Compare and Contrast Lee’s Presentation of Miss Maudie, Mrs Dubose and Aunt Alexandra

Compare and Contrast Lee's Presentation of Miss Maudie, Mrs Dubose and Aunt Lee's presentation of Miss Maudie, Mrs Dubose and Aunt Alexandra. What do the children learn from their encounters with these characters? In the novel ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ by Harper Lee the protagonist Jean Louise ‘Scout’ Finch and her brother ‘Jem’ meet a few female characters who all affects some part of the lives of the children. Harper Lee resists some of the conventional stereotypes of women from that era which is shown through the character Miss Maudie Atkinson who is opinionated, and speak her mind.Miss Maudie’s morality is level with Atticus’ and unlike some other female residents of Maycomb County, Miss Maudie minds her own business and behaves with integrity. She shows people the respect they deserve, calling Scout â€Å"Jean Louise† and Boo Radley â€Å"Arthur,† proves this. Miss Maudie totally opposes Aunt Alexandra, who is the sister of Atticus, the childrens father.Miss Maudie is someone who is there for Scout to talk to and will actually listen as she is a woman who does not judge people but has a broad mind, for example about the trial of Tom Robinson. However Aunt Alexandra fits the sterotype of women of that time as she behaves very lady-like and wishes to impose this manner onto Scout and turn her into a â€Å"lady†. She doesn't approve of Atticus's defense of a black man, even though he is innocent. She is very concerned about how the Finch family is seen in the community.She doesn't want them to do anything that will make the town go against them. Aunt Alexandra, who is all about image, comes to stay with Atticus and the kids so she can preserve the family name, which Jem and Scout object to. The first thing she does when she arrives is criticize Scout for acting like a boy â€Å"We decided it best for you to have some feminine influence† but Scout does not like Aunt Alexandra trying to change her, therefore she resists the change despite Aunt Alexandra attempts. onversely Miss Maudie alters Scout's perception of womanhood because in the morning, Miss Maudie is dressed in overalls and â€Å"men's clothing,† but at night, she changes into a dress and looks gorgeous showing Scout that being a woman does not mean that every hour one has to be in a dress looking beautiful. Miss Maudies presence as a neighbour is very appreciated by the children as she is also a friend to them, especially to Scout as she is there when Jem begins to grow up and not spend so much time with the narrator of this novel.Miss Maudie is there for Scout to lean on and supports her during tough times like at Aunt Alexandra's tea party. Miss Maudie comforts her when everyone was laughing: â€Å"Miss Maudie looked gravely at me. She never laughed unless I meant to be funny† showing that this female charcter is reverent and could be interpreted as a motherly figure to Scout. Miss M audie is also there for Scout to hold her hand while the other ladies are subtly making fun of Atticus and saying that he is a disgrace for defending a Negro.

Harlem Renaissance by Nathan Irvin Huggins

Book Review of The Harlem Renaissance by Antonio Raglans 4/25/2010 In the book entitled â€Å"Harlem Renaissance† by Nathan Irvin Huggins a story is told about the time period before World War I and the following years in which a â€Å"Black Metropolis† was created unlike the world had ever seen. It was the largest and by far the most important black community in the world. It brought together black intellectuals from all over the world to this new â€Å"Black Mecca† with dreams of prosperity and change. Their common goal was the prosperity of the New Negro as Lain Locke called them.This New Negro was one that was cultured, educated, artistic, and would bring prosperity to the African-American. All these were the promises of the Harlem Renaissance. I think that his thesis was in the opening sentence when he talks about Harlem. When people saw Harlem, they saw opportunity, they saw a place where they could escape and enjoy artistic freedom. They saw liberation, th ey saw hope, they saw a place where confidence was in abundance. That confidence translated to the belief that reform could be attained. Sadly, Nathan Irvin Huggins points out that all they were was deceived by their ream.They all saw in Harlem much more than what was really there. A common belief was that they could use their talents as a way of bridging the gap between the races. Unfortunately racism has been so deep rooted in the white American psyche that it would take more than the New Negro proving he had artistic talent to be accepted as one and the same. Huggins also cites that their art was compromised by the fact that it was intended for white patrons and was not a full reflection of them. Another mistake they made was not organizing a grass roots movement.The black lattice leaders failed to become a unified voting force and were unable to obtain true political power needed to bring about change. Huggins writes about how the motivation of many talented Afro-Americans reloc ation to Harlem was simple; they wanted to be where their talents would reach the most people. They wanted to be in a place where their talents could be cultivated. They saw inspiration in their people and they wanted to be where their talents would be appreciated. They came to find themselves through their race in Harlem. Upon their arrival in Harlem, Huggins points out that many artists like Longboats Hughes, ZornNeal Hurst, and Claude McKay found new friends who were willing to lend a helping hand in their careers. The fact that all of these new helping hands were all white may have influenced the artistic integrity of their work. Huggins wrote â€Å"Without the help and friendship of white men and publishers, there probably would have been little production of commercial black art in the sass. But white guidance and encouragement probably prevented those few men and women of real talent from wrestling with their senses and plodding through to those statements which the Hurst of their lives and experience could force them to make† (129).Huggins goes on to mention that Black artist found it difficult if not impossible to maintain their artistic integrity because they were dependent on their white patron. They had no force or leverage in publishing houses other than the demand of their white patrons. If they were to create something to critical they would run the risk of losing the white patrons as well as the white benefactors. Huggins backs his observation with the story of the Park Avenue Matron that at one time supported Zorn Neal Hurst, Louise Thompson, and Longboats Hughes. She at one time or another supported them financially as well as helping them get published.Huggins mentions how she spared no expense on Hughes. She provided financial freedom for him to write as well as a driver to take him anywhere he wanted. Hughes felt a genuine appreciation for her because like many other Afro- Americans like him he never had anybody that cared so much f or him and for his talent. The fact that it was a white woman nurturing his talent led to some clashes and the eventual dissolution of their relationship. Huggins writes of the time Hughes rote a poem with a very radical message that his benefactor did not like, which lead him to question where this relationship would take his work.Huggins wrote â€Å"When Hughes showed his patron this poem, He knew she did not like it. â€Å"Its not you †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Let's a powerful poem but its not you† Who was he? Wasn't that the problem? Who was to decide? Who was to know? † (135). This quote proves that these white benefactors gave their opinion and influenced black artist's works. One of the early contributors of white interest in black intellectuals was a man by the name of Carl Van Bechtel. He counted numerous black artists as his friends. He was responsible for popularizing â€Å"Black Art. † He through his connections allowed people like Longboats Hughes to e nter the white mainstream.He also cultivated and encouraged numerous other young artists and similarly launched numerous careers. It was his fascination with the exotic and primitive as Huggins put it that sparked his slumming trips uptown into Harlem. That incredible rush he felt allowed him to bring many prominent white patrons back to Harlem. His popularization began the golden era called the Harlem Renaissance. Huggins called him â€Å"The undisputed Prince of Harlem. † Huggins also mentions that the fact that there were so many different types of Afro- Americans in Harlem it prevented the unification of a desired voting block.Huggins points out that there was in-race racism between light skinned blacks, blacks from the south, and blacks from the Caribbean with relates to much of the racism issues discussed throughout our class. They all were supposed to unite and together fight for reform. All this made consistent leadership impossible. The black political leaders found it impossible to unite them all. The only one who was successful according to Huggins was Marcus Graver because he stayed away from political agendas. He preached escape and managed to capture the imagination of the black people in Harlem.But his lack of a business sense and his own megalomania caused his attempts to flounder. None of them addressed the Negro problems but instead they wanted to quickly erase the view of a black person in chains and make everyone aware that they were more than Just manual laborers. This lack of focus prevented Negro leadership from obtaining true success. As I mentioned that black wanted to obtain true success and be viewed as different workers besides manual, I feel that it connects with our conferences about African-Americans wanting to do more for their country during the World Wars.Another problem Huggins presents with the black political leaders philosophy was that they addressed racism as a moral problem. They employed muckraking journalist tac tics of exposing injustices and racism. Huggins states â€Å"The assumption was that the moral weight of good would win once evil was exposed. The unreason, the illogic the craven corruption that barred blacks from a fair chance in society could not stand, for men of good will under the harsh light of good reason† (27). This propaganda proved to be unsuccessful since it brought no significant change.As Huggins finally put it â€Å"What good would it do to expose President Willow's racism? Even if he read it he had a self-righteousness that was a match for any other progressive. All of that did not matter† (30). Both of these quotes prove Huggins point that the way black political leaders approached their reform attempts were misguided. As he put it, it did not matter the scathing criticism leaders like W. E. B. Dubos made in their editorials on black injustices it would not bring about any serious change. Unlike child labor and other topics of muckraking exposing them would not be enough to eradicate them.Huggins effectively proved to me that these white benefactors and white patrons influenced the work of black artist. Who knows what tone their works would have taken if they where liberated from white influences. Maybe they would have been razor sharp criticism like W. E. B. Dubos editorials. Unfortunately no one would ever know. As far as their failed attempt at reform he showed some of the mistakes they add but also mentioned that they laid the foundation for a civil rights movement that eventually brought about social change that these Harlem intellectuals promised.In a book review from Amazon. Com a reviewer mention that: â€Å"More than any other period, it was during the Harlem renaissance in which the black community came of age culturally and came together as one united front against racism using cultural tools and its intellectual power and substance on par with its white counterparts. Against all odds, they created a cultural oasis ri ght in the diddle of a sea of white hatred and racial recrimination.This flowering was something that was not only unexpected and shocking to the sensibilities of most whites, but shocking also to many blacks outside of New York, around the countryside. And although the flowering occurred across the board, its clearest expression took place in literature, art and music, which itself later was to become America's transformation art form. † Another scholarly source that I found from ASTOR by Robber Solar of _ The Journal of American History_ found that Huggins book was â€Å"disarmingly simple and exceedingly ample. Solar went on explaining that the Harlem Renaissance was a Negro self- creation, and it was created in a place(Harlem) of sense and had become an urban â€Å"Mecca† where diversity, talent and energy would change the black persona. One last review that I found on ASTOR from Charles Davis of _American Literature_ stated that Huggins book was not the first full study assessment of black artists and of their intellectual and cultural efforts in the decade following the first World War. Of course Huggins can not provide a full assessment during that time period which could confuse readers if you look at it from that point of view.I think that the first two reviews are in line with what I have been discussing through the whole review. During that era, African-Americans were struggling for freedom in the middle of a land full of hatred and racism. African-Americans wanted more freedom and it expressing it in various of categories such as art or music really helped freedom for blacks in today's society. The Authors sources are documented correctly. Book Review Huggins, Irvin, Nathan. Harlem Renaissance: Oxford University Press, New York, 1971

Comparing Marx and Toqueville Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Comparing Marx and Toqueville - Research Paper Example Manifesto of the Communist Party In the beginning of the manifesto, Marx details the history and evolution of the means of production from feudal to modern times. As Europe expanded through colonization and exploitation of its colonies, the feudal system collapsed, and â€Å"the Manufacturing System took its place† (Marx, 1888, p8). The feudal lords fell to the industrial middle class. Technology and trade continued to expand exponentially, and the industrial middle class was replaced by â€Å"industrial millionaires, the leaders of whole industrial armies, the modern bourgeois†(Marx, 1888, p8). The bourgeois, or new ruling class, controlled the means of production and had all political power. The modern working class--the proletariat--†must sell themselves piecemeal, as a commodity, like every other article of commerce† (Marx, 1888, p14). Their labor was unskilled and grueling. They worked under the eyes of the bourgeois manufacturer for minimum wage in fac tories. With automation came the blurring of the distinction in who was needed to work. Women and children could do repetitive tasks as well: â€Å"All are instruments of labor, more or less expensive to use, according to their age and sex† (Marx, 1888, p15). The Manifesto contends that all history is a form of conflict between oppressor and oppressed. What changes are the names and ideologies of the oppressors, but the fundamental dynamic remains the same. At the end of the 19th century, globalization was occurring, with capitalism as its driving force. Marx and Engels were well aware of this propensity: â€Å"for exploitation, veiled by religious and political illusions, it [the bourgeoisie] has substituted naked, shameless, brutal exploitation† (1888,p 10). With this in mind, Marx turns his attention to the bourgeois idealization of the family. By making into law its values and expectations, the bourgeoisie legitimizes the system of production (1888,p 24). The famil y in its ideal form exists only for the wealthy. It claims to be an ideal form. Yet, the bourgeois man is the only real beneficiary. As the property owner, and as the owner of the means of production, the upper class man owns both his wife and his children. The right of ownership guarantees him freedom to determine his own destiny. As property, the wife and children, although materially provided-for, have no real freedom. The proletarian is unable to live even like this, because he, his wife and his children must work in order to survive: â€Å"The bourgeois claptrap about the family and education, about the hallowed co-relation of parent and child becomes all the more disgusting [because]†¦by the actions of modern industry, all family ties among the proletarians are torn asunder and their children transformed into†¦articles of commerce and instruments of labor† (Marx, 1888, p 25). Marx advocates replacing home education with social education, in order to make an ev en start for rich and poor children. This â€Å"even start† as I phrase it, is a bit utopian, but it is the goal of Marxism to overthrow the unfair, elitist results of the capitalist system. The notion of complete ownership of the means of production allows the elite man to possess indiscriminately. (1888, p 25). As all women [ as well as lower class men] are his property, then all can be used. The proletarian men are only instruments to be used in the amassing of capital. All women, rich, poor, married, unmarried and prostitutes,

UK Aviation Policy Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

UK Aviation Policy - Case Study Example Air travel is of primordial importance to the United Kingdom's economy and prosperity. In the last 30 years there has been a five-fold growth in air travel. This vibrant air travel opened up opportunities: half of the population flies at least once a year, and many citizens have began flying far more often than that. The main challenge of UK aviation policy is to deal with the pressures caused by the increasing need to travel whilst at the same time retaining their commitment to protect the environment in which we live. The present UK aviation consists of a global policy framework that achieves stabilisation of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would obviate dangerous man-made interference with the climate system. Aviation in the UK contributes an annual  £14bn value added output to the UK economy, creating and sustaining 675,000 jobs, exporting  £13bn per annum, and is directly responsible for transporting a third by value of our goods. (NATS and Trade Association in the UK, 2007). Aviation is a global industry. Many of its impacts demand global solutions. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) must identify the way forward and set the framework at an international level for national and local implementation. The ICAO must consider both the national and international impact of proposed policies. Moreover, it should lessen the adoption of unilateral measures which may result in adverse effects on the UK aviation industry and the national economy. Background of the Greenhouse Common The NATO's Nuclear Planning Group created a High Level Group (HLG) to determine NATO's requirements for handling threat from Soviet nuclear forces. The HLG started analyzing in December 1977 and decided to deploy cruise missiles in Britain. Cruise missiles were chosen as these were cheap, accurate and it could be fired from different platforms. The HLG's modernization plan was approved in 1979. (Sean, 2004). Then on June 17, 1980, British Defence Secretary, Francis Pym, announced in the House of Commons that 160 missiles were to be stationed at the United States Air Force standby base at RAF Greenham Common in Berkshire, and RAF Molesworth. (Parliamentary Debates of House of Commons, 1980). The first cruise missiles were delivered to the airport on November 14, 1983. (Sean, 2004) The NATO's December 1979 information that it had set-up a base for nuclear cruise missiles in a British airport generated instant and heavy public opposition. The anti-cruise missile movement had expanded to include mass demonstrations, peace camps at the bases, and multiple civil action by various organizations. Public opinion against the cruise missile deployment strengthened the

English paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 5

English paper - Essay Example That is the function of an art, its relationship to nature and life, distinction of its beauty from the truth, its use, and moral goodness. According to Sartwell, â€Å"It is systematic attempt to pit aesthetics against rationality since it views beauty as a teeming opposite of simplicity. In this case spiritual orientation entails an aesthetic and vice versa† (Sartwell 59). Therefore, in depicting spirituality, different objects are in use by different cultures and religions. For instance, the Christians crucifixion really moves one to see the brutality received by Christ on the Calvary. Mathias crucifixion exaggerates the suffering a depiction that goes beyond realism. The body is covered with big sores of wounds to show the beatings and it is discoloured all over with blood. The legs intertwined with a nail at the place of intersection to hold the body on the cross. Sartwell asserts, â€Å"The legs have begun to putrefy and were turning green beneath the rivers of blood. He hands wide open, fingers contorted in a wild gesture in which were supplication and reproach† (Sartwell 71). This kind of work can move even the non-Christians to belief as they experience beauty in different emotions of this sight. Another example of objects that depict beauty are furniture and other work designs. For instance, the work of Shakers disjoins the physical object from its meaning. Just as the shakers believed that work is a form of worship, looking at their work one can view the devotion. Beauty revolves around some values that depict morality. The simplicity of art works, austerity, and integrity made the Shakers work outstanding, which made them make a lot of money as they marketed genuine items with honesty and quality. This is beauty (Sundara) as one looks at it in all dimensions such as moral aspect, physically, and spiritually. As one admires a good craft and the skilful work that goes into the craft, the mind can

Environmental and global health issues Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Environmental and global health issues - Essay Example Health care centers and nurses became very active and strict precautionary measures were taken for the controlling of the disease. Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome is a viral lung disease which is caused by coronavirus often referred to as SARS –CoV. It is serious or an extreme case of pneumonia. A person suffering from SARS will have to face severe difficulty in breathing and sometimes may even face death. The first case of SARS was found in Asia in 2003 and within a few months it spread in numerous countries all over the world. It is a well-studied example of a communicable disease and a disease that can spread easily due to the travelling of people to other countries. The breakout of SARS in 2003 was a very serious one and it took almost all the countries of the world and a total of 8,098 people were affected and out of these 774 people died. But now SARS have become totally under control but the virus still exists in the hosts which are animals and there are always chances that the virus can again return to the humans. The severity of SARS is greater in people of older age as compared to younger and middle aged people (Serradell, 2005). The symptoms of SARS are similar to that of common cold but those symptoms are much more severe as compared to those that of cold. SARS has no definite cure or medicine but it can be prevented by taking precautionary measures like avoiding communication with the patient, frequent hand washing, eating food rich in vitamin C, and other such measures. The epidemiological indicators of the SARS rife and the ways for the prevention, control, and complete eradication of SARS include gestation period, time period of communicability, mode of transference of the epidemic agent, risk factors involved in the transmission of the virus, environment, ways of reserving animals and the prevention of SARS (Stewart, 2004). The various countries in which the outbreak of SARS occurred

Report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 13

Report - Essay Example Outlets vary in size and complexity with some providing hot meals while others only provide cold provisions. An atmosphere conducive to purchasing is required, allowing time to browse and a quick checkout service. A full range of appropriate foodstuffs needs to be available to cater for all tastes and cultural requirements. There are usually peaks and troughs in customers, with most requiring service at lunchtimes and morning/afternoon breaks. At these times, there needs to be a smooth service for customers allowing fast purchase of the desired items without having to queue for extended periods. There are many ways to show a service and its supporting elements. This report uses the service blueprint (Shostak, 1984). Although the service appears simple, there are several things going on at once, which are more easily seen in a service blueprint. The following blueprint is based on the distinctions described by Bitner et al (2008). This part of customer service operations falls within the tangibles area of the dimensions of service quality and both the physical evidence and backstage activities of the service blueprint. For Sodexo, it includes the layout of the outlet, the placement of things like the drinks machines, chillers and cold cabinets, and the overall look of the outlet. Customers expect a food outlet to be clean and comply with relevant health and safety legislation to ensure that they do not suffer from such things as food poisoning (Tester et al, 2010). In addition, any food spills should be cleaned up immediately to ensure no-one slips over. General hygiene is also a tangible aspect of service quality, even though it is not a physical item. The Sodexo staff do try to keep the catering area clean, but there are occasions when food spills are not cleared up as quickly as they could be, and this could affect consumer confidence when purchasing items for consumption. The delay in cleaning up spillage can be caused by too few staff being

Reflecting on Assessment Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reflecting on Assessment - Personal Statement Example I know that whenever we are trying to accomplish something, it is a group effort so you cannot have the results exactly as you had in mind because individual perceptions differ but on the whole it was still close to what I had wanted so I feel happy. Conflicts were common and most of the time, they were handled pretty well though it all depended on the individuals involved in the conflicts. Some of them were quite mature so they handled their issues with utmost sensitivity while others were a bit callous. But since in the end it was important to have them resolved, we refused to talk too much about them. Though it would have been better if we could discuss the way in which some of us handled conflicts. That way we can do better in future and understand our own limitations in much better way. Individual contribution was encouraged but some times some of us felt underappreciated. Though I feel that the contributions I made were acknowledged, I still feel that some of the members were acknowledged more than others. I am just not sure they really deserved it.

Modern Asian Theatre Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Modern Asian Theatre - Research Paper Example In this regard, this paper will be divided into three parts. The first part will provide a brief review on what theatre is and its basic foundations, as well as describe the common characteristics of Asian theatre. The second part will zero in on Indonesian theatre and its tight connection with the country’s socio-political history. The last part will present a conclusion that justifies the paper’s thesis—that modern Indonesian theatre is a strong reflection of the birth and growth of a nation. Theatre, unlike painting and sculpture, can be regarded as a unique art form for it consists of actors that perform in real time before a live audience. Although it is difficult to trace the exact origin of theatre, most scholars and historians agree that the first known dramatic presentation happened in Africa, possibly as early as 3300 B.C. The basic foundations of dramatic presentations are anchored on the culture and tradition of people. As such, theatre is comprised of two essential elements—ritual and storytelling (Cohen 222). A ritual is a collective ceremony performed by members of society for religious and cultural reasons. Ethnic plays are usually filled with activities that aim at impressing or advocating a specific belief over its intended audience (like the killing of an animal to worship a god or dancing uninhibitedly to celebrate an important occasion). Storytelling as a key component of theatre, on the other hand, necessitates an audience to artistically relay a significant message. Because of this, storytelling plays often generate character impersonation and utilize a more coherent narrative. Asian theatre, unlike Western ones that put premium on the clear narration of a story, is more sensual and melodic. Thus, it is claimed that there are five common characteristics of Asian theatre (whether it be an Indian Sanskrit drama, a Chinese Xiqu or a Japanese Kabuki): Its language are

Market Watch Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Market Watch - Essay Example When we say that markets are not isolated, this is tantamount in saying that studying the economy of one country alone, say the United States being the most powerful country in the world, is enough to predict the international economic and financial gush. Stock traders have to be keen over the fluctuations in the bond market and bond traders in return must also pay attention to the oscillations of the commodity markets. However, in trading stocks and bonds as well as with the Foreign Exchange market (FOREX) it is not compulsory to thoroughly understand the various relationship that exists, all that is required that knowledge on specific trends, flows and oscillations are demonstrated and their cunning applications to trade decisions. Figure 1 shows the relationship between the four markets sectors, the currency (i.e. USD), the commodity market, the bonds, and stocks. As observed in the figure below, USD had a bearish influence on commodity market, the weak commodity market suggest a raise in the bond market and this raise in bonds in turn influences stocks trend. In order to realize the economic premise the ties commodities, currencies, bonds and stocks, it is necessary to underpin knowledge of the international business cycles and what happens to an economy during expansions and recessions. In most countries particularly in the United States of America, the bond is dubbed as an excellent indicator of the economy. A rising bond trend is an indicator that the economy is gaining momentum and strength; while a weaker bond market means that there is a possibility for economic backlash. During this period, the stock market in turn profits from the fluctuations of the bond market, hence traders bonds along with the stock market and vice versa. Bonds and stocks are common indicators of the health of the economy, for they turn down prior to a recession and bottom out if

Beautiful!.... Great God! Essay Example for Free

Beautiful!. Great God! Essay What do chapters 2, 3,4,5,9 and 10 reveal about Mary Shelleys attitude to knowledge? Mary Shelley is a gothic writer, who (through this novel Frankenstein) has been able to create a hybrid form of gothic literature, a gothic/horror genre which allows Shelley to convey a more realistic terror, one that resides within the psyche instead of a form outside , an example would be Ghosts. Her knowledge on different subjects allows her to create a realistic world in the novel, possibly even criticising her own husband Percy Shelley, who searched for knowledge and in doing so became egotistical and self obsessed like a true romantic just like Frankenstein and other romantic characters like him. Shelley was always surrounded by intelligent people, which were mainly her father and his inner circle that also included her husband. These people encouraged Shelley to educate herself and develop her own opinions. Shelley found the gothic genre a perfect place in which she could air her thoughts, such as a critical view of certain powers in her society and imply things about the industrial revolution through subtle remarks in the novel. The novel itself was a product of Shelley taking up a challenge to write a ghost story, which was her chance to give a dire warning to society (through the didactic tone throughout the novel) that, embraces experimenting and questing for the unknown which so much part of her culture but at the same time playing on the fears of the middles classes lack of knowledge as at the same time graves were being dug up and bodies used which made this tomb quite fearful to its readers and intriguing as Shelley brings many ethical issues on the subject of science. Throughout the novel Shelley has much to say on the concept of knowledge as she includes many remarks like when Shelleys warning us, readers of the danger of knowledge when it is used to obtain power. What had been the study and desire of the wisest man since the creation of the world was now within my grasp. The use of the word grasp an creation suggests that Frankenstein wants to become mnipotent and play god. Remarks such as that show Shelleys critical views on her society, on issues such as science, how a man can become obsessed with something dangerous to either themselves or others , probably both , this also could be seen as another reference to her own husbands obsession with knowledge and this warning is actually to him. Frankenstein experience in university is very important in the text as that is where he forms his strong friendship with Henry clerval, guided and ridiculed by his professors and the actual place where he created the creature. Frankensteins first experience of university were feelings of isolation and melancholy which worsened through the ridicule of his work by his first professor Kriempe who tells him not to waste his time on the trash that he has read up until now. This maybe Shelley suggesting that ignorance isnt a bad thing because once Frankenstein starts delving into new areas which allows him to create the creature which causes so many problems. Shelley shows us this ignorance is bliss, it is folly to be wise in the paragraph in which Frankenstein realises that the creature he has created is not beautiful as he intended but a monster in his eyes I had selected his features as beautiful, Beautiful!. Great God! This quote is Frankenstein in hindsight looking at his creature and realising his folly. The use of the words Great God! show that his wisdom was of no use. Even though his professors didnt really guide Frankenstein in the right way, Frankenstein still follows there wisdom to folly, in the creation of the monster.

Social Class Is Form Of Social Stratification Sociology Essay

Social Class Is Form Of Social Stratification Sociology Essay Introduction: Social class is a form of social stratification which impacts on peoples lives either negatively or positively. It refers to wealth, education level, occupation and prestige of a particular group of people. Factors which are inter-connected include the gender, sexuality, race and abilities (McDowell et al., 2013). It is important that social class be understood in the context from which it originates, primarily due to factors which occur inter-connectedly as mentioned above. There are many concepts relating to social stratification, but for the purpose of this essay I will focus mainly on Karl Marxs conflict theory, supplemented by Max Webbers functionalist ideology. Similarly factors such as education and employment will be central in this essay. I believe that the acquisition of knowledge and prestige via employment plays an important role in defining an individuals lifestyle and subsequently their life chances. Body: It must be noted that most of the research done by Karl Marx was based on westernized capitalist societies and it is primarily due to this fact that his concept of conflict theory exists in an economic realm or context (Lenski, 2008). Marx demarcated class of people in terms of either lower, middle or upper class. In Manifesto of the Communist Party Marx refers to lower-class societies as the proletariat and the upper-class as the bourgeoisie. The proletariat are a class of people who do manual labour which requires no specific skill, or simply put, they are the working (blue-collar) section of society. The bourgeoisie employ the working class society in order to increase their capital (Mohandesi, 2013). It is interesting to note that the position an individual finds himself or herself relative to the above category, impacts on their life chances and thus their social class. According to Max Weber (Davidson, 2009) social class and a persons life chances are interdependent. In this se nse, the higher an individual is positioned in the social hierarchy (class) the better his or her life will be; the opposite occurs for those who are in a poorer position. Factors include becoming wealthier, increasing ones prestige, the acquisition of knowledge and the improvement of an individuals living conditions. These are known as social advancements or improvements. According to a research study by Jean Anyon (1980) educational opportunities vastly improved as the socio-economic conditions of a particular social group increased. Anyon (1980) in Social Class and the Hidden Curriculum of Work found that schools were organised in a manner which reflects the social class of the families. Her results were derived from five schools which were broken down into working-class, middle-class, affluent professional and executive elite schools. Furthermore Anyon (1980) concludes that skills and knowledge which moves toward social power or prestige are obtainable to children from higher social groups but are inaccessible to the working class which are offered a practical curriculum. This study shows that the curriculum grooms children to fill an employment role suited to their social class or better put, so that the more challenging professions are occupied by the most skilled and talented individuals. In this sense, lower class schools educated individuals i n a manner which requires them to follow orders rather than use their own initiative and understanding of the work. The emphasis on individualism increases as the social class of the school increases. In my experience I concur with what Anyon has found because there exists numerous types of schools or institutions ranging from technical to managerial and professional. Examples are the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Cape Town College and The University of the Western Cape. Marx also suggests that institutions are used to oppress the subordinates of a society, this statement coupled with Anyons research, displays a rather frightful image. Institutionally people are being transformed and socialized, from a young age, to follow the layers of strata found in society. Education ultimately leads to employment which in turn culminates in the acquisition of wealth or material property. According to Max Weber, the ownership of physical assets, which is obtained by means of production, creates unique characteristics in terms of the individuals life chances (Shortell, 2012). Furthermore, Weber believes that the ownership of property is central to class differences and in this case there will always be a relationship between employee and employer or property renter and property owner. In our modernized capitalist society empowered by neoliberalism, emphasis is placed on the acquisition of wealth thereby stratifying society into upper-class rich and the lower-class poor inhabitants. In this sense one can improve ones social class by increasing wealth and also the ownership of property-making this an open societal system (opposed to the system of slavery). Employment is therefore an opportunity to achieve wealth and increase status, however, inequalities o ccur whereby a bread baker (regardless of his skill) has less chances to improve his conditions than the owner of the bakery. Functionalists (Marxism) would argue that economic disparity benefits the majority of society and is also an essential element for the operation of society as a whole (Lenski, 2008). Conclusion: In my opinion, I see employment as the second phase in a three phase process in light of an individuals life chances. The first phase being education and the last being a successful business owner or CEO. As mentioned above, the level of education provided to individuals varies according to their socio-economic standing. This is the crux of my argument mainly due to the manner in which institutions shape society in preparation for their pre-planned future i.e. external forces of which they have no control over. A false consciousness thus exists in the open capitalist society whereby the proletariat is made to believe that they have equal opportunities to improve their life chances, when in actual fact their original social class serves as a key which only opens a limited number of doorways to success. Those who are endowed with a higher social class are granted unlimited opportunities to all elements of success, prestige, wealth, knowledge and ultimately advantages to better their li fes chances.

Youth Fitness And Obesity Levels Physical Education Essay

Youth Fitness And Obesity Levels Physical Education Essay The figure of obesity children is rapidly increasing due to their unhealthy lifestyle and eating habit such as addicted to fast food, video games, and online games which occur in most of the children community nowadays. Unhealthy lifestyle caused most of the children dislike physical bodily movement and lack of physical fitness. A number of researchers involved in teaching physical classes always emphasize the relationship between decreasing of participation in physical activity towards increasing of health-related risks such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease (Domangue, 2009). We as physical teachers have to understand factors leading to children physical inactivity. It is very important to understand why youngsters withdraw themselves from physical activity as they get matured. In physical education classes, fitness testing act as a very crucial component which help to create awareness of health concerns on physical inactivity cases especially among children (Domangue, 20 09). Physical activity is defined as any type (mild, moderate, vigorous) of bodily movement for instance jumping rope, soccer, weight lifting, running, walking, taking stairs and others which can be our daily routine activities, recreational activities, as well as sport activities. Literally, health-related physical fitness means physical activity that involved mild or adverse physical body movement that contribute to their general body health (Karinharju, 2005). School-based physical class explains when participant is physically active, heart pumping rate increases and produces heavier breathing than normal breathing. Unfortunately, a lot of schools neglected physical education class and only focus on physical class. In fact, physical education and physical activity are equally important elements that contribute towards children health development. In Silverman et.al. (2008) paper stated youth fitness testing was designed to embarrass those children who are less capable in physical activity. Those children who cannot perform well especially those obese children will be insulted by their peers and eventually they will withdraw themselves from involving in physical activity. We should not turn children down in physical activity by right as a school teacher we should help children to cultivate interest in physical activity. For instance, a plump children will feel embarrass while doing stretching. They might unable to reach the desired point and will be laughed by their peers. Girls might not like to play soccer, running around the field fighting for a ball. They might prefer jumping rope. So while designing fitness testing, more consideration should be taken such as gender, body size and fitness. As a physical teacher, we should help students to learn more about fitness and physical activity in order to promote positive attitudes on physical activity. I further belief if fitness testing was used in positive and appropriate ways it will enhance students physical educational experience as well as promote good attitudes and interest. There is few discussion on fitness testing has been done in recent years and the discussions were basically taken in three forms. First, some researchers suggest discontinuing school-based youth fitness testing in physical education program. Because school teachers are more focus on students activity performance instead of health-related fitness (Silverman, 2008; Rowland, 1995; Corbin et al., 1995). Second, researchers suggested that school-based physical classes should emphasize on educational aspects. Tests and teaching should carried out together to help to improve students fitness and knowledge (Silverman, 2008; Cale Harris, 2002; Corbin Pangrazi, 1993). Lastly, thorough examination of student fitness achievement testing is needed before designing and making decision on the future of physical class context and tests. (Silverman, 2008; Cale et al., 2007; Corbin et al., 1995; Keating Silverman, 2004). To be physically fit, one has to be physically active. Definition for physical fitness is an adaptive state that varies with the individuals growth and maturity status and with habitual activity and lifestyle (Domangue, 2009; Malina, Bouchard Bar-Or, 2004). Furthermore, physical fitness can be categorized into two categories which is health-related fitness and performance-related fitness. Health-related fitness is fitness that everyone needs which contributes to maintain and improve health status of our body. Performance-related fitness refers to skilled athletes or performers who need to be success or excel in their performance in sports activities. Basically, health-related fitness is assessed by measuring cardiovascular fitness, flexibility, muscular endurance, strength, and body fat content or body mass index (BMI) (Hale, 2005; Corbin, 2005). Rowland, 1995 drew a conclusion that physical teachers should not stop fitness testing, but should implement fitness tests in the physical education curriculum. Children and adults have different used of fitness test. So, while planning physical activities, this should be taken in concern. Children cannot decide whether to participate in fitness testing or how to use the results of those physical assessments. Whereas, adults are able to decide and choose whether to use fitness testing as a summative assessment to check their current health-related fitness levels of how fit they are at the period of time or as formative assessment to continuously assess health-related fitness level in order to modify fitness program as part of program planning. Adults who decided to go for either formal (with trainers) or informal training (self-training) already ready and have some commitment to do physical activity. But children do not have such commitment and do not know how to make decision. There fore, youth fitness testing can have opposite result if it is not perform appropriately, and will have consequences to develop negative attitude and patterns of physical activity among children. But, youth fitness testing should play an important role in school physical education setting in order to enhance students fitness (Silverman, 2008; Bar-Or, 1993; Cale Harris, 2002; Whitehead, Pemberton Corbin, 1990), and implementation of fitness testing should be examined often to prevent any deviation that will result in the misuse of fitness tests (Silverman, 2008). In order to have positive impact of physical testing in school, silverman has suggested some guidelines to implement a positive impact fitness test. First, youth fitness testing should be integrated as a part of fitness instruction in curriculum. Although assessment is important goal of teaching but without a solid curriculum it is merely testing (Stewart, Elliot, Boyce Block, 2005). Second, fitness testing result should be used by teachers to assess their fitness instruction and enhance students learning (Corbin, 1981) while physical classes. Long-term and short-term outcomes of fitness testing of children should be taken into concern by teachers and curriculum planners planning for future activities. Third, the point of having physical class is for students to improve their body fitness and towards meeting their healthy zone standard. We should teach students not to assume that fitness testing will automatically increase their physical activity levels but it is just to test their body fitness. It is important to understand their body fitness and help to design future activities. If fitness testing was used appropriately and used as an educational tool, it has the potential to promote physical activity and also help to improve health-related fitness. In many schools in Malaysia, students are only required to be tested on fitness test once in a year. Compare to academic tests physical test is far lesser. During fitness tests, Instructional time spent on fitness testing should not be ignored. Without positively increasing youngsters physical activity levels and health-related fitness does not make sound use of fitness tests. Health-related fitness testing should be carried out in school, and it is important to include both physical activity and also health-related fitness in physical education class so that student will able to understand the difference and complementary nature of the concepts (Silverman, 2008). Health-related fitness has to be taught as part of curriculum so that student able to understand the concept and the purpose of the test. Health-related fitness testing also can be used as a tool to examine concepts and components of health-related fitness and physical activity. For example, while teacher introducing the sit-up test, teacher can discuss on the anatomy of the body and the function of the muscles involved and how the body perform the activity and how to improve their strength and endurance. Provide important information and knowledge while doing the activity, student can understand better the purpose of having each test and also prevent to get injured. Without proper knowledge, stu dents are more tend to get injured, due to lack of knowledge of proper posture undergoing particular activity. Teacher has to educate students the correct posture and way to perform those activity to protect our body muscle and anatomy. Lacking important knowledge might influence students performance, motivation and interest as well. Eventually, they will cultivate negative attitude and their bad experiences in physical education will influence their attitudes towards future assessment and physical activity and eventually cause them to withdraw from physical activity. Another reason why teaching both health-related fitness and physical activity is important, because the current examination of physical activity assessment program may mislead students into thinking that regular participation in any mild to moderate physical activity for 30-60 minutes is sufficient to maintain their health. NASPE recommends those children aged 5 to 12 years should be physically active for at least 60 minutes to several hours of per day (Domangue, 2009). As children get matured, the recommended duration for physical activity varies. Adolescents need lesser hour to be physically active compare to children. They need only 30-60 minutes daily (Yesalonia, 2009). Unfortunately, many school-aged students have too little opportunity to participate in these recommended physical activities during school hour. In this situation, students are required to balance their physical activity levels outside the school as extra-curriculum. Outside the regular school hours, many children could be physically active in sedentary activities such as homework, computers and video-games which children only required to sit on chair. This can affect activity levels of school-aged children. Perhaps the most important time for children to be active is after school is between three and six p.m. But often children nowadays are not, they will rather spend time on sedentary activities or their academic curriculum. Parents have press more on their academic rather than their physical achievements and also safety issues parents stop letting children to involve in physical activities. . As a school teacher, we should encourage parents to allow their children to be physically active instead of filling all those active hours with tuitions, piano classes and homework. Children can have opportunity to be active after school hours by participating in extra-curricular activity programs, such as basket ball, soccer, as well as community-based a ctivity programs. Remember, physical activity and health-related fitness is both equally important. We should not too emphasize on physical achievement and ignore the basic understanding on health-related fitness. Through the health-related fitness testing, teacher is responsible to educate students the purpose of participating in a variety of physical activity form and methods to improve corresponding health-related fitness components as well as the recommended duration in performing physical activity. Health-related fitness testing is an excellent context to teach students to examine on both health-related fitness and physical activity concept. Students can understand health-related fitness not only improve their health level (Silverman, 2008; Simons-Morton et al., 1988) but also their cognitive skills (Hillman, Castelli, Buck 2005). School-based physical classes may not done an adequate job in teaching students on the importance of health-related fitness or have taught separately with physical activity. If health-related fitness testing is done separately, there is no way that student will develop the knowledge that can be developed from an understanding of both health-related fitness and physical activity assessment. Teacher should teach assessment skills to students. If student able to use fitness test for self-assessment, they are able to use the understanding of health-related fitness learned during physical class and able to plan their own physical activity programs according to their desired target. Students were taught that fitness testing can be used as formative assessment to develop and modify their physical activity routines to help them have the knowledge to start an appropriate level. Assessment skills also able to help students keep participating in physical activity if they know what their expected goal is. The formative testing experience will reinforce fitness gains and also enhance additional motivation for students to continue involved in physical activity (Silverman, 2008). Students learn to compare the scores with their previous performance and to design a suitable goals and activity according to their body level. Applications of appropriate use of fitness tests taught in clas s equip students with the knowledge and skills to participate and to select appropriate physical activity and help them to perform self-assessment. To incorporating health-related fitness assessment into fitness education, teacher should teach students the purpose of doing the fitness test or other fitness-based activity. Student should understand the instructional content before performing the test. Then, fitness testing should be formative. Teacher should plan the educational experience to use fitness testing results to design future activity for students while also teaching students that health-related fitness can be improved and assessment is integral to that process. Another way is to conduct fitness education by infusing fitness lessons into curriculum. This can be done by relating each activity done to fitness. So, student will have better understanding on how those activities related and improve their body fitness, why that aspect of fitness is important. With that knowledge, students are able to understand and eventually improve their performance on that activity. For example, students participate in school gymnasium sh ould know that gymnasium activity are exercising their heart and will help make them healthy and good for their heart. They should know the health-related fitness component is called aerobic fitness and helps to prevent heart disease. With this understanding, students were being more motivated on physical activity. The use of fitness test helps students to understand health-related fitness and how testing can be used to improve and enhance fitness. Infusing health-related fitness test in physical education can increase student knowledge, attitudes and fitness. In primary schools students, teacher will help students in assessment and plan their future physical activity, but in secondary school, after fitness testing, students could provide an analysis of their strengths and weaknesses and develop a fitness program suitable to them. Teacher could use variety of teaching strategies such as reciprocal teaching, self-check against predetermined rubrics and assessments such as using the analysis and plan for providing feedback to the students (Silverman, 2008) to help students to improve and also to monitor their program. Planning and assessment of physical activity is necessary in order to improve students learning experience and to meet the goals of instructions (Silverman, 2008). Without assessment, we are unable to know our standard and level. Teachers act as a reflection as a form of assessment to assess fitness education the result of the assessment is for the teacher to do self-assessment and reflect on the lesson. Teacher means act as a problem solvers (i.e., design the content or lesson to achieve goal and to assess achievement of the goal, and whether there are other better ways to enhance instruction). Second step is student learning. Fitness testing result is to examine student learning from multiple perspectives (increase various component of health-related fitness, increases in physical activity, attitude toward fitness and physical activity). This health-related fitness test may tell how fit students are, ignoring the fitness improvement, physical activity and attitude development. Next is the appropriate use of accountability for assessing fitness education. Principals should be aware that fitness testing may lead negative consequences. Always ensure that the test is use appropriately and must be used within the context and perform a complete fitness education program if we want students to live in physically active lives. Assessment and accountability program should design appropriately and examine from time to time being as one aspect of student assessment and physical grading. As a school physical education teacher, I strongly believe that health-related fitness tests that are used in an appropriate educational manner can be a useful tool to enhance student learning and also health level. Although there is wide variation in the capabilities of students, the main purpose of fitness instruction should be that every student can work towards being fit and reach healthy level. While designing the test, physical class teachers should consider those less capability students and help them to improve by educating health-related fitness. The main focus on physical education should be on evolving fitness process, students participation regardless on performance and result achieved. A well-planned physical fitness program with a positive classroom environment is very crucial to yield positive attitude, interest and motivation of students on physical activity especially for those less capability. Teachers should put more efforts on those students who may feel fitness t esting is an embarrassment. Silverman (2008) suggested that assessment methods can move from group administration of test to pairs testing or self-assess. It can help to utilize time better, develop self-assessment skills and less embarrassing for most students. In a nutshell, I agree to infuse health-related fitness in physical class. Both physical activity and health-related fitness is equaled important to enhance body fitness and health. In order to have positive outcome, physical educator should designed an appropriate program for students in order to improve their fitness and encourage them to participate in physical activity and not to emphasize on performance achieved. Educators have to alert those students who are less capable in physical activities and encourage them, support them to involve in physical activity and educate them on health-related fitness. So that they can understand why they need to do that particular activity and what is the benefits of doing that. Educators should stress more on health-related fitness rather than performance-related fitness. Cale, L., Harris, J. (2002). National testing for children: Issues, concerns, and alternatives. British Journal of Teaching Physical Education, 33 (1), 32-34. Cale, L., Harris, J., Chen, M.H. (2007). More than 10 years after The horse is deadà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦: Surely it must be time to dismount?! Pediatric Exercise Sciences, 19, 115-131. Corbin, C.B. (1981). First things first but dont stop there. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, 52(1), 36-38. Corbin, C.B. (2005). Keynote address: Promoting active living: The key to shaping up for a lifetime. Vermont Association of Health, Physical Education, Dance, and Recreation Fall Conference. November, 2005. Killington, Vermont. Corbin, C.B., Pangrazi, R.P. (1993). Physical fitness: Questions teachers ask. Journal of Physical Education, Research and Dance, 64 (7), 14-19. Corbin, C.B., Pangrazi, R.P., Welk, G.L. (1995). A response to The horse is dead: Lets dismount. Pediatric Exercise Science, 7, 347-351. Domangue, E.A. (2009). A critical examination into motivation and gender in youth physical fitness testing (Doctoral dissertation), Louisiana State University, LA. Hale, D. (2005). An invitation to health. (11th ed.). Belmont, CA: Thomson Learning, Inc. Hillman, C.H., Castelli, D.M., Buck, S.M. (2005). Aerobic fitness and neurocognitive function in healthy preadolescent children. Medicine Science in Sports Exercise, 37, 1967-1974. Karinharju, K (2005). Physical fitness and its testing in adults with intellectual disability. (Master dissertation), University of Jyvaskyla, Finland. Keating, X.D., Silverman, S. (2004). Teachers use of fitness tests in school-based physical education programs. Measurement in Physical Education and Exercise Science, 8, 145-165. Malina, R.M., Bouchard, C., Bar-Or, O. (2004). Growth, maturation, and physical activity. (2nd ed.). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. Rowland, T.W. (1995). The horse is dead; Lets dismount. Pediatric Exercise Science, 7, 117-120. Silverman, S., Keating, X.D., Phillips, S.R. (2008). A lasting impression: A pedagogical perspective on youth fitness testing. Measurement in Physical Education and Exercise Science, 12: 146-166 Simons-Morton, B.G., Parcel, G.S., OHara, N.M., Blair, S.N., Pate, R.R. (1988). Health-related physical fitness in childhood: status and recommendations. Annual Review of Public Health, 9, 403-425. Yesalonia, S. (2009). Understanding school students perspectives regarding physical activity and fitness (Doctoral dissertation), Available from Dissertations and Theses database. (UMI No. 3352936)

Living On Oak Road :: essays research papers

Living on Oak Road When I think of the sounds, sights, and smells of my house on Oak Road I get homesick. It makes me want to go back to the familiar area. My family and I moved here when I was just one year old. It was a small country town with only one store on the corner with clean air and very few cars on the road. We never had any worries as we walked to the corner store. The town always seemed very quiet and undisturbed. As times have changed and I am now eighteen years old, the small country town has been taken over. It has become a small city. Now fast food chains, hardware stores, drugstores, and small shopping centers, have buried the small country store six feet under. The air is no longer clean because of the hundreds and thousands of cars driving down Oak Road everyday. Another big change in the old country town is the noise. In the old days, you could walk outside and hear all the different sounds of the birds and or animals. You may even hear other children playing on their junglegyms. Every once in a while you could hear a few cars going by, where as in the present you will hear a few hundred cars in a few hours. Also you will hear the sounds of construction that seems to be happening everyday. You will also often hear the sounds of police and fire sirens racing down the road. You will also find that the smells often differ. On a Saturday afternoon you can walk outside and smell the fresh sent of cut grass, or just the smell of a hot summer day. By going up to the town car wash you can smell the strong sent of soap. But on other days there will be an awful stench in the air. The stench coming from burning leaves, busted sewer pipes, or just piled up trash. Even though the area may not be the best for

Functions of Management Essay examples -- Business Managers Managing E

Functions of Management In this paper I will discuss the four functions of management, planning, organizing, leading and controlling. I will define and detail how these functions are used in my career. Although this does not fully define how management works, it certainly is a good platform to start. Planning Planning, or delivering strategic value, means to specify goals to achieve, and deciding in advance appropriate actions needed to achieve the goals. This is a vital part of any management environment. Someone once told me that if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Without proper planning and goal setting, there is no set standard to attain. This is a very important starting point to any management function.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In working in information technology with the government, I find that there is a constant need to plan for future events. One reason is funding, and another is upgrading the mass quantity of equipment at the same time. Since we really don not sell anything, there is no reason to look to other markets or come up with any selling strategy. Most of the planning in information technology is about where the money is going to go. Organizing   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Organizing is assembling and coordinating the human, financial, physical, informational, and other resources needed to achieve goals. Once goals are set, things must be organized properly to make sure all goals are met. Resources must be allocated, job responsibilities must be specified and conditions must be ...

Selective Perception in Shakespeares Hamlet Essay -- Shakespeare Haml

Selective Perception in Shakespeare's Hamlet      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   From the end of Act I, the point at which Hamlet judges it may be prudent to feign madness - to "put an antic disposition on" (I.v.181) - much of the first half of the play concerns characters trying to determine why the prince's melancholy has evolved into seeming insanity.   Each of the major players in Elsinore has a subjective impression of the reason for Hamlet's madness; indeed, in each of these misconceptions there is an element of the truth.   At the same time, however, the nature of these selective perceptions provides insight into the characters who form them.   And finally, these varied perspectives are notable in their effect upon the dynamic of the conflict between Hamlet and Claudius, and upon the king's increasing paranoia.    Long before the encounter with the Ghost turns Hamlet's vague suspicions into something approaching certainty (I.v.1-113), Claudius views Hamlet not as a madman, but as a threat to the security of his rule and possibly his life.   This is evident from their first scene, in which Claudius publicly denounces Hamlet's "unmanly grief" (I.ii.94) as "a fault to heaven" (l.101); Claudius seems to be undermining Hamlet's popular support by painting him as unworthy to rule.   Even in the face of his court's attempts to dissect the "very cause of Hamlet's lunacy" (II.ii.49), Claudius' initial convictions are never shaken.   Like the other characters, Claudius has his own motives for believing as he does; like the other characters, his beliefs are subject to manipulative reinforcement by the play's events.   Moreover, the speculation regarding Hamlet's madness serves only to convince the king that Hamlet is not mad, and th... ...nnate guilt and paranoia will not let him view Hamlet any other way.   This facet of Claudius' character is integral to the resolution of the tragic sequence: while, in the end, Claudius' paranoia is not enough to save his life, it is certainly sufficient to ensure that no one else escapes the conflict unscathed.    Works Cited Bevington, David, ed.   The Complete Works of Shakespeare.   4th ed.   New York: Longman-Addison Wesley Longman, 1997. Bradley, A.C.   Shakespearean Tragedy: Lectures on Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth.   London: Macmillan, 1967. Hamlet.   Prod. Dyson Lovell.   Dir. Franco Zeffirelli.   Warner Brothers, 1990. Hamlet, Prince of Denmark.   British Broadcasting Corp.   Prod. Cedric Messina.   Dir. Rodney Bennett.   Time-Life Films, 1978. Shakespeare, William.   Hamlet, Prince of Denmark.   Bevington 1060-1116.   

For the Love of Sports

In this paper, I will apply the functionalist theory to answer the question: â€Å"Why are people fanatically interested in playing and watching sports? † Culture, social structure, and social interaction play major roles in contributing to the reasons why people are fanatically interested in sports. Sport fans have a personal connection to their sport and/or team because it represents something that is important to them: city, state, favorite player, their past or future, hobby, and entertainment. Culture consists of the shared ways of life and the shared understandings that people develop as they live together (Coakley, 2009, p. 5). I grew up in a house with my two Uncles who were very influential to my fascination with playing and watching sports. They boxed and also played baseball. Their athletic abilities were exceptional and were represented by the numerous trophies that filled the trophy case in our home. It was no surprise that I took a liking to sports because I was surrounded by it everyday of my life. I would go to the baseball field and watch them play baseball and I went to the gym and watched them train for boxing. My Uncles would also set up pick up leagues for my friends and me. These actions by my Uncles contributed to me becoming a fan of sports. Today I have the same influence on my sons that my Uncles had on me. My sons grew up watching me watch, play and coach sports so it has become a part of their life. They are both athletes that watch and play all the sports that were part of their culture. Many athletes today grew up with sports in their home. Michael Jordon’s sons play basketball, Ken Griffey Jr. played baseball for the Cincinnati Reds where his father, Ken Griffey Sr. , once played and Bob and Brian Griese both won Super Bowls while playing in the NFL. Social interaction consists of people taking each other into account and, in the process, influencing each other’s feelings, thoughts and actions; social structure consists of the established patterns of relationships and social arrangements that take shape as people live, work and play with each other (Coakley, 2009, p. ). I remember when I was stationed over in Afghanistan. My friend and I would get up really early in the morning to watch football. He was a Pittsburgh Steelers fan and I really disliked the Steelers but would get up with him to watch them play because he would watch my games with me. However, through the social interaction with my friend I would catch myself cheering for the Pittsburgh Steelers because they were his favorite team. Social interaction is a critical part of why people play and watch sports. Sports create opportunities for conversation that enable people to form and nurture relationships and even enhance their status as they describe and critique athletes, games, teams, coaching decisions and the content of media commentaries (Coakley, 2009, p. 18). Everyone in my office where I work is a sports fan. We will spend all day Sunday, while the games are on, texting each other talking about our fantasy football team. Monday mornings are our soap box to discuss all the football action from Sunday. Like ESPN analyst we break down each game and player and this goes on all day. The emotional intensity, group camaraderie, and sense of accomplishment that often occur in sports make sport participation more memorable than other activities (Coakley, 2009, p. 18). Every Wednesday the guys and I from work play very competitive but fun basketball. It has provided us with very memorable moments and camaraderie that is forever lasting. I was at my son’s football banquet yesterday and I bumped into to a friend of mine who use to play ball with us and we talked for almost 30 minutes about the basketball that we use to play on Wednesday when he was there. Sport is both a constituent, and a constitutor, of the broader social context in which it is located. It is a vehicle through which the forces and relations of societal power are covertly communicated and, if infrequently, explicitly challenged, to the benefit of some groups within society, yet to the detriment of others (Zirin, 2008, p. 29). Sport fans have a connection to their sports or sport teams because they represent their city, state and/or community. They watch their favorite team on television or attend the game live to cheer their team to victory over the other team and the fans that cheer for them. Sports and sport teams can, and often do, reflect and represent specific locations and local identities (Crawford, 2004, p. 52). Greenville High School and T. L. Weston were the two high schools that divided my town. Greenville High represented the north side and the south side was represented by T. L. Weston. It was considered a rival game whenever these two teams played each other. The communities for each team came out in full force wearing team colors and other replica to represent the high school in their community. Winning this game would give one side of the town bragging rights over the other. Both sides of the stadium were always packed with fans for both teams. A town divided by two football teams that represented their community but brought together by their love for sports. In conclusion, culture, social interaction and structures influence the actions and relationships of sports fans and contribute to their fanatic obsession with watching and playing sports. Culture can influence what team you cheer for, what sport you like to watch or play, and what kind of sports fan you are. Social interaction and structure provide a forum to discuss your favorite team, cheer with other sport fans, talk about the game you watched on TV, and the opportunity to play the game with friends who also enjoy sports. Many sport fans share the same values and that is their love for sports, even though they may not be cheering for the same team. Sports develop relationships, build camaraderie and gives sports fans something to own outside of themselves.

Acc491 Wk 4 Dq Questions

*What are some of the different types of sampling methods that are available to the auditor? * How does the auditor decide which method to use? How will the different methods affect the audit? The types of auditing samples are broken down into two different categories: statistical and non-statistical sampling. The purpose of auditing samples are designed to give the auditor the results he or she seeks, without having to completely audit 100% of the items within the audit population. Here are some of the different types of auditing samples broken out into the two categories: Statistical Sampling Methods: Random Sampling – Is an auditing method that basically means that all sampling units in the auditing population will have an equal chance of being selected for evaluation, or that no bias would have played a role in what was selected. It is also important the samples that have been selected are not able to re-sampled again. Systematic Sampling – Involves selecting sampling units using fixed intervals between selections, the first interval having a random start. This method is often referred to as interval sampling. This is because this method is where the auditor will take the number of sampling units in a population and divides this into the sample size to give a sampling interval. For example, if an auditor is auditing sales invoice where the sampling interval is 20, the auditor will determine a starting point for sampling and sample every 20th sales invoice thereafter. Non-Statistical Sampling Methods: {text:list-item} {text:list-item} What is the importance of defining the population when performing audit procedures? How will this affect the sample size? How will incorrectly defining the population affect the sampling unit? The auditing population is the whole set of data for auditors to test in order to reach their final auditing conclusion. Auditors need to determine a population in which to examine samples from for specific auditing objectives he or she wishes to complete. For example, if an auditors' goal was to test for overstatements of debtors, the auditing population could entail listing of debtors. However, if the auditor was to testing for overstatements of creditors, then the population would not be only be a listing of creditors, but, also require the auditor to look for subsequent disbursements, unpaid invoices, suppliers' statements, unmatched receiving reports, or other auditable populations that would provide evidence of potential understatements to creditors. When the auditor is designing the auditing samples, the auditor should consider the specific audit objectives he or she wishes to fulfill, the nature of the auditing population for which they wish to sample, as well as any other factors affecting the auditing samples size. The determination of an auditing samples size should require judgment of: Assurance required Tolerable and Expected Error (or Deviation Rate) Stratification Erroneously defining the auditing population can have an incredible affect on sample size as the auditor then has to choose a sample for conducting the audit. Auditors should select sample size in a way that the auditing sample can be anticipated to be a fair representative of the overall auditing population in respect of the uniqueness that is tested. If an auditing population has not been defined then the chance for errors increases the indistinctness of the results taken from the auditing sampling. Furthermore, if an auditing population itself has incorrectly been defined, the sampling unit will not give the anticipated results. These errors can formulate an incorrect conclusion by the auditor, there by defeating the initial purpose of the audit.

Primary and Secondary Education in the Netherlands and China Essay

In the Dutch education system one ought to have 12 years of education, starting at the primary school from the age of 4. After 8 years of primary education the children will do a CITO-test that determines to which level of secondary education they can attend. The Dutch secondary education consists of three levels, respectively: VMBO, HAVO and VWO. VMBO is a 4 year program that has a more practical focus than the remaining levels and it is subdivided into four groups: BBL, GL, KBL and TL. A VMBO degree gives access to the subsequent vocational programs (MBO), which are 2 to 4 years depending on the chosen courses. The intermediate level of the secondary education is the HAVO program of 5 years. After completion and obtaining the HAVO degree, one can choose to do either a higher vocational program (HBO) of 4 years or a MBO. However, recently the Dutch government has declared a HBO degree to be equivalent to a university’s bachelor degree and therefore it is more attractive to HAVO graduates to pursue a program in HBO. Finally, the highest level in the Dutch secondary education is VWO. After completion of this program of 6 years, one has access to all universities in the Netherlands. Unfortunately, some popular courses, such as medicine and psychology, do have a minimum grade as entry requirement and therefore students willing to pursue a career in those fields will have to face a strong competition. In the Chinese education system one has 9 years of compulsory education, starting at the primary school from an age of 6. However, before the primary school many Chinese children will go to a preschool to develop their linguistic skills. After 6 years of primary school, the children will do a national test that ultimately determines to which secondary school they can attend. In china there are no distinctive levels in the secondary school system, but reputation and ranking distinguish the schools. Therefore there are the so-called key-schools that only accept students with high grades or have rich parents. The first 3 years in the secondary education is the junior-stage, wherein one will have a central examination in the last year. The results of that examination will either allow the student to the senior-stage of the secondary education or direct the student to another school specialised in vocational education. The students who are able to enter the senior-stage will do another central exam in their last year. The results of that exam will subsequent give the student access to the universities in China. The popular universities usually have a good reputation and high national ranking, therefore only the students with the highest scores in their final exams can fulfil the entry requirements. In comparing the two education systems, one should have noticed that the Dutch primary education is extended over a longer period than the Chinese primary education, respectively 8 and 6 years. Moreover, the more complex Dutch secondary education system allows students to jump between levels. In other words, a hardworking student could start in VMBO-BBL in the first year and end up in VWO the next year. This switch between levels is not possible in the Chinese secondary education system and the central exams determine the future destiny of the students.

Denim Finishing Company Case Essay

Mrs. Kelsey Bowser using the ABC method decided to use the number of garments as the cost driver of the change-over costs. Nevertheless, I argue that this was not the best possible choice. I will try to defend my point using the following example. Let’s assume that Guess Who Jeans demands 600, not 500 garments per shipment. Although the number of garments changes, the total change-over costs would stay the same, because no additional retooling of the machine would be necessary. The whole change-over process takes 3 hours regarding if the number of garments is 200, 500 or 800. Furthermore, let’s strictly theoretically assume that the company is able to achieve some extra capacity and one batch is now composed of 150 garments instead of 100 garments. Still, although the total number of garments would vastly increase, the change-over costs would be altered only partially. The opportunity cost measured as a lost contribution margin would slightly increase, but the out-of-po cket costs would stay the same, as the wages of the employees and supplies costs will not change. Thus, it is clear that the number of garments is not the proper cost driver for the change-over costs. In my opinion the number of shipments would be a much better cost driver for the change-over costs. Regarding the number of garments or the number of batches Guess Who Jeans demands every shipment requires the change-over costs to be incurred twice. For instance, if 99 shipments were made, the total change-over costs would equal $351 * 198 = $69,498, because two change-overs ($702) would not have to be undertaken. Thus, the number of shipments clearly drives the analyzed costs. Unlikely the previous example with the number of garments per batch increasing to 150, the number of shipments fully ‘drives’ the change-over costs. Every time the number of shipments rises or falls, the change-over costs change by the full amount of the two per-changeover costs which properly reflect the real situation. Using such a cost driver may be problematic when the allocation of the chang e-over costs is analyzed. Nevertheless, I argue that those cost should be solely allocated to the propriety denim finishing. The demand for the stonewashing services exceeds the company’s capacity. Thus, if the Guess Who Jeans’ offer was declined, the company would use the whole capacity for stonewashing. However, if the offer was accepted the stonewashing processes would be somehow ‘interrupted’ by the propriety denim finishing. Each ‘interruption’, and therefore each shipment would require incurring the change-over costs twice. No factor connected with stonewashing ‘drives’ those costs. Regarding the number of batches or garments used in the stonewashing process each shipment necessitates the cost of $702. Therefore, I believe this cost should be associated with every shipment done by Guess Who Jeans. In Appendix A I present the product profitability analysis using the number of shipment as the cost driver. Moreover, Mrs. Kelsey Bowser claims that the change-over costs should be treated as product-sustaining costs. Nevertheless, I believe her opinion is wrong. I believe these costs should be on the batch level in the cost hierarchy. Hence, I believe the initial analysis undertaken by Mrs. Bowser was correct, although the cost driver she selected was improper. Product-sustaining level costs could be defined as ‘activities that are needed to support an entire product line but are not performed every time a new unit or batch of products is produced’ [Hilton 2010]. Although the first part of the definition applies to the change-over costs, it is clearly not the case when the second part of the definition is concerned. The change-over costs have to be incurred every time the shipments is delivered and the propriety denim finishing has to be done. Therefore, I believe these costs should be rather placed as the batch-level costs in the cost hierarchy. Batch-level costs are believed to ‘arise from activities performed once for each batch or lot of products’ [Zimmerman 2011]. Since the change-over costs need to be incurred every shipment, placing them at this level in the hierarchy seems reasonable. 2. It is clear that before accepting the proposal several nonfinancial issues have to be considered in order to make a reasonable decision. First, the management should think how accepting the Gues Who offer would affect the relations with the other clients. Since Guess Who requires the Denim Finishing Company not to offer the particular type of finish to other customers, it is very likely that relations with other firms will worsen. The Denim Finishing Company has been cooperating with many companies for a long time. Therefore, those companies may dislike the fact that the new client receives the special treatment, while such benefits could not be observed in their case, even though they have been the customers for ages. Consequently, the Denim Finishing Company’s reputation may shrink and furthermore the firm may lose some of its customers that it had long term relations established with. Accepting the Guess Who offer, as mentioned before, would require the Denim Finishing Company to offer the certain time of finish exclusively to Guess Who. Hence, the firm would be prohibited from providing other companies with this service. Before making the decision it should be analyzed if that could lead to potential losses in the future. For instance, although cooperating with Guess Who may be beneficial, the potential gains from offering that type of finish to other clients could be higher. If so, the Denim Finishing Company should rather provide the service to other firms. Naturally, before making such a decision it has to be determined if other firms would require the Denim Finishing Company to offer the service exclusively to them, like it is the case for Guess Who. Offering exclusive service to one company may result in other companies’ (not only potential clients as mentioned in the previous paragraph, but also current ones) demands for exclusive treatment. If other clients, especially those who have been cooperating with the Denim Finishing Company for a long time, realize that it is possible to receive such a special treatment, they would likely claim for it too, as it could give them a competitive advantage over other firms in their industry. Thus, the Denim Finishing Company would undoubtedly face a big problem. It theoretically could increase the prices for the firms that demand exclusive service, but it could lead to losing those clients. Accepting or declining the Guess Who offer may also result in potential conflicts within the firm that have to be considered. For instance, Bruce Farrand who is against the offer may be so determined in defending his point of view that if the offer is accepted, he will decide to terminate his employment. However, he might be so valuable for the company that the gains from the cooperation with Guess Who would not compensate for the value added by Mr. Farrand. Moreover, some other conflicts could arise in the company after deciding either. Before making the decision it would also be recommended to analyze the potential influence the service offered to Guess Who could have on the machine. Since providing the finish would require constant and often retooling of the machine, it could negatively affect the lifetime of the machine. What is more, it is possible that the quality of services done by the machine would shrink because of those often changes. Hence, the satisfaction among clients could diminish and the high cost of purchasing new machine would have to be incurred soon. It also cannot be forgotten that the current demand exceeds the firm’s capacity and some of its clients already use services provided by other companies. Thus, if the Denim Finishing Company’s has even less time for stonewashing, these clients can shift to competitors. Finally, it should be estimated what potential nonfinancial benefits could cooperating with Guess Who bring to the Denim Finishing Company. Guess Who is considered to be a company that offers innovative and premium products. Thus, being an important business partner of such a firm could have a positive impact on the Denim Finishing Company’s reputation. Consequently, it could attract new clients and encourage more companies to cooperate with the Denim Finishing Company. Moreover, successful cooperation with Guess Who Jeans could lead to extending the business relations with that company. For instance, it could outsource more of its production to the Denim Finishing Company. 3. If I were Tom Corcoran, I would undoubtedly have a few questions for the controller. First, I would ask about all the problems mentioned in the two previous questions. As mentioned before, I believe that Mrs. Bowser did not place the change-over costs at the right level in the cost hierarchy. Hence, I would like to get to know why she decided to treat them as product-sustaining costs, while there are a lot of arguments supporting the idea to treat them as batch-level costs. Furthermore, the cost driver chosen by Mrs. Bowser is highly doubtful. I would require the explanation how and to what extent in her opinion the number of garments ‘drives’ the change-over costs. Since I believe the number of garments is not the right cost driver, I would ask Mrs. Bowser for some other type of profitability analysis, such as the analysis presented in Appendix A. The analysis presented at the meeting by the controller could be misleading. Both Exhibit 3 and Exhibit 4 present data that is in my opinion inaccurate. Moreover, as it was analyzed in the second question accepting or declining the offer could lead to multiple nonfinancial outcomes that may play a significant role on the company’s profitability. Hence, I would ask if such factors have been analyzed and if so, what possible impact they may have. I also believe that Tom Corcoran would be most interested in the total profit his company would have under both scenarios. Analyses presented at the meeting, as valuable as they might be, do not contain such information. For instance, they do not include the facility-sustaining costs that the Denim Finishing Company has to incur. Hence, it would be recommended to present Tom Corcoran with the yearly profit the firm may earn. Moreover, I would ask Mrs. Bowser about the accuracy of her assumptions in Exhibit 4. She estimates that the costs of the proprietary process, as well as the price paid by Guess Who Jeans wi ll not change during the year. However, it may not necessarily be the case. The analysis relies on historical costs that may not be appropriate for the future estimations. Thus, I would like to know if Mrs. Bowser took that aspect into account. Another question would regard the overhead rates of the batch- and unit-level costs. The rates were estimated when only stonewashing was done. However, accepting the offer from Guess Who Jeans would require retaining from using the machine for 600 hours. This could likely result in different overhead costs and consequently different overhead rates. The batch-level utility cost can be particularly problematic. It is ‘driven’ by the machine hours and as previously mentioned the machine is not used for 3 hours before and 3 hours after the shipment. Furthermore, the case makes it unclear whether drying is also performed by the Unit #4. The per-garment utilities cost includes 3 hours for washing and 3 hours for drying. However, when the change-over is undertaken, the washing is not performed, because the machine cannot be used. Therefore, during the change-over the utilities cost is possibly lower. This is especially important for the opportunity cost analysis. Since the case is lacking information explaining the problem, if I were Tom Corcoran I would like to clarify it. Finally, I strongly believe that it would also be necessary to ask Mrs. Bowser about the facility-sustaining costs. Such costs are ignored in the controller’s analysis. Nevertheless, they still affect the company’s profitability. Hence, I would like to get to know how big those costs are. Moreover, the facility-sustaining costs could also be somehow influenced by the possible cooperation with Guess Who Jeans. For instance, the security or insurance costs could rise, since the service is supposed to be offered exclusively to that particular client. Therefore, the analysis of the capacity-sustaining costs would also be useful. To sum up, if I were Tom Corcoran I would have many doubts about the controller’s analysis. I would probably ask her to prepare yet another presentation that includes my suggestions. However, if I were to make the decision, I probably would accept the Guess Who Jeans’ offer. The analysis in the Appendix A, although it does not include nonfinancial factors and may not properly reflect all the costs, clearly shows that such a scenario leads to increased profits. 4. Activity-based costing is undoubtedly a useful tool that could help the management to make the optimal decision. It is much more accurate that the traditional costing systems. Distinguishing various activities and determining cost drivers relating to them helps to more precisely allocate the costs. Using one cost driver for all the amount of the overhead could create the situation where the indirect costs are not really ‘driven’ by the particular cost. For instance, although direct labor hours might to some extent determine the value of the overhead, the influence may only be partial, especially regarding certain products. Using various cost drivers for various activities largely eliminates this problem. What is more, selecting particular cost drivers for respective activities enables ‘taxing’ certain activities. This internal tax system gives an incentive to reduce certain costs and therefore improve the company’s efficiency. For instance, if machine labor hours are chosen as a driver for the production activity there is an impulse to lower the number of machine labor hours which consequently results in decreased value of overhead, lower costs and higher profits. Under Activity-Based Costing the share of costs allocated directly to the products increases. Thus, the company better understand where its overhead costs go to. It enables the firm to identify the products that are not profitable and undertake relevant actions, such as decreasing costs, raising the price or withdrawing the product. However, the cost hierarchy helps to make such decision regarding not only particular products, but also batches and product lines. This undoubtedly allows making decisions that are more profit-maximizing. Moreover, in the ABC the practical capacity is used. Therefore, it is possible to determine the unused capacity. Diminishing the unused capacity is definitely helpful in maximizing the profits of the company. Hence, Activity-Based Costing provides the management with the information necessary to make optimal decisions. To compare, the traditional costing systems do not give such a possibility. However, the ABC method also has some flaws that may result in making a non-optimal production decision. Some of those disadvantages could be observed in the previous questions. First, the system is believed to be complicated. As noticeable in the first question choosing the proper cost driver for the particular activity might be problematic. Selecting the wrong driver could lead to biased results and consequently the decision that is not profit-maximizing. Furthermore, trying to maintain the cost hierarchy may also be difficult, as shown in the example of Mrs. Bowser from the Denim Finish Company. The results when the costs were determined as the batch-level where completely different than when they were analyzed to be product-level. Thus, such easily made mistakes could result in a non-optimal decision. Furthermore, as it could be seen in the second question Activity-Based Costing does not include any nonfinancial measures. Thus, even though pure financial values may show that a particular decision is profit-maximizing, it might not necessarily be the case. Other factors, such as e.g. loss of reputation could actually result in decreased profits. Finally, the ABC method requires gathering data from the whole company, often through interviews. Hence, there is a relatively big possibility that collected data is not perfectly accurate. To sum up, the Activity-Based Costing method is quite reliable tool in making optimal production decisions, especially compared to the traditional costing systems. However, the system has to be carefully planned and implemented, because any mistakes could lead to inaccurate results. Choosing the wrong cost driver and improper assignment of the costs in the cost hierarchy may result in undesired errors. Furthermore, as useful as the ABC is, the management cannot rely solely on financial values provided by the method. Before making the decision all nonfinancial factors have to be considered. Only such a consideration combined with the information supplied by the properly designed and applied Activity-Based Costing system can lead to the optimal production decision. 5. The marginal costing analysis may undoubtedly be a useful tool in making an optimal decision. However, it has to be used carefully, because some of its suggestions may be misleading. This could also be observed in the analysis presented by Mrs. Bowser. The concerns are somehow parallel to the questions raised before. First, the marginal costing analysis does not include any nonfinancial factors. Hence, although the particular activity may seem profitable, it might not necessary be true. Second, the analysis is based on the historical, not the actual costs. The actual costs and price that Guess Who Jeans would be required to pay may differ over the time. Similarly, the application of the overhead depends on the estimates rather than the actual values. Thus, over or underabsorption may happen. Moreover, as mentioned before, after accepting the offer the overhead rates could change. Thus, the costs provided by the controller in the analysis might be inaccurate. As pointed out in the previous question the case is lacking the information about the possible decrease in the utilities costs during the change-overs. If that was true, the opportunity cost associated with the lost contribution margin on sales of 70,000 stonewashed garments would considerably increase. Considerably, the incremental profit from accepting the new offer would diminish. Another problem with Mrs. Bowser’s analysis, as well as with all the marginal costing analyses is that they do not include the costs that do not change with the unit volume. However, such costs could also influence the decision. Although the analysis presented by the controller shows that accepting the offer would be highly profitable, the figures would not look so vastly appealing if the amount of capacity-sustaining overhead was included in the Exhibit. Furthermore, the presented analysis is only a short-term one. Nevertheless, before making a strategic management the management also has to cons ider the long-term perspective. The analysis shows that in the certain year the incremental profits from accepting the Guess Who Jeans’ offer would equal some particular value. The analysis only includes one year though. In the following years the profits could be lower and thus declining the offer could actually be a better decision. For instance, imagine that Guess Who Jeans needs the propriety denim finishing services for its new products that are just to be introduced to the market. The client may expect the high demand for the new product in the first year. However, in the following years the demand for the product, and consequently for the Denim Finishing Company’s services may shrink. Finally, the marginal costing analysis includes only one-case scenario. It assumes that the projected and the actual number of shipments will be equal. However, it is not certain if that will happen. If some unexpected events happen the marginal costing analysis will not properly reflect the real situation. It cannot be forgotten that the marginal costing analysis is a simple and straightforward tool that can support the decision making. It is particularly useful when two products or divisions are to be compared. Moreover, it can give the management the basis for analyzing the opportunity cost of declining the Guess Who Jeans’ offer. However, the marginal costing analysis should be used carefully. I believe it should be treated as a supportive instrument for decision making rather than the major source of information. Hence, if the controller alter a few things, the analysis could help to make the optimal, profit-maximizing decision.