A Horrifying Story of Rape in the Military

A Horrifying Story of Rape in the Military Brigid Harry (not her real name) is a wife, mother, and co-owner of a small marketing communications company she runs with her husband. She earned her MBA after completing her military service and now lives in New York. After years of silence, shes decided to share her story. I was 20, had already worked for 3 years as a secretary at a major corporation in my hometown, and was impatient to grow. Id come into the company all starry-eyed and within months had absorbed the tasks of two co-workers whod been laid off, folks with years at the company and most with two-year degrees. I didnt get far, because I was 20...and a girl. Perhaps an immature, impatient girl as I look back on it, but I knew that a high school diploma was going to get me nowhere - unless I was happy staying a secretary, and I wasnt. A Decision to Enlist A few years earlier Id considered the military as an alternative to a career in the business world. The recruiters all focused on education in their pitches, so I took some tests which revealed I was very qualified for a program that the Marines had - a photojournalist. They offered a special one-year program: candidates would live as civilians and attend one of the countrys top journalism schools as part of their education. All I had to do was sign. A few months later I did. Boot camp was rough (9 weeks for the gals), and other than some minor back issues that developed from the daily PT (physical training), I did just fine. During this time, I took additional testing and earned a perfect score for Morse Code Intercept and languages, which meant they really wanted me to learn Morse Code, and then Russian. Even though Id passed all the tests for a photojournalist, I caved to their daily badgering and signed away my first option. Normal Conversations I was sent to my first duty station at the Naval Air Station at Pensacola, FL, where all 5 services were sent to learn Morse Code. A few months into service, my back problems got worse, and I developed daily headaches and migraines. The base doctor, a youngish Navy captain from Puerto Rico, assigned some physical therapy and then had me follow-up with him. In our meetings, wed chat - and I knew I had to be appropriate in my conversations because he was an officer and I was enlisted. However, I believed that he was reaching out to me, glad to have a normal conversation with someone who had interests outside of the base and the bars that ringed the base. He invited me out to dinner one evening as a  friend. Nothing romantic was implied, he assured me, and I mentioned that I did have a boyfriend back home, a young man Id met just before I left. He said that he enjoyed our talks about old movies and old music​ because everyone else on the base wanted to talk about getting drunk or war. Dinner and Movies He also assured me that it would be after hours, off the base, and that the officer/enlisted thing wouldnt be an issue. I hesitated, but I found him pleasant and believed what he said. We agreed to go to an old movie festival (I actually think it was Bogart films) that was running that evening nearby, and he arranged to pick me up. I dressed casually, which back then (and with my lack of fashion sense) was jeans, a jean vest, and some sort of shiny blue polyester shirt - a bit on the boyish side, as I think back, but as we were to grab a burger and then watch old movies in a darkened theater, fashion was the least of my concerns. Why Dont We Eat Here First? He was prompt. He drove a black Trans-Am Firebird. The car actually surprised me because he hadnt struck me as one of those kinds of guys. Nevertheless, I climbed in and we left to go to dinner. But then he stopped at his off-base apartment, saying he needed to pick something up, and I could certainly join him for a few minutes. Okay, I thought - naively. As I noticed a package of chicken on the counter, and spices, and potatoes, he casually suggested, Why dont we eat here first? We had a few hours before the movies started, and besides, they ran continuously through the night. I agreed, but with hesitation. He poured me a drink (the legal drinking age was at 18 at the time) and I consumed it, too quickly, which has always been my style. As he prepared dinner, I had another drink, and then a third. They were strong, and I hadnt eaten anything since lunch 6 hours earlier. The chicken went into the oven, and we sat on the couch to chat. I remember asking why he joined the service, as hed indicated he wasnt like the other military types on base. He said he just that he wanted to get out of Puerto Rico. An Officer, Not a Gentleman He poured me another drink and I hesitated, feeling buzzed and growing uncomfortable. I asked when dinner would be ready, and could we get to the movie festival in time. Thats when he leaned over to kiss me. I recoiled. I mean, he was an officer, I was enlisted, and I had a boyfriend. My mind raced. I didnt know what to do. I said I had to use the bathroom and he pointed to a door in the hallway. I headed in that direction, my face red, feeling really uncomfortable. When I opened the bathroom door to exit he was standing there with his pants off. He grabbed me in a huge bear hug and pushed me into the adjacent bedroom. I stiffened and said I wasnt interested - that I had a boyfriend, that I really felt sick to my stomach, that I didnt know about sex (all true). Please, I thought we were going to see old movies. Please let me go, I feel nauseous. Please stop. Please dont do this. Please, please, please. Please. He was stronger than me. He twisted my arms behind me and started pawing at my clothes - my boyish, unattractive clothes. He pulled until he created a burn between the denim and my thighs. He pulled at my underpants until they tore. He jumped on top of me as I pulled to turn sideways. His voice was angry now. Frozen It was over in a few moments - he was quick to come to completion. I was frozen in a curled position, with my clothes draped over me. He grunted, Get up, Ill take you back to the base. I didnt know what to do. Should I go with him? Should I get a cab? I said Id go with him. I pulled my clothes back around me and stood there trembling. He drove me to the base, and I jumped out of the car. My room was in a dorm-like setting, and I shared a bunk with an Army gal, African American, who outranked me. She wasnt home as she was on a date. I jumped into the shower and probably stood there for over an hour. I didnt cry. I tried, and couldnt. But I scrubbed and grew angry at myself, at him, at my life choices. Admitting I Had Been Raped Monday - three days later - I went to class. At noon, I went to the base chaplain, a Catholic priest, a Navy officer, and told him what happened. It wasnt easy, and I never looked up from my hands in my lap. Did I lose my virginity, he asked, or was that something I had already done prior to Friday evening? Well, I admitted, I dont think this did that because†¦oh, God – I remembered something - this man had a child-size penis. I knew what they looked like - I had two younger brothers and changed my share of diapers. No, I hadnt bled. Was there any chance I was pregnant, the Navy priest then asked. I finally looked up, still red from having stated aloud the miniscule size of the doctors penis. What? Could I be pregnant? He continued that if there was any chance of pregnancy, I could never consider an abortion. What? Pregnant? That was the least of my concerns, I mumbled. I was...yes, admit it†¦I had been raped. I mean, yes, I went in his car. Yes, I had drinks. Yes, I knew he was an officer and I was enlisted. But we were going to go watch old movies. But†¦ but†¦ Discouraging Guidance I waited a week, and my period came. One thing to NOT worry about, I suppose. Then I called my mom, who had a house full of little kids still. I told her what happened - and thats when I finally cried. She was audibly upset and asked what would happen. I had no clue, I told her. I promised I would go back to the chaplain Monday and seek guidance. Monday, I visited the chaplain - and told him I wasnt pregnant. He seemed relieved and then asked what next. I told him, I think the man should be punished. Would he help me through that process? He squirmed and said that since I hadnt filed a police report immediately - that since Id showered immediately after the incident - it would be a difficult case. A case of he said, she said. I said I was angry and that what he did was wrong – and I wanted to pursue it. He made an appointment with my commanding officer, and I met with the man Tuesday, who spoke a lot of legalese to me and said hed get back to me. There was a woman secretary, a high ranking enlisted Navy woman, taking notes. I couldnt tell if she was sympathetic or not to my story, as she was absolutely stone-faced. Perhaps shed heard it all before. Didnt Want the Mess Wednesday after class I was walking to my bunk to unwind, grab a bite, and try to do homework when I saw a black Trans Am approaching me. It slowed to a crawl, I stopped, and then it raced past me, spewing pebbles and dust. Obviously, the driver was pissed at me, and I felt afraid. Someone must have said something to him. I spoke to my mom again that weekend. She was crying and told me to drop charges - that I would be the one on trial, that my father had spoken to an attorney and they decided that they didnt want the mess dragged through the local papers back home, that Id have to find a way to move on. I met with the commanding officer and made him an offer; if theyd let me go into photojournalism, as Id originally signed up for, Id not pursue anything against the doctor. Within 48 hours, I had new orders: a week medical leave at home, and then Id join the next military journalism program starting in Indianapolis at an Army base. I had made no real friends at the base, and other than my roommate who was kind and considerate during my time of stress, the few folks I knew from boot camp didnt know how to treat me. I was happy to leave. Where the Men Were in Charge Of course, then there were more problems at home. My dads attorney suggested that I talk to a shrink, as my dad said - a profession my father had very little use for. I went, and the mental health professional wrote up a report and sent to my former commanding officer, and one to my upcoming commanding officer, that I was immature and really wasnt a good candidate for a life in the military. I joined the journalism program, came in second in my class, made friends, maintained a long-distance pen-pal relationship with the boy back home, but started struggling as I got to my new duty station in North Carolina. Back in a world where the men were in charge, despite the obvious women of rank around, I started getting angry and upset and lonely. I refused to work one day, and the shrink back home - per my dads attorneys advice - sent along his report. A higher ranking woman suggested that it would be a rough few weeks, but if I wanted to get out, that boycotting work was one way to do it. Honorable Discharge I met with the bases commanding officer, who had all my files - my episode in Florida, my decision not to press charges, my letters from doctors back home, and my test scores. He expressed concern that I chose not to honor my contract with the Marines, but as a dad to young daughters, he wished me well. He asked me to promise him that I would go back to school, even part-time, and try to contribute something positive. I received an honorable discharge a year and a day after I started boot camp. To this day, I cant remember the Navy doctors name - or his face, thank God. Im thankful that one man, my final commanding officer, treated me with some respect. Homecoming My boyfriend, whod stuck by me when I was away, proposed as soon as I returned home, but then started acting uncomfortable in my presence, and as I assumed he started seeing other girls, we broke up. I went back to my job, making up excuses for why I was home so soon. My cousins got wind of my seeing a psychologist and just last year I had to correct one of them as they were joking that I couldnt handle the service so my dad had to get me out. I finally looked one in the eye and said, Do you know that I was raped by an officer when I was there? That shut them up, but Ive lost interest in family gatherings. (Of course, these are the cousins who are right-of-center pro-military, never having served themselves). Questions Without Answers Ive never written this down, ever. Id told the story - to the chaplain, to my CO and his secretary, to the psychologist back home, a version to my bunkmate. As I type this right now my temples are throbbing, and my face and ears are burning and red. Ive looked back over the years and asked myself, Why did I say Id go to the film festival with him? Ive questioned my posture, my wardrobe, my jokes, my drinks. Of course, Ive questioned my timidity at the exact moment I shouldve turned into she-woman or something. I was a 20-year-old, non-sexually active moron. I was cornered, I got trapped, by a bigger man with a tiny penis. The priest could only care about abortion. My mom could only care about the local papers (although, as a mom now myself, I can imagine the pain she personally went through, trying to keep her anxiety from my younger siblings - but shes decided now, after all these years, that I made it up just to get out of the service - and I cant convince her otherwise. Ive decided not to bring it up again). No Knives, No Fists...But Still Rape I read stories of women who may or may not have been in relationships that got out of hand in the military, and I sometimes read about the young woman, beaten or worse, as she was raped. Me? Just bear-hugged overpowered and bruised – no knives, no fists. But I cant shake the sudden stomach pains I have this moment - that, and the reddened face.

Sports and Steroids Societys Acceptance or Rejection of Steroids in Sports

Sports and Steroids Societys Acceptance or Rejection of Steroids in Sports Introduction The essence of all athletic competitions can be boiled down to the concept of performance and how much better one particular athlete is over another. Professional athletes do not enter into a competition with a nonchalant attitude of competing for fun rather they are in it to win it and as such train endlessly in order to reach the peak of their physical prowess.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Sports and Steroids: Society’s Acceptance or Rejection of Steroids in Sports specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Their reward for winning such competitions can range from money, fame to everlasting glory in their chosen sport. Unfortunately, there are no rewards for the losers with society relegating them to the background as they celebrate the accomplishments of the winners. It is due to this that athletes try to accomplish any means possible to win with some of them choosing shortcuts in their attem pt to achieve money, fame and glory. One of the shortcuts comes in the form of using anabolic steroids in order to boost muscle performance in order to give them a certain edge over the competition. It has been proven through both clinical tests and actual usage in sporting competitions that the use of steroids significantly increases muscle density, strength, reduces recovery time and drastically increases an athlete’s stamina (Hassan, Salem Sayed, 2009). While their effectiveness has been proven time and again their usage in sporting competitions has been categorized as a form of cheating. Normal athletes cannot rival the performance of other athletes on steroids and as such it comes to a point that they either have to take steroids themselves or not compete at all. This creates a situation where it is not the best athlete that wins in a competition but rather which athlete has used steroids the most in order to win (Mannie, 2004). Such activities can be considered a clear violation of the concept of fair play and is affront to spirit of competition. The general public has thus responded negatively to the use of steroids in sporting competitions since people do not patronize sports such as baseball, football or soccer in order to watch people cheat their way into victory rather they watch sporting events in order to see the clash of individuals striving to achieve victory through the power of effort, willpower and the spirit to succeed. What must be understood is that the concept of a person being an athlete has a special meaning in society in that they represent what a person can achieve should they work hard, strive for success and never give up. Athletes have in effect become role models for many within society and as such news of prolific cheating by numerous athletes within sporting events is generally considered a form of betrayal over the image of integrity, willpower and perseverance that society has attached to them. As such it comes as no s urprise that the various steroid scandals that have rocked numerous sports over the past several years have detrimentally affected their fan bases and made fans that much more suspicious and hesitant over patronizing a particular team or athlete on the basis that they may be using steroids to cheat their way to victory.Advertising Looking for research paper on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It is based on this that the scope of this paper will entail an investigation into society’s reaction to the use of steroids and examines the negativity surrounding this particular form of controversial enhancement. Furthermore the goal of this paper will be an attempt to convince audiences that steroids should not be used for advancement in sports and that they are a bad influence on adolescents. Comparing and Contrasting an Athlete’s Decision to Take Steroids and the Perception of Fans. Decision for Taking Steroids When trying to understand why an athlete would take steroids it must first be acknowledged that not all people are born equal. Some people have genetic predispositions towards athleticism which does give them a certain advantage over other athletes. Another factor that should be taken into consideration is the fact that similar to any profession being an athlete requires a certain degree of performance above set standards in order to be acknowledged by the general public. It can be seen that athletes that rise above the norm often attain lucrative sponsorship agreements, team contracts and a plethora of other benefits befitting an athlete of their caliber. On the other hand athletes that are sub-par or fail to distinguish themselves often fade into obscurity or are relegated to contracts and sponsorships that are barely within the range of the average median salary within the U.S. Not only that unlike other careers athletes only have a set period of time in order to stand out and distinguish themselves due to decreasing performance levels as they age. Steroids give athletes the performance boost they need in order to win games, events or sporting competitions (Mannie, 2004). It enhances their stamina, gives them greater strength, speed and durability and even allows them to recover faster from injuries thus resulting in a performance level that is above the norm (Silvester, 2006). What must be understood is that modern day sporting competitions whether in baseball, football or basketball are all about a players stats and playing ability. The value of athletes has been relegated to a set of numbers wherein the greater the number the higher their value is to a team or sponsors. This creates a behavioral predilection towards constant improvement towards perfection not for the sake of being more competitive but rather a desire to stay relevant in sporting events where superstars abound and talented rookies enter into the fray on an almost yearl y basis. Steroid Use among Athletes In a way being an athlete is a race against time as they fight to stay relevant whiles their bodies age and their abilities whither. What must be understood is that steroid use helps to preserve and enhance existing skills beyond what people would normally be capable of doing.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Sports and Steroids: Society’s Acceptance or Rejection of Steroids in Sports specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More It acts as a method of increasing muscular density and stamina resulting in increased performance in even the oldest athletes (Silvester, 2006). One example of this can be seen in increased performance of Barry Bonds during the latter part of his career. What must be understood is that while Barry Bonds was an excellent baseball player in his youth however his performance started to decline during his early 30s. Surprisingly though Bonds very noticeably began to bulk up and his performance greatly improved during his mid 30s to the point that he was noticeably better than he was during the earlier half of his career. As it turns out his improved physique and athletic prowess were not due to a strenuous workout regimen and diet as Bonds had stated but rather was entirely due to steroid use. Other baseball athletes that exhibited greater athleticism during the latter part of their careers such as Sammy Sousa have also tested positive for steroid use and as such its use has become synonymous with cheating the clock so to speak wherein physical prowess and athletic performance is preserved or even drastically improved during the latter part of an athletes career. It is due to this that athletes begin to turn towards steroid use in order to not be relegated into the background, to achieve their moment of fame, to preserve their athleticism when theyre well past their prime and to attain in their eyes their much deserved reward for stri ving so hard. Perception of Steroid use by Fans and Athletes On average fan perception regarding steroid use by athletes has been largely negative with most athletes that have proven records of steroid usage often losing a majority of their fans (Denham, 2000). As it was indicated earlier athletes are often used by society as role models for behavior and achievement. When such athletes cheat in order to win it is thought of as being the equivalent of spitting in the face of the people that believed in them for so long. People want to believe that incredible feats of athleticism are possible through hard work and perseverance since for them it is a reflection of what they themselves might be capable of in their own lives albeit in a different way. It must be noted though that before they are found out athletes that use steroids often have a much larger fan base as compared to athletes that dont use steroids. This is due to the fact that their improved performance often makes them mor e prominent as compared to other athletes and as such become fan favorites. It is only when they are found out that their fan base rapidly erodes and such athletes are thought of in a negative light due to their use of unethical methods in order to boost their performance.Advertising Looking for research paper on health medicine? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In general it can be seen that both in society and in the media athletes that use steroids are generally portrayed unfavorably due to them representing the darker half of sports (Denham, 2000). They are vilified, thought of as cheaters and sometimes even shunned for their actions and as such can be considered a warning to all athletes that even consider turning to steroids as a means of boosting their performance. Adolescents and Steroids What is the percentage of adolescent users? An examination by the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) estimates that within the U.S. alone nearly 500,000 teenagers are currently using steroids (Kuehn, 2009). In fact it was noted by Kuehn (2009) that in 2005 there was a .7% increase in the amount of steroids utilized by boys in 10th grade as compared to the previous year which was at only 2% (Kuehn, 2009). What must be understood is that while 2.7% may seem like small number the fact remains that no teenager should be using steroids at all so ev en a .7% increase can be considered a large increase. It as estimated that nearly 6.6% of all male high school seniors particularly those within athletic programs utilized steroids in order to gain a competitive edge (Kuehn, 2009). Further studies also revealed that there was also a certain degree of steroid use among the female athletes within various high schools but little data has been collected regarding this particular population base due to the fact that most studies focuses on male archetypes of steroid usage. It is interesting to note though that there are no racial differences in steroid use with no specific racial group specifically utilizing steroids. What was seen though is that steroid use was often concentrated in various athletic departments and as such in order to examine the prevalence of steroid use in a particular school it is best to focus most of the examinations mainly on student athletes since they have a greater predilection towards its use. What must be und erstood is that steroid usage has a specific risk factor for adolescents as compared to adults due to the fact that rising testosterone and sex hormone levels within the body are actually used as an inherent mechanism for triggering growth spurts during adolescence. When these hormone levels reach a certain point they actually send a signal to a persons bones to stop growing and unfortunately by utilizing anabolic steroids this causes the bones to stop growing prematurely for adolescents (Bahrke,Yesalis, Kopstein Stephens, 2000). This particular situation is also facilitated by other side effects of steroids such as increased aggression, the development of liver tumors, cholestatic jaundice and in some cases the development of blood filled cysts within the liver that have a tendency to rupture causing internal bleeding (Lumia McGinnis, 2010) Adolescents, Peer Pressure and their Emulation of Sports Icons What must be understood when examining the current behavior of numerous young adolescents and their use of steroids is the fact that they believe steroids are an effective shortcut of enhancing their performance to the same degree as their sports heroes. While it may be true that they acknowledge the fact that taking steroids is a form of cheating they still look at athletic greats such as Sammy Sosa, Barry Bonds, Triple H and Batista who have all been confirmed as taking steroids and believe that despite the inherent risks involved the glory, money and fame that comes along with being an athletic superstar is well worth the risks involved in utilizing steroids (Feinberg, 2009). Furthermore the persistent myth that side effects only come through prolonged usage convinces many student athletes that by taking steroids in limited amounts they can avoid the supposed side effects that come with steroid use. Another factor that should be taken into consideration is peer pressure and how it at times forces people to take steroids even though they initially have no d esire to. A student athletes’ worth is determine by their performance in their given sport and at times such students are pressured into taking steroids by their teammates in order to improve their performance and win championships. Even though they dont want to take steroids the pressure to perform and be part of the team often causes young athletes to take steroids which places them on the path for future health complications in the future. Conclusion Based on what has been presented in this paper so far it can be seen that steroid usage among athletes not only is a highly unethical method of competing within a sport but it also sends the wrong message to adolescents that all they need to do in order to become a sports superstar is to take steroids. While it may be true that steroids do indeed boost athletic performance to considerable levels the fact remains that in the end if such athletes are found out they tarnish the reputations of the sport and ruin the sense of fair play and competition that is the basis for most sporting events. Not only that the rising rates of adolescent steroid usage can be assumed as being directly connected to steroid usage within major sports as well and as such players that use steroids can be considered ethically liable for health conditions adolescents that take steroids will suffer since they act as their role models. It is based on the findings of this paper that it can be stated that steroids should not be used for advancement in sports due to both the negative reputation it gives to certain sports and the fact that adolescents look up to their sports heroes as the basis for their own attitude in competitive events. Reference List Bahrke, M. S., Yesalis, C. E., Kopstein, A. N., Stephens, J. A. (2000). Risk Factors Associated With Anabolic-Androgenic Steroid Use Among Adolescents. Sports  Medicine, 29(6), 397-405. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. Denham, B. E. (2000). Performance-Enhancing Drug Use in Amateur and Profes sional Sports: Separating the Realities from the Ramblings. Culture, Sport, Society, 3(2), 56. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. Feinberg, J. M. (2009). College Students Perceptions of Athletes Who Cheat: The Role of Performance and History. Journal of Sport Behavior, 32(4), 460. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. Hassan, N. A., Salem, M. F., Sayed, M. L. (2009). Doping and effects of anabolic androgenic steroids on the heart: histological, ultrastructural, and echocardiographic assessment in strength athletes. Human Experimental  Toxicology, 28(5), 273-283. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. Kuehn, B. M. (2009). Teen Steroid, Supplement Use Targeted. JAMA: Journal of the  American Medical Association, 302(21), 2301. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. Lumia, A. R., McGinnis, M. Y. (2010). Impact of anabolic androgenic steroids on adolescent males. Physiology Behavior, 100(3), 199-204. Mannie, K. (2004). DESIGNER STEROIDS: UGLY, DANGEROUS THinGs. Coach   Athletic Director, 73(9), 14. Retrieved from EBSCOhost . Silvester, J. L. (2006). ANABOLIC STEROIDS AT THE 1972 OLYMPICS!. Coach   Athletic Director, 76(3), 11. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

Music Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Music Theory - Essay Example The song tells us a heart-wrenching tale about a father who refuses to spend quality time with the son he had with his wife whom he claimed to love. His son is persistently trying to unite with his father but, unfortunately, the father is always too busy or gone (Grayeb 1). As the piece goes on, the boy starts turning in to a grownup and when his father wants finally to start spending time with him the son refuses. The child has grown up and furthermore has a family, which he can call his own. The song is narrated from the first-person’s viewpoint by a father who can never find time to bide with his child. Even though the child requests his father to join him in childhood actions, he responds with more than fuzzy guarantees of spending quality time together in 'future' (Grayeb 1). Whereas hoping to spend time with his father, the child begins to shape himself into his father's attitudes, thus the stanza hoping to turn out "just like him." The last two stanzas are an overturn o f the duties, whereby the father requests his adult son to pay him a visit, but the matured son says that he is at the moment too occupied to find the time for his once "too busy" father (Grayeb 1). The father then considers that he and his are both alike, uttering "my boy has turned out to be just like his dad." The song's chorus utilizes imagery and metaphors related to childhood songs such as Cat's in the Cradle, Little Boy Blue, Silver Spoon, and Man in the Moon. Four Parameters Analysis Whereas the relation between motion and tempo might be self-evident, the connection between verticality and pitch is less simple (Grayeb 1). The sound wave of the song was basically slow, which gave the song a low pitch. The artist gave a sense song of a sad feeling in the song, which also complimented the law. Harry Chapin’s song was more rhythmically complex as the artist used odd meters, as well as ways, such as additive rhythm and phasing. The artist also wrote the song in a way which lacked a sense of a regular beat as the song consisted only of long sustained tones also referred to as drones (Grayeb 1). The song also had a liner progression of tunes whereby the singer, at times, hummed or used a guitar only to give the tone. The song incorporated mixed and simply discernible frequency patterns. This was due to the fact that the artist wanted to make the message clear for everyone to understand. The song incorporated low dynamics due to its tune. Also, song had pianissimos and fortissimos, which gave the song the low dynamics. The story was about a sad child; hence, the low dynamics complimented the story in way that the listener could easily understand (Grayeb 1). Line-Graph The song had a series of plateaus characterized by notes. The artist did the work of a lab specialist to achieve the desired effects (Grayeb 1). Chaplin made the song the way it is by working with graphs due to the uniformity that could be adapted from the song. A majority of the more rest rained variations of time and pitch might have to be disregarded prior to the fixing of the relative durations of these notes. Bar-lines should also be placed upon a traditional music staff. The points in the piece could, at that stage, be replaced by notes, as well as the lines through note values (Grayeb 1). The complete pitch of every line for a non-percussive stave was confirmed by the

Organizational Design, Culture, and Adaptation Essay - 1

Organizational Design, Culture, and Adaptation - Essay Example This program, Diabetic Rewards Issued via Everyone (DRIVE) Day, has specific goals aimed at helping patients control their disease through various activities planned on this particular day on a monthly basis. Moreover, Drive Day especially helps in providing care to diabetic patients that do not have insurance coverage, or have low insurance coverage, those from low income groups and all other patients. The idea and design of this initiative resulted from a thorough study of historical data. The Drive Day is conducted on the first Thursday of every month post noon for about 4 hours. On this day, patients that walk in are made to undergo a series of procedures and examinations, post which their condition is assessed for further treatment. This program is conducted by a team of doctors, nurses and attendants from the AHC that take turns every month to conduct the Drive Day based on a pre-planned procedure in a systematic fashion. A total of seven stations with few sub stations cater to the Drive Day activities with each station managed by a team of physician, nurse and attendant. Patients are registered and sent for further study by physicians for their vitals, blood glucose levels and other related tests. These observations made by the physician at every station are accurately recorded on a progress note, which is retained by the patient and used by the physicians to prescribe treatment and to observe improvements. Besides these, the Drive Days are made more attractive and encouraging to the attendees through voluntary activities such as cookery classes, exercise, yoga and group activities to resolve queries from patients and their family members. The Drive Day program certainly has the potential to improve awareness related to diabetes management and its associated problems besides providing accessible and affordable care to existing diabetic patients that are otherwise deprived of the required attention. Secondly, this program will also help doctors devote mor e time to greater number of patients and save waiting time for patients as well as minimize wastage of time waiting that would otherwise occur due to missed appointments or lesser number of patients walking into the clinics for regular visits; in short, this program would improve doctors’ efficiency. The most interesting aspect of the Drive Day initiative is that this program provides an excellent platform to improve awareness related to healthy nutrition, lifestyle, and other health precautions that are required in present-day life, which will also help in managing and preventing early diabetes. The Drive Day initiative would improve doctors’ efficiency and effectiveness. Efficiency would improve because the way the event is managed invites more number of patients as well as incites them for repeating their visits. Effectiveness would be high because patients tend to take ownership to attend the Drive Days; secondly, voluntary activities such as cookery and exercise w ould improve their participation. As per

Production Management Principles Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Production Management Principles - Assignment Example One of the early contributors towards the evolvement of scientific production management principles was F.W. Taylor. He put forward ideas and developed a theory of organization by which managers could optimize their production and increase efficiency. Till that point of time, there was no scientific back up for the workers engaged in production activity and the methods and tools that were used were outdated. In 1881, Taylor brought out a study on the science of metal cutting. (The Principles of Scientific Management 1910, 2005) Later on, different shovels were tested and the optimum shape of the shovel was designed which would allow the worker shovel without any hindrance for the entire day. This improved efficiency as the number of people required to do a certain kind of work like shovelling reduced considerably. Other areas of research included the moving of pig iron. If workers were usually moving 12.5 tonnes of pig iron per day, he conducted experiments which later on proved that given sufficient rest timings in between lifts, a certain percentage of people could transport 47.5 tonnes per day. This generated the idea that workers should be selected as to how they were suited for a particular job. 1. Each and every process was backed up with a scientific explanation. This provided for a comprehensive method of optimizing work efficiency rather than go by an outdated thumb rule. This is because each process has definite character constraints affected by geographical locations and work culture. 2. There should be a scientific method of selecting an individual to do a certain kind of work. After the right person has been selected proper training and guidance should be provided to make his transition into the job easier. There should always be development programmes to enhance his skills while on the job. 3. There should be a list of procedures laid down by the company commonly called QAP (Quality Assurance Procedures). These define the methods and the checklists to be followed while carrying out a certain procedure. The company should ensure that there is complete co-operation between the management and the employees when carrying out processes as per the QAP.

The Myth Of Equality In American Society Politics Essay

The Myth Of Equality In American Society Politics Essay The American society is viewed by the global community as the nation of freedom, as the country in which any person is able to experience the greatest degree of equality. Indeed, the United States of America is undoubtedly the most diverse nation in the world with people representing different cultures and ethnicities. The Constitution of the United States guarantee equal protection of all citizens and prohibits discrimination based on gender, age, physical characteristics, or any other factors which make one person different to the others. However, it should be recognized that the American society does not function as the nation of equals as discrimination, stereotyping, and prejudices are still widespread. The American children are taught at schools that the United States of America was founded with the idea that all people are considered equal (Jeynes and Martinez 195). The history books suggest that the founding fathers did not apply this idea to the African American slaves in the South; however, the ratification of the Constitution was the first step to bring the principle of equality into law. Even though the American government grants equal rights and equal protections to all citizens, it would be wrong to state with confidence that the American society is the nation of equals. Jeynes and Martinez emphasize that as long as Darwinism evolution remains the sole teaching about mans origins that children are exposed to in the public schools, racism will be highly institutionalized in the way children are instructed (196). Even though this argument deals mostly with religious aspects of the human evolution, Jeynes and Martinez describe the current situation in American society very clear. Even today, many people are strongly convinced that the Whites are superior to African Americans in their intellectual abilities while African Americans are superior to Whites in terms of physical development and athletic skills. It is possible to assume that African Americans, for example, are more skilful in sports due to their physical characteristics; however, this difference should not become the benchmark for dividing society in groups. Due to the social stratification and the segmentation of the nation into different groups, the concept of equality is present on the paper only. Every person has a number of groups he or she belongs to. For example, a teenager may belong to the African American group by his race, basketball team by his sports participation, Christian group by his religious beliefs, and high school community by his age. From one side, social identification is necessary for the development as well as normal functioning of any person. From the other side, the institutionalized social groups contribute to further division of society and diminishment of the concept of equality. Sidlow and Henschen draw the attention of the American nation to the idea of civil rights which guarantee all citizens equal treatment under the law, as supported with the Fourteenth Amendment (99). From the standpoint of democracy, all people have equal rights as well. However, the idea of equality within American society is an ideal which has not been achieved yet. Numerous groups in American society struggle today to obtain equal treatment. For example, the gay couples try to obtain legal equality in terms of marriage and adoption of children and millions of illegal immigrants strive to achieve legal status of citizens. Thus, the law does not allow discrimination against a particular group of people; however, it does not imply that equality is created. In a sense, the emergence of the independent United States is based on the history of discrimination against minorities. Sidlow and Henschen emphasize that discrimination against women, African Americans, and Native Americans dates back to the early years of the nation, the time when farmers in the South refused to give equal rights to others (99). As more and more diverse people arrived to the United States, it was necessary to bring in the issue of equality into political framework. Nevertheless, it was not enough to ensure equality on the paper; it was necessary to integrate the concept of equality into social relations. Consequently, today millions of people belonging to diverse minority groups have no opportunity to experience equality in their daily lives. It is important to mention that despite of the widespread recognition of the importance of equality and tolerance towards differences among people, the scientific and academic community started to focus on the rights of minority people only a decade or two ago. In particular, the idea of the inclusive classrooms emerged only several years ago, when the educators realized that their classrooms were composed of diverse students with different needs. It does not mean that classrooms became diverse only a decade ago. It means that the issue of equality has not been properly addressed before. Initially, it was expected that the diverse people coming to the United States would be assimilated into the mainstream culture. However, Vera and Feagin argue that today the mere idea of assimilation is no longer effective. Thus, clear distinctions are made between those who believe all people should be given a fair chance to succeed and those who believe that if people dont have equal access to res ources, measures should be take to equalize opportunity (299). Unfortunately, the equality in American nation exists mostly theoretically rather than practically. People are judged by their market value, as Americans are taught to respect the wealthy and despise the poor. The human character has less value than social and physical attributes. Moreover, Vera and Feagin suggest that very few people are willing to support proactive measure to ensure equality because it would mean loss of the privileges for the dominant groups. At the same time, many people believe that equality is the defining feature of the American society, as any person from any part of the world is able to become successful in this country. However, this view is expressed in support of the economic success rather than social equality. In addition to economic measures of success, the American people attribute significant value to individualism as opposed to collectivism. In other words, Americans tend to emphasize the importance of individuals rather than teams, groups, or community. Naylor argues that because of this particular flavor of self-reliance, the American nation can not become equal (56). For many people, equality means nothing more than equal participation in educational and educational systems, for example. Indeed, equality does not mean that all people have equal talents and are able to achieve outstanding success. Equality is not attainable in these aspects. Therefore, equality means equal access to systems and equal opportunities for all people. The global community believes that the American nation grants equal opportunities to all citizens. Nevertheless, until today no significant progress has been achieved to guarantee equal opportunities. Many initiatives have been introduced to tackle the problem of discrimination with the hope to integrate equality into American society. For example, the affirmative action was institutionalized to give minority students a better chance for admission. However, affirmative action initiative failed because of its ineffectiveness. The American society is not a nation of equals, and the removal of the political barriers to equality did not result in the removal of economic and social barriers as well. Naylor suggests that the members of the mainstream culture tend to focus on freedom, the rights of the individual, equality, achievement, and mobility (57). The members of other groups strive to become part of mainstream culture as well. The reason to seek membership in dominant culture is rather obvious for many centuries, the dominating groups have been enjoying more rights and freedoms. Today, the situation is not much different to the time when African Americans were slaves, for example. Even though slavery has been prohibited, members of minority groups do not have equal access to political, economic, and social systems. The reason for the failure to bring equality into society is not related to the weakness of political system or lack of opportunities for all. The key issue behind lack of equality is related to cultural and economic factors. For example, a teenager born to immigrant parents may not have equal opportunity to attend college compared to other students only because his parents are not able to afford education. Consequently, this teenager is not able to take advantage of equal opportunity to have well-paid job because lack of education is projected on career. In the long-run, this teenager is likely to become an adult who does not fit the mainstream group of successful, educated Whites not because of ethnic or racial differences but rather because of the social and economic barriers. In conclusion, the American nation prides itself for its principle of equality, freedoms and rights for all. Nevertheless, the reality is that equality remains nothing more than a concept addressed by the American Constitution. As the nation of immigrants, the American society includes diverse people who strive to take the fullest advantage of their individualism. To ensure equality, the government should remove not only legislative barriers to equal participation but also provide all people with an opportunity to participate in economic and social systems.

Euthanasia: An Informative Essay Essay

The first person to be legally voluntarily euthanised in Australia was Bob Dent in the Northern Territory, in the year of 1996. This controversial issue has raised many dilemmas throughout society, and so far it seems there is no clear solution. The implications of euthanasia will be discussed herein. Defining the issue and exploring both sides of the controversy has proven to be a difficult task. The word ‘euthanasia’ comes from the Greek words ‘eu’ and ‘thanatos’, together translating as ‘good death’. The Oxford Concise Medical Dictionary defines euthanasia as the ‘act of taking life to relieve suffering’. In practice euthanasia proves to be far more complex, as it comes in a variety of forms. Passive euthanasia is the deliberate withdrawal of treatment and nourishment for the terminally ill patient. Active euthanasia is on the authority or for the best interests of the patient who perhaps is unable to speak for him or herself. For example, a hospital could decide when to take someone off a life support machine. Voluntary euthanasia is when the patient makes a request to have their life terminated, through the administration of a drug or other means. There is also involuntary euthanasia, which is when a life is taken away without and individual’s consent and against their will and is one of the many causes for the sensitivity and distress surrounding this matter. Euthanasia is also known ‘mercy killing’ (Bachman 1999) or ‘physician assisted-suicide’. The word ‘mercy’ means ‘compassion’, yet combined with the term ‘killing’ becomes a juxtaposition of contrasting meanings. Such terms as these are very strong in the image they reflect, and perhaps the frequent use of them is what makes euthanasia even harder to comprehend and to be accepted as a legitimate practice. Where do you start or stop euthanasia? The Voluntary Euthanasia Society wants the law to allow people â€Å"with a severe illness from which there is no relief known† to be put to death. Those in favour of euthanasia feel that terminally ill patients should not have to endure the slow process their bodies’ deteriorating, being incontinent, pain-racked and totally dependant on life-supporting machines. As such patients lose control over bodily  functions; either by being in a comatose state or vegetative state, dignity is lost also as with the ability to control events. Requests for euthanasia are not always because the patient is giving up in the face of suffering, but that they are positively asserting their desire to control events. Modern medicine has brought about surgery, immunisation and anti-bodies. Inadvertently these have all increased life expectancy in general in comparison to society’s predecessors. This means that the possibilities made available by the modern world should not be completely disregarded. Too often advances in palliative care are protracted, painful and undignified. This paper has examined the human dilemma, which arises when technological advances in end-of-life medicine conflict with traditional sanctity-of-life values. Society places high value on personal autonomy. To conclude, allowing autonomy for the terminally ill, within legal bounds, would result in fewer ethical contradictions and greater preservation of dignity.

Architectural education today: Cross-cultural perspectives Essay

Architecture is the process by which buildings and other physical structures are planned, constructed and designed through consideration of environmental, cultural and social factors. Architecture also encompasses the issues of cost assessment, construction management and scheduling which an architect have to consider in order for it to be successful. The process of architecture involves a series of steps whereby the architect present a documentation of plans and technical specifications, typical drawings, which represents or defines the structure of the building to be constructed (Cowlishaw, 1999). This professional discipline represents all creative fields regarding the design of our physical environment whether cultural, industrial and residential. However the relationship between dependable mishandlings of the surroundings and building structures has resulted to the considerations of responses to all factors in the environment including culture, climate, and location. This is ref erred as the built environment and currently, many researchers have been looking at what environmental burdens has an effects on human physical characters and application to the physical and cultural environment (Dovey and Kim, 2010). Consequently, every environmental factor has contributed significantly in the evolution of man’s architecture and until recently cultural factors in the man’s physical evolution (architecture) has acknowledged basically no consideration (Alamo et al, 2002). Environmentally, sensible design of any structure should be essential in the creative process from the commencement, considering at the current structure that there is probability of energy consumption which is one of the environmental factors leading to a maintainable construction and structure, which can be applied in the redesigning stage of the development. Consideration of the environmental factors in the architecture process ensures that there is easily adaptation of the structures designed to any environmental condition. Cultural factors are also main essentials o consider when designing and planning any structure since they are connected to the human behavior (David, 1993). Culture can be defined as the devel opment that not only regulate the pressures of natural assortment of any design or plan but also assist in the changes of pressures. Evident on this aspect is when we witness the growth and improvement of human tools, social selection and migration. Through consideration of cultural factors, human nature is transformed in one way or the other and this have contributed development of intellects which increase the response of biological mechanisms. Precisely, in this essay I have tried to discuss in details on how environmental and cultural factors influence the process of architecture as well as the built environment. Built environment can be referred as those surroundings created by humans, for humans and can be applied in human activity. Such built environment includes cities, buildings, and roads and also supports infrastructure, such as supply of water or networks of energy. However, built environment relates so much with architecture since it involves spaces and places modified or generated by people in the society comprising transportation systems, constructions and parks. But recently research from the public health have described built environment as inclusion of healthy food admittance in the process of ensuring maintainable environment with an aim of smart growth. The built environment offers the situation and background by which we live our lives and effects on our emotions, senses, contribution in physical action a nd the life and sense of community and universal welfare (David, 1993). Cultural factors             Cultural factors that influence architecture as well as the built environment, explains more on the style of the architecture which will really fit the surrounding, they determine whether the architecture is traditional or modern and also determines whether the architecture have integrated local design components. The consequence of culture on the architectural design appears to be the crucial factor in shaping any structure. The widespread variety of shapes, techniques of constructing walls and roofs of houses has resulted to the current aspirations of advancement towards modernity. In many parts this inspiration of architectural heritage of texture and color of the building components have been attained while suggesting new architectural design that can boost cultural endurance. In addition, the considerations on culture are mostly stressed in any architecture process because that architectural section that do not consider the cultural elements of its surroundin gs stand the risk of being forbidden by the existing people (Dovey and Kim, 2010). The features of culture that mostly affect architecture as well as built environment include religious, economic and social activities. One of the main cultural factors influencing architecture and the built environment as well is sensory assessment of decorations. Decorations makes a building or any structure to have attractive and clear visual appearance to the observers plus the occupants. Therefore before even designing and planning an architectural design, decoration of that structure must be highly considered. This decoration must highly relates with the flexibility of the culture so that it cannot interfere with the existing culture thus the visual simplicity can go hand on hand with the noticeable differences. The influence of building components comes out as an effective and important factor in determining the complication of architectural design. Mostly, the repetition, orientation, similarity, common inclusion and balance of the building components play a measure in conveying building structures such as houses. Furthermore, the characteristics magnitudes of the windows, their relationship with the compact areas and their locations in the wall inclines a sense of consistency in architecture. Therefore, the effective architectural shape, material, style and decoration explains the most important components for constructing structures without much consideration on the texture and color (Noschis, 2002). Considerably, we have stated above that social activities are one of the cultural factors and they influence highly on any architectural design and its development. As we all know, the traditional styles of generating and creating architectural designs started to shrink due to emergency of western civilization thus resulting to modification from numerous unit system of extended families houses to current single unit system of apartments and flats. The current architects must consider a complete deviance from enclosure system even if the inhabitants of that house are more than one family. This is because there have been a stead evolution of architecture from traditional background. Approving the above point (Denyer, 1978) affirms that though the colonial controllers did not directly mediate in issues concerning indigenous culture, however, there were two major conditions in which obligation did happen. They were the isolation of land to accommodate emigrant settlers, and the hint of t rying to persuade people to live in settlements suitable for local development policies. There was serious intervention in the habitation schedules and many administration have not changed the existing development. When designing any architectural design currently, one must have idea that involvement of grouped people who in early times lived into large villages has left their family farmstead of scattered and small villages. Modern community services have also attracted most of people to the site where good architectural designed with modern facilities. The main reason why this evolution have occurred is because any traditional buildings were designed with the bases of width and not its height like what is done recently. Population is another social element which is under the cultural factors influencing the architectural designs and plans. Before setting up any architectural design, the architect must have the details of the number of people around that structure and determine whether this will affect the built environment in that location (Ferrigni, 2005). All social groups beginning from the aboriginal tribes to countries or nations have certain kind of art form. It is a certain character that man at all times attempts to show his feelings of his environment utmost the things which brings a great impact to his lifetime. Considering the number of people around that architectural design is very important because human being is a social being and at sometimes those people who are using it, or ordering it to be built or people designing and building it can influence all inner spaces. Environmental factors             Environment and architecture relates so much such that without an architect considering the environmental factors, architectural designs and plans end up failing. It is not possible to design any good structures (buildings) without considering their relationship to the national coordination. Moreover, it is not possible to interpret the normal environment without having knowledge on how human involvement in the environment affects it; either negatively or positively. The study of environment takes the entire meaning when nature and man start to identify their interdependence. However, the relationship of architecture and environment inspires students to sightsee from variety of perceptions (Dillion and Salvage,1998). In my opinion, environmentally friendly architecture should be a habitual practice to any firm in consideration of a good architectural design. The main environmental factors that influence the designing of architecture is climate with inclusion of it s variables and elements. In addition we must consider another factor on consideration of energy emissions that will that will be required and created during the process of architecture. This will ensure that the budget of the client whose the well-designed building concern to, that the amount of energy to control it daily does not require the usual amounts of energy plus the cost-effective resources. When the architectural design is friendly to the environment, then it means it can be effectively implemented right on time (Fantin, 2003). Climate in particular as an environmental factor influences architectural designs. For example, the hot humid regions or zones requires structures with wide openings for ventilation and lighting. Climate together with other physical components prescribe kind of geographical features and therefore influence the kind of construction and designs that can be established in a specific geographical region (Dillion and Salvage,2003). Consideration of these elements further assist the designer in developing the dimension linkages and form which is arranged in a discrete manner to satisfy the desired needs. The conditions of a place has to do with topography, microclimate, water basin, undergrowth and wind breaks in the form of bush and trees. Other situations are convenience, how near is that architectural design to the public infrastructure, entrance and the level of disturbances. Since traditional house building system did not think through most of the factors noted above, the only conside rations a house constructor or any planning house proprietor were vegetation with respect to economic crops, the appearance of the terrain, description of plot with respect to religious happenings, immediacy to head of instantaneous family and farm occupants (Ferrigni, 2005). Another importance of climate as an environmental factor is that it assist the architectural designers and planners to a large magnitude, what kind of natural resources can be afforded to local builders and architects. To those areas that do not have many trees or a lot of rainfall, but with a extensive area of grass where grazing of livestock can take place, cow strokes are often permitted to dry and then composed together, so that they can be applied as building elements for the walls of buildings and other residences (Konya,1980). These strokes serve a construction component and heat-proofing. However, heavily forested areas allow the builders to apply timber as a durable and strong building component. In areas where there is large leaves, such as palm leaves, they can be applied to make roofs that are effective in avoiding rainfall and other elements of climate from affecting the built structure. This will contribute a lot to the one who is implementing the work of the designer b ecause even the application of environment elements is easy to repair and it is a poor conductor of heat thus it facilitates to bearable interior temperature (Dillion and Salvage,1998). The alignment of locating the building on the location is done with special consideration being focused on the climatic components such as sun radiation, wind, topography, vegetation and precipitation. The level of disturbance and its view are also usually taken care of an effective architecture process. During times of excessive heat, solar radiation is mainly considered because there is need to know the difference in temperature of a construction between the best and worst alignment (Ferrigni, 2005). Good alignment assists to eliminate much of solar radiation from the internal region of the construction. However, alignment of houses is determined by bearing in mind access to the buildings and the point that the apartment of head of the family must be located almost at the end. If all these considerations are done, then the nature and kind of the houses assist in reducing the consequence of sun radiation to the occupants in that building. Moreover consideration of mud houses can app ly very well in these zones with extensive heats since, they are poor conductor of heat therefore, making the interior of that building quite cool (Konya,1980). Another architectural consideration in these parts is constructing buildings that do not have ceiling in order to enable circulation of air thus improving the ventilation. Finally, the appearance of local landscape and the way it is influenced by climate can have an important control on the choices made by the architectural designers. For example considering the land which is close to water bodies then the domestic residences can be built facing in the course that enables cooling breezes created by the water to create natural circulation of air (Fantin, 2003). Consequently, those places with an abundance of trees, residences can be constructed under the shade of their leaves to accomplish a similar function and deliver protection from either wind and or rain. In addition, the modern conservation of energy can be a main challenge in buildings which are being built. This often leads to connecting energy from native weather patterns in ways which are sophisticated and will allow the concentrated amount of air to stream through and cool the buildings (Alamo et al, 2002). Conclusion             Any architecture can give in a very detailed and speedy manner, the cultural background and historic economic of any group of people or settlements. In simple terms, the architectural constructions in any setup, informs visitors the kind of structures in existence whether cultural or environmental. There must be a resolute struggle to revive the failing architectural trend and advance fresh but tolerable architectural plans and design that identify the culture of the people with respect to present development in their environment. Every culture can stimulate a kind of architecture that can encourage a kind of architecture that can vary from developments to everyday house. Environment and family appear to be the most common influences generally. Each culture is not the same to the other and the more we become enlightened on them, the more we raise the value of our environment and comprehend why certain issues appeal to us. There is no doubt that if any architectura l design can consider the cultural and environmental factors, then there will be a built environment which is acceptable and friendly and at the same time matching with the existing infrastructures in the environment. References Denyer S 1978. African Traditional Architecture. New York: African Company, pp. 14-22 Dovey, Kim.2010. Becoming Places: Urbanism/Architecture/Identity/Power. London, New York: Routledge Taylor and Francis Group, David M.2013. A Place to Call Home: Identiï ¬ cation with Dwelling, Community, and Region. The Sociological Quarterly, Nr. 1, 111–131 Ferrigni, F., & European University Centre for the Cultural Heritage. (2005). Ancient buildings and earthquakes: Reducing the vulnerability of historical built- up environment by recovering the local seismic culture; principles, methods, potentialities. Bari: Edipuglia. Alamo, A. M. A., O’Reilly, W., & Noschis, K. (2002). Architectural education today: Cross-cultural perspectives. Lausanne: Comportments. Konya Allan 1980. Design Primer for Hot Climates. London: Architectural Press Limited, P. 33, 37, 38. Dillion,J. & Salvage, M. 1998. â€Å"Tangentyere council† in Architectural Review, Octomber, pp.96-97.Dillion,J. & Salvage, M. 2003, â€Å"House Design in Alice Springs Town Camps† in Take Housing Design and indigenous Australia, eds P. Memmott & C. Chambers, The Royal Australian Institute Of Architects, Red. Cowlishaw, G.(1999). Rednecks, Eggheads and Blackfellas A Study of Racial Power and Intimacy in Australia. Allen and Unwin. Fantin, S. (2003a). Aboriginal identities in architecture. Architecture Australia, 92(5):84–87. Source document

Toyota Motor Corporation Essays

Toyota Motor Corporation Essays Toyota Motor Corporation Paper Toyota Motor Corporation Paper A competitive advantage occurs when organization can offer customers greater value (lower price, additional services and benefit) over competitors in its marketplace (Make 2011). Strategy is a key assisting tool for a firm in any industry to gain the competitive advantages. Business strategy is the long-term purpose and positioning of the organization within its industry (Miser 2014). Today business environment is more complicated and more regulated especially in developed countries than in previous business era. A genuine strategy is always needed when business create a distinctive way ahead, against the influence of the environment by applying whatever core resources and competencies it belongs (Miser 2014). The firm seeks sustainable competitive advantage through these distinctive capabilities. In this severely violent business world, the automobile industry is extremely competitive, with many large organizations trying to influence their competitive advantages to achieve the majority of market share and position (Business Wire Inc. 2013). This paper is to study the US automobile industry for Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) using five forces analysis that was developed by Michael Porter to identify competitive opportunities and attractiveness effectively within market or an industry. The framework for Porters five forces analysis consists of these competitive forces such as the threat of new entrants, the threat of substitutes, the buyer power, the supplier power and rivalry among the competitors (Porter Bibb). These five forces shape the strategy of organizations (Porter Bibb). The automobile industry analysis enables Toyota to understand what forces determine profitability of the automobile industry, what is the current absolute and relative profitability of the industry based on these forces, how these forces re changing and expected to change, and how those changes affect future profitability (Miser 2014). 2. Industry Overview Page 5 The automobile industry is one of the most essential economics sectors and industries. It also represents 3 to 3. 5% of GAP, and creates one in every seventeen jobs in the United States (US). The number of car production in US is almost 2. 7 million and that represents 4. 9% of world production in 2011. The first place of global car production is held by China (24%) and followed by Japan (1 1. 9%) (Worldliest 2014). The US market represents twenty three ere cent of global number of sales of light and passenger vehicles as in term Of 16. 5 million sales units (Euler Hermes Group 2014). The trend of customers demand in a car m anufacturing industry is varied with prices of product or gasoline, per capita disposable income, and advancement of technology in vehicle production (Euler Hermes Group 2014). For example, during past five years, the growth of environmental concerns and dynamic increase of the fuel prices have shifted the preferences of consumers away from fuel- guzzling pickup trucks to more fuel-efficient and smaller cars. As a result, nonusers highly demand more felicitating vehicles. In this century, a company which can innovate and produce more fuel-efficient vehicles than competitors gains competitive advantages and market shares (N com 2013). Apart from that, product innovation can stimulate demand in regard with more fuel-efficient vehicles such as electric models and hybrids than in the past. Nowadays people are more interested to invest on the car that are fuel efficient. Moreover, vehicle prices are tied to materials and equipment costs. For instance, the higher steel and prices raise purchasing costs, and also retail rice. The affordability for consumers is determined by per capita disposable incomes (Gnomon 2013). Increasing income level and incentives makes users more affordable to buy motor vehicles. Besides that, the number of financing companies in automobile industry increases significantly over the last few years. Due to this, the number and range of automobile loans are increased and that make industry demand stronger (Gnomon 2013). Furthermore, , according to Michael Porter (1980), instabilities of economic conditions such as material shortages, labor supply shortages; strikes, and purrs in demand can influence the profitability of almost all businesses in an industry for short-term period. Porter (1 980, p. ) also says: While such factors have tactical significance, the focus of structural analysis is on identifying the stable, underlying characteristics of an industry-its economic and PEP PROBLEM Page 6 technological structure that shapes the arena in which competitive strategy must be set. Whether the success or fail of a competitive strategy, it depends on how a firm relates to its environment. The main aspect of the firms environment is he industry in which it positio ns and operates (Make 2011). The effect of industry structure is eve strong in defining not only the rules of the competitive game but also the strategies potentially available to the organization (Porter 2004). The available potential is not equal for all industries especially in profit potential. Over time, there will be the movement on the structure of industry gradually, and organizations will have unique weaknesses and strengths in dealing with structure (Porter 2004). Therefore, it is crucial for all firms that the strategy analysis must be started through understanding industry Structure (Porter 2004). In today modern society, automobile is one of the most convenient transportation equipment. As a result of globalization, foreign auto dealers are able to enter American market easily, and thus, competition is stronger and stronger in the market. The US automobile industry is mainly dominated by the big three domestic automotive manufacturers such as General Motors, Ford and Daimler Chrysler (Shinny 2012). However, the foreign car manufacturers, Toyota and Honda are the biggest competitors in this industry (Business Wire Inc. 013). Due to the higher oil prices, movement towards green technologies, and the global economy, the more fuel efficiency and technological innovation like Hybrid vehicles are being demanded among consumers (Shinny 2012). This is a great opportunity for Toyota to increase market shares by innovating and producing high technological and more fuel efficient vehicles. 3. Toyota Motor Corporation Toyota Motor Corporation is a Japan-based auto manufacturer which was founded in 1937. The main business engine of Toyota is producing and selling different types of cars and vehicles which suit to different size of households ND corporate uses around the world. Toyota also sells the related parts and accessories to meet the markets needs and wants (Gnomon 2013). The primary market areas of Toyota Motor PEP PROBLEM Page 7 Corporation are Japan, Europe, North America, and Asia. Toyota, Lexus, Hon, and Dadaists are current brand of Toyota Motor Corporation, the leading auto manufacturer, which competes in the automobile industry and also is the eighth largest company in the world (Toyota Bibb). As of March 31, 2014, the annual revenue of Toyota Motor Corporation was 25. 69 trillion yen, an increase of 16. % compared to the last financial year. Operating income before tax increased from 1. 32 trillion yen in 201 3 to 2. 29 trillion yen in 2014 due to the major factors Currency fluctuations of 900 billion yen, marketing activities of 1 80 billion yen, and cost reduction efforts of 290 billion yen. The consolidated vehicle sales increased by 245,369 units from 2013 and the vehicle sales totaled 9, 1 16,033 units in 2014 (Toyota AAA). Industry analysis empowers an organization to develop a competitive strategy that leverages the competitive forces in its favor and best defends against hem (Clark 1 991 Understanding the sources of the competitive forces is essential to develop a competitive strategy (Make 201 1). From this understanding of these competitive forces, the company can emphasis areas where industry trends indicate the greatest significance as either opportunities or threats (Industry analysis and competition: porters five forces 2014). 4. Porters Five Forces on Automobile Industry When the rates of return are higher than the adjusted free market return, it spurs the inflow of capital into an industry either through additional investment by existing competitors or through new entry. Michael Porter (1980, p. L ) stated that the strength of the competitive forces in an industry determines the degree to which this inflow of investment drives the return down to the free market level, hence the ability of firms to sustain above average returns. The state of competition in an industry depends on five basic competitive forces. Porters five forces is a framework that analyses how five key competitive forces affecting the profitability level of an industry and shaping the competitive strategy Of a firm (Porter Bibb). Moreover, these five forces determine the structure of an industry too. The weaker the competitive forces in the industry are the more profitable it is. An industry With high PEP PROBLEM Page 8 buying power and supplying power or few buyer and suppliers but many substitute products, weak barriers for entry and competitors will become aggressive and strongly competitive, and thus, not so attractive because of its low profitability (Gnomon 2013). Evaluating companys competitive position in the industry and identifying the weakness and strengths that maintain and strengthen that position is the major duty of every strategist (Clark 1991). Porters five forces model, the analyzing tool, is very useful to develop the strategy of company in enhancing its long-term profit as it discloses how powerful each of the five forces is in a particular industry (Industry analysis and competition: Porters five forces 2014). This model can provide an analysis of IIS automobile industry competitive nature in details and assist in assessing the strength of competitive and the position of the company in the market. A successful competitive strategy is also a purpose of the attractiveness of the industries in which the firm competes and of the firms elated position in those industries. Porters five forces are the threat of new entrants, the threat of substitutes, the bargaining power of buyers, the bargaining power of suppliers and the rivalry between the existing competitors (Porter Bibb). 4. Threat of new entrants All entry barriers can and do change the conditions of industry. In the auto industry, economies of scale increased extremely with post-war automation and the successful new entry is being stopped due to the vertical integration in the market. Economies of scale are very hard to be achieved by small companies. Company strategic decisions mainly impact on entry barriers if the changes of entry bar riers are beyond a companys control (Grungy 2006). Therefore it is very important for every company in any industry to understand the level of threat for entry. The main factors contributed into a barrier to entry caused are an initial capital investment, switching costs, financial prudence, government policy, unregulated technology matters or the role of buyers and suppliers of the particular industry. The automobile industry is protected by the high barriers of entry to introduce new products. There are very few new players who could successfully venture into the automobile industry because of the large amount of capital investment requirements PEP PROBLEM Page 9 to set up producing facilities and a distribution network. Moreover, the achievements of existing global major competitors from economies of scope and scales cause difficulties for a new entrant in offering competitive price. In auto industry, the brand equity is one of the most significant barriers for new entrants. Due to the issues of reliability, durability and safety are important, consumers made the decision based on the impression of a model on the manufacturers previous performance on these issues (Shinny 2012). Therefore, the reputation and image of the brand is extremely crucial to customers. These are one of the factors makes a new entrant difficulty in competing. In order to overcome this barrier, it takes many years for a new entrant in building a strong enough reputation and image to be competitive. Since Toyota is the well-known Japan car brand, large size, and unshakable market presence in various segments, Toyota gains a competitive advantage over new entrants in the automobile industry (Baggage 2001 In addition, the age sum of capital is required for initial investment. It is very costly and risky to enter a car manufacturing market as the competition between the companies is very intense and the well established companies dominated the market. In US car manufacturing industry, the big three domestic companies (General Motors, Ford and Daimler Chrysler) hold the most Of the market shares. US Government Even if new entrants could achieve the market share with bringing innovative ideas and products to the industry, they may expect to face high retaliation from existing companies. However, some players may have special skills or resources that aid them to overwhelm barriers to enter an industry more easily and cheaply than most other players. As a result of the increasingly global nature of economy and emergence of foreign competitors who belong to the capital, management and marketing skill and technology, there is an increase in the threat to the domestic industry. In the case of Toyota entry to US market, Toyota can use the cost advantage of the Toyota Production System (TAPS) to plunder into US market. The tactic of the TAPS system is less of everything usage: less human effort in the factory, less investment tools, less manufacturing and storage space by using Just-in-time system, and half the engineering hours to develop new products compared to European and American manufacturers (Takeover Petersen 2006). The commitment of Toyota to quality, fuel PEP PROBLEM page 10 efficiency, and low cost made Toyota cars more demand and preferable than German and American cars. As an evidence of increasingly global nature, the table of global car production rates can be seen in Appendix 1 . . 2 Threat of substitutes All firms in an industry are broadly competing against each other by reducing substitute products. Substitute products and services limit the profit potential and attractiveness of an industry with the cap of price level. As the price-performance trade-off offered by substitutes became more attractive, it became more difficult to gain the industry profits. The US industry trend s indicate that a significant part of car demand is taken by the used car market as the consumers still have a confidence with the used car. In order to gain the market share from the used car industry, Toyota has narrowed the price gap between its own automobiles and the used cars with TTS ability of efficient price cutting system. Substitutes often became more active as long as the industries development became more competitive and causes price reduction or performance improvement. The factors contributed in the search of substitutes are switching costs, price, quality, government regulations, tax policies, government grants and subsidies (Monteverdi Tech 1982). Currently, an example, the U. S government is promoting solar heating by granting the research funds and tax incentives. In addition, there are the effect of safety and pollution standards on relative cost and quality of substitutes. A shift towards a knowledge economy and rise of online system reduce the need for a two or more vehicle household. According to the Center Of Automotive research, current the number of cars at 2. 1/ household will be the highest point and it is estimated to drop the level to 2. Peer household or less by 2025 (Shinny 2012). The result of this research also highlighted that the market opportunities of US domestic companies rely on segmenting into market which supplies alternative transport or hybrid vehicles with low cost (shinny 2012). Another risk to become substitutes is an availability of several alternative hypes of transportation such as trains, buses, bicycle, planes or motorcycles available. These _ probative Page 11 substitute transportation almost always cost less and sometime are more environment-friendly but rarely offer the same level of convenience. . 3 Bargaining power of buyers As buyers have an ability to bid down prices, play competitors off against each other, and demand higher quality or more service, buyers are the representatives of a competitive force. The conditions making buyer powerful are a number of characteristics of its market situation and how important its arches is by being viewed as an industrial level. The Lager volume Of purchase relative to sellers sales become, the m ore powerful buyer group will be (Grungy 2006). In the auto industry, most of the buyers are individual and the bargaining power is higher for corporate or governments who usually buy large fleets compared with individual consumers. Moreover, consumers will easily switch to other suppliers if industry products are standardized and undifferentiated, and the switching cost is also reasonable low (Monteverdi The recent trends of automobile industry indicate that the consumers are seeking more fuel-efficient cars as the impact of the rising oil prices. This also results in an increase of hybrid cars demand because it offers cheaper alternatives for operating the vehicle (using battery to run the car if the running speed is under 60 to km) together with higher expectations of product quality (Takeover Petersen 2006). Moreover, since there are plenty of choices for buyers in car industry, the bargaining power of buyer is quite strong and buyers can easily choose other car brands. Buyers can also use alternative types of transportation with low cost. In addition, buyers are price- insensitive and their decision in buying vehicle is impacted by the vehicle cost (Sudsier 2001). However, Toyota implements the cost cutting practices in its production system to offer the price that the buyers expect to pay and to locate its products into a more advantageous position compacted to its competitors. It is proven by the number of Japan brand sales in US auto industry in Appendix. 4. 4 Bargaining power of suppliers page 12 Suppliers can exert a competitive force on an industry because they can raise prices or reduce the quality of the goods they supply. Increasing price can enemies profitability of an industry due to failure to recover cost increases in its own prices. The factors influencing buyer power have inverse effect on the power of suppliers. If supplier market is monopoly or only limited choices available for buyers, there will be considerable influence on prices, terms and quality (Sudsier 2001). The suppliers in the automobile industry have low bargaining power and are likely to be smaller than manufacturers. Therefore, numerous suppliers rely on one or two auto manufacturers to purchase the majority of their products. On the other hand, while the automobile supply equines is fragmented, they supply vital parts for car manufacturing and most of automobile manufacturers rely on the timely operations of supplier and stellar quality (Shinny 2012). Based on this fact, it is very common in signing long-term legally binding contract between supplier and manufacture accompanied by strict quality and standards. If a supplier either does not meet the standard set by the car manufactures or charge the price more than carmakers are willing to pay, auto manufacturer can easily find another supplier and even move its supply chain towards the cheaper supply markets n a different country (Monteverdi Tech 1982). For example, U. S automobile manufacturers outsource some parts of their product to be produced in China where the labor cost is cheaper than U. S. In the case of Toyota, more than ten different companies from U. S supply the goods to Toyota. The quality, cost and delivery of the products are the major qualifications that the company must have to be a Toasts supplier. If suppliers cannot comply with those basic standard set by Toyota, it is difficult for them to survive because losing the big manufacture like Toyota can stop heir whole operation and create financial difficulties as well. Therefore, strong relationship with the suppliers becomes one of the competitive advantages of Toyota. 4. Rivalry between the existing competitors The most of tactics used during rivalry between the existing competitors are price competition, product or service innovation, advertising battles, better customer benefits package, and increased customer services or warranties. Conditions that PEP PROBLEM Page 13 cause rivalry occurs are one or more competitors who see an opportunity to move up position in the market, industry pressure and an opportunity to expand the market share (Porter Bibb). In the automotive industry, the rivalry between existing competitors is very strong. There are a moderate number of competitors in this industry. As a large amount of initial capital investment, a firm would incur huge losses if it would decide to leave the auto industry. Therefore, a firm usually stays in automobile industry for the lifetime or leave the industry if it bankrupts. In the situation that the existing manufacturers will not leave industry easily and new entrants will also come in, it blows up rivalry among competitors in the auto industry. Competition is also fuelled by the changes of markets needs and expectations on quality, cost-efficiency and price. In automobile industry, especially in US, the higher consumer expectations and anticipation for the lower price is, the stronger competitive rivalry becomes (Seventy 2012). Offering high sales discounts by Big Three companies puts an additional pressure on Toasts costs cutting strategies and efficient production. 5. Recommendation Based on the above Porters five forces analysis, the some recommendations for Toyota are as follow: Focus on innovation and technology of fuel-efficient vehicles like Hybrid as true differentiation strategy according to Porters three strategy model. Expand market to rapidly developing countries by introducing products as per markets needs and want. Innovate advance technology for fuel economy, for example, conventional gasoline-fuel engine Improve the value chain to provide the wide range of customer services in order to persuade new consumers and increase brand loyalty. PEP PRIMPED page 14 Move the manufacturing facilities to Asia where Toyota can get cheaper cost for labor and factory expenses. Increase innovation and production of energy saving and environmentalists products. Focus on product quality to maintain brands image Keep on learning and improvement on manufacturing systems for efficiency. Emphasis on Americanism product design, manufacturing and marketing to expand market share in US automobile industry. Enforce compliance (laws and regulations) and actively participate in social contribution activities as a one of the missions of Toyota safety first. Manufacture more running cost-efficient vehicles at a relatively low price to follow the trend of US automobile market. In conclusion, Porters five force model provides a picture of the industry thin larger economic frameworks, especially with regards to the global economy and necessary changes that must occur in manufacturing. It helps organization to develop strategies for profitability by understanding five forces that shape competition. This will also put Toyota and US industry on a smart trajectory towards success. Moreover, Toyota must sustain its competitive advantages in global and US automobile industry such as strong brand, TOM, value chain, fuel-efficient (hybrid) vehicles and wide range of product offering to retain its position and achieve future success.

Camus essays

Camus essays In two of his greatest works, "The Stranger," and "The Myth of Sisyphus," Albert Camus exposes his readers to the existentialistic parts of philosophy. The existentialism within his works shapes his characters, by determining how they will act and respond to what is going on around them. However, due to the existentialism, the character stands out in a way unique to the characters in that work. Meursault, the protagonist in "The Stranger," is an insensitive individual. He shows no feelings towards anyone throughout the novel. It is this lack of feeling that strongly reflects the philosophy of existentialism. Meursault does not feel any sensations a normal human would have with members of the opposite sex, nor does anything important seem to interest him. This lack of feeling, Meursault does realize it is a problem, for he states himself, "I explained to him, however, that my nature was that my physical needs often got in the way of my feelings.(pg 65)" Meursault also sees no reason f or change in his life. When his boss asked him whether he would like to move to Paris, Meursault responded that "people never change their lives, that in any case one life was as good as another and that I wasnt dissatisfied with mine here at all." Another good example would be after Mamams funeral, Meursault says that, "It occurred to me that anyway one more Sunday was over, that Maman was buried now, that I was going back to work, and that, really, nothing had changed." Meursault is very content with his current life. He is always happy due to the fact that he has no other feelings, so he doesnt have anything to compare to. When the priest asks Meursault if he would like a different life, his response was that he would like one that would be exactly the same as this current one. Work, a home, and a girl is what Meursault has, and he feels nothing more is needed. Sisyphus, from "The Myth of Sisyphus," is a very practical person. He is ver...

HW9 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

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Sources - Essay Example We live in a society, in which sons and daughters are treated very differently, pink is considered feminine and blue is considered an ideal color for boys. Boys are given much more freedom than girls; this is often fought against by the mothers. Boys make their own groups when they reach infancy, such groups operate independently but when girls make such groups they have to be dependent on someone to operate effectively. A girl who displays masculine traits is considered abnormal and a boy who displays feminine traits is considered abnormal, this is very stereotypical thinking and something which must change very soon. Girls are encouraged to play with dolls and boys on the contrary engage in activities which suit their gender. â€Å"While both mothers and fathers contribute to the gender stereotyping of their children, fathers have been found to reinforce gender stereotypes more often than mothers.† (Ruble, 1988) These were some of the socio-cultural and biological factors which affect gender role