10 5-Paragraph Essay Topics on American Culture

10 5-Paragraph Essay Topics on American Culture If you are writing a 5-paragraph essay on American culture, below are ten great facts you can use in your next essay: The Harlem Renaissance took place during the 1920s through the 1930s, and is noted as the first point in American history when African-American achievements in art, music, and literature flourished and were widely accepted. In the early part of the 1900s, the American public was shifting its interests from the â€Å"minstrel show† format to that of vaudeville. This created a wave of changes in theater in general, and one of the most interesting was the appearance of African American actors and purely African American â€Å"themes†. For example, the 1917 play â€Å"Three Plays for a Negro Theater† was a first of its kind and eliminated the stereotypical portrayal of â€Å"blackface† in favor of African American actors instead. Many view this as the birth of the Harlem Renaissance which would soon include jazz music, poetry, literature, and various forms of artwork as well. This cultural movement blossomed primarily in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City, where a new African American middle class had developed. The societal shifts that had occurred with the end of slavery (around 1865) and the occurrence of the First World War all laid the groundwork for the coming of this â€Å"renaissance† in African American culture. This group of people was often the first generation born after slavery, whose parents or grandparents remembered lives spent laboring on plantations of the Deep South. These people wanted a much higher standard of living for their families, and so they joined in on the Great Migration to northern cities like Philadelphia, Chicago, and New York. Once they were settled, these communities established schools, churches, and other necessary institutions. They still faced racism and segregation, however, and this provided for the emergence of the dominating theme of the art of the Harlem Renaissance, which was a powerful racial pride. The literature, art, music, and even formal educational pursuits of the time were all influenced by the post-slavery experience. Many characteristics apply to these works, however, and there are combinations of different levels of society all existing in a single genre. For example, jazz was â€Å"high culture† and â€Å"low life† all at the same time, but it allowed black and white Americans to equally access and comprehend the culture connected to the diverse African American experience up until that point in history. It also allowed all kinds of poetry, plays, music, philosophy and more to enter into the common dialogue and to provide for a widespread acceptance of different art forms. This would have an impact on such things as rock and roll, and even hip hop music too. Rock and Roll music faced many challenges in its early years because it was created in a time when racial segregation was still very common and overt racism still rampant, and yet it appealed to teens and young adults of all ethnic backgrounds. The American Civil Rights Movement (around 1954) had barely started, but this actually helped to facilitate the spread of Rock and Roll while also aligning more and more young Americans to the fight for equal rights and an end to racism. This is because the genre combines different styles of music that had previously been labeled strictly as â€Å"black† or as â€Å"white†, but which disappeared when merged into Rock and Roll songs. This sort of amalgamation broke down many social barriers as it also created an entirely new form of music. Hip Hop is commonly viewed as a subculture phenomenon originating in urban areas during the 1970s, it includes fashion, dance, speech, art, and especially music – the latter usually including a blend of rap, soul, and synthetic or beat box sounds. It is often considered a blend of urban youth culture, music, fashion, language, dance, and more. It is no longer a type of â€Å"subculture†, and is instead a totally mainstream issue in most major cities of the world. Modern Hip Hop also includes graffiti art, which is a direct reflection of its urban origins too. Subculture is a sociological term that describes a group of people with a distinctive culture that generally differentiates them from the larger cultural group to which they belong. Hip Hop is a manifestation of the evolution of urban culture as it has progressed from the more restrictive period of the late 1960s and early 1970s and into the current era. The early days saw influences from African and Latin Americans which focused primarily on the work of disc jockeys in clubs and discos, break dancers, rappers and some graffiti artists. This has since expanded to many different spheres, including fashion, street slang, and even business ideals which have been readily transferred to locations all around the world. The 1960’s and 70’s flourished in the wake of the Civil Rights Movement and the Women’s Rights Movements of the 60s and 70s. It is believed to have reduced gang violence in the inner city areas by pitting teams of dancers, DJs, and artists against one another in totally non-violent ways. Unfortunately, the 1990s saw some shifts in the styles and language of the genre, and a re-emergence of crime, drugs, weapons, and strong language has created some divisions in Hip Hop culture. Counterculture is more of a social movement than an â€Å"institution† and it appeared primarily in the United States and Great Britain during the 1960s. Though living in a post-World War II era that seems to be eternally viewed as a period of middle class and domestic bliss, and one in which â€Å"traditional† family life was idealized, those of the Beat Generation, or Beats, experimented with sexuality, religion, and hard-core drugs. They also wrote about their experiences and theories in ways that severely challenged the status quo. They rejected materialism, used obscenity in their publications, practiced alternative lifestyles, and were often seen as the personification of non-conformity and creativity. William S. Burroughs, Gregory Corso, and John Clellon Holmes among many more emerged during the period following the war which was somewhat challenging for them because most of American society was still seeking a return to the â€Å"order† of daily life which the war had so readily disrupted. The Beat Generation, however, developed and thrived because of the equally strong intellectual subculture developing during that period too. This was reflected in the popularity of Beat â€Å"prose† which was often set to jazz music, and by the ready acceptance of its various poetry and prose forms, its art, and its developing language. The free use of language and descriptive text led to several obscenity trials targeting specific works, and these seem to really mark the entire movement. The beneficial impact of these negative events, however, demonstrated to society in general that there was far more than a single â€Å"language† or approach to communication of new ideas. This led directly to the rapid development of the much broader Counterculture movement which included music, clothing, social behaviors and ideals, and the later appearance of the â€Å"Hippy† generation. These facts perfectly explain the origins of the contemporary American culture that has various embodiments. They will simplify the process of writing for you. Just remember: if you have difficulties selecting the right topic, choose among the suggested ones. If you have troubles writing a 5-paragraph essay, visit our guide. We will help you with any problem contact our custom writing service. References: Anderson, Terry, and Joe P. Dunn. The movement and the sixties: Protest in America from Greensboro to Wounded Knee.  History: Reviews of New Books24.1 (1995): 15-15. Braunstein, Peter, and Michael William Doyle.  Imagine nation: the American counterculture of the 1960s and70s. Psychology Press, 2002. Cook, Bruce.  The beat generation. Scribner, 1971. Hutchinson, George.  The Harlem Renaissance in black and white. Harvard University Press, 1995. McNally, Dennis.  Desolate Angel: Jack Kerouac, the Beat Generation, and America. Da Capo Press, 2009. Taylor, Eugene.  Shadow culture: Psychology and spirituality in America from the Great Awakening to the new age. Counterpoint, 1999. Watson, Steven.  The Harlem Renaissance: Hub of African-American Culture, 1920-1930. New York, NY: Pantheon Books, 1995.

Jefferson and Madison essays

Jefferson and Madison essays Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, who were republicans, were against what they regarded as an intensity and misuse of power in the hands of the federalists in the Washington and Adams management. Alexander Hamilton, the secretary of treasury, had a major impact on the ideas proposed during the administration of Washington. Before the time of their presidency, Jefferson and Madison were completely opposed to Hamiltons ideas and devices. Hamilton believed in a strong central government led by a prosperous, educated elite of upper-class citizens. He was also a loose constructionist, who believed that the government was able to do anything as long as the Constitution did not specifically forbid it from doing so. Hamilton, as well as Washington and Adams, was more of a pragmatist. Having a grip on reality aided in making wiser decisions. When elected President, Jefferson and Madison, compromised their position they held against the Federalists, by contradicting their belief syste m and siding more with Hamiltons ideas. Before his presidency, Jefferson was a strict constructionist, who believed that the government could not do anything except what the Constitution specifically empowered it to do. His contradiction to this belief was the Louisiana Purchase. The Louisiana Purchase, which included all of the land drained by the western tributaries of the Mississippi River, doubled the size of the United States. Jefferson, who purchased the land from Napoleon, realized that the vast new lands could form the empire of liberty that was his vision for the nation. Feeling uncertain that the purchase was constitutional, Jefferson used loose constructionism as his excuse for purchasing the land. At the time, Jefferson feared that Napoleons intention with the land, which was to use the territory as a breadbasket for the French West Indies, would force the United States into an alliance with Britain....

Global strategy & competitivness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Global strategy & competitivness - Essay Example It is therefore a whole package affair where ingenuity in attaining competitive edge is a necessity. This paper will delve on Microsoft Corporation in regards to the above stated international business strategies while making comparison with its competitor: Google. Microsoft Corporation Core competencies of any firm need to offer real prospects of a wider market, contribute heavily towards the end product and above all, they should be hard to imitate. Leveraging on core competencies has become a contemporary strategic issue for firms especially those that offer technological products. However, a firm must identify these competences before capitalizing on them. Microsoft started by dividing its technological products into separate families. Some of the families include Office, Windows and MSN among others. The company then maps out these core competencies to fit its capabilities in delivering high quality and consumer friendly products. The major core competencies for Microsoft are ma inly those that ultimately lead to high revenue generation and improved product development such as licensing, advanced infrastructure and software development among others (Hitt, Ireland & Hoskisson 128). The company labels the above competences as Microsoft Competencies. These competencies assist the customers in differentiating the available skills and expertise. In developing core competences a firm should be enlightened on customer needs in the individual markets they serve especially in case of international companies. Microsoft uses the competencies to bring together all its business partners and their collaborative activities. Microsoft products offer a high level of connection for the customers. They connect the customers to many choices for example in business management and operation e.g. through Office and a range of operating systems. The products also come with guaranteed flexibility where customers are able to make certain products suit their particular needs for exam ple as pertaining to software usage. It is also important to note that for these aspects to remain as core competences for this long, Microsoft has invested a great deal over the years in research and development (R&D). Through R&D, the products become more sophisticated while considering their functionality in the wider global market (Hitt, Ireland & Hoskisson 209). This is the same factor that renders Microsoft products difficult to imitate. One notable characteristic in utilizing core competencies is that they do not wear out in respect to their importance but in turn are enhanced for attainment of higher competitive advantage. Microsoft Product Differentiation Based on Markets Operations on a global scale prove tricky, time consuming and resource exhausting. Microsoft has adopted a differentiation strategy so as to gain competitive advantage over its competitors in United Arab Emirates. The main differentiation of Microsoft products lies in the language and product customization to fit Arabic speaking customers. Microsoft products for example the Office Suite is compatible with Arabic language and even culture. Features such as thesaurus and grammar checker have been incorporated in Arabic which facilitates the user-friendly aspect of Microsoft’s products not only in the UAE but also in the rest of the Arab World (Ireland, Hoskisson and Hitt 2008).

Thesis on Lysistrata by Aristophanes Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

On Lysistrata by Aristophanes - Thesis Example The intent of Aristophanes to present women in a powerful light is confirmed by analysis of his character and the wellspring from which the play emanates. Comparing him to Sappho and â€Å"...the [her] fiery and lucid directness,† Lindsay suggests a balance of male-female characteristics present in both genders, pointing to â€Å"the profoundly balanced humour of Aristophanes, at once tenderly human and cruelly hard† (Lindsay par 3). Lysistrata to Cleonice mourns the absence of her fellow women, whom she has called to discuss her plan, mocking their absence and suggesting the lure of sex as first as remedy [after as weapon, a symbol of power]. The question becomes, can Lysistrata, the obvious main female character, convince the other women in the play to go on a sex strike until the men cease fighting a meaningless war. In the process of her quest, we discover through analysis of the character, and characters, the essence of what society perceives as the role of women and how women perceive themselves, versus their actual potential. In doing so we make the astounding discovery that issues pertaining to gender were as controversial then as they are today. Since the development of the concept of gender power occurs throughout the play, it is important to understand Lysistrada as a woman with ideals, determined in the face of resistance [by both the men and at first, women] to pursue them. It is clear here that â€Å"Aristophanes is not content to [simply] turn the tables and present purely virtuous women and venal men† (Study Guide, Temple, par 3). In essence, this is not about good or evil but about courage [of women] in the face of resistance--about Lysistrada as a woman character to not only â€Å"speak to men† but â€Å"to women† as well with the authority normally attributed to men. Her first challenge: how to convince other women, who have accepted their nature as frivolous and passive in political matters, to use their power to exact political

All men by their very nature feel the urge to know. How does knowledge Essay

All men by their very nature feel the urge to know. How does knowledge arise, and what characterizes scientific knowledge, - Essay Example He believes that human senses do not create wisdom, only experience. An individual remains unaware of the substance of a desire unless s/he discovers what truly fulfills it. Through its fulfillment individuals discover what is being desired by the desire. Hence Aristotle talks about the ‘delight’ individuals get from their senses. If the knowledge individuals desire for were only a way to achieve another objective, for instance, power, then the inherent desire would not be a yearning for knowledge.3 That human beings delight in the mere use of their senses is an indication that they do have a yearning for knowledge. This essay analyzes Aristotle’s argument that â€Å"All men by nature desire to know†. The analysis includes a discussion of the following questions: how does knowledge arise, and what characterizes scientific knowledge? How does Knowledge Arise? Aristotle classified knowledge into three main groups. He thinks that all ideas are either theoretic al or productive or practical. Theoretical knowledge pursues neither action nor production, but only truth. It comprises everything that people now regards as science, and in the point of view of Aristotle it includes thus far the ultimate part of the entirety of human knowledge.4 On the other hand, productive sciences focus on the production like farming, engineering, and so on. And practical sciences focus on action, such as how a person has to behave or respond in various situations. The basic assumptions of Aristotle’s model of scientific knowledge start with the broad statement that every intellectual learning and teaching develop from prior knowledge.5 Aristotle believes that the two forms of initial knowledge are needed—knowledge that an object exists, and knowledge of what that object is. This prior knowledge may involve the existence of an object, or to the description of certain concepts.6 It should also be established that scientific knowledge cannot arise t hrough sense-perception, and that scientific knowledge is developed by using the ‘syllogistic’ technique, which is how a person gives a scientific explanation of specific patterns and facts by demonstrating how they logically arise from specific first premises.7 For Aristotle, knowledge is not only having verified, factual belief. Knowledge is a concept quite precise for Aristotle. There are only certain statements that can be known. According to Aristotle, so as to know some statement P, first, P must be essentially correct or factual and, second, one should be capable of proving or demonstrating P from ideas that are essentially universal and factual. A ‘universal statement’ is defined as basically a statement about a group of objects, instead of a statement about a specific object.8 How Aristotle defines knowledge shows that statements such as â€Å"the speaker is a man† and â€Å"the boy is sad† are not bodies of knowledge, for only univer sal statements can be known, and the two abovementioned sample statements are specific, instead of universal statements. Aristotle would argue that a person ‘perceives’ that the speaker is a man, and a person ‘perceives’ that the boy is sad. Aristotle clearly explains that wisdom is the knowledge of causes and principles, because a person who has knowledge of such, also has

Strategic Information Systems Analysis

Strategic Information Systems Analysis Information systems that are developed in response to the corporate plan are called Strategic Systems. The main goal is to give the organisation a competitive lead. Strategic Systems can provide products or services that are less expensive, varied and focused on particular market segments or pioneering. Business strategies are implemented by strategic information systems as they have the systems in which resources are applied to information services and strategic business opportunities with an intention of companys computer system to perform well. Strategic information systems are always systems that have evolved in response to the corporate initiative. In other cases, the idea came from business people and Operational Information Services supplied the technological potential to realize profitable results. Most systems seemed to support activities such as business. They mechanize the operations of greater efficiency, control and efficiency, but they are not in themselves to increase business profitability. They are easy to use, more than enough reliable information to management in order to keep the business running smoothly, and they are used in the analysis plan for new directions. Strategic Information Systems, on the other hand, is an integral and necessary part of business, and directly affect the market share, profits and all other aspects of the Market Square to profitability. They can even bring in new products, new markets, new ways of doing business. They directly affect the organizations competitive stance, which gives him an advantage against competitors. ISSUES In 1980, the number of frameworks have appeared analyzing information systems from a strategic perspective. General problems in a dozen of their strategic information systems frameworks (frameworks SIS), has been described, including the following. Most of the frameworks of the SIS is American (and thus may be culturally related).Since there are a large number of frameworks available, each is at the best of a relative benchmark. Also, because of the variety it can be costly to find a suitable framework, and even more expensive one to find inappropriate. SIS frameworks are usually post-hoc requests for global strategic framework and so do not contain any special features of the computer world, where it was not clear if the frameworks were developed. It has been argued that,the SIS frameworks are externally imposed, meanings and restrain creativity, focus away from the bright ideas and are generated internally, creates the conditions for a power struggle over its meaning, and move the focus of control of the SIS from the outside. Finally, even the simplest framework can be understood in more ways than one, creating the possibility to the hidden divisions. SONY CORPORATION Sony Corporation announced the creation of Corporate IS Solutions (ISS), by April 1, 1998. The new organization will prepare for Sony in the emerging digital age by strengthening the management information system. Sony Corporation has a number of corporate structural changes in recent years. Sony divisional company structure was first introduced in 1994, and was further strengthened in 1996. Sony has also reorganized its board of directors and corporate executive officer positions created in 1997. In response to changes in business environment due to digitization and the growth of a networked society, the Sony Group has diversified its business to digital satellite broadcasting, electronics, entertainment, insurance and finance to take. Sony hopes to use the ISS for further information systems capabilities to enhance the speed and flexibility of management decisions to improve. The purpose of the ISS will be to increase the efficiency of the management of Sonys information systems (MIS) to improve the infrastructure and the role of MIS in the strategic planning and business promotion to increase. ISS proposes an advisory committee will consist of people from outside consultants and IS representatives of the worldwide operations of Sony. The Advisory Committee will counsel the president on technology issues for the strategic planning of information systems from Sony. In addition, ISS representatives are located in each of the ten divisions of corporate companies to implement projects that contribute in the firm. Sony Corporation is a leading manufacturer of audio, video, communications and information technology for the consumer and professional markets. Its music, pictures and computer entertainment operations make Sony one of the most comprehensive entertainment companies in the world. Business Strategy The companys competitive strategy can be featured as a hybrid strategy where the low cost(cost leadership), invested in a low price with a differentiation aggregated on the basis of quality, reliability, flexibility, innovation and create sustainable value for all key stakeholders. The companys current business strategy can be featured as a sales strategy that the companys acquisition and subsequent integration of these followed in MNE SBU structures. The turnaround strategy is not driven by poor financial performance but by the desire of the new shareholders to increase productivity and change organisational culture and structure, the required measures to claim dependable competitive advantage at a low cost, lean and entrepreneurial enterprise. IS Strategy From a strategic perspective, the problem is the extent to which improvements in information processing power can help improve the way the knowledge is created and shared both in and around the organisation. Competitive pressures have resulted in the maintaining high quality the strategic IS is developed centrally so the approach to corporate strategic planning information can be regarded as an incremental. Overall, the strategy aimed at integrating existing IS as external integration with broader chain partners in order to support both cost leadership and differentiation strategy. STRATEGIC INFORMATION AND PLANNING METHODOLOGIES AT SONY The role of strategic information systems planning is difficult and often time organizations do not know how to do it. Strategic information systems planning are a big change for organizations, from planning for information systems based on the needs of users based on business strategy. Also, strategic information systems planning changes planned features in major ways. Thus, the time horizon for planning changes from one year to three years or more and development driven by current and future business needs rather than incremental needs of the user. Increasing the time horizon is a factor that results in poor response from the top management to the strategic information systems planning process is difficult to keep their attention for a long period. Other questions related to strategic information systems planning on the scope of the planning study, the focus of the planning exercise corporate organization against strategic business unit, the number of studies and their sequence, c hoosing a strategic information planning systems or develop a methodology if one is not suitable, the target of planning and deliverables. Because of the complexity of strategic information systems planning process and the uniqueness of each organization, there is no one best way to address. Vitale et al. (1986) classify SISP methodologies into two categories: impact and alignment. Impact methodologies help create and justify new uses of IT, while the methods in the adaptation category placing IS objectives with organizational goals. Business systems planning: This method, developed by SONY, which combines top-down bottom-up implementation planning. This methodology focuses on business processes, which in turn is derived from the organizations business mission, objectives and tasks. Business process analysis of the data needs and then determine the data classes. Similar data for the classes are combined to develop databases. BSP final plan describes the general architecture of information systems, as well as a timetable for the installation of individual systems. Following are the strength and weaknesses of BSP Strengths Because BSP combines a top-down business analysis approach with a bottom-up strategy for implementation, it represents an integrated approach. In it stop-down strategy, BSP is similar to CSF method in that it develops a general understanding of the business plans and supporting IS needs through joint discussions. SONY the supplier of this method has the advantage of better known to top management than other methods. Weaknesses: BSP requires a clear commitment of senior management and their great commitment. requires a high degree of IT experience within the BSP schedule team There is a problem of the gap between top down and bottom-up planning implementation. Does not have a software design methodology. The main weakness of BSP is the considerable time and effort required for the successful implementation. Strategic systems planning Also known as PROplanner and developed by Robert Holland, this method is similar toBSP. A business functional model is defined by analyzing major functional areas of acompany. Data architecture is derived from the business function model by combining information requirements in the generic data entities and subject databases. New systems and their implementation schedules are derived from this architecture. This architecture is then used to new systems and the implementation schedule to be identified. Although the steps in the SSP process are similar to those in the BSP, a major difference between SSP and SSPs BSP is automated processing of the data collected during the SISP process Information Engineering This method was developed by James Martin (1982) and provides techniques for building enterprise, data, and process models. These models combine a comprehensive knowledge base that is used to create and maintain information systems to form. Basic concept of this technique is the use of structured techniques in all tasks related to planning, analysis, design and construction of enterprise wide information systems. Such structured techniques are expected to result in well integrated information systems. IE is based on a pyramid for an information systems company. The pyramid has three sides by the organisation to display the activities the organisation performs using the data and the technology used in the implementation of information systems. Value chain analysis The concept of the value chain is examined at length by Michael Porter (1984).According to him every company is a collection of activities performed to design, produce, market, deliver and support its product. All these activities can be represented using a value. Porter goes on to explain that information technology is one of the major activities supporting the value chain.Information technology system is a particular role in the value, since every value activity creates and, uses information. .. The recent, rapid technological changes in information systems are having a major impact on competition and competitive advantage due to the decisive role of information in the value chain. Change in the way office functions can be executed one of the main types of technological trends that today many companies, but few devote substantial resources to it. Thus, value chain analysis: (A) Is a form of economic activity, an analysis firm in its entirety falls apart. Information derived from this analysis. (B) Helps to develop information systems that the total profits of an enterprise to increase. (C) Helps to identify the potential for mutual business benefits of the constituent companies in the same or related industries, available from information exchange. (D) Focuses on value added activities and is independent of the organizational structure. Strengths: The main strength of value chain analysis is that it concentrates on direct value adding activities of an enterprise and therefore places information right in the realm of value rather than cost cutting. Weaknesses: Although a very useful and intuitively appealing, value chain analysis suffers from several weaknesses, namely Only provides a higher level information model for a firm and not the address to the design and implementation issues. Because of its focus on internal operations instead of data, not to define a data structure for the company. The basic concept of a value chain is difficult to apply to non-industrial organizations where the product is not tangible and there is no obvious commodity. Does not provide automated support for performing analysis. Value chain analysis, therefore, must be used in combination with some other method that addresses the development and implementation issues and define a data structure. Critical success factors Critical success factors analysis can be considered both an impact as well as adjustment methodology. Critical Success Factors (CSF) in the context of SISP are used to interpret more clearly the objectives, tactics and operations in terms of key information needs of an organization and its managers and strengths and weaknesses of the existing systems of the organization. Rockart (1979) defines critical success factors as a companys limited number of areas where the results, if satisfactory, will ensure successful competitive performance for the organization. CSFs exist on a number of levels. They represent the few key areas where things have to go for business to flourish. Consequently, critical success factors are areas of activity that should receive constant and careful attention from management. The CSF approach originally developed as a means of understanding the information needs of CEOs. The approach is then applied to the overall business and has expanded into a broader plan methodology. It is made from the root of much consultation practices and has achieved significant results in which the property is used. CB can exist on a number of levels, i.e., industry, organizational, business unit or manager. CBs at a lower level are derived from the preceding level. The CSF approach introduces information technology in the first stages of the planning process and helps a realistic assessment of the IT contribution to the organization. Strengths: CB-analysis provides a very powerful method for focusing on key information requirements of an organization, a business unit, or a manager. This allows management to focus resources on developing information about these requirements.CSF analysis is also easy to perform and can be performed with few resources. Weaknesses: (a) although a useful and widely used technique, CSF analysis alone is not enough to carry out comprehensive SISP its not data architecture to define or provide automated support for analysis. To be of value, the CSF analysis easily and directly be related back to the objectives of the business unit under review. It is the experience of people using this technique in general loses its value when used in the third level in a hierarchy BARRIERS: Analysis of IS practices and procedures Porter and Miller (1985) argue that the management information systems can no longer be the sole province of EDP work such as accounting and bookkeeping, which focuses on control and reduce costs. Advanced information systems in the value chain of activities can help companies improve the competitiveness of differentiation as well as to achieve cost leadership and thus obtain a sustainable competitive advantage. In other words, the ability to pursue cost reduction and differentiation at the same time justify the use. Earl (1998) argues that the IS has the potential to be a strategic weapon, at least one of the following: (1) gain a competitive advantage, (2) improve productivity and performance, (3) create new ways to manage and organize; (4) developing new businesses. These views show that the utilization of strategic and coherent action is more important than their use in operational situations (Soo 2002). The following part of the study will analyze and critically evaluate the com panys practices in the treatment of low-and intra- external integration of its information systems and its negative effects on the production value. The company has always tried its business efficiency and increase effectiveness by reassessing the internal operations such as purchasing, warehousing, materials management and distribution. It has used techniques such as Manufacturing Resource Planning (MRPII) and Just-In-Time (JIT) to the internal value chain effectiveness and efficiency. The company has exported its major ERP system in the early 1990s. The company achieved a relatively high internal integration processes within the value chain of the company. The situation for the company a step back in their internal integration efforts for the sake of uniformity of the group. The major obstacle towards full integration of internal information systems of the company therefore represents the diversity of applications used for different processes. This shows poor strategic information system planning (SISP) at a multinational level, in the context of a rapidly growing group (through external acquisitions) is true is not seen as a s trategic weapon, but rather an operational information processing tool. The cost versus the value quantification of the IS integration is problematic (subject multinational had group has the extra dimension of intra-SBU / corporate integration, which is considered a major problem at the corporate level. The firm decision on the main platform for integration is still not considered, but a feasibility study conducted by a team of internal and external experts showed that the most viable solution in the medium term lies in building the data warehouses at the top existing applications to ensure the collection, integration, storage and sharing of information available to users. Moreover, historically strong focus on internal integration reduces the potential value of the whole value which the company operates and the cost leads to duplication, maintenance of redundant systems, and investment in inefficient processes, such as manual data entry and machine sources are available. The company is in todays highly competitive global market place obligated to review its business operations and explore both internal processes and external relationships with business partners to meet the changing needs of their customers, to respond to the initiatives and new business models of their competitors and opportunities as new technologies (Chaffey 2002). CONCLUSION Information-based companies should be planned in an integrated manner, involving all stages of the lifecycle implemented to bring about the skill, quality and productivity. This integration is similar in nature to the integration of the product life cycle of an enterprise. Current methods, however, tend to support planning information as an island separated from the wealth of information resources. A new approach would require tapping into these resources to capture and characterize the company to allow for the integration of information systems planning stages of development and support of adaptive and a shortened cycle. This approach is a small first step to a great task: to develop a framework and a theory for strategic, planning of information systems. The need for such a framework is established by the problems in implementing SISP methods and also because of what these methods themselves lacking. The company was part of a multinational competing in global markets within the global industry value chain with strong competition. The funds are used by competitors are very similar (technology, people, money); the difference is how these resources are used / managed. Today, financial markets are looking for a broader view to the prospects of the companies that often do not clearly understand the accounts. Intellectual capital management business information systems skills are often the distinguishing factor of perspective and profitable businesses and encourage the companies value (Couger 1995). At the Company has traditionally focused on supporting internal efficiency. Companies need trust relationships with each other and the B2B market is to allow members to penetrate this deep in each others internal business processes. Has potential to generate value in inspiration, creation and support of collaborative value networks rather than reducing the internal data processing costs. Th e company realized the challenge and is a step in the right direction in terms of their integration in the evolving industry value chain to provide value to all stakeholders to generate.

Essay --

Cognitive Psychology and its influence on Everyday Behaviour Throughout the ages, humans have had an inherent interest in studying the complex area of human behaviour, even before psychology was established as a science. Because the study of behaviour is so broad and multifaceted, its scientific study poses particular challenges. Therefore, it can be beneficial to approach the scientific study of human behaviour from the perspective of cognitive psychology. This is the study of cognition, the mental processes that underlie human behaviour (Ling & Cattling, 2012). This paper will explore the extent to which cognitive psychology can explain and predict everyday behaviour by critically examining a number of cognitive theories, and demonstrating their application in real world settings. For the purposes of this essay, I have decided to pick three everyday behaviours which tend to be common in the lives of university students, and approach the analysis from this angle. The essay begins by exploring the area of multitasking behaviours, and cognitive theories surrounding the area of divided attention and its effects on daily life. From here, the phenomenon of binge drinking among college students is discussed, in particular the effect it has upon remembering in an everyday context. Finally, the tendency of college students to spend large amounts of time listening to music is evaluated, with a particular focus on why it is that music can make individuals feel a particular way, tapping into the area of cognition and emotion. This essay will discuss in detail the contribution of cognitive psychology to our understanding of these behaviours. College students in the 21st century are a part of the so-called digital generation. Technology has... ...tion regulation is a crucial motivator for listening to music (Lonsdale & North, 2011). As such, cognitive theories are able to predict that listening to music has the ability to evoke an emotional response in student listeners. This essay explores the ability of cognitive psychology to explain and predict everyday behaviours. It explores three entirely different behaviours common in the everyday life of a student, multitasking, binge drinking and listening to music. For each of these behaviours, a general background is given to explain the behaviour. This is followed in each case by an analysis of some of the key cognitive theories which explain these behaviours. Finally, examples of the behaviour being carried out in the daily life of the college student are discussed, thus displaying the ability of cognitive psychology to successfully predict everyday behaviour.

Christian religion Essay

Many aspects of our Christian religion today have developed because of these early religious beliefs and culture of the Romans. At the beginning, the Roman Empire was able to develop more than any other country because of its acceptance of some areas of culture and religion of its conquered enemies and allowing them to keep their religion and culture, blending the old ways with the new. How little was known, that the paganism belief system of the Roman Empire would eventually lead the way to the new Christianity religion of the world. Paganism, with its gods and goddesses, answered humanity’s problems and provided answers at the whim of these supernatural beings. In the early stages of Greek and Roman culture, mythology answered all questions regarding the origin of the world and of man. (Case, 1929, p. 12) In the early days of Greece and Rome, everything under the sun was explained by the gods and goddesses — humanity was at their whim along depending on their whims, just as today everything we do is explained through the Christian belief of God and Jesus, instead of the Roman gods and goddesses. In Rome, mythology answered all questions while today Christianity answers all of ours in regard to the world and mankind’s problems, all being subject to superhuman beings who have a lot to do with the affairs of mankind. Christianity became the official religion of the Roman empire under the Emperor Constantine in AD 324 (the Emperor Julian, known to Christians as the Apostate, failed to bring about a pagan revival a few years later), and pagan forms of worship were finally made illegal in 390 by Theodosius. The myths of the pagan gods were particularly vulnerable to Christian attack, as can be seen in Lactantius’ Divine Institutes I 9-22 and Augustine’s City of God. (Rivers, 1994, p. 22) According to Barry Banning’s article entitled, â€Å"The Irony of Faith†, which is part of the research done for his book The Unspoken Power of Rome, he refers to the fact most world religions expect people to believe in something that cannot be detected, seen, felt, heard, tasted, or smelled. Researching the fact that Rome had a serious influence on early Christian’s beginning and formation, he also says that people are expected to believe in something that doesn’t exist physically and can’t be proved in normal human experiences. In most of the world religions, people are asked to believe in something that can not be detected, seen, felt, heard, tasted, or smelled. They are asked to believe in something that doesn’t exist physically and can’t be proven in normal human experience. And when confronted with numerous, obvious discrepancies, the normal response is â€Å"faith†. Faith is the key to understanding. Faith is the key to believing in concepts that cannot be explained. (Banning, 2001, 1) Over the last several years, most Christians have accepted blindly this philosophy of faith, not realizing how much influence that Rome had on Christianity and how we perceive it today, in its early beginnings. Very little credit was ever historically given to Rome for having any influence on Christianity and how we look at it presently – many Christians refusing to believe that many aspects of Christianity had its origins in the pagan arena of Rome, and in the development of our present social orders. However, most of this credit was because of the way Christians hid inside the Roman Empire, to avoid persecution or death by the Romans. The hardest thing possible was to believe in one God instead of many gods and goddesses, remaining anonymous, while still living as Christians in brutal Rome. Early Christians, facing scorn at best and persecution at worst, depending on Emperor and the era, were forced to blend in with their Pagan counterparts. In order to celebrate the ‘holidays’ of their religion, the Christians used pre-existing holidays and festivals to blend in. Christmas, for example, was originally part of the great festival of the Winter Solstice, or the Saturnalia. By adopting this grand event as the celebration of Christ’s birth, Christian revelry was allowed to take place, largely unnoticed. The Church too manipulated customs and traditions of the Pagan Empire to make their faith more adaptable. (Kousoulas, 2006,1) Christianity had been the official religion of Rome since 392, before Rome’s official fall in 476 when its last ruler, Romulus Augustus, fell under Alaric and the Visigoths in 410 and later destroyed by the Vandals in 455. According to Professor Richard Baldwin at the Gulf Coast Community College in Florida, this fall of Rome would later influence the Middle Ages and its civilizations in classical Greek and Roman cultures, Christianity, and the Germanic culture. With modern science and intellectual knowledge today slowly replacing the word of God and Christian beliefs, public and society religious dedication has become a thing of the past — unwelcome in schools and sports, government buildings, and bringing down the morals of society. We need to look at Rome’s influence on the world accompanied with many other civilizations that were also influential on the world that led to Christianity. The development of human societies was not continuous. It was started several times anew–in India, Egypt, Mesopotamia, Greece, Rome, Scandinavia, and in Western Europe, beginning each time with the primitive tribe and then the village community. But if we consider each of these lines separately, we certainly find in each of them, and especially in the development of Europe since the fall of the Roman Empire, a continual widening of the conception of mutual support and mutual protection, from the clan to the tribe, the nation, and finally to the international union of nations. (Kropotkin, 1934, p. 17) Christianity today is going through another revival such as in Rome, with many Christians now looking deeply inside – philosophizing and asking inner questions concerning what they have always been told – such as, is Christianity a pure religion in itself, or is it a combination of other religions. As Barry Banning said, previous Christian philosophies and hierarchical leaders told us to never question anything about our churches or what we have been taught. Christians are individuals who have unique mindsets, they are going to grow and change in their perception of the world around them, and this is a time when humanity is asking questions, seeking to find out truths. We are beginning to observe what Christianity is really about, not blindly accepting what we have been told by our superiors. The Roman imprints left from the early Christian development have simply extended an age-old religious philosophy that has long been past due for a change and maybe a needed updated version. Over the centuries, Christianity has not only changed in an intellectual theory but also with the philosophy regarding its impact by Rome. People change and learn in different ways, with continuously changing perceptions that cross many barriers – age, education, beliefs, or culture. Nevertheless, the bottom line is, without Rome we would never have had Christianity. Moreover, today Christianity as a single religion is ranked as the world’s largest religion, with sub-groups being included in this statistic. For the purpose of statistics, Christians refer to varying degrees of religious activity within Christianity – including Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Protestant, Pentecostals, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Latter-day Saints, African Indigenous Churches, and others. All of this is very different from the early days of Rome, with terrified Christians being persecuted for speaking and attempting to practice their religion. Yet, no matter where we look regarding Christianity, we find ourself looking also at the Roman Empire and its early heritage and culture, still breathing today inside our churches and religious cultures. BIBLIOGRAPHY BOOKS: Banning, B. (2001). The Unspoken Power of Rome. 1st Edition. Albuquerque, New Mexico: Wellspring Books. Case, S. C. (1929). Experience with the Supernatural in Early Christian Times. New York: The Century Company. Laistner, M. L. (1951). Christianity and Pagan Culture in the Later Roman Empire. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press. Kropotkin, P. P. A. (1934). The Present Need of Determining the Bases of Morality. New York: Dial Press. Potter, D. S. (2004). The Roman Empire at Bay: AD 180-395. New York: Routledge. Rivers, I. (1994). Classical and Christian Ideas in English Renaissance Poetry: A Student’s Guide. New York: Routledge.

The Nature of Equality as it Relates to the New Internet Culture essays

The Nature of Equality as it Relates to the New Internet Culture essays Human equality in the context of social and political institutions in human society is characterized to be more conservative and rigid when compared in the context of Internet culture and society. This claim is an illustration of how Internet as a new communication medium becomes an influential and pervasive tool wherein globalization is developed not only in Internet communities, but in human societies as well. The concept of globalization in the Internet culture is an adaptation of Marshall McLuhan's famous "global village," a concept he formed when he observed that the development of new media innovations such as the television, radio, telephone, and computers show an increase in the proliferation of information and interaction among people in various However, a more recent version of McLuhan's "global village" concept is the emergence of two important movements in the Internet culture: the emergence of both the globalization and localization processes among various people in the world, specifically the Internet users. In globalization, people from all over the globe become acquainted with the cultures of different societies, while localization gave way to the emergence of local cultures to become known not only to outsiders of that society, but to members of that society as well. These two movements show how Internet culture educates people about the cultures and kind of societies existing and available all over the world. How do globalization and localization of societies and cultures contribute to the development of equality in human society via the Internet culture' These concepts show how the Internet further intensifies equality by breaking the barriers that demarcate those peoples that have different nationalities and cultures. Becoming aware of other cultures and societies help people becomes understanding and more receptive to ...

Cuckoos nest com essays

The Crucible/Cuckoo's nest com essays Texts: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Ken Kesey; The Crucible, Nicholas Hytner production of Arthur Miller's screenplay Question: Explain how the authors of the two texts present similar ideas, although they tell different stories. When ideas surpass both time and place, it is only logical that different authors presenting the theories in separate texts can maintain synonymous perceptions whilst creating superficially unrelated stories. A most clear example of this fact is witnessed in the comparison of Ken Kesey's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, and Nicholas Hytner's film adaptation of Arthur Miller's screenplay, The Crucible. Ken Kesey's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest centres around a battle for the minds and souls of a group of mental patients between a dehumanising, conformist bureaucracy known as the "Combine", and naturalist, patriarchal individualism, which are represented by Kesey's characters "the Big Nurse" and "R.P. McMurphy" respectively. Apparently quite separately, The Crucible is based on the tragedy of the Salem witch trials of the nineteenth century, where mass hysteria goes hand in hand with sinister manipulation to take hundreds of innocent lives, revealing with the aid of a number of s ubplots that hell indeed has no fury like that of a woman spurned: especially a powerful and manipulative woman like the character "Abigail Williams". At first glance these texts appear related only in their high quality of their drama. However, upon closer examination, many similarities are revealed; in particular, parallels between the messages both authors impart. Despite obvious differences in each text's setting, plot, and characters, both Kesey, and Hytner through Miller, have forwarded similar ideas in their texts; perceptions of people and society in general that remain valid no matter what or whom the era or individual either author has utilised. One of the most obvious of the authors' shared perceptio...

The Great Depression and American isolationism affect on FDR's desire Essay

The Great Depression and American isolationism affect on FDR's desire to take an active role in international affairs in the manner of TR and Wilson - Essay Example According to Michael Leigh, FDR never made any attempt to persuade US public regarding ending of isolation. He also says that FDR had enormous preoccupation with the public opinion. (http://www.foreignaffairs.org/19950501fareviewessay5045/paul-johnson/the-myth-of-american-isolationism-reinterpreting-the-past.html ). This view contradicts the famous fireside chats of FDR to some extent, because he was a humanitarian and the Nazi killings must have worried him. At the same time, he moulded the public opinion towards participation in the war. Initially, that is before the Pearl Harbour, Roosevelt did value the American public opinion which was combined with the caution of Great Depression and American belief in isolationism. "Domestic political problems in the summer of 1937 had made Roosevelt particularly reluctant to risk anything in foreign affairs. The Court fight and the failure to break a series of sit down strikes have seriously ended his middle class support," Datlek (1979, p.14 7). Isolationists thought that alliances could be unsettling, and destabilizing. In President Hoover's opinion they were 'provocative actions' that have 'hitherto always cracked up in war itself'. The horrors of the First World War, Versailles treaty, fear of getting drawn into another war, Great Depression, scare of losing uninhibited decision making were a few causes of isolationism. Isolation had many more reasons and excuses: "Belief that the depression had been caused by W.W.I Belief that Europe was unworthy of our support Pacifism-people who hated and abhorred war Belief that arms manufacturers, bankers had caused war Belief that W.W.I had been a tragic mistake for the U.S " http://www.sagehistory.net/roosevelts/wwii/1920WWII1940.htm FDR initially was more engrossed with the domestic problems and his refusal to peg the value of the US dollar wrecked the International Economic Conference of 1933, to be held in London, which was partially encouraged by Hoover. FDR, instead, maintained Good Neighbour Policy and Pan Americanism and in Buenos Aires Conference, he demonstrated that America was uninterested in domineering weaker nations and he continued economic nationalism and cooperation both. Still, there existed a certain stalemate between an internationalist president and an isolationist congress. He recognised USSR, increased foreign trade hoping to alleviate depression, and his Neutrality Act of 1937 famously hurt Spain and made US a 'silent accomplice of Hitler'. His Quarantine speech in Chicago was intentional; but Americans were too wrapped up in isolationism and events like Panay, plight of China, and even the armament need of Britain and France did not move the Congress, despite President's efforts, though h e eventually succeeded in persuading Congress to send armaments to Britain, which is called America's 'first line of defence'. did not end till the onset of Second World War and the fear of it had slowed down America. FDR had to face this inertia, even though he wanted

Reading assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Reading - Assignment Example While some support the banning of sex offenders from SN sites, this paper takes the stance that these are private entities and the government has no businesses meddling in their affairs. In addition, court decisions banning sex offenders’ membership in these sites infringe on their First Amendment rights and freedoms (Wynton, p. 1878). Such trends in the judiciary are likely to lead to former offenders’ freedoms of speech being regulated in similar manner. Hence, U.S. citizens’ freedoms of speech and association will be infringed. There are quite a number of policies and practices that vulnerable SN site members may enforce to ensure the presence of sex offenders in these sites does not endanger their lives. The Government should not Regulate SN Membership At the forefront in banning sex offenders from SN sites are the federal courts with, reportedly, many law courts banning sex offenders from the internet via SN sites as a requirement for supervised release or p robation (Wynton, p. 1861). In today’s SN sites, members post and share quite a lot of personal information. Due to the private nature of this data, the government spares no effort in its drive to protect vulnerable members from harm emanating from criminals and former offenders who may want to use such data to harm others (Wynton, p. 1877). Thus, restricting membership is a by which the government seeks to protect individuals from threats to lives and personal privacy found in the online world. Nonetheless, given that social network sites are private entities and people join at their will, it is imperative that members take the responsibility to protect their privacy and safety without the government restricting the membership of others. To this effect, there are several personal strategies that members can implement to ensure they do not fall victim to sex offenders and other criminals. Mostly targeted by sex offenders are children or the youth who must then implement some, if not all of the following practices. First, real-world judgment is the most effective policy to help one avoid being a victim of sex offenders on SN sites, virtual worlds, and blogs and chart rooms. In this regard, the users should not share a lot of private information or post many photos, videos, and comments as these may be used by an offender to target them, hurt their feelings, and reputation. Besides, reminding users that their actions online have consequences, the government and parents should tell users that what they share should be limited. In essence, online manners should be emphasized. Authorities should also talk to users about their activities online. In fact, for young children, it is necessary that parents limit access to the sites and their kid’s profiles. Users should also not impersonate others in their online activities as this may make them to be targeted by sex offenders. Although a child’s site may have restricted access and highly-set privac y, a broader audience than the parents accesses the profile. Hence, children and other users should be encouraged to consider the language they use online and the videos and pictures posted. Stakeholders such coaches, teachers, employers, college admissions officers, and the police should also be involved in children’s and the youth’s SN profiles and communication. All these stakeholders should talk to