Swot Analyss

Strengths Comar chemicals is regarded as a leader in the tyre and paint industry. This phenomenon is ascribed to the following strengths: †¢Contracts in place with Goodyear, Continental, Plascon, Bridgestone, Dunlop, and Michelin. †¢Product quality of the highest standard. Automated plant control systems in place, constant in-production quality control tests controlled by chemical director, Vernon Redding. Compliant raw materials with specifications are being utilised. †¢Succession planning in place since the appointment of Stefan as operational manager. This person is ear marked to substitute Vernon Redding, in the event of his departure.Buy and sell agreement entered into by directors, Udo Eric Eichrodt and Dieter Roland. †¢Management team is experienced and highly qualified. †¢Udo Eric Eichrodt: 30 years – BComm Marketing Management †¢Dieter Roland: 29 years – Bcomm Investment Management †¢Vernon Redding: 45 years – PhD Chemi stry †¢Stefan: 12 years – BScHons Chemistry †¢May Rossouw: 24 years – BCommHons (Management Accounting) †¢Nicki de Villiers: 15 years – MComm (Transport Economics) †¢Low staff turnover. The company invests in staff morale as it understands it to be its biggest asset. †¢BEE Status 20% black owned, Vernon Redding, Indian.Promotes business in South Africa and abroad. †¢ISO 9001:2008 Certified (International Organization for Standardization. ) Little trouble has been encountered in the past to comply with minimum standards required by this certification. †¢Unqualified annual audited financial statements. This is testament to good governance practiced. Low gearing, although non-current assets are shown at R4m. Market value of plant and property exceeds R20m. Company is liquid, considering current assets to current liabilities ratio of 4:1. †¢Comar chemicals operates from totally owned premises. European Safety & Reliability Ass ociation (ESRA) certified. Toxic waste is dealt with in a responsible and reliable manner. Contamination of ground is highly unlikely as the company places a high premium on â€Å"going green. † †¢Flexibility and research development ensures ongoing sustainability. †¢Product reliability. Order tracking procedure and commitment of staff ensures a good reputation of the company. †¢Absolute advantage, ability to produce specific product more efficiently than any other nation. Factors of production are relatively cheaper than any other country. †¢Zero tolerance for human error.The company has strict rules and procedures that need to be followed to ensure the mainstay of the business. Disciplinary actions are taken against culprits, which could lead to dismissal. Weaknesses The following weaknesses have been identified: †¢Comar Chemicals is faced with multiple taxes due to the fact that it is a multinational enterprise that runs in various different contri es. Operating in various different countries leads to multiple tax jurisdictions. Multiple tax jurisdictions may lead to the overlapping of taxes and the company may end up with a double taxation. (1) †¢The economic model introduces some weaknesses to the company.There are various factors that affect the economic activity of Comar Chemicals. These include the resource limitations placed on the company’s ability to obtain certain chemicals or the availability of chemicals needed in the factors of production. Environmental or geographical constraints can increase their expenses due to extra transportation costs for raw materials and finished goods. The factory could be situated in an area which is prone to seasonal bad weather (Cape Town). This could slow down the process of moving materials and Comar Chemicals will bear the economic impact of a loss of potential revenue and increased costs.Theirs will also be certain institutional and legal requirements that Comar Chemica ls will have to follow and they will vary in the three different countries that they operate in, South Africa, Switzerland and Germany. Comar Chemicals may have to adhere to different legal levels of Co2 production that they create during their production process and will have to regulate these levels in compliance with the legal levels set by the government. †¢Comar Chemicals has no buy and sell agreement supported by life insurance.A buy and sell agreement is a binding legal document that governs the conditions if a co-owner dies or is otherwise forced to leave the business. The fact that there is no buy and sell agreement supported by life cover means that if owner of the company passes way or is forced to leave the business then all the debt or liabilities incurred by the business will be left to the closest relative of the owner. This could lead to a liquidation of the business if there is no insurance cover. Therefore the business is not completely safe in the case of a p ersonal crisis within the business. 2) †¢Promotion for staff is limited due the low staff turnover that Comar Chemicals has. Comar Chemicals has a total of 38 employees that includes two scientists, one accountant and one logistics manager. This can also be seen as a strength however the fact that there are so few employees, there are few promotions to employees. This can cause employees to become less motivated towards their job and company and in turn this could decrease the total production and the total efficiency of production. †¢Employee empowerment is the act of giving more responsibility to workers in the work place. 3) The empowerment of staff can lead to a weakness within Comar Chemicals due to the fact that firstly, the business has a relatively small number of employees. This can lead to an increase in conflict between the employees as to why one employee has been empowered more than another. This can cause bad interpersonal relationships between employees. Emp owerment can also be a weakness if the wrong employee has been empowered to take on a certain task or manage a project that he or she has not been specifically trained for. This could create problems within the managerial and operational sectors of Comar Chemicals.If empowerment of employees is going to be an on-going activity at Comar Chemicals then it has to be carried out in a way that makes sure that the right employees are being empowered for the right reasons. †¢Comar Chemicals has no key man insurance. This is very similar to the absence of a buy and sells agreement, supported by life cover that was previously mentioned. Key man insurance is an insurance policy that is takes out by the business to compensate for financial losses that would arise from the death or extended incapacity of an important member of the business.Key man insurance can cover many insurable losses that include, losses related to the period when the key person was unable to work and insurance to pro tect profits, insurance to protect shareholders and partnership agreements. Without key man insurance, Comar Chemicals is vulnerable to the chance that something happens to the owner and there is no protection or financial security for the business in the future. (4) Opportunities There are many opportunities for Comar Chemicals to utilise to maximise their business productivity and profitability. There are two types of opportunities, external and internal.External opportunities affect the organisation due to independent factors. Internal opportunities exist within the firm. Opportunities, when realised, can have enormous rewards for the business if the opportunities are exploited correctly. An opportunity is indication of positive potential that can help a business increase its success. Possible sources of business opportunities in most industries and markets include: Potential Business Opportunities Technological innovation New demand Market growth Demographic change Social or lif estyle change Government spending programmesHigher economic growthTrade liberalisation EU enlargement Diversification opportunity Deregulation of the market The opportunities that Comar can use to their advantage are: import quotas, developing markets, revising job descriptions/digressions, improving competitive levels, forward exchange cover, Solar power, life policies, association with universities and joint development with customers. An Import Quota is like a form of protection. It fixes the amount of products a foreign producing firm is allowed to bring into a country over a specific time period, which is usually a year.The objective of an import quota is to limit imports into a country therefore encouraging the use of domestic products and services, as the amount of the good being imported is limited the price of the specific good increases therefore domestic firms benefit. Comar, being situated in South Africa, Switzerland and Germany, can use this as an opportunity by increa sing domestic employment. There will be a larger demand for Comar Chemicals because import quotas will make it more expensive to import these goods from international competitors.This will encourage Comar to employ more citizens that are qualified for the job because of the expanding demand of their product and the need for increased labour and skills in the organisation. Comar is a small business, with 38 employees including two scientists, an accountant and a logistics specialist. Comar is 14 years old, which is relatively young compared to it competitors therefore it can be considered an â€Å"infant industry† which is still developing and is not big enough to compete fairly.Import quotas allow Comar to mature onto a same competitive level as international organisations. South Africa is a developing country and the market for metal carboxylates is expanding with the increase of paint and coatings, printing inks and chemical industry, polyester industry, grease and gear oil s industry and PolyButadiene, Isoperene Butadine and Copolymers industry. With the increase of construction and manufacturing in South Africa, these industries are in higher demand than ever before. Comar can improve their competing levels through product quality.Quality relates to ‘appropriate use': how well a product does what it is intended to do. This can include a compliance of raw materials with specifications, detailed manufacturing and quality control test procedures, in-production tests of final products, introduction of automated plant control systems. These quality control methods leave little room for error, positioning the product on a high level of quality which will lead to a smart modern working environment and a reflection of the quality of the business as a whole.Comar’s leading product is COMCAT, which inclueds a rare earth catalyst which is used in the synthetic rubber industry to manufacture advanced rubber tyres – making tyres softer but mor e durable which in turn lowers the level of CO2 emissions from vehicles. This gives Comar a competitive advantage as their products are also helping the environment and decreasing the level of harm through innovative products, which will draw the attraction of buyers.There can often be discrepancies about the actual responsibilities, tasks and duties of a certain position within the organization; this can be managed by revising job descriptions. There must be an accurate reflection of the true functions and responsibilities for a job description to be effective. A comprehensive job description can be used in management to measure employee performance and employees can use the job description as a guideline to comprehend the expectations of the position. This can lead to improved productivity and ohesiveness within the organization to help realize the organizations objectives and goals. Comar can use the opportunity to become involved with universities to further their research and p rovide university departments with their expertise of the product to evolve students into potential employees of their firm or for that specific industry. For example, Comar could give bursaries to deserved students to pay for their studies in a BSC, specializing in COMCAT (PolyButadiene, Isoperene Butadine and Copolymers industry).They could provide all the necessary tools (research, expertise, information) in order to establish awareness of this specific product and market the need for this specific scientist in this field. Joint development with customers involves a good relationship between the manufacturer and the customer. The manufacturer must be enthusiastic and prepared to open up its daily practices and activities to its customers, this will give the customer the opportunity to carefully scrutinize and evaluate the ways in which the manufacturer operates, during the production process, and the quality of the finished products.An important issue when dealing with joint deve lopment with customers is communication. When there is a healthy line of communication between the manufacturer and the customer, there can be am exchange of ideas between parties leading to effective production and customer satisfaction. Threats Threats are conditions in the business environment that are uncontrollable and have the potential to harm business profitability. One of the most common threats is competitors. There are a number of threats that Comar may face, including: future trends in the specific field, social issues, the economy, funding, demographics and the physical environment.When observing the potential threats that Comar may face, the following needs to be determined: the obstacles Comar may face, competitor’s activity, quality standards and changing technology. Threats can be divided into two categories namely, industry threats, an increase in competition or a decrease in the market size, and macro threats, threats that affect all industries in Comarâ₠¬â„¢s area. Possible sources of business threats include Potential Business Threats New market entrants Change in customer tastes or needs Demographic change Consolidation among buyersNew regulationsEconomic downturn Rise of low cost production abroad Higher input prices New substitute products Competitive price pressure A potential threat Comar may face is the diversity. Diversity is often defined as a positive term for a business, but it also comes with threats that have the potential to ruin productivity. Comar has a diverse workforce, co-workers each have different experiences and perceptions as they have all come from different backgrounds. This could cause cultural clashes which can decrease productivity and cohesiveness of the business as a whole.Comar could also experience divisions in staff members due to the formation of cliques and other groups, this can create competition between employees rather than teamwork, a lack of respect amongst one another and this could lead to costly diversity training to resolve diversity issues within the organisation. Comar has a diverse client base as their company is also situated in Switzerland and Germany. It is therefore crucial for Comar have a bi-lingual customer service, if they do not they will lose a massive amount of clientele as there needs to be effective communication between the two parties in order for the business to be successful.Social issues in the business environment may be a threat to Comar. A social system is a pooling of ideas, attitudes and behaviour which are involved in human relations and interactions. Comar is influenced by its customers attitudes and behaviour, if they are negative relationships within the organisation this could dampen productivity and decrease business profitability and if there are social issues external to the organisation, such as political unrest, could affect consumer behaviour negatively and affect the success of the business.The political; and legal system can a lso pose as a threat to Comar, as business have to follow the specific regulations as set out for them by the government, it creates a set of rules and guidelines that business are expected to adhere by, if a business does not there could be serious consequences that could lead to decreased profitability and even as far as a business being banned. The monetary system facilitates business exchange. Monetary activity has distinct basic functions, namely saving, borrowing, spending and earning, which are all linked to business profitability.Comar has to pay careful attention to all these activities because each of these factors can easily turn into a threat for the business. There are many different parties involved when dealing with money, they are financial institutions, debtors, creditors, customers and suppliers. The interest rate is very important when Comar is dealing with its monetary activities, when an interest rate is high, it increases Comar’s costs and will limit the amount of spending that Comar can participate in.Exchange rates are the value of one nation’s currency in comparison to another. It is very important when determining a business’s effectiveness and whether it will serve as an opportunity or a threat. Comar is a company that does business in South Africa and globally, therefore exchange rates will have an enormous effect on the profitability. When Comar exchanges its products over national borders causing another currency to become involve, fluctuations in exchange rates can lead to profits or losses for Comar.Comar is at an advantage when the rand is relatively strong compared to the currency that the organisation is trading with. When the rand is weak compared to the business it is doing the exchange with, Comar is at a disadvantage as it will be more costly to exchange products across borders. A massive threat that Comar faces is import duty, which is a tax on goods imported into a country. This causes prices to be higher because of the tax cost involved. This cost is passed onto consumers at higher prices, which in turn can lead to consumer dissatisfaction and a loss in clients.Trade restrictions were introduced to restrict importing for many reasons, mainly to protect domestic industries. There are two types of restrictions, tariffs and non-tariffs. Non-tariffs include, methods such as embargo, import quota – which is a limitation on the amount of goods a business is allowed to import, foreign exchange control and currency devaluation. These trade restrictions pose a massive threat to Comar because the organisation is continuously trading over borders and having to deal with trade restrictions, which will inevitably hinder profitability.

Reading of the modernists involved such a process of disturbance Essay

‘Modernist writers disturbed their readers by adopting complex and difficult new forms and styles’. To what extent has your reading of the modernists involved such a process of disturbance? Modernist literature flaunts difficult, often aggressive or disruptive, forms and styles; it frequently challenges traditional ‘realistic’ style and is characterised by a rejection of 19th century traditions. Literary modernism focuses on breaking away from rules and conventions, searching for new perspectives and points of view, experimenting in form and style. It breaks up and disturbs the settled state of literature and emphasises a re-structuring of literature and the experience of reality it represents. Although art always attempts to ‘imitate’ or represent reality, what changed was the understanding of what constitutes reality, and how that reality could best be represented. Modernist literature is marked by a break with the sequential, developmental, cause-and-effect presentation of the ‘reality’ of realist fiction, towards a presentation of experience as layered, allusive, and discontinuous: using, to these ends, fragmentation and juxtaposition, motif, symbol, allusion. From time to time there occurs some revolution, or sudden mutation of form and content in literature. Then, some way of writing which has been practiced for a generation or more, is found by a few people to be out of date, and no longer to respond to contemporary modes of thought, feeling and speech†¦tradition has been flouted, and chaos has come.1 This process of disturbance can be seen in the experimentation in form in order to present differently the structure, the connections, and the experience of life. The tightening of form puts an emphasis on cohesion, interrelatedness and depth in the structure of the novel. This is accomplished in part through the use of various devices such as symbolism, narrative perspectives, shifts and overlays in time and place and perspective. Woolf uses these methods to explore what lies outside the specification of the real. Woolf draws on an interior and symbolic landscape: the world is moved ‘inside’, structured symbolically and metaphorically, as opposed to the realist representations of the exterior world as a physical and historical, site of experience. The painter Jacques Raverat wrote in a correspondence to Woolf: The problem with writing is that it is essentially linear; it is almost impossible, in a sequential narrative, to express the way one’s mind responds to an idea, a word or an experience, where, like a pebble being thrown in to a pond, splashes in the outer air are accompanied under the surface by waves that follow one another into dark and forgotten corners2 Woolf felt it was precisely the task of the writer to go beyond a linear representation of reality in order to show how people think and dream. Rather than take her characters from point A to point B, Woolf gives the impression of simultaneous connections: a form patterned like waves in a pond. She reveals what is important about her characters by exploring their minds and the thoughts of those surrounding them. Such explorations lead to complex connections between people, between past and present, and between interior and exterior experience. Woolf establishes these connections through metaphors and imagery, and structures the novel using alternating images of beauty and despair, exhilaration and melancholy. These juxtapositions suggest both the impulse towards life and the impulse towards death, which makes the process of reading disconcerting and recondite. Woolf dispensed with conventional beginnings and endings, and the traditional structure of events in time, for example, Mrs Dalloway tells about one day’s experiences for two characters whose lives are not connected with each other, except by the slightest coincidence at the end. Woolf uses perceived time interwoven with clock time to create a simultaneous experience of past and present. The scene is London after the war, but also Bourton thirty years ago. In this commingling of time, the past exists on its own and in its relations to the present. Time is moved into the interior as well: it becomes psychological time, time as an innerly experienced or symbolic time, or time as it accommodates a symbolic rather than a chronological reality. Examining the intersection of time and timelessness, Woolf creates a new and disturbing novelistic structure in Mrs. Dalloway wherein her prose has blurred the distinction between dream and reality, between the past and present. An authentic human being functions in this manner, simultaneously flowing from the conscious to the unconscious, from the fantastic to the real, and from memory to the moment. Throughout Mrs Dalloway the focus continually shifts from the external world to the characters consciousness and how they perceive it. This has the disquieting effect of back grounding observable reality so the details emerge more slowly than when they are presented by an omniscient narrator. However, the London setting is established immediately, the streets and landmarks are real, this verisimilitude of setting seems to give the characters a solidity which is juxtaposed with the fluidity of the depiction of the characters thought processes. Mrs Dalloway supposes that ‘somehow in the streets of London, on the ebb and flow of things, here, there, she survived’3 The fact that the narrative takes place on a specific date is disclosed more gradually than the setting is, for example, Clarissa thinks ‘For it was the middle of June. The war was over’4 and then the narrator tells us it is Wednesday on page fifteen. Later still Peter Walsh’s thoughts reveal that it is 19235. There are also references to Gold cup day at Ascot so by naming a specific year Woolf turns what could have been a fictional fact in to a real one. Woolf implies a concept of time as a series of life conjunctures rather than impersonal. These are established by the presence of sensory phenomena in different contexts such as the sound of Big Ben, the common perceptions among unrelated observers, for instance, the prime ministers car. Also, by convergences at occasions of group activities as in Clarissa’s party. Time seems relativistic in the sense it depends on systems of measurement. The clocks divide the day into quarter hours. The loud voice of Big Ben is associated with the masculine. It is described as ‘a young man, strong, indifferent, inconsiderate, were swinging dumb-bells this way and that’6. It marks the movements of the two doctors, Peter Walsh and Sir Richard as they move through their day, making pronouncements. St Margaret’s on the other hand is the feminine. It follows Big Ben’s booming ‘leaden circles’ with ‘ring after ring of sound’ that ‘glides into the heart’ like a hostess, ‘like Clarissa herself’7 thinks Peter Walsh as he hears St Margaret’s peeling sound. Furthermore, The clocks divide time into a pattern, Shredding and slicing, dividing and subdividing, the clocks of Harley Street nibbled at the June day, counselled submission, upheld authority, and pointed out in chorus the supreme advantages of a sense of proportion†¦8 The ringing of the clock bells radiates from the centre of the city. The sound creates a design in the texture of the narrative, slicing through the characters subjective experience of time and contrasting this with objective, exterior time. In To The Lighthouse many of the characters are preoccupied with time. Mr. Ramsay worries about how his philosophical work will stand the test of time, just as Lily expects her painting to be rolled up and forgotten. The very style of the novel brings time into question as Woolf infuses even a brief moment in an everyday event, such as reading a story to a child, with an infinitude of thought and memory 9 Meanwhile days, tides, and seasons keep up their rhythms regardless of human events, while historical time brings cataclysmic change in the form of war. In addition, time brings loss as well as renewal. Mrs. Ramsay dies, while the children she has left behind continue to grow. In To the Lighthouse Woolf depicts two contrasting kinds of time, the linear and regular plodding of clock or objective time, and the reiterative, non-linear time of human experience. Her depiction of subjective time, layered and complex was, critics have observed, not unlike that of the philosopher Henri Bergson, though there is no evidence of any direct influence. It is in the ‘Time Passes’ section of the novel that Woolf’s interest in the contrasting forms of temporality is most evident. The narrative style of this part is very unusual and is unlike that of Parts I and III. Its effort to narrate from what Woolf called an ‘eyeless’ point of view is strange, it is as if she is thinking of the philosophical problem, the problem with which Mr Ramsay grapples in the novel, of how to think of the world when there is no one there. This is translated into an artistic problem, of how to narrate the passage of time when there is no one there to witness it. The scale of events in ‘Time Passes’ is much grander than the scale in ‘The Window,’ thus throughout this section Woolf employs a different method and uses parenthetical asides to impart important news. Instead of focusing on the thoughts of her characters, she keeps a tight focus on the house itself. Dramatic events such as Mrs. Ramsay’s death could not have been confronted in the style of ‘The Window.’ as the subtle, everyday quality of the interactions between events and thoughts would have been disturbed by the introduction of the tumultuous news imparted here. The ‘airs’ in this section of the novel are like time’s fingers. The constant, regular beam of the Lighthouse is closely allied with time, too, like an all-seeing and immortal eye. Puffs of air ‘detached from the body of the wind’10 pull at the loose wallpaper and the things in the house, the light from the Lighthouse guiding them through the house. Natural time is seen as objective and inhuman, it is destructive and violent in the sense that it has no concern for human purposes. Woolf’s solution to this problem is to invent a poetic style that, ironically, relies heavily upon the devices of personification and animism. The shadows of the trees ‘made obeisance on the wall’, ‘loveliness and stillness clasped hands in the bedroom’, ‘light bent to its own image in adoration on the bedroom wall’ and ‘in the heat of the summer the wind sent its spies about the house again’11. It can be questioned whether these devices are successful. It is as if Woolf wishes to fill the emptiness of inhuman nature with primitive animistic entities and malign agencies. The solution can seem oddly childlike, personification and animism being, as Freud pointed out, typical of infantile thought12. The problem illustrates, perhaps, the difficulty of avoiding images of human agency even when they a re least necessary. In Mrs Dalloway during sections of ‘mind-time’, Woolf sets various time streams loose at once, either in the mind of one character, who retreats into internal soliloquy, collapsing past, present and future, or in the simultaneous perspectives given by several characters recording a single moment. The result of either technique is that plot time stands still.13 Time is not entirely subjective and elastic in this text, however. The novel does take place within a prescribed temporal context marked ominously by the booming of Big Ben: ‘First a warning, musical; then the hour, irrevocable. The leaden circles dissolved in the air.’ Throughout the novel this chronology is inescapable, cutting through the characters thoughts of the past to bring them back to the present moment Auerbach points out that To the Lighthouse marks the end of the Western tradition of realism. He argues that the novel employs a new fashion of temporality. It is the gap between the brief span of time occupied by exterior events, about two days in ‘The Window’, and the rich, dreamlike realm of consciousness. The exterior events actually lost the hegemony over subjectivity14. The novel proves the insignificance of exterior events by holding to minor, unimpressive things like stockings, while keeping in minimum the descriptions of such great events as death and marriage. To the Lighthouse is thus a disturbing turning point in literature because it discarded any claim to the organic completeness of exterior events and the chronological order. To The lighthouse employs a non-linearity and thus counteracts narrative’s usual form of depicting events in a continuous succession. Synchronicity, evident in the coexistence of multiple perspectives at the same temporal moment, disturbs the narrative’s attempt to render the story world as events in succession. And elision, evident in the stories within the story whose endings are invariably left dangling and incomplete, dissolves the narrative’s attempt to achieve completion. Together, these discordant methods undermine the conventional unfolding of narrative. Woolf’s novel employs these techniques of disruption in order to portray narrative continuity as an inescapable yet unattainable illusion. Plot is generated by the inner lives of the characters. Psychological effects are achieved through the use of imagery, symbol, and metaphor. Character unfolds by means of the ebb and flow of personal impressions, feelings, and thoughts. Thus, the inner lives of human beings and the ordinary events in their lives are made to seem extraordinary. These complex and new methods that attempt to depict the chaotic interior life appear more jumbled and perplexing than the classical realist novel and so seem disturbing. However, Woolf is attempting to create a realistic account of the inner processes of the individuals mind and an expression of the continuous flow of sense perceptions, thoughts and feelings. Woolf also employs the symbolic apprehension and comprehension of reality as a structural approach to experience. It marked a turning away from writing by observation to transforming fact into a symbol of inner experience. In her diary Woolf wrote What interests me in the last stage was the freedom and boldness with which my imagination picked up, used and tossed aside all the images, symbols which I had prepared. I am sure this is the right way of using them-not in set pieces†¦but simply as images, never making them work out; only suggest 15 To The Lighthouse assumes a structure similar to that found in the fictional scene of the painting. In a letter Woolf acknowledges the structure and its unifying symbol as enacted at the end. ‘I meant nothing by The Lighthouse. One has to have a central line down the middle of the book to hold the design together.’16 In To The Lighthouse the Lighthouse has a prominent but fluid symbolic place in the novel. It does not seem to be the key to some hidden allegory since it does not stand for just one thing, each character that contemplates the Lighthouse gives it a special meaning, its significance in the novel evolves as the sum of different parts. For the teenaged James, the Lighthouse is a stark symbol of masculinity, a phallic symbol. For Mrs. Ramsay, the Lighthouse is a watching eye sweeping through her thoughts with a regular rhythm. To Woolf, the Lighthouse seems to serve as an anchor, a unifying image that ties together the layers of time and thought she explores. Like the clock striking the hours in Mrs. Dalloway, images of the Lighthouse act as the ‘bolts of iron’17 holding the different strands of the novel together. The focus of the planned excursion is not named until page eight and from then onwards the Lighthouse always appears with a capital letter. It is conventional to capitalize words referring to abstractions, particularly in philosophical writing. This feature has the effect of elevating the significance of the place, as if ‘Lighthouse’ were an abstract concept like ‘Truth’ or ‘Death.’ The Lighthouse makes its first appearance in the text in very lyrical terms. The domestic metaphors used to describe the scene, which are perhaps Mrs. Ramsay’s associations; the island is in a ‘plateful of blue water,’ and the dunes are arranged in ‘pleats’18. The first influence of the lighthouse is the description of James’s excitement ‘The wonder to which he had looked forward, for years and years’19 The lighthouse already seems to have gained a greater significance than its mere physical existence. It is an object of desire to James. However, his reaction to Mrs Ramsey’s promise shows that there is a separation between his dream of happiness (going to the lighthouse) and his dull, everyday experience of life. Prosaically, the lighthouse is a real thing, yet James has made it into an unattainable dream, which he does not expect to come true. James seems to be in a crisis because there is a prospect that his ideal world and real world will become the same and he will go to the lighthouse. Therefore, the wondrous aura of the lighthouse is attached to mundane things. James endows a picture of a refrigerator with a ‘heavenly bliss. It was filled with joy’20 this implies that fantasies bring relief from the dullness of everyday life, as long as there is the prospect that they will come true. However, James is one of ‘that great clan’21 who live for the future but if future ideals ‘cloud’ the view of reality then there is an implicit suggestion that achieving one’s desire presents a danger in that there would be nothing left to live for. Conversely, people must have some hope of achieving their ideal, or life would become futile. Woolf’s symbol of the lighthouse expresses this paradoxical idea in that it represents both an idealised fantasy while also being a real lighthouse. It becomes a trigger, provoking the reader to think about the human tendency to live for a future fantasy, together with all the paradoxical emotions Woolf conveys as associated with that tendency. James looked at the Lighthouse. He could see the white-washed rocks; the tower, stark and straight; he could see that it was barred with black and white; he could see windows in it; he could even see washing spread on the rocks to dry. So that was the Lighthouse, was it? No, the other was also the Lighthouse. For nothing was simply one thing. The other Lighthouse was true too22 James compares the real and the ideal and decides that the Lighthouse can be both. He provides a useful key for deciphering the symbol of the Lighthouse, ‘for nothing was simply one thing’23. The Lighthouse is the object of striving, some mystical, distant entity with an all-seeing eye. At the same time it is the embodiment of isolation and sadness, linked with James’s desolate image of himself and his father as lonely and apart from other people The fact that the Lighthouse is a frequent subject for artists adds to its symbolic import. The tightening of form puts an emphasis on cohesion, interrelatedness and depth in the structure, Woolf engages both the subject of art, Lily Briscoe’s painting, for example and the aim of philosophy, in Mr. Ramsay’s work. ‘The Lighthouse was then a silvery, misty-looking tower with a yellow eye, that opened suddenly, and softly in the evening.’24 Mrs. Ramsay incorporates the Lighthouse’s regularly appearing light into the pattern of her thoughts. She recognizes that she is doing this, that she is making the things she sees part of herself, as if the Lighthouse was an eye looking at her. The light strokes also serve to highlight certain cadences in her thought, heightening their meaning by repetition The parallels developing in this section between Lily’s actions and reflections and the impending trip to the Lighthouse suggest that Lily’s revelation, her moment of clarity and ‘stability,’ is her own version of the Lighthouse, the thing toward which she has been striving 25. Woolf builds upon the same metaphors and imagery through repetition and association to give them symbolic value of their own. There are repetitions of key images: water, waves, and sea; webs, ties, and threads; and trees through the novels. In Mrs Dalloway words are used in very certain terms in relation to life. They are used repeatedly throughout the rest of the novel, and built upon as metaphors until they stand alone to symbolize life. The sense of being absorbed in the process of action is inseparable from the fear of being excluded from it and from the dread that the process is going to be interrupted. The metaphor of the ‘interrupter’ and the solemn pause, indicating a fear of being interrupted, are developed throughout the novel. Clarissa’s sewing is depicted in a rhythmic wave of building, creating, and making. These images recur throughout the novel as they gain symbolic significance. Sewing is a metaphor often used to denote women’s creative capacity and symbolizes both artistry and the creation of life. The wave provides both a sense of calm and fulfillment, yet maintains a suspenseful pause before a crash or interruption Mrs. Dalloway has an unpleasant feeling she cannot place. After taking a moment to think, she realizes this feeling is attached to ‘something Peter had said, combined with her own depression’26. She realizes it is her parties. Her unpleasant feeling is attached to the criticism she receives from both Richard and Peter about her parties. Clarissa privately defends her parties. She sees them as an offering, a term she is able to recognize as vague and goes on to define. She is offering a connection. She gives meaning to life by feeling the existence of others and offering a way to bring them together, offering them a chance of connection. While sitting on the couch, Septimus notices a shadow on the wall. ‘Fear no more the heat o’ the sun.’ This phrase, which acts as a calming device, enters his head. Suddenly, he is not afraid. He sits up and takes an interest in what Lucrezia is doing. She is making a hat. More significantly, she is creating and building Rezia’s creation of the hat, like Clarissa’s sewing, symbolizes not only the creation of life, but also more specifically, the female ability to create life ‘But this hat now. And then (it was getting late) Sir William Bradshaw’27 Woolf uses this one symbolic line as a metaphor for the transition from life, represented in the making of the hat and death, suggested by Bradshaw, the symbol of the soul’s containment and the character who ultimately provides Septimus with the impetus to kill himself. Woolf uses a great deal of imagery; her similes often begin as a straightforward comparison, which is then elaborated. This moves the ideas away from the physical reality of the narrative and towards mental events, emotions and ideas providing a bridge between the plot and the interior consciousness of the characters. The reader is shown the dilemma of how to create a meaningful sequence and the impossibility of essentially finding an explicit formal system of how to represent objects and concepts, that are assumed to exist, and the relationships between them. The cumulative effect of such repeated notions and images is to establish a systematic network of social elements, such as, human time, space, shared symbols, personal relationships, so as to arrive at a vision of modern life on a national scale. This collective existence is apprehended internally, as its participants experience it. It is both the content and the form used to portray that content which makes reading a disturbing process. The question of the reality of experience itself; the critique of the traditional values of the culture; the loss of meaning and hope in the modern world and the exploration of how this loss may be faced are all themes within Woolf’s novels. Subject matter and writing style are the two features that characterise Modernism and this applies to Mrs Dalloway. The themes of Woolf’s novels express the angst of Modernism in a precise way and Mrs Dalloway exemplifies the conflict felt in the modern society that produces this angst. The conflict is played out between two forces, one that fragments and disperses social order and causes chaos, and a more stable impulse that looks for unity. Multiple voices, fragmented narrative and stream of consciousness are the stylistic devices of Woolf that convey the themes of conflict, despair and escape in the novel. Mrs Dalloway can be seen as an attempt to critique modern life, however, the novel can seem overwhelmed by the chaos of characters struggling to find meaning in life when death is such a large presence. Another aspect of this novel that’ is Modernist and can be seen to be disturbing is its withdrawal from the epic novel, the larger historical or temporal frame found in the 19th century novel. In Mrs Dalloway, there is no organising logic from which to draw a secure and comfortable resolution to life’s struggles. The action or plot is restricted to a single day, no large epic journey is possible and while the struggle for life is apparent, there is nothing of the 19th century moral structure to contain and manage the outcomes. Death and despair overwhelm life and its purposes, the narrowness of life is suffocating, and lives are fragmented, anxious, disconnected and misrecognised. To The Lighthouse also undermines what were the conventional expectations attached to novels. Woolf speculated that she might be writing something other than a novel. ‘I have an idea that I will invent a new name for my books to supplant ‘novel’†¦But what? Elegy?’28 Her work can be seen as more poetry than fiction as it occupies itself with abstract ideas and experimentation more than with plot and character development Woolf throws into disorder readers’ expectations of how life can be represented within a novel, and she achieves this through seeking a new mode of expression. It is not that she rejects reality, but rather that she sought to develop a higher type of realism, as if more complex forms would allow for the depiction of a more complex and vivid understanding of reality.    Bibliograph. Auerbach, Erich, Mimesis: the representation of reality in Western literature / by Erich Auerbach; translated from the German by Willard Trask. New York: Doubleday/Anchor Books, 1957. Bell, Q, Virginia Woolf: A Biography. London: Hogarth Press, 1972. Eliot, T.S, American Literature and American Language in Selected Essays. London: Faber, 1951. Fleishman, Avrom, Virginia Woolf: A Critical Reading. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1975. Lee, Hermione, The Novels of Virginia Woolf. New York: Holmes and Meier Publishers, 1977. Naremore, James, The World Without A Self. London: Yale University Press, 1973. Schulze, Robin. G, Varieties of Mystical Experience in the Writings of Virginia Woolf in Twentieth Century Literature Vol.44. New York: Hofstra University, 1998. Woolf, Virginia. A writer’s diary: being extracts from the diary of Virginia Woolf edited by Leonard Woolf. London, Hogarth Press, 1953. Woolf. Virginia, Mrs Dalloway. London: Penguin, 1996. Woolf, Virginia, To The Lighthouse. London: Penguin, 1992. 1 Eliot, T.S, American Literature and American Language in Selected Essays. London: Faber, 1951.p. 73. 2 Lee, Hermione, The Novels of Virginia Woolf. New York: Holmes and Meier Publishers, 1977. p.106. 3 Woof, Virginia, Mrs Dalloway. London: Penguin, 1996. p.8. 4 Ibid. p.6. 5 Ibid. p.55. 6 Ibid. p.35. 7 Ibid. p.60. 8 Ibid. p.75. 9 Auerbach, Erich, Mimesis: the representation of reality in Western literature / by Erich Auerbach; translated from the German by Willard Trask. New York: Doubleday/Anchor Books, 1957. p.529. 10 Woolf, Virginia, To The Lighthouse. London: Penguin, 1992, p.190 11 Ibid. pp.137-139. 12 Schulze, Robin. G, Varieties of Mystical Experience in the Writings of Virginia Woolf in Twentieth Century Literature Vol.44. New York: Hofstra University, 1998. p.3 13 Naremore, James, The World Without A Self. London: Yale University Press, 1973. p.71. 14 Auerbach, Erich, Mimesis: the representation of reality in Western literature / by Erich Auerbach; translated from the German by Willard Trask. New York: Doubleday/Anchor Books, 1957. pp. 351-355 15 Woolf, Virginia. A writer’s diary: being extracts from the diary of Virginia Woolf edited by Leonard Woolf. London, Hogarth Press, 1953. p.169 16 Bell, Q, Virginia Woolf: A Biography. London: Hogarth Press, 1972. p.168. 17 Woolf, Virginia, To The Lighthouse. London: Penguin, 1992. p.5. 18 Ibid. p.23. 19 Ibid. p.7. 20 Ibid. p.7. 21 Ibid. p.7. 22 Ibid. pp.276-277. 23 Ibid. p.277. 24 Ibid. p. 107. 25 Ibid. 270. 26 Woolf. Virginia, Mrs Dalloway. London: Penguin, 1996. p.183. 27 Ibid. p. 178. 28 Woolf, Virginia. A writer’s diary: being extracts from the diary of Virginia Woolf edited by Leonard Woolf. London, Hogarth Press, 1953. p.78.

Body fluid and salt metamoblism

Body fluid and salt metamoblism There are several causes underlying dysnatremia. Most significantly are both the management of dysnatremia and parenteral hydration. In normal status, the normal range of blood sodium concentrations are of 135-145 mmol/L. Sodium and its accompanying anions, which are mainly chloride and bicarbonate, represent for 90% of the extracellular effective osmolality. The plasma water content is a main determinant of the sodium concentration. Dysnatremias may have result in central nervous system dysfunction whereas hyponatremia may lead to brain swelling and hypernatremia may lead to brain shrinkage. According to the extracellular fluid volume status the hyoponatremia is classified as either hypovolemic or normo-hypervolemic. In children, vasopressin release is triggered by the low effective arterial blood volume in case of hypovolemic hyponatremia this is called syndrome of appropriate anti-diuresis. The primary defect in dilutional hyponatremia is euvolemic also there is inappropriate increase in circulating vasopressin levels this is called syndrome of inappropriate anti-diuresis. To determine presence of hyponatremia may shows obvious cause such as vomiting or diarrhea. In some status, to discriminate hypovolemic from normo- hypervolemic hyponatremia may not be obvious. Some patients have difficult to assess their status volume but there is helpful way to assess their status by detect urine spot sodium and the fractional sodium clearance. In state of normovolemic, the major defense against developing hyponatremia is the ability to dilute urine and excrete free-water. There are special causes lead to hypotonic hyponatremia which are hospital-acquired hyponatremia, desmopressin, endurance athlete and diuretics. Hypernatremia is a net water Loss or a hypertonic sodium gain, with Inevitable hypertonicity reflects hypernatremia. If sodium concentrations above 160 Mmol/ L are usually sever symptoms evident only with presence of acute and large increases in concentrations. Almost the cause of hypernatremia is always obvious from the history. If the cause is not evident, determine of urine osmolality in relation to the effective blood osmolality and the urine sodium concentration. There are two mechanisms prevent developing hypernatremia which are: release vasopressin and a powerful thirst mechanism. When the effective blood osmolality exceeds 275-280 mosmol/ kg H2o, release of vasopressin occurs and when the effective blood osmolality exceeds 290-295 mosmol/kg H2o that results in maximally concentrated urine. There are two causes of hypernatremia in outpatient which are breastfeeding and diarrhea or vomiting . In breastfeeding the major problem is water deficiency that cause sodium concentration raises as a result of low volume intake and a loss of water. Diarrhea or vomiting comparison to the past is less because of presumably to the advent of low solute infant formulas and the increased use and availability of oral rehydration solutions. In management of hyponatremia, used either V2 antidiuretic hormone receptor antagonists or urea. In fasting patients, Intravenous maintenance fluids done by Holliday are used to provide water and electrolyte requirements. used administer intravenous isotonic (or near isotonic) crystalloid solutions in children who resistant to initial oral rehydration therapy. Traditionally, mange chronic normovolemic (or hypervolemic) hyponatremia either by restricting water intake or by giving salt. May be the use of nonpeptide vasopressin receptor antagonists as alternative. There are several receptors for vasopressin which are v1a, V1b and v2receptors. In patients who have nephrogenic syndrome of inappropriate childhood anti-diuresis the vaptans do not correct hyponatremia. In these cases, use oral administration of urea. All in all, pediatricians must aware of the changing epidemiology of dysnatremia . Also, the hydrated parenterally with the hypotonic solutions which recommended by Holliday.

Health Education Plan on Obsity Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Health Education Plan on Obsity - Assignment Example From the essay it is clear that  initially the goals to cope with childhood obesity should be small, so that the child doesn't get scared or discouraged. Every school should aim to address physical activity and nutrition through a Coordinated School Health Program (CSHP). Management should designate a school health coordinator who can maintain an active school health council. Modest decrease in food intake accompanied by physical activity can result in large weight loss over time.This study declares that  Both the child and the family should aim at the nutrition education; including the components of a healthy diet and the understanding of food labels and calories distribution.   Parents need to have stimulus control that includes limiting the amount of fattening foods in the house, eating all meals at the dinner table and at designated times, and serving food only once before putting it away.  Family sedentary habits like television-viewing patterns should be reviewed and mo dified. Mothers should be taught to understand the importance of breast feeding and delaying the introduction of solid foods in infants that decreases the risk of   weight problems in future. Following is the data on health statistics provided by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys.  Educator should try to design an educational tool that is interactive and entertaining in delivering nutrition education to children.  ... Family Involvement Both the child and the family should aim at the nutrition education; including the components of a healthy diet and the understanding of food labels and calories distribution. Parents need to have stimulus control that includes limiting the amount of fattening foods in the house, eating all meals at the dinner table and at designated times, and serving food only once before putting it away.  Family sedentary habits like television-viewing patterns should be reviewed and modified. Mothers should be taught to understand the importance of breast feeding and delaying the introduction of solid foods in infants that decreases the risk of weight problems in future. Following is the data on health statistics provided by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (Kopelman, 2005). 10 calories extra per day results in 1 lb of weight gain ( 3,500 calories equals 1 lb; there are nine calories per gram of fat and only four calories per gram of carbohydrate or prote in ). 150 calories extra per day = 15lbs/year. Cut out one cookie a day and lose 15 lbs in a year. Why should a child face embarrassment when his clothes fit too tightly due to overweight. Implement a high-quality course to study health and physical education. Educator should try to design an educational tool that is interactive and entertaining in delivering nutrition education to children. Fruits and vegetables questionnaires, and organizing ‘Nutrition Jeopardy’ like television shows in early childhood settings will help students learn nutritional properties of food.Moreoover, child should be encouraged by their health instructor to set weekly goal to perform physical activities and help determine the reward for reaching the

Analysis of the Zero Tolerance Policy Personal Statement

Analysis of the Zero Tolerance Policy - Personal Statement Example Zero tolerance policy is multidimensional with respect to requirement for companies. Research scholars defined zero tolerance policy as the framework designed by management of the company in order to prohibit employee behaviors considered as violent and also against the interest of the organization. Any kind of behavior (even jokes pulled by employee) or comments or activity threatening security of other employees will be judged under zero tolerance policy. Many companies terminate people on the ground of zero tolerance policy (Baron, Hoffman and Merri 71). Many academic scholars and also employees raising their voice about internet privacy policy set by employers in order monitor online activity of employees (Bidgoli 341). Companies are monitoring online activities of employees in order to prevent any future violation of rules. For examples the study will use guideline made by a reputed company for monitoring online activity (Jackson, Schuler, and Werner 101). ... Simon was helping the company to conduct research on semiconductor technology. Reasons for Termination Case analysis made by Eugene Volokh has pointed out three reasons behind termination of Simon. Simon during his work tenure spent more than or equal to eight hours online in a week doing browsing and emailing not related to company’s work. Simon used to stay late in the office and did online activities after the office time. Simon regularly contacted his friend Martin Ledecky (residing in Jordan) for discussing molecular properties of Silicon. Simon had a tendency to goof up during the working hour although he made up time wasted on goofing up by doing overtime. These are controversial reasons due to their lack of evidence to prove that online activity of Simon is hurting the interest of organization. Author’s View Author of this report do not agree with the zero tolerance policy Applied Devices due to following reasons. Simon used to do online conversation with his fr iend Martin Ledecky for discussing academic and research related issues. There is no evidence that their discussion was hurting interest of the company. Simon used do online browsing and emails after the working hour hence his activities cannot be judged as wasting of time during work hour. Janet Parker has also pointed out that that Applied Devices needs to conduct proper research on online activity of Simon before terminating him. Janet Parker in the case commentary has mentioned that Applied Devices should have given warning regarding online activity prior to termination of Simon. Jean Halloran in the case analysis has pointed out that the company is showing distrust to employees and suspecting their activity in the workplace rather assuming employees are well

Argument essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Argument - Essay Example For example, media nowadays are eventually used for product promotion, company endorsement, popularizing a personality, and many more (Hardy, 100). In other words, there can be many things to be done by simply taking media into one’s hand. Most of them are creative in nature. To cite an instance, it is important to substantially consider the case of product promotion or other relevant endorsement just to gain sympathy or attention from the target audience. Most often, it is viewed in television and other relevant media how creative these strings of endorsements could turn out. For example, using the concept of viral marketing, there is a need or consideration of speed. Just to be able to hit this objective, creative means are substantially employed along the process. At some point, creative methodological approaches are substantially included just to be able to hit specific objectives. In the case of Burger King for instance, its idea about viral marketing was substantially ap plied in order to gain remarkable attention about its product or service offerings. In this way, media have become productive tools in order to help a specific party to reach its competitive edge over the other or obtain specific objectives. ... Others on the other hand were applauded due to remarkable showcase of something what they got. For instance, the creation of Youtube and other social networking sites allow an individual to create something that would make a difference in the world. In fact, many personalities have paved their way through the ladder of success because of the media. In whatever point it may serve, the bottom line was to intentionally inform the public so as the same would create impression, response or opinion on the subject matter. This is a remarkable proof that the media could not only bring forward creative strategies only at the other side of the coin. They could potentially establish any relevant issues, situations, concerns or any possibilities of everything because they all have the power to inform the public and connect to people’s lives, in almost every walk, provided they would be allocated at some point in a highly creative way. In fact, media have become elemental components on how the elected officials in the US were able to successfully gain popular votes in the election. It is therefore clear that taking the media into the people’s hands could become susceptible to manipulation, exploitation in either good or bad intentions, which could provide either good or bad results. Some good results of the media however would include keeping the public informed with the right information. The people deserve to know the truth, and in many years the media have proven effective tools in doing so. For example, the fight against terroristic acts was dominated by the media when it comes to information dissemination. In fact, there were various terroristic attempts

Human Recourse Management Amounts to Little More Than a Simple Essay

Human Recourse Management Amounts to Little More Than a Simple Reworking of the Human Relations School of Management - Essay Example This essay stresses that there are several factors which have there impact on the growth of the HRM as a field. The main factors are economy and society. During the period of agrarian economy the social structure and economy was very simple. It developed into a complex system during industrial revolution. The social set up changed. There was more emphasis on the productivity. Manufacturing industry contribution to economy decreased in subsequent years and Service Industry experienced growth. The importance of human increased due to the fact that human is important factor in the production and consumption of services. Human resources have been an important factor of production from the agrarian economy. This paper makes a conclusion that the scientific methods of management by Taylor and his stress on efficiency improvement gave food of thought to others. Mayo and others focused on the soft components of workers’ life. These were the psychological and social components. This was the starting of the study of human resource management. Various theories of motivation, leadership, loyalty, perceptiuon, behaviour and others have developed. The contributions of Human Relations School of Management encouraged the managers and leaders to understand individuals’ various needs and develop their human resource strategies on the basis of that. This have demanded for an individual department in the organisations. It is Human Rsource Management department which independently handles the needs and requirements of the human resource. Hu

West Nile Virus Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

West Nile Virus - Research Paper Example Over the next few years, this virus had spread across the whole of North America and the Caribbean, increasing the risk of new infections. While this virus does not commonly affect human beings, cases of infections are on the increase as this virus spreads globally. The first step, in the contamination process, takes place when a female mosquito bites an infected bird. This mosquito obtains the virus while consuming the bird’s blood and in the process, the virus is passed on to it. The infected female mosquito then spreads the virus through their bites to humans and most of the infections occur among the elderly and people who have impaired immune systems. There is also a high possibility of this virus to be spread to those people who live in areas where there are mosquitoes. According to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, people who get the virus display mild symptoms as fever, headaches, body aches, skin rash, and swollen lymph glands, but in cases where the virus enters the brain however; it can cause inflammation of the brain (encephalitis) or inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord (meningitis). Most of the deaths caused by WNV have been among birds with few human cases, an example of which is in 2009, where there were 720 human cases of the disease in the United States amongst, which only thirty-two were fatal. There are currently no vaccines or treatments for the human WNV disease and now, scientists have accelerated the research on developing the tools necessary for its treatment and prevention. According to Margulies (47), the best way to prevent the virus is by continuously testing for it so that it can be detected early and steps taken to prevent its further spread. Furthermore, it is advisable to frequently used mosquito repellent on exposed skin so that the possibility of being bitten is reduced. Those living in areas where mosquitoes of any species

Luma pros and cons Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Luma pros and cons - Essay Example She does both soccer coaching and individual counseling for diverse emotional issues they faced. That Luma is a Clarkston â€Å"outsider† may be true from the geographical or political considerations. But she succeeds in transcending the barrier of nationality, the stamp of immigrant on her personality, through the processes in which she moulds the personality of her players. The â€Å"outsider† factor had no impact between her status as coach and her team. Addressing to the boys whose attention on the game of soccer is diverted on account an air-plane show Warren St. John writes about her utterances, â€Å"YOU GUYS NEED to wake up!† a voice interrupted as the jets streaked in to distance. â€Å"Concentrate!† The voice belongs to Luma Mufleh, the thirty-one-year-old founder and volunteer coach of the Fugees.†(2) This indicates her amazing work ethic and vision. â€Å"Outsider† question may be burning topic for political discussions, but Luma has shown through the building process of her soccer team, how to strike the balance in the diverse perspectives related to immigration, local and global politics, identity and intergenerational issues, creativity, biculturalism and community building. Luma has demonstrated that the complex story of Clarkston and the struggle of Fugees soccer team is the story of America in the broader sense. She is a native of Jordan and her soccer team boys belong to families that flee to the United States from many war-torn areas across the globe and her soccer saga serves as the catalyst for their coming together and is the living example of concept of ‘the world is one family.’ She hails from an aristocratic family from Jordan. She comes to America for studies. Giving her backgrounder information the author writes, â€Å"Luma, I would learn, had no particular background in social or human-rights work. She was just a normal woman who wanted, her own way, to make the world a better

Lifespan Development Essay Example for Free

Lifespan Development Essay Set forth by Margret Baltes, Paul Baltes and their associates, the life span perspective is the viewing of human development as multi directional, multi cultural, multi contextual,multi disciplinary and plastic. Human development is viewed as multi-directional because with time the characteristics of a human tend to change. Each person’s body consists of a large amount of genes and therefore bring the possibility of having several different directions that they could develop. Different events in life can lead to a change in direction. Some examples of those events may be the death of a loved one, losing a job, getting married, getting into college. etc. Researchers have used the multi directional perspective to figure out that losses and gains tend to occur simultaneously and that losses can lead to gains and gains can lead to losses. Human development is seen as multi contextual because it occurs in various contexts such as physical surroundings and the constellations of family. Urie Bronfenbrenner was the first to shine light on the need to consider multiple contexts. He recommended that when conducting a developmental study we should use an ecological-systems approach. This involves the belief that the individual should be considered in all contexts and interactions that life consist of in the study of human development. Bronfenbrenner later changed the name of this approach to bioecological to show the natural and biological aspects of this theory. There are three nested levels that each person is affected by. Microsystems is immediate surroundings such as friends, school, church and family. Exosystems is local institutions such as place of employment, school, and religious courses. Macrosystems involves the larger contexts such as political, economics and culture. Bronfenbrenner created a fourth system called mesosystem that connects all the systems together. An example of mesosystem would be the connection between family and employment. Family leave policies and overtime are examples of family and employment connections. Bronfenbrenner created the chronosystem or time system which also has an affect on the other systems. Development is viewed as multi cultural because there are many different cultures in the world today. Social scientists describe culture as a â€Å"meaning and information system, shared by a group and transmitted across generations, that allows the group to meet basic needs of survival . . . pursue happiness and wellbeing, and derive meaning from life† (Matsumoto, 2009) Development is multi disciplinary because researchers must study various disciplines to understand it. Scientists usually break the study of human development into three segments to study it better. The segments are biological, cognitive and social. Each segment is a discipline that a scientist specializes in. It is also segmented in age groups such as childhood ,adolescence and adulthood. Development is plastic because the traits of humans can be molded much like plastic and people are durable like plastic. Two Theories of Life Span Development The first theory is Erik Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development. He believed that personality was developed in stages. One of the main aspects of Erikson’s theory was the ego identity. This is the conscious sense of self that we develop during social interactions. According to Erik, it is constantly changing as we experience new things and learn new information during our daily interactions with others. Erikson also believed that behaviors and actions were motivated with a sense of competence. Each part of Erikson’s theory involves becoming competent in an area of life. The individual will feel a sense of mastery referred to as ego quality or ego strength if the stage is handled well. The person will feel a sense of inadequacy if the stage is not handled properly. He believed that people experienced a conflict that acted as a turning point during each stage. In his view, these conflicts were focused on creating a psychological quality or failing to create a psychological quality. The second theory is Jean Piaget’s theory. His theory is composed of four stages. The sensorimotor stage is from birth to 2 years and suggests the the child builds a set of concepts about reality through physical interactions. Preoperational stage occurs between ages 2 and 7. The child is unable to understand logic and cognitive thinking. They understand symbolic things and have acquired motor skills. Concrete operational stage occurs between the ages 7 and 11. Children are aware of external events. They develop operational thinking and can show logical reasoning. The formal operational stage occurs from the age of 11 to 16 and onward. Those who reach this stage have developed abstract reasoning and can easily think logically. How Heredity and Environment Affect Development Heredity and the environment both play an important part in human development. The heredity factors affect all aspects of development. Genes have a tremendous affect on the birth, puberty, growth and death of a human being. Many traits are inherited from our family members and determine how we develop. Our genetics help to determine how we might act. For example, if there is a history of mental problems in your family then you might be prone to mental illnesses as well. The environment also helps in the human development process. The way we act, dress, talk, etc can be affected by our surroundings. For example, if you are raised in â€Å"the ghetto† then you might be prone to violence, drugs, baggy clothes, and slang talk. Growing up around violence and drugs might make a person develop into a drug abuser or participate in violent activities. The people we surround ourselves with also affect our development. If we are surrounded by violence and drugs then we might think that it is a normal way of life and we might also participate in these activities. If we are not subjected to these types of activities then we have a less chance of getting involved in these activities. Conclusion In conclusion, the life span perspective sheds light on the many aspects of human development. It is multi directional because our lives can go in many directions as a result of different life changing events. It is also multi cultural as there are several different cultures involved. There are many different contexts involved in human development such as our physical surroundings and family constellations. Multiple disciplines are studied in order for researchers to understand human development. Human development is also referred to as plastic because it can be shaped and molded just like plastic. Our development is greatly affected by genetic factors and environmental factors such as inherited qualities and the people and activities we are surrounded by.

Communication Processes and Maslows Hierarchy of Needs

Communication Processes and Maslows Hierarchy of Needs Introduction Communication is extremely important to organisations and individual alike. The effectiveness of the communication will directly relate to the success of the organisation and the achievements of the individuals within it. Communication in the retail industry is all important to survival and profitability. The successful retailer is constantly developing a network of communication channels to customers, distributors, financial institutions, the government and employees. Each of these groups is composed of people with differing interests and cannot be reached by the same communication channels. Similarly, employees need skills for a range of communication activities that are used a daily in the retail environment. These include written communication, verbal communication and an understanding of non-verbal communication. There is also an increasing need for retailers and staff to adopt and effectively use new communication technology such as integrated computer systems with functions su ch as e-mail, customer data bases and Internet information access. Because communication is a central factor in the emerging knowledge economy and a major consideration for anyone entering todays workforce, we need to look more closely at the total process of communication. Purposes of communication are the transmission of information and meaning from one individual or group to another. The crucial element in this definition is meaning. Communication has as its central objective the transmission of meaning. The process of communication is successful only when the receiver understands an idea as the sender intended it. Both parties must agree not only on the information transmittee but also on the meaning of that information. Communication Process Sender Has Idea The process of communication begins when the person with whom the message originates the sender has an idea. The form of the idea will be influenced by complex factors surrounding the senders mood, frame of reference, background, culture, and physical makeup, as well we the context of the situation and many other factors. The way you greet people on campus or on the job, for example, depends a lot on how you feel, whom you are addressing (a classmate, a professor, a colleague, or your boss), and what your culture has trained you to say (Good morning, Hey, Hi, Howdy, or How ya doing?). The form of idea, whether a simple greeting or a complex idea, is shaped by assumptions based on the senders experiences. A manager sending an e-mail announcement to employees assumes that will be receptive, whereas direct-mail advertisers assume that receivers will give only a quick glance to their message. The ability to accurately predict how a message will affect its receiver and skill in adapting that message to its receiver are key factors in successful communication. Sender Encodes Idea in Message The next step in the communication process involves encoding. This means converting the idea into words or gestures that will convey meaning. A major problem in communicating any message verbally is that words have different meanings for different people. When misunderstood, skilled communicators choose familiar words with concrete meanings on which both senders and receivers agree. In selecting proper symbols, senders must be alert to the receivers communication skills, attitudes, background, experiences, and culture. Message Travels Over Channel The medium over which the message is physically transmitted is the channel. Messages may be delivered by computer, telephone, cell phone, letter, memorandum, report, announcement, picture, spoken word, fax, Web page, or through some other channel. Because communication channels deliver both verbal and nonverbal messages, senders must choose the channel and shape the message carefully. A company may use its annual report, for example, as a channel to deliver many messages to stockholders. The verbal message lies in the reports financial and organization news. Nonverbal messages, though, are conveyed by the reports appearance (showy versus bland), layout (ample white space versus tightly packed columns of print), and tone (conversational versus formal). Anything that interrupts the transmission of a message in the communication process is called noise. Channel noise rangers from static that disrupts a telephone conversation to typographical and spelling errors in a letter or e-mail message. Such errors damage the credibility of the sender. Channel noise might even include the annoyance a receiver feels when the sender chooses an improper medium for sending a message, such as announcing a loan rejection via postcard or firing an employee by e-mail. Receiver Decodes Message The individual for whom the message is intended is the receiver. Translating the message from its symbol form into meaning involves decoding. Only when the receiver understands the meaning intended by the sender that is, successfully decodes the message does communication take place. Such success, however, is difficult to achieve because no two people share the same life experiences and because many barriers can disrupt the process. Decoding can be disrupted internally by the receivers lack of attention to or bias against the sender. It can be disrupted externally by loud sounds or illegible words. Decoding can also be sidetracked by semantic obstacles, such as misunderstood words or emotional reactions to certain terms. A memo that refers to all the women in an office as girls or chicks, for example, may disturb its receivers so much that they fail to comprehend the total message. Feedback Travels to Sender The verbal and nonverbal responses of the receiver create feedback, a vital part of the communication process. Feedback helps the sender know that the message was received and understood. If, as a receiver, you hear the message Hoe are you, your feedback might consist of words (Im fine) or body language (a smile or a wave of the hand). Although the receiver may respond with additional feedback to the sender (thus creating a new act of communication), we will concentrate here on the initial message flowing to the receiver and the resulting feedback. Senders can encourage feedback by asking questions such as, Am I making myself clear? And is there anything you dont understand? Senders can further improve feedback by timing the delivery appropriately and by providing only as much information as the receiver can handle. Receivers can improve the process by paraphrasing the senders message with comments, such as, Let me try to explain that in my own words. The best feedback is descriptive rather than evaluate. For example, heres a descriptive response. I understand you want to launch a used gold ball business. Heres an evaluative response. Your business ideas are always goofy. An evaluative response is judgemental and doesnt tell the sender whether the receiver actually understood the message. Common forms of communication use in hospitality and tourism industry there are: Auditory communication Visual communication Tactile communication Multichannel communication Auditory communication is where messages are perceived through the sense of hearing. Words, music, sounds and noises take part in this type of communication. In the hospitality sector we can establish auditory communication through different media according to activity and objectives such as: direct conversation or face to face communication, phone conversation and radio broadcasting. Visual communication is where messages are perceived through sight. Sign, gesture and images are very important when communicating. There are different media such as, letters, complaint forms, contracts, invoices, labels and leaflets. Tactile communication is where messages are perceived through the sense of touch. Affection is conveyed through tactile sensations. Shaking hands or tapping someones shoulder can have positive or negative effects, so it is necessary to be very respectful in this matter and know cultural conventions. There are different mediums such as greetings at meetings and negotiations. Multichannel communication is where messages are perceived through different senses at a time. There are different media through which this is possible such as television, video and computer. Conclusion Managers need complete and correct information in order to perform their functions efficiently and effectively. If such information is not properly communicated, the whole organisation suffers from mismanagement. For instance, business planning, requires information on available resources, strength of competitors, government policies, and other external factors. Such information provides very important inputs for management to be able to formulate the right objectives and strategies for achieving its goal. Proper communication is again needed. Decision-making is a crucial function of management. It greatly depends on accurate information. Wrong information means wrong decisions; hence, the need for proper communication. Likewise, good communication is needed in controlling. However, it is in leading or directing where effective communication is most needed. People have to be influenced or motivated to think and move towards the right directions; to achieve peak performance; and to act in consonance with the culture of the organization. These clearly require a lot of communication. Managers do not only deal with their peers and subordinates, but also with customers, suppliers, and bankers. Their success in dealing with the said outsiders greatly depends on their ability to communicate. Customers are No.1 in any business organization. Without customers, there is no business. To create customers and satisfy them are certainly big jobs for communication. These require proper planning, organizing, and implementation of marketing strategies. All the said activities depend on effective communication. Introduction Motivation is to supply a motive to and also be the motive of. The willingness to exert high levels of effort to organisational goals, conditioned by the efforts ability to satisfy some individual needs. It is also to cause a person to act in a particular way. Stimulate the interest of a person in an activity. This definition is a good example of the problems associated with the concept of motivation. In essence, there seem to be two conflicting views of motivation. In one way, the definition indicates that motivation is where someone (perhaps a team leader) causes someone else (a team member) to act in a certain way. In other way, it appears that motivation is something that someone uses as a motive for doing things. This apparent conflict reflects an ongoing debate research into motivation. Traditional views of leadership and motivation reflected a passive view of motivation. In effect, people required strong leaders to motivate them towards certain goals. If someone says they are demotivated and we offer them a bag of cash or threaten to sack them, and then they get on with the task in hand, what has happened? This approach to motivation implies that the leader had to motivate his or her team member through various rewards and/or punishments. Motivation is described, usually, as intentional. That is, motivation is assumed to be under the workers control, and behaviours that are influenced by motivation, such as effort expended, are seen as choices of action. One can look at motivation as a deficiency, a need that must be fulfilled. Hunger is a motivation- it is an internal force, food. Before you can motivate your staff, you must first understand what motivates each employee in his or her specific job position. As a manager with human resources responsibilities it is easy to realize that differences exist between what motivates hourly and management employees. What makes a job interesting to a group of hourly employees is different from what makes a job interesting to a group of managers. Furthermore, what one employee may find interesting may not be of any interest to another employee. No matter what, there will be some jobs in the hospitality industry that just cannot be made interesting. There are some motivation theories that the organization must understand in order to motivate their employees to excel at their jobs. Maslows Hierarchy of Needs, Abraham identified the whys of motivation theory. His theory (Hierarchy of Needs) states that man is motivated by satisfying a set of needs common to all individuals. In ascending order of importance these are: Physiological needs (food, clothing, and shelter). Safety/security needs (freedom from fear of losing job, clothing and shelter). Acceptance needs (to belong and be accepted by others). Esteem needs (status, prestige, and power). Self-actualization needs (maximize ones potential). Maslow believed that until the physiological needs are satisfied, the other would not serve as motivators. Furthermore, once a need is met, it no longer acts as a motivator, and another need takes its place. One of the problems with Maslows theory is that although it works in life situations, it is not applicable to work settings. Hertzbergs two-factor theory identified job satisfaction and job dissatisfaction as separate elements that are not polar opposites of each other. The two-factor concept states that job factors generally regarded as motivators should actually be divided into two groups: one consisting of motivation factors (or satisfiers) and one consisting of maintenance factors (dissatisfies or hygiene). Because job satisfaction and job dissatisfaction do not balance each other out, the elimination of a dissatisfier does not necessarily lead to job satisfaction. Motivation factors include such conditions as recognition, achievement, advancement, and responsibility. Hygiene factors include working conditions, company policies, and salary. One of Hertzbergs major conclusions was that money was not a motivator. Hertzberg believes that if motivation factors are present in the workplace, employees will be motivated; if such factors are not present, then motivation will not occur. If hygiene factors are present, then employees will be satisfied with their work; if such factors are not present, then employees will be dissatisfied. Hygiene factors in no way affect motivation, whether they are present or absent. Expectancy theory is one of the more implementable motivation theories. The theory states that a person will be motivated when the individual perceives a link between what he or she is doing and the expected reward. The higher the effort, the greater the reward and vice versa. It is important that the reward is attainable and that your human resources will feel rewarded for the effort they produce. Pay-for-performance compensation systems operate on this principle. Fixed hourly wages and salaries do not motivate because there is no link between effort and reward. For the reward to operate as a motivator, the employee must value attainment of the reward, the employee must see a link between his or her work efforts and receiving the reward, and the individual must possess the abilities and skills to do the job. Money as a motivator, the motivational value of money may change after a persons basic needs have been reasonably well satisfied. Because human beings have a way of continually redefining their needs, whether money will motivate is to some degree a matter of the amount the employee is already earning. Therefore, while some people will be more motivated to work for money, companies find that for most employees other things are equally, if not more important. Job enrichment, Hertzberg proposed the idea of job enrichment as a reaction to the KITA (kick-in-the-ass) motivational approach there are most managers practicing. Job enrichment is based on that the only way to motivate employees is to give them challenging work in which they can assume responsibility. This strategy includes modifying jobs so that they are more meaningful and give the employee an opportunity for recognition and greater responsibility. Motivational effectiveness, there is no consensus on how best to motivate your work force. As a human resources manager, consideration needs to be given to several factors that involve human resources functions other than development. Selection procedures need to be effective so that individuals are places in job positions that they are capable of performing. Training programs must be effective in ensuring that our employees have the necessary skills, and evaluation procedures must be in place to monitor employees performance. Compensation practices needs to be developed that link performance and pay. Furthermore, these practices must all be viewed as fair; that poor performance is not tolerated, high performance is recognized. If your work force is to be motivated, they must believe that extra effort and superior performance is of benefit to them. Rewards do not have to be monetary. Flexible work hours, recognized achievement, increased responsibility, and the opportunity to develop personal and career goals work directly toward a motivated work force has to create desire, commitment, and confidence in your employees. Communication channels have to be open and organizational goals clearly defined. Conclusion There is always an interesting group of drives in every human being that determines how we interact with the world around us. The basic survival drives, like the need for food and water, are not as evident in the workplace as some of our other instincts-our need for activity, curiosity, and manipulation. People need to be active. The level of activity we seek differs tremendously, but, generally, people dislike being confined in a small space with nothing to do. People also have a drive to explore new and unknown places and stimuli. We have a preference for complexity over simplicity, because complexity is more interesting. We also have a tendency to enjoy manipulation; we want to touch, play with, and handle specific objects. These very basic needs have far-reaching implications for the design of jobs and of workplaces. No wonder boring, repetitive, or make-work jobs, even if they are easy, lead to burn out frustration, and even sabotage (just to liven things up.)

Freedom Through The Press :: essays research papers

Freedom Through The Press Tears streamed down a broken face That stared to the ground where his father lay At lexington was he dying this day For a battle lost, and a war begun. In a young boys hand, A father lifted his head To look at a son, so confused and afraid Who understood not, for what his father bled Why he would fight, What reason for death. And so as they looked eye to eye The boys innocent lips formed the question, why? Then With inhuman strength, A father lifts dying fingers to sky Pointing to a cloth, flying on high His heart burns like fire, beats like a drum As with his last breath he whispers FREEDOM! 56 men signed a Declaration of Independence, risking their lives. 1000's of men and boys died in the Revolutionary war, And 100's of 1000's more fought and died in wars to come. 56 men created and signed a document of government so perfect it has endured the test of time for over 200 years. Millions of people have given precious support in the fight for equality and against racism. For what reason did many people risk their lives and sacrifice so much? democracy: n. gov. by the people... Their hearts burned brightly with the fires of freedom. We have been handed a Democracy, handed freedom. And now we must either throw this heritage away, by taking it for granted or we must fight our own battle, a battle without bullets or threats, a battle for democracy. For Freedom isn't Free. We must rule ourselves. It is an almost an obvious fact that in order for us to rule, we need information. If the ruling body does not have information than it can do nothing but act blindly, without direction. This information comes from the media but, in order for the media accomplish this informative purpose, so that we the people can rule ourselves, can have a democracy, and can be free, we must do three things: Redefine democracy, Listen to the press, and control our press. Our first problem is to redefine democracy. Imagine, a young polish factory worker reads daily in papers that tell him he is free, because the communistic government allows elections. The Press tells him his government has the economy under control. Yet he finds himself spending his time and money standing in line to buy over-priced bread so his babies can live another day. Among the graffiti that began to appear in Poland was an especially significant complaint, Prasa klamie ("The press lies"). However, free media from countries like the U.

Medical Conditions Of Concentration Camps :: essays research papers

Medical Conditions of Concentration Camps The medical conditions in concentration camps were very horrable. Many things happened to the prisoners at this camp and most of the worst things happened because of the medical treatments. Throughout all the camps medical experiments were performed on the prisoners. They were not only performed on the jewish but on all different kinds of people that were at the camps. The experiments were for the most part either harsh or deadly. Some of the experiments were as follows. People were submersed in ice cold water for hours on end to test out new kinds of suits. Others were deprived of oxygen, sterilized, had patches of there skin burned, or immediatly killed by an injection to the heart for dissection. Some people were also sent away to anatomy hospitals. One of the most desired places to be by doctors was Block 10. Block 10 was in Auschwitz and was a medical block. It meant the difference between life and death for many people in Auschwitz. There were benefits and disadvantages to being there for both the doctors and the prisoners. For a doctor it was seen as a chance to do any and all experiments they thought might be interesting. For prisoners it was a chance to live, if they were lucky. Some prisoners were taken by doctors for experiments and depending on the nature of the experiment they might live for a long time or be killed imediatly. Doctors picked which people should be killed through a selection process. A person could be killed for having as little as a tiny scar, or because ofa defect, or anything at all. The doctors of Block 10 are most remembered. The two that stand out most are Josef Mengele and Ernst B. Josef Mengele as one of the cruelest doctors who killed many, many people. He was said to be seen at selections night and day. And in some cases even taking children to the gas chambers by playing a game with them.

Robber Barons Essay -- essays research papers

The Robber Barons, as they were called, were the kings of American Industry and American Society during the late 1800's and early 1900's. Rich beyond the average man's wildest dreams, these industrialists were often criticized for their philosophies and their ways of making money. Robber Barons can also be viewed as immoral, greedy, and corrupt, and the evidence to support such a view is not difficult to find. Bribery, illegal business practices, and cruelty to workers were not uncommon in this period, and many of the most respected industrialists were also the most feared and hated. Many people consider Rockefeller a robber of industry because of his forcible ways of gaining his monopolies. Rockefeller was fond of buying out small and large competitors. If the competitors refused to sell they often found Rockefeller cutting the prices of his Standard Oil or in the worst cases, their factories mysteriously blowing up. Rockefeller was obsessed with controlling the oil market and used many of undesirable tactics to flush his competitors out of the market. Rockefeller was also a master of the rebate game. He was one of the most dominant controllers of the railroads. He was so good at the rebate that at some times he skillfully commanded the rail road to pay rebates to his standard oil company on the traffic of other competitors. He was able to do this because his oil traffic was so high that he could make or break a section of a railroad a railroad company by simply not running...

A beauty

Talking about Charles Newman in the story Charles is a dear friend of the writer The writer views Charles as beautiful Other people think Charles is beautiful The beauty the writer sees in Charles is not hindered by anything he says or does Charles has soft blonde hair and blue eyes Charles is unmarried â€Å"The thing I liked least about Charlie was his way of carrying on with several women P. 56 Charles has a steady girlfriend at a time†¦ † Charles has a side girlfriend Although Charles is imperfect the writer expresses still seeing the beauty in CharlesThe writer rates the Subject in a way to present the flaws of the character but also the ability to love him in spite of It. The writer expresses being close to beauty can make one feel more beautiful and worthy themselves regardless of their own inherent qualities Charles was loyal to friends Charles had a way with people Charles was blessed with good looks, this made things easier for him, and his friends. Charles enjo yed the finer things, such as museums and art It's not easy to abandon the Idea that beauty can never really be skin deep, that nine beauty is not only unproblematic but also somehow a sign of an essential goodness.P. 57 The writer equates beauty with wholesomeness The writer Is male and married The writer has no need to fear Charles beauty Charles Is slightly flawed but a person who none the less was â€Å"Beautiful†. Charles Is better able to understand or relate to the people around him because his beauty does more than simply draw people to him, It puts him In situations where he Is able to understand or relate to the people around him because of It ResponseI couldn't understand why the writer chose Charles as the subject I did Identify with dismissing my loved ones flaws I also Identified with dwellings some of the actions of attractive people I liked the point about, beautiful people being able to lead and teach I also liked the point about, beautiful people being more comfortable and because of It the are able to network and meet new people. I was Interested to find at the middle of the story that the writer was a man.I was also Interested by the what the writer may have meet hen he spoke of how and who Charles had left his Thales,upon passing away. I liked that my feelings about the subject continued to change as the essay evolved. A beauty By lea_lactate the ability to love him in spite of it. The writer expresses being close to beauty can It's not easy to abandon the idea that beauty can never really be skin deep, that The writer is male and married Charles is slightly flawed but a person who none the less was â€Å"Beautiful†.Charles is does more than simply draw people to him, it puts him in situations where he is able o understand or relate to the people around him because of it I couldn't understand why the writer chose Charles as the subject I did identify with I also identified with dismissing some of the actions of attractive peo ple I liked the about, beautiful people being more comfortable and because of it the are able to network and meet new people.