Saturday, August 31, 2019

American Popular Culture

What is popular American culture? Popular culture is a way of life. It’s a lifestyle of a group of people. The elements of everyday life consist of popular culture. These are the artifacts, institutions, and sorts of a general knowledge of a society, the common knowledge and practices of a specific group at a specific time. Popular culture reflects and influences people’s way of life because it is related to a precise time and place. It is temporary, and new phases take over from former favorites like singers, musicians, artists, media authors. But popular culture is all over the world nowadays. It is almost everything that surrounds us in our society today. It slowly builds up and becomes habits on what we do as we see. Some patterns in my pop culture inventory include photography, films, magazines and cell phones. I simply love photography with the fact that I have many photographer friends. Their photos inspire me in many different ways, such as the outlook to life in an image, the insight of a person through a glimpse of a shadow and such. Films complete me in today’s pop culture. It makes me realize more about life then pop culture itself. Magazines show me the kind of entertainment and celebrities we are surrounded by. It also shows how popularity comes first in today’s society, for almost about everyone. And cell phones are something not many people can survive without in today’s world. It’s the fastest source of communication. The values in which are being communicated by the items listed in my inventory are relevant to society. Photography can change a person’s view on life. Its actions that take place, through different angles, shows you a different look on life, by just looking at one photograph. You do need to let yourself away from the world and get in touch with the picture itself, that is how I see it. Films, movies, shows is the one category that I do follow up in today’s pop culture. Not necessarily all genres of films. I love action, drama, romance and just perfectly made fairytales. I have always believed that movies have an enormous influence in our society and life. The meaning and main plots of each and every movie mean something, weather it may be stupid or a life lesson, there are so many different minded people in the world today that each and every meaning counts. Films are very convenient in today’s society I believe. Magazines, though, may not be fully true about the popular celebrities today, but it definitely shows a lot with its images. The writings may be false, but it certainly shows us the image and lets us decide on our own. It’s a big pleasure to see and decide for yourself. Cell phones are today’s highest communication factor. There are new kinds of cell phones out every other month. The technology is on 24/7 producing newer brands of cell phones and upgrading the old ones. There are people that live off their cell phone, that they cannot take a step out of the house without their cell phone. It’s a responsibility for them. American pop culture does not leave much of an impact on my personal decision making. Because of the fact that I don’t listen to pop culture when it comes to my personal decisions. I have my own values about everything in my life. I don’t let the pop culture decide for me because I believe pop culture is all surrounded by materialism and popularity. I come to believe and realize that today’s pop culture can be the result of most of today’s bad behavior in many aspects of people’s lives. My values come within my culture and from the way that I have been raised. Pop culture has never had an impact on my own personal decision making because I have been very aware of the influence of the pop culture for many years. While popular American culture is our daily cost, we as individuals always have a choice in how much we choose to participate. Most of the time as I make decisions, I do take into consideration of what is going on today, but never let it lead me to an influence to follow in its steps. The patterns in my pop culture inventory teach me something in my life. It influences me to the right roads. It also makes me see realize what I am being surrounded by today. As for my personal decision making, I do what I want to do, when I want to do and who I want to do it with, but never what the media presents.

A Review of the Communication and Leadership in Jusco Essay

The relationship is set up when the company regular operation. With the company growing, it will have more and more employees. So communication and leadership is really important. The relationship is harmony so that the employees will more effective, communication is fully reflected whether good or bad of the relationship between employees and employers. Leadership has a big role in here. We define leadership as the ability to influence a group toward the achievement of a vision or set of goals. Organizations need strong leadership and strong management for optimal effectiveness. We need leaders today to challenge the status quo, create visions of the future, and inspire organizational members to want to achieve the visions. (Stephen P. Robbins, 1998). Leadership is a management which manage staff to do the business, and make it clearly and more effective. 2. 1 Background of Jusco With Diaoyu Dao event came out, the relationship between Japan and China is become worse and worse. China even occur boycott Japanese goods last year. Many of Chinese people became mob to destroy Japanese enterprise. Most of patriotic personages were held the demonstration in different city in China. They boycotted Japanese goods so that all of Japanese companies were going down in China. Jusco is Japanese company; Jusco is short for Japan United Stores Company. The various of Jusco companies are subsidiaries of AEON CO. Ltd. There was a JUSCO in Shanghai before, but it was dropped down finally because of poor management. In Guangdong, Guangdong JUSCO Co. , Ltd used the name â€Å"JUSCO† to operate the first JUSCO at 1996. Now, there are 13 shops in Guangdong. It took the lead in the introduction of foreign advanced GMS (department store the supermarket) format mode, and in 2010 launched the SM (Food supermarket) formats. Guangdong JUSCO has a sound management system and in 2005 obtained the ISO9001: 2000 quality management system certification; national â€Å"green market† certification in 2007, was one of the first to obtain the certification of retail enterprises; 2010, ISO14001: 2004 environmental management system certification, the retail business is the first to pass the certification. Adhering to the â€Å"everything for customers† business philosophy, Guangdong JUSCO has been thought to provide customers with security, peace of mind and trust of goods, services and a comfortable shopping environment for the mission, so that customers enjoy shopping. Guangdong JUSCO business goods include: fashion clothing, household goods, sporting goods, home decorations, food, Japanese cuisine, fast food and other necessities. 2. 2 Research objectives 1. 2. 1 Definition of communication and leadership Communication is a slippery concept, and while we may casually use the word with some frequency, it is difficult to arrive at a precise definition that is agreeable to most of those who consider themselves communication scholars. Communication is so deeply rooted in human behaviors and the structures of society that it is difficult to think of social or behavioral events that are absent communication. Halavais, 2006). More and more countries open up their market in this modern world. Communication become very important to Jusco, due to relationship between Japan and China is getting worse. Leadership has been described as â€Å"a process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a c ommon task. † (Chemers M. 1997). Leadership is easy to understand that organize a group of people to achieve a common goal. Under this global world, every organization is need cross-culture leadership. Cross-cultural psychology attempts to understand how individuals of different cultures interact with each other (Abbe, Gulick, & Herman, 2007). 1. 2. 2 To investigate the component for communications and leadership. Communications is a big problem in Jusco. This is common problem in China. AEON has been set up 18 Jusco in Guangdong, naturally, managers, leaders and employees all are Chinese. Otherwise, they must do the job under the working mode of AEON management. So communication sometimes is a big problem. Direction of communication is deciding how to communicate to each other. We further subdivide the vertical dimension into downward and upward directions. (R. L. Simpson, 1999) sometimes, most of sales do not will to talk to Jusco’s managers. And I know, Jusco managers also do not want to communicate to Japanese employers. It is even more badly when the DIAOYU DAO event happened. Japan and China are in stalemate. Leadership is mainly cross-culture leadership. 1. 2. 3 Further problem To find out further research opportunities for current problem. With the Japan and China become more and more hostility. We have to find out how does Japanese organization do in China. So we can research other Japanese company to have some more opportunities to compare Jusco. 1. 3 Research rationale I choose this topic because I was worked in Jusco as a red wine salesman last year, and I know this is Cross Culture Company, and its communication and leadership must be changed after the relation between China and Japan get worse. So I decide to use my MO knowledge to how it will be changed. Or keep the old style to manage. 2. Literature review 3. 3 Introduction Communication and leadership have a big role in management forever. Communication is decided whether make the company stay in the harmony situation. This makes the organization more effective and standard. Verbal communication is important to Jusco, but non-verbal communication is also important to it. Jusco is cross-culture organization; Chinese managers need to talk to Japanese senior management. After DIAOYU DAO event, the relation between Japan and China is getting worse, Japanese and Chinese cannot have a nice conversation. So I want to find out the difference of two stages. Leadership is an ability to influence a group toward the achievement of a vision or set of goals. However, not all the leaders are managers. Organizations need strong leadership and strong management for optimal effectiveness. So Jusco is the same. Jusco is customer-focused service operation. They have a lot of leaders in Jusco. Different apartment has different leader. However, a good leader can make it more effective. It also make customer more comfortable when customers shopping in Jusco. 3. 4 Main issue—communications Communication represents one of the most important tools that the leaders have at their disposal to perform their influencing of tasks. Its significance is such that some authors consider it as the â€Å"blood† that brings life to the organization. Paulo Nunes, 2011) In Jusco, communication is important thing, no matter employers or employees, they need to communicate to each other. Due to power distance is stay in the high level. Power distance is the extent to which the less powerful members of organizations and institutions (like the family) accept and expect that power is distributed un equally. (Gert Jan Hofstede, 1965) Japan is in the high level of Power distance index. So do Jusco, senior managers have some power to manage and ask employees to do the job. However, Jusco is customer-focused service operation. Sometimes, senior managers will ask others to serve customers not himself. They have their own duties. But they need to put customers at the first position. So this is the main problem in Jusco. And the communication is has the big usage for employers to avoid this situation happening. Communication has the general process. The key parts of this model are the sender, encoding, the message, the channel, decoding, the receiver, noise, and feedback. The sender starts a message by encoding a thought. The message is the real thing of the sender’s encoding. When we speak, the speech is message. Our writing is the message. The movements of our acting and the expressions on our face are the message when we gesture. One of the suitablekinds of communications is organizational communication. In organizational communication, there is one kind of mode for Jusco: Formal small-group networks. Formal organizational networks can be very complicated. There are three kinds in this mode, chain, wheel and all channel. The more effective criteria are the networks wheel and all channel. Jusco is wheel mode. For example, one manager is managing drink, wine and so on. 3. Main issue—Leadership Leadership has main two kinds of theories. One is trait theories of leadership, and it is focus on personal qualities and characteristics. By 1990s, after research, studies and analyses, the best leader is unlike the normal people. They are special. But the particular traits that characterized them varied a great deal from review to review. (S. A. Kirkpatrick, 1991) Significant relationships exis t between leadership and such individual traits as: intelligence, adjustment, extraversion, conscientiousness, openness to experience and general self-efficacy. While the trait theory of leadership has arisen again, its reemergence has not been accompanied by a corresponding increase in sophisticated conceptual frameworks. (Zaccaro, S. J. 2007). The other is behavioral theories. In response to the early criticisms of the trait approach, theorists began to research leadership as a set of behaviors, evaluating the behavior of successful leaders, determining behavior taxonomy, and identifying broad leadership styles. (Spillane, James P, 2004) The managerial grid model is also based on a behavioral theory. According to three styles: authoritarian, democratic, and laissez-faire. Lewin, Kurt, 1939). Normally, some leaders may compare traits and behaviors to manage; however, they are still failing to manage. As important as traits and behaviors are in identifying effective or ineffective leaders and they do not promises to success. 3. 6 Theories used in Jusco While the communication model used in Jusco, if managers can use this kind of skills, empl oyees can be pleased to accept the order and finish the job in a short time. Formal small-group networks is the normal communications mode exist in Jusco. I ever was a wine sales in Jusco, my group all are sales of wine. The wheel relies on a central figure out to act as the conduct for the entire group’s communication; it simulates the communication network you would find on a team with a strong leader. 2. 5 Conclusion Above the literature review, we can understand the theories of communication and leadership. And figure out which kind of model can be used in Jusco. However, something I can know more in the Jusco senior management. So Ican not ensure the how the solve the problem just by this simplified concepts. 3. Research methodology. 4. 7 overall research design Step 1 Select Jusco as the object of study. | Step 2 Use communication and leadership theories to clarify the usage of management system. | Step 3 Find materials about communication and leadership in Jusco. | Step 4 Organize the materials found before. | Step 5 Combine the viewpoints that have same directions. | Step 6 Add personal views in research paper. | Step 7 Come out the final research paper. | At first, you have to set up your research title. In this modern world, people pay attention to personal benefits from work, so how to make the communications effective and in a proper way can be a key element to achieve success for companies. And leadership is making the company keep the direction keep on the right way. And make the company get more effective and achieve the goals as fast as possible. This is why I choose communication and leadership in Jusco, especially in the specific stage, after the DIAOYU DAO event. After deciding what title is, I begin to search information about communication and leadership which can support my research, and then finding opinions about the communication and leadership system in Jusco. With collection of all the materials that I need in this paper, the step four is to organize them and find out what the authors’ opinions about communication and leadership in Jusco, even in Japanese organization. When clarifying the points from some experts. Communication has some usage for making the whole company staff harmony, and let the managersto know more about employees. Let the whole company become the one big thing, and stay in the high effective. At the end, you read all the references, and link the knowledge and make it to the net. Figuring out why the communication and leadership in Jusco is so important and which kinds of mode are fit for Jusco. 3. 2 Ways to conduct literature search Key words| Source| Finding | Cross-cultural competence in Army leaders| From library books| Abbe, A. , Gulick, L. M. V. , & Herman, J. L. | An integrative theory of leadership. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates| From library books| Chemers M. (1997)| The process of communication| From library books| D. K. Berlo,| Army Research Institute for the Behavioral and Social Sciences. | From library books| Empirical foundation. (Study Report 2008-01). | WIKIBOOKS CONTRIBUTORS. | From library books| Halavais, Joe Petrick, Ashley Anker(2006)| Cultures and Organizations: Software of the Mind| From library books| Hofstede, Geert, Gert Jan Hofstede and Michael Minkov. | Great Motivation Secrets of Great Leaders. | UCD library| John Baldoni(2005)| Journal of Social Psychology| From library books| 8. Lewin, Kurt; Lippitt, Ronald; White, Ralph (1939). | Communications| Google research | Paulo Nunes, 2011| Vertical and Horizontal Communication in Formal Organizations| From library books| R. L. Simpson, 1986| Employment Relations| From library books| Rose, 2001. Acadermy of Management Executive| UCD library| S. A. Kirkpatrick and E. A. Locke,| Towards a theory of leadership practice| From library books| Spillane, James P. ; et al. , Richard; Diamond, John (2004)| Essentials of Organizational Behavior| Text book | Stephen P. Robbins and Timothy A. Judge(1998)| Trait-based perspectives of leadership| From library books| Zaccaro, S. J. (2007). | 3. 3 Rese arch Approach Q1: Is it communication is important in Jusco between all the staff? A: YES B: NO Q2: In communication, which thing do you think is important? A: trust B: honest C: honor Q3: Which thing will affecttheresult of the communication? A: skills of communication. B: parties of communications. C: place when having communication. Q4: Do Jusco do the research to know more about what the employees want? Write down your opinion. Q5: Do all the staff will have courage to communicate to the managers? Write down your opinion. Q6: If some problem happens between two apartments, how do you communicate under this question? Write down your opinion. Q7: How do you think the level of effective during working in the Jusco? A: high. B: normal. C: low. Q8: How do you identify superior/subordinate relationship? A: very clear, I will report to superior. B: Superior sometimes will interpose my work. C: Often several superiors give the order at the same time. D: When I facing the problem, I do not know who I can ask. Q9: How do your manager to order your work? A: manager will show me the detail. B: manager will discuss with me when I am in trouble. C: manager normally do not discuss with us. D: I often confused when I get the order from my manager. E: other:______________ Q10:Do you often find nobody will be responsible for the job, how do Jusco take charge? Write down your opinion. Question no. 1 to question no. 3 are identify is communication important to the employers or sales in Jusco. I want to know is it some problem in communication in Jusco staff. It helps to clear my thoughts that whether communication is barriers in Jusco between the employees. Due to superior/subordinate relationship is really complicated. At the same time, according to the communication process, I want to find out which process is something wrong. Like question no. 1, it will give all the staff a shake. They maybe will suddenly realize we are lack of communication during the work. Question no. 2 is the same to question 1, just want to notice staff to think about the communication. The usage of question 3 is wanted to ask them whether communication will affect their work. What is the problem will come out if communication in a low level. Give something to them to think. And this serious of problems are more valuable after the DIAOYU DAO event come out. Due to Jusco is in embarrassing situation in China. Question no. 3 and question no. 4 are the same direction. After give 3 questions to wake you up and think about the communication in Jusco. Comparing their real situation in Jusco, and research the information about the communication is it works out. And does it effective or not. These two questions both need to write down your own opinion, your own thoughts. These are staff real thoughts. According to it, maybe the management in human behavior of Jusco can change the structure to make the whole Jusco has more effective. Question no. 5 and question no. 6 are transition question; it is from communication questions to leadership questions. Questions no. 5 and question no. 6 are concern about communication and leadership. It is not only asking staff the situation of communication, but also checks the leadership in Jusco. We can see the superficial current situation of leadership in Jusco. After I get the superficial information about the leadership, we will collect the information about evaluation of the effective. With the question no. 7, we check the standard of their effective. By this collection, we get this information and find out whether leadership in Jusco is good to use. Question no. 8 is mainly to check the sales and employees how to treat with their superior. Hence, it also evaluates harmony of communication between superior and subordinate. If the relation is harmony, it has a lot of effect to affect the leadership exercise power. Question no. 9 has connection with question no. 9; question no. 8 is mainly collecting the information from employers and sales in Jusco. We can see the truth about the real working situation by opinions of employees and sales. According to their view, we have to do some evaluations to check the leadershipeffective or not. Question no. 10 is helps Jusco to improve their situation. Jusco is customers first company, if this situation coming up, all of employers and managers have to serve customers first. This is vision of Jusco. If they all pass the job to others, no one serve customers. Customer will go away with his dissatisfaction and blame Jusco has the bad service. What the worse, he will complain or tell every friend he knows so that the bad image of Jusco has been set up. 3. 4 Sampling For sampling, I need to contact with Jusco. Each observation measures one or more targets, sampling have too methods and everyone should to be used in the proper way. They all are unique. They are demanded to suitable different situation become the characteristics difference. Jusco as the biggest retail corporation in Asia, in Guangdong, it also the Top 3 of retail corporation. So Jusco is a big corporation, I think Simple random sampling is fit for Jusco. In general, I put one Jusco as the whole, Equal to the probability of each individual to be able to get through one by one extraction method to extract a sample of each extract this sampling method is simple random sampling. Why I choose simple random sampling? Due to Jusco have 26 stores in Guangdong province. Their cope is too big, so I have pretended their probability is equal. Hence, I choose the random one store has regular scale to do this research. Even though, each Jusco has different sales, employees and managers. The mode of management in Jusco do not change, each Jusco is the same administrative mode, Advanced GMS – comprehensive department store supermarket retail business model. Normally, one GMS mode of Jusco has five hundred to one thousand staff. They divided into different departments. Each department I will find the 20 people to do this research. When they done their research, I gathering all the information, and continue to analysis. When I finished that, I will finish my goals and finish my all objective. 3. Data access and collection To do this research and make the sampling, I have to go to Jusco investigation in Guangdong province. However, you cannot go in the Jusco working area easily. It is lucky I was worked there before, I know the managers. With the top managers in supermarket agreement, I finally go into and do some survey. My main contact person is my friend who sells the red wine inside it. Conta ct people: Wang Hong 3. 6 Methods of data analysis After I finish my survey, I will use my organization behavior management and cross culture management to analysis Jusco. How to communication and leadership will happen in it. The further I will analysis is what will affect them after the DIAOYU DAO events. 3. 7 Research limitation As a full time student in Singapore, we have little time to do the research. Due to the time is too short, I do not have enough time to make the scope large, and make is simplified. At the same time, I still have another course; my time will become shorter and shorter. Under this reason, maybe my point of view will short for one side. Maybe leadership will gather more information than communications. In China many things are cannot show in the newspaper so the information collection is a big problem, and Chinese people do not say anything so clearly, especially in the relationship, during the research. The superior/subordinate relationship cannot record faithfully. Maybe subordinates are too afraid to answer the truth. And even more, English is not my first English, many words we need to figure out how to express my view of points. 4. Conclusion 5. 8 summary This essay is mainly to show that how communication and leadershipwill affect the work in the organization. Different organization has their ownmanagement mode and their own culture. These are affecting the staff how to act in the company. According to the first part of communication, communication is basis skills in the human behavior. Communication process will show us the flow during two people communicates. Make the communication more effective is lead to the whole working flow more effective. However, there are some barriers to effective communication. Like filtering, selective perception. Emotions, information overload and so on. The next objective is leadership. Due to there is a big problem, about the relations. Due to in China, the employee will very afraid of the boss, so if the employers want to get the feedback is a very difficult thing. So the communication skill is necessary, but without the communication skill, what can the employer get the information from is also consider in this part. And what’s effect will the relationship come up with. Managers must not be a leadership, everyone can do. However, Jusco in China, most of people are Chinese. Leadership means that you are my boss, you are my superior, I need to receive you order to do the job. So leadership in this, there is a lot of value to have this research. The last part is how communication and leadership actually do in Jusco. How managers are good usage of these theories to manage Jusco working. 4. 2 Implications With the company growth up, and more and more employee will join with the company to help a company to give produce, and there will be one day the company become a global company then it will face the east and west different culture, and the relationship is not as simple as before, how can the employer deal with it. They need to use the tool of communication, and even developing their leadership to make he reach their personal goal. China is depending on relations, this is a marvel country. Communication is a good weapon to flight during in this society. Leadership is one person who cans good use at communications and he has the ability to gather some people to achieve the goals. This is difference to order people to do the job. 4. 3 Further research opportunities Actually in China, relation is important thing. This is not only communication nor does leadership make it success. Every foreign company, need to do some research about relations. If you control this, you can live really well in China. Reference 1. Abbe, A. , Gulick, L. M. V. & Herman, J. L. (2007). Cross-cultural competence in Army leaders. 2. Chemers M. (1997) An integrative theory of leadership. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Publishers 3. D. K. Berlo, The process of communication (NEW YORK: Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1960), pp. 30-32. 4. Empirical foundation. (Study Report 2008-01). Arlington, VA: U. S. Army Research Institute for the Behavio ral and Social Sciences. 5. Halavais, Joe Petrick, Ashley Anker(2006): WIKIBOOKS CONTRIBUTORS. Free software Foundation, Inc. 6. Hofstede, Geert, Gert Jan Hofstede and Michael Minkov. Cultures and Organizations: Software of the Mind, 3rd ed. New York: McGraw-Hill. 2010. 7. John Baldoni(2005): Great Motivation Secrets of Great Leaders. McGraw- Hill. P1-24 8. Lewin, Kurt; Lippitt, Ronald; White, Ralph (1939). â€Å"Patterns of aggressive behavior in experimentally created social climates†. Journal of Social Psychology: 271–301. 9. Paulo Nunes, Communications, 2011,rehttp://www. knoow. net/en/sceconent/management/communication. htmretrieved 2013-1-20. 10. R. L. Simpson, â€Å"Vertical and Horizontal Communication in Formal Organizations,† Administrative Science Quarterly, September 1989, pp. 188-196. 11. Rose,2001. Employment Relations. UK: Pearcon Edmcati Ltd. 2. S. A. Kirkpatrick and E. A. Locke, â€Å"leadership:Do traits matter? † Acadermy of Management Executive, May 1991, pp. 48-60 13. Spillane, James P. ; et al. , Richard; Diamond, John (2004). â€Å"Towards a theory of leadership practice†. Journal of Curriculum Studies 36 (1): 3–34. 14. Stephen P. Robbins and Timothy A. Jud ge(1998): Essentials of Organizational Behavior. Eleventh edition. Pearson Educated Ltd. 15. Zaccaro, S. J. (2007). Trait-based perspectives of leadership. American Psychologist, 62, 6-16. Confirmation Certificate Congratulations! You have successfully completed the Library Plagiarism Quiz. Student Name: †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Chen Zhiying†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Student Number: †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 11211905†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Date: †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 2012-10-18†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. THIS IS TO CERTIFY THAT (signature)†¦chen zhiying†¦.. HAS COMPLETED THE PLAGIARISM QUIZ Remember that the confirmation certificate is a statement by you that you understand plagiarism and know how to avoid it. If you think that you do not understand plagiarism and how to avoid it after working through this tutorial, you should confer with your module coordinator, no matter what score you have obtained on the test.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Nicole Sarah Calgary Wedding Photography

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Thursday, August 29, 2019

MGT599 MoD 5 Case Assign Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

MGT599 MoD 5 Case Assign - Essay Example In this paper, efforts have been made to understand whether various organizational components complement the primary strategy of the company and consequently suitable recommendations has been provided. Kraft Foods is an American company that primarily operates in North America and Canada and is one of the largest consumer packaged goods companies in the United States (US). The company was started in 1903 but it was re-launched in 2012 with a culture of collaboration and innovation. The company has a total of thirty brands selling different food items such as cheese, toppings, beverages, dressings, snacks and spreads. According to the company, at least ten brands of the company generate about $500 million in sales. The company is growing steadily and presently has approximately 22500 employees operating in the US and Canada (Kraft Foods Group, 2014a; 2014b). In this paper, the strategic position of the company along with its organizational design, organizational culture, human resource management and strategic system will be discussed in an elaborate manner. The rationale behind this attempt is to understand the efficiency of the strategy of the company and mitigate issues that are acting as barrier to strategy implementation in the company. It was ascertained from various published reports of Kraft Foods that the company has undergone major changes in recent years such as collaboration with McDonalds and multiyear licensing agreement with Keurig Green Mountain. It is assumed that such major decisions also have a strong impact on a company’s strategy and performance (Kraft Foods Group, 2014c; 2014d). The paper will evaluate various reports and articles about the company, for the purpose of analyzing various strategic developments in the company in recent years. By means of in-depth study, it is expected that the pertaining strategic issue of the company will be recognized so that appropriate recommendations can

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Is Mass Surveillance Ever a Good Thing Research Paper

Is Mass Surveillance Ever a Good Thing - Research Paper Example The benefit of mass surveillance exceeds its negative. The research will focus on mass surveillance and outline its impact on both the government and the citizens. According to Reuters (2013), mass surveillance can be traced back to the First World War were vital information was sourced from both the enemy territory and within a given country. This was to assist the country achieve a given objective in the war. The cold war period increase and the importance of mass surveillance with its aim being monitoring activities that could expose countries secrete policy. Traditionally mass surveillance was used as a tool to counter any move by an enemy country. Traditional ideologies used the concept to attain military and political supremacy. Over the years, technologies have evolved and gadgets that are more sophisticated introduced to aid a given country in mass surveillance. Surveillance has become a modality in modern day government (Ericson & Haggerty, 2006, 4). The ideology is traced back to the world war eras and the aim is to ensure a country protects its own interests. Sovereignty of a nation could be jeopardized if a country fails to gather enough information needed to protect the interest of a given nation. The United States of America has invested heavy in mass surveillance. The driving point has been on the 2001 attack’s impact. The question has been on how to avert future calamities similar to it. New models have aided the country in their quest to counter terrorism. Bush (2006) attributes the effect of mass surveillance to national security. Different security organs relay on public information to ensure a successful plan that would protect national interests and at the same time secure a country from external attacks (Fussey, 121). Strategic planning involves designing models that would prevent an attack and at the same time source information that

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Diversity in the Office Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Diversity in the Office - Essay Example This essay "Diversity in The Office" illustrates how is the workplace a confluence of cultures. The structures and processes within the organization that should be examined are the front desk management and the accounts department with the special interest in the public relation personnel data systems along with the basic working force available and are quite effective while confronting the confluence of cultures. The front desk management would be in focus because the public relation personnel is on the top hierarchy of that department and accounts is logically related to the public relation department. It should be looked into the fact is the public relation personnel is soft on the issue and furthermore, it should be noted whether accounts back office evaluation team if following all the instruction laid down by the Health Department. However, these measures are applicable for the entire workforce of the departments in the hospital. (Klare, 2006, 132) B. How can the dynamics of communication between people who see each other without empathy become more effective? The dynamics of communication between people who see each other without empathy become more effective because in such a situation the parties are strictly and chiefly confined to the matter of work and its work ethics. Here the outer bounds are executed with clinical perceptions without any emotion involvement. This makes the work much easier for the employees as they are able to concentrate on the job itself and thus the job becomes the priory make the end result count better.

Monday, August 26, 2019

Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 45

Case Study Example In the bid for technology refresh, the organization requires to refresh 35 desktop personal computers. The refresh will involve the making the PCs able to deal with handle complex calculations when presented with statistical models that utilize enormous amount of data; this requires actual computer power right in the desktop machine. The senior manager considers that this would maintain the loyalty of its customers, especially banks, credit card companies and a fraction of law enforcement entities.. This report is written with the main objective of presenting a guides in assessment and identification of the hardware that would be essential to aid the users, financial analyst and economist, to maneuver through with their work; the work of operating with statistical model that use large amounts of data. This will involve concentrating on the components of internal hardware such as the CPU, motherboard, bus and hard drive. From these, the characteristics of the components will be evaluated on how it meets the requirement of the project. The first step was to identify the list of various components of hardware. This was done by considering the most probable ones that could satisfy the needs of the project. The attributes for each component was then defined to help in determining the usability. The attributes studied for this case were the size, number, capacity and speed, with reference to how they can handle large data sets. In which case, each component was defined by the attributes that are usually used to identify them. This step was significant to help in identifying the recommended attributes that could be used to evaluate whether the component in question meets the requirements (Vogt & Johnson, 2011). The next step was the evaluation of the usability of the component by justifying why a component might be recommended. This involved accessing the already mentioned

Sunday, August 25, 2019

The constitution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The constitution - Essay Example fectual in running a national government, so a combination of factors further pointed to the need of a stronger government than the articles of confederation provided. Congress could not provide protection for local industries because it did not have the powers, and so America’s manufacturing had failed to grow. Settlers in the west demanded a more aggressive policy on land cessions and wanted more to be done to protect them from Indian attacks2. Merchants wanted a government that could get them advantageous trade agreements abroad. While changing the Articles was not viewed as urgent among the southern and Mid-Atlantic States, their leaders too appreciated that free navigation of the Mississippi River and a solution of the dispute with Spain needed a response from a stronger government. Before the new constitution, only white males who owned property were allowed to vote. The new constitution, however, would allow all citizens to vote. It was also going to abolish slavery, meaning the propertied white would have to find an alternative source of labor3. The preamble of the federal constitution has the words ‘we the people’. These words can be interpreted to be meaning all the citizens of America. This is not true though, what it actually meant is that it excluded slaves, poor white males, women and Native Americans. These groups of people were not allowed to vote, for example. It denied congress the power to abolish the slave trade before 1808. It also required that fugitive slaves should be returned to their masters. The unrepresented groups in the American constitution include the Hawaiians, the Indians and many other ethnic minorities living widely as small minorities. A constitutional republic meant that whereas other people enjoyed the privileges brought about by the new constitution, the unrepresented did not since they were not properly recognized by the constitution. For example, the unrepresented people lost the right of suffrage. Though they

Saturday, August 24, 2019

A Bear Workshop Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

A Bear Workshop - Essay Example The management structure has knowledgeable and dedicated staff that provide ample knowledge exchanges in an interactive environment with customers. This is a fundamental strength of a business to be able to provide better customer relationship management and provide them with exactly what customers are looking for. Clearly, the owner understands the importance of cost monitoring when it comes to purchasing and production and will likely continue these trends over the next five to ten years. Having a strategic-focused management system is the key to ensuring a proper expansion. If the business conducts regular market research using focus groups or interviews with target customers, it will likely find more success in identifying social and buying trends early in order to gain market share in the toy market. Further, growth in Internet usage in developing countries such as India, China and Pakistan will provide even more customers in an environment that is convenient. Through agreements with different distribution agencies, Build A Bear will probably be able to find low-cost distribution to ensure that many international customers are able to buy the products and have them delivered in a timely fashion. If the business remains focused on product rather than pricing, higher resource (financial) consumers will likely recognize the brand and have a loyalty that can be built up over the next five years.

Friday, August 23, 2019

Derivatives and Foreign Exchange Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Derivatives and Foreign Exchange - Term Paper Example Within the financial context, derivatives include several financial contracts such as the swaps, futures, options, forwards, and; variations i.e., floors, caps, credit default swaps, and collars. Quite a number of derivatives are marketed via the off-exchange (over-the-counter) or through exchanges i.e., the Chicago Mercantile Exchanges, even though a number of insurance contracts have adopted the use of separate industry (Moffett, Stone-hill, & Eiteman, 2009). Financial Exposure Risks a) Economic Exposure Economic risks or operation exposure are experienced by any business organization when its targeted market’s value has been completely influenced by any unexpected exchange rates’ fluctuations, which have the impact of severely influencing negatively the market position/share with respect to its active competitors (Moffet, Stone-hill, & Eiteman, 2009). With this happening, the organization’s future cash flows and values are also affected. Therefore, transaction s exposing any organizations of firms to certain foreign exchange risks have additional potential exposure risks to the economical performance, as can be caused by any other business involvements, i.e., future cash flows from the available fixed assets. Hence, it can be concluded that a shift in the exchange rates that influences the demands for goods in some region or countries can as well be considered as an economic exposure for firms that sell that particular type of products. b) Transaction Exposure This occurs whenever a company has any payables and receivables, or contractual cash flow with any value subjected to unanticipated alterations within the exchange rates as a result of contracts being denominated in foreign currencies. To react to this change and for the company to ensure realization for its domestic values of its foreign-denominated cash flows, it has to effectively conduct an exchange of foreign currencies for the domestic types of currencies. Therefore, the proce ss of immense negotiation contracts with the laid down prices and delivery dates in the face of a volatile foreign exchange market with exchange rates that are in a constant rate of fluctuations, such institutions are bound to face risks of changes in the exchange rates between the foreign and domestic currencies. c) Contingent Exposure Firms do face contingent exposures whenever they are in the processes of bidding for foreign projects, or while making negotiations for other contracts and/or foreign direct investments. Contingent exposure therefore steps in from the potentials of the firms to abruptly undergo the economic foreign exchange or transactional risks. d) Translation Exposure A translation exposure is an extent to which firms’ financial reporting are affected by the exchange rates’ movements. This is brought about by the fact that all firms are bound to come up with their consolidated financial statements for their reporting reasons, the consolidation proces s for the multinationals have to take into account the translation of foreign assets and liabilities or the stated financial reporting of foreign subsidiaries for the foreign to domestic currencies (Levi, 2005). Although such exposures may not be of

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Writing about pic-18 in computer desing subject Essay

Writing about pic-18 in computer desing subject - Essay Example The most popular set of microcontrollers are those in the 8051 family. These 8051 family is a preferred choice for professionals specializing in embedded systems because they are cheap, readily available, have a larger user base and also the ability of being reprogrammed with flash memory. Figure 1: The 8051 Microcontroller Invention of the Intel 8051 led to a revolutionary role of microcontrollers in the embedded systems industry. Intensive research in this field led to design of efficient, high performance and low power consumption family of microcontrollers. These included AVR, PIC and ARM. These modern microcontrollers are every day being made smarter to include latest communication protocols like USB, I2C, SPI, Ethernet and CAN. History The name PIC refers to the Peripheral Interface Controller. The first PIC was developed in 1975 by the Microelectronics Division of a company known as General Instruments. It was developed when the Microelectronics Division was testing its 16-bit CPU i.e. CP 1600. ... 1. Base Line PIC They are the least complex family of the 8-bit PIC microcontroller since they are based on 12-bit instruction architecture. They are the smallest and the cheapest of all the PICs and are available 6 to 40 pin packaging. 2. Mid-Range PIC These are based on 14-bit instruction architecture with a 20 MHz clock speed. They are mostly used for industry and even hobbyists because of their availability in many peripherals like Op-Amps, ADC, PWM and other communication protocols like SPI, I2C and SPI. 3. Enhanced Mid-Range PIC These are an enhanced version of Mid-Range core. They provide a greater performance in terms of flash memory, clock speed and power consumption. They also include multiples peripherals and protocols like SPI, I2C and USART. 4. PIC 18 It is the highest performing among the 8-bit PIC families and is based on a 16-bit instruction architecture that incorporates an advanced RISC architecture. It is integrated with current communication protocols like TCP/IP protocol, LIN, CAN and USB for communication with internet based networks. Figure 3: PIC 18 Pin Out Memory Variation for PIC 18 PIC 18 is available with many memory options such as mask ROM, EPROM and flash memory. These different types of memories are denoted as follows; Symbol Memory Type Example C EPROM PIC16Cxxx CR Mask ROM PIC16CRxxx F Flash Memory PIC16Fxxx The operating voltage of the PIC 18 ranges from 2.0-5.5 volts. The letter ‘L’ is included in the controllers name to denote their voltage range i.e. PIC16LFxxx (operating at 2.0-5.5 range) PIC18 Architecture PIC18 microcontrollers are based the Reduced Instruction Set Computing architecture (RISC). This is the kind of architecture where the hardware gets reduced with an

One- Creative Writing Essay Example for Free

One- Creative Writing Essay Medic! the cry rang out through the hot street. Another gunshot, and men scrambled for cover like scared rabbits. The man still lay bleeding in the middle of the road. The war had started today, and he was already dying. He made an attempt to crawl for safety. Too late, he looked pleadingly to his comrades. A rifle bullet cut through stifling air and bit deep into the mans backbone. He writhed, screaming in pain. A final shot, this time better aimed. A burst of blood from his neck and a gargle, and he was gone forever. He was dead. His radio crackled. A few miles away someone needed help. Med Evac to grid 647- 321. Landmine detonation. One casualty. Serious. George Robertson lay in the muddy field, in a pool of dirty water and his own blood. Like a Valkyrie coming to claim him, a helicopter buzzed overhead, and two medics kneeling beside him spoke in terse, quiet voices. Of course, George didnt know any of this. George didnt know that his legs were a smoking ruin and that his pelvis had been smashed, fragments forced into his gut and spine. There was no pain, only the purgatory black of unconsciousness. A memory formed in his mind. The morning rally echoed out over the barracks. George woke up and sat on the side of his bed. Still dark outside, he thought, as he glanced at his watch. Five thirty- what was going on? Someone knocked at the door, and came in. It was Mark, Georges best mate. They had joined the army together, about a year back. Mark was from Liverpool and was the funniest person in Georges squad. Whaddya reckons going on then? asked Mark in his thick scouse. Dunno, replied George, still half awake. Might be about that thing in the Novistranos islands. Oh yeah. Yeah, I read abou that. Big time drug dealers rule half the place, I heard George, finally, was dressed. The two men walked out into the warm June night, across the parade ground where they drilled three times a week with that idiot Sergeant Major. Another rally call echoed through the mist. Cmon, were late!, exclaimed Mark loudly. Leg it! The men ran into the briefing hall, and not a moment late. Colonel Smith was stepping to the front. The men sat down. The situation in the Novistranos Island group has changed, gentlemen. A military coup has taken place there, led by a drug dealer called Pedro Alvarez. A picture of the man in question flashed up on the projector- he had a bushy moustache and wore huge sunglasses, with a straw hat on. Some of the assembled men laughed- he hardly looked the billionaire, mass murdering drug dealer he was. Okay, settle down now. He may look comical, but hes anything but. He bribed the army some weeks ago, and took control of most of the country. He sent the tanks into the capital last night. Latest estimates put the death toll in the thousands. The President is dead. The cabinet have either been murdered or defected to the rebels. This is serious. Novistranos has a capable army, with around 150,000 professional soldiers, and an unspecified number of reserves. NATO says we need to act fast. The Prime Minister makes a statement this afternoon. Prep for combat. You leave in 6 hours. You were formed as a rapid reaction force. Today, you fulfil that role. There was a shocked silence in the barracks. Every man attended to his weapons and kit. They sat on their bunks, writing final letters, cleaning firearms, assembling combat gear; webbing, body armour, radio sets. They knew that without proper preparation, they were going home in a cheap wooden box. On the helicopter, George lay on a stretcher, eyes staring blankly at the ceiling, unknowing of his weakening pulse and massive blood loss. There were two dressings around what was left of his legs, and a line in his arm. The rotors buzzed like maddened flies, and the medic next to him noted his pulse. George dropped out of the paroxysm of nothing he was in, and lapsed into another flashback. George Robertson woke up. It was too early. Hed got the sack yesterday from the garage where he worked. He remembered how the boss had said something along the lines of an irreparable deficit between costs and sales. George had said to his best friend Mark about how the boss quite possibly had a deficit between his mouth and brain. George had liked his job at the garage- he liked working with machines and going down the local afterwards with his mates. Out of all the jobs in Sheffield, all thirty of em, thought George, that had to be the best one. He had thought about going down the Job Centre, but what would they have for a lad with 5 GCSEs in Sheffield? The steel industry had packed up about twenty years ago, and no office would take him with his qualifications. Damn. Sheffield can offer me no more, he thought aloud. He needed a job where he could travel, and carry on working with mechanical stuff. Preferably without being a gypsy who fixed caravans, he chuckled. Just then, the pho ne rang. Hello?, George answered. He couldnt be bothered with anyone today. A right mate?, answered the voice at the other end, in a thick liverpudlian accent. It was Mark. You got any ideas for a job? Me mams chucked me out again George laughed aloud. Its true what they say about scouse families, then? As a matter of fact, I do have an idea for a job. What would you think about joining the army? Sounds good to me- pay, free house on a base could be just the thing. Hes destabilising! In the hot and damp medical tent, orderlies milled around the man who lay on the table in the centre of the floor. George was dying. He thrashed around on his bed, his mind not registering the pain his body was in. Finally, the surgeon arrived. He wore a bloodstained apron, with scalpels and capped syringes full of morphine hanging out of the pouch like a sinister infant kangaroo. He had a weather-beaten face; hed seen it all before, too many times. Whats going on with him?, the Doctor inquired. Massive internal bleeding he needs surgery now, sir, recommended a senior medic, brandishing x- ray photos at the Doctor, who brushed past him. Uncaring of the swirling melee, like a ghost in the night, the Doctor walked to George, who was still thrashing about on the table. The Doctor took Georges arm, and took a syringe from his pouch. The needle slipped into the skin, like the mouthpiece of a hungry mosquito. A thumb pushed the plunger, and the Doctor shouted Ten millegrams morphine going in. A minute later, the potent opiate did its work and the thrashing stopped. His pulse was still weak, but had slowed to a safer level. His blood pressure, though, the Doctor noted, was through the floor. The room was silent and still. The doctor breathed in long and slow. Get this man to theatre. Im going to do what I can.. The Doctor said, and walked away to get ready. Oh, and contact HQ. They have to inform his family. The shaking stopped as the ramp on the Hercules transport reached its fully open position. The thirty young men checked their parachutes one last time. They looked at the light by the door- still red. The men turned their heads to the standing figure of Lieutenant Lewis. He shouted out the orders that they already knew about and had studied countless times on the way to this god-forsaken place. Stand up! 60 seconds!, he shouted over the whistling wind. The men stood up, unclipping their arrestor hooks from their chutes. Clip on!. The men took the hooks and attached them to the line running the length of the cargo bay. 30 seconds! George looked over at Mark, who was facing forwards, looking at the helmet of the man in front. He heard another man whispering the Lords Prayer; someone else simply closed his eyes and raised his head to look at the ceiling. George thought of all of his friends at home, his family, his little sister, and his girlfriend. He had never had a chance to tell any of them he was shipping out. He thought more of them, imagining their faces, imagining their voices. A huge explosion interrupted his reverie, and the plane lurched to one side. One unfortunate man was thrown out the door screaming, spinning uncontrollably to his death. Another was hit by burning kerosene from an auxiliary fuel tank that exploded next to him, and ran screaming through the door. Missile hit! Repeat, missile hit! Evac, evac, evac!, the pilot screamed through the intercom. Ejecting! There was a roar as the pilot saved himself from certain death. Shocked, George looked at the still red light at the back of the plane. He muttered a hurried prayer. Lets go!, screamed the Lieutenant. No- one needed telling twice. Like lemmings running to a cliff, they charged for the exit. Some of the men got out in time. Others were not so lucky. The planes nose jerked upwards as another explosion severed the arrestor line, and all the men in the plane were thrown out of the door, all spinning. except for the charred remains of what had been the co- pilot, who had been immolated in the first hit. The plane span downwards, hitting the ground with a cataclysmic explosion. George coasted down through the sky. He was still processing what had happened on the plane- it had happened so fast. One second he was thinking of home, next second he had watched two men die. Was this war, he thought? Was this what it was really like, simply watching your friends die completely randomly and without reason? War was hell, he decided, and hed been in one for less than a minute. He wanted to go home. Back in Sheffield, the Robertsons sat watching the TV. They saw the pictures of air strikes on the Novistranos Islands. They saw the British planes roaming the skies, firing missiles at seemingly random intervals at unseen targets. Another year, another war, the correspondents had said. Itll be over soon, they prophesised like fortune tellers, as they always did. The telephone rang. Hello?, said John Robertson, in his gruff voice. Is that Mr Robertson?, inquired the voice. Speaking. What do you want? My son is in a war zone. If youre another double glazing salesman- John was cut off by the insistent voice of the caller. Mr Robertson, could you take a seat please? I have some bad news. Its about your son, George. I cant do any more. Stitch him back up, you. All we can do now is hope. The Doctor took off his gloves and walked away from the dying man. The Doctor knew hed be dead in a few hours. There was so much damage to his arteries. Almost all of them were ruptured. Anyway, the Doctor reasoned with himself, hed never walk again- he had no legs. He would have to have a colostomy bag too- that much damage had been done by bone shards from the pelvis, shattered into hundreds of pieces. The doctor went into his private room, lay face down on his bed, and wept. There were so many dead just so many. All young men with their lives ahead of them. War. War. War. A three-letter word, with so many implications. George thought again. He was drifting away from these thoughts now; he was running out of the energy to think them. He remembered back to when he hit the ground. George unclipped his parachute and took his SA-80 from his pack. He had come down in a clearing, luckily. In training, they had showed the pictures of men who had landed on trees. Nervously, he spoke into his radio microphone. Bravo 2-6 to any friendly units, respondBravo 2-6 to any friendly units, please respond, over Bravo 2-5 here. Whats your status, George? It was Mark. Im OK, he replied. The plane. How many got out alive? Do you know? I saw 12 chutes as I came down, including yours. I was last out. The last thing I saw was the back of the plane completely shearing in two. theyre all dead. Sixteen men hurled to their doom. Sixteen friends. Sixteen families. It all sank in. OK Ive looked at the map. Meet at grid 502-178, said Mark. Roger, see you- George stopped talking. Hed seen something move in the trees to his left. George immediately went prone, and looked around him. He crawled through the undergrowth, and saw a man walking away. He looked in his early twenties maybe the same age as George. He carried an AK-47, and wore a red t shirt, with the words Always Coca Cola emblazoned on the back. George moved again, this time snapping a twig. The man turned around, eyes wild with panic. He lifted his gun to shoot George. George instinctively pulled the trigger on his rifle. A shout of gun, and the man was on the floor. George lay there, stunned. Hed just killed a man. He got up to look at the man. and jogged. The rendezvous couldnt be far away now. A half hour later, George was being briefed by the lieutenant. They had 11 men in the squad, and the main force had landed on the beach a few miles away. Helicopters buzzed overhead.. Now that the war is through with me George stepped forwards. Im waking up I cannot see. His foot hit something metallic.. Deep down inside I feel the scream.. Landmine! shrieked a squaddie. George was in terrible pain. This terrible silence stops me.. The world went white. Now the world is gone, Im just one, Oh God help me.. The pain stopped. George remembered no more. Hes dead, Doctor.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Executive Pay And Company Performance

Executive Pay And Company Performance Executive pay and compensation packages are a hot topic in todays world of business and public analysis. Many top executives in the United States are seen as more highly compensated than is necessary, while other Americans are struggling to make ends meet. Even so, the cost of executive compensation continues to increase despite efforts to curtail this type of company spending. Despite the fact that the cost of compensation is steadily increasing, a company ´s performance often depends on the performance of a good Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Therefore, it is often necessary for a company to pay its CEO handsomely, usually well above the market rate, in order to retain him or her as one of the companys most prized assets. This paper analyzes this notion and gives an in-depth look into the concept of pay for performance for senior executives such as CEOs. It is important to note that a companys Board of Directors, shareholders and compensation committee are responsible for executive compensation package proposals presented to prospective CEOs, and they are charged with weighing possible risks against benefits for any particular package presented. CEO Compensation There is a consensus in America regarding executive compensation and it is the philosophy that it is better to align executive compensation with performance. It is reasonable, considering that it just makes sense that paying an executive more for better performance is motivational to the executives (Ferracone 2010). As analyzed by Gomez-Mejia, Tosi Hinkin (1987), compensation for CEOs is as follows: Compensation has three distinct components: salary, bonuses, and long-term income. The last includes a wide array of deferred compensation benefits like pensions, profit sharing, stock options, IRAs, and bonus deferrals (60). The above quote outlines the totality of the basic CEOs compensation package, not including any added benefits or perks the company deems is necessary to attract and retain their chosen CEO executive. However, the bottom line is whether or not the executive is capable of handling the responsibilities of being the top executive for the firm. According to Lewellen, Loderer, Martin Blum (1994), senior executives are responsible for their corporations sound investment and financing decisions and also to ensure that their firms shareholder and investor interests are well taken care of; however, there is concern by many shareholders and investors that their corporate executive may not do was is expected. This brings up the issue of whether there is a correlation between the size of senior executive compensation packages offered and the firms financial performance standing. A positive correlation between the two can result in a reduction of overall costs for a large corporation (Lewellen, Loderer, Martin Blum 1994). This is significant, given the fact that many smaller firms are competing in the marketplace with larger firms that can afford better executive compensation packages. Similarly, Gomez-Mejia, Tosi Hinkin (1987) suggests that economic theory concerning executive compensation is based on the human capital theory, and it relates to a companys size as being associated with how difficult a top executives job is. It is further noted that organizational size and the CEOs compensation package should be closely related and based on the complexity of the job more so than how well the job is done. However, many experts and industry professionals disagree and feel that the CEOs performance should definitely be taken into account. The obvious assumption is that a high compensation incentive would yield a high performance level and success for top executives. More CEO Pay vs. CEO Exits As illustrated by Ferracone (2010), a companys Board of Directors may see the company in a position of risk by losing a strong-performing, qualified CEO, so they may opt to reward the CEO accordingly rather than risk losing the CEO to a competitor. They see it in their best interest to retain an already well-performing CEO who is experienced with the ins and outs of their firm and not have to deal with the possibility of ending up with a less desirable executive. Morgenson (2012) reports, many corporations argue that if they do not pay high CEO compensation packages, then they will not have the most highly qualified CEO. Therefore, many corporations find it in their best interest to justify the high-valued executive rewards and compensation packages by saying that their focus is really on hiring the most competent executive instead of simply trying to scrimp on pay and end up losing a promising executive for the company. Additionally, it is a fact that plenty of management teams in companies across America feel like they have to keep up with whatever the competition is doing, in this regard, based on what the market can stand. Its a classic case of keeping up with the Jones. However, a companys compensation committee may choose to offer a compromise by presenting the CEO with a reasonable pay incentive that is contingent on company performance. This way, the company is protected from the possibility of the companys financial collapse and also having to lose the CEO by forced resignation, along with paying out a hefty CEO severance package. With this in mind, questions often arise about whether or not pay-for-performance incentives for CEOs actually work and are a good idea. In terms of pay-for-performance, it is a fact that high value incentives may not necessarily equate to good CEO performance, and good CEO performance may not necessarily mean better company performance. As outlined by Barro Barro (1990), the amount of CEO pay-for-performance increases as the CEOs relative experience increases. Additionally, as it relates to CEO turnover, CEO skill matching is directly related to compensation and the size of the corporation. It is also noted that CEO experience has an affect on pay-for-performance sensitivity. As it relates to CEOs jumping ship of a firm to join the competition, relative transferable knowledge, skills and talents is an issue. Morgenson (2012) points out that most CEO skills are not easily transferrable from one firm to the next and that CEOs do not move often because of this fact. This means that perhaps all the hype about more money and incentives every year for CEOs is not necessary to keep them, because they will more than likely not move anyway. Many CEOs are comfortable and would rather not risk jumping ship to find greener pastures and end up in a worse situation than the one they think they are in at their present company. This is a valid assumption and it is crucial to the concept of aligning CEO pay with company performance. However, some highly compensated executives are raking in the dough even when their companies are not performing well, and this is seen as highly unacceptable. Executive Compensation Overpayment Some CEOs are overpaid, in spite of undesirable company performance trends. Highly compensated top executives often accept large compensation bonuses and incentives, even when they see their company is not doing so well. A case in point is outlined in an article in the Huffington Post reports that, in 2011, the CEO of Dean Foods, Gregg Engles, was given a 52 percent increase in salary and incentives from the previous year and made $8.5 million, even though the company had a $1.6 billion loss for the year (Kavoussi 2012). This seems out of context but it is evident that this CEOs company places a high value on his presence without the organization. Another example of a CEO cashing in when his companys profits took a downturn is the case of the CEO of Omega Healthcare in Hunt Valley. His executive pay package value doubled to $7.8 million, in spite of it being criticized by a shareholder advisory firm and also in light of the fact that the companys fallen stock price and decreased profits were on the books (Hopkins 2012). These are glaring examples of CEO overpayments and many people in the general public consider it an outrage. As it relates to CEO overpayments, Popper (2012) reports that the median pay of the 200 most highly compensated CEOs in the United States was $14.5 million in 2011. This statistic comes from a study done by Equilar, a Redwood City, California compensation data firm. Additionally, those same CEOs median pay raise equaled 5 percent. This is a standout social issue and it feeds the anger of ordinary Americans who often struggle with unemployment, pay cuts and decreasing wealth. It is seen as a case of the haves catering to greed while the have-nots are barely getting by. Ferracone (2010) states some people blame the recent financial collapse in America on overly high executive compensation. CEO Pay Alignment to Performance In light of the overpayment issue, company investors points of view are often in favor of aligning CEO pay with company performance, as well as having a trustworthy compensation committee that has the best interests of the investors and shareholders of the company in mind (Ferracone 2010). For instance, a Wall Street Journal report shows that 2011 CEO pay packages were more aligned with company performance. On average, CEOs received 0.6 percent increases for every extra 1 percent of returns to shareholders. This, at least, is a measurable component to the executive compensation package issue. Shareholders often need justification of the significance of an executive compensation package before approving it. To meet approval, it is often not so much an issue about the amount of pay that is being considered for the CEO but more of whether or not the CEO is giving the corporation its moneys worth. It is a question of does the CEO meet goals and standards put in place to help the company advance. Bhatt (2012) states that companies justify executive pay to shareholders by implementing compromises such as eliminating perks, tying bonuses to corporate goals and putting policies in place that allows the company to take back bonuses and stock options from executives if the company gets into financial trouble. This is seen as a fair compromise. With this type of justification tied to compensation package proposals, shareholders can feel better about the executives worth and commitment, and therefore they can feel better about approving the executives compensation package. Say on Pay Authority In contrast to decades past, investors are heavily involved in the decisions of what to pay top executives in their companies. They have a say about pay for top executives, unlike in the past. The vehicle in which investors voices can be heard is called the Say on Pay law. The Say on Pay law mandates that public companies allow its shareholders and investors to cast votes, based on advisory decisions, regarding executive compensation (Bhatt 2012). This has shed light on pay practices and allows a check and balance approach to alert for any red flags that may arise. The Say on Pay law is also a way for investors to vote against compensation packages it deems is too much and not in the best interest of the company, its shareholders and investors. For example, Bhatt (2012) reports that a Portland-based bank had an executive-pay proposal rejected by its committee and it cut the CEOs base salary by about 7 percent last year to a paltry $815,000. This example shows a move in the best inter est of the shareholders, while still allowing for a hefty pay package for the CEO. It also shows that there can be a win-win situation with controlling executive compensation package amounts. Shareholders, legislators, regulators and the media all put pressure on company Boards to appropriately balance the vested interests of investors and corporate management (Mercer 2009). This is not only true for companies in the United States, but other countries as well. For example, Mercer (2009) reports that Europe has imposed legislation giving shareholders a say on executive compensation matters. Also, firms in Span, Sweden, Australia, Norway and the Netherlands have voted to increase disclosure of executive pay programs. These types of corporate governance reforms have become popular, though the United States and Canada are the last to implement them. It is important that new disclosure regulations about executive pay programs are presented to shareholders of companies (Mercer 2009). In addition to an increase in corporate disclosures about executive pay matters, there has also been an increase in compensation committee responsibilities in many firms. This is significant because it shows that more time is going into the decision-making process to approve CEO compensation packages and that the interest of the companys shareholders and investors is taken into consideration on a larger scale. Regulations have been strict, so it is in a companys best interest to ensure compliance to regulatory standards to avoid any possible corporate scandals (Mercer 2009). However, this presents a challenge for Board and compensation committee members to ensure an appropriate balance between executive pay with a necessity of attracting and retaining the best executive talent in the market. Additionally, when it comes to the compensation of top executives, many in the industry believe that CEO pay scales should have restrictions. CEO Pay Should Be Restricted CEO pay is often a subject of controversy as it relates to unnecessary compensation of corporate executives at the expense of taxpayers. DeCarlo (2012) reports on a study done in 2011 that revealed top executives of the United States top 500 companies received $5.2 billion in pay raises, which represents 16% collectively. Comparatively, the average American worker only got an average of a 3% raise in pay. This is an in-balance that is seen as unfair to the general public. Its the old adage, the rich keep getting richer and it shows a need for more corporate governance in this regard. In contrast, some CEOs are simply not as greedy or fortunate as others. An article by CNET News reports that the CEO of Amazon, Jeff Bezos, has passed on his pay raise and bonus for the last five years. To make up for this, though, he did exercise some very lucrative stock options (Kawamoto 2003). This is something that is seen by shareholders as a good move and is preferable. It helps the corporation but still takes care of the executive. Additionally, in the case of Amazon, a proposal is on the table for more executive compensation plans to include linking stock option cash out to an industry performance index. This means that the company executives would only get paid the large dollar amounts if the companys stock performed favorably (Kawamoto 2003). This is a compromising concept to executive pay restrictions. Similarly, Hopkins (2012) states a recent study showed that six Baltimore CEOs received large pay cuts instead of large pay raises, due to low performing company issues. For example the CEO of Corporate Office Properties had his compensation cut in half the year before he retired. This was because the company had a loss in 2011 of approximately $134 million due to plummeting stock prices. The other five CEO pay reductions were also mostly related to bad company performance but there were other factors involved as well. Another example of a CEO pay reduction instead of increase is the case of Armours CEO whose compensation package was cut last year by 14 percent to only $1.1 million, but this was in light of the fact that the companys stock prices went up and they realized substantial profits. The company justified this by citing that the CEO did not reach all of his goals for the year (Hopkins 2012). This is an example of CEO pay restrictions in place. According to Pearce, Stevenson Perry (1985), some industry experts agree that CEO pay should have restrictions. This is based on the concept that high compensation merit pay may be an inappropriate way to enhance CEO performance and statistical analyses showed this to be likely. Additionally, it is noted that CEO performance motivation should be contingent on performance but many times it is not. It is interesting to note that, according to Pearce, Stevenson Perry (1985), a comprehensive study on performance-contingent pay programs for executives revealed that implementing these types of programs did not show significant effects on general CEO organizational performance. One reason for this is suggested that managers have limited direct control over the performance of an organization and focus should be more on environmental influences that the managers are responsible for manipulating. It is important to note that even when CEOs are high-performing, they may not necessarily receive the highest pay for their performance. For example, the Society for Human Resource Management reports on a study done by a professional services firm that revealed that top CEOs of companies with the highest performance did not receive the highest pay raises. With this in mind, a question of whether or not it is even possible to successfully restrict CEO compensation and still benefit from the work of a quality CEO is appropriate. However, inefficiency in a product of interference should be taken into consideration as well as possible regulation of CEO compensation package ceilings. CEO Compensation Packages Regulation Many argue that it is unfair to have such an inequality in business as it relates to the astronomical salaries and compensation packages of CEOs in this country. However, others argue for its justification based on the fact that the CEO has the responsibility of final decisions that are made for a company and they have responsibility towards the company ´s reputation and performance. In light of this and the public attention from highly publicized, high profile corporation scandals such as the Enron situation, pay and performance of executives in the United States have come under some scrutiny (Jarque 2008). It is no wonder that the general public is skeptical and suspicious of how much money many executives make on a yearly basis. This is especially true because a lot of the money paid to these executives comes from taxpayer dollars, and the everyday American is aware of this and is not happy with it. An article from ABC News reports on a 2011 study that found tax loopholes, concerning executive compensation packages, which costs taxpayers more than $14 billion a year. This is due to CEOs receiving more in their compensation packages than was paid in taxes by their companies. Many see this as an unfair concept. It means that large corporations are taking advantage of these loopholes to lower their tax bills and the taxpayers end up subsidizing large CEO paydays. This is possible because, as it stands now, companies can take off executive pay as a deductible business expense on their taxes, so the trick is the companies pay the executives with stock options, which are exempt from taxation (Kim 2012). So, taxpayers get stuck with the bill and CEOs reap the rewards. Regarding regulation of CEO compensation, however, there needs to be some. Jarque (2008) reports over the last 20 years, the average pay of CEOs working in the top 500 firms in the United States increased some six-fold. This compensation was mainly performance-based and was paid in stock options. It is also reported that regulatory standards, imposed over the last 15 years, that affect executive compensation include changes in corporate capital gains taxes, limits on deducting CEO pay expenses unless they are performance-based, increased company disclosure requirements, and standards on option grants expenses (Jarque 2008). Additionally, studies done following regulatory changes show a shift of compensation trends from salaries and bonuses to stocks and options (performance-based compensation). Jarque (2008) states, This suggests that regulation efforts to improve corporate governance and transparency have been moving in the right direction, although it is difficult to evaluate the relative importance of regulation versus the market induced changes in governance practices (267). Conclusion Executive compensation is a significant aspect of corporate governance and is often governed by a companys Board of Directors, investors, shareholders and compensation committee members. Executive pay typically consists of salary, stock options, benefits, bonuses and other perks deemed appropriate, based on different company preferences. As noted above, executive compensation has disproportionately increased relative to the average American worker and this is often seen as a negative in the public eye, so it is a growing social issue. To help change the view of executive compensation as a root to evil, measures have been put in place to gear executive compensation packages more toward pay-for-performance. This equates to more executives receiving their bonuses, rewards and incentives only when their companys are doing well financially. In todays competitive business world, many companies are looking for new and better ways to attract and retain the highest qualified CEOs to help lead their businesses to financial success through growth and expansion. Therefore, many companies are prepared to offer and follow through with paying handsome compensation packages to existing and prospective CEOs. Many firms are prepared to justify paying CEOs compensation packages above the market rates in an attempt to retain the services of what they feel is their most prized asset the CEO.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

The Difficulties Which International Students Face

The Difficulties Which International Students Face Introduction: This article is about the difficulties which international students face, especially for Asian students, including thinking styles, learning attitudes and writing and presenting styles. In spite of its publication date, it is still helpful for us to understand the international students` situation abroad. In the text, the authors argue all the issues are rooted in traditional culture. In general, the authors` arguments are reasonable, but to some specific cases their views are no longer suitable. The reasons involve the development of education within the approximate twenty years and their limitations of visual views. In this paper, evaluations about every main idea are presented. About the situations which the authors` ideas are not suitable, some suggestions are indicated. As for the applicable arguments, more evidences are provided to back up. Background: In this day and age, quite a few of Asian students go abroad to study. However, there are some typical difficulties they must overcome because of their innate tendency. In Ballard and Clanchy`s research, the innate tendency totally stem from oriental tradition, which is a typical viewpoint in the past. Some subsequent research taken by David Kember and Lyn Gow indicates that the issues result from the curriculum and teaching environment [1]. With the development of the education system in Asian countries, the issues seem to be fade away during recent years. Asian international students become more and more familiar to western culture, and they can cope with the assignment from their lecturer more smoothly. This makes investigations in past time become unsuitable, so some updating surveys are necessary to cover new situations. Summary: The title of the article is â€Å"Cultural Variation: Difficulties for Student Studying Abroad†. It is from a book named â€Å"Study Abroad: A Manual for Asian Students† written by Ballard and Clanchy (1984). In this article, the authors argue three main difficulties that Asian international students face in their studying process. Further, the authors suggest Asian students adjusting their studying style for successful study abroad. The first main idea in the text is about variations of thinking styles. As the authors say, different thinking and learning purposes lead to different results, which stem from varying cultures. A particular example of a Japanese student who adjusted his purpose and adapted his essay structure to meet his lecturer`s requirement is utilized to support the main point. The variation in learning attitudes is argued as the second main idea. In the authors` opinion, different educational traditions create different learning attitudes. Then different learning approaches, including reproductive, analytical and speculative, are presented in particular education levels, although they are not separated totally. The authors quote three Asian students` words and describe an Indonesian postgraduate`s situation to back up their main idea. The other main idea concerns differences in writing and presenting styles. Five distinct writing patterns, including English, Romance, Russian, Semitic and Oriental patterns, are described in the text (Kaplan 66: 1-20). As indicated, a typical example of a Thailand student whose thesis was crossed out by his Australian supervisor suggests that different writing styles differ widely. As the authors` suggestions, a more analytical and critical learning approach is expected for Asian international students to succeed in their study. Critique (general): Generally speaking, the three main difficulties pointed out in this article are reasonable. Although this article was published in 1984, the problems still exist in current international students. The influence stemming from traditional culture is significant, which cannot be eliminated within about twenty years. The thinking and writing styles which are trained during their studying process imperceptibly, still influence international students. Something different, however, has happened in these twenty years. Internationalization has been an unstoppable tendency, for which relationships between countries has become more and more closed. In the trend, education internationalization is a representative one. Compared with the situation in 1984, much more students go abroad to study, especially for students from developing countries. With the number of international students increasing, abroad studying is no longer mysterious or unattainable. Most students who are ready to go abroad can get much useful information from internet and relevant agents. As the result of this, students are relative familiar to the education environment abroad. Additionally, they usually can get experiential knowledge from forthgoers. Thus, they are able to adjust themselves to the expectations of foreigner universities more easily, In addition, a series of language tests and record examinations are developed to ensure that students who are admitted b y foreign universities can survive in another country. Critique (specific): As the statement above, the main ideas argued in this article is still reasonable at present, however, the situation has changed. So to a certain extent, the descriptions in the text are no longer suitable. As the authors` assertion, the variations in thinking styles stemming from traditional cultures, made the Japanese student fail in his first year. Considering the source of variations, it must be true, but this example should be an extreme one. Normally, the thinking style of oriental students is implicative. They always make effort to avoid evaluating topics directly. When they are considering a topic, they usually think over the influence of background firstly. With the introductions of western educational culture, however, most students are likely to compare the views and evaluate the topic, although they may describe the background at first. In Chinese secondary school, many assignments are to conclude the main ideas of prepared texts and evaluate these main ideas from your own viewpoint. Through training like this students obtain the capability to assess the relative merits. So the description as the text presented, only may happen in extreme case. With the increasing of the fam iliarity to western thinking pattern, the similar extreme case should be less likely to happen. About the different learning strategies mentioned in this article, the authors claim that it is needed to develop a more analytical and critical learning style for many Asian students. It should be a believable recommendation at that moment. However, in today`s school, not only universities or colleges, but also secondary schools, it is paid attention to analysis ability. Basically, the teachers and lecturers encourage students to ask questions and think more deeply. In this way, students are required not only to remember the knowledge points, but also to understand how the process is going. In addition, many universities in China establish funds to support undergraduates to take experiments. Then, students who want to do some research in particular fields are encouraged to apply them. In this way, students` speculative capabilities are cultivated. Furthermore, according to relevant research, there is no significant difference between Australian and Asian students [2]. As reported, A sian students are not rote learners. In other words, the reproductive learning strategy is not directed towards Asian students. Then, for Australian students, the best way to learn is also to remember and understand by heart. For these reasons, the authors` assertions about these three learning approaches are not in accordance with facts and suitable to the development of education. Concerning writing styles, the authors cite Robert Kaplan`s theory to explain the varying writing styles successfully. For oriental writers, explaining the issue directly is a blunt way which lacks of ideations. In their views, a better way to express their ideas is to describe the background and the influence factors as implications. The end results should be obtained by readers themselves. As the authors suggest, this indirect writing approach is not suitable to academic thesis in Australian universities. In western scholars` views, the â€Å"relevant descriptions† are not relevant at all. It is a real difference between western and eastern writing skills, while it is unnecessary to discuss which one is more advanced. Expect from the variations between different cultures, the differences between each academic discipline are also mentioned in the text. In this day and age, more and more interdisciplines are developed, for which flexible writing styles are required. Additional ly, as a relatively objective writing style, science and engineering articles should be paid more attention to attract readers. Conclusions: In this paper, in connection with every main point mentioned in the original article, evaluations are provided. Generally speaking, the authors` main ideas are still applicable at present stage, although in this article there are some details should be changed to suit modern education. When the authors are comparing with Asian students` works and Australian lectures` expectations, extreme examples are cited. This is the biggest weakness, because it ignores the general status. Implications of this article are that student who study abroad should learn how to adjust himself to the requirement. References: David Kember, Lyn Gow: A Challenge to Anecdotal Stereotype of the Asian Student, 1991. F. Sushila Niles: Cultural Differences in Learning Motivation and Learning Strategies: A Comparison of Overseas and Australian Students at an Australian University, 1995.

Monday, August 19, 2019

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck :: Papers

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck The title of the book i am writing about is 'of mice and men' and is written by John Steinbeck. This book is set in western America in the sub urban areas. The book is set in 1937. The job of farm labouring is a boring one because the men who work there usually travel by themselves, this is different in George and Lenny's case because they travel together everywhere they go. They both have each other for company, although Lenny has the capabilities of a child. In the time the book is written America is in depression, many businesses failed and many men worked for low pay contracts at different ranches across America. The American dream is to live in small town or in a suburban area where grass and trees simulate the country. This dream home is a permanent seat, not rented but owned. This dream is bound to fail because everyone wants that dream and it cost a lot of money, most of the men working in America with this dream are on low salary so can never afford the American dream. George is one of the main characters in the book, he travels from ranch to ranch with Lennie. George gets Lennie out of trouble when he does bad things. The dream George has is to live in a small house and have a few acres of land and live off of the fatter of the land and not to go to work on the land when they don't feel like it or the weather is horrible. This dream usual for the time he is living in. This is the type of dream that people have in them days. Georges dream is that 'were gonna get the jack together and were gonna have a little house and a couple of acres and some cows and some pigs and we'll have a big vegetable patch and a rabbit hutch and chickens. And when it rains in the winter, we'll just say the hell with goin to work'.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Women and Debt Essay -- essays research papers

The dreaded ‘D’ word; debt. All of us have it at some time or another, and we would all like to get rid of it. Recent studies have shown, it is more common for women to be in debt. There are many reasons why this is so. When you look into a women’s closet you do not just see your everyday jeans and shirts like you would in a man's. You would be lucky if you see a few suits, ties and a tuxedo from the senior prom, but it is entirely different for a woman. A woman’s closet looks more like a department store. You have dress shirts, casual shirts, baby tees, tank tops, camisoles, dress pants, work pants, "fat" jeans, "skinny" jeans from the10th grade, casual jeans, dress jeans, not including the jeans you bought to go with the sexy red top that doesn't match with anything but the red top. If you are lucky to have a walk-in closet you might have a section for shoes, belts and purses, that is, if you’re lucky! The reason this happens is because when women go shopping they don't just go to purchase a shirt or a pair of jeans; no, the intentions may be good but it never works out that way. Every time a women picks up a shirt the first thing she thinks is, this is cute; then we have this little vision, of seeing our cute little self, in this new shirt with a nice dark pair of jeans, and fabulous pink pumps, and that’s when the trouble begins. Most of us women already do have darks jeans and pink pumps, but they are old and faded or we were seen in them two times a...

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Hazel vs Oedipus Essay

Tragedies often feature happiness developing into miseries through errors which ultimately reveal the cold hard truth. The hero suffers from human frailty (hamartia) which directs to his/her downfall. The hero suffers from catastrophic events, experiences peripeteia and is confronted with the magnitude of his/her actions. Two such heroes are Hazel Grace Lancaster from â€Å"The Faults in Our Stars† by John Green, and Oedipus in the play â€Å"Oedipus Rex† written by Sophocles. Both modern and classic articles of literature have a wide-reaching influence on people and inspire many through the centuries. Modern tragic hero Hazel is a teenage thyroid cancer patient who experiences twisting series of bitter losses. As an only child who has been diagnosed since the age of thirteen, she fears and worries what will happen to the loved ones after she dies and wants to minimize the pain her death will cause others. Classic hero Oedipus is destined to fulfill a prophecy that says he will kill his father and marry his mother, and thereby brings disaster on his city and family. He is blinded by the truth and hubris, powerlessly enduring the course of fate despite harsh and fearful confrontations. While both characters fulfill the role of a tragic figure, the modern hero Hazel evidently provides more hope for the audience than the classic hero Oedipus. This is shown when their character traits of determination, courage and ignorance are compared. Determination is a quality a hero cannot be considered one without, and both Hazel and Oedipus show this quality along their ways. Hazel shows determination as she combats cancer despite harsh reality. Augustus asks, â€Å"With the trope of the stoic and determined cancer victim who heroically fights her cancer with inhuman strength and never complains or stops smiling even at the very end, etcetera? † (Green 128). Gus and Hazel refuse to be tropes. Instead they create a new kind of cancer rhetoric, one that looks straight on at the unbearable fact that they are unbelievably unfortunate and stand a good chance of dying young. They are two doomed children who have not really had the chance to experience life, and who are determined to do so one way or another. Hazel demonstrates her strong determination once again as she sets out to Amsterdam with Augustus to find out the ending of her favourite book, â€Å"An Imperial Affliction†. She wants to know those answers and what happens to Anna’s mother after she dies. By using the lens of the novel, she wishes to reassure the fact that her own mother and family will be okay after her death, since directly thinking about it is too terrifying and upsetting. Hazel is told she â€Å"†¦can’t go to Amsterdam† because her doctor â€Å"†¦thinks it’s a bad idea† for she might encounter â€Å"†¦ a probably fatal episode of deoxygenation† (Green 157). Knowing her death is near, Hazel does not pull back from flying out with her oxygen tank. Hazel shouts, â€Å"bullshit  ! That’s bullshit. Just tell me! Make something up! you promised! † (Green 192). Although she does not receive any good information from the author, she tries to pound out what she hopes to hear out of Peter Van Houten’s mouth when he refuses â€Å"†¦to pity [her] in the manner to which†¦Ã¢â‚¬  she is â€Å"†¦well accustomed’’(Green 192). On the other hand, Oedipus displays determination to seek, to know, and to pursue principle as he unwaveringly discovers the truth behind his birth. The evidence first shows when Oedipus is so determined to solve former King Laius’s murder. The citizens of Thebes gather to discuss solution to the plague while Creon returns from the oracle and tells that the murderer of Laius is in Thebes and must be driven out in order for the plague to end. He furiously curses Laius’s murderer who is himself; he states, â€Å"Nor do I exempt myself from imprecation: /Lie all the curses I have laid on others† (Sophocles 32). Oedipus proclaims that should he discover the murderer to be a member of his own family, that person should be struck by the same exile and harsh treatment that he has just wished on the murderer. Oedipus’s sense of justice and powerful determination to uncover the mystery of Laius’s murder ironically leads him to unintentionally curse himself. He acts eagerly and rashly, refusing to shield himself from the truth, as if he brings catastrophe upon himself willingly. Therefore, it is clear that in terms of determination, Hazel’s will to combat tough fate is far more positive than Oedipus’s cursing to resolve matters, delivering more hope to audience. In addition to determination, courage is an important trait for a hero to signify firmness and face difficulty, danger and pain. Both Hazel and Oedipus show their great courage, but Hazel’s courage appears to be more encouraging rather than Oedipus as it is more relatable to the audience. Living with cancer alone takes great bravery. While Hazel has to deal with hospitals, doctors, and imminent death every day, she recognizes how tough she needs to be and how courageous she has been. She says, â€Å"People talk about the courage of cancer patients, and I do not deny that courage. I have been poked and stabbed and poisoned for years, and still I trod on† (Green 74). She is all about not hurting others even if it hurts her and wants to be as passive as possible. Courage is especially evident when she overcomes her pain to prevent others’ suffering. She says, â€Å"I’m a grenade and at some point I’m going to blow up and I would like to minimize the casualties, †¦ And I can’t be a regular teenager, because I’m a grenade† (Green 99). Since Hazel feels that she will soon die, she is motivated to be as insignificant as possible and desires to take the risks of others. She is much like a soldier rushing into battle knowing well that death awaits her. She chases her dreams from the hospital bed all the way to the plane to Amsterdam. Not the doctor nor her family’s disapproval and instructions could stop her from going after her dream. She provides faith to teenagers who are commonly trapped under parents’ umbrella to pursuit their own dreams for themselves. She even ignores the glances, whispering, and finger-pointing along her way. In spite of criticism, she acts in accordance to her own beliefs displaying admirable courage and selflessness of her. Young people can be benefit and inspired by her daring courageousness and overcome their obstacles with Hazel’s fearlessness in her battle in mind. Oedipus is also certainly a figure of remarkable courage. Upon arriving in Thebes, Oedipus displays his courage and lack of fear by facing the deadly Sphinx and solving its riddle: He sacrifices himself entirely in an effort to save Thebes which shows great bravery. He is courageous in his refusal to hide from the truth about himself, even when he realizes how horrible it will be. Facing the horror of personal guilt, especially guilt so enormous, takes extreme courage. In the end, Oedipus has to face his own failure to outrun his fate,