Directions for “Cognitive Development” Essay

1. Access the textbook website: http://bcs.worthpublishers.com/myers7e/default.asp?uid=0&rau=0 2. Click on the PsychSim Tutorials link 3. In the left column, find Chapter 04 â€Å"Psychsim5: Cognitive Development† and click on this link. Click on â€Å"Cognitive Development† and begin the tutorial. Answer the questions and attach to the email in IT’S LEARNING. This is due no later than midnight Tuesday, September 22. Late submissions will be deducted 20 pts per school day late. PsychSim 5: COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT Name: Faye Simshauser This activity describes Piaget’s theory of the growth of intelligence and simulates the performance of three children of different ages on some of Piaget’s tasks. Schemas 1. What are schemas? -A schema is the way we make sense of the world by organizing what we know into a mental framework. 2. Explain the difference between assimilation and accommodation. -Assimilation means incorporating new experiences into our existing framework or understanding. When we encounter a new situation, we first try to apply your existing schemas, and then we see what happens. If it fits well into our old schemas, we are satisfied. But if the new experience  doesn’t fit, we need to modify our schemas. This process of adjusting our old frameworks is called accommodation. Sometimes we only need to make slight modifications in our schemas. In other situations we may need to make major changes, or even create new schemas. 3. Suppose that a 15-month-old toddler has learned to call the four-legged house pet a â€Å"doggie.† What do you think would happen if the child sees a horse for the first time? Is the child likely to call the horse a â€Å"horsie† or a â€Å"doggie† or a â€Å"doggie-horse† or some other term? Write your best guess in the space below, and add a sentence explaining why you think the child would use that term to refer to the horse. -The child after seeing a horse for the first time will call it a â€Å"doggie† because of its existing schema with associating four-legged animals with dogs. Stages of Development 4. What are some characteristics of a child in the sensorimotor stage of development? -In the sensorimotor stage of development, the child’s intelligence is consumed with mostly sensations and motor skills. The child’s thoughts are limited to the sensations being experience and the objects being acted upon that moment. 5. What is object permanence? -Object permanence is the awareness that things continue to exist even when out of sight. 6. What are some cognitive limitations of preschoolers? -Although able to think symbolically and gain memory and language developments, preschoolers still lack certain mental operations that form the basis of adult logic. The children make errors on problems that involve changes in the appearance of objects. 7. What is egocentrism? -Egocentrism is the inability to take another’s perspective or point of view into account. Egocentrism is the reason why children stand in front of the television sometimes when others are watching behind them; they think that  everyone can see what they see.

Comparing Leonardo Da Vinci with Michelangelo Essay

Leonardo Da Vinci and Michelangelo Buonarroti were, and still are considered to be two of the greatest minds, even geniuses of the Renaissance. But which one is more of a genius than the other? Leonardo Da Vinci was born on April 15th, 1452, son to a notary called Ser Piero. Ser Pier has sex with a woman called Catarina, which resulted in her pregnancy. For a believed reason that Catarina was the Daughter of a farmer, they never got married. Ser Pier later married another woman, when he was 25, which is the time Leonardo was born. As for Michelangelo, he was born on March 6, 1475, to a father called Ludovico, and a mother named Francesca, who was not capable of taking care of him. She sent her son to a family of stone cutters, and whose wife became Michelangelo’s mother. His real mother Francesca died when he was only six years old. Both Michelangelo and Da Vinci lived hard lives, and received little care from their parents. The two distinctive artists, have many things they share in common, amongst background, interests, and accomplishments, however, they also have many differences, which makes each one diverse from the other, and finally confirm that Leonardo Da Vinci has idiosyncratic qualities, making him more of a genius than Michelangelo. Although there is a twenty three year gap between both Italian artists, they both have many common qualities. Leonardo’s first works of art were paintings, and were made at the age of seventeen, one of which is called â€Å"Ginevra de Benci†. In this magnificent painting he drew a portrait a young woman, with an amazing background of a huge trees, and then behind those, a bridge, and an evening-blue sky. He even managed to catch the outlines of the leaves of the trees, which were glowing as the setting sun hit them from the back. As for Michelangelo, his first works of art were mainly sculptures. His first sculpture was the Apollo-David, when he was sixteen years old. This is also a remarkable peace of art, mainly because he was able to turn a peace of rock in to a very realistic model of a human. The minor curves, and bumps an actual man’s body would have in Apollo’s position, were included in the statue. Every body part was in the correct position in relation to the rest of the body. The veins, and every body detail were included in the statue, which makes it significant. These two artists, both painted magnificent paints, and sculpted marvelous statues. Leonardo and Michelangelo were both great poem writers. In his poems, Da  Vinci wrote about exploring his soul, and demonstrated strong critical thinking, as well as intelligence. Michelangelo’s poems were mainly about animals, and his loved ones, one he wrote about called Elizabetha. Their curiosity, and will to improve their arts, gave them the power to dissect human bodies, of criminals, and study them. Although Leonardo studied them more thoroughly, Michelangelo also dissected them to know how the body was assembled. Michelangelo was bisexual and none of his paintings were focused upon one sex. As for Leonardo, he is also believed to be bisexual because he painted many women, and also was convicted twice of sodomizing a young seventeen year old, and spent two years in prison, which probably means he was attracted to men as well. To add to the magnificence of these two people, they were both highly skilled in architecture. Michelangelo invented a new architectural form, which solved the Renaissance problem of combining the classical columns with the modern division of storeys. Michelangelo’s giant orders became widely used. There are eight giant order pilasters on the Palazzo Conservatori, which came from Michelangelo. Also, he came up with the idea of staircases, which were used then, and are still used now. Leonardo Da Vinci however, took his architectural abilities to the edge, and created architectural monuments that surpassed his time period, and were declined in 1502 by engineers because they did not think they would work. However, on the 31st of October, 2001, a bridge was built, based upon Leonardo Da Vinci’s notes, which ere found after he passed away. The bridge worked and has a very modern shape. These two superb artists are so much alike, yet they are very different as well. Michelangelo had his very own aspects which made him a unique person. Michelangelo was a person brilliant in sculptures only. On august 4, 1983, Pope Julius II Della Rovere told Michelangelo to paint the Sistine Chapel. Although never experienced with paint, especially fresco painting, he painted the whole ceiling by himself, standing up while most painters that painted ceilings did it lying on their backs. He asked his old friend Francesco Granacci to help him, as well as four other fresco painters. However, when he saw that they weren’t as good as he thought, and have the imagination he wanted, he dismissed them and continued by himself. All he had was two men that helped make the paint. Michelangelo was very bad at mathematics, and languages. He failed to learn how to speak Latin, which was taught to most nobles in Italy. After being taught by Ghirlandaio, he soon excelled to being even better than his teacher, and walking his own path and trying new things. Rock is one of the hardest objects to work, and craft with. However, for Michelangelo, he turned a piece of dull marble, or other rock, into a work of art. â€Å"It would be impossible to find a body showing greater mastery of art possessing more beautiful members, or a nude with more detail in the muscles. Veins, and nerves †¦Ã¢â‚¬ . His work was so amazing, you could see the veins in the hands, feet, and sometimes neck. You would also notice the areas where the skin folds, like the area behind the knee, and even the natural body curves. Michelangelo was also somewhat an architecture. He designed some monuments, that have not been proven successful, however possibly would be. He also came up with the idea of staircases which we use today. His fascination with the human body, sculpture, to a minimal extent architecture, and his will to try his own ideas, made Michelangelo Buonarroti a one of a kind artist. Leonardo Da Vinci excelled in so many areas of study and work that, unlike Michelangelo, is more like a genius. Leonardo was born twenty-three years before Michelangelo was. By the age of seventeen he was already painting magnificent paintings, and curious in the sciences and mathematic. One way to recognize a painting done by Leonardo is the hair. Leonardo makes the person’s hair angelic, smooth, almost like silk. The hair is given life, it goes through one another, and fades, then comes back. As he studied light, and its affect on how something looked, he fine-tuned his paintings abilities. Using light, he would give his paintings a more three-dimensional effect, making them seem even more alive then before. This exceptional artist also used his knowledge of mathematics to put everything into a scale, and make sure everything would seem normal, in the right size in correspondence to the other items in the paintings, and proportional. Although he might have acquired his knowledge and abilities by studying previous geniuses, he able to hold all that massive amount of knowledge, use it, imply it, research it even further and take it to a high level, and even help mankind. Da Vinci also studied nature. That helped him with his paintings which included a forest, or field or anything of that type, and he  knew what everything had to look like. He used scientific inquiry while running observations and experiments. He observed something closely, then tested that observation over and over till he knew it had to be correct. Then he drew accurately what he needed and wrote notes to himself. He published a book about the Theory of Mechanics. Volumes were written by him on many topics, such as the nature of the sun, moon and stars, and he even wrote volumes about the formation of fossils, and flight. Leonardo used his knowledge of aerodynamics to create the first flying machine, that functioned properly, as far as flying is concerned. He also invented the bicycle, a helicopter, a machine resembling a car, and many weapons for war. While he worked for the Duke of Milan, he took the role of a battle strategist and weapons engineer. His warfare creations include missiles, machine guns, grenades, mortars and tanks, and many more. However, he stopped sharing his inventions after he released the submarine, saying that all these weapons could be used for evil purposes. When his notes, and notebooks were analysed, it showed he had a spirit of scientific inquiry, and mechanical inventiveness, that was centuries ahead of his time. Somehow, he realized that it was not the sun that changed locations, but it is us, the Earth, that turns. Also, Da Vinci saw a possibility of constructing a telescope, which never happened in his lifetime, but did in ours. He called it â€Å"†¦making glasses to see the moon enlarged†. Leonardo excelled in so many things, such as anatomy, zoology, botany, geology, optics, aerodynamics, and many more†¦which is a quite significant amount of topics to be good in, only pushing him closer towards being a genius. Two men, from the same region, each the same, yet unique in their same way. Michelangelo and Leonardo have many differences, yet in the same time have many things which they share in common. Some of their interest areas are the same, yet Da Vinci has more topics which he covered in his lifetime, and stood out in. What makes these men even more outstanding is the fact that they both came from poor families, which could only afford them a regular education, while other, richer children went to better schools, and got a better education. Yet these poor men surpassed these rich people, and shone. Leonardo however was dyslexic, and often wrote backwards, and because he was illegitimate, was not allowed to enter a college. He succeeded in over six  very different topics, and even invented things to help man, and others not very useful yet show his genius. In the last years of his life, he worked for a king, and created a robot which looked like a lion, and with every two steps, its stomach opens and shows a bundle of flowers. Although it sounds simple, it definitely is not, to create a robot. Leonardo could come up with the hardest things, and also the simplest, and it is this quality, which makes him a genius, using his knowledge to help man, and extend the discoveries of proceeding men and women. Da Vinci used his ability to help everyone, not only himself. He shared his magnificent intelligence, and that, in all, makes him a genius.

The South Coast Plaza by Segerstrom Family Essay

The South Coast Plaza by Segerstrom Family - Essay Example The plaza has recorded highest sales of 1.5 billion dollars in America. Since March 1967, South Coast has overcome various difficulties and challenges. In the beginning, it started as bean fields and as time went by it grew bigger. Various famous groups joined this party thereafter. From 1973 to 1979, additional stores were added for Bullock’s, I. Magnin, Nordstrom, and Sakes Fifth Avenue. Since Segerstrom family had a bigger dream, they never stopped developing it. From 1986, South Coast began its largest expansion and grew on the streets and by the end of 1987; it was totally a unique place. Because of its expansion and various famous stores, South Coast improved its level from a local plaza to a standard national mall. In May 2007, it had a final reconstruction that resulted in re-opening of Bloomingdale’s. However, it is difficult to examine every store in the area. The South Coast Plaza has four architecture parts. Beginning with the west wing between Fairview Road and Bear Street is the furniture area that contains various famous furniture stores such as Marcy’s Home Furniture Store and Crate and Barrel Home Store. The largest part of this Plaza is situated in the middle surrounded by malls like Macy’s Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, and Sears. The east wing of the plaza is built for official businesses and on the north wing, there is a small part called the South Coast Plaza Village that hosts many restaurants for the visitors and locals. Currently, South Coast is the largest malls in the world, and its reputation and fame have attracted a number ranging from millions of people across the world every year. With this regard, it has become national scenic spots. When compared to Yellowstone National Park and many other places, it is a preferable area by the visitors from Asia. Almost a half of travel groups from China tend to go to the South Coast. It is nearly 14 hours flight from China Lax. Most of the visitors from China want to see the greatest mall on the first day since the place majorly attracts them because of its magic.

How globalization benefits America's economy Essay

How globalization benefits America's economy - Essay Example The recent advancement in Asian economy is really transforming the world and the notion that globalization only makes the rich richer and the poor poorer is disputable according to Wolf. He supports international economic integration as the reason behind success of many countries. However, Wolf says that different countries success is not attributed to full adoption of the neo liberal policies rather by instituting their own policies intended to enter market economy. He further argues that growth weighting distribution amongst nations by population shows that the most important things is the people but not countries themselves thus making it important only to consider income distribution alone. Inequality changes amongst world individuals are contributed by changes in the relative wealth of countries such that if the performance is low, the decline in inequality also changes. However, it should be noted that most countries have not fully benefited from globalization especially in Afr ica, Asia and Latin America countries (Wolf, 2004). The rapid growth of economies brought about by globalization has immensely reduced the level of poverty especially in east of Asia but went up in Eastern Europe, central Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. There was also general increase of life expectancy in developing countries though the growth was challenged by the AIDS epidemic and malaria. Moreover, globalization has reduced infant mortality and boosted literacy level in developing countries and the world as a whole. There has also been recommendable increase in food production thus lowering undernourishment issues globally. Finally, Wolf has noted that child labor has tremendously reduced because most parents have opted to taking their children to school (Wolf, 2004). Concepts Central to the Argument One of the most important arguments that has dominated the text is that globalization has negatively affected economies of most countries. This is very wrong and I really concur with W olf that globalization has instead boosted the economy of a good number of countries especially in Asia. The author has noted India and China as some of the beneficiaries of globalization. However, their success is attributed to the policies of individual countries towards globalization (Wolf, 2004). Countries have worked hard by adopting policies that can see them succeed in the wider market that has been brought about by globalization. The effect of globalization is therefore very intense and has positively developed most of the world economies especially countries that were once considered poor. Living standards and income per capita has greatly increased in most of the countries that took advantage of globalization. Nevertheless, some countries have not experienced the benefits of globalization because they have not changed their policies to properly fit in the international market (Wolf, 2004). Moreover, criteria used in measuring economic progress by World Bank are clearly uns atisfactory. The method of measuring economic progress and income per capita as used by world ban is not the best. Wolf argued that population of a country does not reflect failure or difficulty in economic progress by highlighting India and China which are the most populated countries yet making positive economic progress. Average incomes of the world cannot be weighted by population and accurate results be found (Wolf, 2004). This is because even amongst the less and densely

Seismic Mitigation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Seismic Mitigation - Essay Example Recovery is sometimes defined as a return to pre-disaster conditions; or the term may refer to a community resembling its own characteristics in the absence of the disaster occurrence, in terms of population size or economic output. Another definition of ‘recovery’ â€Å"recognises that after a disaster, a community often undergoes significant change, so that it may never return to either the pre-disaster or without-disaster states† (Olshansky and Chang, 2009, p.201). This approach defnes ‘recovery’ as the post-disaster attainment of a stable state or condition. Thesis Statement: The purpose of this paper is to investigate seismic mitigation, post-disaster recovery, and reconstruction in regions devastated by earthquakes. Reconstruction and Recovery after Earthquakes The ‘Disaster Life Cycle’ model refers to the five time periods that comprise the life cycle of a disaster. These include the â€Å"pre-impact period, the impact period, the immediate post-impact period, the short-term recovery period, and the long-range recovery period† (Fischer, 1998, p.7). ... t-disaster recovery is a critical component of the disaster cycle, because also provides significant opportunities for mitigation† (Olshansky and Chang, 2009, p.201), and consequently helps to break the cycle. The reasons include the requirement for new construction, the flow of post-disaster funding, and the ‘window of opportunity’ of increased awareness created by the disaster. Smith and Wenger (2007) emphasize on the importance of developing an ethic of sustainable recovery. Stakeholders and their Role in Seismic Mitigation In present times, city planners prepare plans related to emergency response and preparedness issues, which were conventionally undertaken by civil defense or municipal emergency officers, states Edgington (2011). On the other hand, Meyer et al. (2010) and Sandnik and Fuller (2009) argue that planners do not take into consideration the likelihood of a major disaster, and that none of the stakeholders plan longer-term recovery and reconstructio n procedures. Although planning for urgent emergency response and short-term repairs to housing and infrastructure following earthquakes, floods, and other disasters is important, longer term building of cities and regions subsequent to catastrophic disasters raises a completely different set of problems. In contemporary disaster recovery practices, the emphasis is on complex problems regarding decision-making by the stakeholders involved in long term recovery, which include households, different levels of governmental and international agencies, businesses and the broader community. Planning professionals work towards rebuilding the regions and communities affected by seismic devastation. They aim to reduce the losses, to accelerate the process, and to assist communities in becoming more resilient to

HREEOC (Case Study) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

HREEOC (Case Study) - Essay Example The last held position was supervising teller. As the company requires teller, here the past experience of her can be neglected as it was not completely comprises of supervising tellers. Jake worked for part time in a fast food centre and completed his accountancy certification. This proves his dedication to his study and the nature of the work he prefers. As he was proved enthusiastic in the pre employment testing it is advisable to hire Jake instead of Mary. The employment law or case law does not hold for this type of cases and these types of rejections does not fall under EEOC practices. Pre-hire testing is considered as an effective risk management tool that has been proven to significantly improve productivity. Despite the widespread use of pre-employment testing, anxiety continues to surround the use of these tests due to legal issues, which are largely complicated and difficult to understand. Care should be taken in avoiding the adverse impact. Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, it is "unlawful for an employer to refuse to hire any individual, or otherwise discriminate against any individual with respect to his . . . employment, because of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin." With regards to pre-employment testing, Section 703(h) of the Act provides that "notwithstanding any other provision of this subchapter, it shall not be an unlawful practice for an employer . . . to give and to act upon the results of any professionally developed ability test provided that such test . . . is not designed, intended or used to discriminate because of race, color, religion, sex or national origin." Obviously, Title VII does not prohibit employers from the use of intelligence, skills or integrity tests in the workplace. There has not been a single case that found an employer's use of personality testing in the workplace resulted in the adverse impact of protected groups. As this case of Mary and Jake comes under the test of integrity and not under other cases, it cannot be considered under any of the criteria mentioned under the law which covers personality testing and brings legal tangles to employers. The employer can be free to select Jake avoiding the presence of se ntence stained Mary. 3. What would be the implications of either decision The consequences that are supposed to arise can be categorized into two types after the recruitment. 1. The sequences those are due to the work culture of the person recruited. 2. Possible legal tangles due to suing of the company by the rejected candidate, when he/she feels that he/she was rejected in unjustifiable manner. In the first case of consequences it is easy to suspect or predict that if Mary was recruited the embezzlement may take place even in this organization. As it is a bank and the misappropriation that takes place will leave a stain on its reputation. One cannot stand guarantee for a sentenced and bankrupted personality, that too when he/she was sentenced for willfully committed cheating or fraud. The same fraudulent practices cannot be ruled out if Mary was recruited. In the case of Jake as he was a fresher the company may think about his experience. But the specialization in accountancy makes him different from Jake and gives him an advantage

Should juvenile be tried as adults Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Should juvenile be tried as adults - Case Study Example After Jory and Jeremy left Scorchers the four men followed them to their car, where they attacked and robbed them. The scene turned violent when the men shot both Jory and Jeremy at point blank range. The suspects fled in a stolen car. Jeremy was shot in the head and shoulder and later passed away. Jory, shot in the back of the head, remained in critical condition at Metro Hospital, with bullet fragments lodged in his body. Seventeen-year-old Rafael King turned himself in the next day, and the police soon arrested the other three suspects in connection with the shooting. Rafael King was the youngest of all the suspects in the case, but had a long criminal history from the time he was twelve-year-old boy. Rafael is now awaiting trial for his role in this violent incident. The question has been raised whether Rafael should be tried as an adult or be given the considerations afforded a juvenile. When making the decision as to the appropriate court to try teenagers that are under eightee n, we should consider a certain set of standards before trying them as an adult. One of the first considerations that are examined in the case of a juvenile, potentially tried as an adult, is the type and severity of the crime. Cases that are exceptionally violent or result in a death are often the ones most likely to be sent to adult court. Children as young as 12 years old have been tried as adults in some states, and "nineteen states allow capital punishment for 16- and 17-year-olds, and more than 70 juvenile murderers are on death row" (Grace). According to Hernandez, "If a juvenile commits one of 30 felony offenses spelled out in the law, ranging from murder to witness intimidation, the law allows prosecutors to send the case to adult court" (3). This is an indication that the public is willing to lower the age requirement when a capital crime or serious offense is involved. According to Steinberg, "Most reasonable people agree that a small number of offenders should be kept out of the juvenile system because they pose a genuine threat to the safety of othe r juveniles, because the severity of their offense merits a relatively more severe punishment, or because their history of repeated offending bodes poorly for their ultimate rehabilitation" (1). The severity of the crime brings in several aspects and considerations. As Steinberg points out, housing a criminal that is capable of heinous violence is beyond the capability of the juvenile holding system. They are minimum-security facilities that are not designed for maximum security situations. There can be no reasonable expectation that the public will spend the millions of dollars required to overhaul the juvenile jails and make them more secure. It is more likely that they will continue to transfer these cases to adult court, where they can be housed without being a threat to the juvenile population. While the current crime and its magnitude is a prime consideration, the juvenile criminal's prior record needs to also be examined. If there is a long history of criminal activity that includes violence, then this could be a candidate for a transfer to an adult court. The philosophy behind the juvenile court system was to provide an environment where a youthful offender could be rehabilitated and reenter society as they grew into adulthood. State laws call for juveniles to be released at the age of 18 or 21 years old, and the juvenile records are sealed. In this way, the offender is given a

Definition of Public Relations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Definition of Public Relations - Essay Example However, in developing of an appropriate ‘public relation’ schedule, it is always important to picture how it will appeal to different people. This definition was provided by a female Military officer aged 33 years. A Community Health Officer defines public relations as the ability to foster and maintain mutually beneficial relationships between the community and county government. In the explanation, the officer attributes that public relation is very similar to ‘community relations.’ The health officer is male aged 45 years. A permanent secretary in the Ministry of Labor and Public Works attributes the fact that Public Relations is a management function, which aims at establishing and sustaining a self sufficient inter-link between the Ministry and the public on whom its success or failure depends. The permanent secretary is male aged 51 years. A female student aged 20 years, taking Bachelor of Arts (English & Journalism) defines Public Relations as an art of communication which can be between a firm, State, or an individual and the most suitable audience. A Marketing male student aged 22 defines public relations as the ability of an organization to communicate its activities, products, and services to customers in the right manner prescribed to them, right time, and in the right place. Public relations is purely a management function that aims at establishing and maintaining ‘mutual lines of communication, understanding, acceptance, and co-operation’ (Fawkes, quoted in Wilcox et al. 2003: 7) between a firm, government, or an individual and the general public. Because organizations are always concerned with maintaining a good public image, they assess public opinions, which can be relevant in solving problems, help in accepting and adapting to changes, identifying any warning elements to help anticipate trends, and promote ethical behavior. Newsom et al. (2012)

The Place of Female Vocalist in Jazz Band Essay

The Place of Female Vocalist in Jazz Band - Essay Example The essay "The Place of Female Vocalist in Jazz Band" discusses the relationship between jazz music and the Black people that have been strong over the years and several standards agreeable to comprising the Jazz genre of music. The paper also discusses if female vocalists have a role in the jazz bands.Most women have not familiarized themselves with the jazz culture hence they cannot bring out what is needed in a performance. Jazz is an area that has long standing culture. It relies on inspiration from the muses and not necessarily practice. Some years back, the position of a woman in society was to revolve around the kitchen and her career. The females were not exposed to jazz music so as to be in a position to learn the unwritten rules of the genre. The strong women, who try their take at jazz, do so by practice. The result of practicing for a jazz performance will not be as compelling as that performance by one who has intrinsically learned the rules of the game through experienc e. Inspiration is the primary key in staging a great jazz concert. The other social factor that spelled out women from jazz bands was the fact that many men had tried to master the culture of jazz without success. The failure arises from the lack of understanding that jazz music is an uncultured form passed from one person to the other through inspiration. Women of today cannot secure places in jazz bands since they copy other people’s material. The women who performed in jazz bands and succeeded were original in their compositions.

Gilberts short story The yellow wallpaper Essay Example for Free

Gilberts short story The yellow wallpaper Essay Gilberts chronical of her own descent into madness is set in a remote, isolated older home, with very beautiful surroundings, and more in particular and old nursery in which Gilbert is imprisoned for her own sanity. The ironic point is that it is the cure for her insanity that creates the insanity she ultimately adopts. The narrator is a repressed woman with nowhere to go except madness. As a parallel to Kate Chopins Story of an Hour in which death was the escape to freedom, Gilbert emphasizes that the narrators only escape to freedom was madness. The story is divided into time frames with each period detailling her descent into madness. In the first section it is wise to note that both John and her brother are prominent physicians and believe that she needs to be unstimulated in order to overcome post-partum depression, as was practiced by such prominent theorist as Sels Weir Mitchell, who was in fact Gilberts own physician at the time the story was written. ( as a side note: It is of interest to note that after reading Gilberts account of her own feelings in this short story, Wier Mitchell discontinued the use of rest therapy.) We discover in later time frames that John is in denial of his wifes deteriorating medical condition, mainly as a result of the societal stigmas of mental illness and the affluence of his status. The room that is the primary setting is very institutionalized and unstimulating. There is this dilapitated, detoriorating, smelly, yellow wall paper with a design representative of Gilberts madness, that eventually becomes her savior. As she succumbs to dymentia, the narrator has hallucinations of a women behind the wallpaper. The narrator becomes convinced this woman is trapped by the wallpaper but yet, manages to successfully escape even if only to slink around the shrubbery. The narrator identifies with the delusions, eventually forging with the delusion, making the separation of one from the other impossible. She describes in detail the horror of those around her as they become to realise the extent of the mental illness hidden in the narrator. The speaker  makes reference to feelings of paranoia that John and Jenny are going to somehow intrude on the relationship she has with the wallpaper, and admits that she liked the room inspite of the wallpaper, no because of the wallpaper. The wallpaper represent to the narrator., a chance for freedom and the cost was insanity, just as the intricate design that was a crime against all the rules of design that had been implied upon first consideration.

Effects of Imperialism in Africa

Effects of Imperialism in Africa In the 1880s, the scramble for Africa began, which brought destruction to the continent. Europeans helped Africa in many ways but it was primarily for their benefits too. The westerners arrived with a main purpose of gaining for themselves with no regards for the effects they imposed on Africa. Although countries like Equatorial Guinea and Morocco improved slightly due to the Europeans, other countries, such as Nigeria and South Africa, suffered greatly. Morocco didnt have roads before it became a French protectorate. Roads, buildings, and other infrastructures were constructed when the French arrived in the early 1900s  [1]  . Railroads were built too to facilitate trade and transportation. France got Morocco started with their industries by building mining plants and influencing their music, food, and culture. Modern day Morocco has a lot of French style bakeries and universities teach math and science in French  [2]  . What France gave to this striving nation helped them. Various infrastructures were constructed; their culture was enriched by the Frenchs, and modern day Morocco is heavily influenced by Frances lifestyle and language. France didnt only leave behind a positive legacy, Spain too left favorable impacts on Equatorial Guinea. Historian and author Tim Harry said that Equatorial Guinea achieved some of the highest literacy rates amongst local people anywhere in the continent  [3]  due to the effects of Spanish imperialism. This is an amazing contribution to the country in terms of education and as historian Tunde Obadina analyzed, Colonialism laid the seeds of the intellectual and material development in Africans.  [4]  Economically, Spain improved the country tremendously as they created more jobs and it resulted in Equatorial Guinea having the highest income per capita rate compared to her bordering countries  [5]  . With the help of both these European countries, small nations such as Morocco and Equatorial Guinea were able to develop and further narrow the economic gap between their nations and the Europeans. As France and Spain occupied Morocco and Equatorial Guinea respectively, Nigeria saw themselves occupied by the British in the mid 1800s. Lagos, a fishing village, was colonized and made into a port in the 1960s. According to British historian, A.G. Hopkins, from the University of Texas , The purpose of these moves was to suppress the slave trade and to encourage instead the rise of legitimate commerce  [6]  , it means that they would like to continue the trade system without requirement of slaves. They put a halt on the slave trade because they wanted to improve the Afro-European trading relation so that they would be able to extract and export palm oil and palm-kernels, which were palm tree products that grew a lot in Lagos. Their real intentions were to benefit themselves. To achieve this, they balkanized the different oil producing regions in Nigeria and forced the local people to export their oils so that the British could produce things like railways, soaps, cooking fats, a nd pharmaceutical products  [7]  . By 1900, 89% of the nations export was their oil  [8]  . Aside from a lost to their economy, the Nigerians suffered a great loss of their lands and people. Lt. Col. Yakubu Gowon, the Head of State back then said I receive complaints daily that up till now Easterners living in the North are being killed and molested and their property looted  [9]  . Not only did they lose their lands and people, the Nigerians rights were abused. To make governing easier and for the economic interest of the British, indirect rule and separate development policy were stationed in two sections of the country, one being in Lagos  [10]  . This created a large division in Nigeria as described by Sir Hugh Clifford, the Governor General of Nigeria (1920-1931), [Nigeria was] a collection of independent Native States, separated from one another by great distances, by differences of history and traditions and by ethnological, racial, tribal, political, social a nd religious barriers.  [11]  Each region of Nigeria developed different lifestyles and ideas. Furthermore, on the New Nigeria Newspaper in 1986, an Itobo Ojobo said that, It was the introduction of party politics by colonial administration that set off the fire of ethnic conflicts in Nigeria  [12]  , describing how the western powers elevated the conflicts in society. In 1967, the Biafrans wanted to fight for freedom and unification, thus began the Biafrans secession, more commonly known as the Nigerian Civil War. Britain sent over aircrafts to support the Nigerians and bombed densely populated towns and villages of the Biafrans. Scorpion tanks ran over troops, and flame throwers and gasoline bombs caused devastating effects that left the country and their people burned and wasted  [13]  . The civil war was so horrifying that the Red Cross members werent allowed in there for months. Famine and disease started developing fast and by the end of the war, over a million peo ple had died and thousands more were displaced into bordering countries  [14]  . The killings were so mass that historian Marcus Brooks described the scene as Burned, dismembered and mangled corpses littered villages, rivers, streams and everywhere else  [15]  . When the British left Nigeria, they left behind few rail lines, rudimentary infrastructure and a few thousand graduates, but other countries faced worst from their colonizers, like Mozambique, who had only about 40 graduates because of the Portuguese  [16]  . An evaluation of British imperialism in Nigeria would show that they took from the Nigerians for the improvement of their nation. They took Nigerias oil to produce products for their people and they banned slavery to improve relationships just so that they can continue with their export. When there was a revolt against their colonization, the British went all out on the African country, destroying lands and civilization. It took about 20 years to rebuild the nation. Economically, Nigeria lost a lot as the British exported a majority of their oils back to their home country and their nation was crushed by the war. Also, Britain contributed to the great seperation of Nigeria by dividing the nation through the oil producing regions. Nigeria lay in ruins because of the British. South Africa saw itself lay in ruins too due to British Imperialisms. The British wanted the fertile soils, diamond mines, and gold deposits of South Africa, but the Zulu tribe stood in their way. The British sent 30,000 troops led by Lord Chelmsford to battle the Zulu nation. As a result, 15,000 Zulus died reducing them to a small quantity. In the final battle in 1899, the British completely wiped out the Zulus and their civilization  [17]  . In effect, the rest of South Africa fell under British hands. Over in Kenya, the British fought and killed 12,000 Kenyans during the Mau Mau Rebellion, some of them died in confinement camps  [18]  . A few thousands more were displaced or driven away from the country, leaving their people scattered in neighboring countries. Europeans didnt only bring troops over, they brought diseases too. Rinderpest, a European livestock disease killed off 90-95% of the live cattle in Africa and other grazing animals  [19]  . The lack of grazing an imals changed the landscape that made it easier for tsetse fly to nest. The tsetse flies spread a sleeping sickness that killed about 200,000 Ugandans from 1902-1906  [20]  . African tribes were very dependent on their livestock; as a result, tribes like the Masaai in Tanzania lost two thirds of their population  [21]  . The livestock diseases also brought with it epizootic, a lung disease that hit many animals in South Africa  [22]  . Other diseases from the Europeans that affected the continent greatly were smallpox and malaria because the Africans didnt have much immunity to them. Disease became a huge factor in the deaths of the African continent, both directly and indirectly; without livestock comes no food, which leads to starvation. However, these werent the Britishs intentions. One of their main intentions of colonizing Africa was for their resources. Diamond mining was very profitable for the British in South Africa. They used slave labor force (the South Africa ns) to dig out the diamonds and left the higher and more important jobs like polishing the diamonds to the white people  [23]  . The mining was harsh work and that separated families, leaving women and children unsupported. Lands needed for mining displaced many people from their homes  [24]  . To make these lands appropriate for mining, erosion, and deforestation, flattening of mountains took place  [25]  . The mining released toxic chemicals that polluted the rivers and soils and the dust from the bulldozers and transportation caused air pollution. Families and lands were devastated. Over in Madagascar, French colonialism in 1986 caused deforestation when they started to modify the rice harvesting lands for the growth of coffee beans when the French found out they profited from the coffee more  [26]  . This resulted in a rice shortage in Madagascar in 1911. To feed themselves, the people started to grow more rice resulting in the burning and clear cutting of the fo rests, which destroyed it  [27]  . Although the country tried to improve things by prohibiting shifting cultivation, they permitted forest logging in 1921 which increased the number of deforestation and illegal cutting of trees resulting in roughly 70% of the primary forest destroyed in the 30 years between 1895 and 1925  [28]  . The French imposed policies that made Madagascar importers of foods, which displaced local people from their homes and the resources fell under the control of the French. Coffee plantations caused a lot of erosions and the fertile lands cleared for it and replaced with monoculture (for coffee) was unsuitable for plants and animals from the previous forest to live  [29]  . Lack of food resulted due to the loss of plants and animals. From wars, diseases, and human and lands abuse, the African continent and its people saw itself devastated by the French and the British. From a period of about 30 years, the scramble for Africa became the destruction of Africa. Spain left the fewest but most positive effects in the continent. France improved Morocco slightly but their colonization in Madagascar left the tiny island wrecked. Britain found themselves topping the destruction level of Africa. From Nigeria to South Africa, people, lands, and resources were greedily mistreated for the benefit of the powerful European island. Overall, the prints that the westerners left behind were an ugly sight.

Stalin Vs. Hitler Essay -- essays research papers

Run to the Top Josef Stalin, a politician from the earliest beginnings of his life, strove to achieve a national sense of power during his reign over the citizens of Russia. Adolf Hitler, however, a born high school dropout somewhat longed for a place in life. He rather fell into his role as a politician, after his brief shortcomings in arts and sciences. These two individuals developed varying ideas to put their controlling minds to work to lead their political parties in the direction of total domination of the state. In the beginning Josef Stalin was a worshiper of his beloved Vladimir Lenin. He followed his every move and did as he said to help establish and lead the Bolshevik party. Much of the early part of his political career was lost due to his exile to Siberia for most of World War I. It wasn’t until 1928, when he assumed complete control of the country were he made most of his success. After Lenin’s death in January 1924, Stalin promoted his own cult followings along with the cult followings of the deceased leader. He took over the majority of the Socialists now, and immediately began to change agriculture and industry. He believed that the Soviet Union was one hundred years behind the West and had to catch up as quickly as possible. First though he had to seal up complete alliance to himself and his cause. Stalin saw a need to sure up the allegiance to him by all who were under him. Therefore, he needed to fight out against those who opposed him. So for the rest of 1924, the Politburo continued to argue about the future of the Soviet economy. The fiercest argument was between Stalin and Trotsky over Trotsky's theory of permanent Revolution. Trotsky thought that Communism could not survive in the USSR alone. He argued that the capitalist countries of the West feared Communism and would try to destroy it. For this reason, he said, it was necessary to spread Communism to the countries of Western Europe and to their overseas colonies. This would be done by giving help to revolutionary groups and parties in Western Europe. Stalin put forward an opposite theory - the theory of Socialism in One Country. He argued that the USSR must always come first in the government's plans. The rest of the world must take second place. The Communists should concentrate on building up the economy of the USSR, not waste money on helping revolutionary groups abroad.... ...t still got over four million. This is the deviant plan which helped Hitler reach is ultimate goal of a complete governing power by himself with no one to question his authority. These two men were very demanding in obtaining what they thought should be the rule of a nation by their own personal control. Stalin and Hitler were very close in the same way that they had an aggressive vigor to force a type of commanding dictatorship into their respective countries. Each had a special army that they put in high regard politically to where they were considered special police agents. These armies were under different orders, but their main objectives were to stop anyone who opposed, or were thought to be in opposition to the head of state. Also, both Stalin and Hitler had ideas to improve the education levels and economic prosperity of their own countries, each trying to put their own at the top of the world in industry and commerce. Although Hitler and Stalin were opposed to each other’s own strategies and political stance on being a world dominator, they were very similar in the way to which they fought for political power. From the Hitler/Stalin book about 1200 page book comparison

Does The Pattern Fit? Essay -- essays research papers

Does the Pattern Fit? It has been said that Shakespeare follows a pattern when writing his tragedies that consists of eleven distinct steps. These steps explain how Shakespeare organized his works from beginning to end. There are, however, slight variations from play to play. The question is, does this pattern fit the tragedy of Hamlet? Shakespeare’s play The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark does fits the mentioned pattern. The first step is establishing the enveloping situation and the environment or world in which the action takes place. The atmosphere frequently involves or is accompanied by supernatural occurrences. Within the first couple of lines, it is evident that the story involves royalty. â€Å"Long live the King!† (A I, SI, L3) There is conversation among the guards involving a strange, recent occurrence. They have seen a ghost and are wondering if it will return. The very moment they are discussing it is the very moment that it appears to them again. â€Å"How now, Horatio? You tremble and look pale. Is not this something more than fantasy? What think you on’t?† â€Å"Before my God, I might not this believe without the sensible and true avouch of mine own eyes.† (AI, Si, L64-69) This is where the supernatural occurrence is presented. It is thought by the guards to be the ghost of the newly dead king, Hamlet’s father. The next step, which is the establishment of the political realm, comes directly after. Focusing on the main characters that will have an important part in t...

Faulkner’s Relationship with his Daughter as Displayed in the Film, William Faulkner: a Life on Pap :: Movie Film Essays

Faulkner’s Relationship with his Daughter as Displayed in the Film, William Faulkner: a Life on Paper In William Faulkner, a Life on Paper, Faulkner seemed to be more a father to the literary works he produced than he was to his true daughter (or to the niece/ward who appeared in the film). His daughter Jill Faulkner Summers spoke of him in much the same manner as did the other people interviewed in the film. From the residents of Oxford, Mississippi to Lauren Bacall, everyone seemed to have some interesting or entertaining anecdote to relate about Faulkner and his eccentric ways. His daughter and niece were no different. His niece relates a tale about Faulkner making up a family ghost; his daughter laughs about his drinking and recites the poem that signaled that a binge was coming. She quotes him as telling her â€Å"No one remembers Shakespeare’s child† when she criticizes his drinking, signaling a less than ideal relationship. All in all, although she perhaps provides more details about her father’s life, she really has no more to say about him than any other Oxford resident. Faulkner’s children, or daughters, were his literary masterpieces (and those not-so-masterpieces). People, even his family, did not seem to understand him, and he did not seem to care. He once said, â€Å"I can invent much more interesting people than God can.† Apparently, he believed this. Even though he always had several dependents, his emotional nurturing went into his writing not into his literal family. Jill states that he never willingly hurt or offended anyone but that he did not care about people and was not interested in ordinary people. His attention was devoted to his writing and the extraordinary people he invented in his fiction rather than the daughter he â€Å"invented† in his real life. The film seems to set this up as well. As much (possibly more) time is spent discussing the literature he produced as is spent discussing his family. Passages from his works are quoted at length, tying the imaginary to Faulkner’s reality. Even when simply discussing the plot of a work, a direct connection between the work and Faulkner’s life is implied. For instance, when the film focuses on As I Lay Dying, the narrator states that Addie’s wish to be buried with her â€Å"people† is a literal rejection of her husband and children. This immediately follows the narration about Estelle’s attempted suicide, linking this imaginary family with Faulkner’s real family.

Affirmative Action Essay

Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, â€Å"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.† This statement will always ring true especially on the subject of equal opportunity when it comes to employment and education here in the United States. It’s no secret that equality has been something America has always lacked, but at the same time has always been something America stood for. In fact it can be easily inferred that equality among all men has been something America has stride for since it gained independence from the British in 1776. Our founding fathers were the first to have this initial thought, that being best portrayed in the declaration of independence, which state’s â€Å"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.†(qtd. In declaration of independence) To me this means our founding fathers believed that every man from birth has the god given right to a life of liberty and the pursuit of happiness, but somewhere during Americas journey as a country it forgot it’s true creed and became it’s own tyrant preventing people from reaching their full potential while also denying it’s own citizens liberty and a pursuit to happiness. And although achieving equality in this country has been nothing short of easy with countless set backs and hypocritical ideas, equality among all its citizens is still something America does strides for, and nothing brings you direct equality quit like Affirmative Action does. If you consider affirmative action for its intentional purposes than Affirmative Action is very just, its purpose being to equalize the education and economic gap between minorities and causations. Although it is not a perfect method to achieving equality in this country, it is essential to accept it for why it’s been put into place and that it is all part of a process. Of course affirmative action is far from perfect and has a fair deal of problems, like promoting reverse discrimination while backing up negative stereotypes. I researched all of these aspects while pondering the question â€Å"is affirmative action still needed in today’s society?† In this paper I will be explaining what affirmative action is. The History behind affirmative action like how it all unfolded, who made it, and the history as to why it is in effect now. I will also list some pros and cons of affirmative action, how the United States could better affirmative action for the future and f inally a conclusion, which is my opinion on the topic. But what exactly is Affrimative action? Born of the civil rights movement three decades ago, affirmative action calls for minorities and women to be given special consideration in employment and education acceptance decisions. Universities with affirmative action policies generally set goals to increase diversity. Affirmative action decisions are generally not supposed to be based on quotas, nor are they supposed to give any preference to unqualified candidates. And by no means is affirmative action supposed to harm anyone through â€Å"reverse discrimination.† The purpose was to create equal opportunity for the people who had been unjustly treated in the past. It was set out to correct this wrong, and make it right. But at the same time too often is Affrimative action is looked upon as a solution for a nation once ill with, but now cured of, the evil disease of racial discrimination. Some would say Affirmative action is, and should be seen as, a temporary, partial, and perhaps even flawed cure for past and continuing discrimination. But all in all affirmative action is defined as â€Å"The positive steps taken to increase the representation of women and minorities in areas of employment, education, and business from which they have been historically excluded. When those steps involve preferential selection—selection on the basis of race, gender, or ethnicity† (Fullinwider) Of course affirmative action has a very deep history to it, and to why it was put into place. Now that you understand the purpose for which it was made, le t me explain who made it and why affirmative action was created. The history of Affirmative action, the first step in affirmative action was the creation of it. President John F. Kennedy first introduced it in 1961. The following is in sections to show the timeline of affirmative action in the begging stages of its creation: * March 6, 1961 Executive Order 10925 makes the first reference to â€Å"affirmative action† (Timeline) President John F. Kennedy issues Executive Order 10925, which creates the Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity and mandates that projects financed with federal funds â€Å"take affirmative action† to ensure that hiring and employment practices are free of racial bias. * July 2, 1964 Civil Rights Act signed by President Lyndon Johnson The most sweeping civil rights legislation since Reconstruction, the Civil Rights Act prohibits discrimination of all kinds based on race, color, religion, or national origin. (Timeline) * June 4, 1965 Speech defining concept of affirmative action In an eloquent speech to the graduating class at Howard University, President Johnson frames the concept underlying affirmative action, asserting that civil rights laws alone are not enough to remedy discrimination: â€Å"You do not wipe away the scars of centuries by saying: ‘now, you are free to go where you want, do as you desire, and choose the leaders you please.’ You do not take a man who for years has been hobbled by chains, liberate him, bring him to the starting line of a race, saying, ‘you are free to compete with all the others,’ and still justly believe you have been completely fair . . . This is the next and more profound stage of the battle for civil rights. We seek not just freedom but opportunity—not just legal equity but human ability—not just equality as a right and a theory, but equality as a fact and as a result.† (Timeline) * Sept. 24,1965 Executive Order 11246 enforces affirmative action for the first time (Timeline) Issued by President Johnson, the executive order requires government contractors to â€Å"take affirmative action† toward prospective minority employees in all aspects of hiring and employment. The rest of the affirmative actions timeline from here on out is mainly just Supreme Court cases, which can help define what exactly it can do and what exactly it can’t do. * In the 1978 Supreme Court case University of California vs. Bakke, a white male named Allan Bakke claimed reverse discrimination because he was rejected twice from medical school while less-qualified minority students were admitted to fill a quota that required 18 out of every 100 places be filled with minorities. The Supreme Court ruled against inflexible quota systems, but did not outlaw affirmative action as a whole.(Timeline) Most of the lawsuits were against Universities since many universities also adopted affirmative action programs in the 1970s. These programs were aimed at increasing black enrollment and the number of black faculty. None more notable then Jenifer Gatz law suit again the University of Michigan â€Å"Gratz vs. Bollinger and Grutter vs. Bollinger.† It ruled that affirmative action fulfills â€Å"a compelling interest in obtaining the educational benefits that flow from a diverse student body.† The purpose of affirmative action policy shifted from redressing injustice to promoting values of diversity. But even after all these deciding cases on affirmative action it’s still a heated matter of dispute. After much legislation and many Supreme Court decisions, affirmative action continues to be controversial (Legal History, Ongoing Debates section, para. 1). These controversies lead to questions, which can only be answered by understanding why affirmative action was put into effect in the first place. It is important to remember affirmative action is still a work in progress to achieve something much bigger than any one individual. People tend to forget that and the history to why affirmative action was put into place. It cannot be denied that America’s history is full of mistreatment of minority individuals. Women did not have a chance to vote for nearly a century and half after the birth of the country. African Americans were captured and forced into slavery, Although the Thirteenth Amendment ended institutionalized slavery in the United States in 1865, African Americans were not treated equal to whites in the eyes of the law for nearly another century, they were considered only one third of citizen. So with the two hundred years of slavery coming to an abrupt end a new regime or prejudices was to come into effect. Of course even after the end of slavery African Americans were consistently denied employment, housing, and education. In the south discrimination was a daily routine supported by â€Å"Jim Crow laws.†(Affirmative action) Unjust social statues and norms were passed in the 1800s that establish separate, inferior, public facilities, schools, waiting rooms, railways cars, and restrooms for African Americans through out the country. This has caused a domino effect on our society that still seen today. Those outrageous social norms were practiced in America until late in the civil rights movement when president JFK finally acknowledged the struggle for equality and the idea of Affirmative Action was born. After President Kennedy’s assignation, President Lyndon B. Johnson passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964. It banned discrimination on the basis of race, national origin, and sex in the areas of employment, public facilities, and government programs. The idea of equality in America, that every man is created equally was slowly and surly becoming more realistic, due largely to Martin Luther Kings efforts. Here are Dr. King’s own words on the idea of Affirmative action from his 1963 book â€Å"why cant we wait† King states: â€Å"Among the many vital jobs to be done, the nation must not only radically readjust its attitude toward the Negro in the compelling present, but must incorporate in its planning some compensatory consideration for the handicaps he has inherited from the past. It is impossible to create a formula for the future which does not take into account that our society has been doing something special against the Negro for hundreds of years. How then can he be absorbed into the mainstream of American life if we do not do something special for him now, in order to balance the equation and equip him to compete on a just and equal basis?† – Martin Luther King J.R (Wise) In his 1967 book, â€Å"Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?† King argued: â€Å"A society that has done something special against the Negro for hundreds of years must now do something special for him, to equip him to compete on a just and equal basis.†(wise) Continuing: â€Å"†¦for Two centuries the Negro was enslaved and robbed of any wages: potential accrued wealth which would have been the legacy of his descendants. All of America’s wealth could not adequately compensate its Negroes for his centuries of exploitation and humiliation. It is an economic fact that a program such as I propose would certainly cost far less than any computation of two centuries of unpaid wages plus accumulated interest. In any case, I do not intend that this program of economic aid should apply only to the Negro: it should benefit the disadvantaged of all races.†- Martin Luther King J.R (Wise) It is clear that these are some of the reasons why Martin Luther King J.R and others thought affirmative action should be and eventually was put into effect. A large part as to why affirmative action is in effect is so Compensation can be made to those who are at a disadvantage due to past racial biases and predjedism. You should now have a better idea as to what exactly affirmative action is, what it’s intentions are, the history behind who made it and the deeper history as to why it is still in effect and why it was originally put into effect. Affirmative action is however a major controversy in the United States, ever since it’s beginning, the concept of affirmative action raised difficult questions. â€Å"Many civil rights activists see affirmative action as a necessary step in achieving equality for groups that had faced discrimination in the past. However, critics of affirmative action argued that individuals should be treated on their own merits without regard to color, national origin, or sex.†(Affirmative Action) The Benefits of Affirmative Action â€Å"The one benefit of affirmative action is to correct past discriminations such as the mistreatment of women and slavery. This remedial justification of affirmative action recognizes that wrongs have been committed in the past and acknowledges a moral obligation to set things right† (Affirmative Action – Pros and Cons, The Origins Of, Legal Treatment Of, Political and Social Debates, The Future, Pros and Cons section, para. 1). It is important for injustices to be redressed. â€Å"Slavery and institutionalized racism have not been redressed yet in America and around the world. In order for justice to be served, it is necessary for the main losers of racism in America (African Americans) to be compensated for their loses through affirmative action.† (Affirmative Action) And affirmative action does just that, not in the sense of giving physical money, but through opportunities in education and in life. The following are the benefits affirmative action provides: Affirmative action has provided many opportunities for students from diverse backgrounds and income levels who ordinarily would not be considered for admission to colleges and universities. This means that the pool of talent coming out of the higher education system is larger and better able to contribute as productive members of the workforce. Affirmative action has had a profound effect on employment hiring and promoting practices. Historically, â€Å"close to 90% of all jobs are filled without being advertised, with the majority of positions going to friends, relatives, or acquaintances of company employees.†(Wise) This is often the case with a lot of jobs. Unfortunately it can boil down to whom one knows not what they know. The result of this practice is that employers often end up with employees who are not the best person for the job if it were properly advertised. Affirmative action has encouraged many companies to engage in employment practices that set minimum standards of job definition, recruiting, outreach, and evaluation that result in choosing the right person for the job. Finding the right person for the job or the promotion is critical in letting business efficiently utilize the workforce and allow each person to reach his or her full potential. Diversity in itself is desirable, it has been since the birth of this country, but it won’t always occur if left to chance. But when affirmative action is working like its initial purpose was intended too miraculous things can happen, and there are good facts to back that up. â€Å"Between 1981 and 2001, the total number of degrees awarded to Native Americans rose by 151.9% because of affirmative action policies.† (Patterns) Also, from â€Å"1982 to 1995, there has been an increase in the percent of black managers from 5 to 7 percent. Hispanics have shown a 3 percent increase from 5 percent in 1982.†(Patterns) Affirmative Action has been successful in providing minorities with opportunities. â€Å"At the same time a recent study has shown a person with a white sounding name has a 50% more change of getting a call back from a interview than those with black sounding name even when qualifications are indistinguishable.† (Tim Wise) Again equality is desirable but it won’t always occur if left to chance. â€Å"Eliminating affirmative action can lead to the re-segregation of higher education. When affirmative action was outlawed at the University of Texas in 1995, the number of black students at the UT Law School dropped from 65 in 1996 to 11 in 1997 and Latino student enrollments have been cut in half since the decision.† (Patterns) this isn’t necessarily a pro, but interesting enough. With affirmative action being banned in Texas the number of white students also dramatically increased while the number of Asians skyrocketed. I guess the best-qualified applicants where accepted. Here is a statistics that shows why affirmative action is still needed. For â€Å"every dollar earned by men, women earn 74 cents, African American women earn 63 cents and Latina women earn 57 cents.† (Patterns) This unjust statistics will continue with out the help of something like affirmative action. It is the reality inequalities like this that suggest maybe affirmative action should be left alone till equality is fully reached or a better solution is thought of.

Merton Truck Co

Case Analysis: Merton Truck Company Linear programming techniques can be used to not only determine the best production mix, but also to provide clues and data suggesting ways to improve profits. In 1988, Merton Truck Company was searching for ways to increase profits and ultimately its poor financial performance. Options being considered included changing their product mix by either removing or adding a product line, or renting capacity. In the following pages, the product mix and capacity options considered by Merton are evaluated, other factors and alternatives are discussed, and final recommendations are provided. Product Mix Based on the financials in 1988, Merton’s president suspected that discontinuing their Model 101 would result in stronger financial performance. With unit costs of $40,205 (including fixed overhead) and a sales price of $39,000, each sale of Model 101 resulted in a $1,205 loss. However, the president did not consider that fixed overhead (OH) was being allocated across all units, and the discontinuation of Model 101 would increase the overhead applied to Model 102. In reality, the $8. M in monthly fixed overhead exists regardless of the product mix and does not need to be allocated on a per unit basis to determine overall profit or financial performance. Therefore, fixed overhead was not considered until the end of each evaluation. In order to evaluate any alternative, we need to compare to current profit. Utilizing the data from Tables B and C to obtain production costs per unit as well as fixed overhead, Merton is currently making a profit of $1. 9M (Exhibit 1A). Since it was the specific request of the president, the impact of discontinuing Model 101 was evaluated. The first step was to determine the capacity of producing only Model 102, which is as follows based on Table A: Engine Assembly4,000 hours / 2 hours per unit = 2,000 units Metal Stamping6,000 hours / 2 hours per unit = 3,000 units Model 102 Assembly4,500 hours / 3 hours per unit = 1,500 units The resulting capacity of 1,500 units is the same as the current production level, so it was suspected immediately that discontinuing Model 101 would likely have a negative result. Without an increase in sales, discontinuing Model 101 would only result in increasing the fixed costs for Model 102 without increasing the revenue. As seen in Exhibit 1B, this would indeed result in a $1. 1M monthly loss for Merton. This is a phenomenon known as the death spiral, when the discontinuation of a seemingly unprofitable product causes otherwise profitable products to become unprofitable. Merton should continue to use that extra capacity to produce Model 101 to generate additional revenue and help absorb costs. The impact of making only Model 101was evaluated by determining the capacity using Table A: Engine Assembly4,000 hours / 1 hour per unit = 4,000 units Metal Stamping6,000 hours / 2 hours per unit = 3,000 units Model 101 Assembly5,000 hours / 2 hours per unit = 2,500 units As shown in Exhibit 1C, producing 2,500 units of Model 101 results in a $1. 1M loss. However, since the bottleneck is the Model 101 Assembly, additional capacity remains to produce Model 102 units: Engine Assembly1,500 hours remaining / 2 hours per unit = 750 units Metal Stamping1,000 hours remaining / 2 hours per unit = 500 units Model 102 Assembly4,500 hours / 3 hours per unit = 1,500 units Exhibit 1D shows that producing 500 units of Model 102 results in a $1. 4M profit; however, Merton is still better off in its current situation. In the current analysis, it is assumed that Model 102 Assembly cannot be used for Model 101, a logical assumptionsince Merton specifies the department where Model 103 will be made. However, if Model 102 Assembly can be used for Model 101, the bottleneck then becomes Metal Stamping at 3,000 units x $3,000 CM = $9. 0M – $8. 6M = $0. 4M profit. In a similar fashion, the ability to use Model 101 Assembly for Model 102 would also drastically change the impact of discontinuing Model 101. The bottleneck for producing only Model 102 would then become Engine Assembly at 2,000 units x $5,000 CM = $10. 0M – $8. 6M = $1. M profit. So far an improved product mix has not been identified, so linear programming was used to identify the production mix that would maximize profits using the following objective function: To maximize c1x1 +c2x2 Where: x1 = Number of Model 101 trucks to produce x2 = Number of Model 102 trucks to produce c1 = Contribution margin of Model 101 (excluding fixed costs) c2 = Contribution margin of Model 102 (excluding fixed costs) The contribution margins (CMs) were calculated in Exhibit 1 as: c1 = $3,000 c2 = $5,000 Subject to Constraints: Engine Assemblyx1 + 2Ãâ€"2 ? 4000 Metal Stamping2x1 + 2Ãâ€"2 ? 000 Model 101 Assembly2x1 ? 5000 Model 102 Assembly3x2 ? 4500 Negativityx1,x2 ? 0 Each constraint was graphed as a line by setting each variable to zero, and then determining which side of the line satisfied the equation by plugging in points (such as the origin). Once the relevant range of all the constraints was determined, the extreme points were clearly identified. The extreme points corresponding to the non-negativity, Model 102 Assembly, and Model 101 Assembly constraints were easy to identify, and the rest was determined by simultaneously solving the equations of intersecting lines. Exhibit 2 shows the graph, including the values in USD obtained when the extreme points are plugged into the equation. Many of the values were in accordance with expectations as they corresponded to the earlier analyses. The optimal product mix was identified as 2000 units of Model 101 and 1000 units of Model 102, which would generate $11. 0M – $8. 6M fixed costs = $2. 4M profit. The same result was obtained when the analysis was done in Excel Solver (see attached Exhibit 3, Model 101 & 102 Solver Results). The binding constraints seen in Exhibit 4 are no longer the Model Assemblies s seen with earlier combinations, but are now the Engine Assembly and Metal Stamping departments. The optimal product mix for Merton given their current product mix and constraints has been determined, but Merton is also considering the addition of a new Model 103. The values for contribution margin (CM) are given as well as the portion of departmental capacity required to produce 103. Based on the capacity information, it was determined that Model 103 would require 0. 8 hours of Engine Assembly, 1. 5 hours of Metal Stamping, and 1 hour of Model 101 Assembly per truck. The constraints and objective function were modified with these new values and run in Excel’s Solver, which determined that Model 103 should not be produced (Exhibit 5). Exhibit 6 provides a sensitivity report indicating a reduced cost of -$350, meaning that the CM of Model 103 would need to increase by $350 before it would make sense for Merton to begin producing Model 103. Capacity Options Given the capacity limitations seen thus far, it is a fair conclusion that increasing capacity may present an opportunity. In the optimal solution, there are limitations in both Engine Assembly and Metal Stamping. If one or both of these was increased, this could have a strong positive impact on profit. By referring to the sensitivity report for the optimal solution found in Exhibit 7, we see that Engine Assembly and Metal Stamping have shadow prices of $2,000 and $500 respectively, which means that an increase in one unit of capacity would result in the corresponding increase in profit. If Merton can rent capacity for less than the shadow price for either department, it should. Note that for each, this is only true for 500 units before the scenario would require reevaluation (see the allowable increase in Exhibit 7). Also, only one variable or department can be increased. If both are modified, the shadow prices may no longer hold true. Merton also has the option of increasing engine capacity by 2,000 hours using overtime. This would also result in a 50% increase in direct labor or: Model 101$4,000 current from Table B x 1. 5 = $6,000 (reducing CM by $2,000) Model 102$4,500 current from Table B x 1. 5 = $6,750 (reducing CM by $2,250) In the overtime tab (Exhibit 8), we add two additional variables epresentative of overtime production o1 and o2, including an additional constraint representing the maximum of 2000 hours. As seen in Exhibit 8, Solver has determined that overtime should be utilized to produce 250 additional units of Model 102. However, fixed OH has not been included in the calculations until afterwards as it does not impact the optimal solution, only the net profit. In this case however, the fixed overhead increases by $0. 75M to $9. 35M if overtime is utilized. Therefore, the $9. 35M is subtracted from this result and compared to our previous optimal solution net profit of $2. M. This was done in Exhibit 8, resulting in a net profit of less than $2. 4M. Therefore, Merton should not assemble engines on overtime under these conditions. Other Factors, Alternatives and Considerations Merton’s president would like to impose a marketing mix constraint requiring Merton to produce at least three times as many units of Model 101 as units of Model 102. By adding this constraint to the analysis in Exhibit 9, the marketing mix moves to producing 2,250 units of Model 101 and 750 units Model 102, and a net profit of $1. M . The marketing constraint hinders the potential total net profit by $500,000 because at optimal production levels, Merton will be able to produce a total net profit of $2. 4M. There are several other options th at Merton did not consider. Renting capacity from an outside supplier was one alternative, but a similar option would be to simply outsource (at a rate less than the shadow prices discussed earlier). It is also mentioned that at present, demand is great enough that the company is selling everything it produces. How much greater than supply is the demand? If it is much greater, Merton should consider raising its prices to reduce demand. If demand is expected to continue, Merton should also evaluate the ROI of investing in capital and permanently increasing capacity as an alternative to renting or outsourcing capacity. Merton should also consider the impact that learning curves and technology may have on their production process. As the Model 101 and 102 life cycle continues, the company should see a reduction in time and costs associated ith every aspect of the truck manufacturing process as a result of learning curves. It can be reasonably estimated that labor hours per vehicle will be reduced due to learning curves (which result from staff experience and familiarity with the production process), and that Merton will therefore be able to increase the total volume of vehicles produced. Technology could also play an important role in reducing the time and costs needed to produce the vehicles, so it is important that Merton maintain a watchful eye on new production methods and machinery. Investments in technologies can reduce the firm's fixed overhead costs and increase profits and improve productivity. In addition, technologies can help reduce the costs of designing, developing, and manufacturing a product which can help the firm to improve product quality and to charge a higher price. Conclusion Merton’s president was absolutely correct in his supposition that the company could improve its financial performance by changing their product mix, though wrong in his initial thoughts on which actions to take. The value of linear programming techniques in evaluating possible solutions is clear, particularly in that it quickly provides clues of other options to consider (such as adding additional Engine Assembly Capacity). Based on the information provided here, further recommendations for Merton would be to (1) immediately change the production mix to 2000 Model 101s and 1000 Model 102s, (2) evaluate anticipated demand and the impact of a capital investment to increase capacity, and (3) seek quotes for capacity rental or outsourcing Engine Assembly.

Reason of Apple’s Success

The Success Of Apple: Above And Beyond Its Technology Over the weekend I was in an Apple store in northern New Jersey. It made me very uncomfortable. See, I’m a PC guy. A staunch Windows user, from Windows 3. 1 to 95 to 98 to NT to XP to Vista (ouch) to the current Windows 7 (did I miss any? ). However, I’m dabbling in the dark side, using an iPad (in addition to other devices such as a BlackBerry Playbook and a few Android phones). On a recent trip I broke the glass of my iPad. Hence my trip to the Apple store.As I was waiting for someone from technical support (called the Apple Genius bar) to help me, I observed Apple up close and personal. Here are a couple of things I noticed that have, no doubt, played key roles in Apple’s success. Happy staff = happy customers The whole staff was excited and happy to help customers. I observed one young lady in particular, an Apple staff member, who continually and genuinely smiled as she helped customers. She warmly greete d one customer after another and helped them work through their problems with a spark of excitement.Another lady adorned in big earrings and big glasses reminded me of a concierge at a high-end New York hotel. Friendly, professional and excited to help. In another incident, a customer came in and had a question about using her product in another country. I overheard an Apple manager suggest to a staff member that he call someone in the country to which the customer was headed, to get the answer she needed! How many retailers would take the time to make a phone call (to another country! ) to help out a customer on the retail floor? A chaotically smooth in-store processOver the course of my life, I’ve had the privilege of being around several U. S. Presidents. For obvious reasons, there is always a lot of commotion, activity and security around the President. However, all of this fuss is carefully choreographed by the U. S. Secret Service, the White House advance team and other s. To an outsider it might look like confusion, but as you look closer you see there’s a very detailed plan of action in place. This is how it was in the Apple store. Their were dozens of customers milling around, all with different needs.There were customers with pre-scheduled appointments at the Genius bar, walk-ins in need of technical support, those simply making retail purchases and people trying out new products—and everyone saw immediate attention from passionate and very knowledgeable staff members. What was also interesting was that all of the sales staff on the floor had the ability to process credit card sales with their iPhones, an innovation that is not seen at most retailers. Instead of standing in line for the cashier, the cashier comes to you and processes your transaction on the spot: pretty neat (and efficient). Also Case Study will describe why Apple Inc. is a very successful company.So what happened with my cracked iPad? Since the iPad was relatively new, the Apple representative said he would make an exception and gave me a new one. The entire process took about 10 minutes. I was fully expecting to pay $200 to get it fixed. So I was pleasantly surprised. Clearly, Apple’s products are well designed, easy to use and fun. However, the products are only one part of Apple’s success. The other part is the ease of doing business (that is, making the purchase and receiving support) that Apple delivers so harmoniously to its customers Reasons Apple Is So Successful One of the more interesting questions I get asked about as an industry analyst who’s followed Apple since 1981 is why Apple is so successful. It’s an honest question because to those unfamiliar with Apple, the company’s rise and current dominance in non-PC devices is somewhat puzzling. Most people have a working understanding of the fact that Apple lost the PC wars to Microsoft, and only nominally understand that when Apple created the iPod and then the iPhone, the company started to go in a new direction.And anyone who’s gone into an Apple store knows full well that Apple’s customer service and stores represent the gold standard for selling and supporting tech gadgets. But beyond that, the reasons why Apple is really successful are still a mystery to many. (MORE: 50 Best iPhone Apps 2012) There are plenty of books about Apple that talk about everything from Steve Jobs’ history to tenets of Apple’s business models to secrets about Apple’s internal-management ideas.However, after years of watching Apple up close and personal and having to deal with every one of their CEOs, as well as interacting with various Apple execs over the years, I would like to suggest that the reasons the company is successful can be boiled down to six key principles that make it very hard for competitors to compete with Apple. 1. For any product that Apple creates, the people who create it have to want it themselves So many times with projects I do with other tech companies, the goal is almost always based around the technology first, followed by whether or not people really want to use it.Geeky engineers are dazzled by the technology at their disposal and often create something because they can. But Apple’s approach is quite different. The engineers who are creating Apple products actually make them for themselves. And Jobs was the chief â€Å"user† of Apple products when he was alive. All of Apple’s products are based on the fact that Jobs represented the real customer. And his engineers had to come to grips with that when designing a product. It has to be something that they personally couldn’t live without. 2. The products have to be easy to useJobs was a stickler on this point. While industrial design is a critical component of any product Apple makes, if it is not easy to use, it is considered worthless to the consumer. This is what drove the company’s user-interface designs from Day 1 and is still the mantra pushed to the software and hardware engineers every day they go to work. All of the products they create have to be intuitive and easy to understand and learn. As technology has become more intricate and users want more features, the task of keeping things simple is sometimes difficult.And Apple creates tools for power users and rookies, which can mean a broad range of ease-of-use issues. But even with that, Apple is the only company I deal with where ease of use is more important than the product itself. Apple makes this a critical goal of its approach to creating anything for the market. (PHOTOS: The Apple II Turns 35) 3. Keep things simple I was in Paris in the past two weeks and had talks with various French telecommunications officials about many mobile-computing issues. But one conversation I had in particular emphasizes this keep-it-simple point.We were discussing how to compete with Apple — a major pastime for all Apple competitors and carriers these days — when the question of why Apple is really successful came up. And one exec nailed it when he said he felt that the real reason Apple is successful is because it has one product; in this case the iPhone. It minimizes the decisionmaking process for the consumer by making things simple. The person speaking was with a carrier in France, and he said that in their stores, they have to have as many as 25 different models of phones available.That makes it hard for his staff to be really knowledgeable about all of them all of the time, and their customers just have too many options to choose from. But Apple only has one iPhone model, and anyone who has gone into an Apple store understands that every staff member there knows a great deal about each of the four major products carried in its stor es. Apple doesn’t have five iPhone models to choose from; it has only one. While this may seem limiting given the amount of smart phones available to users, the truth is the reverse.Our company has done consumer research for over 30 years, and consumers constantly tell us that while choice is nice, in reality they want the process of choosing a tech product to be simple and not complicated by a plethora of choices. Yes, there are tech-savvy people who like more choices and sometimes even like complexity, but from years of experience as a market researcher, I can tell you that in the end, the majority of users are not tech-savvy, and keeping things simple for them is a plus. Apple understands this in spades and is never tempted to add multiple versions of an iPhone, iPad or even more than one or two types of iPods.This makes buying an Apple product simple. And consumers seem to appreciate this considering the huge number of iDevices that are sold each year. I know the tech med ia and techies are the most vocal about this issue of choice, but in the end, while choice is good for competitive pricing, what nontechie consumers really want is simplicity. (MORE: The Inventor Of the Future) 4. Offer great customer service and in-store experiences Jobs understood one of the major conundrums of technology: even if you create products that are easy to use, the variety of things that people want to use technology for often creates complexity.Because of this, consumers at all levels may need some hand holding from time to time. I was one of the most vocal critics of Apple when it introduced its first retail store in Tokyo in 2002. I thought it was crazy for Apple to try and go into retail. At the time, and even today, tech retail stores are in decline while big-box stores like Costco and Walmart sell products on price and nothing else. I thought that if price were the issue, an upscale retail store would be DOA. Wow, were other naysayers and I wrong about Appleâ€⠄¢s retail strategy. Apple uses this conundrum to its advantage.Because it keeps product SKUs simple, the salespeople inside the stores know the products really well. Notice that when you go into an Apple store and are greeted by one of the sales staff, you’re not asked, â€Å"How can I help you? † Instead they ask, â€Å"What would you like to do today? † They go right to the heart of any technology user’s question, a question that’s always related to what they want to do with the technology the user is interested in. And once you explain your needs, they take care of it on the spot in most cases. Or if you need more hand holding, they turn you over to the Apple Geniuses.No wonder 50% of people buying Apple products are new to Apple. Apple’s products are simple to understand and use, but if you do have a problem, Apple can take care of it at their stores or over the phone quickly. (PHOTOS: Apple Announces New iPad) 5. Apple only makes a pro duct if Apple can do it better Apple normally doesn’t invent a new product or product category. Sure, the company did invent the first commercial PC with the Apple II, and the Mac improved on PCs with a graphical user interface and mouse input. But since then, all of Apple’s other products have been recreations of existing products.Apple did not invent the MP3 player; Apple reinvented it and made it better. Apple did not invent the smart phone; Apple reinvented it and made it better. And Apple did not invent the tablet; Apple reinvented it and made it better. As Apple designer Jonathan Ive said recently, â€Å"Our goals are very simple — to design and make better products. If we can’t make something that is better, we won’t do it. † Clearly, Apple applied that thinking first to iPods, then smart phones and more recently, to the iPad. 6. Apple stays at least two years ahead of its competitors This is the one that scares Apple’s competi tors the most.While those competing with Apple are just getting products to market that are competitive, Apple is already working on the products at least two years out. For example, the new iPhone that will most likely go to market in October was designed and signed off on two years ago. And the iPhone the company is working on now is for the fall of 2014. The same goes for the iPad. The new iPad that we will most likely see next March was signed off on two years ago. The one that’s being worked on now we will probably see in 2015. This is a nightmare for Apple’s competitors and will continue to be for some time. (MORE: What Would Steve Jobs Do? Besides having geniuses in design, software and retail, Apple also has the cash to invent components, manufacturing processes and things like that, which almost makes it impossible for the competition to make any real headway against Apple. And don’t let the fact that Android has become the No. 1 smart-phone operating s ystem make you think that it’s the big winner. Yes, Android has gained ground by the sheer numbers of companies and products pushing Android. But the real measure of success is in the profits, and Apple is making as much as 70% of all the profits in smart phones and about 85% of the profits in tablets.Just ask any Android competitor which they would like more, market share or profits. You’ll get the answer relating to the real measure of success in this market. These six principles may seem a bit simplistic given the fact that Apple also has great software, industrial design and a powerful ecosystem of content, apps and services as part of the company’s success equation. However, I can tell you that from my three decades of following Apple, it’s these six key principles that are what really makes it successful.And as long as it adheres to them, it’s pretty likely that Apple will continue to grow and command a relatively large share of the market in the company’s product categories where it competes. Bajarin is the president of Creative Strategies Inc. , a technology-industry-analysis and market-intelligence firm in Silicon Valley The secret of Apple's success: simplicity Apple's success – driven by the vision of Steve Jobs – has been to distil its ideas to their essence. By contrast, too many companies are overly complicated [pic] Steve Jobs speaks during an Apple special event in 2010 in Cupertino, California.Photograph: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images Apple's package-design team had just returned from its presentation to Steve Jobs, and the faces told the story – they had that â€Å"things didn't go exactly as we planned† look. â€Å"The suspense is killing me,† I said to the project leader. â€Å"How'd it go this morning? † â€Å"Well,† he said, â€Å"Steve hit us with the Simple Stick. † Translation: Jobs had rejected their work – not because it was bad bu t because, in some way, it failed to distil the idea to its essence. The person leading the project had directed the team to create packaging for two versions of the same product.Jobs had decided this was brain-dead. â€Å"Just combine them,† he said. â€Å"One product, one box. † There was no need to explore the idea of a second package. He was right. It was simpler, quicker, better. The conversation was over in minutes, and it left one very smart and talented group of people wondering why they hadn't thought of that before. The Simple Stick symbolises a core value within Apple. Sometimes it's held up as inspiration; other times it's wielded like a caveman's club: a deep, almost religious belief in the power of simplicity. If you're prepared to do battle with complexity, you'll have no trouble finding a fight.Chances are you're surrounded by it. Unless you work in the rarest of environments, complexity lives inside your organisation's hierarchy, its goals, and probabl y most of your colleagues as well. If your company ever fails, you can be sure it won't be the fault of simplicity – it will be the result of its absence. Think brutal Clarity propels an organisation. Not occasional clarity but pervasive, 24-hour, in-your-face, take-no-prisoners clarity. Most people never perceive that this is lacking in their organisation, but 90% of the time it is. Just open a few random emails, activate your â€Å"brutal-vision†, and read.The muddying messages are rampant. If people were brutally honest in their emails, the time we spend sorting through our in-boxes would surely decrease by half. Steve Jobs demanded straightforward communication from others as much as he dished it out himself. He'd cut you off if you rambled. He ran his business as if there were precious little time to waste, which well reflected the reality for Apple – as surely it does for any company serious about competing. This is probably the one element of Simplicity t hat's easiest to institute. Just be honest and never hold back.Demand the same from those you work with. You'll make some people squirm, but everyone will know where they stand; 100% of your group's time will be focused on forward progress – no need to decode what people are really saying. There is a general perception that Jobs was the nasty tyrant who demanded allegiance, barked commands, and instilled the fear of God in those around him. While Jobs certainly did exhibit these behaviours, this portrait is incomplete. The man could also be funny, warm, and even charming. There is a huge difference between being brutally honest and simply being brutal.You can't let yourself be talked into going along with something when you know it can be better. Ever. To settle for second best is a violation of the rules of simplicity, and it plants the seeds for disappointment, extra work, and more meetings. Most disturbing, it puts you in the worst possible business position: having to def end an idea you never believed in. Your challenge is to become unbending when it comes to enforcing your standards. Mercilessly so. If you submit only the work you believe in 100% and approve only the work you believe in 100%, you own something that no one can take away from you: integrity.As often happens in life, one must often suffer the consequences of doubting before becoming a believer. I'm not proud of it, but that's the way I learned my lesson about standards. There was a certain amount of theatre that went on inside Apple. The rules were well known, and a number of dramas played out with predictability. That Jobs was intolerant of stupidity is a matter of record. He wasn't at all polite when stupidity reared its ugly head. He especially wasn't fond of employing stupidity, so if you were on Apple's staff and wanted to retain that status, it was wise not to display your lack of smarts in a meeting with him.You'd just set him off and get it right between the eyes. A former App le senior staffer remembers a routine that he saw played out often during his time as a direct report to Jobs. He calls it â€Å"the rotating turret†. There was no predicting when it would happen, as it depended on how conversations evolved. But in some meeting, at some random time, some poor soul in the room would say something that everyone in the room could tell was going to light Jobs's fuse. First came the uncomfortable pause.The offending comment would reverberate in the air, and it would seem as if the entire world went into slow motion as Jobs's internal sensors fixed on the origin of the sound wave. You could almost hear the meshing of gears as his â€Å"turret† slowly turned toward the guilty party. Everyone knew what was coming—but was powerless to stop it. Finally, the turret would lock on to its target. In a split second Jobs would activate his firing mechanism, and without a second thought he'd unload all his ammunition. It was uncomfortable to wat ch and even more uncomfortable to experience, but at Apple it was just a fact of life.Think small How many overpopulated meetings do you sit through in a year? How many of those meetings get sidetracked or lose focus in a way that would never occur if the group were half the size? The small group rule requires enforcement, but it's worth the cost. Out in the real world, when I talk about small groups of smart people, I rarely get any pushback. That's because common sense tells us it's the right way to go. Most people know from experience that the fastest way to lose focus, squander valuable time, and water down great ideas is to entrust them to a larger group.Just as we know that there is equal danger in putting ideas at the mercy of a large group of approvers. One reason why large, unwieldy groups tend to be created in many companies is that the culture of a company is bigger than any one person. It's hard to change â€Å"the way we do things here†. This is where the zealots of simplicity need to step in and overcome the inertia. One must be judicious and realistic about applying the small-group principle. Simply making groups smaller will obviously not solve all problems, and â€Å"small† is a relative term.Only you know your business and the nature of your projects, so only you can draw the line between too few people and too many. You need to be the enforcer and be prepared to hit the process with the Simple Stick when the group is threatened with unnecessary expansion. In one iconic technology company with which I worked I found a framed sign in every conference room designed to nudge the employees toward greater productivity. The headline on the sign was how to have a successful meeting. The content read like it came right out of a corporate manual, which it likely did.It featured a bullet-pointed list of things like: â€Å"State the agenda at the start of your meeting,† â€Å"Encourage participation by all attendees,† and â⠂¬Å"Conclude your meeting with agreement on next steps†. What these signs really said, though, was: â€Å"Welcome to a very big company! Just follow these signs and you'll fit in well. † It's not hard to imagine Jobs, who actively fought big-company behaviour, gleefully ripping these signs off the wall and replacing them with Ansel Adams prints that might provide a moment of reflection or inspiration. If you ever work at Apple there will be no signs on the wall telling you how to run a meeting.Likewise, there will be no signs telling you how to tie your shoes or fill a glass of water. The assumption is that you are well equipped with brains and common sense and that you're a fully functioning adult. If you're not already a disciple of simplicity, you'll become one soon. Either that, or you'll decide you'd rather not be part of such a thing, which is okay too. Simplicity prefers not having to train a bucking bronco. If big companies really feel compelled to put something on their walls, a better sign might read: How to Have a Great Meeting 1. Throw out the least necessary person at the table. . Walk out of this meeting if it lasts more than 30 minutes. 3. Do something productive today to make up for the time you spent here. Think clarity This is an area where just about every business needs more work. Words are powerful, but more words are not more powerful – they're often just confusing. Understand that in your company's internal business and in communications with your customers, dissertations tend to drive people away. Though many writers never seem to grasp the point, using intelligent words does not necessarily make you appear smarter.The best way to make yourself or your company look smart is to express an idea simply and with perfect clarity. No matter who your audience is, it's more effective to communicate as people do naturally. In simple sentences. Using simple words. Simplicity is its own form of cleverness – saying a grea t deal by saying little. Think human Unless you're in the business of sterilising things, business is no place to be sterile. Have the boldness to look beyond numbers and spreadsheets and allow your heart to have a say in the matter. Bear in mind that the intangibles are every bit as real as the metrics – are often even more important.The simplest and most effective way to connect with human beings is to speak with a human voice. It may be necessary in your business to market to specific target groups, but bear in mind that every target is a human being, and human beings respond to simplicity. Best advice: Just be true to your species. This is an edited extract from Insanely Simple: The Obsession That Drives Apple's Success by Ken Segall (Portfolio Penguin, ? 14. 99) or at Guardian Bookshop for ? 11. 99 Doing business the Steve Jobs way It's natural for people to be resistant to change, large or small, so trying to change attitudes within an organisation can be difficult.But when you spread the word about the value of simplicity you are not spreading some oddball theory, you're echoing one of the most successful people in business history, Steve Jobs (right). If you refer to the benefits Apple has enjoyed by embracing simplicity, and make the appropriate parallels to your own business, you'll build a compelling case. You can spread the religion of simplicity project by project, by interacting with people and groups one at a time. Getting people to buy into a concept to the point where they start contributing their own ideas can literally create a movement within an organisation.Simplicity is a way of looking at every part of your job, the jobs of those around you, and the way your company operates. Once you start seeing the world through the lens of simplicity you'll be astounded at how many opportunities exist to improve the way your business works What are the Keys to Apple’s Success in Emerging Technologies? by Bill Halal [pic]Apple did not co me by its present success easily. Before the iPod, iPhone, and iPad became profitable icons of high-tech fashion, Steve Jobs suffered a long series of failures.Apple’s Pippin game player, the Next computer, Apple TV, the Lisa computer, the Newton PDA, and the Apple mouse are among the many products that are barely known because they were dismal flops. For many years, there were serious doubts if Apple could survive the battles it was losing to competitors like Microsoft. In contrast, Apple is now expected to sell 30 million iPads in 2011 — two-thirds of all tablet computers sold globally. Although the iPhone is fighting off 90 different smart phones, Apple’s sales are up 60% and could reach 100 million iPhones in 2011.The source of this staying power is seen in the fact that the Apple iPhone has the highest consumer satisfaction scores ever recorded. Apple’s profits exceed those of IBM, and it is considered one of the most Innovative and valuable companie s in the world, Such stunning success always raises questions over its origins. How did a struggling company run by a charismatic but somewhat erratic CEO learn to excel in the brutal battle among emerging technologies? Can the factors of this success be identified and used to guide others? The most striking conclusion about Apple’s rise is that Steve Jobs learned bitter but crucial lessons from failure.After years of autocratic leadership, dismal sales, and temperamental behavior demoralized the company, John Sculley became CEO in 1985 and Jobs was sent into the computing wilderness. For 12 years, he suffered losses such as the Next computer, which was overpriced and sold only 50,000 units in seven years. When Jobs returned to head Apple, he had learned to focus on good design, to treat people well, and to develop winning strategy. Tim Bajarin, president of a consulting firm, said â€Å"[Steve Jobs] would not have been successful if he hadn’t gone through his wildern ess experience. The main lesson from Apple’s success, however, is the central importance of focusing on strong products that are well-designed for the market. Jobs is a genius at minimalist designs that integrate technology breakthroughs to fill a newly emerging need with unusual style. He thinks success requires â€Å"listening to the technology† in order to â€Å"discover† the potential products waiting to be invented. The result can be seen in the way Jobs describes the attraction of the iPad – â€Å"It’s like holding the Internet in your hands,† he told a crowd. It’s so much more intimate than a laptop and more capable than an iPhone. It’s truly magical. † This keen sense of anticipating where emerging technologies are leading comprises the central talent that allowed Jobs to create revolutionary breakthroughs like the first personal computer (Apple 1), the first graphical interface (Mac), the first Unix PC (Next), th e first successor to Sony’s Walkman (iPod), the first online music store (iTunes), the first widely used smart phone (iPhone), and the first successful tablet (iPad).Serious processes are needed to closely follow advances in technologies that will impact your organization and to find creative new solutions for the market. That’s why Apple does far less conventional product research than other companies, and focuses instead on product discovery. Here’s how Jobs described his approach: If I had asked someone who only used a calculator what a Mac should be like, they couldn’t have told me. There’s no way to do consumer research so I had to go and create it, and then show it to them. Behind such great products, Apple thrives because it has been described as a â€Å"well-oiled machine. † Jobs learned to delegate, so his COO, Tim Cook, now runs a tight ship, and a cadre of managers and designers have learned to â€Å"think like Steve. † The company has outsourced its manufacturing operations, while 317 Apple stores are wildly popular and profitable. The Apple music store – iTunes – has expanded into a powerful vehicle for trading videos, movies, and possibly other information products.Even with these stunning achievements, Apple faces enormous new challenges as competition among other smart phones and tablets heats up. There are at least 20 versions of Android phones alone, slowly taking Apple’s market share. In 2011, Americans will buy more Androids than iPhones. The main issue, of course, is what happens when Jobs’ illness requires a successor? Despite claims that Apple has institutionalized practices that foster creativity, innovation, good design, and other legacies of Steve Jobs, it is really impossible to replace true genius. When Jobs returned from the wilderness to save Apple, John Sculley