Corporate Strategy Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Corporate Strategy - Research Paper Example It is possible to assume that both companies have large cash reserves spent on research and development. These reserves also enable them to take risks in spending large sums for advertising and promotion. Both companies have good reputation among customers and created cost advantage from propriety know-how. S&W and Makatume take full advantage of the quality image their products have earned over time because of automated modern factories and use of modern management methods. Aggressive advertising is used by S&W as the main marketing tool that allows the company to reach wider target audience and expend internationally. Also, cooperation and assistance of such retailers as Big Boxes, allows S&W to stock many of its products. The strength of Makatume is fast growing cordless segment and innovative production facilities in Japan. Makatume has substantial advantages over S&W, especially in its ability to achieve higher levels of quality and productivity and in the availability of low-cost labor and financing. Makatume takes full advantage of these benefits in effectively competing with American firms in U.S. markets. The main weakness of S&W is market confusion between its professional and consumer power tools. In contrast to Makatume, S&W does not have a strong position in cordless market segment. Another weakness of S&W is negative attitude of its distributors caused by abuse of their market position. S&W cannot react effectively to changing market conditions because of its size and outdated product lines. S&W has a high cost structure (old technologies and high labor cost) which prevents it from rapid growth and change. The weaknesses of Makatume include lower voltage product market and importance to invest in R&D and introduce new products, higher voltage segment. It is necessary to develop specific strategies to incorporate quality into product, promotion, pricing, and distribution areas (Johnson, Scholes 2003). Opportunities Favorable economic conditions and arrival of new technologies propose both companies opportunities to grow and increase their market share. Favorable exchange rate and stable economic situation in the region provide new opportunities for the product/market expansion grid and a framework for the marketers to consider the balance of product offerings. Threats Increased competition is the main threat for both companies. The growing imports from Chine and low price products proposed by domestic and foreign competitors become a real threat for such giants as W&S and Makatume. The threat of new entrants is the main problem: new companies can reduce industry profits and specific market share for the existing products. In the case of PEPT market, the number of companies and their location are the first indicators of the intensity of competition. This competition is further heightened by the presence of substitute products. Solutions and Recommendation In order to minimize weakness and threats, S&W has to update its product lines and introduce new brand for consumer products. It will help to avoid confusion and create a unique image of its products. Restructuring and organizational change is another step to improve market and operations performance. Only in this case, S&W will be able to deal simultaneously with various day-to-day crises. New technologies and methods of manufacturing will help S&W respond to market

Property Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 4

Property Law - Essay Example rchase; Dave has an equitable interest in the leasehold of the garage for the duration of ten years, and; Max has at least a vested interest in the property because he has been living in its grounds during those times when Bob was not around. The circumstances under which Peter bought the property seemingly fall squarely with the textbook definition of the term â€Å"bona fide purchaser for value without notice.† A bona fide purchaser for value without notice is defined as a buyer of the land for a considerable sum of money without knowledge of existing equitable interests over the land. Title at law is enforceable against the whole world. â€Å"A person who is such a bona fide purchaser for value and without notice is known as ‘equity’s darling’, and will take a legal estate free from equitable interests.1 In other words, a bona fide purchaser for value with legal title and without notice therefore has a right against everyone including equitable titles and interests. Bob contributed to the purchase price in the amount of GBP 50, 000 and took up residence within the Wimbledon Property, first in the main house and later, when his relationship with Vicky went sour, converted the barn to a residential building and continued his residency there. His clothes and his other things are left in the converted barn. Albeit that he now lives during the weekdays with a girlfriend in the city, he showed no intention of abandoning his stay in Wimbledon. As a matter of fact, he allowed his brother Max to keep house during the times he was away. On the basis of his contribution to the purchase of the house, Bob has acquired an equitable right over the property, notwithstanding that this was an amount not so huge vis-à  -vis Vicky’s GBP 400.000. Prior to the present land registration law viz., The Land Registration Act of 2002, there was no need to register equitable interests, only ownership over the land. As discussed above, however, even equitable rights can be defeated.

Boston Artwork Essay Example for Free

Boston Artwork Essay The public artworks that I chose are Asaroton 1976 (Unswept Floor) and Boston’s Famed Rainbow Tank. The similarities of these artworks are that they are both available in public view and that they are unique types of artwork. There is not much like the Rainbow Tank or the Asaroton ’76 types, as they were original ideas of the artists. Considering the effect that they have on people, both artworks seem to blend in the everyday life of those who see it in a regular basis. The Asaroton is being walked around and stepped around, while the Rainbow Tank contains liquefied natural gas. It’s as if the artwork has naturally been there, a part of everyone’s ordinary lives despite the fact they are extraordinary creations (Millis, 1997). The Asaroton ’76 is an artwork like no other, as it is composed of bronze replicas of everyday waste and debris of the market, which is then embedded in concrete. At first glance, the artwork just seems to be a deformity or an abnormality in the road (Harries/Heder Public Art, 2006). But if you look at it closely, you will see the intricate details and designs embossed on the concrete walkway. In relation to this, it is situated in a segment of the street which forms a major crosswalk. Many people pass it or walk over it everyday, but they don’t seem to mind. To them, the artwork is already a part of their everyday lives. Boston’s Famed Rainbow Tank is actually a gigantic tank of liquefied natural gas which was painted with five huge swaths of color, artistically placed as though they’re just strokes of a paintbrush (NPR, 2001). The colors are yellow, orange, blue, vermillion, and purple. With the way the tank is painted, it’s as if it was just a large canvas for an abstract artwork. The stripes actually doesn’t resemble anything, but according to those who gaze at this gigantic work of art, they see faces of prominent personalities, whether they’re our friends or foes (images of Ho Chi Minh, Fred Flintstone, Saddam Hussein). The Asaroton ’76 is situated in the busy, open air produce market on Blackstone Street. The place it is embedded is a part of a major crosswalk, so you can just imagine how many people walk over it or pass it during the course of the day. Heavy motor traffic is also present during the day, so we can say that this artwork is not something that we keep in museums or galleries, as it is best appreciated in public. Boston’s Rainbow Tank is situated somewhere along Boston’s waterfront, the industrial part of the area. The rainbow tank is such a massive structure that many people can see it without having to get close to it. There were restaurants just around the area, and the rainbow tank has been a common view for the urban dwellers. The tank holds a good spot in everyone’s heart, as it was made originally as a sign of peace, and now it remains a masterpiece unique from any other artworks. The effectiveness of Asaroton ’76 in conveying an artistic message is incomparable, as it artfully depicts some of the common things that we see everyday. It immortalizes the debris of everyday life, which seem to reflect back to us, how we oftentimes don’t recognize these stuff as artistic or as anything valuable. With the Asaroton, we are able to see how these things, no matter what they are, can be a very good subject for a wonderful work of art. It’s main difference with the Rainbow Tank is obviously the size, and also the feeling it conveys, as it serves as a reminder of the things we usually neglect or ignore, as for the Rainbow Tank, it is a sign of peace, that’s why it conveys a feeling of happiness to the viewers. The Rainbow Tank is effective in its purpose of spreading peace, as it conveys a feeling of peacefulness and childish joy, despite the size of the structure. People who look at it tend to smile, even without a reason. Its mere presence in the area brings and assurance of peace for the people, though in reality, it could easily be a target of terrorism, with all the natural gas it contains. References: Harries/Heder Public Art. (2006). Asaroton 1976 (Unswept Floor). Retrieved June 9, 2008, from http://www. harriesheder. com/asaroton. htm Millis, C. (1997). An opinionated, irreverent look at Bostons public art. Retrieved June 9, 2008, from http://www. bostonphoenix. com/archive/art/97/08/21/PUBLIC_ART. html NPR. (2001). Bostons Famed Rainbow Tank Inspires Admiration, Scorn. Retrieved June 9, 2008, from http://www. npr. org/news/specials/response/home_front/features/2001/nov/rainbowtank/011105. rainbowtank. html

The Joys Of Motherhood, Buchi Emecheta

The Joys Of Motherhood, Buchi Emecheta During the colonization process, many changes have occurred in Africa and the indigenous populations were forced to adopt and adhere to the western values and lifestyle. The effects were felt on all levels of society and in her novel The Joys of Motherhood; Buchi Emecheta highlights the consequences of this confrontation on a traditional Igbo woman, Nnu Ego. It is show at the very beginning of the novel that fertility is a determinant factor of a womans status and reputation. This standard established by this patriarchal society is anchored in Nnu Ego and she does not know how to be self-fulfilled other than the cult domesticity. However, with the changes that occurred in her society, the joys and rewards of motherhood that she desired for a longtime have been compromised. This extended essay thus investigates the impact of the clash of cultures on Nnu Ego. To do so, I first examined the situation of women during the pre-colonial Nigeria in order to underline the differences during the colonial time. Then, I analyzed the two main conflicts of the novel which are the protagonists struggle for self-fulfillment and her dilemma between assimilating the colonial lifestyle and clinging to her traditional values. After this investigation, I came to the conclusion that the tragedy in the story of Nnu Ego is that her imprisonment in tradition prevented her to recognize and embrace the changes that occurred before her. Emechetas novel is thus both a critique of colonization and the conservative nature of the Igbo tradition that prevents women to emancipate and build a better future. Introduction European colonization in Africa has had both favorable and unfavorable consequences as far as it has destabilized and controlled the indigenous ruling systems while bringing modernization to the continent. This notion of modernity is however just as problematic because it represents an antagonism to the traditional African values which resulted in an inevitable clash opposing tradition to modernity. The confusions and struggles raised from this conflict are dealt in different ways and as regards African women; they are confronted, until now, to obstacles in the cultural, economical as well as the political side. Indeed, in most of African cultures, women are victims of subordination within their society because the opposite gender overpowers and retrains them in their development by dictating their thoughts, behavior and decisions. Buchi Emecheta is one of the first African women novelists to address the issue of the conditions of women and their battle for self-fulfillment and emancipation. In her novel, The Joys of Motherhood, she explores the positive and negative effects of modernization on women as well as their imprisonment between tradition and change. Through the story of Nnu Ego, the protagonist, she also shows how the strict traditions discriminate women who are regarded as mens property, producers of children and are placed in second position on the social pyramid. In order to understand the impact of Nigerias confrontation with western world on women, the following essay will first take a look at the situation of women during the pre-colonial and colonial Nigeria. Then, it will examine the struggles of Nnu Ego for self-fulfillment and emancipation and finally, her dilemma between assimilating the colonial lifestyle and clinging to her tradition. The clash of cultures in The joys of Motherhood and its impact on Nnu Ego The downfall of African women from a position of power happened during the process of colonization. Prior that, societal roles were equal and there was a complementarity between the roles played by each gender. For instance, they even switched roles and women were allowed to work in the agricultural field. In addition to that, women did not only work in pairs with their male counterparts but they were also respected and sometimes worshiped. Most men like Agbadi, a renowned chief and the father of the protagonist, preferred a woman who: was troublesome and impetuous, who had the audacity to fight with her man before letting him have her (p.21). Ona, the mother of Ngu Ego represented that type of women and was depicted as a strong, stubborn and highly respected character. She functioned as queen sister, a chief and was an inspiration to the young women in her village because showed the men that she was just as powerful as them. However, during the colonial era, the traditional rules concerning women were rigidified, which led to the devaluation of female roles and status. Indeed, by introducing capitalism as a new economic system and Christianity as a new spiritual doctrine, the English colonizers have indirectly modified the roles and status of the genders in Nigeria. In modern and capitalist societies, money is a determinant factor of ones status and women have gradually been excluded from trading or any paid work. This resulted in uplifting the status of men and diminishing the status of women whose only roles now were to maintain the household and carry children. As shown in the book, these changes have also affected the vision men had of women because: in [Agbadis] young days, a woman who gave in to a man without first fighting for her honor was never respected. To regard a woman who is quiet and timid as desirable was something that came after his time, with Christianity and other changes (p.10). Thus , considering the fact that men married women: who could claim to be helpless without them (p.36), women were forced to comply with the new standards. Strong minded women like Ona gradually disappeared and women who used to be equally treated in her time were now considered as more vulnerable and weaker than men. By introducing her novel with a short description of Onas life, Buchi Emechetas purpose was to show that the subordination of women is a result of a change in beliefs which gradually anchored in the Igbo tradition. It moreover helps the reader to understand the contrast between Ona and Nnu Ego and gives an insight on Nnu Egos struggles. Buchi Emecheta evokes in her novel two elements which represent an obstacle to Nnu Egos self-fulfillment which are the relationship between men and women and children. The protagonist lives in a mans world in which women must prove that there are good daughters and then good wives in order to gain respect. As an example, when her father arranged a second marriage for her, Nnu Ego did not approve of her new husband, Nnaife, because he was physically different to the men in her village, Ibuza. However, she wanted to prove to herself, to Agbadi and to her society that she wasnt barren but a complete woman. She would [have] rather [died] in this town called Lagos than go back home and say Father, I just do not like the man you have chosen for me' (p.44). She gradually learned to respect this man and put up with his crude ways and ugly appearance (p.44) because he fulfilled her dream which was to have a child. Yet, with the other pregnancies, their relationship degraded because Nnu Ego lo st all respect for her husband. She was not given enough housekeeping money because her husband, Nnaife, spent most of the money on his drink and the children were starving. She then realized that: she was a prisoner, imprisoned by her love for her children, imprisoned in her role as the senior wife. She was not even expected to demand more money for her family; that was considered below the standard expected of a woman in her position. It was not fair, she felt the way men cleverly used a womans sense of responsibility to actually enslave her (p.137). It is shown trough this excerpt that in a couple, the woman must be worthy and accept her fate without complaining. If she fails in doing so, not only will she be branded as a bad and not respectful wife but she would also bring the shame over her family. As Nnu Ego said it, she is imprisoned in a code of conduct established by her patriarchal society which preaches submission. As a result, the man takes all the decisions and as regards the protagonists husband, he is depicted as a selfish man who spends his money without taking into consideration the needs of his family. She was consequently powerless and when Nnaife returned from war with a big fortune he gained the fear and respect of Nnu Ego. He could even afford to beat her up if she went beyond the limits he could stand (p117). This demonstrates on one hand that money and violence are the primary sources of power for men. On the other hand it testifies that the submissive image of women to which Nnu Ego must comply represents a n obstacle for her emancipation and self-fulfillment. This code of conduct imposed on women is also responsible for the fact that a womans voice was rarely taken into consideration as regards the important decisions. For an example, when her husband was at war, Nnu Ego gave birth to a child to whom she did not attribute a name before the return of her husband. She was scared of being regarded as overcivilised woman who chose the names her children by herself, just because her husband was fighting in the war(p.155). Stated differently, endemic sexism, patriarchal attitudes, and the force of blinding tradition bond African men in a hegemonic system that nourishes and protects their interest . This can also be seen through the two polygamous marriages undergone by Nnu Ego. In the first one, she was unable to produce a child and lost her position as a senior wife. Yet, the major function of a wife in her culture is to bear children. Women just like men, grant much importance to the fert ility of a woman because it is the only way to gain respect from the community. The marriage is only truly strengthened with the birth of a child, particularly a boy who will be the heir and the support of the family. The Igbo woman is thus subjected to a lot of pressure during the first years of the marriage because her reputation is concerned. Childless marriages are rarely recognized because: when a woman is virtuous, it is easy for her to conceive (p.31). Nnu Ego is a very emotional character and her barrenness only accentuated her unstable state of mind which manifested through endless tears of frustration and hopelessness (p.32). This situation drove her husband to become polygamous which also undermined her self-confidence. Few had noticed that it was bad for her morale to hear her husband give pleasure to another woman in the same courtyard where she slept (p. 21). In the end, the fact that she remained childless for two years led to the disintegration of her marriage. In the second marriage, she succeeded in having eight children but it did not prevent her husband from looking for a second woman. Nnu Ego and her co-wife were complete opposite and she hated this type of woman, who would flatter a man, depend on him, need him (p.118). Nnu Ego was compared to a jealous cat because she could not understand why her husband bought a new wife especially when they were living in such terrible conditions. She tried to control her feelings, to be sophisticated just like she had been taught but the unfairness of the situation revolted her. She withdrew in herself but was forced to behave properly. She [had] to be careful if she did not want her sons future wives to say but your mother was always jealous whenever her husband brought a young wife' (p.185). Polygamy is in the book another mean for men to control women. Nnu Ego had the feeling she was given more power as a senior wife but in fact, she was imprisoned in her role and her love for her children forb ad her from reacting indecently. Moreover, as a senior wife, Nnu Ego was force to follow some standards which restrain her in self-expression. Indeed, when her husband was enlisted against his will to fight with the English during the Second World War, she and her co-wife were terrified. However: her culture did not permit her to give in to her fears. She was supposed to be strong, being the senior wife, to behave more like a man than a woman. As men were not permitted open grief, she had to learn to hide hers as well. She heard Adaku crying, and she envied her freedom (p.140). The effect achieve by Emecheta was to show that a traditional woman like Nnu Ego is forced to abide to traditional customs, values or beliefs in order to feel fulfilled. If she doesnt she runs the risk of being denied by her husband, classified among bad women and at the same time, compromising her childrens reputation and future. Children thus play an important role in the sense of womens achievement and represent another element which empowers Nnu Ego. Her only goal throughout the novel was to have children and raise them properly since she had been brought up to believe that children made a woman. (p.219) A child is part of a womans identity and the only symbol of hope, success and self-fulfillment for women. This vision of femininity and motherhood established by her culture was the main cause of Nnu Egos failed suicide attempt. When her first child died, Nnu Ego was desperate, in grief and fell into depression. All women agreed that a woman without a child for her husband was a failed woman (p.62). She was brought to perceive herself as a failure and even her closest friends where comforting her husband rather than her. They said to Nnaife who felt guilty: you are to give her children and food, she is to cook and bear the children and look them. A woman may be ugly and grow old, but a man is never ugly an d never old. He matures with age and is dignified (p.71). This disparaging declaration clearly illustrates the image of women and men in the Igbo society. In all cases, the woman is to blame and this has a negative impact on emotional and unstable characters such as Nnu Ego. It could have been fatal but she was determined to refute the fact that she was a failed woman. She lastly gave birth to several children and it is from this moment that she drastically evolved. The financial situation of the couple did not allow them to feed correctly the children and her vision of motherhood began to change. She compared her life to her colleagues who worked and had few children and she regretted having so many children. Her children suffered from malnutrition yet all because she was the mother of three sons, she was supposed to be happy in her poverty, in her cramped room (p.167). She became self-aware that being a mother did not only revolve around having many children but also about raising them properly. She wasnt able to put all the eight of them in good conditions so she put all her hope into her eldest son. Before, her refrain used to be: All will be well when Nnaife returns from war. Now it was: All will be well when Oshia returns from college(p.190). She believed that with rewards of motherhood, she will acquire a higher social status and that he will feed her in her old age and will wipe the tears of shame. In addition to struggling for self-fulfillment, Nnu Ego also struggled between assimilating the colonial lifestyle and sticking to her tradition when she made the transition from a rural world to a modern life. This constitutes another major external conflict of the novel because Nnu Ego was living in a society whose mode of thought and behavior were evolving while she remained firmly attached in traditions. For example, Buchi Emecheta painted a vivid picture of the strict gender division among the Igbo society in her novel. The father instructs his son about how to manage a house, protect the women and introduces him to the rites and traditional meetings. In contrast, the young girls duty is only to help in the house holding. She is firmly taught that her life strictly concentrates on the marriage, having children and cook for her husband. Through this informal education, the young boys are influenced to perceive themselves as higher, better and more important than women whereas the young girls are educated to see themselves as a complement of men. They are also taught to be submissive by bending to the mens requests and desires. As a result, men along with women accept their gender roles as a matter of fact. However, since Lagos is rapidly evolving and tending towards modernization, the daughter of Nnu Ego, Kehinde doesnt understand why she and her sisters have to stay home while her brothers get the chance to study. But you are girls! They are boys. You have to sell to put them in a good position in life, so that they will be able to look after the family. When you husbands are nasty to you, they will defend you (p.176) is the answer given to Kehinde from her mother. This shows that Nnu Ego is still hampered in her tradition while her daughters mentality is changing. This difference of opinion between Nnu Ego and her daughter foreshadowed another major conflict at the novel opposing Kehinde to her parents. However, Nnu Ego eventually rebelled and decided to break the chains of tradition because she could not see her children suffer anymore. In fact, there is an old and Igbo sacred saying which stipulates that women and money are incompatible and if you spent all your time making money and getting rich, the gods wouldnt give you any children ; if you wanted children, you had to forget about money, and be content to be poor. (p.80). Ngu Ego decided during her second pregnancy to abandon her trading works because she firmly believed that it was because she didnt follow the rules that she lost her first child. However, two years later, the family was very poor because Nnaifes incomes were not enough to satisfy their needs. Nnu Egos internal conflict plunged her during a long period of self-doubt and dilemma because she wanted to put her two children in better conditions but was afraid to lose the other child she was carrying. She eventually decided to cross the line which made her benefit from a certain control over the household expenses. The effect achieve by Buchi Emecheta was to show that to be independent, women must initially have some financial freedom. Contrary to her counterparts in Ibuza, Ngu Ego did not completely depend on her husband anymore. It represented on one hand the first sign of revolt and rejection of traditional beliefs. On the other hand, it was a major step for her emancipation and self-fulfillment because she was able to raise her voice. She discovered her power as mother, a woman and a worker. Nevertheless, the fact that Nnu Ego was being more independent did not help her to reach her goal. On the opposite, even if she sacrificed all her money, time and energy on the education of her children, her love and duty for her children were like her chain of slavery (p.186). Emecheta compares Nnu Egos life to a slave in order to emphasize the fact her success will be determined by the success of her children. She strove throughout the whole story to send her boys to school so that they will be member of the new Nigerian elite and tried to raise her daughter according to the traditional model. Such devotion should have helped her to reach her goals but it was not the case because by the time her children grew up the values of her people have changed considerably while she stood firm to her tradition. Nnu Ego refused to adapt to the new mentalities and beliefs and this resulted in a series of disagreements with her children and a series of failure. In the first place, when her eldes t son won a scholarship to study in Canada, her husband was firmly opposed to this idea. In the Igbo culture, when the father reaches a certain age, the eldest son must take over the whole family. However, Oshias dream was to get a higher level of education and this resulted in an irrevocable quarrel. In the end, Oshia was denied by his father and Nnu Ego was blamed for not bringing well her children. From this moment, Nnaife started to refer to the children as Nnu Egos and she was becoming fed up of this two-way standard. When the children were good, the belonged to the father; when they were bad, they belonged to the mother (p.206). It is the same with her daughter who married a man from another tribe. This is considered as the worst act of betrayal and Nnu Ego plunged into despair. She did not understand where she failed and Emechata thus symbolizes Nnu Ego as the danger of resisting change. The heroine was so hampered by tradition which make it looks like women must aspire for c hildren or die(p.187). The conservative side of tradition prevented her from seeing the change around her and its impact on her childrens education. This means that the title of the book, The Joys of Motherhood, is thus ironic and a double-edged sword. On one hand, Nnu Egos cup of happiness was almost full because she was pleased to see her children happy. She was very proud of the fact that she brought up her children even if the road was strewed with difficulties. Her reward was also in the fact that those same children might rub shoulders one day with the great men of Nigeria (p.202). On the other hand, she died alone with a husband who denied her, no child to hold her hand and no friend to talk to her(p.224). Throughout this journey, Nnu Ego has matured and realized that until women keep subscribing to the laws imposed by men, they will be powerless, dominated and unfulfilled. She finally understands that if she failed to live according to the standards expected of her it is because she was a prisoner of traditional values and customs in a modern world. Conclusion As shown in this essay, the patriarchal society in which Nnu Ego lived has established the standards for female valorization. A woman has no identity of her own as far as it is the status and the position of their husbands that defines them. Through the journey of Nnu Ego, Buchi Emecheta shows that the influence of the tradition is highly responsible of the Igbo womens situation because it has on one hand, determined the boundaries between the genders and one the other hand, established standards to which women must follow in order to gain respect and to feel fulfilled. However, colonization has eroded the Igbo traditions which made Nnu Egos life a journey of endless struggles. As a result, the novel is not only a criticism of tradition as regards womens emancipation and self-realization. It is also about a warning of resisting change and it encourages women to fight for gender equality. Nnu Egos self-examination over her successes and failures conveys a powerful message. Indeed, women subscribe to the traditional customs and laws more than men and until they revolutionize this, they will not be able to build a better future for the upcoming generations.

The Changing Meaning of The Taming of The Shrew Essay -- Shakespeare T

The Changing Meaning of The Taming of The Shrew    Through the ages, it is common for words to change in meaning. As the world around us changes, words often take on new meanings to accommodate the changes in lifestyle and society caused by progress. Thus, it is easy to become confused when reading literature that was written several centuries before, since the very same words may hold varying significance. In "The Taming of the Scold," D.E. Underdown offers background information which makes Shakespeare's The Taming of The Shrew much more understandable in terms of the discordant ideas on women in society in different time periods. The Taming of the Shrew has a much different effect on contemporary readers than it may have had on 16th century readers, since the world has changed and society is vastly metamorphosed. When Shakespeare wrote The Taming of the Shrew, it was widely known that women should be subservient to their husbands. Today, however, in America this notion seems ludicrous. After the feminist movement, the fight for equality, women have gained much more liberty and respect than they once had. With the increased liberty, it is difficult to seriously consider how women were once treated as possessions. Because of the incongruity in views of the two eras, pieces like Underdown's "The Taming of the Scold" are crucial to a modern understanding of literature that deals with archaic social norms, chiefly since it puts the literature into the context of its creator's social mentality. Through Underdown's piece, I was able to achieve a much better understanding of the significance of Petruccio's "taming" o f Kate in the examples which explain the common practices and occurrences of the age. Kate experienced a chariv... ...low the direction of their leaders or rulers. Through explaining the relationship between the family and society, Underdown divulges the intent with which Shakespeare wrote the play. In Kate's surrendering to Petruccio, Shakespeare maintains familial and social order. Since words and the meaning or ideas behind them change over time, it is important to be able to put the literature into social context in order to derive from it its full meaning. Underdown addresses many issues in "The Taming of a Scold" which are relevant to Kate and Petruccio's behavior that are not known or understood today. Pieces like Underdown's serve as a bridge between two eras - the one in which the story was read and the one in which it was written. With the assistance of such pieces, it is possible for one to gather a much better understanding of the writer's meaning in the story.   

Essay --

No two people are the same, not even identical twins. There are overachievers, and alternatively underachievers, alcoholics and abstainers, the timid and the outgoing, and every possible mixture in between. Living With Our Genes argues that genes are the most outstanding factor in the process of developing the complex variability of human nature. Hamer and Copeland lay out the idea of the nature-nurture controversy by identifying the differences between temperament and character. Temperament is the collection of primal behavioral tendencies we acquire, which are adapted to varied degrees by our character, beliefs, and the values our surroundings bestows on us. Essentially it is a game of genes versus environment, with a constant back and forth as the authors explain the behavioral characteristics that effect our lives. The nature/nurture argument originates from the fact that people are more reluctant to accept a genetic influence on behavior than they are on more simple traits such as eye color or an inherited illness. Hamer and Copeland put it as follows, "We accept that ...

Building Teams and Work Groups

Man is a social being, from the individual level, he transcends to the next level-the group level followed by the organizational level, then by the institutional level and lastly he is integrated in the society. Therefore, to work with others in different field is inevitable. Man needs others to survive, to feed him biologically, emotionally and physically. All of this integration of man with others started from the time that he is born. First, he became dependent to his mother as he feeds from her, second other members of the family pays close supervision of him and next he is incorporated with the rest of the family members.From the family level, as he grows up he will meet new faces, neighbors perhaps that he may associate as friends. As he goes to school, he will be acquainted with a larger peer groups. From then on as he became socialized, his social networks will also widen. As mentioned in Module 7, assuming membership in a group requires a role and responsibility. An effectiv e team must be able to come up with clear and right decisions. This can be done through constant meetings and consultations. Traditionally, it is conducted in a meeting place or a functional hall wherein you personally meet with the members of the group.Since ancient time, there had been meditated ways of sending message and communication, likewise, the use of birds as messengers. Soon it was changed with letter writing and sending mails. Amidst the modernity of the society, people discovered new ways of communicating without the hassle of being present in every meetings and group work all the time. Through the use of telephones, people learned communicating the easy way and made much more easy as it became cordless and compact- the mobile phones. In the early 90’s computers were in the boom.Name it, any transactions was made easier through e-mails, web-based environments etc. Schools and Universities also developed their own website for easy access and inquiries. Even the fa culties required their students to provide their e-mail addresses so that he/she will be able to send academic related information through internets and they can also be able to conduct seminars and conferences on line. Evaluation of Peer Participation on the Research paper: Describing the Effective Characteristics of Mediated Communication Group Member Rating Contribution/sMember1 9 Has made various internet researches, checked on the journals and books on the library. Actively participated the conceptualization and consolidated with the group. Consensus we the group members, we designated tasks needed to comply with the assignment to each member of the group. We also decided to come up with a peer evaluation paper wherein each group will determine the contributions and cooperativeness of each member through his/her rating with regards to the other group members. In a scale of 1-10, 10 being the highest, we came up with this summary of peer participation.