The Thomas Jefferson Presidency Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Thomas Jefferson Presidency - Essay Example The first way is to assess the presidency of Thomas Jefferson based on how writers during or close to the period viewed the presidency. The other way is to assess it on the basis of two key indicators: 1) economic growth and economic management data during the period; and 2) political institutional data associated with his rule. Of the former, a good indicator can be provided by the inaugural statements of President Thomas Jefferson himself. ... land, traversing all the seas with the rich productions of their industry, engaged in commerce with nations.† 7 Perhaps, the best indicator of what eight years of the presidency of Thomas Jefferson have brought to America is the presidential inaugural address of James Madison in 1809. Speaking on 4 March 1809, after 8 years of the rule of Thomas Jefferson, Madison said that the US national prosperity was â€Å"at a height not before attained.†8 Madison also pointed out that under the Jefferson administration â€Å"†¦the fruits of a just policy were enjoyed in an unrivalled growth† of United States faculties and resources.9 According to Madison, the proof of the unrivalled growth can be seen â€Å"in the improvements of agriculture, in the successful enterprises of commerce, in the progress of manufacturers and useful arts, in the increase of the public revenue and the use made of it in reducing the public debt, and in the valuable works and establishment eve rywhere multiplying over the face of our land.† 10 It is clear, therefore, that we have a good and a reliable basis to say that President Thomas Jefferson has been successful as a president of the US and his achievements can be considered as extraordinary during his time as he was credited to have expanded the United States territory through the Louisiana Purchase. The success of Thomas Jefferson is also supported by solid data. One piece of such data is growth in gross domestic product in real 2005 terms. This is documented by MeasuringWorth, a data collection institution in the internet. Figure 1 from the website is illustrative. Figure 1. US GDP in real terms, 1795 to 1820 Source: http://www.measuringworth.com/datasets/usgdp/graph.php It is clear from the MeasuringWorth data that the US real GDP data was on the

Drug Screening Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Drug Screening - Essay Example It directs that Federal grantees and Federal service providers shall, following forbidden strategy, look forward to set up a drug-free workplace. (Randall G. Kesselring & Jeffrey R. Pittman). Disturbed with the economic expenses of drug use, many employers, following the lead of the military and the Federal organization, have established drug screening. There are numerous types drug screens offered. The urine screen permits the detection of drugs but can just settle on that an employee has used a specified substance, currently or in the past. It is not perfect enough to conclude destruction or whether the employee was under the pressure of a given material at the time of the test. Therefore, leisure or very infrequent drug users could be distinguished, although they don't use it while they are at work. Urine tests are not used for detecting alcohol. Even though suitable for alcohol, since alcohol is rapidly excreted from the body, the urine tests are not helpful for long period of time after ingestion. Blood tests are measured as more persistent than urine screens. Significantly, however, blood tests calculates the quantity of alcohol, including other tested drugs, prese nt at the time of the test and, using well-known standards, in official procedures to give proof as to whether or not the employee was under the influence. Nowadays, blood tests are mainly kept for alcohol related problems. Nevertheless, saliva and hair tests may shortly enter the work place as less intrusive methods of identifying drug use. The legality and reliability of these processes has not as yet been recognized to a degree sufficient to permit their customary use in the workplace. Only for alcohol, not other drugs detection, the use of a breath-alcohol process is becoming a typical practice. It can identify blood alcohol level, providing an estimation of present mutilation.There are several types of drug screening programs such as "Analytical Drug Tests." The test classify whether an entity has taken or been exposed to drugs are carried out by the study of a biological specimen. Some drug tests are obtainable for use in an on-the-spot format and can distinguish one or more d rugs at the same time, whilst other tests are carried out with laboratory based examination. The kind of test chosen for use might also depend on the biological sample that will be used for the study. On-the-spot tests are used as a testing device. Drug tests that are of a typical admissible as proof, have to date been based on laboratory examination. However, there are three basic forms of workplace drug testing. Pre-employment screeningsPre-employment screening programs are used most widely. Some of them also necessitate drug testing of present employees who desire to shift to more responsive positions. Testing is generally done with the employee's full former knowledge. Pre-employment screening is used to validate the accuracy of an employee's alleges in addition to find out any probable criminal history, workers reimbursement alleges or employer sanctions. There are a lot of corporations that offer pre-employment screening services. Pre-employment screening is the procedure of using psychometric testing, background checks and drug testing to verify the background and identity of employing a new employee. Background checking is a well-liked process of pre-employment screening. Random testingRandom drug testing is used by a rising number of

The Golden Age Of Athens

The Golden Age Of Athens The Golden Age of Athens, the Age of Pericles, and Pentekontaetia are all names for the time period when Athens reached its height of power and prosperity. It began in 478 B.C. and lasted for approximately fifty years until 431 B.C. In the beginning of its so-called Golden Age, Athens was just coming out of the Persian Wars as leader of the Delian League, and they were beginning their rise to power. At the end of this prosperous era, Athens had made huge advancements in their government, architecture, art, literature, science, and philosophy. Their accomplishments in these areas influence essentially every aspect of society today. Before the Golden Age, Athens was like other city-states in Greece. They were not the superpower of the country; in fact, they were not very significant at all during this time. Athens was located on the peninsula of Attica, and it was the only part of mainland Greece that remained Ionian and did not submit to the Dorian invasion. After the Dorian invasion, Athens did not have a Democracy; they had an oligarchy like many of the other city-states in Greece. In Athens, the Acropolis which was the highest part of the city, was the first site of settlement because it was easily defendable with its steep slopes. Eventually, a central fortress was built, and it encompassed the city. The first law code of Athens was created in 621 B.C. by Athenian nobleman Draco. However, this law code was harsh and only favored the oligarchs, and there were rules such as: a creditor could enslave a debtor if they didnt repay the debt, and the death penalty was given for the smallest crimes. Eventually, in 594 B.C., Solon changes Athens laws. He abolished all of Dracos harsh rules, and he gave citizens a larger voice. Solon created the first Assembly; however, poor citizens were not allowed to hold government jobs. He also helped establish the idea of Democracy, although Athens would not become a full Democracy until 5th Century B.C. The Greeks fell under Persian rule, but although they were not enslaved, they had to pay taxes and annual tributes to the Persians. In 499 B.C, the Ionian Greeks, led by Aristagoras, revolted against Persian rule. There were several battles between the Greeks and the Persians before they were independent once again. The first major battle was the Battle of Marathon fought in 490 B.C, and it was essentially between Athens and Persia. At this time, Athens did not have the strong fleet that it had during its Golden Age. The Athenians needed help, so they sent Phidippides, a professional runner, to ask Sparta for help. Yet, the Spartans did not send soldiers until well into the war, and the battles outcome looked bleak for the Greeks. However, hope was not lost for the Athenians; they received help from Plataea, who sent 9,000 men to join the Athenians at Marathon. The Greeks used the hoplite formation to defeat the Persians. At the end of the battle, 6,400 Persians died, whereas the Athenians only lost 192 men. Phidippides was then sent from Marathon to Athens to alert the Athenians of their victory. The run was a little over twenty-six miles long, and he died immediately after giving the good news. Today, the marathon races run today represent Phidippides journey and they are held in honor of him. It was David versus Goliath, with little David winning. Furthermore, for the first time, a battle was fought on which our whole modern way of life seemed to dependà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ If the Athenians had lost at Marathon, Athens would have been destroyed, and then (many people think) Greece might never have gone on to develop the peak of its civilization, a peak whose fruits we moderns have inherited [Isaac Asimov, pg. 104 ]. Another important battle of the Persian Wars was the Battle of Thermopylae, which was fought in 480 B.C. 7,000 men were led by King Leonidas of Sparta, and his 300 Spartans were the backbone of the army. This battle was mostly between the Greeks (led by Sparta) and Xerxes, the Persian leader. The Greeks lost the battle because of a Phocian traitor that told Xerxes a way around the mountain pass they were stuck in. Although every soldier died fighting, their valiant battle inspired the Greek lovers of freedom, who continued fighting against the Persians. There were other battles like Salamis, Himera, Mycale, and Plataea, and all of these were victories for the Greeks. Finally, in 478 B.C, the Persian War ended, and the Greeks were free from Persian rule. After the Persian War, Sparta and Athens emerged as the two most powerful city-states in Ancient Greece. However, Sparta became extremely jealous of Athens because the Athenians had received most of the credit for the victory against the Persians. The Confederacy of Delos, or the Delian League, was an alliance of Greek city-states formed during the Persian War that was headed by Athens. Yet, although many of the city-states were involved in the alliance, most of the money from the Delian League was used to glorify Athens. The Spartans were upset that Athens was using all of the money, and also because of the fact that they were not the head of the League, so they formed their own alliance called the Peloponnesian League. In time, Spartas jealousy and growing dislike of Athens became so great that a civil war broke out, which led to the downfall of Athens Golden Age. Athens great Golden Age began in 478 B.C. and lasted for Fifty Years. This period of peace, prosperity, and progress in every aspect of culture and science flourished under the leadership of Pericles. Pericles was an aristocrat from a pro-democratic family, so it was natural that he believed in and supported democracy. He was a good speaker and planner of Athens policies. He commanded the military and carried out foreign policies of the people; he was not only respected by the people, but also by his colleagues. Pericles encouraged the arts and built great public buildings, such as the Parthenon. The Greeks, specifically the Athenians, were happy with what Pericles was doing with Athens. By making Athens seem more beautiful to other countries, Greece seemed to be more respected by the world. Pericles seemed like somebody who would be comfortable around others, especially because he was such a charismatic figure. However, he avoided social activities and had very few friends. His one passion in life was for politics; he never mentioned gods or any sort of piety. Pericles was a well-educated and honest man that did not accept bribes or abuse his power. This led the Athenians to like him even more, and he had more power than a king or a tyrant would have had. It was this power that allowed him to bring Athens to its height and turn it into the foundation of Western Civilization. Pericles favored equality for all in Athens, excluding women of course. He passed a bill that gave a salary to jurors, which allowed the poor to serve. He also eliminated laws that allowed only the rich to hold a high office and paid officials, which permitted all citizens of all social classes to participate in the government. Pericles strengthened Athens by building walls from the city to Piraeus in order to safely move food and supplies. These walls became known as the Long Walls, and it was completed in 458 B.C. He was the very basis of Athens Golden Age and after his passing, life in Greece would never be the same. Their most glorious age had reached a sudden end, and their most terrible ordeal was about to begin [Don Nardo, pg.]. While leading Athens during its Golden Age, architecture was very important to the Greeks. Pericles believed the citys greatness should be seen by the world, so he supported major construction of great structures. He had the Acropolis built, and its buildings contained Doric and Ionic columns. These were made of marble, and they represented the strength and grace of the Athenians. On top of the Acropolis was the Propylaea, or entrance way. The Propylaea incorporated traditional, Doric, and Ionic styles. It was designed by architect Mensicles circa 437 B.C. Another structure on top of the Acropolis is the Erechthium, which is the Temple of wingless victory. Perhaps the most famous building from the Golden Age was the Parthenon. This structure was built in 447 B.C., and was the spiritual center of Athens. It was designed and built by architect Ictinus, Callicrates, and sculptor Phidias. The Parthenon was a temple dedicated to Athena, Goddess of Wisdom, and it was Doric in style. The building was a symbol of Athens power, and demonstrated the blessing the city received from the Gods. It is 237 feet long, 110 feet wide and 60 feet tall. It denotes harmony and symmetry in the way that the building is completely symmetrical. According to Greek Scholar John Miliadis, the Parthenon is more the work of inspiration than of calculation. It is a new vision of life, the vision of classical Athenians. Phidias was a friend of Pericles, and died in prison because of the aristocrats of Greece that disliked him. He was believed to be the greatest sculptor during Pericless Age. He carved a 525 foot frieze, which is a band of sculptured figures, around the perimeter of the Parthenon. He also sculpted a statue of Athena Parthenos, which stood 40 feet tall, and was composed of wood, ivory, and over 2,500 pounds of gold. The appearance of Athens was extremely important to its people, and this was clearly displayed through its architectural projects. The Parthenon, the Erechthium, and the Propylaea were all clear examples of Athens power and greatness. Pericles believed that Athens was the leader of the Greek World, and therefore, they had the responsibility of showing the world how cultured they were. Much of the money from the Delian League went into the building projects of Athens. Most members of the League were not upset about this however; on the contrary, they were somewhat glad that Athens was representing Greece well. Art was also a significant part of Athens Golden Age. The purpose of their art was to preserve something visible, such as an idea or a feeling, by revealing its most prominent component. Greek sculpture was intended to be displayed in public places, which meant that it had to be worthy of the gods. The style of art shifted from Archaic to Classical. The most important change in the art style may have been in the poses of the sculptures. Before, the sculptures were a bit in stiff, unrealistic poses, and the faces of the people always seemed very calm. However, in Classical art, the poses of the sculptures were much more natural, and their faces depicted various kinds of emotion. This style of art focused on balance, completeness, proportions, and realism. Sculptors would try to create the perfect person that would be almost god-like. The ancient Greeks believed that the closest thing to perfection was the young athletic human body of a male. There were fewer structures of women than men, and their bodies would always be clothed. The mindset of the average Greek from this time period was: women are not equal to men; therefore, women cannot be anywhere near perfection. This kind of attitude was the reason why there were fewer works of art of women. Like architecture, Greek art during the Golden Age was very important in representing their country to the world. The phenomenal artwork heightened the worlds respect for the Greeks, which was what any country wanted. The Greeks, particularly the Athenians, believed that is they showed the world how cultured and sophisticated they were, their country would be seen as superior and more powerful. The sculptures of Athens Golden Age also captured the beliefs and ideas that people had at the time. They believed in beauty, balance, and harmony, which were clearly depicted in their art. Drama and literature was another area that flourished during the Golden Age. During this time, tragedies and comedies emerged, along with poems and epics. Poetry was regarded as almost a second religion, in the way that many people respected this type of literature. Poets would write about anything that they believed was appropriate to write about. The epics usually featured a hero, and its plot was both exciting and tragic. Famous epics include The Iliad and The Odyssey which were written by the blind poet, Homer. Two of the most prominent types of ancient Greek plays were tragedies and comedies. Tragedies were very serious and intense, and they often showed man as uncertain, fragile, and dangerous. The relationship between God and mans relationship was often seen in tragedies. These tragic plays were based on serious themes which came from history and mythology, such as Aeschyluss The Persians. The greatest writers of tragedies were Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides. Aeschylus lived around 525 B.C., and he fought at the Battle of Marathon, Salamis, and Plataea during the Persian War. He was the first person to use dialogue in plays, and he was also the first to use costumes, high shoes, and masks. Aeschylus wrote well over 90 plays, however only seven of them have survived. It was through his experience in the Persian Wars that he was able to write The Persians. Sophocles lived around 495 B.C., and his most famous play was called Oedipus Rex. He wrote over 100 plays, but like Aeschylus, only seven of them exist today. Euripides lived circa 484 B.C., and he was interested in human psychology. He had his characters talk in everyday language unlike Aeschylus and Sophocles. Although he wrote over 92 plays, only 18 of them have survived. Tragedies usually had very dreadful endings, with the main characters punished for any action they choose. These plays were performed in an amphitheater, where the acoustics amplified the actors voices. They used masks not only to portray their expressions, but because the mouthpiece of the mask was shaped like a megaphone, which further magnified their voices. More tragedies have survived than comedies, and they all contain universal themes such as love, hatred, revenge, duty, and morality. On the other hand, comedies were optimistic plays that usually focused on human flaws and allowed the audience to laugh at their own mistakes. They were full of slapstick gags, and they lacked cultivation by todays standards [Don Nardo, pg. 75]. Comedies usually involved music and dancing, and they would often include current events. Comedies were also performed in amphitheaters, and they would also be performed at festivals celebrating Dionysus, God of Wine, along with several tragedies. Aristophanes lived in roughly 448 B.C., and he wrote most of the surviving Greek comedies. His weapon was biting wit and sharp satire against the weaknesses of the time and against individuals of whom he disapprovedà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ [Isaac Asimov, pg. 135]. These individuals included everybody from rich people to poor people, and even extended to politicians as well. He wrote approximately 40 to 50 comedies, but unfortunately, like all of the other Greek dramatists works, only a number of them have not perished; 11 to be exact. Greek drama was the main form of entertainment for the ancient Greeks. They had no televisions or movie theaters to go to, so they watched plays instead. Not only were these dramas entertaining, they were both informative and a way for people to express themselves. Greek drama taught valuable lessons such as what the most important things in life really are, and they also taught people about human flaws. Ancient Greeks also learned to have a voice because of drama, which correlates to the type of government they had. The Golden Age of Greece also brought the first known historian in the world, besides its other accomplishments. This man is also referred to as the father of history, and his name is Herodotus. Herodotus began the system of writing down history texts, and if it were not for this historian, much of ancient Greeces history may not be known. Herodotus goal was to preserve the memory of the past by putting on record the astonishing achievements both of our own and of other peoples; and more particularly, to show how they came into conflict [Don Nardo, pg. 76]. Science made great advances during the Athens Golden Age. The progressions in science provided a hypothetical basis for all happenings. Science was necessary for many things such as architecture; matter, space, and motion; math-specifically geometry; and even music. Scientists and mathematicians were the first Greeks to not rely on Mythology to explain the happenings of the world, and they used information from ancient Egyptians and Mesopotamians to help them. However, the Greeks did not use experiments to find out how things work. Rather, they investigated the world around them and observed, guessed, and discussed their ideas with each other in order to reach a conclusion. One of the most famous scientists was Hippocrates of Cos. He lived in 460 B.C. and introduced medicine into 5th Century B.C. Hippocrates collected data and made inferences. He also experimented on animals to learn physiology, which helped the Greeks deal with fractures and head wounds that resulted from wars. Hippocrates founded the first rational theory of medicine, one that did not depend on gods and demons. It is for this reason that he is often called the father of medicine. [Isaac Asimov, pg. 136]. He believed that illnesses were not caused by gods, but that these were excuses doctors used when they were too embarrassed to admit that they didnt know the cause of a disorder such as epilepsy. There were also many other scientists and mathematicians of ancient Greece that accomplished many things. One of them, Leucippus, believed that matter was composed of tiny particles, and not substances that could be divided infinitely. He was the first person to ever suggest this, and his views were carried on by his student, Democritus. Democritus then began to call these tiny particles atoms, and his views on atoms were very similar to modern views on them. However, other Greek scientists were not yet ready to accept his ideas, so naturally, they shot them down. There was also Eudoxus, who established that a year was not exactly 365 days long, but was six hours longer. Heraclides, a Greek astronomer, was a student of Plato that was the first person to believe in the rotation of the Earth. Aristarchus was also another astronomer, and he suggested that Earth and all other planets revolved around the Sun, but this too, like Leucippus and Democritus views, was unaccepted by other astronomers. Pythagoras was a mathematician that lived in the 6th Century B.C. He introduced the Pythagorean Theorem, which is used to find the length of a side of a right triangle if two lengths are given. He also believed that what separated humans from animals was reason. Science changed Athens and the Greek world by allowing people, for the first time, to realize that not everything depended on the gods and goddesses of their myths. People began to question everything around them, instead of leaving everything up to the will of the gods; and this would eventually reach out to other parts of the world. As a result, of science becoming more prominent in Athens, people were more educated about themselves and the world that they lived in. One of the most important achievements Athens made during its Golden Age was in its government. Athens created the first democratic government the world had ever seen. Meanwhile, other Greek city-states such as Sparta had an oligarchy. Their oligarchy consisted of a small group of aristocrats that made important decisions for Sparta, and the rest of the citizens were equal. The main difference between these two types of government was that in Athens democracy, all citizens had the right to vote, and each vote counted as much as anybody elses vote. Athens democracy was a direct democracy, meaning that its citizens spoke for themselves and not through representatives. Their type of government valued law, order, and freedom. Every citizen, from the poorest man to the richest one, was allowed to hold office. All decisions were made by the Assembly, which consisted of any Athenian citizen that wished to participate. This group met 40 times a year, and they made decisions like fees for public service, which allowed the poor to hold office. There was also the Boule, which was a 500 man council that met daily to discuss issues that were urgent, and they also prepared the Agenda for the Assembly. As a result of Athens change in government to democracy, more Athenians gained equal rights-besides women and slaves, though, they were not considered citizens of Athens. The differences in rights between the social classes in Athens grew very small, which naturally angered those in the upper class. The important matters of the city were decided by its people; however, some people doubted the judgment of those who were less educated. Nonetheless, Athens democracy continued to expand and strengthen as the Golden Age went on. The Greeks idea of liberty was the freedom to do or realize his full potential, speak freely, and make decisions without interference [C.M. Bowra, pg. 12]. However, the beginning of the Peloponnesian War brought an abrupt end to the Golden Age. It began with Sparta declaring war on Athens in 431 B.C. and ended with Athens surrender in 404 B.C. Spartas hatred towards Athens increased over time, until finally; they could not contain their animosity anymore. Greek city-states did not get along very well; they were separated by their mountainous geography, which resulted in different governments, cultures, and customs. The difference was particularly great between Athens and Sparta in everything from their government to what they valued the most. What angered Sparta the most was that Athens received all the credit for defeating the Persians during the Persian War; and this further increased tensions between the two city-states. The war began when Athens imposed a trade embargo on Megara, an ally of Sparta. They refused to let any Spartan ally trade in any ports belonging to the Delian League. Most of the ports were controlled by the Delian League, which meant that Spartan allies essentially had nobody to trade with. The Megarians began to starve as a result of this embargo. Pericles goal when imposing the trade embargo was to discourage the Spartans from war. However, his plan was disastrous, and resulted in Sparta declaring war on Athens. Sparta was in control of the greatest army in Greece, and they decided to use this to their advantage. The Spartans did not want a long and drawn-out war because that would result in many casualties and put a great strain on their city-state. They marched an army of 35,000 hoplites into Attica, and destroyed the entire countryside, leaving people in fear and chaos. Sparta cut off Athens grain supply, hoping to force them to surrender, but the Athenians were well supplied behind the Long Walls. The Spartans wanted to keep the war on land because of their strong military, and they continued to attack Attica relentlessly every year. Athens, meanwhile, had a better navy and treasury than Sparta. While Pericles was in charge during the Peloponnesian War, he ordered all people to retreat behind the Long Walls. He was aware that trying to defeat Sparta on land was near impossible, so he planned to fight on the water. By having all of the Athenians behind the Long Walls, they would be able to receive supplies from cargo ships and hopefully tire out the Spartan army. Pericles plan worked throughout the first summer of the war, and when the Spartans left in the winter, the Athenians went back to their homes. The enemy attacked in the spring of 430 B.C., and the Athenians were forced to retreat behind the Long Walls once again. However, this time, there was something far more dangerous than the Spartan army that was attacking Attica; and this was disease. A fast-spreading plague struck the Athenians and killed approximately 20% of the population. The plague lasted for four years, and after many people had died, the Athenians decided to leave the protection of the Long Walls and fight the Spartans. Unfortunately, Pericles was a victim of the plague as well, and his death in 429 B.C. left Athens weak and divided. Pericles death left several people vying for power over Athens. Among these people were Cleon and Nicias. Cleon wanted to fight Sparta until the Athenians reached a total victory. Nicias, on the other hand, favored peace. Cleon won power over Athens, but soon died in battle. Nicias saw this opportunity to influence Athens to make peace, but Sparta and its allies refused peace and they continued to fight Athens without mercy. Eventually, Athens surrendered to Sparta in 404 B.C. after its fleet was destroyed at Thrace. The Spartan fleet cut off Athens remaining lifeline, which forced the Athenians to put an end to the war. The Spartans were not happy with just winning the war, though. They forced Athens to give up its fleet and foreign possession, take down the Long Walls, and change their cherished democracy into an oligarchy. After a while, the Athenians were allowed to restore their democracy, but the damage was done-their Golden Age came to an end. The Peloponnesian War left Athens devastated; the land was completely destroyed, the food supply was scarce; and the physical resources were nearly completely gone. The war is best known through Thucydides, an Athenian general. He wrote about the war in great detail, and was not biased; he wrote only about the facts of the war. No one could have guessed that the conflict would bring about Pericles downfall, the end of the Fifty Years, and the exhaustion and cultural decline of all the city-states, [Don Nardo, pg. 80]. The Peloponnesian War stripped Athens of its power and greatness, and left Greece vulnerable to any foreign invasions. With the end of the Peloponnesian War, the Athenians were faced with the grueling task of rebuilding their city-state. People began to look for a principle that explained why things are the way they are, which began the rise of philosophy. The ancient Greeks believed that philosophy and science came from the same branch of study; which is why scientists proved things using logic and reason. Philosophers were travelling teachers that wanted to learn the truth and sought wisdom through different methods. The three most famous philosophers of ancient Greece were Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. Socrates was the earliest of the Greek philosophers, and participated in the Peloponnesian War. He was born in 469 B.C. and he lived as a very plain and poor man. During the Peloponnesian War, he came to the conclusion that Man-not the universe-was the enemy of man. He believed that everybody knew more than they thought they knew, and he also believed that mans conscience was a better guide to right conduct than what society said. His method of teaching was by asking questions, and has come to be known as the Socratic Method. Socrates was proclaimed the wisest man in Greece by the Oracle of Delphi after stating, All I know is that I know nothing. Despite being the wisest man, he was unpopular among the Athenians. He was arrested on three charges at the age of 70. The first charge was for corrupting the youth; the second charge was for not believing in the citys gods; and the third was for introducing new deities to society. He was brought before a 501-man jury in 399 B.C., convicted of corrupting the youth, and then sentenced to death. He was convicted by the slim majority of 281 to 220 Athenians. Socrates had several opportunities to break out of jail, and yet, he refused to do so. He did not want to break the law by breaking out of jail, so he stayed in his cell, drank the poison hemlock, and died. Many people today believe that the unjust death of this wise philosopher, which was the result of a vote of the people, is an example of the dangers of a direct democracy. Plato was another famous philosopher of Greece. He was Socrates student, and wrote down all of his teachings, for Socrates did not record anything. Plato believed that all souls were immortal and knew all truths, but as they grew up, they forgot everything. He believed that it was his job to help students remember these truths through the power of logic and reason. In 387 B.C., he founded the Academy, the first school for higher education in Athens, and he also wrote a book called The Republic. The Republic describes his Utopia which was a state ruled by philosophers. In this ideal state there were three classes: the Guardians who governed the state, the Auxiliaries who were the military, and everybody else. In his book, he expressed his strong dislike for democracy, which he believed was the reason why his teacher, Socrates, had died. Plato also wrote The Dialogues, which displayed Socrates ideas along with his own. The Dialogues were composed of discussions that Socrates would have with other students while he was alive. In Platos eyes, Socrates was the wisest and most just and best man [C.M. Bowra, pg. 138]. So naturally, his death was an extreme loss to Plato. One of his philosophies, Platonism, stated that physical beings were imperfect, and that the spirit, soul, and body of a person were separated. These ideas passed into Christianity later on, where they influenced certain beliefs. Platos philosophical system and marvelous language make him one of the most gifted men who ever lived, [C.M. Bowra, pg. 140]. Over time, his ideas spread over Europe, and they eventually reached across the Atlantic Ocean, where it helped form the basis of Western Philosophy. Aristotle was the last, and perhaps the most influential, philosopher from the ancient Greek world. He attended Platos Academy at the age of 17, and he studied there for 20 years. He was born in 384 B.C., and he travelled to Athens to attend the Academy. There, he studied science, ethics, politics, and mathematics. Aristotle, unlike his teacher Plato, believed that research was the method people should use to investigate the world. His philosophy consisted of the power of direct observation to draw conclusions. He relied on the five senses, while Plato believed that they were not reliable. Evidently, these two philosophers did not agree with each other, yet they respected each others ideas. Aristotle was particularly interested in natural philosophy which was the study of natural phenomena in the world, which includes many fields of science. Here, he made great advances, and was the most successful in his studies of biology. He classified animal species, and also concluded that dolphins were not fish, which proved that he was a full 2000 years ahead of his time. Aristotle also ways of observation to find a solution influenced Francis Bacon, who founded the scientific method. Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle were all famed philosophers that changed their times. Their philosophies helped the Greek population to become more educated, and their ideas provided some guidance in rebuilding Athens after the Peloponnesian War. However, despite their great efforts to revive Athens former state of glory, the Peloponnesian War had indeed brought the end of the Golden Age of Athens. Their ideas and philosophies, although taught in vain, have become a great addition to Western Philosophy. The achievements that occurred during the Golden Age of Athens continue to affect the modern world. Although most people do not realize it, more than half of what is taken for granted, can be attributed to the Athenians. Pierre Leveque stated, One need only to look closely at our own language, our political institutions, and our culture, to discover to what extent the Greek experience lives on. Despite the fact that Athens Golden Age was over 2000 years ago, all of its accomplishments have not been forgotten, and they are being lived through Western Civilizat

Windows Me :: essays research papers

An Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) version of Windows ME is a special release product made available for computer Manufacturers. OEMs can customize these versions of Windows ME specifically for their hardware and software. The Setup procedures and requirements outlined in this document may be different if you have an OEM version of Windows ME. For more information, read the documentation that came with your computer or contact your computer manufacturer. ========================================= IF WINDOWS ME DOES NOT START IN SAFE MODE ========================================= Any of the following conditions can cause Windows ME not to start in Safe Mode: - Your computer is infected with a virus. Run up-to-date anti- virus software to check for a virus and clean your computer if necessary. - Your computer's CMOS settings are not correct. Check your computer's CMOS settings to make sure they are correct. Note that you may need to contact the computer manufacturer to verify these settings. - There is a hardware failure. Note that you may need to contact the computer manufacturer for more information about your hardware. - There is an error on your computer's hard disk. See "Using ScanDisk to check your hard disk." - There is an error in the Windows registry. See "Using the Windows Registry Checker." Using ScanDisk to Check Your Hard Disk -------------------------------------- If you suspect there may be file corruption or other problems with your hard disk(s), run ScanDisk to check for and repair errors. To check all your hard disks for errors: 1. At the command prompt, type: scandisk /all 2. Press ENTER. To perform a full surface scan of your hard disk(s) for maximum protection against data loss: 1. At the command prompt, type: scandisk /all /surface 2. Press ENTER. Using Windows Registry Checker ------------------------------ If you are still unable to start Windows ME in Safe Mode, run the Windows Registry Checker (Scanreg.exe) tool, as there may be a problem with the system registry. To start the Windows Registry Checker: 1. At the command prompt, type: scanreg /restore 2. Press ENTER. Scanreg may not be available if Windows ME has not been successfully installed on your computer. ========================================================= IF SETUP STOPS AND WINDOWS ME WILL NOT START IN SAFE MODE ========================================================= The following section explains what you can do to recover from a failed Windows Setup. For more information about other Setup problems, see the Setup.txt file in the Win9X folder of your Windows ME CD. If you encounter any of these error messages while running Setup: - Invalid system disk - Incorrect MS-DOS version - Missing or corrupted Command.com it is likely that your computer's startup drive needs updated

Management style of Mahatma Gandhi Essay

The name, Mahatma Gandhiji evokes the image of truth personified, who has been revered by masses and classes equally. Who is known to be thinker, philosopher, leader, politician, saint and many more roles for which he donned the caps simultaneously. The management principles that his life reflects, are inherent part of modern management practices. 1. Walk the talk: Mahatma Gandhiji lived simple life. He believed in â€Å"do as you say†. Practice and preach was not different for him. His life had been open book for anybody to read. Irrespective of the circumstances he always held up to his moral values that he used to preach to one and all. His â€Å"walk the talk† had many admirers in British camp, and many swear by his truthfulness. In today’s organizations, people honor and follow leaders whose words are no different than their actions. Companies, who have deep rooted culture of walk the talk, win over customers and prosper beyond expectations. 2. Lead by Example: Mahatma Gandhiji has been a great leader who led by example. Be it smaller initiatives like living simple life, fight for untouchables; or bigger movements like non cooperation, salt march, quit India, he has led by example. He led from front. People believed him because he did himself what he expected from them to do. We have faith and trust in leaders and managers who lead by example. Who tread the path themselves first on which they want other to follow. Faith is the fundamental requisite in the organizations and those who lead by example commands enough of it. Lead by example; command respect, do not demand respect. 3. Build impeccable and honest brand: The brand â€Å"Mahatma Gandhiji† is one of the greatest brands which has been enlightening and moving people since decades together. This brand has been built on integrity, transparency, quality, truthfulness and connectivity with every single person. It has emotional connect rather than rational connect with its audience. Great brands commands emotional connect with its consumers. The great brands build on the impeccable platform of transparency and truthfulness. Even you are also a brand personified; the Brand You. 4. Strategize in line with available resources: The whole freedom movement of Mahatma was based on the principle of non violence. There was no other way he could grapple with the mighty British Empire. The biggest resource was empty handed, inspired masses. He utilized this resource in the most efficient way. He strategized every action on non violence and moved masses to fulfill the objectives. Managing and excelling with available resources is the key to success for the organizations. Efficiency in every aspect of business and utilizing the available resources diligently is the hall mark of great management teams. Strategy must be made and implemented looking into the resources available. 5. Build great team and work for a common cause: Mahatma Gandhiji had built a great team of leaders from diverse beliefs and principles. Jawaharlal Nehru, C. Rajgopalachari, Valabbh Bhai Patel, Jinnah and many others worked in tandem for a common cause; freedom of India. They complemented each other. The team also had a great bench strength. Great leaders build great teams with members who complement each other. It has leadership at all levels. It has great bench strength which grabs the baton and continue the race for common cause. Organizations with great teams have potent force to conquer the market. 6. Engage people: Mahatma Gandhiji enthralled and engaged people like a magician. He was apt in the art of making people devote everything for the cause. In every single movement he led for India’s freedom, he pulled the people together for a common mission. Every one of them was so engaged that they are ready to go to any extent to achieve the goal of India’s freedom. Gallup Inc., a research-based performance-management consulting company, has shown that engaged employees are more productive and more likely to stay with the organization. Engage them with common cause, a common goal, a common mission which must be lived every moment by them. Engaged employees are key to greatness for organizations. Mahatma Gandhiji exhibited this lesson long ago. It is still as much relevant as was at that time. There are many priceless gems in Mahatma Gandhiji’s life. His philosophy is applicable in every facet of life. You only require getting one step underneath and digging the gems out for you rselves. Social Orientation- Interdependence on teams For Gandhiji, the interests of the group are of high importance. He believed that the needs of the community and the service of the poor should always override every selfish or individual interest. (Alexander, 1984) His wish was that every village in India to become a self-supporting and self-contained entity, much like a team environment in today’s corporations. These villages would share information or commodities with other villages where they are not locally producible. (Andrews, 1949) Teams in today’s organizations often must share information with other teams in order to work more efficiently. Take for example, the Information Engineering Associates (IEA) department within DuPont Corporation. Because of internal marketing within the company and sharing of their expertise, the IEA department was able to move from team to team, sharing their knowledge and improving the information technology service within the corporation. No discrimination-Hiring Policies Gandhiji believed in the ancient caste system, but he entirely refused to have anything to do with the idea of â€Å"untouchability†. He refused to regard any caste as superior in rank. He regarded men and women equally as his brothers and sisters, treating them in every single act of life as equals. Even today, an organisation is not supposed to discriminate while hiring candidates. Gandhijiji’s philosophy of no discrimination is seen in the hiring policies of an organisation. Before launching a public campaign or action that will impinge on society, it is vital to bring to your mind â€Å"the face of the poorest and the weakest man whom you may have seen, and ask yourself, if the step you contemplate is going to be of any use to him† — this has always been the advice of Gandhijiji. Compare this with what often happens in the business world. The grievances of individuals — whether they are of employees or customers — are called into question and denied redress by citing the â€Å"company policy† or by contending that the company’s â€Å"image† would be adversely affected in the long run. Non cooperation: The doctrine of non-cooperation was the genius of Mahatma Gandhiji. He believed that even the most oppressive government derived its authority from the consent, implicit though, of the oppressed. If only the people showed resistance and turned their backs on the government, it would collapse and be pauperised, sooner or later. For the chief executive of a company, non-cooperation is a stark reminder of the imperative to win the loyalty and goodwill of his employees. A business enterprise cannot be run by coercion and compulsion. Voluntary cooperation by the employees can be secured only by providing adequate opportunities for their self-development and self-management. Transperancy Truth and transparency are the hallmark of Gandhijian philosophy. This holds good eminently for the business world too. For a management to be effective and enduring, it has to be an open book, subjecting itself to public scrutiny. Ethics and honesty, by which Gandhijiji set store. Time – long-term outlook: Gandhi believed that economic growth should proceed in harmony with nature and between people, even if that growth was slower and more gradual than growth brought on by heavy industry and high technology. (Prabhu, 2001) Gandhi was always more concerned with the means then about the ends. (Alexander, 1984) Building a learning organization takes time and effort. The leader responsible with incorporating change within an organization must have a complete view of the big picture. Promoting any type of change can be difficult, but the leader must always keep site of the final destination. Building trust in an organization takes time. Team members must trust the leader and believe what s/he says in order for them to willingly follow. Gandhi believed that the rule of community behavior must be found through long practice. This was the best for all involved. (Alexander, 1984) Gandhi rated character building higher than book learning. He had no use for an educational system that was geared to moneymaking. (Nanda, 1985) Within an organization, open communication and honesty is highly valued. A leader with a strong character has integrity and integrity is important within an organization. Gandhi felt it was important to understand that the  perception of truth undergoes an ongoing process of refinement, which is evolutionary in nature. (Murphy, 1991) He felt that the process of learning was evolving. Learning within an organization evolves with time. The learning curve may be slow at first, but as more people learn they become confident in their abilities and are content with their work. Gandhijiji the leader: Gandhijiji was one of the best leaders that India ever had. Now, what is it that made Gandhijiji so great and successful? What made his leadership successful was a steadfast purpose and his listening to his inner calling. Both, purpose and calling were built on values like truth, justice, love, non-violence, and charity. He neither benefited of personality development- nor communication-, organization-, management- or leadership-trainings nor good looks. What made him strong was his inner voice, his beliefs and convictions, which were giving him guidance and credibility, because he lived what he preached: one man can make a difference; strength comes not from physical capacity but from an indomitable will; leadership by example is the most effective. He believed in the following few concepts when it came to leadership or life in general:  · Gandhiji was known for the trust he was granting everyone. He saw the good in people and believed in them.  · What he developed were caring relationships which – aside trust – were built on mutual respect and non-violence.  · While managing relationships Gandhiji showed an immense integrity – towards himself and towards others, who were sometimes harshly opposing stakeholders. Like this he remained transparent, credible, and trustworthy.  · Hence, he could openly, freely follow his path and his purpose.  · And he was a master in changing small things with an enormous effect for the big picture. This is how he reached his vision: with short term targets and a great patience. Many of his sayings are praised by Westerners, because they are so close to Western leadership teachings about solution-oriented managing which allows mistakes – â€Å"Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes† – or what Americans use to say by â€Å"Walk the talk† seems to be included in Gandhiji ´s â€Å"Happiness is when what you think, what you say and what you do are in harmony.† Gandhiji ´s values, beliefs and convictions are a clue to a  leader ´s attitude shaped by care and by deep motivation. They are also a powerful means for conflict management, a basically daily reality of every manager or leader around the world. Leaders in today’s volatile environment must also possess these characteristics for which Gandhiji believed in. A leader today must be honest, forward-looking, inspiring, and competent. Kouzes and Posner (1996) state that the first law of leadership is, â€Å"If you don’t believe in the messenger, you won’t believe the message†. A leader must be truthful and honest in order for people to follow. As many have said, a leader must walk the talk. But without followers there would be no leaders, therefore the first milestone toward earning leadership credibility is clarity in personal values. Hierarchal organizational structures operate from the top down. The workers at the bottom are dominated and told what to do and when to do it. Gandhiji felt that the people should control their own destiny in small-scale groups. He believed that independence must begin at the bottom, that self-rule could not be imposed on people from above. He believed that self-rule or self-government must first be nurtured, through education and example. This education must start at the local or village level and then be encouraged to spread out into larger communities. Leaders in today’s organizations must have strong values and a belief in the capacity of individuals to grow. In other words, they empower others within the organization. They envision a society in which they wish to see their organizations and themselves live. They are visionaries and believe strongly in their ability in shaping the future and they do not hesitate to act on these beliefs through their own personal behavior and actions. They energize the organization as a whole. When compared to Gandhiji’s leadership principles, you can see that Gandhiji had a rock-solid value system and he wanted to make major changes in society. He had a totally interdependent relationship with his followers, as he was often seen walking with â€Å"commoners† as well as having high tea with â€Å"dignitaries†. He leadership style incorporated the four â€Å"E’s†: Envision, Enable, Empower, and Energize. Gandhiji believed that one must not offend or harbor any uncharitable thoughts toward anything or anyone even when one considers themselves your enemy. This principle is not unlike the value system that leaders of today should have. A leader in today’s organization must be honest and patient when dealing with customers and fellow workers. Generally people will not willingly follow a dishonest person especially through a crisis period, which is not all that uncommon throughout a project lifecycle. A leader should also respect other people, and value different ideas and opinions. Because organizations are becoming increasingly diverse and expanding across cultural boundaries, a leader should be aware of and respect these differences. Satyagraha begins with reasoning with ones opponent or adversary in an attempt to arrive at a just solution. Neither a person has a monopoly on the truth nor is either side wholly correct. The purpose is to work out a rational compromise that is agreeable to both sides. A leader must have the ability to communicate and diffuse disagreeable situations. Conflicts naturally occur between individuals who are passionate about something. Often a leader must stand the neutral ground and help facility a win-win situation when dealing with conflicts.

Gatto Against the School Critique Essay

What is boredom? According to John Taylor Gatto, boredom is ruining the modern day society’s schooling. Gatto is convinced that we ourselves is to blame for boredom, and believes everyone should be able to entertain themselves. â€Å"How public education cripples our kids, and why†, written by John Taylor Gatto, is papered with evidences. Even though the literal beauty does not exist in the essay, he starts out blocking all the possible arguments that could be created in the first place by placing evidences in his essay everywhere, unable to criticize on his content, reflection and analysis. Such small concept such as boredom is ruining modern day schooling, according to Gatto. He starts off by how boredom overpowered the teachers and the students. Teachers are tired of students who are unwilling to learn, and students believe that teachers are unenthusiastic to teach. But Gatto believes that, mainly because he was influenced by his grandfather, that state of boredom has to be blamed on oneself, not others. And people who cannot handle the boredom are childish adults. This means that the way school is set up is already wrong. Unmotivated teacher and students in the school means failure to teach, meaning the function of the school is gone. â€Å"If we wanted to we could easily and inexpensively jettison the old, stupid structures and help kids take an education rather than merely receive a schooling †¦ But we don’t do that.† He denounces the current system, and also knows what is needed to be done. It’s true. Many of the teachers are not motivated to teach; it seems that they are waiting for their payday. Students are not motivated also – countless repeats of same concept, set academics – it seems even weird to be motivated. Gatto only uses logic to persuade the audience. All the evidence seems logical, and it seems morally right. Then he asks, â€Å"Do we really need school? I don’t mean education, just forced schooling: six classes a day, five days a week, nine months a year, for twelve years.† This question is actually frequently on topic. The questions are asked by different students every day, and even though it might seem like a legitimate question, He uses this question rhetorically to set up more evidences that shutdowns the argument of his opposite sides. He uses the Greats as an example, such as Twain, Carnegie, Rockefeller and Edison, who never went to high school. And right before, he uses Washington, Jefferson, and Abraham Lincoln, who were never part of the school system to prove his argument once again. Then he repeats, in different words, â€Å"What is the purpose of our public school?† And the answer was to become a good citizen, good people, and to be at one’s personal best, according to the cultural traditions. But the school system has been criticized so much by the scholars back in the days. Their argument is that the system of school’s originality is from Prussia, and adopted one of the worst aspects of Prussian culture: â€Å"an educational system deliberately designed to produce mediocre intellects, to hamstring the inner life, to deny students appreciable leadership skills, and to ensure docile and incomplete citizens – all in order to render the populace â€Å"manageable.† This is an extremely controversial statement, but looking at the current society, people are busy feeding themselves more than fighting for what is right or sharing their own opinion about whatever. Then he quotes Inglis, a quite well-known Harvard Professor, claiming â€Å"the purpose of modern schooling is divided six basic functions.† â€Å"1. Adaptive Function – destroys the idea that useful or interesting material should be taught. 2. Integrating function – makes all the children alike as possible. 3. Diagnostic and directive function – determines each student’s proper social role by keeping a cumulative records. 4. Differentiating function – sorted by records and trained to their social role. 5. Selective function – favoritism, even if not meant. 6. Propaedeutic function – always cared, never stood alone.† According to Inglis and Gatto, this is how the school system works right now. The cultural tradition has been completely erased from the school mind, and Gatto uses perfect quote from Inglis to prove it. Even though some might argue that quote of Inglis might not be true, but it is from an influential and popular Harvard Professor, meaning it definitely has values to be looked at. Gatto does not leave space for any weak evidence in his essay. All the evidences and analysis are agreeable, even to people who does not understand completely because everything is logical. All of his evidences can be understood by knowing how the society is currently. At the end of the essay, he describes how people live on. He describes us as â€Å"trained to be employees and consumers,† which is true, in a society dream is only a dream and reality is reality. Overall, Gatto wrote an unarguable essay, and if so someone argues against Gatto, that someone will not have many supporters to breakdown the impact that Gatto left in his essay. Gatto, John Taylor. â€Å"Against School.† Harper’s Sept. 2003: 33-38. Print.

Free Essays on House Of Mirth

â€Å"Everything about her was at once was at once vigorous and exquisite, at once strong and fine. He had a confused sense that she must have cost a great deal to make, that a great many dull and ugly people must, in some mysterious way, have been sacrificed to produce her. He was aware that the qualities distinguishing her from the herd of her sex were chiefly external, as though a fine glaze of beauty and fastidiousness had been applied to vulgar clay.† –(p 3.) Readers are offered these early impressions of Lily Bart from the mind of Lawrence Selden as they walk toward his flat on Madison Avenue. I think that this quote is interesting for a few reasons: by saying â€Å"she must have cost a great deal to make,† Lily is immediately seen as a commodity: if workers were â€Å"sacrificed† to make this â€Å"produce,† her person is not only objectified, but quantified as a value in a transaction. Selden’s inner commentary pre-empts this thought as a â€Å"confused sense†: I take this as the kind of feeling that Selden must feel corrupt, to some degree, for thinking, as this perception that he has of women is somewhat culturally programmed. We also see the way that Selden views her â€Å"fine glaze† of beauty, which marks her as differing from the rest of the cattle-like women. I think it is interesting to consider that some of the first outside opinions we perceive of Lily attempt quantify her value: it is these monetary values that will trouble the rest of her days. Unlike the high Boston Society of Silas Lapham, the means in which one attains wealth is not of importance: the freedom that Lily seeks may be only available through financial stability, and the only financial gains in which Lily is successful come through the ideals of courtship and marriage which have been forced upon her.... Free Essays on House Of Mirth Free Essays on House Of Mirth â€Å"Everything about her was at once was at once vigorous and exquisite, at once strong and fine. He had a confused sense that she must have cost a great deal to make, that a great many dull and ugly people must, in some mysterious way, have been sacrificed to produce her. He was aware that the qualities distinguishing her from the herd of her sex were chiefly external, as though a fine glaze of beauty and fastidiousness had been applied to vulgar clay.† –(p 3.) Readers are offered these early impressions of Lily Bart from the mind of Lawrence Selden as they walk toward his flat on Madison Avenue. I think that this quote is interesting for a few reasons: by saying â€Å"she must have cost a great deal to make,† Lily is immediately seen as a commodity: if workers were â€Å"sacrificed† to make this â€Å"produce,† her person is not only objectified, but quantified as a value in a transaction. Selden’s inner commentary pre-empts this thought as a â€Å"confused sense†: I take this as the kind of feeling that Selden must feel corrupt, to some degree, for thinking, as this perception that he has of women is somewhat culturally programmed. We also see the way that Selden views her â€Å"fine glaze† of beauty, which marks her as differing from the rest of the cattle-like women. I think it is interesting to consider that some of the first outside opinions we perceive of Lily attempt quantify her value: it is these monetary values that will trouble the rest of her days. Unlike the high Boston Society of Silas Lapham, the means in which one attains wealth is not of importance: the freedom that Lily seeks may be only available through financial stability, and the only financial gains in which Lily is successful come through the ideals of courtship and marriage which have been forced upon her....

Strategic Analysis of Marks and Spencers Plc (MS) The WritePass Journal

Strategic Analysis of Marks and Spencers Plc (MS) Abstract: Strategic Analysis of Marks and Spencers Plc (MS) Abstract:Introduction:Strategic positionEnvironmental analysisStrengths:Weakness:Opportunities:Threats:Porter’s 5 forces model:Competitive rivalry (High):Bargaining power of buyers (High): Bargaining power of suppliers (Low):Threat of new entrants (Medium):Threat of substitutes (High): Cultural web:Evaluation of strategic directionTOWS MATRIX:Industry life cycle:Ansoff matrix:Conclusion: References:Related Abstract: This report critically analyses how the external and internal factors affect the strategies of MS and modifies its business strategies. Even though MS has good strategy and marketing plans they haven’t used it to their advantage. It also tells how the macro and micro environment affect their strategy and their plan. The report uses frame works like PESTEL, SWOT and porter 5 forces. It further investigates the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of MS. This report highlights on MS planning, organising, and taking decisions. It further incorporates the history, business operation, and the treats and opportunities faced by the company. It also provides an alternative solution and offers recommendation which might help the company to compete in the market, by providing appropriate service to its customer’s .The main aim of this report is to evaluate how MS can survive in this ever changing market Introduction: Marks and Spencer the Britain retailer (often referred to as Marks Sparks by locals) is a general retailer that sells clothes, gifts, home furnishings, and foods under the brand name St. Michael in the UK, Europe, the Americas and Far East. The company also operates in the financial services segment.  Ã‚   Marks Spencer was started in 1884 by Michael Marks in the Leeds market. The company strived for value and low prices and worked for its development. By 1901, the company acquired 35 outlets and had a new partner in Tom Spencer. The company’s stores started to carry the label (St. Michael) by 1949.   The company’s vision is to offer consumers great quality, value, and service. With nearly 300 stores in the United Kingdom, MS is the country’s largest retailer and holds 17% of UK clothing market. The goods they have are perceived be of excellent value and quality. It has been seen that the company adheres to top-down management approach and watched under the close supervision of its former CEO. This was going good with the company for several decades, But latter part of the 1990s there was a noticeable decline in the sales and in the overall performance of the company. Strategic position Marks and spencer is operating in a very competitive environment and there are many factors that affect the company in the outside environment. As they operate in many segments like food cloths and home and beauty products they have to deal with a lot of competitors. MS is very sensitive to technological, social and economic factors. It has to keep up with ever growing and changing trends of clothing if they have to compete in the market. The key drivers that affect MS are changing trends and online purchasing as they have no control over it. The core values of MS: quality, affordability and service were under the attack from its competitors. Other Retailers such as Top Shop, Next, Debenhams, Warehouse and the Gap provide the customers with better fashionable and trendier designs with good value. Food chains, such as Tesco, Waitrose, and Sainsbury have started to move into frozen foods and readymade food products. MS has challenge from all the business segments it is competing. But MS has not changed enough to be competitive; this resulted in MS losing its profits and market share (MS Press Releases 1999) Strategic clock:   Differentiation      Ã‚  Perceived value MS is trying to gain market share and for them to regain its market share and dominance they need to invest. Currently MS takes on the larger market share and is still suffering in its profits. This implies weakness in a rather cutthroat world of retail.  Giving access to quality food and clothes to all is their vision. They are committed to understanding and meeting the customer’s needs  consistently, in this ever competitive retail environment. MS has 90% of its revenues from the UK (Mintel,2009) , Increased food and fuel prices has an impact on the disposable income of the consumers   which leads to weaker demand for non-food products, MS is responding to this trend of   cutting prices this is having a serious effect on their   sales Environmental analysis Swot analysis: Strengths: Excellent and high quality products They have excellent relationship with its employees they are treated well and paid well It has stores all over high streets in London Profitable company and has a large market share in the retail sector It has a long term relationship with its suppliers It’s been here for more than 100 years so it has a good history of trade. Weakness: It is heavily reliant on British suppliers where as its competitors use foreign suppliers for low cost products. They have an old and classical fashion image, advertising is poor as they do not offer discount sales during festivals like Christmas and Easter, this Is the time when the customers buy a lot of goods. No customer focus Technology is poor as they cannot provide reading of their inventory No knowledge about the market for the younger generation. Poor customer service as they do not provide fitting rooms and loyalty cards. Opportunities: MS has to enter the e-business effectively as their competitors Expansion in growing product areas such as Food, Home and Beauty as they have customers trust for their quality and innovation The Home business, areas like home furnishings and gifts are fastest growing product areas and beauty products are growing rapidly. Both of these areas offer promising opportunities for the company to develop and expand Focus on cloths market segment by age group and introduce clothing line for kids and teenagers. Threats: Since MS operate in many segments like food clothing and others they have many competitors such as Tesco, Sainsbury, Zara, Gap and top shop. Customers are always looking new fashion cloths Internet allows the customers to shop from home online. MS has not done well in the foreign market after expanding abroad. Porter’s 5 forces model: Competitive rivalry (High): Marks and spencer faces high rivalry in the clothing sector from next and gap, they also face high competition in the food industry from Tesco and Sainsbury. Bargaining power of buyers (High): The threat from buyers is high as they have large number of retailers situated very close by. Bargaining power of suppliers (Low): The power of suppliers is low as there are concentrated purchasers. Threat of new entrants (Medium): Is very relatively low as there the other retailers are already established. Threat of substitutes (High): There has been increase in retailers who import their goods from foreign countries, so consumers can buy the same products for cheaper price. Cultural web: Evaluation of strategic direction The strategic direction of Marks and spencer can be evaluated by using the TOWS matrix, Ansoff matrix which helps us to understand how marks and spencer can possible convert their weaknesses to strengths and their threats to opportunities. The vision of Marks and Spencer is to give standard and high quality products to all. Marks  and Spencer give huge importance to a work place that  inspires and rewards the employee’s .The approach to Corporate Social tell us their commitment to Quality, Value, Service and Trust. It allows Marks and Spencer to manage  operations responsibly, this helps  them to attract shoppers to their stores and retain their customers, it also helps to have a good understanding with the suppliers and helps to give value to their stakeholders. TOWS MATRIX: TOWS Strengths Opportunities High quality products High end customers Stores all over high East accessibility to streets in the UK the customers Mature in high profitable Scope for improvement economy in marketing and Technology Weakness Opportunity Suppliers limited to New suppliers the UK Poor customer service Enhanced services not Keeping with the Must enter E-business competitors in a effective way Weakness Threat Reliant on British Higher production costs suppliers Poor marketing Intense competition Strategy Poor technology use New entrants into the market with better technology Strength Threat High street giant Higher cost, online sales by competitors Long term relationship new lower cost suppliers with suppliers Cost efficiency New market By looking at the TOWS matrix the strategic direction is suitable with capabilities MS has. Industry life cycle:       This is a tool used to look at the current phase of the company, according to industry cycle MS is in the maturity stage; after looking at the external environment the life cycle curve indicates that growth is slow due to a lot of competitors. However this calls for MS to change their strategy due to heavy competition, in the market. Ansoff matrix: We can use Ansoff product/market matrix to identify the strategic direction for Marks and Spencer’s. This matrix helps to understand the strategic option available to MS in terms of products and market coverage, by looking at their strategic capability. Market penetration can be done by product development as their clothing lack variety and if they can develop this they can be competitive. It can also be achieved by concentrating only on the UK market and consolidating it. Product development can be achieved by developing the per una brand as it is already an established brand.IT development to promote online shopping. Market development can be achieved by looking at new countries new customers and can also consider entering new segment like children’s wear and teenagers to be competitive. Marks and spencer can also diversify in food, beauty products and home appliance and get into partnership with other retailers.    Conclusion: Using the environmental audit (PESTEL and SWOT) and strategic analysis it can be seen that MS poses some strength within them and also a few weaknesses. They also have a few threats and areas of opportunities which explored can take MS to new Heights. MS drifted away from its core values and failed to notice that the competition was getting tougher and was not in line with the changing trend, this made them to lose a few customers. The mid-market segment which MS was operating was hit by recession and this made the consumers move to other retailers such as Primark, Tesco Sainsbury etc. which were providing the consumers for cheaper rates. MS should come up with a contingency plan to not only focus on differentiation, but also to encounter the growing rivalry from other supermarket chains. Acceptability: Looking at the current weaknesses like not following the market trend in the clothing line and no proper customer service that MS have it can’t sustain the challenge from other retailers like Tesco, Sainsbury, gap and Zara as do market research and follow the current trend that is in the UK. Feasibility: With the combination of its strengths the strategy MS is using can be feasible but need to turn its threats to opportunities. MS need to diversify and keep up with the challenge from the competitors, so that they can satisfy the shareholders Sustainability: For MS strategy to be sustainable and prosper in the long term their core competences has like value to customers, Rarity, inimitability has to be looked at. Because customers feel they are not getting value for their money as the competitor are offering goods for cheaper prices, Their products are not rare and can be imitated by other competitors. Recommendation: The current strategy MS is pursing is not very sound, so here are a few changes that MS has to look at that would help them to capture back the lost market share and customers. Come up with new quality products in areas of cloth food home and financial services and achieve customer satisfaction through quality service. Regain lost market share in clothing: Improve the Per Una brand as people like it.They have to be customer oriented and do a market research on the current trends in the UK. Start providing trial rooms so to attract customers. Use Zara’s concept of communicating with the manufactures abroad through media. Obtain customer opinion and feedback this helps not only in keeping up with the current trend in the clothing line but also helps to do research in the food and home appliances sector. Improve online shopping this not only helps in reducing costs but also helps in increasing sales and to be competitive and also an opportunity to advertise in the internet. Make the advertising big as MS is an old organization and the younger generations who are not aware of it would rather go to stores which are attractively advertised. Putting up hoardings in the streets and may be in the Tube stations would help attract customers not only in UK but also tourists. Improve the customer shopping experience: MS need to invest in its stores in areas like stock availability and better customer service which adds to the value to the customers and uniqueness quotient. Improve franchising in foreign: This helps to capture market share in other countries with less capital. References: http://corporate.marksandspencer.com/investors/corporate_governance/governance_framework (n.d) [15 June 2011] docshare.com/doc/103365/Exploring-Corporate-Strategy-in-Marks-and-Spe (n.d) [16 June 2011] examstutor.com/business/resources/companyprofiles/marksandspencer/strategyinsight.php   (n.d) [15 June 2011] marksandspencer.com/thecompany/ (n.d) [15 June 2011] google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://mamikikeyu.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/lifecycle.pngimgrefurl=http://mamikikeyu.wordpress.com/2011/04/h=322w=414sz=14tbnid=-r6cuuc94rtigM:tbnh=97tbnw=125prev=/search%3Fq%3Dindustry%2Blife%2Bcycle%2Bdiagram%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Duzoom=1q=industry+life+cycle+diagramhl=enusg=__LrlcgyCPZs3vCFQwZWOWw1dMPV4=sa=Xei=KVP7Ter7KsrJhAeE1emUAwsqi=2ved=0CCIQ9QEwAg   (n.d) [17 June 2011]    Appendix: PESTEL analysis POLITICAL  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ The EU and the Free Trade Agreements, this helps the other British Companies to take advantage of it by getting their goods from other countries for cheaper rates compared to MS higher cost structure. Issues of labour laws ECONOMIC   the Retail sector is very sensitive to changes in tax and interest rates. After the economic slump the retail industry is once again booming. The competitors import their goods from other countries  to cut cost but this puts MS in a disadvantage as they get the good from within the UK. SOCIAL  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ changing life style and trend of the consumers could be a threat to the company. However this also could be an Opportunity in terms of new market and consumers. TECHNICAL  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Media plays an important role in communicating with the designers and manufactures in other countries about the changing trends of UK. Online shopping Is now getting more and more common. LEGAL –To provide high quality as promised, and legislations for health and safety both in terms of consumer rights and also in terms of production of own natural renewable resources for making clothes ENVIRONMENTAL  Ã¢â‚¬â€œRetailers use lot raw materials to produce their goods; they need to be aware of the natural habitats and the environmental effects. They also have to be aware of the legal effects for farm animals in health and safety

How to Determine a Reading Schedule

How to Determine a Reading Schedule Despite your best efforts, its sometimes difficult to stick with your plan to finish that list of books. Other projects get in the way. You may find yourself overwhelmed by the size of the book youve chosen. You may just let the habit of reading slide or slip until youve forgotten much of the  plot and/or characters; and, you feel that you might as well just start over. Heres a solution: Set up a reading schedule to get you through those books! All you need to get started is a pen, some paper, a calendar, and of course, books! How to Set up a Reading Schedule Pick a list of books youd like to read.Determine when you will start reading your first book.Select the order in which youd like to read the books on your reading list.Decide how many pages you will read every day. If youve decided that youll read 5 pages per day, count the number of pages in the book that youve selected to read first.Write the page span (1-5) down on paper next to your selected start date. Its also a great idea to write your schedule up on the calendar, so you can track your reading progress by crossing off the date when youve finished your reading for that day.Continue through the book, tracking where each stopping point will be. You may decide to mark the stopping points in your book with a post-it or pencil mark, so the reading will seem more manageable.As you page through the book, you may decide to alter your reading schedule (add or subtract pages for a particular day), so youll stop and/or start on a new chapter or section of the book.Once youve determined th e schedule for the first book, you can move on to the next book on your reading list. Follow the same process of paging through the book to determine your reading schedule. Dont forget to write the page numbers down next to the appropriate date on a piece of paper and/or on your calendar. Get Outside Support By structuring your reading schedule in this way, you should find it easier to get through those books on your reading list. You can also get your friends involved. Share your schedule with them and encourage them to join you in your reading. Its great fun, youll be able to discuss your reading experience with others! You could even turn this reading schedule into a book club.

The Negative Effects on Children Living In a Single Family Household Research Paper

The Negative Effects on Children Living In a Single Family Household - Research Paper Example One of the consequences that have been experienced by children living in a single parent family household is that children in such families fail to perform well in their educational sphere. This is because when one single parent is running the entire household, they are able to provide less amount of support to their children in shape of emotional as well as monetary support. The educational opportunities that are available to a child of single parent family are much lower than their counterparts. Douglas B. Bowney conducted a research on the educational performance of children living in single father or mother led family households and figured out that those children who were living in such households were not performing as good as the children living in two parent families (Downey, 1994). Due to lack of support in single parent family, children are not provided proper supervision and guidance. Their parents are mostly out at work in order to meet the financial needs and when they come back to their home, they tend to rest because of their hectic working schedules. Children in single parent families even fail to differentiate between right and wrong as the parents are not home to inform them about behaviors that are accepted by the society and behaviors that are considered as deviant. According to Stephen Demuth and Susan L. Brown’s research, children who are born and raised in a single parent household are at a higher risk of committing criminal activities as compared to those who live with two biological parents (Demuth, 2004). Another issue experienced by children living in households of single parent is that they experience ample amount of emotional issues. Children who experience child abuse and divorce are at a higher risk of developing behavioral as well as emotional issues. These children tend to exhibit aggressive behaviors and may even experience higher amount of stress and depression because they

Administrative Law (Australia) Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Administrative Law (Australia) - Research Paper Example According to Mark Tunshets,( Jones, Ian. The anisminic revolution in Australian administrative law: an analysis of extended jurisdictional error. Turramurra, N.S.W.: Local Legal, 1998. Print.)Judicial review in Australia has a lot of authority since it is only the high court that can interpret the constitution. Judicial review in Australia is complicated by clause 5 of the constitution. This clause provides that all the amendments done by the commonwealth parliament are binding to Australia. This is because the courts mandated to interpret the law must decide if the law is binding to Australia (Canberra, 2005). The chief justice Marshall asserted that judicial review is incredibly paramount in the Australian legal system(Fordham, Michael. Judicial review handbook. 5th ed. Oxford: Portland, OR :, 2008. Print.). In 1951, justice Fellugar proposed that the principle of Madison v. Marbury is adopted as axiomatic(Johnston, Richard E.. The effect of judicial review on federal-state relatio ns in Australia, Canada, and the United States. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University Press, 1969. Print.). This is because the many criticisms of the principle were accepted and justified. Despite an express implication in the constitution of Australia, judges and scholars have proposed that judicial review is paramount and has immense effects on the legal system. Judicial review is mostly done by the high courts since it is at the top of the legal structure. Though the other courts can deal with some constitutional issues, they are under the supervision by the high court. The essential jurisdiction which is conferred to High Court in section 75 is to issue prerogative and constitutional writs. This has been expanded in section  75(iii) whereby a person suing on behalf of the Commonwealth, is bonafied party.   Section 33 in the judiciary Act 1901 extends the authority of High Court to question public law (Le?tourneau 1976). A chief factor that has affected the levels of court review in High Court is the alternative remedies available which are not subject to the same limitations.   Declarations and injunctions are the key illustrations.   For instance, the declaration made by the high court that the commission on Queensland Justice did not observe fair procedures where mandamus was not appropriate and that certiorari did not mislead. Judicial decision reviews in Australia and other nations has seen the development of the legal systems. This is characterized by fair judgments, timely judgments, and equitable treatment of individuals by the judicature (Leon 1951). Though the other courts can deal with some constitutional issues, they are bound by the high court. The essential jurisdiction which is conferred in the High Court in section 75 is to issue prerogative and constitutional writs. The judicial reviews should be done with a lot of integrity because it might lead to a constitutional crisis as well as violence. No party should be biased or favored by a judicial review. The parties involved should be treated equally (Kanigsberg 1952). A) Compare the breadth and flexibility of ADJR â€Å"order of review â€Å"remedy with prerogative writs plus injunction and declaration. The judicial review remedies can be classified into three categories. These are prerogative writs, equitable remedies of injunction and declaration, and the statutory remedies. Though the other courts can deal with some constitutional issues, they are under supervision by the high court. The essential jurisdiction of the High Court in section75 (v) is to issue prero

Research study Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Research study - Assignment Example He asserts that several elements can be used to define quality of goods and services. Such factors include performance, operational features, aesthetics, reliability, durability, conformity, perceived quality and serviceability. Garvin reiterates that satisfaction among customers should not be restrained to goods alone. It should also be extended to services. According to the research, it is clear that customers establish a balance between price and benefits obtained from the goods and services acquired. For this reason, the research emphasizes that marketers should often equate value of goods and services with price. In order for businesses to deliver excellent services and products, they should exactly understand customers’ tastes and preferences. However, it is worth noting that different customers have various perspectives pertaining to what they really value in goods and services. Typically, not all dimensions used by businessmen to attract customers are appealing to them in a similar way bearing in mind that preference of certain brands by marketers is an indication of how customers perceive their goods and services. According to Garvin (2009), businesses should try as much as possible to comprehend their clients’ tastes and perspectives. Consequently, they will be able to increase the success rate of marketing their merchandises. For instance, Big W is a departmental store located in Australia that deals with sales of major products such as households, leisure, health, farm, entertainments and kids’ products. In the process of expanding its sales coverage, it has established a series of stores in Australia. At the same time, the company has increased several components including grocery. Currently, the company has put in place several links both at the local and international level. Needless to say, employees and managers in the company are very keen in analysing and adhering to consumers’ tastes and preferences. The researche r defines quality characteristics targeted in the research. The researchers note that entrepreneurship in business is about exchanges between buyers and manufacturers. Since it is continuous process, business men ensure that they win customers favour for future. For this purpose, it is important to understand the quality characteristics of products or services in order to ensure constant inflow of customers. Companies are able to sustain a royal group by offering quality products and services hence guaranteeing their future sale. Vividly, customers influence on future purchase is dependent on the present quality of goods and services obtained in the market. If at any time they feel dissatisfied, they are likely to change their purchase sites in future. It is evident from research conducted that, the quality of products derived from companies highly influence purchases in future either positively or negatively. Further, the researcher notes that it is advisable for businesses to fost er qualitative satisfaction to clients and their target groups. This can be done by conducting an analysis of clients’ preferences. The latter analysis will assist businesses to identify which products are highly preferred and to what extent customers are willing to purchase them. Additionally, considering customers preferences will help business men to make vital and reliable decisions that will favour customers. In line with this, this will help companies to optimize on more designs in terms of services and products. In order to accomplish this, they

The Advantages of Paying Cash Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

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The Spinnaker Tower and St Pancras Station Essay

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Ethical Hacking Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 3

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