Discussions / Technology & Management Operations

Project management is an essential process that should be applied in operations in a company to ensure success leading to quality improvements. Toyota has practiced project management in most projects or initiatives carried out. In most cases, workers have been encouraged to carryout self tests when carrying out a given duty to ensure product conformity. Toyota Company has carried out various statistical tests such as chi-square, hypothesis tests and came up with multiple regression tests to analyze the fitness of a new brand in the market (Tata Interactive Systems, n. d).Moreover, Toyota Company has trained its employees regularly to ensure they are the required expertise to achieve a continuous quality improvement in the company translating to improved customer satisfaction and cost efficiency production. TPS has been used as a potential through which improved quality productions can be achieved (Toyota Motor Corporation, 1998). Project Management concepts and their Applications in the workplace Toyota Production Systems (TPS) has been used as a way through which development can be achieved amongst people working in the global manufacturing arena.Toyota motor manufacturing Canada (TMMC) based their management processes on wise decision-making to ensure quality productions and continuous improvements (Johnson, n. d). TMMC has localized most of its operations to ensure increased market reachability and reliability through long-term relationship with its customers leading to increased profitability and market leadership in automobile productions. TMMC has developed strategies through which quality improvements can be achieved in the organization.TMMC has formed joint ventures with other companies to ensure profitability through shared responsibilities leading enhanced competitive advantage and sustainability in the market (Toyota’s driving force Baseline, 2006). TMMC that came up with the TPS as an initiative through which continuous quality production ca n be achieved in Toyota Company. TPS has been used for restructuring the production processes in the automobile companies leading to increased efficiency and effectiveness (Johnson, n. d).TMMC has used a just-in-time management system where production patterns are based on specific orders on demand to ensure no wastage of resources through reduced inventories and defects in production (Toyota Motor Corporation, 1998). Just-in-time production management system will be used in the company to eliminate non-value adding processes leading to reduced lead-time and increased customer satisfaction. TPS emphasizes on employee empowerment not necessarily through freedom but also through trainings, collaborations or joint ventures and to facilitate communication amongst stakeholders.Top management introduced new initiatives to the company upon approval by the internal stakeholders as a way through which the new project can be communicated and made visible in a company. Toyota Company implement ed performance metrics through which business operations could be monitored to ensure cost efficiency (Johnson, n. d). In Toyota company, a flexibility system have used that emphasizes on continuous assessment of production operations to identify any defects and therefore find out the necessary remedies in time to avoid wastage of resources leading to improved productions (Toyota Motor Corporation, 1998).Performance levels have been assessed to ensure the right expertise required for any production is achieved to meet customer requirements. Quality performance standards have been set where workers monitor themselves by comparing quality of their productions with others in the company to ensure it conforms to the required standards (Toyota Motor Corporation, 1998). Workers have been encouraged to respond to presence of an error or defect in a product development phase positively to make the necessary decisions on how to go about it for example by using Six Sigma or multiple regressio n tests to ensure customer satisfaction.You have to identify possible causes of a problem, possible consequences and ways through which they can be reduced without incurring a lot of losses. In Toyota Company training is very essential and they consider this as a way through which employee empowerment can be achieved leading to improved productions to ensure success through improved customer satisfaction for example through asking yourself the why questions as you design a system (Toyota Motor Corporation, 1998).Toyota has encouraged interaction amongst its employees to harmonize the multicultural differences leading to dedicated teamwork towards achieving common company goals. TPS use in the company was aimed at proving a lasting solution to the critical threats in the production or product development life cycle in a cost effective way. Toyota has always carried out customer awareness tests for their products in the market by designing simulated designs and testing for product fit ness in the market using a chi-square test (Tata Interactive Systems, n.d). Toyota has made various versions of simulated designs and carried out numerous regression tests to ensure a product is accepted in the market. The various simulated design versions is a potential way through which customer satisfaction can be easily achieved and in the same way new products will be easily developed through the different versions by simply making little improvements.Toyota has always carried out different tests such as chi-square in different places in the world to determine the brand fitness in the market depending on how many people are aware of it (Johnson, n. d). Conclusion Toyota is a very successful automobile manufacturing company in the global arena. Toyota has managed well its projects by carrying out different tests based on its products awareness and fitness in the market.Toyota has carried out multiple regression tests of its new products using simulated product designs developed in the markets to ensure customer satisfaction (Tata Interactive Systems, n. d). Employees have been encouraged to produce as many designs as possible to help them meet customer requirements. The employees are to asks themselves the why questions severally on every design produced that does not meet customer specifications to find possible solutions based on the decision made with the available information collected (Toyota’s driving force Baseline, 2006). Reference: Johnson, W.H.A. (n.d.). Toyota Motor Manufacturing Company Canada (TMMC): The Lexus RX 330 Line. Waltham, MA: Department of Management, Bentley College. [Viewed on 27th June 2009] Available at Tata Interactive Systems (n.d.). Research methods for managerial decisions. [Viewed on 27th June 2009] Available at Toyota’s driving force Baseline. (2006). [Viewed on 27th June 2009] Available at Toyota Motor Corporation. (1998). The Toyota production system. [Viewed on 27th June] Available at

My Planet

â€Å"A stich in time saves nine. † Prevention is always better than cure, if we know that something with the passage of time might become dangerous then it better to take a precautionary step to combat the danger. So how many times you heard your parents and grandparents say this to you- take precaution dear and don’t give your problems a chance to arrive. So better work now and take precaution instead of fixing the damage later. This phase is applicable in many fields of life: If you are student then you should study every day, but generally all the confusion arises when you study only during exam. When you ignore your study in the early stages then you end up working hard during your examinations and risk your success. There is no need to gamble with your success if you do your studies appropriately on time. You should immediately go to a doctor and start your treatment, if there are certain visible symptoms of a disease, before getting diagnosed with that disease. There have been many cancer cases where the patient did not take his health seriously and later on with further deterioration of his health, he comes to know that he is suffering from cancer and is at the second or third stage. Had he been to the doctor earlier and diagnosed with his disease then he could have been easily cured in the first stage. Even in the case of other diseases early detection helps in taking better preventive measures. Thinking that the disease will cure itself or avoiding doctor visit may result in increase of the problem and expenses even endanger your life. We can take precaution methods by choosing healthy diet and making it a point to exercise regularly. Regular exercise and good nutritious food will make us less prone to diseases, and will also result in a healthy heart, mind and body. Preventive measures taken in work areas also lessen the intensity of suffering. For example if you focus on the market you can save yourself from financial catastrophe by perceiving the future losses. Preventive measure also helps in controlling population. Wise man always use this formula for the success, they never wait for the deadline to come near to start their work, instead they finish their work before deadline, this gives them time to solve any unseen problem that might occur during the process of their work. It is an old saying which holds true in daily life: No man is perfect we all do mistakes. But with the help of act of Prevention one can avoid doing many disasters, complexities, confusion and destruction. We can check ourselves from doing something by thinking about the outcome (that can happen because of our negligence) first and then take appropriate action. Each and every action should be measured carefully because solving the problem will be more time consuming and more painful compared to taking precaution so that the problem do not happen

Which Meaning of Compensation Seems Most Appropriate from an Employee’s View: Return, Reward or Entitlement?

Which meaning of compensation seems most appropriate from an employee’s view: Return, reward or entitlement? Compensation and Benefits remain as an invaluable tool to attract, motivate and retain qualified candidates. Compensation refers to the wages and other non-financial forms of compensation that an organisation pay to employees for the work they do. Compensation can be given out to employees in the form of pay, incentives, and benefits for performing their job. A total compensation and benefits package aids the organisation in increasing and maintaining the individual’s and team’s morale, encourage motivation towards peak performance, achieve internal and external equity, and increases employees’ loyalty to the organisation. When employees see compensation as a form of entitlement, they might feel that this compensation is unconnected with their accomplishment. Compensation systems are meant to attract, retain and motivate employees. When employees see their compensation as a form of entitlement, the motivation effect ceases. Employee reward and recognition programs are one method of motivating employees to change work habits and key behaviours. Employee reward systems refer to programs set up by a company to reward performance and motivate employees on individual and/or group levels. They are normally considered separate from salary but may be monetary in nature or otherwise have a cost to the company. Reward systems may be used as a tool to lure top employees in a competitive job market as well as to increase employee performance. Though employee recognition programs are often combined with reward programs they retain a different purpose altogether. They are intended to provide a psychological—rewards a financial—benefit. Although many elements of designing and maintaining reward and recognition systems are the same, it is useful to keep this difference in mind, especially for small business owners interested in motivating staffs while keeping costs low. In designing a reward program, a small business owner needs to separate the salary or merit pay system from the reward system. Financial rewards, especially those given on a regular basis such as bonuses, profit sharing, etc. , should be tied to an employee's or a group's accomplishments and should be considered â€Å"pay at risk† in order to distance them from salary. By doing so, a manager can avoid a sense of entitlement on the part of the employee and ensure that the reward emphasizes excellence or achievement rather than basic competency. Merit pay increases, then, are not part of an employee reward system. Normally, they are an increase for inflation with additional percentages separating employees by competency. They are not particularly motivating since the distinction that is usually made between a good employee and an average one is relatively small. In addition, they increase the fixed costs of a company as opposed to variable pay increases, such as bonuses, which have to be â€Å"re-earned† each year. Finally, in many small businesses teamwork is a crucial element of a successful employee's job. Merit increases generally review an individual's job performance, without adequately taking into account the performance within the context of the group or business. Types of Reward Programs include: Variable Pay, Bonuses, Profit Sharing, Stock Options, Group- based reward systems, Bonuses are generally short-term motivators. By rewarding an employee's performance for the previous year, they encourage a short-term perspective rather than future-oriented accomplishments. In addition, these programs need to be carefully structured to ensure they are rewarding accomplishments above and beyond an individual or group's basic functions. Otherwise, they run the risk of being perceived of as entitlements or regular merit pay, rather than a reward for outstanding work. Proponents, however, contend that bonuses are a perfectly legitimate means of rewarding outstanding performance, and they argue that such compensation can actually be a powerful tool to encourage future top-level efforts. Recognition Program While most employees certainly appreciate monetary awards for a job well done, many people merely seek recognition of their hard work. For an entrepreneur with more ingenuity than cash available, this presents an opportunity to motivate employees. Cash is no longer the ultimate motivator. Non-cash awards tend to be more effective; the exception was rewarding increasing sales. Non-cash awards programs would work better than cash in such cases as reinforcing organizational values and cultures, improving teamwork, increasing customer satisfaction and motivating specific behaviors among other programs. One problem associated with many compensation systems is the lack of employee involvement. Though it has been stated that reward in most cases has more motivation, attraction and retention effects, it might not be so for some employees.

Rift Valley and Jane Axtell or The Chairman Essay

Rift Valley and Jane Axtell or The Chairman - Essay Example There are a number of persons, parties or stakeholders involved in both scenarios; the Rift Valley and the 21st century. These parties are charged with different duties and responsibilities, but the common denominator is that they work towards a common goal or purpose (Dow 212). On the same note, there are distinct mechanisms through which the required processes are undertaken or ways through which the involved parties interact. In this respect, there is an aspect of work setting established in both the Rift Valley and the 21st century. Interaction and relations are also at stake in different levels. The extent of interaction between parties in the Rift Valley and those in the 21st century, however, vary according to the work practices observed in the two areas. At the height of work relations, there is a supervisory role played by the relevant key movers of activities, meaning that communication and work practices are undertaken in distinct levels that are unique to both the Rift Valley and the 21st century. Given a choice between Jane Axtell and the chairman of the firm, personally I would choose the chairman of the firm. There are a number of reasons that back up this choice. Firstly, chairmanship is a coveted position hold. The desire to feel in control and working with other people is an interesting experience. In this regard, the chairman of the firm becomes an essential choice. This does not mean that Jane Axtell is dominated or ruled, but that the role played in her context is not as outstanding as that associated with the chairman. Secondly critical decision is unavoidable to the chairman. This requires that the chairman keeps at par with the trends and changes in the firm. As a result, information diversity must characterize the roles played by the chairman. Similarly, I personally desire to associate with these activities. Chairmanship is essentially a critical position to exploit one’s knowledge and skills base (Teare 128). In other words,

To what extent do you agree with the claim that small to medium sized Essay

To what extent do you agree with the claim that small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are always better at innovating than la - Essay Example The drivers of innovation include competitive pressures, and the need to gain competitive advantage. Competitive advantage can also be achieved from firm size or possession of assets (Tidd and Besant, 2009, Ch 2, p1). Mobbs (2010) cites from a book by Baumal who noted that â€Å"virtually all the economic growth that has occurred since the 18th century is ultimately attributable to innovation†. Drivers of Innovation Internationalization, deregulation and globalization have compelled companies to find newer ways to enhance performance, productivity and growth. Innovation has become a strategic priority as it helps to survive adverse changes, to protect market share, to open new horizons and to become market leaders (Mobbs, 2010). As markets have become customer-driven, firms also need to innovate to cater to customer needs, preferences and wants. In addition, advanced communications and transportation technology have fuelled growth thereby increasing competitive pressures on fi rms to innovate (The Economic Intelligence Unit, 2007). Other drivers of innovation include education and technical skills of the workforce and investments in research and development as a percentage of the GDP. Innovation is the application of knowledge in some innovative way and it definitely boosts performance. Business leaders in both small and large companies have started focusing on top- and bottom-line growth and one of the best ways to achieve this is through innovation. They have started evaluating their products, services, processes and even their corporate culture to gain competitive advantage (Mobbs, 2010). This paper evaluates to what extent small and medium-sized companies are better at innovating than larger companies. Types of Innovation Various theories have been put forth by researchers and scholars as they evaluate the potential of SMEs and large firms to innovate. Firm size and age influence survival, but the direction of growth matters more than the firm size (C efis and Marsili, 2005). According to the product life cycle (PLC) theory, both product and process innovation influence market competition in different stages of industry evolution. Process innovation gains prominence as the industry matures. However, product innovation has to be ongoing as in the case of cardiac pacemakers. Firms that could introduce intermittent incremental innovations could support themselves better. Smaller firms would focus on product innovation but there are other ways in which firms can obtain strategic advantage such as change in the process, position (changing identities) and paradigm (new ways of seeing the world). Schumpeter, the founder of innovative studies, believed that entrepreneurs have the propensity to innovate and also receive rewards as long as they enjoy monopoly (Tidd and Besant, 2008). However, they can soon be overtaken by competitors who copy and imitate. Therefore constant innovation keeps the capitalist engine in motion. Sources of Innov ation However, this ability to innovate is more important than any other factor. Innovation transcends all functional areas such as marketing, planning, human resource management and finance. In SMEs most of these functions are carried out by owner-managers who may lack the realization of the process needed for implementing innovation. Moreover, SMEs consider innovation as a one-dimensional function and hence consider innovation only through a major technological breakthrough (Tunney, 2007). However, there is

Critical review of Literature Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Critical review of Literature - Research Paper Example These factors mean that interventions for alcohol dependency in children and young people have to vary slightly from standard interventions. As a public health topic, alcohol dependency in this age group is important as it can help to normalize certain behaviours (Lembke, 2011), which may further the problem. Alcohol itself is one of the biggest burdens on the NHS, as it can lead to problems with the cardiovascular and digestive systems (Lembke, 2011), as well as causing dementia and related psychiatric problems. The purpose of this research is to explore which interventions for alcohol dependency in the 10-17 age bracket are most appropriate, and should inform policy guidelines on the matter. To do this, a critical review of the literature on the topic will be conducted. In this review, primary research on alcohol dependency in young people will be explored to show some of the most important issues that this age group has with alcohol dependency. This will highlight the important areas upon which to focus when considering interventions, and suggest areas that may be missing from current knowledge. Additionally, current policy guidelines in the UK will be analysed to ascertain whether they are appropriate when considered in light of the literature review. Literature published before 2002 was excluded from the literature review as it was deemed to be irrelevant and potentially out of date, particularly the information on guidelines. Literature that was included was judged to be the most relevant amongst the search results at that time when informing the research objectives. Alcohol dependency in children and young people is on the rise in the UK (NICE, 2011), and therefore has the potential to become a serious public health issue. Bonomo et al (2004) researched the relationship between alcohol dependency in those aged 14 to 15 and their

Leadership Factors Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Leadership Factors - Assignment Example I do not believe that the authentic leadership questionnaire is really valid because the answers are too subjective to provide a real understanding of one’s leadership style. Description of My Scores My scores on the Authentic Leadership Self-Assessment Questionnaire (ALSAQ) are as follows: Self-awareness, 13; Internalized moral perspective 17; Balanced processing, 10; Relational transparency 10; with a total of 50. According to Northouse (2013) all of these scores show weakness as an authentic leader when tallied individually. However, when the scores are added together, the final score falls within the high range (Walumbwa and Associates, 2012). When I look at these scores individually and the questions that were added together to create the score, I cannot say that these scores represent me or anyone as an authentic leader. According to Tobias (2011) the area of self-awareness is to measure the personal insights that a leader has and whether they understand their strengths and weaknesses. I scored a 13 in this area but I thought this was not a good indication of my ability. As an example, one of the numbers that determined this measure was number nine which read, â€Å"I seek feedback as a way of understanding who I really am as a person.† If someone seeks feedback from others to know who they are, I would say this is a weak leader. I said this would not describe me at all. In the next section, internalized moral perspective, Tobias (2011) states that this section measures an individual’s moral code and values. It also tells whether an individual has their own control or is controlled by others. I live by my own moral code and I do not allow other people to control how I act or react to situations. I believe this is a better way to live than to have someone else tell you what to do. Tobias (2011) states that the third category, balanced processing, measures critical thinking and the ability to take in information and make decisions after listening to other people’s opinions. Again, I think this is not a true measure of a person. I think it is better to stick to your own ideas, taking other people into consideration, but you must make the decision eventually. Welch and Welch (2012) say that being authentic shows that the individual is likable. I think this is true. People who are open and honest as far as they can be, are people who can be trusted. But, this is a perception and not necessarily a reality because it is based on how someone perceives someone else. Tobias (2011) states that he final section, relational transparency, measures how the leader communicates with others and expects that they will communicate openly and honestly. I scored a 10 on this section. I believe that I communicate well with others, but if I were leading a team, I would not reveal everything about myself to that team. I think that one can be authentic without telling all the details of their life. Implications of the Scores for M y Effectiveness as a Leader I do not think these scores really give an idea of how I would be as a leader. The scores are subjective, which means that I could change my mind about some of the scores and get a better score in the end. I think that these types of scores are like taking any personality quiz or romance quiz that one can find on the Internet. Nothouse (2013) states that this test has not had enough empirical evidence to show that it is valid. I would not take this test seriously if I wanted to know how I would be as

How can a creative corner encourage a group of 3-4 year old Essay

How can a creative corner encourage a group of 3-4 year old mathematical development - Essay Example Often, creativity is not a word associated with formal learning of subjects such as mathematics (Hall and Robinson, 2003). However, many researchers and scholars have been exploring the effectiveness of using creativity for mathematical development (Hall and Robinson, 2003). This article tries to explore whether a creative corner can encourage a group of 3.-4 year old children with mathematical development. It attempts to look at some of the creative activities that are used, the benefits and also the role that a practitioner has to play in promoting mathematical development. Young children have a natural ability to create fantasies, ask questions, explore their surroundings and carry out experiments. Therefore, the toddler age is one where the level of creativity is often maximum (Prentice, 2000). According to Prentice (2000), as children get older, the level of creativity reduced and hence, creativity is seen more in children who are in the age group of 3-4, when compared to the children who are in the age group of 5-6. According to Russ, (2003), creativity in young children can be fostered through three main aspects - they include setting up a creative environment, developing creative modules and programs as well as the skill or ability of the instructor in using these aspects. According to Talboys (2004), creativity is something that can extend to all the aspects of learning, including mathematics and not necessarily limited to activities such as art, theater of dancing. From a conventional perspective, children were encouraged to learn only very limited things through creative activities such as role play. Most of the curriculum, especially subjects such as mathematics and social science, were approached only from a formal classroom environment (Russ, 2003). According to Jean Piaget’s theory on mathematical development, the children undergo a staged development, where by between 0-2 years

Globalization Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Globalization - Essay Example There is virtually no area of business that is not opportunistic for globalization if the organisation is focused on finding new market opportunities, identifying opportunities for exportation, and strengthening global business relationships with foreign organisations. Consumer behaviour characteristics, related to a variety of products produced both domestically and internationally, also play a role in defining globalization. These are cultural elements that are driven by social characteristics and the economic status of a region. As the need for raw products continues to grow, new procurement avenues and education regarding manufacturing drives globalization efforts. New trade agreements support globalization as businesses spread their knowledge in the form of acquisitions, mergers and other business partnerships in order to enhance competitiveness. By most practical definitions, globalization is taking a self-sustaining industry and extending it beyond borders to improve the socia l well-being of local and foreign citizens and improving the infrastructure that drives business activities in a variety of segments. Four drivers of globalization in Belgium One aspect associated with Belgium that drives globalization efforts is the local cultural dimensions that exist as related to business practices and social identity. Belgium, under Hofstede’s model of cultural practices, maintains a culture that is risk averse, known under this model as uncertainty avoidance. Belgium business leaders demand its internal political structure that drives the hierarchy to consist of clear choices with a strong rationale, expects senior leadership to produce detailed plans before launching any effort linked to finance, and develop contingency plans in the event of potential failure (Donnison, 2008). The Uncertainty Avoidance Index consists of Belgium business cultures that have little tolerance for ambiguity and demand a very rigid structure in most business objectives. This risk-averse culture drives globalization in a way that is unique from other countries with less uncertainty avoidance. Rather than extended business into multiple foreign markets, Belgium demands its partnerships to include very detailed schematics and plans before making an investment decision. Belgium businesses would rather maintain control over its organisational principles and financial decision-making, therefore it allows much more foreign direct investment directly into the country rather than seeking expansion to foreign territories. As one example, Belgium’s culture dictates a need for domestic controls, therefore when new business acquisitions or mergers are necessary in order to achieve higher profitability or improve domestic production capabilities, Belgium will seek out partners to bring their own knowledge and skills directly into the country. This has provided many opportunities for investors in a multitude of industries to enter the Belgium consumer and indu strial markets, without Belgium having to sacrifice its long-standing social and business principles. This has opened new market opportunities for foreign countries to expand their marketing and sales presence, along with industrial exports, thus improving supply chain, expanding international knowledge in management and technology, and

Shipping Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Shipping Economics - Essay Example Marx (1953) describes it as " agreements organised by shipping lines to ports of call to arrange the pooling of cargo, freight monies or net earnings. They generally control prices, i.e., freight rates and passenger fares. They create a permanent body with a Chairman or Secretary. The conferences were either informal (oral) or formal (written), containing carefully established rights and obligations of membership." Such an authority to set and fix the price gives them the power of a cartel to monopolise the industry. The shipping industry has evolved from birth and continues to evolve in the wings of technological advances. Globalisation has taken place, and as shared by Notteboom (2004, p.86), it is reshaping the shipping industry. According to Jansson and Shneerson( 1987, p16), the liner shipping is geared towards providing regular services between ports following time-tables, and prices are advertised well in advance. It resembles a public transport system wherein the service is open to all with some cargo to carry, known as 'general cargo' which are transported in various packaging, such as pallets, boxes, barrels, crates. Providing such service requires extensive logistics, i.e., ships/vessels, loading and unloading equipment and agencies to broker the port operations. The liner is bound to keep its schedules and be stringent in implementing its policies, thus, it has to leave ports on schedule full or half-full in load capacity. The high cost of operating a shipping line is fixed. The salaries of managers, engineers and crew members, the port handling expense, and other administrative and operational expenses are regularly paid regardless of whether the vessel is full to capacity, or there are large or small stocks to carry when sailing. This creates supply and demand imbalance, a market condition which would either push prices upward or pull them downward, as the case may be. In this particular case, there is an excess vessel capacity (supply quantity) with respect to actual load (quantity demanded), a situation which triggers a downward trend of freight rates or conference tariffs. Profits have been low and relatively small in liner shipping. Under a loose market condition, trading losses may even be incurred. The problem is compounded by the inability of carriers to make quick turn-arounds to be able to reduce costs and operate at marginal profits. Sturmey (1975, p125) stresses that the best approach to reduce shipping costs lies in speeding up the turn-around of ships. Liners spend 60% of time in port cargo handling, a complete waste of expensive capital tied up in engines, accommodation and hull". The inefficiency of handling in both loading and discharging ports causes the congestion of ships at the wharf rendering it difficult for them to make another round or more of sailing. Container

The Accident Essay Example for Free

The Accident Essay One day I witnessed one of the worst accidents ever last winter. This accident was like no other. You could see the worried looks on everyones face. The smell in the air was foul. You could hear the traffic in the streets, a baby crying, and dogs were barking, while people whispered about this accident they were witnessing before their very eyes. The taste of peppermint and chocolate was still on my tounge from the hot chocolate I had just finished drinking. The air was very cold, a slight breeze blowing in from the west. Then right there on the corner of 3rd and Quesada the accident occurred. As the accident happen it was like a spot light was on it. Everyone turned their heads straight towards it. Their face changed with every glance. Some look worried, some disgusted with the situation, and some actually looked a lil remorseful. You could see the area of the accident being cover with spot by spot wondering if it was ever going to end. Cars were slowing to see what was happening, only to cause traffic. It was just too hard to look at anything else. Impossible even The smell was very foul, im guessing from the leakage.It smell almost sickening and the wind would blow it right in your face. It was strong and could burn your nose if you inhaled too hard. It almost made me sick. The mixture of the smell and the taste of hot cocoa wouldve been deadly. The accident wasnt the only thing they wouldve seen. My lunch was going to be everywhere but i was able to keep my composure. I had to see what was going on. This was going to be a memory Id never forget. I could feel the cold air creeping up. It was mid December so you know the air was cold. Our surroundings were pretty noisy. Dogs barking, the sounds of cars passing and people hit their squeaky breaks. Kids crying, probably because their mom wasnt paying them no attention, and all the ooos and awws that was referred to the accident. Then Right there in front of our very eyes, a homeless man holding a sign saying hungry, plz anything countz, peed on himself. Nobody could believe it as the spot in his gray sweat pants got bigger. As the foul smell started to seap. When the taste in my mouth and the smell combined to make me sick, and the sounds of the different reactions surrounded me. I couldnt help feel sorry for the man. He looked like he hadnt eaten in days, nor would he had tried if i wouldve given him some money. He couldve been a crack head or wine-o of the sort. Still the mater of fact was i had to help this man in some kind of way. I started digging in my backseat of my car. To find exactly what I was looking for, My sweats from practice. I went and gave them to him. I let him know it was ok to take them. Maybe if it wasnt 30 degrees outside I wouldnt have given him the pants. But hey, the only thing worst then warm piss on your ass, is cold piss.

Comparison of the Fantasies and Daydreams of Michael and Walter Mitty Essay Example for Free

Comparison of the Fantasies and Daydreams of Michael and Walter Mitty Essay Michael and Walter Mitty are two men who use fantasies and daydreams to escape from their unhappy lives. They both use them to improve their own experience. Both men are seen as weak, seen as failures by the rest of the world. They both are in denial. Walter Mittys fantasies stem from boredom and are used to boost his self-esteem. I never see a man could hold his brandy like you, sir. In his fantasies, he plays the character of someone superior, a rebel, or a lifesaver, such as a Commander, a doctor, a criminal, or a Captain. The complete opposite of who he is, a nobody. He changes himself completely because he is unhappy with who he is as a person. Walter is not as clever as his characters; Coreopsis has set in. When Walter says this, he thinks he is sounding clever as he is performing an operation but he is not bright because coreopsis is a flower. Michael needs his fantasies to survive desperate situations. He is lonely I am not an attractive companion and has no job. Michael uses his fantasies to deny his situation, to have something he doesnt have in real life. He imagines a family, a successful business, and a large house. These are not unrealistic dreams, they could have happened, but in Michaels case they did not. My Castle is not a splendid place, but it is very comfortable, and it has a warm and cheerful air, and it is quite a picture of Home. Michael cares more about the people there, his family, and his perception of home than material comforts. I have enough and am above all moderate wants and anxieties. Walter is married and feels smothered by his wife who hassles him and feels there is something wrong with him for losing himself in his fantasies. Its one of your days. I wish youd let Dr Renshaw check you over. This may anger and annoy him, which pushes him even further into his fantasies. He never involves her in his daydreams, which suggests that he is not close to her and would rather be alone. Michael almost had a happy marriage but Christiana betrayed him. After her he had no other partner and is lonely, he wants a family. Walter feels inferior to other men. Theyre so damn cockyThey think they know everything. Walter tries to do a man thing by taking the chains off his own car, but fails. When he sees a young, grinning man take them off easily he feels annoyed that he, himself cannot. In his fantasies, he is a strong man, or a smart man. He uses his fantasies to deny his personality. Michaels fantasy starts when he is asked to start a story to entertain his relations but from the depth, length, detail and thought gone into this dream, we know he has thought about this many times before. Walters are triggered by certain pictures or situations. Driving his car triggers a fantasy involving a Navy plane, a hospital triggers him into a doctor, and the Waterbury trial triggers a trial situation where he is a gun-shooting criminal. Pictures of bombing planes and ruined streets trigger a pilot fantasy. Michaels dreams are set in his castle, his home. The scene does not change. I reside, mostly, in a Castle. Walters are set in different locations, on different levels, the ground, and in the air, hurtling eight-engined Navy hydroplane in the courtroom and door of the dugout. This suggests Walter wanted to be as far away, from where he is now as possible. Michaels fantasies are about family, about others. About who he wishes he could be with, his grandchildren, children, wife and his business partner and his family. About closeness with friends and family. It is very pleasant of an evening, when we are all assembled together which frequently happens. Walters revolve around himself. What he does, how he saves people or places and in one dream about what he has done to another person. Michaels could have happened if it wasnt for decisions made by two people, Christiana and his business partner. Walters are pure fantasy, which get facts and words wrong. Michaels and Walters fantasies are an escape from their humdrum lives to a happier place where they would rather be.

ICICI Bank Limited Operations Management

ICICI Bank Limited Operations Management ICICI bank Ltd is largest private sector bank in India. ICICI bank offers large range of financial product and services. Retail banking section of ICICI bank is departmentalised into three units namely branch banking, sales and operations. Regional processing centre (RPC) under operations unit is responsible for processing and implementation of products and services offered by bank for allocated geographical region. With huge customer base and large number of services offered, operations unit has to frequently face fluctuation in processing volume. As banks are dealing with huge amount of transactions under regulated environment the capacity management need to be implemented carefully while maintaining required quality standards. The essay is focused on retail liability operations unit of ICICI bank. The purpose of this essay is to critically analyse the ICICI banks approach for managing its capacity and coping with fluctuating volume or rather fluctuating demand with same quality. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: ICICI Bank has been introduced and the sphere of analysis has been confined to retail liability section of operations unit. Overview of process at operations unit is defined by using Slacks (2009) model of Input-Transformation-Output. Capacity and demand for Regional processing centre is explained. Method use by ICICI bank to calculate the capacity of operations unit and individual resource at operation unit is explained and also shown in mathematical form. Idea of effective and potential capacity is briefly introduced. Demand -capacity mismatch is explained. Forecasting of demand is explained by divided it into long term and short term demand forecast, the demand can either be predictable as well as unpredictable. Few illustrative examples are given to show how forecast about surge in volume can be given from events that can be predicted. Capacity management methods suggested by scholars are explained and the existing situation at bank is analysed in light of literature. It is deduced that chase demand plan is used by bank to manage capacity in short term. Use of manage demand plan by bank at certain departments under RPC is suggested. Quality issues related to fluctuation in demand and capacity has been raised and implementation of coping strategies at bank has been explained. Finally recommendations are given to manage capacity of RPC for high demand and suggestions are given to maintain quality under fluctuating demand and capacity. It is concluded that capacity management can affect the quality of service provided to customer under high demand and how capacity planning supported by demand forecast can help to address the issue of demand capacity match while maintaining quality of service provided PROCESS DESCRIPTION: As per (Slack et al, 2009), under Input-Transformation-Output model branches and sales unit provide input to regional processing centre(operations unit) in the form of customer service request and processing request of financial product sold to customer. Now these inputs are processed at RPC and output is in the form of service provided to customers. For example account opening forms, term deposit request and negotiable instruments etc. processed at RPC provides the services and facility provided by bank to customer. Though operations unit at ICICI bank is not generating business directly but efficient working of this unit ensures customer satisfaction, compliance with central bank regulations and prevention of frauds CAPACITY AND DEMAND: Facet of Operations at ICICI Bank According to Hill (2005) capacity of operations unit at ICICI bank can be explained as resources to process customer request in limited time frame and desired quality. The resources at RPC are combination of staff, systems and facility required to produce desired output. For example number of negotiable instruments processed per day with given resources is the capacity of payment and settlement department of RPC. Demand is the requirements of the customers to avail the service and products offered by bank. Now, when it is clear that capacity has time dimension the variation in output is affected by all input elements to the RPC. So the variety of products and service packages offered by bank give rise to variations in the input and demand placed on the operations unit. Another aspect of the equation is to know about demand and its duration. This in turn is enclosed in a knowledge of the volume, variety, and variation in demand and in the nature of that demand (Armistead et al, 1991). As per Slack et. al (2009) ICICI bank need to know its capacity to meet demand. If capacity is low bank will not be able to meet the demand resulting into customer dissatisfaction and if capacity is more that demand bank is paying for extra capacity. ICICI bank has a well defined method to calculate the capacity of RPC (operations unit) as well as individual staff at RPC. Bank use the method of productivity calculation to identify the capacity to meet demand generated. Processing of services at RPC is further divided into department and formed the teams to perform specific task such as payments and settlement departments, account opening team, risk containment unit, transaction team. Overall task of the team is further divided into series of small tasks, which is formalised and same for all RPCs. After collating the inputs taken from line staff and team leads from all RPCs bank has prepared extensive list of all the task performed at RPC and the average time required to complete part icular task. Time requires to complete a particular task is termed as Hot time. Productivity of the individual staff is calculated as per formula: Productivity = Hot time Volume handled Summation of productivity of each employee in RPC is the productivity of RPC. It is used as means to calculate capacity of RPC to handle demand generated. Capacity of RPC will never be constant even if demand is constant. The fluctuation of demand on hourly to daily basis may be such that it can be difficult to meet demand. At ICICI bank clearing of high level negotiable instrument has to be done in small time window of four hours from opening hours of bank. For such small time frame, with fluctuation of volume it can be difficult to handle demand with existing capacity. The ability to change capacity to cope with changes in demand raises questions of the flexibility of the capacity (Slack et al, 2009). The interesting part is to find out that how an individual can increase its capacity. It can be by working hard, putting extra hours. But, as RPC is dealing with financial transaction worth Rs 150 million on daily basis standard of quality is necessary to be maintained to avoid wrong credits and compliance with regulation guideline. To cope with the fluctuation of capacity, the idea of effective and potential capacity is useful (Lockyer et al.,1988). Effective capacity is the capacity which is available to the manager, whereas potential capacity is the capacities which can be used if manage can provide additional arrangements to increase capacity. Both are short term decisions and pertain to the team and individual level rather than to the organisation as a whole. Long term increases or decreases in capacity such as opening of new RPC and it will have impact on whole branch network under that RPC. DEMAND FORECAST: According to Slack et al (2010) understanding of demand and capacity fluctuation is necessary to plan for future events, else it is only to react. For capacity planning forecast is a valuable input. Demand forecasting can be long term and short term. Demand can either be predictable or unpredictable. At ICICI bank short term forecasting for operations activity is done by respective team at RPC. Unpredictable variation in demand at RPC needs to be address with well planed capacity management scheme to fulfil the gap between demand and capacity. Short term forecast is used to plan the allocation of resources to meet the expected surge in demand. Short term variation in demand at banks is mostly predictable though not with exact figures but a fair assumption of demand can be made by evaluating historical data and trends as well as prevailing market situation. Example of negotiable instrument processing team is taken to illustrate the probable factors influencing fluctuation in demand, f actors can be Holiday for few days in row-It will increase demand Natural calamity- It will decrease demand Financial year opening-closing- It will increase demand Launch of popular IPO- It will increase demand Monthly payment cycle for payment of advances- It will increase demand Though this is not extensive list but it provides the rough idea of factors influencing fluctuation in demand. Similarly, at the time of campus recruitments bank can expect surge in salary account opening activity, increase in rate of interest on deposits will increase demand for term deposit requests and increase in workload at transaction department at last week of the month for salary credit process. Volume can be used as statement of the trend in demand over a period of time. Long term forecast of demand is based on different standard forecast models. These forecast models are based on different set of assumption (Hill, 2005). Apart from these assumptions there are few more factors such as macroeconomic factors, planning to use new technology etc. Forecast can never be accurate all the times .Over estimation of demand in forecast can lead to unnecessary expenditure on increasing capacity (Slack et al, 2009)). At ICICI bank long term estimation of demand is done at centralised unit keeping in mind the implementation of new technology, expected market share, change in regulation by central bank (Reserve bank of India) and quality of service offered by competitors etc. CAPACITY MANAGEMENT: Capacity management is concerned with the matching of the capacity of the operating system and the demand placed on that system. (Wild, pg304, 2002). Capacity management is the way to balance demand from customers and the capacity of the RPC to meet the demand. Capacity management gives high emphasis on understanding the nature of demand by forecasting and on managing capacity to meet demand (Lovelock, 1984). Demand capacity mismatch is the issue which operations unit at bank has to handle frequently. According to Slack et al (2009) there are three plans available to tackle the issue of demand capacity mismatch, most of the organisations will use mixture of all the plans according to requirement of business. The plans are: Level capacity plan Chase demand plan Manage demand plan Level capacity plan: In the level capacity plan capacity remains same throughout the planning period even if demand forecast is fluctuating (Slack et al, 2009). In case of ICICI bank if capacity level is maintained uniform and if demand is high quite high from base level capacity. Bank will not be able to fulfil the service level promised to customer. In case of low demand bank will end up paying extra for underutilised resources. ICICI bank cannot afford level capacity plan, as opportunity cost for bank for not fulfilling demand may lead to breach of central bank regulations. Chase demand plan: Chase demand plans try to match the capacity with change in demand. This plan can be reactive as well as proactive. If fluctuation in demand is unpredictable then change in capacity will be the reactive measure to match the demand. Chase will be proactive or well planned if fluctuation in demand can be predicted. Level of capacity can be controlled by changing the extent of resources by: Sharing of capacity between different departments at RPC. At ICICI bank, increase in volume at one department is handled by sharing the responsibility with members of other department handling comparatively low volume. This arrangement is suggested to be most efficient by Slack et al (2010). Using vendor support for less critical service: complying with banking regulation. At times of high volume at payments and settlement department activity like data entry of negotiable instrument and image capturing and encoding can be given to existing vendors in market. As banking is highly regulated sector, critical activities like credit and debit verification cannot be outsourced and it has to be done by bank official above certain specified grade. Shifts planned to cater peak volume of the day Working hours at ICICI bank is 12 hours, whereas working hour for each employee are nine hours. Each department at RPC has different peak time. For example payments and settlement department has peak volume at two different time first at around 10A.M. when high value cheques are verified and sent for clearing at around 11 A.M and another at around 3 P.M when all negotiable instrument collected during the day are verified. Two shifts are so arranged that each member of team is present at office to handle both peak hour volumes. Changing output rate. To increase output by expecting each staff at RPC to be more productive by working fast than his normal speed. This approach can be used as temporary measure. Prolong use of this method will deteriorate the quality of work and create dissatisfaction among staff (Slack et al, 2009) The solution suggested above for managing demand- capacity gap is used at ICICI bank, but sharing of work with resources in other department can be possible if resources in other team are well trained to work in any department. Guideline given by central bank need to be updated to all employees in all departments at RPC to make sure about that employee comply with regulation and adhere to quality standard. The purpose of chase demand plan is to maintain capacity closely in line with effective capacity thereby trying to attain maximum efficiency and service quality. Manage demand Plan According to Slack et al,(2009)demand management plan is used to change the pattern of demand to match it with available effective capacity. This method is used at ICICI bank for activity in which time frame is not a limiting factor for example request for term deposit can be processed on later date by providing value dated credit. QUALITY ASPECT: According to Slack et al,(2009), quality needs to be understood from customers perspective because it is defined by customers expectations. At bank quality of processing is understood from customers point of view as well as from regulatory authoritys point of view. Managers use capacity management as a tool to minimise the trade-off between capacity to meet demand and quality of service offered. Quality of service, quality of processing and resource capacity are important in the tactic perspective as they interrupt the ability of the bank to attain its competitive tactic described by a combination of added value and price (Bowman 1990).The importance of either quality or efficiency will to a large extent is driven by the competitive position of the Bank. If competitive advantage is gained by providing quality of service provided at comparatively high price then there will be more propensities to indulge in redundancy of capacity at times. If the bank is competing more on price then to increase capacity then is more likely that quality will take backseat. However with increasing expectations of customer for quality services ICICI bank is forced to maintain quality of service at lower prices in times of economic slowdown where bank need to maintain reputation. The crucial dimensions are those which win customers or those which if deteriorate may cause into loss of customers (Armistead 1991). ICICI bank was not able to take care of this factor at the time to highest growth at that point bank was handling very high volume hence with mentality to manage higher demand with existing capacity back actually neglected the quality aspect of services offered. Bank soon realised that it is losing customers more than creating new customers. In 2009 ICICI bank followed the policy to reconciliation by not going for aggressively to increase market share but rather focused on increase operations excellence and cost cutting, Bank actually used capacity management techniques for cost cutting. To increase the quality standards at bank RPCs has introduced memo system in which each error will be recorded in detail with proper root cause analysis and particular number of memo will lead to termination of employee. IMPLEMENTATION OF COPING STRATERGY: As the understanding of capacity management increased among service operations managers they started to balance capacity with demand. At ICICI bank operations manager started to work on capacity near breakeven point and this is the capacity where things start to go wrong. Drop in quality is observed when operating near breakeven point. We need a coping strategy which can be applicable on the short term inability to match effective with capacity and demand. As a sign to develop a coping strategy it is necessary that RPC should find its own combination of the chase and level plan by: Improving its capability to forecast Quality target should be well described and monitored Setting clear capacity target for team and fluctuating productivity target for individual employee To understand critical and hygiene dimensions of its quality (Armistead and Clark, 1991) To understand the possible failure points in operations unit (Armistead and Clark, 1991) To cope with demand capacity mismatch there are number of actions possible in the few coping cases: Chasing demand plan with High Demand In this scenario capacity is chasing demand and demand is high. With frequent extended working hours for staff at bank to meet demand it is highly probable that staff will commit error. Risk here is that quality of the service provided to customer will go down. Whereas staff frequently working under such condition will fell stressed and may quit job which is not good for employer as money and time has been invested to train the employee. To improve situation we can make extensive plan to tackle situation of fluctuating high demand by identifying particular dates on which high demand is certain and allocating resources to concerned team accordingly. Chasing demand plan with Low Demand It is scenario when demand is low and as capacity is chasing demand capacity will also be reduced. Since banking regulation in India does not allow part time workers in bank hence each resource is full time staff. As capacity for particular task has been reduced with decrease in demand targets are at risk. The possible actions are: Accept it as time to rest and recover, this will help staff to be stress free. Complete other tasks like cleaning and arrange maintenance of computer or cheque encoding machine. Finish the tasks which do not have time limit but necessary to be completed. Arrange interdepartmental training so that resources can be developed to support other department. Level demand plan with High Demand In this scenario it is not been possible to limit demand to match effective capacity. As capacity is fixed high demand will not be fully satisfied. In this case customer should be notified at time of receiving customer request that bank will not be able to process this request on time Level demand plan with Low Demand It is the scenario when it has not been possible to stimulate sufficient demand to match effective capacity. In this case bank should utilize the spare resources. Transfer of resources to other maintenance tasks. Complete the backlog generated from period when demand Is high. RECOMMENDATIONS: For Short term fluctuation in demand resources cannot be increased at RPC. As per Indian banking regulation banks are not permitted to recruit part time staff though they can outsource the activity of data entry and image capturing and encoding of negotiable instruments. The theoretical solution given for the situation of high demand under chasing capacity plan is to transferring resources typically between back office and front office. This solution is yet not applied by ICICI bank. Sales and branch banking unit are also part of bank, using these resources in times of high demand will be the optimum use of resources available within the bank. At time of low demand interdepartmental training can be organised within the RPC, one member of each team can be nurtured to be buffer resource that can fill the place in any team in times of high demand. The recommendations given will be helpful to fully utilise the resource capacity available within the bank. For quality maintenance issue it is suggested to conduct an audit on daily basis by taking few samples from all processed lots. As bank has started to issue memos to recorded errors, employees will try to avoid any negligence from their part as certain number of memos can result into termination of employee from job. CONCLUSION: ICICI bank has separate operations unit. So the volume handled by RPC (operations unit ) is quite high and the fluctuation in demand is also very high. The positive part is that RPC has many departments. The capacity of these departments can be utilized in case of surge in demand. Proper forecast for fluctuation in demand can be addressed by planning the capacity the pitching up the resources trained to tackle the volume surge of any department. Quality of the service will not be affected as bank is keeping an extra check by mean of concurrent audit and issuance of memo on error committed by employee will keep him vigilant while performing the task. Hence demand supply match can be obtained with maintained service quality is possible with proper capacity management.

Joseph Conrad: An Innovator in British Literature Essay -- Conrad

Joseph Conrad: An Innovator in British Literature      Ã‚  Ã‚   Joseph Conrad’s innovative literature is influenced by his experiences in traveling to foreign countries around the world. Conrad’s literature consists of the various styles of techniques he uses to display his well-recognized work as British literature. "His prose style, varying from eloquently sensuous to bare and astringent, keeps the reader in constant touch with a mature, truth-seeking, creative mind" (Hutchinson 1). Conrad’s novels are basically based on having both a psychological and sociological plot within them. This is why Conrad’s work carries its own uniqueness from other novels when being compared to his.    Examples of Conrad’s literature include novels such as Heart of Darkness, Lord Jim, and The Secret Agent. Heart of Darkness is basically based on his own experiences, but Conrad also adds fiction into this particular novel (Dintenfass 1). It has been said that Conrad’s style of writing is described as "...life as we actually live it...[is] to be blurred and messy and confusing-- and the abstract ideas...[of] actual experiences can sometimes produce in us, or in that part of us, anyway, which tries to understand the world in some rational way." Acquiring this from the novel gives the reader a psychological perspective in that they are receiving feedback in a conscious way such as a hallucination or a phantasm (Dintenfass 2). Readers have curiously questioned the purpose of his novels such as Heart of Darkness, but the answer is quite simple. "[The] purpose is to get the reader to re-live [any] experience in some [significant] and concrete way, with all its complexity and messiness, all its darkness and ambiguity, intact" (Dintenfass 3). An addi... ...n, eds. Twentieth Century Literary Criticism. Vol. 1 Detroit: Hale Research Co., 1978. Dintenfass, Mark. "Heart of Darkness: A Lawrence University Freshman Studies Lecture." 14 Mar. 1996. *http://www.acsu.buffalo.edu/~csicseri/dintenfass.htm* (2 Feb. 2000). Draper, James P., ed. World Literature Criticism: 1500 to the Present. Vol. 2 Detroit: Gale Research Inc., 1992. Hamblin, Stephen. "Joseph Conrad’s The Secret Agent." *http://www.ductape.net/~steveh/secretagent/* (2 Feb. 2000). The Hutchinson Encyclopedia. 1999. 2 Feb. 1999. *http://ukdb.web.aol.com/hutchinson/encyclopedia/72/M0013572.htm Magill, Frank N., ed. 1,300 Critical Evaluations of Selected Novels and Plays. Vol. 2 Englewood Cliffs: Salem Press Inc., 1976. Stein, Rita, and Martin Tucker, eds. Modern British Literature. Vol. 4 New York: Frederick Ungar Publishing Co., 1975.

Abraham Lincoln Essay -- essays papers

Abraham Lincoln In Abraham Lincoln: The Man Behind the Myths, Stephen Oates interpretation of the Historical Lincoln had three examples of Lincoln’s actions; Moral decisions, his expression and progression. The first illustration that I see is his beliefs in moral determination. He not only believed that ethically slavery was wrong, but also believed that he could do something about it. One way that he tried to change peoples mind was to pass the Emancipation Proclamation Act. The proclamation declared "that all persons held as slaves" within the rebellious states "are, and henceforward shall be free." Even though this Proclamation did not immediately free a single slave, Lincoln believed that it was a start in ending slavery. Lincoln â€Å"†¦contended in any case that blacks who had tasted freedom would never consent to be slaves again† (p.115). He believed that once the â€Å"black’s† or slaves had a chance at freedom, Lincoln knew that they would never go back to being treated unequally. Lincoln was not much more than the simple saint, he was just an abolitionist. He was determined to stand by his word. He was willing to do anything and everything to get his beliefs out. Another action that I choose to illustrate his ways was his expressions. Lincoln felt so strongly about the Union that he expressed that the â€Å"†¦slaves were a tremendous source of strength†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (p. 105). He conjectured that having the slaves freed meant that the military would be much stronger. Even though ...

Genetic Engineering: Monsatos Roundup Ready Soybeans :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers

Roundup Ready Soybean (RRS) is "an intelligent solution in favor of the environment," claims Monsanto, the agricultural chemical company that makes genetically engineered RRS (Greenpeace). Likewise, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) claims "it [Roundup Ready Soybean] does not require premarket approval" and "the special labeling [of it] is inappropriate" (Whitmore). Nowadays we can find information about genetically modified food anywhere. However, many people have been poorly informed about genetic engineering. This is because developers of genetically engineering and the U.S. government put pressure on public information. In other words, they only give good information to the public and hide unpleasant facts. It seems that genetically engineered foods have nothing different from natural ones, and are not harmful. However, genetically engineering is dangerous. Because more than half the farmers will no longer be able to make their living; secondly, the very merits of genetical ly engineering are dangerous; lastly, there are no laws which protect our right. First, I am opposed to genetically engineered food because half the world's farmers can no longer make their living. This is because they will not be able to afford to buy seeds (Edwards 22). Up to the present, farmers could gather seeds up from the crop and replant them next year. However, many genetically engineered seeds are made to grow only one growing season. Melvin Oliver, who works in the USDA's (US Department of Agriculture) laboratory in Lubbock, Texas, and invented genetically engineered seeds, claims that genetically engineered seed is "a way of self-policing the unauthorized use of American technology" (Edwards 22). Monsanto also insists that "because Roundup Ready Soybeans are patented, their responsible use is different from that of other [ general ] soybeans" (Monsanto). But these claims only show one-way thinking which mainly aims at the profit of companies. If farmers have to buy the seeds every year, poorer farmers will no longer be able to buy them. What is worse, this might be dangerous with regards to the environment. If most of the farmers buy these seeds, natural seeds will disappear. What if companies go bankrupt and can not make the seeds that cannot be replanted next year? Farmers will not be able to make crop and we will surely have nothing to eat. Developers cannot assure that this will never happen. Moreover, the price of genetically engineered seeds will become higher. At first, these seeds will be cheaper than general ones to encourage poorer farmers to buy them.

It’s Better To Live In A Small Town Than A Big City

Nowaday, People often have 2 selection for their living place. Some people prefer to live in small town and Others prefer to live in the big city. I think one of the most important decisions that human have to take is to choose his living place where you can feel more comfortable,more suitable and happier. Peronally, I think setting down in modern big city is more beneficial. Through my essay I will analyze one of the most important reasons which is Chance of having a better carreer.Big cities has bigger market, companies or corporations are more famous so of course you can have more chance to found a better work . I have a same age friend. He study IT in an university in Thai Nguyen city , It’s a city which smaller than Ha Noi capital. He graduated from a famous university but after 1 year in Thai Nguyen he still unemployed Because number of companies fewer means you will have less chance. There are too many student graduated from university each year but number of companies is only slightly increased.Many student together apply in to one company. Having too much CV of employees but employment in the company are limited so maybe you must to win hundred of people,who applied together with you in order to have employment in the company and my close friend can’t do that. After that I advice him to go to Ha Noi to find another chance and he agreed. He went to Ha Noi and applied to some companies. Amazing! Having 3 companies want to contract with him after only 2 months.He contracted with FPT corporation and work as a Software Specialist about computer. Now he still work there and feeling very happy when being a FPT's staff. From this example we can see that there are more activities in big cities that help people to expose their chance. It is clear from the example that we can have better opportunities in big cities. In a nutshell, I am still positive living in big city is Hanoi where will allow me have better work chance. And I believe that many peo ple will move to here for the same reason. It’s better to live in a small town than a big city Nowaday, People often have 2 selection for their living place. Some people prefer to live in small town and Others prefer to live in the big city. I think one of the most important decisions that human have to take is to choose his living place where you can feel more comfortable,more suitable and happier. Peronally, I think setting down in modern big city is more beneficial. Through my essay I will analyze one of the most important reasons which is Chance of having a better carreer.Big cities has bigger market, companies or corporations are more famous so of course you can have more chance to found a better work . I have a same age friend. He study IT in an university in Thai Nguyen city , It’s a city which smaller than Ha Noi capital. He graduated from a famous university but after 1 year in Thai Nguyen he still unemployed Because number of companies fewer means you will have less chance. There are too many student graduated from university each year but number of companies is only slightly increased.Many student together apply in to one company. Having too much CV of employees but employment in the company are limited so maybe you must to win hundred of people,who applied together with you in order to have employment in the company and my close friend can’t do that. After that I advice him to go to Ha Noi to find another chance and he agreed. He went to Ha Noi and applied to some companies. Amazing! Having 3 companies want to contract with him after only 2 months.He contracted with FPT corporation and work as a Software Specialist about computer. Now he still work there and feeling very happy when being a FPT's staff. From this example we can see that there are more activities in big cities that help people to expose their chance. It is clear from the example that we can have better opportunities in big cities. In a nutshell, I am still positive living in big city is Hanoi where will allow me have better work chance. And I believe that many peo ple will move to here for the same reason.

Social Work, Poverty & Homeless

Poverty and Homeless March 20, 2012 Poverty and Homeless Poverty Poverty can be defined in several ways and can mean different things to people of different societies. Absolute poverty is to have inadequate funds to provide a minimum standard of living for oneself or one’s family. Relative poverty is defined as doing worse off financially than the average person in a given society. Persons living in relative poverty may have no car, no television, and no toys for their children but have enough money for clothing, food and shelter.Relative to the average Americans, they are living poorly. A person or family living in absolute poverty, on the other hand, may not have enough money to pay for the rent or groceries for the month. These different ways of defining poverty are debated by government officials and researchers. How poverty is defined is integral to the task of reducing its prevalence in society. Statistics With 18. 2% (U. S. Census, 2006-2008) of people in the United Sta tes are living below the poverty level, it is increasingly important that the government should take measures regarding this context.Poverty thresholds or income levels is dependent on the number of family members. Poverty in United States of America is unique in nature with 13-17% Americans live below the poverty line in America. Although extreme poverty is virtually nonexistent in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries, national measures indicate the presence of economic deprivation. For example, in the United States in 2006, 38. 8 million people, or 13. 3% of the population, fell below the federal poverty line (Fields, 2000).In the United States, the poverty threshold was established in 1965 based on the cost of food, taking into account household size and composition but making no adjustment for regional differences in cost of living. The threshold is adjusted annually for inflation. For example, in 2007, the federal poverty threshold for a fa mily of three, with one adult and two children, was $16,705—far above the extreme world poverty measure but well below the national average income (Filmer, 2001). Geographic LocaleOf the people living below the poverty level in the United States, 44% live in rural areas, and approximately 56% live in urban/suburban locales. Many of the contemporary stories depict characters in urban and suburban settings where people are living on the streets, in shelters, in their cars, or in apartments and homes. Race/Ethnicity An analysis of the portrayal of race is very complicated. In the United States Census Bureau (2006-2008) shows that there is more White people living in poverty in the United States than any other racial group.However, if one looks at the percentage of people living below the poverty line within racial groups, the statistics For instance, of the total number of poor people living in the United States, 46. 06% are White; however, of all of the White people living in t he United States, only 9. 2% are poor. Also, while only 1. 5% of the poor people living in the United States are Native Americans, within that population, 25. 3% are living in poverty. In other words, one out of 10 White people live in poverty versus one out of four Native Americans living in poverty (Hanushek, 2007).Negative Effects of Poverty 1. Increasing the debt and loans to meet individual consumer needs and necessities instead of working on plans for Renaissance and the construction and reconstruction. 2. Peoples' economic dependence of countries and peoples of the donor loans and debt, and the consequent negative impact in all aspects and sides. 3. Increase the exploitation and monopoly, and thus increase the poor poorer and the rich richer, because the poor because of their strong need to be unable to compete are subject to the conditions. . Poor often cannot because of lack of money to have on the use of modern technology and modern techniques. 5. Poor often are busy filli ng his hunger for knowledge and culture; there remains sufficient time for learning and culture. 6. Illiteracy, ignorance and backwardness as stated above. 7. Increasing the rate of mortality, where the link between all the experts most of the diseases of poverty, and thus the death of many people have mentioned the impact of hunger in the death of children (Levin, 2004). Root-Cause of PovertyPoverty is a big subject and an area of policy which affects every part of the USA. It is not much known about but impossible to hide. The poor suffer it, the middle class and the rich pay taxes to relieve it but at the same time they have always sought measures to contain and neutralize the poor. Multiple factors operating at various interconnected scales cause poverty. Globally, uneven trade and capital flows lead to poverty through exclusion from the benefits of economic growth. Access to water and natural resources, transportation, and climate also shape physical abilities and economic oppo rtunities.International and national policies influence poverty directly, through aid, subsidies, and antipoverty programs, and indirectly, through economic policies that affect the allocation of resources between people, regions, and industries. While some argue that individual characteristics such as education and the work ethic are paramount in explaining poverty, others insist that social and economic structures define capabilities based on gender, class, caste, race, religion, and other forces. Women are often denied access to education, paid employment, health care, financial resources, and political participation because of their gender.While these socially embedded practices deprive women of economic opportunities and basic freedoms, they also contribute to poverty indirectly through fertility and child care (Psacharopoulos, 2004). In the United States, the rise of â€Å"working poverty† has been linked to economic restructuring and the decline of the welfare state. T he role of these factors varies from place to place and underscores the importance of geography in understanding poverty. Poverty has increased recently in Western Asia and remains fairly constant in Latin America. References Fields, G. (2000). Distribution and development: a new look at the developing world.Cambridge & London: MIT Press. Filmer, D. , & Pritchett, L. (2001). Estimating wealth effects without expenditure data – or tears: an application to educational enrollments in states of India. Demography, 38(1). Hanushek, E. A. , & Wo? mann, L. (2007). The role of school improvement in economic development. NBER Working Paper 12832. Cambridge, Mass. : National Bureau of Economic Research. Psacharopoulos, G. , & Patrinos, H. (2004). Returns to investment in education: a further update. Education Economics, 12(2), Levin, B. (2004). Poverty and inner-city education. Horizons, 7(2),

Making decisions Essay

Written by Bernard Malamud, â€Å"The Natural† title does place a key meaning to the term, â€Å"the natural† as it is an inspiring baseball story that places a good read. The author discusses several character traits as well as interesting characters that are found in real life. Therefore, â€Å"The Natural† represents its meaning in such a way that it portrays the natural real life characters of America. Furthermore, â€Å"The Natural† by Bernard Malamud is a work different from the rest of the literature he has written. â€Å"The Natural† is a title that portrays â€Å"the natural† baseball craze of Americans; this is something that is very â€Å"natural† in this literature because the game of baseball places a â€Å"natural† exciting feeling within the American public. The craze of the game is absolutely â€Å"natural† and therefore, the author reflects many characteristics and story plots throughout the novel. Therefore, this can be one of the reasons why the title term, â€Å"The Natural† would place the same meaning as, â€Å"the natural. † After reading through Bernard Malamud’s novel, â€Å"The Natural,† I also felt that there were mixed natural feelings of loss and victory associated with the natural life pattern. Malamud highlights on natural traits of man’s emotions throughout the novel where we experience heightened love, sense of victory as well as loss. The beginning of the novel is strange but the story slowly picks up after a span of 15 years where we see the coaches desperately trying to win the baseball game slot. At this particular stance, we sense the â€Å"naturalness† displayed in the story by the author when Roy takes a straight hit at his first ball throw that makes Roy seem very â€Å"natural† at his game. By â€Å"natural† here, we mean Roy’s fluent attempt at his game that makes him the hero of the novel. Though the psychiatrist tries to messes with his mind, a â€Å"natural† instinct is always followed by a sense that shows familiarity as well as fluency with the task that Roy is trying to accomplish. Roy is not a trained baseball player and that is the reason why we would state that Roy’s â€Å"naturalness† in his game is an attribute he has from within. The title, â€Å"The Natural† can also be related to love or infatuation that Roy develops for Memo Paris since his arrival at Knights. Love or infatuation is truly a â€Å"natural† feeling and again, the author maintains the theme of his title that precisely corresponds to the story he is narrating to his audience. Apart from the natural skill of Roy that Bernard Malamud displays in his character, we also come across the natural feeling of love in the story. â€Å"The Natural† truly places an emphasis on its title and the Bernard Malamud knows his choice of the title. â€Å"The Natural† not only displays the realistic aspects of feelings but also skills that the character in the novel is fluent in. â€Å"The Natural† as stated earlier, also displays several characters that show a natural resemblance to real life characters. It is evident to come across beautiful and wicked women in real life and thus, what we read in â€Å"The Natural† too relates to the natural life. Bernard Malamud discusses the several factors that are associated with the natural aspects of one’s life by narrating Roy’s story. Bernard has been extremely entertaining in providing a perfect baseball story that is of â€Å"natural† interest for its readers and the readers comprise of millions of American baseball fans due to the fact that American baseball is the national sport of the country. We further witness how Bernard Malamud tackles the several issues of Roy’s life naturally where victory is definitely a part of one picture and another picture that Malamud represents at the end of the story is the loss. â€Å"Nature† or â€Å"Natural† has different meanings, of which Bernard Malamud has attempted to cover most of the meanings that have been portrayed in the story. Mostly, it is the realism stance of the story that counts in the Bernard Malamud’s narration. The stance of growth and advancement, as in real life, is another sign of â€Å"naturalness† in Bernard Malamud’s text, â€Å"The Natural. † The real â€Å"natural† life also accounts for the good and the bad. We witnessed characters that came from good backgrounds as well as bad backgrounds. Therefore, the realistic â€Å"naturalism† in the novel plays a vital role in giving an insight into the title; that is â€Å"The Natural. † Overall, the themes that can be found in â€Å"The Natural† placed a natural feeling in the heart of the readers. We saw how victory takes place and how the character in the story, Roy faces defeat as well. We also come across the sense of greed that leads Roy to accepting the bribe that made his team lose. The story serves as a valuable lesson for the readers to take the actions and consequences act into account as for every action, there is a consequence. If the action is good, the consequence is good and if the action is bad, the consequence will also be the same. With regards to the title of the novel, â€Å"The Natural†, I agree with it due to its coinciding incidences with the realism of life. The author successfully draws a sense of naturalness in the entire novel thereby making the title, the perfect match for it. Including the themes of love and infatuation, Bernard Malamud completes his story by highlighting on every aspect of human emotions. Bernard Malamud’s style of presenting the story in a realistic manner pertaining to the game of baseball as well as several characters draws a tremendous interest for the readers to look into the realistic factual characters presented by him in the novel. â€Å"The Natural† is a perfect title that applauds victory and sheds light on failure; love and infatuation; the good and the bad as well as choices. This characteristic feature of the novel makes it distinct and unique, the themes of which are truly â€Å"natural† in every sense†¦ LESSON 2: TROY AND ROY COMPARISON Troy and Roy are characters that are similar as well as differ from each other in many ways. Roy had clearly been an achiever in his life, till the â€Å"almost† end. In case of Troy, we don’t see that coming in his life except before he was jailed. Instead, Troy’s life revolves much around his own family and his own past and his own emotional drama. Roy had his love and his piece of infatuation, victory, failure as well as growth throughout the story. We see the same happening in Troy’s case but with a much different note. The only similarity I found through both the characters was their aim to become a baseball player of which, Roy had achieved a permanent status of a â€Å"natural† baseball player while Troy had given up on baseball based on his age. However, in Troy’s case, we didn’t see this aim in his life. Yes- he wanted to become a baseball player, he became the best baseball player but never returned back. He lost the opportunity when he was provided with one. Roy, however, is wise while making his decisions though at the end of the story, he too loses himself towards greed. That is another part of the story. I agree that both the characters have faced setbacks and triumphs in their own way in their respective stories but they cannot be stated as the â€Å"black and white† versions of the same kind of American male. Troy is more of a confused personality who loses opportunities while Roy is an achiever and the only moment he failed was when he was presented a lofty sum by Judge to lose the game or else, it was clear that Roy would have had led Knights to the path of victory. Troy revolves much around his personal life where he is involved with his sons, Cory and Lyons with his wife Rose and his girlfriend, Alberta. His brother Gabriel has a small role to play but Troy’s feelings towards his brother Gabriel where he holds himself responsible for his misfortunes shows Troy’s naive attitude towards understanding issues. Unlike Roy (whose game and success came naturally to him), Troy has an abusive childhood who was abused by his father. Eventually, the same influence and history was repeated by Troy on his other two sons. There is no change of heart throughout the story. We also sense that though there is a considerable time lapse between the lives of Troy and Roy, age didn’t deter Roy from playing baseball again while Troy easily gave up his game. The other similarity that I can state in both the characters is the sense of moral weakness. Troy and Roy are morally weak. Troy cheated on his wife by involving himself with another woman while Roy gives himself in to the bribe by the Judge. Roy’s character is exhibited less emotionally except when he involved himself in love and infatuation. Troy’s character is more on an emotional stance where he has his life and feelings in dilemma since the beginning. Though, both the characters face their actions and their consequences in their own manner, both the stories end with a sad note; Roy with his failure and Troy with his death. However, Troy’s daughter, Raynell does seem like an angel in the story. Troy had imaginarily built fences around his relationships wanting to keep death away from those he loved and those he hated as well. He had built his own boundaries and thus, was an unsuccessful father and even an unsuccessful husband (as he cheats on his wife). Roy’s weakness lies mainly with money and love as he too had a poor childhood and therefore aimed to become a baseball star. Troy is a fifty-three year old man who has built imaginary fences around himself from everyone in his life, including his own wife and therefore cheated on her. Roy, on the other hand, didn’t cheat on him and thus, Troy and Roy cannot be regarded as the black and white versions of the same American protagonist displayed by the two authors. Troy and Roy are similar, but in a smaller sense with each other. They come across misfortunes and in the end, have a sad ending to their lives. Their emotional stance on the events they faced in their lives is different. In both the novel stories, we come across a time lapse that had passed between the characters. Roy, as I believe, is sincere in his motives and is only confused about certain issues in his life. Troy, on the other hand, does not understand the essence of life at all and proceeds with life as it is, without willing to make any changes. Roy, a personality mostly not guided and mistaken, is underestimated though he has had a few bad hits in the baseball game, based on the story. Troy has faced a long hurdle of hardships throughout, especially when he quit his career as a baseball player after going to the prison. We also witness discrimination, apartheid in August Wilson’s play, â€Å"Fences† where Troy is Black and is not promoted for a long time to the position of the driver based on his skin color. We come across no such issue of discrimination in Roy’s case but further, Roy’s foolishness to achieve the woman he wants. Roy is willing to do anything for her and therefore, blindly accepts what Judge offers and thus, lands in a situation where he is a loser. He could have been victorious only if he had used his senses in a stronger way while making decisions (and by not letting his emotional part overtake him). Troy, on the other hand, has his life in a completely irreversible state where Troy’s confidence is completely shattered by the term he spent in prison. Therefore, he couldn’t change what already happened in his life and therefore, didn’t have sufficient confidence to go back to his previous life. Troy and Roy both differ in a great respect but share only some similarities.

James

The reading that I decided to summarize is called â€Å"The Emergence of the Star System in America† by Richard Decorate. The topic Is very useful because It emphasizes the Idea of the star system. The system Includes different kinds of Information that was created about actors.The velveteen of the system was influenced and developed through three transformations like â€Å"the discourse on acting, the picture personality and the star† The reading is significant because the write takes the reader thought the Journey about what perception of film actors used to be before 1907 and how the incept of performers kept evolving and changing till the year of 1914.The first transformation Is the discourse on acting. Decorate argues that before 1907, film actors were not popular and all the â€Å"Journalistic discourse of the time focused primarily on the scientific aspects of the apparatus†). It was assumed that films were products that did not have any involvement of hum an labor until the rise of another discourse in 1907, the importance of the labor in film production.The discourse led to a new knowledge which created a â€Å"struggle destined to resituated the site of textual radioactivity for the spectator away from the work of the apparatus Itself' Another very Important aspect Is that at the time all those who appeared In films were called picture performers and their activities were described as posing because the activity of acting in film was known only in terms of photography due to â€Å"struggle between a photographic and a theatrical conception of the body' (Decorate, p 19). In 1908, a huge decrease in demand of documentary films led to development of dramatic films.It led too huge popularity of people who appeared in films and who had a lend of the prolific, film and the real stories. The blend led to strengthening of the concept called the picture performer and acceptance of the fact that the â€Å"art of acidulous be translated to the screen† (Decorate, p 22). The acceptance allowed society to legitimate the concept of cinema and get new tastes of consumption like a combination of good action and acting in order to appeal to large audiences. The second transformation is the picture personality.Actors presented themselves with fictional names and public personalities. Three kinds of knowledge appeared hill creating the personality. The first one Is the circulation of the name that emphasizes the â€Å"difficulty of separating the circulation of the players' names and the circulation of the films they were in† (Decorate, p 25). Actors were identified in specific films because of names. The second knowledge is intellectuality. It â€Å"constituted the picture personality† . The knowledge was created by both the cinema and press. Personalities of performers supposed to be Just like their characters had.The knowledge emphasized stage experiences of actors. The last ell known transformation Is the star. Stars have always been â€Å"characterized by a fairy through going articulation of the paradigm professional Life/private life. With the emergence of the star, the question of the player's existence outside his/her work in films entered discourse† Around 1914, there was already no restriction in terms of knowledge and textually of players in films. Personal lives of stars became a new kind of a popular knowledge. Professional and personal lives became self-controlled film characters.Eventually, the main difference between â€Å"the picture personality and he star is that the later supports a family discourse† The redundancy and closure of the two lives led to the emergence of the star concept with its system and power. The writing is very useful it terms of understanding how the concept of the star was created and why it evolved in certain ways. It was also very helpful to understand the emergence in terms of the three key transformations likeliest discourse on acting, the picture personality and the star. The transformations allowed me to learn about interconnected aspects and facts which led to the concept of the star system.

Chinese Cinderella Essay

Last term our class studied Chinese Cinderella by Adeline Yen Mah. It is Adeline’s story, about her tough and horrible childhood as a neglected and unloved daughter of a rich and arrogant man, and a cruel, and abusive Stepmother. Right from the moment her mother died, Adeline was labelled as ‘bad luck’. Her family was very superstitious and believed she caused her mothers death so was therefore despised, no one wanted her around at all. Unfortunately for Adeline she didn’t really have any parents, her father loathed her as she had supposedly killed his beloved wife, and now she no longer had a mother so she was taken care of by her Aunt Baba who lived with the family at the time. Aunt Baba was the only real family Adeline had when she was young, but was grateful that she had an Aunt has wonderful as hers. A great moment I found in this book that showed the connection between Aunt Baba and Adeline and the close relationship that they have, was the time when Adeline came home from kindergarten one afternoon with a medal and a certificate, her Aunt was so proud of her and Adeline just seemed so excited and happy because for once she felt like someone cared for her. Her aunt opened her safe keep box that she kept secretly away and put the certificate away with the rest of her treasures. I think its wonderful how her Aunt cares for her niece like that when she doesn’t even have to, and it proves how much of a kind-hearted person Aunt Baba really is. Through out reading this book, I’ve noticed how Adeline changes, in the beginning she is a curious, smart and loving little girl, but towards the end of the story she gets a little more depressed and lonely. She is annoyed at the way her parents treat her but she puts up with it because she knows the consequences if she was to speak out. Adeline enjoyed being at school more than she enjoyed being at home, she felt like she belonged there and she loved it more than anything else. She was treated fairly and equally, everyone accepted her the way they accepted everyone else, she didn’t feel like an outcast or alone anymore. She was a very lively yet shy little girl and was loved by everyone she met except for her family of course. But then Adeline was then moved to live in Shanghai after her Nai-Nai passed away. When they arrived in Shanghai, Adeline was beginning to feel displaced again because she was forced to live on a different floor of the house than everyone else because Niang was now in charge again. This was when her life started to get worse and worse. Niang was handling Adeline’s life far more dreadful than anyone else’s. She made sure that Adeline and her siblings were punished terribly if they dare did something wrong. Adeline was getting quite upset about the way her parents were behaving towards her, but she handled it in her own way, just staying calm and quiet but raging inside, accepting that this was the way it was going to be. Adeline became happier when she joined sacred heart (sheng Xin) school in first grade. She made friends with a sporty and athletic girl named Wu chun mei and also became elected class president. Unlucky for Adeline, Niang didn’t like this at all because Adeline had actually achieved something on her own and Niang was realising how loved and appreciated she really was. Adeline was not permitted to have friends over or go to friends houses under her stepmothers instructions. She was only allowed to eat whatever was put in front of her at dinner times and was not allowed snacks in-between meals. She could not enter certain parts of the house without permission and she was forbidden to talk to fourth brother and little sister. An easier way of putting that, is that Niang did not approve of Adeline having fun of any kind. But this made Adeline stronger and more independent, as she learnt to do things on her own that other children normally would do with their parents. I don’t think she liked being left out and treated differently when she’s at home but she learned to cope with it and in a way she sort of had her own little world around her where she would dream of things that she would never be able to do in real life that way she could still keep herself hopeful and entertained. She has a very vivid imagination and is smart and brave. She was always top of the class and received a ton of awards for best academic student. Her classmates looked up to her but she never seemed to understand why. She thought of herself as a poor, dirty unloved child because that was the influence she was getting from her family, but her friends and her Aunt and grandfather believed that she would go places one day. When she was younger, her goal was to get her Parents and her family to love her and appreciate her but after she had won so many awards and certificates then she realised what potential she had and started to focus on her studies a bit more. Her grandfather enlightened her on the all of the amazing possibilities and opportunities in the world and how she could also have them someday if she worked hard enough. She changed a lot when Ye-Ye passed away, she grew more and more intelligent and hardworking as she was determined to make her grandfather proud. She had a lot of encouragement and a lot of discouragement through the years but she chose to listen to the people that were cheering her on, like her grandfather and her Aunt Baba and Wu chun-mei, because she, just like anyone else, would obviously decide to follow the rewarding and successful path in life. Adeline decides that since her childhood has been a mess and a disaster she doesn’t want it to carry on this way so she is doing good things in her life and makes a change. She wins the play writing competition and dedicates her play to Ye-Ye and gets the opportunity of a lifetime to attend school in England with her brother. I could only Imagine how excited and overwhelmed she must’ve been when she heard that her father was so proud of her. She reached both of her goals in life which made her very pleased with herself and her outstanding achievements. One thing I learnt from Adeline Yen Mah is that no matter how hard it is, and no matter how tough life might seem, as long as you try your best it all pays off in the end. Chapter 15: Boarding School in Tianjin Without explaining where she was going, Niang and her father drove her to St. Joseph’s School, where she previously attended kindergarten. She was there again, but this time as a boarder. Sadly, when her father had to fill out papers for the flight to Tianjin, he couldn’t remember her name or her birth date. Neither her father or Niang said good-bye. The next morning she woke up in the bright room and met Nancy Chen, who was in the bed next to her. Nancy’s mother asked what was wrong with Adeline’s parents leaving a child alone in a dangerous situation—the Communists would soon be invading. That explained to Adeline why the large school only had a couple of hundred students. After a few months, Adeline remained the only student at St Josephs. All the students had fled with their families to escape the communists. Adeline hoped that she would wake up one morning and her parents were there to collect her to take her home, but then she didn’t know if that would be worse. The way her family just left her there all by herself is appaulling and it’s a very memorable moment in the book for me because I think that if I was in Adeline’s situation, I would be extremely terrified. No one there to play with or talk to, that would drive me crazy. The anxiety of worrying when the communists were going to come along and take you away. Sitting there alone everyday curious to know if anyone actually cared about you anymore, if you were even remembered? When her father forgot her name, that was probably the worst thing a parent could’ve done, whilst on his way to dropping her off at boarding school forever. I felt terrible for Adeline, she has never had her parents there to support her and her father doesn’t even know her name or birthday. A life without loving Parents is possibly the worse life you could have. You need your mum to read you bed time stories and tuck you into bed at night and you need your dad to teach you how to ride a bike and be proud of you. She still has parents but if they are willing to leave you at a boarding school all by yourself when there are soldiers coming, then I don’t think they make good parents at all. The worst part about this chapter is when she is playing with a basketball in the playground by herself, and a teacher runs into the playground and calls to Adeline â€Å" Adeline your Aunt is here to take you back to Hong Kong with her on her ship†. She was standing there with her heart racing 1000 beats per second thinking is it true? Could she really be here? The one person Adeline cares about, has come to rescue her, this is like a dream come true for her. She sprints across the playground as fast her tiny feet could carry her, and stops to find a stranger. She would‘ve been so confused, isn’t this meant to be my Aunt? She is thinking. The disappointment would’ve been unbearable. Gone from being so excited to the biggest let down ever in a second. Even I was getting excited for her, I thought wow this could be her chance to escape and start fresh, with her lovely Aunt the one that has always been her best friend. I instantly imagined her and her Aunt Baba on a beautiful ship sailing across the sea far away from everyone else. But then everything changed, when I read on to see that it was Niangs Sister and then I got a whole different picture in my head, of poor Adeline living the rest of her life away in a dark and dingy dungeon taking orders from the dreadful Niang again. It started to feel like she actually was Cinderella. I thought that was one of the most dreadful parts of this whole story. It felt like it was the part where Adeline was forgotten and abandoned. If that was to ever happen to me one day, I would be grateful that I read Chinese Cinderella because I would do exactly what Adeline did, hope, pray and try my hardest to reach success.