Applications of Linear Algebra to Electrical Engineering Research Paper

Applications of Linear Algebra to Electrical Engineering - Research Paper Example This paper illustrates that matrices are used to find the simplest method of solving complex electrical circuits. A mesh is a loop that has a single current flow path. In the circuits where there are different current paths and different voltages, the simplest method is to utilize the matrices to solve for the currents and voltages. Every electrical network must have three basic quantities current, voltage or potential difference and resistance. There could be impedance or reactance at the place of resistance but the two quantities voltages and current are the constant in every electrical network. Many scientists proposed theories shoe the relation between the voltage or potential difference, current and resistance but ohms law presented the best relation in between the three quantities. The writers ‘Shamieh Cathleen and Gordon McComb’ in the book ‘Electronic for Dummies’ write â€Å"Ohm’s law is a master key, unlocking the secrets to the electronic circuits†. The problem then arose in solving the complex electrical networks, which have more than one resistance, current, and voltages. At every loop, the current is different and at every node, the difference in voltage and current could be seen. To solve the matter the engineers and scientists relied upon utilizing the different mathematical methods and formulas but linear algebra has the right method to solve the complex electrical circuits and electrical networks. Kirchhoff’s laws presented by Gustav Kirchhoff in 1845 relate to the power conservation in the electrical circuits and have vast applications in electrical engineering. As we know the Ohm’s law states that V = IR, it is the simplest estimation to calculate the voltage or current into the circuit if the third variable is known. Kirchhoff’s voltage law states, â€Å"The algebraic sum of the voltages around any closed path in a circuit is identically zero for all time†. In this way, if we consider a mesh in which, there only a single loop, the method that represents the mesh current is used to the determine the current in each of the mesh. If we have a single loop consider the situation, it will be easier to evaluate the unknown quantity but it the circuit consists of several mesh circuits, the will be complex to evaluate an unknown current in different mesh circuits. For this reason, Kirchhoff’s voltage law provided an easier method to apply it to every mesh of the circuit. It should be kept in mind the circuit contains resistances, and if a mesh has a resistor that the other mesh also has, the voltage must be the product of the resistance and the subtraction of analyzed current and other currents.  

Chinese History Essay Example for Free

Chinese History Essay The Tang dynasty came into existence after the collapsed of emperor Yangdi’s imperialist reign which unified China, and his death in the hands of his own trusted aid in 618 A. D. From the rubbles of rebellion and war against the emperor, a powerful General named Li Yuan; Duke of Tang and chief officer of Taiyuan City, emerged as the man of the hour. General Yuan joined the rebellion against the emperor and reestablished order and the authority of the central government when the smoke of rebellion had cleared. He became the founder of the Tang dynasty and reign as Tang Gaozu. Li Shimin (Tang Gaozong) on the other hand is the second son of General Li Yuan. Being thoroughly trained in martial skills and was very much acquainted of the administrative procedures he has acquired primarily from his exposure when his father was the principal commander of the Sue dynasty, appointed to command the army facing the Sue remaining forces, at the age of only nineteen. David Graff described his military skills as â€Å"one case where the use of the word genius does not seem at all inappropriate† Li Shimin was highly successful in his career as a military general and his military strategy according to Graff â€Å"is worth noting. † Before he became emperor in 626, he has displayed contrasting behavior with regard to his strategy, which was extremely cautious, and when he is in combat in which he always places himself â€Å"at the head of the final, decisive cavalry charge†¦. † How Well the Respective Career of the first two Tang Emperors fit to the Chinese Proverbs on Empire Building and Governance and Model to this Proverb. The proverb maybe fits rightfully to the first two Tang emperors in terms of the way they acquired the empire and how they built it to become the most prosperous and most powerful country in the world during this time. It was during the reign of these two emperors that China experienced its glorious period as their economy, culture, politics and military might attained an unequaled superiority level. Tang Gaozu seized the imperial power after a bloody rebellion that took the life of emperor Yang that mark the end of Sue dynasty, while it heralded the coming of a new dynasty under the able military leadership of Li Yuan. The reign of Tang Gaozu as the first emperor of the Tang dynasty spent its reign mostly in subduing the remaining forces loyal to Emperor Yang in different provinces and cities of the whole country. All throughout his reign he was facing major problems relating to the threat of war by the Eastern Turks and the Tibetans who posed serious challenges to China’s security, and major invasion was a constant possibility. Until his last moment in power however, Tang Gaozu’s hold in China was not sufficiently secure to risk committing the forces to war against the Turks, thus, his reign can be characterized as more on military maneuvering in order to survived the different challenges the empire were facing. The Emperor then being the chief of the military forces assigned his sons and relatives to command forces numbering thousands, and all throughout his reign, the empire did not perform political and economic activities; it was purely military that characterized this particular reign. That means, Emperor Tang Gaozu ‘conquer the empire on horseback’ but it was his son Li Shimin who ‘built the empire from horse back. ’ Tang Gaozu spent his reign in conquering the whole empire that was broken into many independent forces loyal to the former emperor. This situation has indeed proved to be difficult as the empire was unable to wage war against the Turks and the Tibetans. According to Warren Cohen, â€Å"Gaozu had little choice but to buy peace;† however, what Tang Gaozu had failed to accomplished, his son did. Tang Gaozong also known to most Chinese historians as Tang Taizong, came into power in 627. His ascendancy to the throne was not at all smooth and easy, rather marked by his murderous scheme in connivance with some of the high-ranking military officials particularly those in-charge of the palace gates. Xueshi Guo noted that Li Shimin found himself at a â€Å"disadvantage in challenging his brothers,† to be heir to throne. After getting support from some powerful military generals, he staged a military coup against his brothers in 626 after which he killed both his brothers. According Guo, bare two months after the successful coup, â€Å"Gaozu was forced to to appoint Li Shimin as his successor and two months later he handed over his power completely to Li Shimen. † Taizong Ascended to the throne in 627, which marked a new era for the Chinese society. Having warned by the officials who recalled the disastrous consequence of Sui Imperialism, they urged the new emperor to concentrate on domestic affairs. Warren Cohen noted that Taizong or Gaozong listened to their advice and implements a more diplomatic policy in relation to the Turks. Because of this diplomatic policies, Cohen Pointed out â€Å"in due course China was prosperous again, its people well fed and responsive to his rule. † Taizong was indeed a great leader but he was moderate in his expansion policies compared to his father who. Taizong had more time to economic activities that bolstered China’s growing prosperity, he re opened trade routes, and the eliminations of tolls once exacted by those who had previously controlled passage across central Asia. Cohen further noted, â€Å"Student of Tang history will note the peaceful expansion of China’s contacts with rest of the world during Taizong’s days on the throne and China’s power and wealth attracted people from all over Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. † Based on these historical accounts, the implication of the Chinese proverbs rightly fits these first two Tang emperors. They were both powerful military ruler. Li Yuan curved out the empire on ‘horseback’, that is; through rebellion and war, and reestablishing the empire through conquering every forces that challenges the new power, while Tang Gaozong or Tang Taizong, the successor, strengthened the empire and brings more prosperity, stability and peace through a more enlightened civil and military administration. They may have some difficulty to be model of this Chinese proverb, for some reason. Both had acquired imperial power through violent means. Li Yuan had staged a rebellion against the emperor Yang and had perhaps connived with some palace officials to murder the emperor. Tang Gaozong on the other hand, conspired with some powerful military generals and orchestrated a coup against his own brothers and killing them and forcing his own father to hand over to him imperial throne. Nevertheless, on the ground of their accomplishment, they can fit to be model of this proverb. Gaozu was able to curve out a new empire that has more regard to its citizens, unlike with its predecessor who was ruthless and oppressive. An empire that was willing to take on new economic challenges that brought stability, peace and prosperity to its citizens. These two Tang emperors must be credited in their efforts that has brought enormous prosperity, and respect to Chinese people all over Asia, and to the world and if making them heroes will be a compensation of their achievements for the Chinese society, then they were very much deserving of such compensation. They deserved to be model of the proverb.

Essay on The Redemption of King Lear -- King Lear essays

The Redemption of King Lear? Shakespeare’s play, King Lear is quite renowned and the folly of the ancient King is a great example of how not to handle family relationships. The question has been proposed if King Lear is redeemed when reunited with Cordelia. King Lear does achieve a kind of redemption when he is reunited with Cordelia in Acts IV and V of the tragedy. What kind of redemption he achieves is open to interpretation. In order to understand the King's redemption, it must be determined what the King is redeemed from. Once this sin is established, an analysis can be made as to when the King is redeemed, and how. I propose that King Lear's folly, for which he is later redeemed occurs in Act I scene 1. As an opening scene should, this scene sets up all the characters of the play. In this scene, Lear intends to divide his kingdom among his daughters based on their flattery in professing their love for him. This superficial nature is a flaw in the King's character. King Lear's oldest two daughters, Goneril and Regan, flatter the King to his liking, easily deceiving him. Cordelia, the young daughter prefers to "Love, and be silent."(892). The King is enraged at Cordelia's silence, even though in truth she loves the king more than her sisters. King Lear disowns Cordelia: Let it be so! Thy truth, then be thy dower! &... ...sp; And ask of thee forgiveness. So we'll live, And pray and sing and tell old tales, and laugh . . . The gods themselves throw incense. Have I caught thee? He that parts us shall bring a brand from heavens (959). Unfortunately the King's redemption is short for the ending of the play is in the true nature of a tragedy, and in fact epitomizes the genre.

The Witch by Edilberto K. Tiempo

The Witch By Edilberto K. Tiempo When I was twelve years old, I used to go to Libas, about nine kilometers from the town, to visit my favorite uncle, Tio Sabelo, the head teacher of the barrio school there. I like going to Libas because of the many things to eat at my uncle’s house: cane sugar syrup, candied meat of young coconut, corn and rice cakes, ripe jackfruit, guavas from trees growing wild on a hill not far from Tio Sabelo’s house. It was through these visits that I heard many strange stories about Minggay Awok. Awok is the word for witch in southern Leyte.Minggay was known as a witch even beyond Libas, in five outlying sitios, and considering that not uncommonly a man’s nearest neighbor was two or three hills away, her notoriety was wide. Minggay lived in a small, low hut as the back of the creek separating the barrios of Libas and Sinit-an. It squatted like a soaked hen on a steep incline and below it, six or seven meters away, two trails forked, one go ing to Libas and the other to Mahangin, a mountain sitio. The hut leaned dangerously to the side where the creek water ate away large chunks of earth during the rainy season.It had two small openings, a small door through which Minggay probably had to stoop to pass, and a window about two feet square facing the creek. The window was screened by a frayed jute sacking which fluttered eerily even in the daytime. What she had in the hut nobody seemed to know definitely. One daring fellow who boasted of having gone inside it when Minggay was out in her clearing on a hill nearby said he had seen dirty stoppered bottles hanging from the bamboo slats of the cogon thatch.Some of the bottles contained scorpions, centipedes, beetles, bumble bees, and other insects; others were filled with ash-colored powder and dark liquids. These bottles contained the paraphernalia of her witchcraft. Two or three small bottles she always had with her hanging on her waistband with a bunch of iron keys, whether she went to her clearing or to the creek to catch shrimps or gather fresh-water shells, or even when she slept.It was said that those who had done her wrong never escaped her vengeance, in the form of festering carbuncles, chronic fevers that caused withering of the skin, or a certain disease of the nose that eventually ate the nose out. Using an incantation known only to her, Minggay would take out one insect from a bottle, soak it in colored liquid or roll it in powder, and with a curse let it go to the body of her victim; the insect might be removed and the disease cured only rarely through intricate rituals of an expensive tambalan. Thus Minggay was feared in Libas and the surrounding barrios.There had been attempts to murder her, but in some mysterious way she always came out unscathed. A man set fire to her hut one night, thinking to burn her with it. The hut quickly burned down, but Minggay was unharmed. On another occasion a man openly declared that he had killed her, showi ng the blood-stained bolo with which he had stabbed her; a week later she was seen hobbling to her clearing. This man believed Minggay was the cause of the rash that his only child had been carrying for over a year. One day, so the story went, meeting his wife, Minggay asked to hold her child. She didn’t want to offend Minggay.As the witch gave the child back she said, â€Å"He has a very smooth skin. † A few days later the boy had skin eruptions all over his body that never left him. Minggay’s only companions were a lean, barren sow and a few chickens, all of them charcoal black. The sow and the chickens were allowed to wander in the fields, and even if the sow dug up sweet potatoes and the chickens pecked rice or corn grain drying in the sun, they were not driven away by the neighbors because they were afraid to arouse Minggay’s wrath. Besides the sow and the chickens, Minggay was known to have a wakwak and a sigbin.Those who claimed to have seen the si gbin described it as a queer animal resembling a kangaroo: the forelegs were shorter than the hind ones: its fanlike ears made a flapping sound when it walked. The wakwak was a nocturnal bird, as big and black as a crow. It gave out raucous cries when a person in the neighborhood had just died. The bird was supposed to be Minggay’s messenger, and the sigbin caried her to the grave; then the witch dug up the corpse and feasted on it. The times when I passed by the hut and saw her lean sow and her black chickens, I wondered if they transformed themselves into fantastic creatures at night.Even in the daytime I dreaded the possibility of meeting her; she might accost me on the trail near her hut, say something about my face or any part of it, and then I might live the rest of my life with a harelip, a sunken nose, or crossed eyes. But I never saw Minggay in her house or near the premises. There were times when I thought she was only a legend, a name to frighten children from doin g mischief. But then I almost always saw her sow digging banana roots or wallowing near the trail and the black chickens scratching for worms or pecking grains in her yard, and the witch became very real indeed.Once I was told to go to Libas with a bottle of medicine for Tio Sabelo’s sick wife. I started from the town at half past five and by the time I saw the balete tree across the creek from Minggay’s hut, I could hardly see the trail before me. The balete was called Minggay’s tree, for she was known to sit on one of the numerous twisting vines that formed its grotesque trunk to wait for a belated passer-by. The balete was a towering monstrous shadow; a firefly that flitted among the vines was an evil eye plucked out searching for its socket.I wanted to run back, but the medicine had to get to Tio Sabelo’s wife that night. I wanted to push through the thick underbrush to the dry part of the creek to avoid the balete, but I was afraid of snakes. I had d iscarded the idea of a coconut frond torch because the light would catch the attention of the witch, and when she saw it was only a little boy†¦ Steeling myself I tried to whistle as I passed in the shadow of the balete, its overhanging vines like hairy arms ready to hoist and strangle me among the branches. Emerging into the stony bed of the creek, I saw Minggay’s hut.The screen in the window waved in the faint light of the room and I thought I saw the witch peering behind it. As I started going up the trail by the hut, each moving clump and shadow was a crouching old woman. I had heard stories of Minggay’s attempts to waylay travelers in the dark and suck their blood. Closing my eyes twenty yards from the hut of the witch, I ran up the hill. A few meters past the hut I stumbled on a low stump. I got up at once and ran again. When I reached Tio Sabelo’s house I was very tired and badly shaken.Somehow after the terror of the balete and the hut of the witch had lessened, although I always had the goose flesh whenever I passed by them after dusk. One moonlight night going home to town I heard a splashing of the water below Minggay’s house. I thought the sound was made by the witch, for she was seen to bathe on moonlit nights in the creek, her loose hair falling on her face. It was not Minggay I saw. It was a huge animal. I was about to run thinking it was the sigbin of the witch, but when I looked at it again, I saw that it was a carabao wallowing in the creek.One morning I thought of bringing home shrimps to my mother, and so I went to a creek a hundred yards from Tio Sabelo’s house. I had with me my cousin’s pana, made of a long steel rod pointed at one end and cleft at the other and shot through the hollow of a bamboo joint the size of a finger by means of a rubber band attached to one end of the joint. After wading for two hours in the creek which meandered around bamboo groves and banban and ipil clumps with on ly three small shrimps strung on a coconut midrib dangling from my belt, I came upon an old woman taking a bath in the shade of a catmon tree.A brown tapis was wound around her to three fingers width above her thin chest. The bank of her left was a foot-wide ledge of unbroken boulder on which she had set a wooden basin half full of wet but still unwashed clothes. In front of her was a submerged stone pile topped by a platter size rock; on it were a heap of shredded coconut meat, a small discolored tin basin, a few lemon rinds, and bits of pounded gogo bark. The woman was soaking her sparse gray hair with the gogo suds. She must have seen me coming because she did not look surprised.Seeing the three small shrimps hanging at my side she said, â€Å"You have a poor catch. † She looked kind. She was probably as old as my grandmother; smaller, for this old woman was two or three inches below five feet. Her eyes looked surprisingly young, but her mouth, just a thin line above the l ittle chin, seemed to have tasted many bitter years. â€Å"Why don’t you bait them out of their hiding? Take some of this. † She gave me a handful of shredded coconut meat whose milk she had squeezed out and with the gogo suds used on her hair.She exuded a sweet wood fragrance of gogo bark and the rind of lemons. â€Å"Beyond the first bend,† she said pointing, â€Å"the water is still. Scatter the shreds there. That’s where I get my shrimps. You will see some traps. If you find shrimps in them they are yours. † I mumbled my thanks and waded to the bend she had indicated. That part of the creek was like a small lake. One bank was lined by huge boulders showing long, deep fissures where the roots of gnarled dapdap trees had penetrated. The other bank was sandy, with bamboo and catmon trees leaning over, their roots sticking out in the water.There was good shade and the air had a twilight chilliness. The water was shallow except on the rocky side, wh ich was deep and murky. I scattered the coconut shreds around, and not long after they had settled down shrimps crawled from boles under the bamboo and catmon roots and from crevices of the boulders. It did not take me an hour to catch a midribful, some hairy with age, some heavy with eggs, moulters, dark magus, leaf-green shrimps, speckled. I saw three traps of woven bamboo strips, round-bellied and about two feet long, two hidden behind a catmon root.I did not disturb them because I had enough shrimps for myself. â€Å"No, no, iti. Your mother will need them. You don’t have enough. Besides I have freshwater crabs at home. † She looked up at me with her strange young eyes and asked, â€Å"Do you still have a mother? † I told her I had, and a grandmother, too. â€Å"You are not from Libas, I think. This is the first time I have seen you. † I said I was from the town and my uncle was the head teacher of the Libas barrio school. â€Å"You remind me of my s on when he was your age. He had bright eyes like you, and his voice was soft like yours.I think you are a good boy. † â€Å"Where is your son now? † â€Å"I have not heard from him since he left. He went away when he was seventeen. He left in anger, because I didn’t want him to marry so young. I don’t know where he went, where he is. † She spread the length of a kimona on the water for a last rinsing. The flesh hanging from her skinny arms was loose and flabby. â€Å"If he’s still living,† she went on, â€Å"he’d be as old as your father maybe. Many times I feel in my bones he is alive, and will come back before I die. † â€Å"Your husband is still living? † He died a long time ago, when my boy was eleven. † She twisted the kimona like a rope to wring out the water. â€Å"I’m glad he died early. He was very cruel. † I looked at her, at the thin mouth, wondering about her husband’s cruelty , disturbed by the manner she spoke about it. â€Å"Do you have other children? † â€Å"I wish I had. Then I wouldn’t be living alone. † A woman her age, I thought, should be a grandmother and live among many children. â€Å"Where do you live? † She did not speak, but her strange young eyes were probing and looked grotesque in the old woman’s face. Not far from here–the house on the high bank, across the balete. † She must have seen the fright that suddenly leaped into my face, for I thought she smiled at me queerly. â€Å"I’m going now,† I said. I felt her following me with her eyes; indeed they seemed to bore a hot hole between my shoulder blades. I did not look back. Don’t run, I told myself. But at the first bend of the creek, when I knew she couldn’t see me, I ran. After a while I stopped, feeling a little foolish. Such a helpless-looking little old woman couldn’t be Minggay, couldn’t be t he witch.I remembered her kind voice and the woodfragrance. She could be my own grandmother. As I walked the string of shrimps kept brushing against the side of my leg. I detached it from my belt and looked at the shrimps. Except for the three small ones, all of them belonged to the old woman. Her coconut shreds had coaxed them as by magic out of their hiding. The protruding eyes of the biggest, which was still alive, seemed to glare at me—and then they became the eyes of the witch. Angrily, I hurled the shrimps back into the creek.

The World’s Wife ‘Little Red-Cap’

How true would it be to say that ‘Little Red-Cap’ is representative of the body of Carol Ann Duffy’s collection ‘The World’s Wife’? Duffy includes a range of themes, which are portrayed in an idiosyncratic way within the collection ‘The World’s Wife’. Most prominently ‘Little Red-Cap’ focuses on the issues of female dominance whilst contrasting it with female exploitation. Alongside, qualities of ambition and independence Duffy can represent her female characters as significant and therefore hinder men’s reputation in the current patriarchal society.This point is further elucidated by Michael Woods who stated ‘the poet fuses these ideas to reinforce the unremitting nullity that is forced upon many women when they are required to take a man's name in place of their own. In fact, the central theme of The World's Wife is encapsulated in this critique upon male arrogance. ’ [1]. Particularly this is something Duffy concentrates on in ‘Queen Herod’, ‘Mrs Rip Van Winkle’, ‘Thetis’ and ‘Mrs Aesop’ alongside ‘Little Red-Cap’. In order to intensify the value of women in society Duffy typically portrays her female characters as more dominant than the males.In ‘Little Red-Cap’ the adolescent’s control is clear especially in the final and penultimate stanzas as the twist on the original tale of Little Red Riding Hood ‘I took an axe to the wolf as he slept, one chop’ gives the narrator the power to dominate over the controlling, male character. Her impatience to escape the wolf’s rugged seduction is especially evident from Duffy’s use of enjambment between these two stanzas where she ‘took an axe / to a willow to see how it wept’.Further her power is apparent from the last line, ‘singing, all alone’, as Duffy explicates the satisfaction with her t riumphant victory over the dark character without the assistance from the hero, typically being a male character. Duffy identifies the problem in which men are portrayed in ‘Queen Herod’ where women commonly see men, deceptively, as a ‘Hero’, ‘Hunk’, ‘the je t’adore’ and showing that this is a problem by incorporating the negatives in contrast, such as ‘The Wolf’, ‘The Rip’, ‘The Rat’.In comparison, the humorous pun used in the final stanza of ‘Mrs Aesop’ portrays the female as over powering through the trenchant ridiculing of the male’s ‘little cock that wouldn’t crow’. Following this, the witty threat; ‘I’ll cut off your tail, all right, I said, to save my face’, which refers to the Bobbit case where his wife cut off his penis, is suggestive of threatening the same act upon him, which ‘shut him up’ and she Ã¢â‚¬Ë œlaughed last, longest’ proving how much control Mrs Aesop has over her husband.Comparatively, there is a distinct semantic field of power in ‘Queen Herod’ from the use of phrases such as ‘I swore’, ‘Do it’ and ‘I sent for the Chief of Staff’, showing the power, and confidence in that power, that Queen Herod has over the male characters. Perhaps this portrayal by Duffy is to influence women that this attitude can be acceptable and possible in our modern day society. Despite this, Duffy contrasts the power of the female gender with the exploitation of females in society.The wolf in ‘Little Red-Cap’ is alluring whilst his chin beholds a hidden sign of adulthood; ‘red wine staining’. The last line of the second stanza ‘he spotted me, sweet sixteen, never been, babe, waif, and bought me a drink’ elucidates the overpowering control the wolf has over the adolescent. It is considerably regarde d as an issue as the adolescent initially sees the wolf as seductive rather than threatening, as seen in most modern day relationships. Perhaps here Duffy is attempting to inform the reader of the dangers of growing up too fast in the company of an influential man.Particularly, in ‘Mrs Rip Van Winkle’ the female ‘sank like a stone’ as if drowning, which creates a traumatic and confining image where the narrator has lost control and explicates her failure. The use of ‘still’ in the extended metaphor ‘I sank like a stone into the still, deep waters of late middle age’ suggests a sense of calmness contrasting with the panic of drowning in from experiencing the menopause. This contrasts gives off the suggestion that it is only the woman that changes meanwhile the rest of the world remains ‘still’ and composed.This is compared with ‘Thetis’ where female exploitation is extremely acknowledged. Similarly, the wif e of Thetis ‘shrank’ and ‘sank’ herself to escape the controlling power of the male character. Identifying this issue allows the reader to regard it seriously thus influencing the reader, which is most likely to be female, to share feminist views and condemn the male population. ‘Little Red-Cap’ especially consists of the themes ambition and independence whilst growing up.The story of ‘childhood’s end’ is the transition from innocence to experience with a journey of impetuous turmoil to find love, passion, sex and independence. For Little Red-Cap, poetry is the reason why she chooses ambition because of its richness, the mystery of its ambiguity and the wolf (the dark, mysterious character) can provide this for her. Perhaps, for Little Red-Cap, growing up is poetic and therefore desirable. This can easily be compared with ‘Mrs Rip Van Winkle’ who, ‘while he slept’, found adventure in her life.As she explains ‘I found some hobbies for myself’ it is evident that she is thinking only of what she wants from the use of personal pronouns for the first and last words of the statement, which further portrays him as unimportant regarding her development in reaching triumph in adventure. This is especially explicated through the sibilance of ‘seeing the sights’ as it conveys these adventures as stimulating thus influencing her female readers to reach out further than their heterosexual relationship.Clearly, Duffy’s collection consists of various profound and weighty subjects and ‘Little Red-Cap’ contains the majority of the themes present in the collection. In an interview in 2005 with Duffy the interviewer, Barry Wood, identified particular poems in this collection that ‘are unashamedly set in a contemporary idiom, re-casting the old stories in terms of modern life’ allowing Duffy to ‘subvert[ing] them’ [2]. Arguab ly, the act of modernisation here allows her readers to identify with the aforementioned issues raised.This therefore allows hope for the future for women regarding their status and value as individuals rather than as simply wives or mothers. As a homosexual, Duffy’s feminist views coincided with the notably iconic statement made by Dorothy Parker; ‘heterosexuality is not normal, it’s just common’ as her collection ‘takes a very common relationship – that of man and wife – and presents a collection of poetic monologues from the perspective of the wife’ [3] in order to give the world’s wife a voice. Little Red-Cap’ has been identified as a personal account of her relationship with her ex-husband in the interview with Barry Wood as he suggestively asks ‘with a strong autobiographical investment, focusing on the idea of yourself as a young poet, asserting your independence. ’ with a reply of ‘CAD:   Yes. ’ therefore proving that the poem is reflective of Duffy’s feminist views and opinions on heterosexual relationships. The World’s Wife’ consists of providing wives of famous and infamous historic, fictional and biblical male characters a voice in society as the majority were not even considered, whilst commonly criticising the male population for its ignorance, arrogance, selfishness; the list is incessant. Because it is a personal poem Duffy’s views are most definitely included within ‘Little Red-Cap’ as are they included in the collection as a whole. Therefore the poem of subjection is representative of the collection ‘The World’s Wife’.Word count: With quotes- 1,245 Without quotes- 952 Bibliography: 1. Michael Woods critique of Queen Herod: http://www. sheerpoetry. co. uk/advanced/carol-ann-duffy/notes-on-selected-poems-advanced/queen-herod 2. Interview with Carol Ann Duffy and Barry Wood: http://www. shee rpoetry. co. uk/advanced/interviews/carol-ann-duffy-the-world-s-wife in 2005. 3. An essay written by username: doralulusparky http://www. studymode. com/essays/The-World-s-Wife-Carol-Ann-Duffy-598083. html in February 2011.

The Changing Face of TV essays

The Changing Face of TV essays African American are living better they were twenty years ago and so our television shows need to reflect that. We now see real people along with the portrayals of African Americans who are lawyers, doctors, and successful entertainers who also, earn major roles where the plots revolve exclusively around them. The quantity of programming devoted to African American culture today, provides us with unlimited choices from which to choose. After careful study, Steinhorn and Diggs-Brown concluded, During the hours when only one show depicts an African American character, we find that the media consistently depicts African Americans as good hard working people in positions of authority. We also see the familiar faces of celebrities selling various products (590-591). While the depiction of African Americans in the media has made great strides in recent years, many of the shows that we know and love today are still infused with negative stereotypes. On the surface, they seem to be sayi ng positive things about African Americans, but underneath they still illustrate the slanted view typical of American TV. When we examine two popular shows, Frasier and Girlfriends we see how the depiction of race has changed and how it has stayed the same, helping prevent an honest depiction of African American culture. We have already established that negative images persist, but they do not represent the African American community as a whole. We now know that class structures within the African American community decide what type of life you will live. Frasier and Girlfriends display different views of African American life and how we communicate. Both shows depict the lives of the upper-middle class, so they are somewhat similar in that respect, but each choose to use different races which is ironic because both are produced by the same person. Change the race of the characters and it c...

Free Essays on Through A Childs View

Through A Child’s View The Little Prince is a short novel that states the fact that children are the wisest, most intelligent people living. The reason the author tries to get this message across is because he feels that the simple things that children see and think about are in fact the most important things in life, and adults can no longer see them because they are blinded and callused to them from their experiences that they have had in their lives. The Little Prince thinks that grown ups are very misled, and have their priorities in life all out of line. The examples that the author uses to prove this are the examples of the businessman, who does nothing but count stars â€Å"money† and the vain man who wants nothing but praise, or the drunk who only drinks. I think the way the author describes the drunkard is just awesome because he says that the drunk only drinks because he has to drown out the fact that he feels very guilty for drinking. That is exactly how I see drunks and I wish that they would realize that their problems are mainly caused by their drinking and if they would stop then they could handle their problems instead of making them worse. The Little Prince has respect for one of the characters he meets far above the rest. This man was the lamplighter. He respects that lamplighter because this man does not do the job he is given just for himself. The lamplighter lights the lamps for the other people out there who need the light. There are really no people that need the light but the lamplighter does his job anyway. A theme taught in this story that the author shows is the sense of emotion felt in the heart. â€Å"One sees clearly only with the heart. Anything essential is invisible to the eyes. (63).† The author states this fact when the Little Prince is bidding farewell to his fox that he has grown very fond of and is telling him about the rose who is also his friend. I think that the author’s point is that t... Free Essays on Through A Child's View Free Essays on Through A Child's View Through A Child’s View The Little Prince is a short novel that states the fact that children are the wisest, most intelligent people living. The reason the author tries to get this message across is because he feels that the simple things that children see and think about are in fact the most important things in life, and adults can no longer see them because they are blinded and callused to them from their experiences that they have had in their lives. The Little Prince thinks that grown ups are very misled, and have their priorities in life all out of line. The examples that the author uses to prove this are the examples of the businessman, who does nothing but count stars â€Å"money† and the vain man who wants nothing but praise, or the drunk who only drinks. I think the way the author describes the drunkard is just awesome because he says that the drunk only drinks because he has to drown out the fact that he feels very guilty for drinking. That is exactly how I see drunks and I wish that they would realize that their problems are mainly caused by their drinking and if they would stop then they could handle their problems instead of making them worse. The Little Prince has respect for one of the characters he meets far above the rest. This man was the lamplighter. He respects that lamplighter because this man does not do the job he is given just for himself. The lamplighter lights the lamps for the other people out there who need the light. There are really no people that need the light but the lamplighter does his job anyway. A theme taught in this story that the author shows is the sense of emotion felt in the heart. â€Å"One sees clearly only with the heart. Anything essential is invisible to the eyes. (63).† The author states this fact when the Little Prince is bidding farewell to his fox that he has grown very fond of and is telling him about the rose who is also his friend. I think that the author’s point is that t...

2016 Presidential Race - Candidates and Results

2016 Presidential Race - Candidates and Results The 2016 presidential race concluded on the evening of Nov. 8, 2016, with the election of Republican Donald Trump as the 45th president of the United States. Trump, a billionaire real-estate developer, businessman and reality-television star, defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton, a former U.S. senator from New York and secretary of the Department of State under President Barack Obama.   Trump was widely portrayed as the underdog right up to Election Day given his lack of political experience -   he had never before served in elected office -   and polls that showed he was trailing Clinton badly in key battleground states. Trump, however, stunned the American political establishment and observers around the world by leading a voter revolt against the Beltway elites he railed against on the campaign trail.   Trump won the electoral vote but lost the popular vote, becoming only the fifth president to get to the White House without winning the popular vote.  The only other modern president elected with fewer actual votes than his challenger was  Republican George W. Bush in 2000, who carried 30 states and 271 electoral votes to defeat Democratic presidential nominee Al Gore. Issues in 2016 Presidential Race The 2016 president race was decided by working class white voters, including women who tend to vote for Democrats and were expected to side with the first female presidential nominee from a major party. Those working class white voters  felt left behind by the modest economic rebound from The Great Recession and voted for Trump  because of his promise to renegotiate trade deals with countries including China and levy stiff tariffs on goods imported from these countries. Trumps position on trade was seen as a way to stop companies from shipping jobs overseas, though many economists pointed out taxing imports would drive up costs to American consumers first.His message resonated with white working-class voters, especially those who live in former steel and manufacturing towns. Skilled craftsmen and tradespeople and factory workers have seen the jobs they loved shipped thousands of miles away, Trump said at a rally near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Voters also distrusted Clinton because of the many scandals surrounding her during her tenure as secretary of State and first lady to President Bill Clinton. Clinton could not escape criticism of her use of a personal email account during her time as secretary of State, which appeared to be in violation of the Federal Records Act, a 1950 law that mandates the preservation of most records related to conducting government business.   Late in the 2016 presidential race - many called it the October Surprise of 2016 -   the Federal Bureau of Investigation announced unexpectedly it was conducting a  review Clintons emails, an unprecedented move that enraged her supporters and threw the contest with Trump into doubt.  FBI Director James Comey made the announcement 11 days before the 2016 presidential election, a move many critics said cost Clinton votes. Comey later said the email contained no new information. Still, the damage was done, and the disclosures only served as a reminder of the scandal-ridden Clinton years in the White House. Vice Presidential Running Mates in 2016 Trump chose as his running mate Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, a former member of Congress known as a ​conservatives conservative. In choosing Pence, the Trump campaign sought to portray the Republican ticket as the  law and order candidates, drawing a stark contrast between themselves and an opponent they portrayed as untrustworthy.  What a difference  between crooked Hillary Clinton and Mike Pence ... Hes a  solid, solid person, Trump said in introducing Pence. Clinton chose as her running mate Democratic U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia. Kaine was a Democratic Party insider who was seen as a safe pick, one who would help deliver the swing state of Virginia to Clinton, just as a did for Obama in 2008. Kaine is a  Harvard Law School graduate who served as chairman of the Democratic National Committee and previously was governor of Virginia. Key Dates in the 2016 Presidential Race Here are some of the most important developments during the 2016 presidential election. April 12, 2015: Clinton announces her candidacy, stating:  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Everyday Americans need a champion. And I want to be that champion.†Ã‚   June 16, 2015: Trump announces his candidacy, stating: We need somebody that literally will take this country and make it great again. We can do that.July 22, 2016: Trump accepts the Republican Partys nomination, stating: My message is that things have to change, and they have to change right now. July 26, 2016: Clinton accepts the Democratic Partys nomination, stating:  Ã¢â‚¬Å"Standing here as my mother’s daughter, and my daughter’s mother, I’m so happy this day has come. When any barrier falls in America, for anyone, it clears the way for everyone.† Nov. 8, 2016: Trump wins the presidential election, stating: Working together, we will begin the urgent task of rebuilding our nation and renewing the American dream. Polls in the 2016 Presidential Races Polls consistently showed Clinton leading Trump in the national popular vote. In the spring of 2016, when the primaries were still ongoing, Clinton was leading Trump in a then-hypothetical election race by double digits, between 10 and 11 percentage points.   Clintons popular vote narrowed and expanded following the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, and the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. But Trump never led the national popular vote, according to an average of all reliable surveys compiled by RealClearPolitics. Those national polls turned out to be accurate; Clinton did win the popular vote. But statewide polls failed to gauge the surge for Trump in the final days of the 2016 presidential race. In Pennsylvania, for example, most polls had Clinton holding a solid lead, but Trump won by a narrow margin. Polls conducted in Michigan, too, had Clinton up by more than 3 points, but Trump narrowly won that state. Pollsters have said their surveys failed to detect a late surge for Trump, and that many Trump supporters who were skeptical of political polls and the media refused to participate, suppressing the Republicans performance in their results. Spending in the 2016 Presidential Race Spending in the 2016 president race totaled nearly $2.7 billion, according to projections from the nonprofit Center for Responsive Politics in Washington, D.C.  That includes spending by the presidential candidates and their campaigns, political parties and independent interest groups trying to influence federal elections. Thats actually a decline from the $2.8 billion spent in the 2008 president race between Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain. Federal Election Commission data show the presidential candidates raised about $1.5 billion; Clinton led the pack with $564 million. Trump raised about $333 million. Super PACs raised about $615 million.   Electoral and Popular Vote Results of the 2016 Presidential Race Trump won 306 electoral votes to Clintons 232 electoral votes. Though Trumps win was stunning to many, it is not considered a landslide. In presidential elections, a landslide election is  one in which the winning candidate secures at least 375 or 70 percent of the 538 electoral votes in the Electoral College. While Trump won about 57 percent of the electoral vote, he captured less than 46 percent of the actual votes cast. Clinton won the popular vote with 65.9 million or 48 percent of the the votes cast to Trumps 63 million. Trump won 31 states in all to Clintons 19 states. He won a handful of big battleground states that hadnt been captured by a Republican presidential nominee in years, including Pennsylvania, Ohio, Florida and Michigan. This mismatch between the electoral and popular votes came about because Trump won several large states (such as Florida, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin) by very narrow margins, gaining all their electoral votes in the process, even as Clinton claimed other large states (such as California, Illinois and New York) by much wider margins, wrote Drew DeSilver of the Pew Research Center.  Trump’s share of the popular vote, in fact, was the seventh-smallest winning percentage since 1828, when presidential campaigns began to resemble those of today. The biggest surprise  of the 2016 presidential race was Trumps ability to recapture key states that had tended to vote for Democratic nominees in the previous president election including: Pennsylvania, where Trump won by less than 1 percentage point to take the states 20 electoral votes.   Florida, where Trump won by a little more than 1 percentage point to carry the states 29 electoral votes. Ohio,  where Trump won by about 18 percentage points to carry the states 18 electoral votes. Michigan,  where Trump won by less than 1 percentage point to carry the states 16 electoral votes. Wisconsin,  where Trump won by less than 1 percentage point to carry the states 10  electoral votes. Iowa,  where Trump won by about 9 percentage points to carry the states 6  electoral votes. The 2016 Presidential Primaries   While Clintons candidacy was years in the making  - she began laying the groundwork for 2016 when she dropped out of the Democratic primaries against Barack Obama  - Trumps candidacy for the White House was quickly dismissed as a lark. He began amid the largest field of presidential hopefuls in 100 years; 17 candidates were seeking the Republican presidential nomination at one point. The unsuccessful Republican candidates were: Jeb Bush, a former Florida governor.Ben Carson, a retired neurosurgeon. Chris Christie, the New Jersey governor. Ted Cruz, a U.S. senator from Texas.Carly Fiorina, a former business executive.Jim Gilmore, a former Virginia governor.Lindsey Graham, a U.S. senator from South Carolina.  Mike Huckabee, a former Arkansas governor.  Bobby Jindal, the Louisiana governor.   John Kasich, the Ohio governor.George Pataki, a former New York governor.Rand Paul, a U.S. senator from Kentucky.Rick Perry, a former Texas governor.Marco Rubio, a U.S. senator from Florida. Rick Santorum, a former U.S. senator from Pennsylvania.Scott Walker, the governor of Wisconsin. Clinton struggled to close her partys presidential nomination. Vermont U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders drew large crowds during the party primaries because of his passionate speeches about income inequality in the corrupting influence of money in the American political system. Where Clintons campaign suffered from a lack of enthusiasm among young voters, Sanders was benefiting from a similar youth uprising that Obama experienced in 2008.   The  unsuccessful Democratic  candidates  were: Lincoln Chafee, a former governor of Rhode Island.Lawrence Lessig, a Harvard professor.Martin OMalley, the governor of Maryland. Bernie Sanders, a U.S. senator from Vermont.Jim Webb, a former U.S. senator from Virginia.

Math Enquiries Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Math Enquiries - Essay Example This essay will therefore evaluate various mathematical functions involving numbers, measurements as well as how math has developed overtime to get to what it is today. Just like humanity, mathematics is quite old and is said to have originated in Egypt and Greece as simple to the complex one we have today. In the historical times, mathematics encompassed arithmetic, geometry and algebra, making it get known as a science of quantity; while others referring it to as science of simplicity (Rouseball, 2010). Several developments in the field however got realized in the 19th century where mathematics spread its wings to an extent of being regarded as a science of inferences and relations to the fact that it now consisted of logic that was symbolic (Lavine, 1994). To date, mathematics as a discipline now covers a wide range of areas including numbers, geometry, algebra, calculus, set theory and mathematical logic, as well as statistics and probability that are known to be more applied aspects of the discipline. Mathematics also covers other areas like graph theory, differential geometry, topology, model theory, among many others. When it comes to number bases, we have two types; the binary and hexadecimal systems. As for the case of binary number bases, what is contained here is the ones and zeros and zero through nine for the hexadecimal system. In the base ten system, the ten stands for 1 and 0, and not a single numeral 10. In this case therefore, for one to count one more than nine, the ones column is zeroed out ant the tens column added 1 onto. If the tens column gets too big, both the ones and tens column are zeroed out and add one to the ten times ten (Stapel, 2014). Another thing worth noting is that any number raised to power 0 is 1. For instance, in conversion of base 2 numbers to their corresponding base 10, all you need are digits of the

Work issues Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Work issues - Assignment Example Due to the shortage, nurses have to extend their working hours under hectic, demanding, and traumatic situations. This elevates their chances of experiencing fatigue, are more likely to be harmed as a result of loss of concentration caused by tiredness, and are also likely to appear more de-motivated in their work. Long working hours also increasing the chance of medical errors (Maville and Huerta, 2012). According to Maville and Huerta (2012), "Lack of necessary manpower to provide this care will result to work-related stress; poor health practices such as skipping meals, overeating, or excessive drinking off alcohol; working long hours; and possibly physical and mental exhaustion or profession dropout" (p. 441). It is also worth noting that the quality of health care as well as delivery is affected by nursing shortages. Less motivated nurses as a result of being overworked are more likely to deliver low quality services. Delivery of services is affected as patients have to wait for long hours queuing in health institutions as a result of inadequate nurse to patient ratio (Maville and Huerta, 2012). In conclusion, inadequate number of nurses attending to the high number of patients in many health institutions can have health consequences on the part of nurse due to long working hours, low levels of concentration on their work, low levels of motivation, and also patient spend a lot of time

NONE Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

NONE - Essay Example The immigration has not only caused diversification in the societal structure but has increased the interactions between people belonging to various races and ethnic groups. The diversity within the American society has always been the subject of many debates and from an historical perspective, the concept of immigration has now become a part of the American society and it is nothing less than a culture melting pot. The economic stability in the United States had also attracted a number immigrants coming in from all over the world. One of the hypotheses held by anthropologists was that the Native Americans had descended from the wanderers of North East Asia who were then followed by the arrival of European settlers and then subsequent colonization at the hands of the British took place. United States gained their freedom from colonial rule and became an independent nation that worked on the principle of democracy that became major fad of the 19th century and further attracted people from various parts of Europe, Asia and south west regions of the globe. Ever since then, there has been a rise in the number of immigrants coming to America from all the over the world, particularly from Europe and slaves from Africa. Slavery became a trend that started around the year 1619, when a Dutch ship brought 20 to the shores of the Virginia territory and reached its height till its abolishment in the year 1865 by Abraham Lincoln after the American civil war. The American civil war was one period in the history of the United States, which was marked by a decline in immigration but as soon as it ended the pace was picked back up again. Considering the aforementioned facts about the history of US immigration, the concept of race had become synonymous with everyone but ethnic and cultural identities was something that the American society was still in the process of discovering. A second wave of European immigration took place from the central region; a number of Jews migrated

Next Plc as a Major Company Dealing in Retail Fashion Clothing Essay

Next Plc as a Major Company Dealing in Retail Fashion Clothing - Essay Example This paper illustrates that Next plc does business in the following major domains: retail stores that sell a variety of products, but the major one among them being clothes, catalog sales, and customer support services through ‘Ventura’. The company designs, manufactures and sells clothes under the brand name ‘Next’ and targets people between the age group of 20 to 40. Since its expansion drive in 1999, the company had to close down the international outlets that were managed by it directly and has since then concentrated on franchising options for the overseas markets. It operates in well over 20 different countries. Since 1999, the company’s primary activities have been progressing along two major sections namely retail clothing and catalog sales. The retail section of the company contributes to around two-thirds of the company’s income. It was around  £821 million in 1999. Moreover, the company has also adopted the policy of closing down s maller stores and has been in favor of opening superstores. Under its ‘Next catalog’ banner, the company offers the service of enabling customers to order products using a catalog, after which the purchased products are delivered to the customer’s home. In fact, this method of shopping (under the next brand) has become ingrained in the minds of the common Briton. One of the primary differences between other companies and next happens to be the fact that the latter focuses on the middle-class customers. It designs and markets affordable clothes that are contemporary unlike other retail houses such as Marks & Spencer that produces fashionable garments under various brand names. Likewise, the company has also adopted the policy of designing its clothes under its watchful eye, but in an attempt to cut down costs, it has been getting the goods produced in countries such as China, where the cost of production is comparatively much cheaper. The production operations are handled by the company’s house in Hong Kong. The company has also started offering financial services under the next brand credit financing. In spite of these branches, retail and catalog sales continue to be the two main contributors to the company’s revenues.

The Things They Carried and Raising Victor Vargas Essay

The Things They Carried and Raising Victor Vargas - Essay Example These factors affect how men and women interact with each other both at the start of and throughout romantic relationships. In the modern world, romantic relationships are vastly different from what they once were. Cultural changes have impacted young lovers just as they have impacted so many other facets of life. Cultural changes which began in the 1960s (Williams) have, over the last few decades, significantly altered the way we live and think. Western society has become increasingly sexually permissive; young people are constantly bombarded with sexual imagery in advertising, television, film, and other entertainment media. The traditional romantic relationship which begins with dating, followed by marriage, sex, and children has turned into something very different. In the modern world casual sex is increasingly common and acceptable; having a sexual relationship does not automatically lead to marriage-it is no longer safe to assume that a couple who have sex will marry or even enter into a relationship. Religion is an influential factor in determining whether or not individuals have sex with one or more partners before marrying; interestingly a religious upbringing is more likely to impact upon women than on men in terms of whether or not they are sexually active before marrying. In the film "Raising Victor Vargas" (Sollett), the family has come from a Catholic background. Victor's grandmother is very religious, but this has had little impact on Victor's personal life-his peer relationships are much more influential. Victor and best friend Harold have similar attitudes towards women. They both see sexual activity as a way of increasing their importance in the neighborhood and enhancing their reputations with their peers.In the very first scene, Victor is portrayed as a sexual person, attempting to seduce "Fat Donna"-he is licking his lips and flexing his muscles, using his body as a tool for seduction. Like most teens, however, Victor is less a Romeo than he is a boy taking his fir st unsure steps in the adult world of sexual relationships. He has also made a mistake in choosing his target-"Fat Donna" is considered unattractive, and his seduction attempts only earn him the ridicule of his peers. After this encounter, Victor is determined to repair his reputation by setting his sights on the neighborhood beauty, Judy. Judy appears to come from a religious background just as Victor does-she wears the same type of gold cross worn by Victor's grandmother and brother. Unlike Victor, she does not feel the need to enhance her reputation by becoming sexually active; she has an almost opposite view. She sees boys as "dogs", as something that she does not need, and is only irritated by the neighborhood boys who fall at her feet. Judy has resolved to pretend she already has a boyfriend, so that she will not be bothered by other boys. Victor and Judy clearly have very different perceptions of love, sex, and relationships. To Victor they are tools to increase his standing with his peers, whereas Judy has no use for them. "The Things they Carried" (O'Brien) takes place against the background of the Vietnam War-not only the new age of Woodstock, hippie culture, and sex, drugs, and rock & roll, but also a politically turbulent era. First Lieutenant Jimmy Cross, a young man of this era, has probably been influenced by these cultural changes. As a young

Next Plc as a Major Company Dealing in Retail Fashion Clothing Essay

Next Plc as a Major Company Dealing in Retail Fashion Clothing - Essay Example This paper illustrates that Next plc does business in the following major domains: retail stores that sell a variety of products, but the major one among them being clothes, catalog sales, and customer support services through ‘Ventura’. The company designs, manufactures and sells clothes under the brand name ‘Next’ and targets people between the age group of 20 to 40. Since its expansion drive in 1999, the company had to close down the international outlets that were managed by it directly and has since then concentrated on franchising options for the overseas markets. It operates in well over 20 different countries. Since 1999, the company’s primary activities have been progressing along two major sections namely retail clothing and catalog sales. The retail section of the company contributes to around two-thirds of the company’s income. It was around  £821 million in 1999. Moreover, the company has also adopted the policy of closing down s maller stores and has been in favor of opening superstores. Under its ‘Next catalog’ banner, the company offers the service of enabling customers to order products using a catalog, after which the purchased products are delivered to the customer’s home. In fact, this method of shopping (under the next brand) has become ingrained in the minds of the common Briton. One of the primary differences between other companies and next happens to be the fact that the latter focuses on the middle-class customers. It designs and markets affordable clothes that are contemporary unlike other retail houses such as Marks & Spencer that produces fashionable garments under various brand names. Likewise, the company has also adopted the policy of designing its clothes under its watchful eye, but in an attempt to cut down costs, it has been getting the goods produced in countries such as China, where the cost of production is comparatively much cheaper. The production operations are handled by the company’s house in Hong Kong. The company has also started offering financial services under the next brand credit financing. In spite of these branches, retail and catalog sales continue to be the two main contributors to the company’s revenues.

Case studies x 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Case studies x 2 - Essay Example The team leader should not waste much time once he realized the diversity of his team vis-Ã  -vis the group task and must make efforts to reinforce the idea of collective achievement and mutual respect. The most important task is to motivate the unmotivated and who better to do this than the thinkers? They should be used to interact with the former subgroup to listen to their views, and check if there are any systemic defects or issues that need to be resolved. These interactions give the tutees opportunities to ask questions and for the tutors to be surprised by the elements of human attitude that govern group functioning and motivation. This two-way learning process helps the group cohesion and builds a sense of belonging. In a similar manner, the team leader has to publicly acknowledge the creativity and the hard work of individuals, and explain the gains that everyone in the team would enjoy as a result of the team effort, monetary or otherwise. The role of a CEO is judged by the touchstone of a healthy growth of his organization and keeping the stakeholders happy. In order to realize his objectives, he creates his teams and treats each individual on the merits of his/her contribution to the organization in achieving the short/medium/long term goals. One of the important aspects of performance is team spirit that overcomes short term individual grouses. Comparison and discontent are universal in organizations. They are to be handled in such a way that the solution neither creates more discontent nor demoralizes. In the present case, Jim has an impeccable track record of performance. His ability to develop contacts and build networks is of considerable value to the company and at the same time, points to the respect he commands in the market. He is thus a key resource that directly generates revenues for the

Foreign Policy Toward Iraqi Refugees Essay Example for Free

Foreign Policy Toward Iraqi Refugees Essay In 2003, the US war in Iraq finally toppled Saddam Hussein’s dictatorial regime and freed the Iraqi people from the bondage of tyranny. However, the re-establishment of democratic processes and the road to achieving peace have led to perdition, as Islamist fundamentalism prevailed during the cultural-religious bestowal even at the time prior to Saddam’s reign of power. The victory of democracy in the installation of a new Iraqi government instilled the shadow of political unrest and extreme economic recession, in which the fall of Baghdad may have been buried in a deep grave. At present, the violence in Iraq is showing no sign of slowing down and majority of the Iraqi people continue to suffer tremendously as documented on this account : the UN estimates that 2. 6 million Iraqis have fled since 2003 ranging from 40,000 to 50,000 Iraqis leaves their homes every month; two million flees to nearby countries and about 1. 8 million of the civilian populace seek refuge in safer areas within Iraq, in which Syria and Jordan are among the countries directly helping the refugees for the past three years, and some have fled to Egypt, Lebanon, Yemen, Iran and Turkey. Meanwhile, almost daily the media reports on the desolation of Iraqi. The Refugee International has accounted for series and continuing street crimes, the prevalence of business closures, human trafficking, and kidnap-for-ransom cases. In addition, the media said that the documentation of casualties and victims of similar crimes has to be reconciled with at large proportion due inability to locate substantial witnesses and the family of the victims. Goal Positioning The goal of this paper generally seeks to discuss and examine the continuing struggle for survival in Iraq. The product of examination shall be presented through a course of study pertaining to foreign policy toward Iraqi refugees. In particular, a holistic approach will be undertaken, to: (1) identify the extent and magnitude of mass evacuation of refugees, and (2) examine the availability of foreign policies that concern Iraqi refugees. In addition, the objective of the study is to address the long debatable issue on host country refugee adoption and to answer the question â€Å"why and how Iraqi refugees could be hosted by countries like the United States of America but neither by other European countries or in Asia? † This question plainly posits the feasible means of a foreign policy that could be adopted [if there once that exists,] in which this compendium could ventilate the avenues of legislation and to the meanest effort of influencing the public interest for policy initiatives. Background of Study The background of the study focuses on the sub-human conditions of the Iraqi people and their desire to flee from their homeland in exile as refugees. The background [based on the plight of the Iraqi refugees] will also discuss derivatives of study on foreign policies that evolve the goals of this paper. The additional consideration on the need for enabling a foreign policy for Iraqi refugees could indicate and can be comparatively analyzed with the proportion of violence that links the overall unaccounted number of Iraqi casualties. Thus, the initial indicator is based on the documented report that follows: (1) US military killed in Iraq is estimated at 3,973; (2) number of US troops wounded in combat since the war began is 29,203; (3) Iraqi Security Force deaths is 7,924; (4) Iraqi civilians killed is estimated at a range from 81,632 to 1,120,000; (5) internally displaced refugees in Iraq is estimated at 3. 4 million. On the other hand, as part of the documented report , the cost of war has accounted to; $526 billion to date, with a cost per day of $275 million and being estimated at a long- term bill of $3 trillion. In addition, Iraqi unemployment has grown from 25 to 40 percent. Literature Review A brief review of similar literatures will be discussed in this section in order to: (1) present the collection of initiatives and collaboration of international entities and governments for refugees, and (2) link the relevance to the process of this paper. Canada was tasked to assume the role of â€Å"gavel-holder† of the newly established Refugee Working Group (RWG) in January of 1992 as part of the design of the general Middle East peace process (MEPP) that created the Expert and Advisory Services Fund (EASF) as a Canadian involvement to the Middle East Multilateral Peace Process . The EASF is administered by Canadian International Development Research Centre (IDRC) with funding from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) in partnership with the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT). The implementation of EASF for the period of March 2002-2008 works within key policy issues on refugees, in which EASF (Phase 3 IDRC) programs embark on the â€Å"compensation to Palestinian refugees as part of a comprehensive solution, challenges of repatriation and absorption, and gauging and engaging public opinion† . In a related finding, the Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service through its Center for International and Regional Studies (CIRS) located in Qatar and the Institute for the Study of International Migration (ISIM) in Washington jointly conducted a study in 2007 regarding this for . The study showed that Iraqis in Jordan and Syria are beneficiaries of two opposing foreign policies, one is the tradition of Arab brotherhood which comprises a political and moral responsibility in providing refuge while the other is an option of Jordan and Syria not to integrate the Iraqis’ permanency . However, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) considers the Iraqis as â€Å"prima facie refugees† (being registered refugees) who were issued with â€Å"asylum seeker cards† in Jordan and refugee cards in Syria. The UN agencies and NGOs have provided immediate support to lessen the misery. Furthermore, the study team stated that â€Å"the war in Iraq is not limited to Iraq since it has intensely affected the Middle East region . However, according to a statement of a UK-based NGO, many refugees are denied asylum status, being degraded and are even called as â€Å"welfare scroungers† or â€Å"fake refugees† when they come to the UK . It is obvious that the US and UK’s War on Terror is marginalizing refugees still further as numerous legitimate political movements are labeled terrorist . In addition, based on the statement, the UK has curved entire migrant communities as terrorist suspects [in which the anti-terrorism laws have widened the classification of terrorism] encompassed with political activities even on those who are against oppressive regimes overseas . Moreover, the US government has recently released a press statement disclosing that about 12,000 Iraqi refugees will be admitted to US before the end of 2008. According to State Department’s Senior Adviser James Foley, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs’ Tony Edison and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Senior Adviser on Iraqi Refugee Issues’ Lori Scialabba, Iraqis were identified as potential candidates for emigration to the United States. After a year of redoubled efforts, all of the organizations involved in the process are working together to build a more effective refugee screening program . The three US officials further stated that the US has poured in $171 million in humanitarian assistance to displaced Iraqis both in and outside the country in 2007. However, the UN has appealed for $123 million in 2007 to $261 million for 2008 . Scope and Limitation The scope of work will be composed of a 2-prong method which are: (1) on-field and out- field research; within the scope of finding available and adequate materials as derivatives in the conduct of evaluation and the actual field validation of data and (2) study review in areas of fitting in the study parameters in view of legislative policy agenda for refugees in order to re-examine the gaps and further conduct of study. Considerably, the aspect of out-filed research may be limited only to accessing the available data sources, such as on-site interviews to various individuals or personalities and gathering of other data materials that are readily available. Perspectives It has been a glaring and presently debatable issue that Iraqi refugees pose a challenge to global governments and communities of progressive people. The parameters of the study believe that Iraq has not yet overcome the war. While it is true that Iraq was once a captive of political and religious dogmas, the country must still be retained to its sovereign people. The Iraqi refugees is a shame to the least part of developed and even underdeveloped world from Africa to Asian continents because in that part of Middle East lies a bleeding country characterized by the plagues of war. It is in this regard, the study envisions a perspective that would create and supplant the bondage and stigma of war from the life of the Iraqi people. The study also aims to map out the road to recovery, and through that, a foreign policy for Iraqi refugees may guide the ascendancy of moral values and responsibility in order to achieve peace in Middle East and the rest of the world. Conclusion It is clear the Iraqi people continue to walk on the road to perdition due to their long struggle of tyranny. It could be described that the misery after the fall of Baghdad has a continuum in despicable plight. The global partnership in restoring and retaining the democratic processes in Iraq may be a long process and difficult due to the intensely adverse cultural-religious entanglement. Nevertheless, it is necessary to first restore the people’s lives, specifically women, and children. Once this is achieved, it will be no longer hard to once again see the flourishing city of Baghdad where people co-exist in abundant life amidst the barren lands. Bibliography America. Gov, â€Å"United States to Welcome 12,000 More Iraqi Refugees in 2008† (February 06, 2008) [http://www. america. gov/st/peacesec- english/2008/February/20080206160027idybeekcm0. 824032. html] Erik Leaver and Jenny Shin, â€Å"The Iraq Quagmire†, Foreign Policy in Focus, Institute of Foreign Policy, Washington DC 20036. (March 4, 2008). [http://www. fpif. org/fpiftxt/5036] International Development Research Centre (IDRC), â€Å"Middle East Expert and Advisory Services Fund†, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada (2008). [ http://www. idrc. ca/uploads/user-S/12060300201Microsoft_Word_- _EASF_Program_Profile__3__final. pdf] Kristele Younes, â€Å"The Iraqi Refugee Crisis†, Foreign Policy in Focus, Institute of Foreign Policy, Washington DC 20036 (March 14, 07). [http://www. fpif. org/fpiftxt/4059] Patricia Weiss Fagen, Iraqi Refugees: â€Å"Seeking Stability in Syria and Jordan†, Georgetown University Institute for the Study of International Migration (2007). [http://www12. georgetown. edu/sfs/isim/Publications/PatPubs/Iraqi%20Refugees. pdf] The Refugee Project, 44 Ainger Road, London, NW3 3AT (2008). [http://www. therefugeeproject. org/]

Technique for Supravalvular Pulmonary Artery Stenosis

Technique for Supravalvular Pulmonary Artery Stenosis A novel beating-heart technique for supravalvular pulmonary artery stenosis INTRODUCTION: Pulmonary artery stenosis (PAS) may be congenital or acquired and presents itself as isolated or multiple lesions. Acquired PAS generally occurs following the surgical correction of congenital cardiac malformations such as anomalous origin of the left coronary artery arising from the pulmonary artery (ALCAPA) and tetralogy of Fallot (TOF). Treatment options for critical PAS include stent implantation, balloon angioplasty, and surgery. In this report, our objective is to present a new surgical technique without the need for cardiopulmonary bypass used for a patient undergoing surgery for ALCAPA who required re-operation on the first postoperative day due to supravalvular pulmonary stenosis. CASE REPORT: In a 8-year old boy, direct re-implantation of the left coronary artery into the aortic root was accomplished through median sternotomy under cardiopulmonary bypass. The general status of patient declined with accompanying signs and symptoms of right-sided heart failure within the first six postoperative hours. Also, liver enzyme levels were elevated and renal functions deteriorated. A biochemical profile revealed serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT) 832 mU/dl, serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (SGPT) 789 mU/dl, serum urea 65 mg/dl, and creatinine 2.1 mg/dl. Echocardiography showed severe right ventricular dysfunction and mild pulmonary insufficiency. As well as the supravalvular gradient was 80 mmHg, there was no transvalvular pressure gradient. Since supravalvular PAS was the suspected cause of the clinical instability of the patient, an urgent surgery was planned. SURGICAL TECHNIQUE A median sternotomy was used for the surgical procedure. Pump was not used to avoid the possible adverse consequences of cardiopulmonary bypass in this patient with a poor general status and impaired renal and liver functions. Firstly, an incision line on the stenotic supravalvular pulmonary artery segment was drawn. Then the dimensions of the graft to be placed were determined visually and the graft was prepared. The oval-shaped graft was sutured on the target stenotic pulmonary artery segment using 6/0 polypropylene sutures. During this procedure, special emphasis was placed on two issues: 1. Other than the proximal edge of the graft (the right ventricular side) all other edges were sutured using continuous sutures. However, no knots were tied and both ends of the suture were left free. 2. During the placing of the grafts, a space was created to form a convex structure in-between the anterior surface of the pulmonary artery. Then, a small linear incision on the pulmonary artery was made distally on the pulmonary artery using a scalpel inserted from the proximal opening of the graft. Simultaneous pressure on the incision site was exerted digitally to prevent bleeding. The incision was propagated longitudinally using a Metzenbaum scissor. Upon exposure of the pulmonary artery, the convex structure disappeared spontaneously by eliminating the distance between the graft and the anterior surface of the pulmonary artery. Soon after the incision was made in the distal direction on the pulmonary artery according to a pre-determined length, the sutures on the proximal surface of the graft were stretched as to fix the graft on the pulmonary artery. At the end of the procedure, while a moderate level of tension was maintained on the sutures manually, the proximal end of the graft was closed using continuous sutures. Thus, at the end of the procedure the desired pulmonary artery diameter was achieved. No hemodynamic instability was observed during the procedure. Intraoperative echocardiography showed no residual gradients on the pulmonary artery. The patient was extubated at postoperative 12th hour. A quick clinical improvement of right-sided heart failure was observed during the follow-up along with restoration of normal liver enzyme levels within 48 hours and normal renal functions within one week after surgery. The patient was discharged at postoperative 8th day. Follow-up examination at 1 year after surgery showed a good general status with weight gain. No gradient was detected at the pulmonary artery by echocardiography. DISCUSSION: PAS may be congenital or acquired. Acquired pulmonary artery stenosis is generally a complication of the surgical procedures performed for the repair of complex congenital cardiac malformations (1). For instance, in patients such as ours with ALCAPA, supravalvular PAS may develop following surgery (2). In certain circumstances, both congenital and acquired types of pulmonary artery stenosis may pose significant surgical challenges. Particularly, the presence of clinical instability may severely limit the therapeutic options in newborns. Treatment options for critical PAS include stent implantation, balloon angioplasty, and surgery. In recent years, despite significant advances in the technology of stent and balloon production, surgical repair remains an important therapeutic option. The success rates with balloon dilatation in these patients are limited (3). On the other hand, intravascular stents are associated with the formation of re-stenosis in the long term due to somatic growth (4). Thus, surgical repair stands out as an important alternative to both other approaches in pulmonary stenosis. We didn’t prefer catheterization because of early period after surgery and impaired kidney function. The current surgical methods for the reconstruction of the PAS may be associated with untoward consequences due to the need for cardiopulmonary bypass. Therefore, in order to avoid possible adverse effects of cardiopulmonary bypass, we developed a novel surgical technique to be used for the repair of supravalvular pulmonary artery stenosis without pump. The surgical technique utilized in this patient is simple and safe distinguishing itself from other techniques by negating the need for pump. Particularly, it seems suitable for selected, clinically unstable cases who may be adversely affected by cardiopulmonary bypass. In previously operated patients with supravalvular pulmonary artery stenosis, this technique may be safely applied without the increased risk of bleeding or thromboembolic events. However, larger patient populations are warranted to more firmly establish its safety. Nevertheless, we believe that this technique for the pulmonary artery reconstruction may provide significant increases in the diameter of the pulmonary artery in a beating heart with minimal morbidity and mortality. According to our knowledge, there have not been reported any off-pump technique for PAS in the English literature to date. In conclusion, this newly developed method of supravalvular PAS surgery is safe and long lasting. This surgical technique may be applied on patients not only who had an isolated supravalvular PAS but also who were previously operated, developed restenosis in early period and were under risk if pump was used without disrupting the hemodynamic stability.

Is Henry James The turn of the Screw a traditional ghost story? Essay

Is Henry James' The turn of the Screw a traditional ghost story? Ghost stories are found way back in history, some dating back to the Victorian times. The Victorians were known to be greatly interested in ghosts and the supernatural and showed this fascination through telling ghost stories. The telling of ghost stories was used as a way of entertainment especially around Christmas time and it was also very common for upper class Victorians to participate in seances where they would try to make contact with the ghosts/spirits of their dead loved ones. However this was not the only reason, in the later Victorian age, with many people having a great mixture of beliefs there was a disaffection with organised religion and more towards scientific influences and discoveries. Therefore this could mean that Victorians societies interest in the supernatural was just a move away from religion and the idea that God provides all the answers. In this essay I will look at Henry James' 'The Turn of the Screw' which was written in the Victorian era. The question I will be looking to answer is, does James' 'The Turn of the Screw' fit into the traditional mode of a ghost story or does he do something different and more sinister? The story is initially about a lonely governess and her new job looking after two young children. The story is set in a large house named Bly which is isolated in the countryside. The governess starts to form a strange relationship with the children and in many ways becomes too attached, finding it hard to separate herself from them, enchanted by their surposide innocence. Life at Bly runs smoothly until the governess receives a letter from Miles' school informing her that he has been exp... ...e contaminating and corrupting of the idea of innocence by the governess and not by the apparitions. There seems to be answers for the happenings at Bly however these answers appear to lie in the mental state of the governess. She seems to have developed delusions, resulting in the obsession with the ghosts and their relationship with the children. This climaxes in Flora's exit to London with Mrs Grose and Miles' death. The role of the governess in Miles' death is not clear, was he smothered by his affection? Or did he die of another cause? This story twists the truth to the extent that the true answer to what is going on is never actually revealed. All traditional aspects of this story are contorted, making it seem far more untraditional, the storyline is designed to make the reader think and ask themselves questions to which there is no clear answers.

Pram Lady and Forbidden Clothes

An important idea in both â€Å"The Pram Lady† by Vivien Alcock and â€Å"Forbidden Clothes† by Jamila Gavin is how people are unaccepting of differences. This is important to me because people should be able to be themselves without being hassled or excluded, also because people my age are not very accepting of others' differences. In the â€Å"Pram Lady† Helena does not accept the way her mother dresses and behaves. She want her mum to be like other mums with â€Å"dyed hair and a perm† because it reflects badly on her. When William, Helena's new boyfriend, sees Helena's mother and doesn't realize who she is he makes a rude comment about her appearance: â€Å"God, what a fright! What a ridiculous creature! † Helena reacts to this by running away from him and telling him she never wants to see or speak to him again. Even though Helena's mother is â€Å"enormously fat† and wears stained clothes, Helena still will not associate with people who disrespect her mother. This shows us that Helena herself has not accepted her mother for the way she is. From this, I learnt that I should not be so quick to judge others before getting to know them because personality shines through and is the most important thing. Oddly, though Helena doesn't want people saying rude things about her mother, she says those things herself. Helena's mother doesn't mind what people think about her and tells Helena that she should just laugh with her friends when they see her. Helena just wants her mother to be normal, when Helen tells her mum this she responds by saying â€Å"But that's what you want, isn't it, Helena? An ordinary mother like your friends have. † Over time Helena gets stressed by the fact her mother forgets to do regular things like wearing unstained clothes. This doesn't work for either of them because Helena is always worried about her mother and her mother is forced to change into something she isn't to please Helena. I relate to this because girls my age sometimes don't except people for their flaws. Reading this short story made me feel that I should wait until I know someone before judging them. As is in â€Å"The Pram Lady†, â€Å"Forbidden Clothes† also shows the way people are made to feel like outsiders because they have differences from their peers. Nasreen, a girl who is living in the UK never felt different in Pakistan,

Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Economic Development

Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Economic Development â€Å"‘Discuss the relationship between entrepreneurship, innovation and economic development. What role do creativity and problem solving play in this relationship? † In today’s world, entrepreneurship and innovation are becoming increasingly crucial as drivers of the economy, especially so in the developing economies where trade plays a major part in generating revenue. In China, small-and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) account for almost 70 percent of all Chinese exports, a share that reflects the above statement about the importance of entrepreneurship to economic robustness.Some questions may be raised on whether entrepreneurship lead to economic development or is the latter a prerequisite to facilitate the entrepreneurship and innovation processes instead. This essay , while recognizing the need of certain institutions and framework to be in place and functioning well in order to ease the functioning of business activities, takes the stand that entrepreneurship and innovation leads to economic development more often than of the other way around.Realising its potential, governments’ initiatives have largely been centred on encouraging more entrepreneurs to start up a venture or to expand their existing businesses. In the 2013 National Budget, the Malaysian Government has allocated a fund of RM 1 billion under the SME Development Scheme (News Straits Times 2012). This very government has also recently launched SME Masterplan (2012 – 2020). These initiatives are aimed at supporting and accelerating the growth and development of SME-s across all sectors of the economy.In evaluation though, more start-ups and new business ventures in an economy does not necessarily translate into economic growth and improvement. In order for the desired economic aims to be achieved, we need to ensure that the start-ups and existing businesses thrive and not fail, for doomed enterprises mor e often than not suck resources out of the economy. This essay will identify how businesses, using innovative practices and creativity in both business operations as well as in problem solving, can achieve greater performance and sustainability in order to positively contribute to economic development.Jospeh Schumpeter defines entrepreneurs as innovators who implement entrepreneurial change within markets (Ahamad, 2008). This can be in the sense of introduction of a new or improved good, introduction of a new method of production or business management process, and the exploitation of a new source of supply. In short, entrepreneurship is the act of identifying market opportunities and using innovative approaches to exploit them (Ahamad, 2008). â€Å"Business opportunities are like buses, there’s always another one coming† (McAshan, 2011).Such are the words Richard Branson has used to describe the ample opportunities available for entrepreneurs to capitalize on. An entr epreneur can either start a venture by either involving themselves in a established market with certainty of demand for the goods offered, or they can exploit a new market altogether, by identifying a market niche and work on fulfilling the needs of that certain segment. By undertaking the former, entrepreneurs face a large and possibly increasing pool of competitors. This market, as described in the book Blue Ocean Strategy, is the â€Å"Red Ocean†.In contrast, entrepreneurs who venture into an untapped market space, focusing on demand creation, have unlimited potential to grow profitably (Chan & Mauborgne, 2005). â€Å"The only way to beat the competition is to stop trying to beat the competition. † Entrepreneurs should focus on undertaking the value innovation strategy proposed in the Blue Ocean Strategy. By creating a leap in value for buyers, a venture can open up new and uncontested market space, this makes competition irrelevant (Chan & Mauborgne, 2005).To be su ccessful, entrepreneurs will need to undertake innovative processes in creating the product or service as so to distinguish themselves from the rest of the existing options in the market. In other words, the product or services offered must stand out, have relevance and good purpose, and provides a high value add to consumers. It must provide the wow effect to the masses, which will in turn capture attention and help rake in revenues. Besides product and service innovation, innovation also can be implemented in improving the business management process.For example, all this while, organizations are shaped in the top-down organizational structure. Innovative entrepreneurs might have a different preference on running the firm, and choose to have a flatter structure, defying the norm. This can rake in benefits as in a flat structure, creativity and feedback are encouraged, there is more empowerment of young people by the executives, leading to a more open and vibrant organization. This will provide amazing esults in terms of business performance especially in today’s fast paced business world, which requires enterprises to be nimble and quick to adapt to changes (Griffin, 1999). Besides innovating and introducing a good and impressive product, an enterprise should also aim to develop strengths in multiple areas to gain an advantage over the rest of the field. Edges such as fantastic supply chain system which is due to good contacts and strong relationships with suppliers is a crucial factor in determining how well a business does.Toyota for instance, are famed for their Lean Production System, which is a key factor contributing to their status as market leader in the automobile industry. Besides that, the ability to develop strong brand loyalty with customers by establishing a culture of responsiveness to them is also another example of what an enterprise can focus on doing. It is easy to knock off an innovative product, but an innovative business system i s hard to replicate (Bhide, 1996).Businesses should thus focus on enhancing creativity, building strong networks, utilize technology available to enhance performance, devise effective strategies to be incorporated in the business process, aim to build good reputation among consumers by providing consistent and reliable service and also, be ever-ready to act quickly, on both opportunities as well as issues that will arise every now and then (Bhide, 1994). When faced with a problem, how fast and how well an entrepreneur responds to it will have a telling effect on the business performance.It can potentially act as a morale booster if dealt well, and have adverse effects if not. Spardlin (2012) suggests that a large number of enterprises are simply not rigorous in defining the problems they are attempting to solve. The Creative Problem Solving Process Model suggest the use of an explorer’s mindset, as well as a detective mindset when it comes to defining problems. This is so as to pinpoint the problem, also identifying the opportunities and future-oriented aspects involved (Lumsdaine, 2009). When you ask the right questions, chances are you’ll be able to tackle the right problems well.InnoCentive, an innovation-focused problem solving consulting agency, has devised a four-step process for firms, to be used in defining problems and later solving them (Spardlin, 2012). This process has four main focuses. First, it aims to help users pinpoint the need for the solution, and state what the desired outcome is. Next, it articulates the strategic importance of the solution to the firm. Then, it looks into the methods that may have already been used, recognize the constraints involved and lastly a clear and complete problem statement is produced (Spardlin, 2012).This multi-steps process is important to rally the organisation around a shared understanding of the situation, its magnitude and amount of resources needed to be devoted to the rectification of the issue. More often than not, firms allocate inappropriate level of resources to solving problems faced: too few resources are allocated to high-stakes ones and excess resources are devoted to tackling wrongly defined problems or low priority ones (Spardlin, 2012). After problem definition, idea generation and evaluation follows.Using the artist, engineer and judge mindsets, organisations are encouraged to generate solutions through a creative, innovative and evaluative process (Lumsdaine, 2009). This process works well in brainstorming groups. As ideas are being suggested, chances are a constructive build-on will occur. Ideas will then be synthesized, and the best solution(s) will then be picked. The Pugh Method can be used in tandem with the idea evaluation process: Concepts are compared in an advantage-disadvantage matrix.It can be used to compare the few available ideas in hand, choosing the best one ultimately, and it can also be used to benchmark against an existing concept in t he market (Lumsdaine, 2009). With this, entrepreneurs can now be assured of a well-thought idea for their products or services or even when it comes to solving issues. The implementation of ideas, or the execution is a pivotal area of focus for entrepreneurs. Execution is as equally important as the idea itself. Entrepreneurship is not just all about being creative and inventing or innovating good products and services.A good idea without careful and precise implementation will not help a business reach its potential. Furthermore, an innovative new product or service may do very well when introduced, but its popularity will also attract new companies who will imitate and try to capture a share of the market. Thus the importance of laying strong foundations and fundamentals in terms of implementation must be stressed on by entrepreneurs. Aspiring entrepreneurs should realise the importance of working on establishing the business’ brand name as well as using creativity in erect ing barriers that will deter imitators.This is especially crucial if their innovation of products are easily copied. This can be done by careful planning, acquisition and management of the necessary resources. Clearly, innovation, problem solving and creativity are all connected and play important roles in driving entrepreneurship. A society will be much better off with better products and services, as well as having the luxury of a wider range of product choices to choose from. Entrepreneurship will indefinitely spur economic development in a country.As mentioned above, enterprises contribute to the exports of a country, so in this aspect a country will record better balance of payments performances. Also, as consumers now have better quality goods produced locally, the dependency on imported goods can be reduced, and internal growth is spurred with increased consumption in the economy. Lastly, as firms embark on the innovation drive, more technology usage will mean investment acti vities are bound to increase, contributing to the long run health of the economy. In short, innovation in entrepreneurship is important for economic development.Efforts to strengthen these practices should be undertaken by all parties, including the government. References Ahmad, N. and R. G. Seymour (2008), â€Å"Defining Entrepreneurial Activity: Definitions Supporting Frameworks for Data Collection†, OECD Statistics Working Papers, 2008/01, OECD Publishing. Bhide, A. (1994). How Entrepreneurs Craft Strategies That Work. Harvard Business Review. Bhide, A. (1996). The Questions Every Entrepreneurs Must Answer. Harvard Business Review. Chan K. W. & Mauborgne R. (2005), Blue Ocean Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make Competition Irrelevant: Harvard Business Press. Finfacts. (2007).Chinese SMEs boost exports and growth; More created in past 20 years than total number of SMEs in Europe and US combined. Available: http://www. finfacts. com/irelandbusinessnews/ publish/article_1010697. shtml. Last accessed 20th November 2012. Griffin, D. (1999). Benefits in a Flat Organizational Structure. Available: http://smallbusiness. chron. com/benefits-flat-organizational-structure-281. html. Last accessed 30th of November. Lumsdaine, E . , Binks, M . (2009). Entrepreneurship from Creativity to Innovation. Nottingham, University of Nottingham Institute for Enterprise and Innovation McAshan, T. (2011). 50 Great Entrepreneurial