Child development Essay

The following essay will examine factors that affect a child’s learning and development. All children are distinctive individuals and differ in pattern and timing of maturation, as well as individual personality, learning style, cultural and family background. Each child has its own varying strengths, weaknesses, specific needs and skills. The age of a child is an effective indicator to the sequence of stages of development; however, it is only an estimation of maturation, as the mentioned independent factors will differ from child to child. The stages of development in children aged one to five years include the prenatal period, infancy, toddler stage, and early childhood and cover a plethora of progress in all areas of development. Expected changes in growth take place in all areas of development, particularly in the early years, and these include physical, intellectual, language, emotional, and social development. The first five years of life are crucial for expanding the foundations for learning and development. Research has shown that the developing child is learning to discover, communicate, and extend ideas about how things work. Read more: Factors that influence child development essay The successful progress of these abilities and skills depend largely on a child’s early environment. Parents, teachers, and care providers promote development and learning when they provide experiences that build on and extend the child’s capabilities. However, it is clear from evidence on both sides of the argument that development and learning result from a contribution of both biological factors and environmental factors. Empiricists believe environmental influences shape learning and development, while nativists emphasise inborn, genetic characteristics influence development (Bee, 2006b). Development could be described as an interactive relationship between the inherited qualities of an individual and the external environment. A child’s emotional and social development is shaped by internal influences, for example, a child may be inherently shy or outgoing, however the environment will also influence the child’s social and emotional development, such as successful first relationships, cultural values and how family and peers interact with the child, i. e. the child’s immediate social environment. Cognitive development could be influenced by internal factors. Research has shown that teratogens (legal or illegal drugs), smoking, alcohol consumption can have adverse affects on cognitive development (Bee, 2006 a). A study by Monuteaux, (2006) shows the negative effects of smoking on the development of a child, and there is speculative study that maternal diet and smoking could be causal factors of ADHD (Bakker, 2003). Scarr (1983) summarises the internal and external influences on children’s development, â€Å"Both genes and environments are constituents in the developmental system, but they have different roles. Genes direct the course of human experience, but experiential opportunities are also necessary for development to occur† (Scarr, 1983, pp. 433). It is interesting to consider cognitive development in children and the subsequent affect on learning and behaviour. Piaget was an influential Swiss psychologist who researched cognitive development. Piaget believes cognitive development transpires through a combination of direct experience from one’s environment and an instinctive structure of biological maturation. Piaget suggested individuals are born with intellect to serve as a basic function that assists adaptation to their environment (Shaffer, 1989). His theory proposes that development proceeds through a set of four stages from infancy to adulthood. Piaget believed that the first stage of cognitive development is the sensorimotor stage; this occurs in the first two years of a child’s life and involves infants using motor skills and all the senses, sight, smell, touch etc to explore and gain an understanding of the environment. Preoperational stage progresses from the sensorimotor stage and includes the use of language to understand the environment, images and symbols are also used to represent the environment; this is from two to seven years of age. Piaget believed language is egocentric at this stage. The next stage is termed concrete operations and children begin to use logical thought processes to further their understanding and occurs from ages seven to eleven. Formal Operation is the last stage Piaget believes takes place in cognitive development and it involves the ability to use abstract thought processes. This is from eleven onwards (Shaffer, 1989). The central idea of Piaget’s cognitive theory is the attainment of schemas, and further assimilation and accommodation of these schemas constantly return the child to a state of equilibrium. A schema is any thought or object that one may have experienced and is then organised to aid coherence. Assimilation is the process of adding new information to enhance the understanding of an existing schema, and thus producing a new schema. Accommodation is the adjustment of an existing schema in order to include new information. Equilibration is the term Piaget uses to describe the balance a child reaches when it satisfied with a schema, new information places the child in a state of disequilibrium or imbalance, until, assimilation and accommodation allow equilibration to take place. As with all theories, Piaget was criticised for placing too much emphasis on environment and not considering social interaction as an impacting force (Cohen, 1993). It has also been suggested that children appear to have existing understanding of basic principles, e. g. a study by Gibson and Walk, used a ‘visual cliff’ where a checkerboard pattern continued several feet below a glass table. The test showed that infants as young as 5 months were able to perceive depth, and would not proceed when they reached the end of the ‘cliff’ (Bee, 2006b). This shows that many foundations of cognitive ability are already present and further learning will increase cognitive development. Vygotsky is another central figure in the domain of constructivist theory; however, he differs from Piaget in that Vygotsky places more emphasis on social learning and its effect on cognitive development. His theory focuses on a term he called ‘zone of proximal development’ and defined it as â€Å"the distance between the actual developmental level as determined by independent problem solving and the level of potential development as determined through problem solving under adult guidance, or in collaboration with more capable peers† (Vygotsky, 1978, p. 86). Vygotsky believed that learning takes place in this zone. The idea of ZPD suggests that cognitive development is established by social learning with capable peers or adults and cooperative analytical skills. In contrast to Piaget, Vygotsky stated that development was an intricate lifelong process that could not be defined into stages, but instead is to be examined as a means of development rather than an end. Vygotsky’s theory reflects correlation between learning and development. Newborn children are constantly learning from their experiences and they form understanding from theses experiences, Vygotsky, believes this learning is directly linked to sociocultural perspective. As they grow older, infants readily learn from observation and cooperative learning with peers and adults (Moyles, Miller) The psychodynamic approach addresses children’s learning by focusing on internal mechanisms, such as instincts, conflicts and unconscious forces. A familiar idea of this theory is that unconscious as well as conscious forces regulate behaviour. Freud suggested three intuitive drives for survival, the sexual drive to reproduce the human race, hunger and pain trigger the instinct to preserve one’s life and aggressive drives are the third force. Freud’s theory is criticised on many accounts, mostly that he suggests the main underlying cause of problems are sexually related, and secondly it is scientifically difficult to measure the hidden unconscious of a being. Freud’s theory implies that children learn behaviour through the progress of three stages. The newborn and infant are driven by what he termed the id; this is an inborn instinct, which demands instant gratification. As the child grows older, it learns that it cannot achieve instant gratification all the time, and the ego develops as an intermediary pacifier, which takes social contexts into consideration and delays gratification. The superego is the higher form of moral reasoning and is often considered as a parental restrictor, this last stage develops much later in development (Bee, 2006b). It can be seen how Freud’s theory affects social and emotional development and behaviour in the first five years, as most children at this age are controlled by the id and the developing ego. Erikson’s theory is often viewed as an extension of Freud’s psychosexual theory of Development. Erikson suggests that development progresses over a lifespan and he portrays this in his theory of the eight stages of psychosocial development. His theory proposes that each stage has a conflict within it that must be resolved before proceeding to the next stage; each stage presents the opportunity for success or failure. The first three stages are relevant in the first five years of a child’s life and include emotional, social and cognitive development on behaviour acquisition. The first stage is trust versus mistrust and takes place in the period of the first two years of infancy; this stage propounds an emotional crisis in which the child must successfully develop trust and security and emotional well-being. If the care provider does not reciprocate emotional care positively the child becomes mistrustful. Once the child has learned trust, it advances to the next stage of autonomy versus shame, and approximately takes place in early childhood. This stage concentrates on the child’s ability to develop confidence and a sense of independence. Children at this age (approximately two to four years) begin to manage small parts of their lives, and Erikson suggests toilet training is a huge feat in establishing independence in a child. It also consists of decision-making and choice over things like food, clothes etc, if a child is unsuccessful in this stage then it leads to shame and a feeling of inadequacy. The third stage occurs from about three to five years of age, and incorporates the child’s ability to play and develop social skills of leadership or subordination, power and a sense of self. If the child cannot overcome the crisis then inhibition, fear and a prolonged development are the result. The successful child proceeds to the next stage and so forth (Brain 2005) The humanistic perspective argues that behaviour is subjective as individuals determine and control their own thoughts and actions. Maslow hypothesised a hierarchy of need, in which each level of the hierarchy had to be satisfied before the human need moved on to the next level. For example, according to Maslow’s hierarchy it is not perceived that an individual would desire the comfort of a spouse or children, if basic physiological needs such as food and water were not satisfied (Bee 2006a). Children develop and learn most productively in the environment of a community where they are safe and valued, and their emotional and physiological needs fulfilled. If physical nourishment is transpiring then Maslow’s theory depicts emotional well-being as an important factor, certainly all aspects of development are influenced by successfully accomplishing positive first relationships. This provides the constructive foundation for effective social and emotional development, which will inadvertently affect cognitive development as well. Skinner constructed a theory he termed operant conditioning, and based it on the notion that learning is a means of behaviour modification. His experiments show how he conditioned rats to pull a lever to release food, the incentive for the rats was the food and the required behaviour was pulling the lever. The theory illustrates that changes in behaviour are the consequences of an individual’s reaction to incentives that occur in any given environment; subsequently the reaction will produce an outcome. When a specific response is reinforced, behaviour is conditioned, and the individual will respond to a stimulus to achieve its incentive; the result will be consistent each time. The crucial aspect of Skinner’s model is reinforcement, a particular behaviour can be acquired through reward, and certain behaviours prevented through punishment (Brain, 2005). Skinner’s theory belongs to the Behaviourist approach and is effective in explaining some of the causes and modifications of behaviour; it is often used in schools to elicit particular behaviours from children (usually in the form of sweets or stickers). Social learning theory clarifies behaviour in terms of consistent equal correlation between cognitive, behavioural, and environmental influences. Social learning theory has four main components, attention, retention, motor reproduction and motivation, which cover physical, cognitive and behavioural development. Attention requires concentration so that the events are observed accurately. Retention includes the intellectual organization of information in order to store it effectively in the memory and remember the correct processes of events. Motor reproduction includes the physical ability to imitate the behaviour, for example, a human is not physically able to fly like superman. Motivation involves the child to be willing and motivated to imitate the behaviour. The observed consequences of a particular behaviour (whether punished or rewarded) may influence a child’s decision to imitate or not, Bandura called this modeling (Brain 205) One of the famous experiments conducted by Albert Bandura, known as the ‘Bobo doll’ experiment revealed that children imitated aggressive physical and verbal behaviour towards the dolls, exactly as they had observed, whereas the children who observed non-aggressive behaviour displayed practically no aggressive behaviour (Shaffer, 1989). Bandura suggests that social behaviour is learned primarily by observing and imitating the actions of others. Children are often observed imitating adults in role-play. Punishment and reward are also influences on behavioural development as mentioned in Skinner’s theory, for example, a child may observe a peer being rewarded with a sticker for tidying up and then learn that to obtain a sticker s/he must also tidy up. This theory facilitates an understanding of how behaviour is acquired and how it may be modified. John Bowlby developed attachment theory and he suggested that first relationships are the basis for young children’s development, predominantly their social and emotional development. Bowlby (1979: 129) states â€Å"†¦ attachment behaviour is held to characterize human beings from the cradle to the grave†; much of Bowlby’s work was on the maternal bond that develops with a child. He believed that the connection between mother and child, or caregiver and child has a basic gentle and evolutionary basis, in order for the child to receive appropriate care, protection and nourishment; it has a tendency to maintain nearness to the main caregiver. Bowlby maintained that a child displays attachment behaviour when separated from the main care provider, first as protest, then despair and finally as detachment. First relationships can be summarised as â€Å"a deeply rooted motivational system that ensures close contact between babies and adult caregivers who can protect, nurture, and guide their development† (Shonkoff, 2000, p 230). Bowlby expanded and utilised various research to support his theory, one of his early works included research on delinquent adolescents and discovered maternal deprivation to be a recurring matter. Michael Rutter (1981) criticized Bowlby’s theory, and suggested that early experiences cannot be held as direct underlying causes for later emotional distress, Rutter believed it is more significant how children are looked after in the period of severance not the actual severance itself (Cowie, 2002). Bowlby introduced three stages of attachment, during the first pre-attachment phase (0-2 months) babies do not develop a particular attachment, and are content to be cared for by anyone. In the second phase (2-7 months) babies show a firm attachment to the main caregiver and cling to this figure when in the presence of a stranger, Bowlby termed this ‘stranger fear’. The last phase is around two years of age and is labelled separation anxiety, the infant is confident to move away from the main caregiver provided they remain physically present for the child to return to Brain (2005). Bowlby suggested that constant loving care and nurturing was essential during the crucial phase between approximately 6 months and 3 years of age, maternal deprivation or separation from the primary caregiver would result in considerable detrimental effects on social and emotional development of the child (Cowie, 2002). Harlow and Harlow’s famous experiment on Rhesus monkeys provided support to Bowlby’s theory (Bowlby, 1973). In these experiments, young monkeys were separated from their mother shortly after birth. Two wire monkeys were substituted as artificial surrogate mothers. The first monkey was made of wire mesh and provided food; however, the second monkey was covered with foam and cloth and only provided comfort. The young monkeys nursed at the wire monkey but sought contact with the cloth monkey. The experiment showed that infants need a mother’s love and comfort, and it proved that infants prefer proximity and comfort from a mother, rather than just using the mother for nourishment. The young monkeys clutched to the soft cloth doll and explored more when in the presence of the soft cloth doll, and the doll seemed to provide them with a sense of security. Infants reared without normal social interaction with other monkeys, displayed either fearful or aggressive behaviour and the effects were apparent from two years of age, well into adulthood (Brain 2005). The experiment portrayed the importance of warmth, love and comfort that a nurturing mother or primary carer provides is essential for intellectual, social and emotional development. Mary Ainsworth’s research was based on an experiment to observe attachment behaviour between a child and the primary caregiver (usually the mother) the experiment is known as the strange situation. The procedure involves a child playing in a room, meanwhile the caregiver and stranger alternately enter and leave the room, the child’s play behaviour and responses to caregiver and stranger are observed. The experiment placed children in four categories of attachment, secure, insecure-avoidant, insecure-resistant and disorganized. Attachment theorists are realizing that children differ from birth, but individual personalities and development are influenced by social experience, environment, and the attachment relationship is affected by the characteristics of both child and caregiver (Parkes, 1993) Cultural differences in child-rearing practices have various implications and meanings across cultures. Culture defines a set of beliefs and patterns of behaviour; this can be in a social, religious, societal or ethnic context. Culture clearly has an influence on the development of children, Edwards and Gandini (1989) point out that culture organises and translates children’s behaviour and development (Hinde, 1993). â€Å"To understand development we must come to terms with the ways in which individuals, in developing their own self-concepts and participating in social relationships, both shape and are shaped by their social and cultural environment† (Hinde, 1993). In a research paper Reebye, (2006) found various studies on cultural differences in child rearing and the impact this had on child development. Chen et al. (1998) studied reticent behaviour in Chinese and Canadian children and the child-rearing attitudes of the relative mothers. The results showed that Chinese babies were significantly more withdrawn and shy than their Canadian counterparts, and the underlying cause of this behaviour difference lay in parental styles and attitudes. Taciturn behaviour was positively associated with the Chinese mother’s approval, whereas the Canadian mothers negatively received it, which implies a variation of the connotation of behaviour inhibition across both cultures (Reebye, 2006). Another example Reebye (2006) presents is a study conducted by Marcovitchet al (1997) which assessed the development, attachment and behavioural problems in adopted Romanian orphans between three to five years of age. The study revealed that children who had spent less time I institutional car displayed better development outcomes and more securely attached compared to the group of children who had spent more than six months in institutional care. The latter group were insecurely attached and scored less on development outcomes. The disadvantage of cross-cultural studies is the limitations of the range of studies in measuring attitudes, beliefs, cultural practices etc. Reebye (2006) continues to describe the importance of relationship development and its effects on affective, cognitive, social development and moral and ethical attitudes. Child-rearing practices and attachment directly influence these developmental factors, and it is important to remember that parenting practices are in turn influenced by social and cultural traditions. †The factors such as parental intuition, parental attitudes, attributions and beliefs, learned parenting skills, accepted cultural and societal parenting norms, family factors, and environmental factors such as extended family support, poverty or unemployment – are the most influential ones. Each of these or all collectively, can be considered from a cross-cultural perspective. † (Reebye 2006). In today’s modern and often changing world, many cultures also change and adapt, from generation to generation. Changes in societal norms, immigration and such alike affect child-rearing practice considerably, such single parenting is a common family structure, yet in the Victorian times was extremely rare and frowned upon, other changes include inter-racial adoptions, parenting by same sex couples, use of surrogate mothers etc. It can be suggested that children’s social, emotional and cognitive development is indisputably influenced by environmental factors, genetic compositions, attachment and first relationship, cultural traditions and this is reflected in their unique personalities and behaviour. â€Å"In general, there is a need to understand multiple outcomes of child development (cognitive, physical, social, and emotional) within the context of multiple factors (social, economic, cultural, and community-level)† (The National Institute of Health, 2006). The first five years are important to understand the influences and causal links of child development in the early years. This may facilitate children’s well-being and ensure that government policies regarding children are reflective of child development needs, in particular families living in poverty or deprived areas. For example, quality of schools and education will affect cognitive development, and racial, gender, and religious integration will have positive effects on social development. It can be inferred that positive emotional development underpins all other areas of development, and if emotional development is defective then it will be replicated across other areas of development. In essence, all areas of development are interwoven and interdependent. The first five years are crucial for positive development, basic needs such as food, sleep and safety ensures good physical development, providing love, comfort and positive first relationships and attachments is essential to assist emotional development, which will also helps social development, and the correct stimulation and interaction ensures healthy cognitive development. REFERENCES Bakker, S. C. Van Der Meulen, E. M. Buitelaar, J. K. Sandkuijl, L. A. Pauls, D. L. Monsuur, A. J. Vant Slot, R. Minderaa. R. B. Gunning, W. B. Pearson, P. L. Sinke, R. J. (2003) â€Å"A Whole-Genome Scan in 164 Dutch Sib Pairs with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Suggestive Evidence for Linkage on Chromosomes 7p and 15q† American Journal of Human Genetics, Vol. 72, pp. 1251-1260 Bee, H. (2006a) Lifespan Development, Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc Bee, H. (2006b) The Developing Child, Boston, MA: Parson Education, Inc Bowlby, J. (1973) Separation: Anxiety & Anger. Vol. 2 of Attachment and loss London: Hogarth Press; New York: Basic Books; Harmondsworth: Penguin Brain, C and Mukherjee, P. (2005) Understanding Child Psychology, Cheltenham: Nelson Thornes Ltd Cohen, D. (1993) The Development of Play, 2nd edition. London: Routledge Cowie, H. (2002) ‘Child Care and Attachment’ in Barnes, P (Ed), Personal, Social and Emotional Development of Children Milton Keynes: Blackwell Publishers Ltd Hinde, R and Hinde, J. (1993) ‘Perspectives on Attachment’ in Parkes, C. M. (Editor), Attachment Across the Life Cycle, Florence, KY, USA: Routledge http://site. ebrary. com/lib/uclan Monuteaux, M. C. Blacker, D. Biederman, J. Fitzmaurice, G and Buka, S. L. (2006) â€Å"Maternal smoking during pregnancy and offspring overt and covert conduct problems: a longitudinal study† Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, Vol. 47, No. 9, pp. 883–890 National Institute of Health. (2006) The science and Ecology Of Early Development (SEED), http://grants. nih. gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-04-113. html Reebye, P. N, Ross. S. E and Jamieson. K (2006) A Literature review of the child-Parent/ Caregiver attachment theory and Cross-Cultural Practices influencing attachment, www. attachmentacrosscultures. org/research/#1: accessed on 19/12/2006 Scarr, S. , & K. McCartney. (1983) ‘How people make their own environments: A theory of genotype-environment effects’, Child Development, Vol. 54, pp 425-35. Shaffer, D. R. (1989) Developmental Psychology, Childhood and Adolescence, 2nd Edition, California: Brooks/Cole Publishing Company. Shonkoff, J. P. (2000) From Neurons to Neighbourhoods: The Science of Early Childhood Development. Washington, DC, USA: National Academy Press, http://site. ebrary. com/lib/uclan/ Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind and society: The development of higher mental processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Hca/250 Change and Innovation Paper

Change and Innovation Paper HCA/250 Change and Innovation Change and Innovation In today’s economy we have experienced numerous amounts of change especially within the workplace. Some of these changes consist of new technology, procedures, as well as equipment, which can cause a lot of misunderstandings amongst present employees. According to the scenario given; a major health care organization has decided to use electronic medical records (EMRs). The employees in this organization are resistant to change, specifically changes that have to deal with technology.There are several ways that an employer can resolve situations like these and convert it into a positive that will benefit the facility. Within the workplace it may be difficult for employees to adapt change due to being confined to their usual agenda. Also most may find it highly difficult to manage the adjustment in using electronic medical records (EMRs), because that’s training that present and future employee s would have to complete in order to be certified to use this new technology.Also acknowledge that many of these facilities today rarely offer on-the-job training, which is time that employees have to appoint in order to be up to date with their place of employment which many may not have. Therefore, giving us an understanding why employees would be resistant toward the technical changes within the workplace. Being that I am a recreational manager at my current place of employment I too have to deal with the questions and concerns of current employees who may have an issue with certain changes.Some strategies that I consider helpful is to start by finding out their reason for not wanting to confine to the new changes and hopefully see if there is a reasonable conclusion that can possibly resolve the situation at hand. Also, stating the present reason(s) for the change, Change and Innovation giving the employee an explanation on how it will benefit the facility as well as themselves. After doing so if their still in disagreement I’d still encourage them to perform their duties to their fullest potential.It is not guaranteed that an employer can please all of its workers, but make it to where they at least feel comfortable performing their duties in that particular work environment. So it is good to follow through with the innovation plans, so that employees are aware of their new goals and how to manage their performance for the better good of the company. So why are some employees resistant toward organizational change? There can be multiple reasons for this.Many may disagree with certain changes that are being made, time management may cause conflict to a lot of schedules, due to the fact that many of us do inquire a second job, or it can just be that they may not like the new ideas of change for their own personal reasons. It is understandable that employees may have issues with certain adjustments especially if it’s going to affect other thing s they may have going on. For example, at my place of employment we had recently made the decision to keep our facility open later on the weekends because we realized we make more profit mainly on the weekends.Whereas making such change has affected some of our employees being that some of them work second jobs strictly on the weekends aside from this one, along with others who have children and are not able to find child care that could keep their children until eleven o’clock. So it has created a lot of conflict for some of our employees where we had to come to an agreement on how we could work around their second job schedules and their availability. Having to adjust to certain employees’ availability is where Human Resources can play a role in adapting and managing change.They have the ability to set forth ideas and solutions on how to keep the necessary change in progress Change and Innovation as well as assisting their workers with managing their work schedules a nd extras that may hinder them from fully achieving the necessary changes within the work environment. Giving another example from my place of work, we have recently got the approval to expand our facility so we can add more amenities for our customers’ enjoyment. Therefore, Human Resources have aken it upon themselves to hire flex time workers in order to cover the shifts that our regular workers cannot. However, it all works out for the better good of our facility by increasing the success from the management of innovation and change. Reference 1. http://smallbusiness. chron. com/innovation-change-business 2. http://www. leadership-and-motivation-training. com/strategies-for-managing-change 3. Coulter, M. , DeCenzo, D. , Robbins, S. (2011). Fundamentals of Management: Essential Concepts and Applications. Seventh Edition. Pearson Education. Published: Prentice Hall.

Kant vs. Virtue Ethics Essay

When we talk about whether or not a person is ethically right, we can look at the actions that he or she may partake in. These actions maybe studied in different situations such as the one that we were told to evaluate. While leaving the grocery store, one witnesses an old man struggling with his oxygen tank. Without thinking, you lift the tank and help the elderly man. This action is a kind gesture, but would we consider this a moral act? One could analyze this situation with two different ethical theories, by Kantian and/or Aristotelian views. The approach that we take with Kant's views is strictly based on reason. The key factor in this situation with Kant would ask if we did this action without any thought. Because Kant heavily This case only brings the group off track again as yet another disagreement has to be resolved. While these conflicts themselves might have held the jurors back, the competition approach to these sources of conflict moved the group in the right direction. For example, Juror #9, the old man, approached Juror #10’s insults and stereotyping in competitive fashion, claiming that people are not simply born liars. Later, Juror #10 calls the accused boy a â€Å"common ignorant slob [that] don’t even speak good English,† after which immigrant Juror #11 competitively corrects him. In the end, almost every juror takes a competitive approach to juror #10’s insulting in one of the film’s most powerful scenes as they, one by one, leave the table and turn their backs on him. The jurors unsympathizing intolerance of Juror #10’s bigoted views serve as a prime example of a competitive approach to conflict. The conflict and the approach to the conflict between the jurors and Juror #10 bring the group together as the votes slowly change from guilty to not guilty. Another major source of conflict is the other jurors’ disinterested approach to the trial. Almost every juror approaches Juror #8’s insistence on a not guilty vote with avoidance. They care little about the case and do not grasp its gravity,

Worship in church Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Worship in church - Essay Example After five days of creation work, God created man. Later God allowed man to dominate over the rest of His creations. This meant that, man could use the rest of the creation in the satisfaction of his needs. Consequently, man had to show gratitude for such a provision. The discovery of a superior being, regarded as the originator of all the creation, resulted to its worship (Schultze 74). The book of exodus in the Old Testament reveals God’s love to his people. God rescued the Israelites from the oppression they were undergoing in Egypt. He further offered protection to them throughout their journey to Canaan. They therefore, conducted worship as a means of appreciation. The above incidents reveal his caring nature. This history creates the foundation of the today’s church worship. Christians, therefore, understand God’s nature in a more appropriate manner than pagans do. Webber says that, worship enables people to understand God’s salvation (Webber 103). He argues that, during worship, believers perform functions in the declaration of their acknowledgment for God’s salvation. Additionally, worship facilitates the recognition of the position of the church, its collective appreciation, as well as its significance. He also argues that, worship lets believers to meet their God (Webber 102). He says that, when people recite the Holy Scriptures and preach about them, they receive the God’s power. Webber argues that, worship motivates people to achieve a certain goal. He articulates that it gives hope for a good future to believers despite the life challenges (Webber 102). He utilizes the example of the exodus story in the Old Testament alongside the passion and the resurrection, along with the return of Jesus Christ. Webber further articulates that Eucharist celebrations stand a vital position in church worship (Webber 110). He argues that, it renews the affiliation between man and God and it brings about transformation. Camp

Leadership Is Action and Not Position (The Enthusiastic Delegator) Case Study

Leadership Is Action and Not Position (The Enthusiastic Delegator) - Case Study Example Leadership can be viewed to be one of the imperative factors affecting the success or failure of an organization. Leadership plays a significant role in influencing and directing each member of the organization towards attaining shared vision and goals. At the present day context, leadership has become a key element in every part of human life. Contextually, it is recognized that certain leaders are born with the pertinent qualities and traits to be regarded as a born leader. However, certain leaders are required to develop the essential leadership qualities such as delegation, problem solving and efficient decision making among others to be regarded as a successful leader of an organization. True leaders can be regarded as those individuals who demonstrate positive attitude and intellectual speaking ability. These are the people who demonstrate their leadership traits through action and not by their position. An individual can possess a unique leadership style, however at times there is a requirement of altering the followed leadership style according to the situation in hand. In such scenarios, a leader needs to make pertinent decisions and properly delegate the required tasks among the subordinates to ensure proper flow of action in the organization. ‘Leadership is Action, Not Position’ is one of the famous quotes of Donald H. McGannon who operates ‘Westinghouse Broadcasting Corporation’ and also plays the role of President of ‘National Urban League (NUL)’. A person in order to become a successful leader needs to earn the respect of his/her followers by appropriate actions and not by the mere position of authority. . As a leader, an individual should realize that every action should reflect its reaction upon his or her attitude, integrity and ability (Bolden, 2004). Summary of the Pertinent Facts of the Case According to the case study, it has been observed that Charles Turner was promoted as a manager in the sales department at Universal Fibre and Textile Company. Moreover, the company had entered into the market two years before through selling a wide range of electrical insulation materials. The company’s entry into the market was quite successful through ‘High-ohm’ products. The company was going to launch its new manufacturing unit where production capacity was double than the previous manufacturing plant. The sales director of this company was still in doubt regarding Charles Turner’s position as a manager within the sales department. Moreover, sales director was also in doubt that how Charles Turner can manage the sales force of the company along with ensuring high ohm produ cts manufacturing within the new plant. Furthermore, the sales director was personally expected to initiate the service of â€Å"house accounts† in order to increase the High-ohm products sales by about 25%. In this case study, it has been observed that Jim Ferris was one of the successful sales managers who operated in Northern and Midwest Area’s operations. Jim Ferris was considered as a high reputed, brilliant and successful salesman regarding industrial products. Being a successful sales manager Jim Ferris effectively managed the entire operational activities of the company which can be observed from the increase of sales of High-ohm products by about 44% in Midwest Area. Conversely, being a manager of Electrical Insulation Materials Sales Department, Charles Turner managed only 28% of the sales of High-ohm products in Southeast region. According to case study, the basic fact that has been observed is that being a successful employee Jim Ferris was not promoted as a manager in northwest sales department. By taking into concern the scenario provided in the case study, an interesting fact that has been observed is that Charles Turner was quite suspicious regarding his own capabilities and skills. He was a methodical, painstaking and cautious person, which can be regarded as among the essential qualities for managing a sales

Human resource in practice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Human resource in practice - Essay Example Also employee empowerment should be focus of attention so that employee satisfaction is increased. The case of Southwest Airlines and Starbucks should be taken as a good example. It is also necessary to view the HR department as a strategic partner of the company rather than just a department. Introduction Human resource management is a very important dimension for any business. It is vital that the human capital is managed in an efficient manner in order for any business to excel. The human resource department is extremely important for retail business because customers are directly handled by employees. The attitude of employees and customer care services that they give is extremely essential in determining the profits of the company. For this reason Safe Shoes should increase its focus on the human resource management so that employee performance can be enhanced. Devising a plan that motivates employees to work and doing so in a cost efficient manner is not easy. It has been obser ved lately that the performance of the company’s human resource department is not perfect. This report will identify certain issues that the company is facing regarding its employees and then this report will offer solutions to those issues. It is important to understand that employee issues cannot be ignored because they will have a direct effect on the performance of Safe Shoes. ... These are the two main problems Safe Shoes retail stores are facing right now. Employees have a very high turnover rate and the management is finding very hard to retain employees. Also in the surveys conducted employees have regarded jobs as unsatisfactory and they see no scope of promotion. This feeling of dissatisfaction has been seen in the lower level employees the most. Another issue identified is related to the store managers. Store employees are not satisfied by the behavior of store managers and they find them strict. Employees have also complained that store managers show favoritism. These complain may be directly related to the high turnover rate of the employees. High turnover rate result in high recruiting costs and this directly lowers the profits. The employee evaluation system is not working very well because all employees are getting good ranks but still they are not getting promoted. This shows that either the ranking system is not working or ranks are not being con sidered important. Another major problem is that the evaluation system comes has no affect on the salaries of the employees. This may be the reason that employees are not motivated. The role of HR overall in the organization is not defined very well and its role is limited to hiring and disciplinary issues. All these issues are identified by the HR department in surveys and interviews that were conducted. The following section will review the possible solutions of these issues. Review of Possible Solutions There are many issues that Safe Shoes is facing regarding employees and it is better that all these issues are addressed one by one. Retention is one major

Historical architecture building find one and compare to morden design Essay

Historical architecture building find one and compare to morden design - Essay Example Situated in Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain the Cathedral and the Prague dancing house have certain conceptual links that make their study unique and interesting. The cathedral is the reputed burial-place of Saint James. Construction began in 1075 under the reign of Alfonso VI of Castile (1040-1109) and the patronage of bishop Diego Pelez. It was built mostly in granite. An intricate, exaggerated, and an almost capricious style of surface decoration known as the Churrigueresque developed. Among the highlights of the style, interiors offer some of the most impressive combinations of space and light in 12th-century Europe. Integrating sculpture and architecture even more radically, architects Bernard the elder, and his assistant Rotbertus, and, later possibly, Esteban was in charge of the building. The Western Faade of the cathedral has been embellished and expanded between the 16th and the 18th century in Late Baroque style (the churriguetesque style) by Fernando Casas y Nvoa between 1738 and 1750 and is flanked by two medieval towers. He also constructed and achieved striking chiaroscuro effects in his transparent effective designs.3 Perhaps the chief beauty of the cathedral, however, is the 12th century Portico da Gloria, behind the western facade. This Portico da Gloria in the narthex of the west portal is an epitome of the Romanesque period, which combines masonry, arch, piers and the addition of pure geometrical forms. Thus the Church combines development of the Baroque style in it's many odd and even phases. The Churriguera popularized the blend of religious columns and composite order, the Churrigueresque column, in the shape of inverted cone or obelisk, established as a central element of ornamental decoration and preservation of the Romanesque in its forms that were less twisted in movement or excessive ornamentation and affected a neoclassical balance and sobriety. The whole effect is one of spacious continuation and tortuous, endless in ornamentation and experimentation. The Great Curvature of walls, particularly in urban settings, is probably the most famous of all Baroque inventions for expressing infinite space in the modern buildings of Frank Gehry4. One of the earliest examples of this approach, the exterior wall takes on a convex form, which expresses, and becomes a continuation of the interior space is set by the Church. Frank Gehry's Dancing House too has this effect that resemble Baroque in their fixation on movement and spatial illusions.5 Frank Gehry reflects interest in dynamic spatial and material forms. His own home in Santa Monica is an early example of the way in which he models structural forms to suggest instability, immanence and movement. This use of structural modeling creates the effect of Baroque, both in their geometric, endless surface details, as well as in their intellectual and expressionistic effects. His goals are sheer Baroque; they impart movement and through perspectival play, set up spatial illusions, subverting the vocabulary of conventional forms while more or less leaving it in place."6 The Dancing House reflects a woman and man (Ginger Rogers and Fred Astair) dancing together. Construction is from 99 concrete panels each of different shape

The Rose Theatre Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Rose Theatre - Case Study Example The performing arts in general make a significant contribution to the economy in the UK, therefore there are political factors involved. Those include funding sources for subsidized theatre and better facilities for the arts and education. The Rose has also become a great community resource as it fills the schedules for drama students at Kingston University. There is also, at this time some political controversy in the change of leadership between Hall who was very much an artistic dictator to the replacement Stephen Unwin (Taylor, 2008) which could in fact affect the Rose.E-(Economic factors)-There has been a drastic change in the world's economy in the last year, the UK is no exception and public entertainment like that at the Rose is affected. The pound fell to the lowest level in 10 months against the dollar on Monday before it began to recover on Wed (Ewing et.al., 2010). A sovereign debt crisis similar to the one in Greece is a concern at this time. The Bank of England has halt ed buying government bonds (Ewing, 2010). All of these economic factors affect every part of the economy and most often those that are considered entertainment or leisure. The Rose Theatre still show high attendance levels but most open for opening showings and with higher income audiences. Decisions on financial stability are difficult to make at this time, but certainly it will be affected one way or another (Smith, 2008).There are in fact difficulties at the Rose as the Peter Hall has been to the arts council for funding and there have been many new funding ideas set up such as training for the unemployed in the arts industry. Hall believes, however, that the arts council has not done enough (Kennedy, 2008). There are many jobs lost in the UK and at this point in time there are 10 jobseekers for every vacancy which certainly affects the number of people who can afford the theatre (Grice, 2010). S-(Social Factors) - The history of theatre in the UK has been long going. Admissions to London theaters reached 13.6 million in 2007. Opening showings at the Rose have been extremely well attended. Sell out productions have been noted on a regular basis. Theatre also remains a strong draw to the country for tourists. There are some concerns to be considered here, especially with the advent of the electronics age. There are still barriers to attending the performing arts. Some of those are financial and some of them are access as well as political and social. Even with increased arts funding, and initiatives to widen the audience, there have not been increases in the types of audiences that are attending. This will remain a challenge for theatre management (UK Market research, 2008). In most countries, especially the United States there has been a consistent 5 year decline in attendance (Treanor, 2008). This has to remain a consideration to management in the UK. T-(Technological factors).The age of electronics has definitely affected the theatre although in many other countries it is much worse than the UK. With the advent of television, video, internet there has been a decreased need to go to the theatre. There are many productions that are putting the production right on the web with fees for watching the production. This can be done in the convenience of home or car. This is where access to the theatre is so important. When challenged by access technology will surely win (UK market research, 2008). E-(Environmental factors)- Other than the melting of the ice caps and the possible flooding of London, there are many other issues noted in the news that might affect the management of the theatre over many years. Methane emissions from livestock creates more greenhouse gas than cars. Global meat production will double by 2050 because of a population explosion that will continue (Wilson, 2010) The world has 6.8 billion people and that will expand to 9.2

More Effective Communications Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

More Effective Communications - Assignment Example The major problem today is that many companies are wasting their precious resources on ineffective communications that cause confusion among the customers or clients and result in costly customer dissatisfaction. Business communications are not just a simple subject for management studies but it involves a whole range of pre- and post-sale communications, including welcome kits, account statements, invoices, applications, policies, manuals, customer educational materials, announcements of changes in terms and much more (Lundy 2-11). There are several models to show that business communication is one of the most important aspects and is linked to profitability. Under the Universal Business Model (UBM), communication between the three basic functions of production, marketing and accounting increase profitability. For instance, if the marketing unit has not been informed by production as to what it currently manufactures or the amount of stock, the marketing unit may face a problem. Similarly, if manufacturing is not told by accounting what products are profitable to produce, they may operate at a loss. This kind of communication between different units of the same organization also plays a vital role in business communication (Universal Accounting ® Center n.pag. 2007). The importance of business communication and its link to profitability was expressed clearly from the results of Sage Research. Through the study, it was discovered that 22 percent of the organizations polled experienced monthly communication-caused delays-and 13 percent experienced such delays weekly. As a result of communications delays, there was a disruption in the efforts to streamline business processes or adopt the emerging "best practices".

Hurricane Katrina Essay Example for Free

Hurricane Katrina Essay Whenever natural calamities occur they leave people terrifies, traumatized and to some the shock is just too much too handle. For the people who are not affected by the calamity the least one can do is to offer assistance of any kind to victims of the calamity. It is thus becomes inhuman when a person takes advantage of resources and money reserved for people who have been befallen by a calamity to benefit their self interests. When Hurricane Katrina struck millions of people lost their lives and hundreds of million others were displaced. It has been more than four years since this calamity struck. Despite the many years that have passed the effects of this hurricane is still being felt till today. Amazingly though, while some people are still grieving for the losses suffered from this calamity, some people on the other side have been taking advantage of the money raised and resources put together to help the victims of the storm. This essay looks at some of the scandals that have been unearthed since this hurricane struck (Adam. 2009). When hurricane Katrina struck Americans came out in large numbers to contribute for the victims of this calamity. At least $1. 85 billion was given as charity and this came from contributions of good Samaritans all over America. Months after these contributions were made and passed to the assumingly right channels it is now coming a shock to many a people that the money has in fact never found its way to the right place let alone benefit the victims of hurricane Katrina. There are many scandals surrounding the money that was intended the victims of the storm. Massive rip offs of money that was meant to help the helpless (Hakeem. 2006). One of the major scandals involving the money that was contributed for the survivors of this tragedy is one that involves stealing money from the Red Cross International center that was established shortly after the hurricane struck. This center was established in an attempt to aid victims of the storm by providing them with a form of identification which the victims would then use to claim some money. However this center, though established through a Red Cross initiative the whole process was delegated to another company which was expected to wok out all modalities on behalf of Red Cross. The employees of this agent company however looked at the whole process and found some loopholes through which they could somehow take advantage of this money and channel elsewhere to benefit individuals who had not been affected by hurricane Katrina and consequently living the victims of hurricane Katrina in the cold without money and a place to call home (Hakeem. 2006). Investigations carried out reveal that the employees of this agent company that was carrying out the rescue process on behalf of Red Cross called all their friends and acquaintances and gave them the funds that were originally meant to benefit the victims of the storm. Simply put, the form of identification that was meant to be given to victims of hurricane Katrina were given to people who had not in any way been affected by the storm and consequently these people got money that was meant for these victims. It was outright fraud (Adam. 2009). As investigations continue this issue continues to puzzle and draw more questions than answers. It is not yet clear how this happened without any person noticing it. Or is it that those who were expected to keep an eye and watch are the ones who were busy enriching themselves? How could such a delicate matter be handled so casually? Did Red Cross ever suspect any backstabbing by the companies it had outsourced this work to? According to U. S Attorney McGregor Scott, when the hurricane struck the number of casualties were way to many for this non governmental organization to handle. Thus in the circumstances they were not left with much of a choice but to look for help beyond their boundaries and outsourcing seemed the best of all the available options. Pressure was quickly mounting on Red Cross not to sit on the money that had been raised to help the victims but instead move expeditiously to ensure that the money had been distributed to the victims. As a result of this pressure there was not much time for Red Cross to establish protocols of good faith with the companies that had been given the contacts to give the money to the survivors. This was the biggest loophole (Robert. 2009). It has always been an issue because Americans are complaining of the money that they contributed to help the victims. It is now a big scandal and Red Cross is having trouble going around this whole situation. With the massive suffering that hurricane Katrina caused people are alarmed at these scandals. It is unbelievable just how far the brutality of human beings can go. References Adam. K. (2009). New Orleans, New York: Lonely Planet. Hakeem. et al, (2006). Absurdities, Scandals Stupidities in Politics, New York: Lulu. com. Robert. et al, (2009). Race, Place, and Environmental Justice After Hurricane Katrina: Struggles to Reclaim, Rebuild, and Revitalize New Orleans and the Gulf Coast, New York: Westview Press. .

Supermarkets And Consumer Behavior In Vietnam Marketing Essay

Supermarkets And Consumer Behavior In Vietnam Marketing Essay Introduction; product and assignment First I believe it is important to briefly fresh up the memory of what product this assignment is based on. Or at least what the outcome of this gathered information will be compared against. The product to introduce in Vietnam is CartCom. It provides the super markets with a new way to communicate with their customers. It is a plastic bracket that is clicked on the handle of the shopping cart and it can be provided with material as advertisements from suppliers or information from the chain. This material is printed on cardboards and put inside the bracket for customers to observe, read, remember and eventually shop. This assignment will emphasize on the change in the Vietnamese society concerning the way they shop and where they shop. There will be focus on numbers, statistics and facts to justify my statements. First I will concentrate on the change from the charming and typical Vietnamese street markets, to the more western way of grocery shopping: the super markets. Later on I will turn the focus on to the consumer behavior in Vietnam and how the presented information affects the introduction of CartCom to the retail chains in Vietnam. The change from traditional street markets to modern supermarkets C:UsersKamillaDesktopcoop mart in vietnam.jpgC:UsersKamillaDesktopStreet market in Vietnam.jpg There has been a remarkable change in the socio culture regarding the shopping in Vietnam. The trends have now changed the routines of grocery shopping and preferences from street markets to super markets. 56% of the total population in Vietnam is below the age of thirty.  [1]  A young population means growth in purchasing power and therefore the super markets could target Vietnam, expand and push the people of Vietnam to join in on this kind of shopping culture. Vietnam retail Industry Analysis has found that Vietnam is set to undergo a huge transformation from 2007 to 2011.  [2]  The air conditions mini marts and the supermarkets are becoming dominant. This also means that Vietnam is currently experiencing significant changes to the distribution system in particular, but also the food system it selves.  [3]   Supermarkets are replacing the traditional Vietnamese hawkers and markets. Their street life, shopping habits are changing because of western trends are taken into consideration and followed. Many are disappointed, especially guides and tourists, because local markets and street vendors are now closing. But this is all because of the change in the socio culture and the change in the peoples preferences regarding their shopping habits. The government is encouraging the boom in shopping centre development and the abandoning of traditional markets.  [4]  The supermarket business is very successful and the Vietnamese retail market is viewed as the third most promising retail market in the world.  [5]   Supermarkets versus street markets How could the supermarkets take charge in Vietnam? Do they provide the same value as the old markets? Probably they do, if not they would not survive. Concerning the consumer behavior there are three topics to touch upon regarding the Vietnamese retail market. The numbers are collected at Ac Nielsen ´s report on groceries in Vietnam from 2010. First I found that 67% of total consumer expenditure is on fresh food. This means that eventually the supermarkets became excellent in their offerings of fresh food, so the consumers could turn from the street markets (known for the splendid fresh groceries) and to the supermarkets. If the supermarkets did not offer a satisfying solution to the consumers need for fresh food, I believe this change would not be happening so quickly and maybe the local markets would survive a bit longer. The supermarket chains knew what they needed to provide to turn the consumers into supermarket shopping instead of street market shopping. And they succeeded. The second important issue to touch upon is that most consumers (64%) are aware of price changes and are continually searching for promotions. So the supermarkets have an advantage regarding their opportunity to purchase large amounts of goods and groceries, store them and offer promotions weekly and even daily. This in balance with the promise of always having fresh food. High quality goods and frequent big sales are drawing large numbers of shoppers to supermarkets and away from traditional markets. Supermarkets in Ho Chi Minh City are crammed with people during weekends and attracting most middle-income customers.  [6]  This proves the strong positions the supermarkets are now gaining in Vietnam, and Ho Chi Minh City. Finally it is said that Vietnamese people buy and use Vietnamese products. In connection with CartCom; this is why we chose not to provide the advertising material to the CartCom in addition to the bracket. The supermarkets know their suppliers and they know their customers, we have no knowledge and nothing to contribute concerning the design and decisions for the material used inside. To expand the value in our product to new highs, we will look into the possibility of introducing the screens instead of the plastic bracket. We believe this is yet to expensive and complicated, but when we have gotten the retail chains to see the effect of CartCom, we believe there is opportunities for a digital screen on the carts where you will be able to have your shopping list and also receive information and advertisements. Consumer behavior in Vietnam; south compared to north A finding concerning the consumer behavior alone is worth noticing. This is the differences in consumer behavior between north and south in Vietnam. We will introduce CartCom to Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) primarily, so I will focus on this city describing the behavior. Regarding promotion the people here favor all types of promotion, and from my point of view they are more innovative and unrestricted. Price promotions alone will not appeal strongly to the consumers in HCMC. In north this type of promotion is the most effective. As a result the CartCom can be explored in many different ways in the south and not only be used to push sale and push information on low prices. The supermarkets can use CartCom to provide advertising using the supplier brands in other promotions like for example dinner tips and exclusiveness, quality and accessibility in stores. One last finding worth discussing is that the people in HCMC and in the south are more early adapters than in the north. It is always important to think of the decision makers. We are in the b2b market and when selling to companies, in our case the supermarket chains, the decision makers will also here be the key to success. Who are making the decisions whether or not to start using CartCom? One thing is certain; if it is people from south that makes the decisions we are more likely to be approved. The supermarkets are in the b2c market and they make decisions on the basis of what they believe their customers will approve of. People in HCMC are innovative, early adapters and approving of new ideas concerning promotions.  [7]  I believe HCMC is a right choice because CartCom has a good chance of succeeding there and also because the people here fit the description of what kind of customers needed for the desirable response we wish to achieve. Conclusion; CartCom in Vietnam We have reasons to believe that the consumer behavior inside the supermarkets in Vietnam do not differ from other countries. The reasons why that is, is the supermarkets have not done any radical changes within the stores to adapt other that of course different food and local suppliers. The customers in Vietnam is like other customers visiting supermarkets, they usually bring a shopping list and make use of a shopping cart or a basket. The customers shopping with kids can place the kids in the cart, but this will not cover the CartCom. As shown in the pictures there are still room for CartComs new advertising space. In the picture to the left a child has joined in on the shopping, the CartCom will be placed under the shoppers right hand. There are cart with baby seats on top of the handle, but they only cover the old seat like this one is using, and not he handle. The bracket is placed on the handle where the cart is being pushed, as shown in the picture to the right. C:UsersKamillaDesktopcartcom.jpgC:UsersKamillaDesktopbaby i vogn The shopping will take place as it usually does, only we see a trend for larger purchases and this may make room for larger stores and bigger amount of carts in the stores. Up until now there had been a change in consumer behavior from street market shopping to the supermarket shopping. This has been The Co-op Mart chain that is CartComs first target has had an increase in both customers and revenues by more than 40% compared to the same period last year.  [8]   There has been a sufficient increase in the supermarket industry and this gains all participants as well as the chains. CartCom we believe will be one of the participants and the increase in profitability in this industry will create opportunities for CartCom to sell more and eventually expand with the screens, as shown in the picture. C:UsersKamillaDesktopskjerm cartcom Will the consumers continue changing their behavior? Another thing worth noticing is the perceived threat of consumers changing their behavior, as they have been doing up until now. The average perception of this is analyzed in Ac Nielsens report on grocery shopping from 2010. The results tell us that Vietnamese consumers are anticipated to change their behavior on several highlighted elements. Elements like purchasing more local food, buy bigger packs to save money, purchase more on promotion and change channel of information received. However because it is expected to change on every subject, I believe this is just another hint telling us that the retail industry will continue growing. I believe the consumer behavior will keep on changing into the western way of shopping, in supermarkets with carts and postponed for in-store advertising. This way of shopping also includes the large purchases to save money and advertising for low prices. The push marketing strategy is becoming old and the chains, we believe, is in need for a new and innovative way of exposing the customers with communication material. I want to highlight one finding from this model. It states that they are anticipating the Vietnamese consumers to buy more Vietnamese products in the close future. This is likely to be a trend to support the countries operations and not import. Also it is supporting short travelled food and environmental focus. Conclusion How inhabitants do their shopping is different in every country. In Vietnam there has been a change from street markets to supermarkets and this creates opportunities for several participants. CartCom is one of them and by introducing a new way of reaching out to consumers during the shopping, we believe we can expand to using screens and that way not be duplicated easily because the plastic brackets are just the beginning of a revolution within in-store advertising. The Ac Nielsen grocery report 2010 http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=vq=cache:y_ldKXyUxcsJ:www.acnielsen.com.vn/site/documents/NielsenVietnamGroceryReportAugust2010.pdf+annual+grocery+report+vietnamhl=nopid=blsrcid=ADGEEShbEBLuDEgDbLQ2NJ5S7dE88LIKbDgtivJ7sJ2yy_M75REjQQvFQQx-1ui3bKdTaaBJi1WKPjwytuw2cjV4IsjqpxLiHUYW0vwxkVm2EwIo1FQo3N7N-INR1KExLRr7znvufnOqsig=AHIEtbSERBeXR8i9t1hcDfpPRnF00k4_7A

Graduation Speech: God, Grant Me Wisdom :: Graduation Speech, Commencement Address

The year is 2038. I, Bob Millings, am a retired multi-millionare relaxing on the porch of my beach house on the Northshore of Oahu in the Hawaii Islands. Having already earned my millions from selling the hundreds of Ichiro cards that I amassed throughout the past 20 years, I have nothing else better to do than lay on my beach chair and soak up the rays. Suddenly a flock of seagulls (yes, seagulls fly in flocks) crosses my line of vision, and a tear comes to my eye. Oh, how that magnificent bird reminds me of the best four years of my life at County High School, the home of the Seagulls. My mind suddenly floats back 26 years to the past to a time when I was finishing up my career at that prestigious academy of learning. I didn't know it then, but some of my most valuable lessons were learned during those four years. No, I am not talking about those smarts I learned my freshman year, like remembering never to fall asleep in Mr. Bull's Biology class, or realizing that it was in my best interest to steer clear of the Senior Lot after school. Nor am I speaking about those important things I was taught during my crazy sophomore and junior years, like how important Planning Team is, how Wendy's is the best lunchtime meal around, or how a hook is one of the most important parts of an essay. I'm not even talking about those skills I picked up my senior year, like being able to get ready in the morning in less than seven minutes, remembering to switch arms while sleeping on a desk so your arm won't fall asleep, or those great moves I learned during chess days in Mrs. Johnson' s class. No, I am talking about that word that came into play time and time again during my high school career: acceptance. I constantly found myself in a position where I was on the brink of insanity during school. Maybe I was mad at one of my friends, or I had three tests in one day, or I was given a 500-page book to read in less than two weeks. There was always that thought in the back of my mind that I could just quit and forget about it all and stop caring. But than that word would come up, and I would accept all those things and realize that my friend and I would make up, those tests would be over soon, and that book is actually not all that bad.

Case Analysis Essay examples -- Business, IBM

Introduction IBM provides services, software, and systems to clients across throughout the world. During the transformation to a global corporate enterprise, IBM maintained its core values and principles. As a leader in the industries in which it serves, IBM entered its second century in business dedicated to its culture of fairness and corporate citizenship. IBM utilizes a consistent approach to technology and innovation, and has a positive impact on the communities in which it operates. IBM is passionate about social responsibility, interested in making a positive change in society, and is making a profound difference throughout the world on global issues such as AIDS, cancer, education, and hunger (Kanter, 2011). Why is IBM interested in creating â€Å"even bigger change† in society? Organizations of today are experiencing increased pressure from government, employees, and competitors to take an active role in environmental, social, and government issues on topics from climate change and many more, in their supply chain. To address these concerns organizations have developed corporate social responsibility and sustainability initiatives. These efforts are necessary to sustain a long-term ability to create shareholder value, while providing critical benefits to society (Bonini, Koller, & Mirvis, 2009). Effective organizations fully understand the global communities in which they exist and do business. Acquiring this knowledge requires a deeper level of engagement and comprehensive interaction with public, private, and voluntary institutions within community. As a progressive organization, IBM realizes there is a close link between its core values and sustainability and its strategy and purpose. Its corporate... ... IBM understands that community and business must be one for mutual benefit and long-term success. Effective corporate citizenship is a by-product of engaging corporate values to that of its people, which will be more meaningful and longer lasting in the end. References Bonini, S., Koller, T. M., & Mirvis, P. H. (2009). Valuing social responsibility programs. Mckinsey Quarterly, (4), 65-73. Kanter, R. M. (2009). IBM in the 21st Century: The coming of the globally integrated enterprise, Harvard Business School Kanter, R. M. (2011). IBM’s Values and corporate citizenship. Harvard Business School. Retrieved from http://hbr.org/product/ibm-values-and-corporate-citizenship/an/308106-PDF-ENG Ofori, D. F., & Sokro, E. (2010). Examining the Impact of Organisational Values on Corporate Performance in Selected Ghanaian. Global Management Journal, 2(1), 52-65.

Plastic Bags :: Environment, Pollution

Millions of plastic bags are given out to consumers by supermarkets and stores to carry their goods in. They are also cheap, light, durable, easy to carry and in many cases, free. The most commonly used shopping bag is made of High Density Polyethylene (HDPE). This type is used in the majority of supermarkets and stores. After these bags are used, they often end up in landfills or as litter, roughly only three percent of plastic bags is actually recycled per year (Planet Ark, 2011). The materials used in making plastic bags make them non-biodegradable. According to the science dictionary, 2011 refers to â€Å"these materials cannot be decomposed into environmentally safe waste materials by the action of soil bacteria.† These harmful substances are toxic and take approximately four hundred years to break down, or in this case photo-degrade; which is how plastics made from (HDPE) break down. Since they are not biodegradable, they remain in the environment and are absorbed in s oil or water (Indian Centre for Plastics in the Environment, 2010). This essay will discuss the various harmful effects of plastic bags, and demonstrate the risks that these bags impose on humans, animals and the environment. It will also discuss a series of suggested solutions that could help reduce plastic bag usage. Although plastic bags appear to be fragile and light, their negative environmental effect is devastating. Plastic bags may cause large amounts of pollution in every step of their limited life cycle, from the extraction of raw materials, production, transportation, and recycling or disposal. Plastic bags can be defined as the most damaging form of environmental pollution. They can have a damaging effect on marine animals and wildlife in addition to the aesthetic effects on beaches, parks, and trees. Plastic bags are potentially one of the main causes of death to marine animals (Harbor keepers,2008). Up to one hundred thousand marine animals or more die each year from eating plastic bags which are mistaken for food. This can result in blocking the animal’s intestines and possibly lead to the animal’s death. Another possible situation is that wildlife, such as birds, can get tangled in plastic bags causing choking and immobility, which may eventually lead to death. (Senio r, 2008) and (Citizen Campaign, 2010). In other situations, after plastic bags photo degrade they remain toxic and could be eaten by fish, shellfish or any other marine life and survive this allows the toxins to enter our food chain through bioaccumulation (Puget Soundkeeper Alliance, 2011).

Making Best Use of Windows Server 2003

The basis of technology development lies in bettering the older systems and coming to terms with enhanced functions in our information systems, etc.   Without the operating system, however, the information system technology would barely come to anything.   Hence, the Windows Server 2003 was developed as an enhancement to the Windows Server 2000, taking â€Å"the best of Windows 2000 Server technology and make it easier to deploy, manage, and use.†   Ã¢â‚¬Å"The result,† as described by Microsoft, is â€Å"a highly productive infrastructure that helps make your network a strategic asset for your organization.†Ã‚   The world’s leading company for operating systems, once charged with near-monopolistic practices in an anti-trust trial, further reported on the new addition to the operating system family that Microsoft continues to be famous for: As of March 28, 2005, all Windows Server 2003 operating systems ship with  Windows Server Service Pack 1 (SP1).   Windows Server 2003 SP1 provides enhanced  security, increased reliability, and a simplified administration to help enterprise  customers across all industries†¦Ã‚   In addition, in December 2005, Standard, Enterprise,  and Datacenter editions of Windows Server 2003 R2 were released, offering Active  Directory, storage, and branch office enhancements for customers (â€Å"Introducing the  Windows,† 2006). Released only recently, the Windows Server 2003 has become the talk of every computer technician today.   One of its key features is its enhanced availability through improved â€Å"clustering support.†Ã‚   Microsoft reports that â€Å"clustering services† are very important to trade, where inputs and outputs, imports and exports must be clustered so as to ease organizational functioning.   Windows Server 2003 allows for just that.   Besides, it helps in â€Å"scalability,† and not just â€Å"manageability.†Ã‚   Also according to the maker of the new operating system: Clustering installation and setup is easier and more robust in Windows Server 2003,   while enhanced network features in the product provide greater failover capabilities  and high system uptime.   The Windows Server 2003 operating systems supports server  clusters for up to eight nodes.   If one of the nodes in a cluster becomes unavailable  because of failure or maintenance, another node immediately begins providing service,  a process known as failover.   Windows Server 2003 also supports network load  balancing (NLB), which balances incoming Internet Protocol (IP) traffic across nodes  in a cluster (â€Å"Introducing†). As far as support and training are concerned, it has been confirmed that Windows Server 2003 is meant to make communications easier than before, not just between the organization and the users of the operating system, but also between the organizational users of the system and the customers of the organization.   The R2 Standard Edition of the Windows Server 2003 was made by collaboration between â€Å"third-party hardware and software partners† of Microsoft (â€Å"Overview of Windows,† 2005). Similarly, the company ensures that there are experts (Microsoft Certified Consultants) available to guide people through the process of installing any one of the following: (1) Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition; (2) Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition; (3) Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition (for highest availability); and (4) Windows Server 2003, Web Edition (Microsoft Certified Consultants). Seeing as Microsoft’s Windows Server 2003 is targeting businesses for the most part, the operating system – truly one of its kind – is packaged with sure technical support and training.   Microsoft’s business is tough, and the abundance of Microsoft experts in every nation in the world proves that the Windows Server 2003 would survive in firm business. Windows Server 2003 has training courses available with it (â€Å"Windows Server 2003,† 2007).   What is more, it is Microsoft’s intention to sell more of its countless software amenities to businesses after giving the new operating system to many of them for free.   Given that no other operating system company has thus far been able to meet or match the practices of the giant (â€Å"near-monopoly†) – the Windows Server 2003 would capture its unique market until a more advanced operating system, with better availability, support, and training, arrives out of Microsoft to substitute and complement the Server 2003. References Introducing the Windows Server 2003. (2006, January 24). Microsoft. Retrieved 26 May 2007, from http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windowsserver/bb429524.aspx. Overview of Windows Server 2003 R2 Standard Edition. (2005, December 6). Microsoft. Retrieved 26 May 2007, from Microsoft.com. Microsoft Certified Consultants. Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Help: Consulting, Support, Troubleshooting.Retrieved 26 May 2007, from http://www.progent.com/microsoft_windows_server_2003.htm. Windows Server 2003. (2007). Symantics. Retrieved 26 May 2007, from http://www.systematix.co.uk/mstech/windows-2003-training.

Ganges River Flow Benefits for Bangladesh †How to Estimate It?

Ganges River Flow Benefits for Bangladesh – How to estimate it? Zaman A. M. , Haque A. K. E. , Rahman S. M. M. , Mohiuddin F. A. Abstract For economic modeling in the Ganges Basin, an estimate of the water demand in the Ganges Dependent Area (GDA) in Bangladesh is required. This paper outlines a method for estimating this water demand. The proposed method is based on the integration of hydrological and hydraulic process models with economic models. In Bangladesh, a variety of mathematical models are currently used to estimate the impacts on Bangladesh’s water resources system for different: upstream flow conditions, local hydrologic situations, Bay of Bengal circumstances, etc. The models include basin level hydrological models, 1-dimensional and 2-dimensional hydrodynamic models, morphological model, salinity model, Bay of Bengal model, etc. The first step in the proposed method it to use these models to simulate a range of hydrologic and hydraulic scenarios in the GDA in Bangladesh. The next step involves using the outputs from these physical process models as inputs to economic models that estimate the economic benefits (and costs) in the GDA. These economic models will focus on different sectors that can potentially benefit from additional freshwater flows to the region, e. g. irrigated agriculture, open-water and capture fisheries, navigation, ecosystem services (particularly the Sundarbans), dredging of river channels, water logging in polder areas, water supply, etc. For example, currently there is practically no flow into the Gorai River, a key river in the GDA, from the Ganges during the months of January to May. As a result, there is increased river salinity and sedimentation in the southwest region. Additional flows will not only allow increased agriculture production and improve water supply options but also reduce the costs of regular dredging of key rivers in the region. These estimated benefits represent economic water demands for the GDA in Bangladesh.

Saussure and Derrida

A science that studies the life of signs within society is conceivable; . . . I shall call it semiology (from Greek semeion ‘sign'). Semiology would show what constitutes signs, what laws govern them. Since the science does not yet exist, no one can say what it would be. . . . (Saussure, 1960:16) In this statement Ferdinand de Saussure (1857-1913), the twentieth-century father of the science of signs, presents his theory about language and gives a Greek name. This enterprise has considerably affected most discussions about language and of interpretation since its inauguration. Saussure presents the linguistic system as the place of the sign. Signs don't exist apart from a system. And it is every time a system of differences. Unavoidably, the theory of signs leads Saussure to the theory of language as system. Later, Jacques Derrida (1930-2004) discovers the logocentric dynamic in Saussure's new theory. Referring to the father of structural linguistics and semiology, Derrida leads readers beyond Saussure toward a poststructuralist future. It is this logocentrism which, limiting the internal system of language in general by a bad abstraction, prevents Saussure and the majority of his successors from determining fully and explicitly that which is called ‘the integral and concrete object of linguistics† (Cours 23). Both Ferdinand de Saussure – father of 20th-century linguistics and Jacques Derrida – founder of deconstruction made profound impact upon language theory; their ideas laid the basis for considerable developments in linguisti cs in the 20th century. Saussure on Language In itself, thought is like a swirling cloud, where no shape is intrinsically determinate. No ideas are established in advance, and nothing is distinct, before the introduction of linguistic structure. [†¦] Just as it is impossible to take a pair of scissors and cut one side of paper without at the same time cutting the other, so it is impossible in a language to isolate sound from thought, or thought from sound. To separate the two for theoretical purposes takes us into either pure psychology or pure phonetics, not linguistics. Linguistics, then, operates along this margin, where sound and thought meet. The contact between them gives rise to a form, not a substance (Cours 155-7). This impressive statement from the posthumously published Cours de linguistique generale of Ferdinand de Saussure (1857-1913) introduces readers in what was later called as a ‘Copernican revolution' in Western thought relating to language. Why ‘Copernican’? Because just as Copernicus had asserted that the Earth revolved around the Sun, instead of the Sun revolving around the Earth, Saussure asserts something similar on the subject of language. His theory claimed that languages are the instruments that give human beings opportunity to achieve a rational understanding of the world in which they live. Rather than considering words as mere addition to human comprehension of reality, Saussure considered comprehension of reality as depending substantially upon human use of the verbal signs that form the language people use. Language is not secondary but, quite the reverse, central to human life. As a result, human life is linguistically constructed life. Saussure's theory goes far beyond the traditional theory of language as something communicated. It also goes beyond Locke's theory of words as symbols that stand for ideas. Many linguistic philosophers had claimed that without language human reason would be lacking its principal instrument of transformation ideas into words. But Saussure's theory goes further and deeper. Saussure indicates the phonetic and conceptual aspects of language. Linguistics was for Saussure only one subdivision of a relating to various branches science of signs that he proposed to call ‘semiology' (semiologie). Each branch of semiology had a theory of the signs which it studied. Consequently, linguistics would need a theory of the linguistic sign, the fundamental unit of langue. Such a theory of language Saussure proceeds to offer. As his paper-cutting analogy shows, he deals with the linguistic sign as a unit determined merely by its form. Its form has two facets, or ‘opposite sides'. The Saussurean technical identifications for these two facets of the sign are signifiant and signifie (the ‘signifying' plane and the ‘signified' plane) (Matthews 21). Every langue includes semiological system of bi-planar signs. Each sign has its signifiant and its signifie. Despite the fact that each plane may, for convenience, be analyzed one by one, no linguistic sign can be determined without considering both planes that are equally important. The published in 1916 text of the Cours faithfully reflects Saussure's theory about language. That text became the subsequent chapter in the history of ideas about language theory. The text became a cornerstone of modern linguistic theory, as well as the public declaration of a more general intellectual movement of the 20th century that had effect on such diverse disciplines as psychology, social anthropology and literary criticism. This all-round movement is today known as ‘structuralism'. The whole question that the Saussurean theory of linguistic structure gives rise is this: ‘If our langue is a structure, then a structure of what exactly? ‘ (Matthews 69) Saussure's answer to this question is problematic. He identified langue as being at the same time a structure of the mental operations of the human beings, and also a structure of the communicational processes by means of which human beings perform their roles as a cultural constitution. So langue is finally supra-individual in the relation that it is placed in society and depends for its existence on cultural relations; yet it assumes in each individual the power of an internally created system of linguistic signs. More exactly, langue, Saussure claims, ‘is never complete in any single individual, but exists perfectly only in the collectivity' (Cours 30). Derrida’s Theory of Language The theory of language to which Derrida wants to turn attention is connected with the method linguistic meaning is produced. More exactly, the method what there is of linguistic meaning and nonmeaning in their interconnection is presented. Derrida, in his theory of deconstruction, presents the same structure for both the process of nonaesthetic negativity and the process of aesthetic negativity. â€Å"Deconstruction† is connected with an analysis of the theory of language that, similar to the process of aesthetic negativity, discovers within this theory the seeds of its own downfall. Derrida presents a theory of meaning that reflects the idea of the â€Å"iterability† of signs and what he calls their â€Å"supplementary† status. Jonathan Culler summarized Derrida's central idea in this regard in the following way: Our earlier formula, â€Å"meaning is context-bound, but context is boundless,† helps us recall why both projects fail: meaning is context-bound, so intentions do not in fact suffice to determine meaning; context must be mobilized. But context is boundless, so accounts of context never provide full determinations of meaning. Against any set of formulations, one can imagine further possibilities of context, including the expansion of context produced by reinscription within a context of the description of it (Menke 96). Considering Culler's interpretation, Derrida's thesis of the uncircumventable proclivity of language for crisis is based on the difference between what one expects context to offer and what it can really do, when correctly viewed. The nonetheless inevitable recourse to context in the determination of meaning thus results in a crisis for every attempt to comprehend language. What is supposed to generate definitiveness is itself unlimited and thus the source of unmanaged difference. Derrida’s general thesis thus is based on the idea that the understanding of the meaning of signs can only function in a context-bound way. At the same time that contexts cannot define the meaning of signs since they are themselves boundless. The boundlessness that meaning opens itself to in its context-boundedness is in no way eo ipso the boundlessness of a difference that is inconsistent with any identity of meaning (Menke 90). Derrida himself realizes his argument that a â€Å"thousand possibilities will always remain open even if one understands something in this phrase that makes sense† (Menke 96) in an equivocal fashion. On the one hand this idea means: every sign can function in different and boundlessly many contexts. This is precisely what determines the iterability of signs: their reusability in contexts that are not actually those in which they were first placed. The usability of signs in boundlessly many contexts in itself, though, in no way is opposite to the definitiveness of its use and meaning as determined by rules of language. Although one might note, with Derrida, that the deconstruction of logocentrism is a search for â€Å"the other of language† (Derrida 1984, 123), this does not contribute to the statement that deconstruction is originally concerned with a linguistic theory. This is first and foremost the question of the concrete instance, of â€Å"the other, which is beyond language† (Derrida 1984,123). Far, then, from being a philosophy that according to its critics, states that there is nothing beyond language and that one is confined within language, deconstruction can be considered as a response. â€Å"Deconstruction is, in itself, a positive response to an alterity which necessarily calls, summons or motivates it. Deconstruction is therefore vocation – a response to a call† (Derrida 1984,118). Derrida claims that the character of deconstruction is not solely positive, that is not merely an assertion of what already exists and is known, but that it is an assertion of what is wholly other (tout autre) (Derrida 1992, 27). Derrida claims that difference is not something that can appear in logocentric discourse: â€Å"differance is not,† Derrida explains, â€Å"preceded by the originary and indivisible unity of a present possibility that I could reserve†¦. What defers presence, on the contrary, is the very basis on which presence is announced or desired in what represents it, its sign, its trace†¦. Differance is â€Å"that which produces different things, that which differentiates, is the common root of all the oppositional concepts that mark our language†¦ † (Positions, 89). Differance is neither structure nor origin, â€Å"such an alternative itself being an ‘effect' of differance. † Even so, studying the operations of differance requires that the writer use such concepts as structure and origin and â€Å"borrow the syntaxic and lexical resources of the language of metaphysics† even if the writer wishes to deconstruct this language ( Positions, pp. -10). Derrida indicates that differance is not an origin. Neither language nor writing springs in differance. Instead, Derrida says, differance allows the play of absence and presence, writing and thought, structure and force by means of which the question of origin comes to know itself. Saussure and Derrida Exactly at this point one is faced with one of the most problematic though fascinating dimensions of Derrida's theory. The problem, stated above, is that, as soon as it is recognized that there are no simple, unsignified, transcendental signifiers that fix and warrant the meaning of the words, that there exist no originals to which the words can be attributed, one comes to conditions where even this acknowledgement itself seems to have become â€Å"floating† (May 125). Derrida resolves this difficult situation with the help of above discussed theory of signs and of language developed by Ferdinand de Saussure. Despite the idea that language is in a fundamental way a naming process, attaching words to things, Saussure had claimed that language is a system, or a structure. In the structure any individual element is meaningless outside the boundaries of that structure. In language, he asserts, there are only differences. But – and here the ideas of Saussure are basic for Derrida's deconstruction of the metaphysics of presence – these differences are not differences between positive terms, that is between terms that in and by themselves are connected with objects or things outside the system. Accordingly, in language, Saussure indicates, there are only differences without positive terms (May 127). But if this is true, if there are no positive terms, then it means that one can no longer define the differential position of language itself by means of a positive term either. Difference without positive terms indicates that this dimension must itself always be left unperceived for, roughly speaking, it is unconceptualizable. It is a difference that cannot be returned into the order of the same and, through a signifier, given individual characteristics. This suggests, then, that â€Å"the play of difference, which, as Saussure reminded us, is the condition for the possibility and functioning of every sign, is in itself a silent play† (Derrida 1982, 5). If, however, one wants to articulate that – one must first of all admit that there can never be a word or a concept to correspond to this silent play. One must also admit that this play cannot merely be exposed, for â€Å"one can expose only that which at a certain moment can become present† (Derrida 1982, 5). And one must ultimately admit that there is nowhere to begin, â€Å"for what is put into question is precisely the quest for a rightful beginning, an absolute point of departure† (Derrida 1982, 6). All this, and more, is acknowledged in the new â€Å"word† or â€Å"concept† – â€Å"which is neither a word nor a concept† (Derrida 1982:7) but a â€Å"neographism† (Derrida 1982:13) – of differance. The motive why Derrida uses â€Å"what is written as difference† (Derrida 1982, 11) is not difficult to understand. For although â€Å"the play of difference† (Derrida 1982, 11) is introduced as something for the opportunity of all conceptuality, one should not make the mistaken opinion to think that one has finally discovered the real origin of conceptuality. That, expressing the same idea but differently, this play is a playful but despite that transcendental signified. Strictly speaking, in order to avoid this mistake one must acknowledge that the differences that make up the play of difference â€Å"are themselves effects† (Derrida 1982:11, original emphasis). As Derrida claims, What is written as differance, then, will be the playing movement that â€Å"produces† – by means of something that is not simply an activity – these differences, these effects of difference. This does not mean that the differance that produces differences is somehow before them, in a simple and unmodified – in-different – present. Differance is the non-full, non-simple, structured and differentiating origin of differences. Thus, the name â€Å"origin† no longer suits. (Derrida 1982, 11) Although differance is straightforwardly connected with a structuralist idea of meaning – that Derrida recognizes when he indicates that he sees no reason to question the truth of what Saussure proposes (Derrida 1976, 39), there is one important aspect in which differance is outside the scope of structuralism. The point here is that Derrida clearly refuses to accept the primary character of structure itself. Structure is not a transcendental represented (for which reason Derrida notes that he does not want to question the truth of what Saussure proposes â€Å"on the level on which he says it [original emphasis] â€Å"but does want to question the logocentric way in which Saussure says it (Derrida 1976, 39). Structure is even less the effect of an original presence coming before and causing it (Derrida 1978, 278-9). What differance tries to express is the differential character of the â€Å"origin† of structure itself. It is in this relation that one might observe that Derrida's writing is poststructural. To some degree, surely, differance appears when Saussure's examination of how language operates. â€Å"In language,† Saussure indicates, â€Å"there are only differences. Even more important: a difference generally implies positive terms between which the difference is set up; but in language there are only differences without positive terms† (Positions, 120). Derrida's differance in an obvious manner is like Saussure's differences. At the end of Positions, for instance, Derrida specifies â€Å"as differance the movement according to which language, or any other code, any system of reference in general, is constituted ‘historically' as a tissue of differences† (Positions, 104). But Derrida makes an effort to go further. Whereas Saussure considers the differences in a semiotic system as the set of constantly changing relationships the speaker manipulates in order to produce meaning, Derrida defines differance as the boundless disappearance of either an origin of or a final place for meaning. When Derrida describes differance, he always does so by examining what it is not. Rather than considering language in the traditional way, as a set of external signs of already farmed internal thoughts (characteristic of â€Å"logocentrism†), Derrida, like Saussure and modern linguistics, thinks of users of language producing coded, that is, repeatable, marks or traces that originate from within certain unities of meaning as â€Å"effects† of the code. These traces are not fundamentally meaningful in themselves but â€Å"arbitrary† and â€Å"conventional† (Menke 96). Thus there is no difference whether one says â€Å"rex,† â€Å"rol,† or â€Å"king† so long as â€Å"we† – those who share these conventions – can tell the difference between rex and lex, roi and loi, and king and sing (Menke 96). The meaning – is a process of the difference, of the distance or the â€Å"spacing† between the traces, what is called, in an absolutely serious way, the â€Å"play† of differences or traces. By the â€Å"play of differences† Derrida defines the differential spacing, the recognized distance, the recognized (heard, seen) intervals between traces first analyzed in structural linguistics (Menke 97). Conclusion A comprehensive historical examination of deconstruction would necessarily include numerous precursors and forerunners: Freud, Hegel, Heidegger, Husserl, Lacan, Levi-Strauss, Marx, Nietzsche, Saussure. . . . However, it can be said that the history of contemporary deconstruction begins with Jacques Derrida De la grammatologie (1967) that opens with a critique of Saussure. Saussure’s theory of language is here framed within a metaphysical system that extends from Plato and Aristotle to Heidegger and Levi-Strauss. By Derrida this theory is called â€Å"logocentric. † Saussure marks a concluding stage of the long logocentric epoch. Derrida indicates that logocentrism imposed itself upon the world and controlled the theory of language. Derrida’s contributions laid ground for future epoch. In the role of prophet, Derrida concludes his â€Å"Exergue† indicating: â€Å"The future can only be anticipated in the form of an absolute danger. It is that which breaks absolutely with constituted normality and can only be proclaimed, presented, as a sort of monstrosity. For that future world and for that within it which will have put into question the values of sign, word, and writing, for that which guides our future anterior, there is as yet no exergue† (Derrida 1967).