destructive to the brain What challenges are likely to be faced with the banning of cigarettes A recap of the NBA season: Primary goals, training, prospect, prediction, best-performing players, debate and outcomes. Facts proving that gambling is illegal The best treatment available for diabetes Why is the death penalty legal in my country? More example samples of persuasive editorial essay topics can be found in the academic writing websites. To create an editorial essay that is captivating and has a logical flow of ideas, you need to adopt a structure that will formulate the backbone of your work. An Approach You Should Use in Writing a Persuasive Editorial Essay Identify and Pick the Preferred Topic Go ahead and select a debatable social issue and address it from all possible perspectives. Always remember to address a social issue that your target audience will be willing to read through to the end. Brainstorm on the ideas you have and choose one specific topic you are familiar with and can tackle with creativity and accuracy. Offering Your Opinion You should be aware that writing an editorial is the same as crafting an argumentative essay. At this point select a debatable, contradictive, and recently discoursed issue, and highlight your stance about it using valid evidence. An excellent tutorial should have both the positive and negative aspects concerning the topic of discussion. As you highlight your stand on the mater, remember not to pay attention to only one side. Looking for professional and editorial services are acceptable in instances you experience difficulty in handling the topic of discussion and writing the essay. Putting Down the Outline Having a framework for your editorial essay is vital in ensuring your work is well arranged, with the existence of a logical flow of ideas to make the essay legible and with high levels of professionalism. It is crucial because it helps you not to go off topic and keep to the subject of discussion when as new ideas pop up in the writing process. Your concepts will be well organized and structured to perfection. Composing the Final Piece of Editorial First, come up with an argument that is related to your selected topic and craft a headline that will attract the attention of your readers and impress them to read it some more. For instance, including an exclamation mark is a sure way for compelling your readers to look through your work. Use of rhetorical questions is also a way that will engage the reader. For each argument presented, make sure that you support them with valid resources, factual data, and examples. An effective way to achieve this is by highlighting the positive and negative aspects of issues addressed. Here are some extra pointers to help you in your creation of a persuasive editorial essay: Assimilating facts and figures from reliable online resources or those that are available in the library can be of great help. The resources will be of help in the explanation of your argument to make it credible and concrete. The most interesting evidence should be the last to be discussed. By doing this, you can keep your reader hooked to the essay and willing to read it all through. Don’t be too passive in the ideas that are not major. Engage your readers and address each point of view clearly and with necessary support offered to make sense out of it.   Ã‚  Ã‚   Conclusion or Relatable Solutions The edited piece of your work should have a concrete solution that is founded on constructive criticism. You should still remember you have two perspectives about your issue of concern. For example, if youre covering the governments effort to reduce the use of tobacco by applying regulations and rules to govern its use, identify and discuss why this strategy is effective and vital as compared to any other. Also, remember to propose any alternative regulations that can be effective in achieving the desired goal.

Aviation and the Global Atmosphrer Report Essay

Aviation and the Global Atmosphrer Report - Essay Example In 2004 the UK ranked number six in the world league of tourism earnings, and tourism is a major component of the UK economy, accounting for 3.5% of UK GDP. The tourism industry directly supports 1.4 million jobs, or some 5% of total UK employment and one fifth of all international air passengers in the world are on flights to or from a UK airport. Airports are critical for the development of local and regional economies. They generate employment, open up wider markets and attract businesses to an area. They are also increasingly important transport hubs, particularly for the logistics industry. But Air travel is the world's fastest growing source of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, which cause climate change. The huge increase in aircraft pollution is largely due to the rapid growth in air traffic. This means increasing airport capacity, more flights, more pollution and increasingly crowded airspace. People living near airports have long suffered from aircraft noise, traffic co ngestion and air pollution. Indeed communities around airports have been concerned about these issues for years. Aircraft emissions can also have a significant effect at ground level. Air and ground traffic at major airports can lead to pollution levels as high as city centers. Several steps have been taken by the various governments and airports to mitigate these impacts of air traffic. New airports policy specifically addresses how harmful greenhouse gases from aircraft will be reduced and that adequate resources are put into encouraging alternatives to flying. But people around airports are more concerned about environmental impacts and protesting even expansion of airports. Manchester airport in UK experienced the same kind of protest. But when we analyzed the cost-benefits of developments especially social and environmental costs and loss of economic activities, it clearly shows that though aviation may cause greenhouse gases emission but have not established yet the quantity o f adverse impacts whereas economic losses could be quantified. So the more sustainable developments are recommended and pursued by the airports and the governments equally. Introduction: The aviation industry is defined as those activities that are directly dependent on transporting people and goods by air to from and within. This covers airline and airport operations and includes scheduled and chartered flights for passengers and freight, general aviation, aircraft maintenance, air traffic control, and activities directly serving air-passengers, such as check in baggage handling and on-site retail and catering facilities. In an increasingly globalize economy the aviation industry is a vital element of the UK's transport infrastructure. Benefits of aviation industry growth: The aviation industry directly contributed 11.04 billion pound to UK GDP in 2004 and employed 186,000 people. Over 520,000 jobs in UK in total depend on the aviation industry. Visitors arriving by air contribute over 12 billion pound a year to

This is an essay to get accepted to american university of paris

This is an to get accepted to american university of paris - Essay Example There are several reasons why I am passionate about studying at the American University of Paris. The American University of Paris is home to many successful individuals. The mission statement of American University of Paris depicts everything that I am looking for in an university. A university that focuses on hands on learning, history and being a responsible individual is a place I would enjoy being a part of (American University of Paris 2011). Ethnic backgrounds should be able to come together and learn with one another. This is what sets American University of Paris apart from other universities. The universities focus on students from different nationalities makes American University of Paris a leader in education. In a world that is becoming more ethnically diverse, this is important. Learning in a national setting can help explore national issues. Learning in a national atmosphere will help to further explore national concerns. Some national concerns are war and the environment. Both concerns are concerns that affect all people. War is not the answer for anything. Human beings should be able to talk issues out with one another until an agreement is made. Killing innocent individuals over mindless problems seems like a waste of time. Obtaining a diverse education can help address national concerns. The environment is something that every individual from every type of background has to deal with. We as a human race are on this earth together and all affected by natural disasters and global warming issues. Natural disasters can happen at any time and affect anyone. It is important for those affected to be able to seek help from all over the world. This is why it is so important for me to study and learn discipline with individuals of different education and geographical backgrounds. Global warming issues are a national concern for me and should be a national concern

The Effect of United States Army Training on the Decision Making Research Paper

The Effect of United States Army Training on the Decision Making Process of the Warfighter - Research Paper Example It will also be necessary to determine whether or not success in the classroom or on the field environment equates with success in the battlefield. The methods described by Benyus (2009), Fischer (2009), Gill (2004), and Robbins (2009) will be compared and contrasted in relation to methodology in relation to training. Abstract Depth An annotated bibliography of 15 peer-reviewed articles probes current thinking on training and the resultant decision influences through a filter of successful training sessions. An analysis of Department of the Army research data demonstrates that there is a problem of declining standards in Advanced Individual Training. The declining standards are manifested in the graduates being unable make sound judgment calls in combat situations when they are assigned to units deploying to Iraq and Afghanistan. Building on the material covered in the Breadth section and drawing on recent research material, a synthesized analysis of combat training and its influence on decision-making is conducted. This research study scrutinizes assessment tools that assist teachers and trainers in providing curriculum that is both informative and challenging to the learner. Abstract Application The Application considers the extent to which the training techniques employed to educate and train today’s combat soldiers are in need of improvement. Drawing on the material analyzed in the depth and breadth, the Application section examines the methodology used to train the soldier and how it has changed very little over the years. The application examines whether or not the end result of these techniques is poor decision making during the high stress of combat and its contribution to causes an increase in the number of casualties on the battlefield. The application determines whether or not an improvement of these methods will result in better decision making. This section will present a clear model for an approach to training for military and corporate tra iners. A complete overhaul of current training practices is not suggested, but rather, an upgrade designed to yield the desired outcome. This section will provide the culmination of the prior entries and present a workable model as the summary. TABLE OF CONTENTS BREADTH 4 What is Training? 4 Training’s shortcomings 5 A Trainer’s Cure 9 Initial Entry Training 15 Army Training Requirements 15 Field Training Exercise 23 Simulated War Fighter Games 23 Applying Benyus’ Theory of Biomimicry to Military Training 27 Biomimicry Theory Explained 27 The Training Theory of Fisher 31 Fisher’s Theory Explained 31 Gill’s Training Theory 33 Gill’s Theory Explained 33 Training Theory of Robbins 35 Robbins Theory Explained 35 Summary of Breadth 37 DEPTH 39 Annotated Bibliography 39 Literature Review Essay 59 Goals and Objectives of Training Combat Soldiers 59 Nature and Significance of Decision-Making in the Battlefield 62 What Improvements can be made to Arm y Training to Enhance Decision-Making 66 Summary of Depth 68 APPLICATION 69 Project Details 69 Ongoing Developments in Military Training

The Different Flood Myths

The Different Flood Myths In the following essay, I am going to examine the flood myth that is written in The Epic of Gilgamesh, and compare its similarities and differences to the one that is found in the Book of Genesis. In both works, there is an immense flood that engulfs the earth. The question that remains to be answered is, is this the same flood recorded in both texts? The corresponding elements that occur between both texts have been somewhat of a puzzling issue for some researchers. On first speculation, it would be fair to say that both coincide with each other due to the major similarity between them. However, subtle differences could prove otherwise. The flood myth in The Epic of Gilgamesh was written somewhere around 2750 and 2500 BCE  [1]  , whereas the Book of Genesis 6-9 was written around 500BC  [2]  . It could be said that the Biblical authors were aware of the flood recorded on Tablet XI and may have adapted it to correspond with the writings of the Biblical text. Alexander Heidel explores three central theories about how the two accounts may be linked. He states that first, the Babylonians borrowed from the Hebrew account; second, the Hebrew account is dependent on the Babylonian; third, both are descended from a common original.  [3]  Heidel goes on to say that because The Epic of Gilgamesh was written before the Book of Genesis The most widely accepted explanation today is the second, namely, that the biblical account is based on Babylonian material.  [4]  However, a theory of this nature causes some controversy within the Christian faith as it could be said that it mat question the reliability of the Bible. As I have previously stated, both myths share many of the same elements. Merrill F. Unger believes that when comparing the two, there are certain components that have to be looked at, in order to create and understanding of both accounts; the first being that the flood was planned by the god in both The Epic of Gilgamesh and the Book of Genesis . Secondly, that a warning was given to both protagonists prior to the flood happening. Thirdly, is that the flood is connected with the destruction of mankind. Another being, the protagonist and his family were allowed to escape from the disaster. The building of the vessel to protect various life-forms is another. Also, what should be noted is the physical destruction of each flood and the duration of it. The landing place of the boat should also be mentioned and the releasing of the birds. Finally, the last similar element that should be discussed are the sacrifices the heros presented to their gods and what they received in return.  [5]  Although these similarities cannot be ignored, Kenneth A. Kitchen says that there are also many differences that run through each of the flood accounts, even though the general similarities suggest a definite relationship between the two traditions.  [6]  Kitchen goes on to say that it is these differences that provides a clear view of w hy the flood happened, that they define the characters of the gods and protagonists. By using specific details such as, the landing places of the ships, the releasing of the birds, numbers and genders of the surviving animals and humans and the building of the ships, we can compare the differences, enabling one to study the relationship between the flood accounts in both The Epic of Gilgamesh and the Book of Genesis.  [7]  Both stories tell a tale about a righteous figure who is informed by divine beings that a great flood is going to destroy the earth. In The Epic of Gilgamesh, the main protagonist of this myth, Utnapishtim, is met by Gilgamesh whilst on his journey in pursuit of immortality. Utnapishtim is asked by Gilgamesh how he became immortal and that is when he tells him about the flood that happened in a city called Shurrupak, which stands on the banks of the river Euphrates.  [8]  It is the noise that man makes the Gods deem to be intolerable, so they decide to eli minate all of mankind. The god of waters, Ea, is the one to warn Utnapishtim of what is about to come.  [9]  In the Book of Genesis, God recognises how man has become wicked, so in turn, God feels it necessary to flood the earth and be rid of man. We learn that Noah is seen by God as a righteous man and is spared, [Noah]found grace in the eyes of the Lord.  [10]  Noah is then told by God to build an ark and take both his family and two of every animal with him. The first similarity to notice here is the use of divine involvement in both myths. However, it is here where a difference occurs. In the Book of Genesis, it is evident that monotheism (only one god) is present. Whereas, in The Epic of Gilgamesh, it is clear to see that polytheism is visible (more than one god). As stated previously, the gods in The Epic of Gilgamesh want to flush out mankind because of their noise. The uproar of mankind is intolerable and sleep is no longer possible by reasons of the babel  [11]  . While in Genesis, God floods the earth because of the wickedness of man. It repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.  [12]  I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth. . . .  [13]   In addition to this, mans fate is to die in the epic, yet in Genesis, Noah tries to save the evil by preaching to them. This again is a striking difference between the two myths. Additionally to this, in both the Book of Genesis and The Epic of Gilgamesh, the hero of the story is warned prior to facing the major disaster and vessels are built to shield them from the catastrophic flood, to maintain the life of each species. Utnapishtim is told not to take anything of worth on the boat, but does so anyway. Like in the Book of Genesis, animals are taken on the boat and the storm continues for six days and nights.  [14]  In the epic, Utnapishtim is warned though a dream by Ea, whereas God tells Noah about the coming flood in G enesis, and it rains for forty days and forty nights. Something that can also be found in both accounts is the use of the number seven. In the Book of Genesis the world was created in seven days. The number seven also appears in the flood account. After seven days the waters of the flood were upon the earth  [15]  . This is also apparent in The Epic of Gilgamesh. Although the rain only lasts for six days and six nights, when the storm calms and the boat lands, it remains there for seven days. In the epic, the storm calms on the seventh day and the boat stops at the mountain of Nisir. After a week, Utnapishtim releases birds from the boat. This is also parallel to what happens in the Book of Genesis. In The Epic of Gilgamesh, Utnapishtim releases three birds from the vessel. First he releases a dove which returns because there is no food or resting place. A wallow is then sent out, but still returns. Then finally, a raven is set free and does not return, meaning it has found land and food. I loosed a dovebut finding no resting-place she returnedthen I loosed a swallow, and she flew away but finding no resting-place she returnedI loosed a ravenand she did not come back  [16]  . In the Book of Genesis, Noah also does this but only using two birds. First a raven that returns and secondly a dove that brings back an olive branch. It could be said that the olive branch is used as a symbol of peace and that mankinds suffering has now come to an end.  [17]  In addition, a raven could be seen as a messenger of the gods, so by using this particular species of bird in each myth, it highlights the powers that the deities have in both texts. However, the subtle difference is that in the Book of Genesis, the raven was unsuccessful, whereas in Gilgamesh it was the raven who found land. This could link to my earlier point that in the epic, that the fate of mankind will always lay in the hands of the gods. Yet, in Genesis, the symbol of peace, suggests that God has put an end to the punishment of mankind and will let them begin a new life. Another similarity is that both Utnapishtim, in the epic, and Noah, in Genesis thank the Gods for sparing them from the flood. However, they offer their thanks in different ways. In Gilgamesh, Utnapishtim pours out a libation on the top of the mountain.  [18]  Yet, Noah builds an altar for God. Then Noah built an altar to the Lord  [19]  . Furthermore, both protagonists make a sacrifice once the flood had ended. In the Book of Genesis, Noah is told by God to leave the ark, Leave the ark, you and your wife, your sons and their wives  [20]  Noah then makes a sacrifice to God by burning some animals on the altar that he made. In The Epic of Gilgamesh a sacrifice is also made to the Gods. Yet, when Utnapishtim offers a sacrifice, Enlil is enraged because Utnapishtim was excluded from the destruction of all man. Then Ea persuades Enlil that Utnapishtim escaped through his own means, and Utnapishtim is then granted immortality by Enlil. Finally, there is a symbol shown, in both texts, to indicate that the earth will not be flooded by the gods again. In Gilgamesh there is a necklace and it is exclaimed that the gods will not forget these days  [21]  . Whereas in Genesis a rainbow appears. I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.  [22]  Both flood accounts in The Epic of Gilgamesh and the Book of Genesis are extremely alike as well as possessing major differences. As the source of each flood story differs between the two, there can be some conclusions brought up about the Babylonian culture in comparison to the Hebrew culture. As stated previously, polytheism is apparent throughout the Babylonian culture and they believe that the gods are separate from each other and that they have restricted power. So, the people cannot always rely on the gods to be rewarding to the serving and the just. Additionally, monotheism is u sed within the Hebrew culture, where God is seen as almighty, that his power is unrestricted and he is good. The belief is that God created the world that is orderly and therefore rewards men who worship him. However, this theory is dependent on each individuals personal moral grounds. What I wanted to examine throughout this essay is the relationship between the flood myths that occur in both The Epic of Gilgamesh and the Book of Genesis. There are three theories that could possibly link the two that I would like to discuss; the first being that The Epic of Gilgamesh may have been derived from the Genesis account. However, the epic flood myth was written long before the one found in Genesis. So, because of the dates in which both of the flood accounts were written, this theory has been disproved. Another hypothesis that may link the two is that the account found in the Book of Genesis may have been taken from the one found in The Epic of Gilgamesh and altered slightly. Conversely, this theory poses some major complications. If this were true, then the writer of the Genesis account would have had to thoroughly go over the Epic and change many of its components. Things such as the reason why the gods decided to cause the flood, changing it to a righteous motivation. Also, descriptions of the flood would have had to be altered, making it to be universal so the whole account would be credible. Lastly, changing the use of polytheism to a completely monotheistic world would have been very difficult. So, even though there are major mirroring images between the two, this would have been almost impossible to recreate, rendering this theory to be inconceivable. The most plausible possibility is the third theory, that both of the flood accounts may have come from one event. Kenneth A. Kitchen believes that it is probable that The Hebrew and Babylonian accounts may go back to a common ancient tradition, but are not borrowed directly from each other.  [23]  After cons idering all of the similar and dissimilar elements of both texts, it seems that in The Epic of Gilgamesh, a warped account of an event was recorded, which lost its historical precision and it could be said, that the version recorded in the Book of Genesis may be a more precise report of the disaster. So, to conclude, after comparing the two accounts of the flood in each text, it is evident that there is a relationship between the two, despite the many differences. Each story provides a learning curve from culture to culture about historical events though the medium of storytelling. Separate cultures develop over time, and it would be fair to say that it inevitable that some events are going to become overlapped and repeated throughout different historical and religious texts.