Gravitas

Gravitas Gravitas Gravitas By Maeve Maddox The Latin word gravitas to mean â€Å"the dignity of leadership† came into use as an English word in 1924; since the mid-1980s it has soared in popularity. The literal meaning of the Latin word gravitas is â€Å"weight, heaviness.† Our word gravity derives from that sense. The OnlineEtymologyDictionary observes that gravitas became useful to describe human seriousness when the word gravity acquired a mainly scientific meaning. For the ancient Romans gravitas was the highest of the fourteen virtues. A man who possessed gravitas recognized the importance of the matter at hand. He had a strong sense of responsibility and was not given to frivolous behavior or excessive levity. Even after Christian theology replaced pagan practice, gravitas was still cherished in leaders. Ambrose (c.339-397), a fourth century bishop of Milan, saw gravitas as a quality of mind, but felt that â€Å"the set of a man’s mind can be read in how he carries his body.† He refused to accept priests if he disliked the way they walked: â€Å"their mincing walk revealed their flighty character.† Traditionally, gravitas is a masculine virtue, so it’s not surprising that it is often mentioned as a quality lacking in women seeking high office or other leadership status: Miers Lacks the Necessary Gravitas [for the Supreme Court] [Katy Couric] was perceived as lacking gravitas. [Hillary] Clintonlacks gravitas and integrity, Yellenlacks the â€Å"gravitas† necessary to carry the economy through another financial mess. Karl Rove said that Sarah Palin lacks gravitas. Male politicians have also been criticized for lacking gravitas: Rubio lacks gravitas and seriousness. [Bill] Clinton lacks oriental self-control and maturity, the gravitas and substance one expects in the defining figures of history. Bushsuffers from lack of gravitas hes a likable fellow, casual and friendly, but not the most serious player on the national scene. Pipes says Christie lacks the gravitas and integrity to serve as US Vice President. In 1904 a political commentator opined that Teddy Roosevelt lacked gravitas and provided a list of what gravitas should include: â€Å"honesty, intelligence, energy, willingness to discard untenable views, wisdom, breadth of vision, depth of insight, and that nameless something that enables a man to keep all his faculties in thorough control.† Strong words like gravitas that start out with clear definitions tend to suffer a dilution of meaning once they gain media popularity. From being an expressive term for dignity and strength of character, gravitas is on its way to becoming a throwaway word with any number of vague meanings: Despite an engaging, nuanced performance from Robert De Niro as Frank GoodeEverybody’s Fine inevitably suffers from a lack of real emotional gravitas.   Before the Fall [a play] lacks the gravitas that the subject deserves. As the Academy voters see it, Gravity [a movie] lacks gravitas. While the story [Walking with Dinosaurs] is educational, and obviously geared for children, it lacks any gravitas StarTrek actress lends her gravitas to film promoting ideas that sun revolves around Earth. Gravitas is now so overused that it has become a target for humorists: Suddenly gravitas is what is needed, gravitas is what makes a country strongOh if only we could bottle it, think of the killing we could make! Australian blogger Greg Jericho In the world of popular entertainment–and that includes political commentary–the notion of gravitas has become something of a laughing stock. In another context–the world of corporate advancement–gravitas is taken very seriously. I’ll discuss the business world definition of gravitas in another article. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:"Because Of" and "Due To" 40 Synonyms for â€Å"Lie†5 Erroneously Constructed â€Å"Not Only . . . But Also† Sentences

Simple Inquiéter (to Worry) French Verb Conjugations

Simple Inquià ©ter (to Worry) French Verb Conjugations The verb  inquià ©ter  means to worry in French. When you need to say worried or worrying, the verb will need to be conjugated to fit the tense. This is not one of ​the easiest French verb conjugations, but a quick lesson will show you how its done in the simplest and most common forms. Conjugating the French Verb  Inquià ©ter Inquià ©ter  is a  stem-changing verb, which is why its a little tricky. The pronunciation may not change, but the spelling does and you need to pay attention. Thats because in some forms, the acute à © changes to a grave à ¨. Youll also find that in the future and conditional tenses, either accented E is acceptable. Beyond that minor (but important) spelling change,  inquià ©ter  is conjugated like regular -er  verbs, which is the most common conjugation pattern found in French. That makes things just a little easier, especially if youre studied any of these verbs before. To conjugate  inquià ©ter, pair the subject pronoun with the desired tense of your sentence. For instance, I worry is jinquià ©te and we will worry is either nous inquià ©terons or nous inquià ¨terons. Subject Present Future Imperfect j inquite inquiteraiinquiterai inquitais tu inquites inquiterasinquiteras inquitais il inquite inquiterainquitera inquitait nous inquitons inquiteronsinquiterons inquitions vous inquitez inquiterezinquiterez inquitiez ils inquitent inquiterontinquiteront inquitaient The Present Participle of  Inquià ©ter The  present participle  inquià ©tant  can be a verb as well as an adjective, gerund, or noun depending on the context.   The Past Participle and Passà © Composà © To form the common past tense known as the  passà © composà ©, the  past participle  inquià ©tà ©Ã‚  is required. To complete this form, you will also need the subject pronoun and appropriate conjugation of the  auxiliary verb  avoir. As an example, I worried becomes jai inquià ©tà © while we worried is nous avons  inquià ©tà ©. More Simple  Inquià ©ter  Conjugations to Know When the act of worrying is somehow questionable or uncertain, the subjunctive verb mood may be used. Likewise, if theres no guarantee that the worrying will happen unless something else also occurs, use the conditional verb mood. The literary tenses of the passà © simple and imperfect subjunctive are common in formal writing. Subject Subjunctive Conditional Pass Simple Imperfect Subjunctive j inquite inquiteraisinquiterais inquitai inquitasse tu inquites inquiteraisinquiterais inquitas inquitasses il inquite inquiteraitinquiterait inquita inquitt nous inquitions inquiterionsinquiterions inquitmes inquitassions vous inquitiez inquiteriezinquiteriez inquittes inquitassiez ils inquitent inquiteraientinquiteraient inquitrent inquitassent There is no need to include the subject pronoun in the imperative verb form of inquià ©ter. Thats because this is used in demands and requests that are meant to be short and direct. Instead of tu inquià ©te, use inquià ©te alone. Imperative (tu) inquite (nous) inquitons (vous) inquitez

Econimc Growth without Environmental Damage Essay

Econimc Growth without Environmental Damage - Essay Example However, action has to be taken immediately due to what happened in the past. Nevertheless, it does not matter at what stage of economic growth the country is at that moment. It has since been proven, as it will be seen later in the text, both economic growth and environmental conservation can run con-currently. Moreover, this occurrence has the ability to benefit economies financially and with greater gains than before if properly executed. The first and foremost way to deal with this situation is proper planning for the eventualities of economic growth. Since experience has given important lessons of what could happen if economic growth is not monitored, it is therefore, sensible to use this knowledge as an advantage. Planning for the environment should coincide with when policies for economic growth are made. Therefore, the tendency to pursue economic growth blindly without environmental policies and only clean up after it becomes affordable is avoided (Clapp & Dauvergne 352). Cou ntries should start concentrating on exploiting renewable sources of energy. This is especially for countries that have achieved considerable economic growth without regards to its effect to the environment. It will ensure continuing economic growth while environmental damage is greatly reduced (Vollebergh 34). For many countries and governments, this may be most convenient way and at times the only way to salvage the situation. Since the reality is that, many nations lack the financial ability to take a step towards environmental conservation at the expense of the economy. The message of sustainable development should be spread everywhere. It is natural that many governments will not be willing to tell its people to stop doing things that give them money as producers or pleasure as consumers (Sackman 50). However, by letting people understand the logic behind this idea, it will enable them to understand the connection between population growth, economic growth and environmental deg radation in that respect other than individually. The impact may not be drastic but will sink in with time and with experience. Consequently, people will be willing to sacrifice themselves in whatever way for the conservation of their environment, which in reality determines their comfort and better yet, their longevity. The quickest way to reduce environmental degradation is through public and private partnership through investing in research, development expenditure and human capital skills (Pearce & Barbier 32). The private sector has played a fair share and can even be said to have collaborated in destroying the environment as the government endeavored to create favorable conditions for investment so as to stir economic growth. It is also economical for economies that are not stable enough to initiate and sustain environmental programs before revenue begins to flow in again. The partnership should enable investment in technology that remedies or assists in remedying the current environmental situation in the world. There is also need for Technological innovation, invention and advancement that can assist in avoiding long and expensive procedures. However, it does not go unnoticed that there are some steps that have been made towards this direction. There are windmills and solar panels that enable large-scale harnessing of wind and solar power respectively; genetically modified crops, manufacture of environmental-friendly cars that use

Critical Issues in Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Critical Issues in Marketing - Essay Example (BRASSINGTON, Frances, 2006) Each one of the "four P's" is a variable that is managed in creation of the marketing blend that draws customers towards company. (CANT, M. C., 2009) This paper hereby emphasizes on the five critical issues in the modern marketing practices that are widely acknowledged as culture jamming, self-help, super markets, counter culture and selling of celebrity. The term "Culture jamming" refers to a cultural backtalk by switching to the language of ascertained power. (GOODMAN, Jennifer, 2006) The process comprises of playing with memorable structures of communiqu and interfaces like "posters, billboards, official language, protocol, spaces and imagery" (GOODMAN, Jennifer, 2006) and spiraling them back against its creator. An undermined note could contain critique of the original or might ally with a novel political message for instance "Class War: Just Do It." (GOODMAN, Jennifer, 2006) Usually, culture jamming is considered as time saving as it is a quick job on an existing advertisement with need of merely a marker. It evenly involves the design of professional media, necessitating the superiority of intricate graphical design and copywriting. Culture jamming had brought an up to date twirl to an elongated legacy of court jesting, opinionated satire and jokey commotions of the society. (KOTLER, Philip, 2005) Unlike its antecedents, although, this modern dissident game is participated principally with signs and symbols in the community that has already approached to be pervade by them. (SOLOMON, Michael R., 2003) The phase for the materialization of culture jamming was laid in the early 20th century as mass fabrication; mass utilization and mass haulage set its foot in Europe and North America. (KOTLER, Philip, 2005) The pace conveyed with these innovative growths shaped a flood of information leading way for industrialized civilizations to search for and grow extra competent codes of message to cope with it all making symbolic lingos more imperative than ever and gave birth to countless novel symbolic code from street map emblems to commercial logos, all intended to craft swift sense of gradually more multifaceted information. (KOTLER, Philip, 2005) In the precedent two decades, culture jamming has caught on far-off and broad range, credit to

Single Parent Households and Crime Essay Example for Free

Single Parent Households and Crime Essay People claimed that growing up in a fatherless or motherless home was the major cause of child poverty, delinquency, and school failure, while others denied that single parenthood had any harmful effects. And some objected even to discussing the topic for fear of stigmatizing single mothers or fathers and their children. Not talking about single parenthood is scarcely an option. More than half of the children born in 1994 will spend some or all of their childhood with only one parent, typically their mother. If current patterns hold, they will likely experience higher rates of poverty, school failure, and other problems as they grow up. The long-range consequences could have enormous implications. (Article/consequences-single-motherhood familyinequality.wordpress) But what exactly are the consequences how large and concentrated among what groups? Do they depend on whether a single mother is widowed, divorced, or never married? Does public support for single mothers inadvertently increase the number of women who get divorced or choose to have a baby on their own? Children who grow up with only one of their biological parents (nearly always the mother) are disadvantaged across a broad array of outcomes. They are twice as likely to drop out of high school, 2.5 times as likely to become teen mothers, and 1.4 times as likely to be idle out of school and out of work as children who grow up with both parents. Children in one-parent families also have lower grade point averages, lower college aspirations, and poorer attendance records. As adults, they have higher rates of divorce. These patterns persist even after adjusting for differences in race, parents education, number of siblings, and residential location. (Article/consequences-single-motherhood familyinequality.wordpress) The evidence, however, does not show that family disruption is the principal cause of high school failure, poverty, and delinquency. While 19 percent of all children drop out of high school, the dropout rate for children in two-parent families is 13 percent. Thus, the dropout rate would be only 33 percent lower if all families had two parents and the children currently living with a single parent had the same dropout rates as children living with two parents a highly improbable assumption. (Article/consequences-single-motherhood familyinequality.wordpress ) Family disruption also undermines childrens access to community resources or what sociologist James Coleman calls social capital. Divorce and remarriage often precipitate moves out of a community, disrupting childrens relationships with peers, teachers, and other adults. During middle childhood and early adolescence, a child in a stable family experiences, on average, 1.4 moves. The average child in a single-parent family experiences 2.7 moves; in a stepfamily, the average child experiences 3.4 moves. (ejournal.narotama.ac.id/files/DeMuthandBrownJRCD) So all this information provided, I agree that children growing in a single parent household, and a child having family disruptions, does impact delinquency within in juveniles I’m not saying it’s a 100% guarantee a child will fall into delinquency because of one parent households, I’m just agreeing that the possibility is a higher risk.

Writing Response To A Short Guide to Writing About Film :: essays papers

Writing Response To A Short Guide to Writing About Film The words â€Å"writing about film†, to my mind, conjure up the Siskel & Ebert-like desiccation of film that one usually finds in a review column. Needless to say, such â€Å"writing† can hardly be found appealing to one who looks for more than the appreciation or dislike of a performance or the absurdity of story. In â€Å"A Short Guide to Writing About Film,† I discovered that writing on film should and can be a far cry from such drivel. It is a staunch review of technique in relation to writing specifically on film. Obvious technique, to be sure, but if approached the proper manner, these reminders can be quite useful in articulating the often hard-to-capture meaning or imagery in film. The author states that the goal of his book is three-fold. The primary two are; that it would be a time-saver for instructors who have difficulty dealing with the common writing problems of their students, and that it would help to alleviate students anxiety about writing by clarifying points that many instructors presume their pupils all know. He does this by setting down guidelines for approaching writing, doing pertinent research, and conveying it, along with analysis, in the medium of stylistic film essays. He provides an abundance of examples of structures, styles, and terms used in this area of writ. The guidelines I found to be extremely useful, for they pertain not just to writing about film, but to any sort of analytical writing. They helped me realize the qualities that my own writing lacks, and I must come to master if I am to articulately present my own subjective experience on paper. The third part of the book’s purpose is that by attaining the first two, â€Å"it would encourage more enjoyable and articulate communication between the two [Professor and pupil]† (pg. X). To do so, Corrigan endeavors to excite readers with the possibilities that lay in writing: sharing experiences, analyzing themes and imagery, and simply writing about the most popular and entertaining medium around.

Describe Your Role in Delivering Learning Class Lessons Essay

I would plan activities in various ways such as an informal discussion with the teacher about what weekly and daily activities will be taking place. You are aware in advance of what you are required to do. There are clear roles and responsibilities for you working together with the teacher to support the pupils. Planning activities is also based on pupils individual needs, abilities and interests hence the importance of accurate pupil observations and assessments also the continuous cycle of identifying leaning needs, preparing, organising and implementing learning activities. The work you are covering fits in with the activities and topics which have been planned for the term. The objectives of the learning activity and the type and level of support the pupils may need. The teacher may put some time aside to discuss each week’s activities with the teaching assistant. This would allow for any suggestions to be made on how to improve or change things. Teaching assistants should have a clear understanding of the learning objective for each activity and know what they should be doing to help the children achieve this. There could be some children with special needs in the class and so will have different aims to the other children and may also require more support. The teaching assistant can plan setting up the room with the correct resources before the lesson takes place and laying out the tables and chairs etc, also support may be needed for some pupils, this should have been discussed before the lesson. The teaching assistant could work with one specific table or group of children or just go around the classroom and be available if any of the children ask for help and to identify future learning needs.

The International Strategy of TESCO PLC

Abstract This study explores the different theories of international entry strategies and then analyses the international strategy of Tesco Plc. Firms can enter the international markets through different strategies, including licensing technology abroad, direct investment acquisition, exporting, strategic alliance in foreign market and establishing joint ventures. The findings of this study indicate that Tesco Plc uses international joint ventures, acquisitions and Greenfield investments to enter into foreign markets. However, Greenfield investments have led to failures and as such it is recommendable that the company explores international joint ventures and acquisitions as part of its future entry strategies. Introduction International strategy is very important for all business organisations operating in the international market. This is because the strategy plays an important role in determining the opportunities present in the international market and how to exploit them (Hensmans et al., 2013). Tesco Plc. is one such company with significant development in the international market. The supermarket chain has managed to expand its operations across Europe, Asia and North America with huge success. This international expansion has affected all the facets of the company like business structure, financial status, corporate culture and organisational structure (Ryans, 2013). This study looks at different international strategies, why they are important to Tesco Plc, related theories and their applications. International Strategies The current business environment is very competitive and as such companies need to venture into the international markets in order to generate more profits (Hitt et al 2008). However, choosing the right international strategy is never easy; whether it is licensing technology abroad, direct investment acquisition, exporting, strategic alliance in foreign market, or establishing joint ventures. This study will focus on a few of these strategies that are of importance to Tesco Plc. These strategies are joint ventures, foreign acquisitions, and Greenfield investments. All these strategies have their own benefits and risks arising from the products or services being offered and the cultural, economic and political environment of the target market (Sternquist & Witter 2011). However the choice of the choice of international strategy is highly dependent on organisational resources, commitment and the extent of risk that it is willing to incur. Joint ventures involve cooperation among different companies. The partners often come together to consign risks, allocate resources and delegate responsibilities (Krafft & Mantrala 2010). These ventures are often disbanded once the project is completed. Joint ventures can enable an organisation to market its products or establish its manufacturing plants in a foreign country with the assistance of the local foreign partners. These local partners equip the foreign organisations with the relevant knowledge on government regulations, workings, local markets and the available channels of distribution. Joint ventures are ideal for Tesco Plc. as it will help it in understanding the foreign markets and mitigate risks (McLoughlin & Aaker 2010). In foreign acquisitions a foreign organisation acquires an interest in a local firm through foreign direct investment (Hensmans et al 2013). In most cases foreign acquisitions occur only in proven markets after years of exporting or success experienced through existent joint ventures. Once an organisation has obtained controlling interests, it attains full authority over policies regarding aspects like quality control, finance, production, marketing strategies and expansion programs. Foreign acquisitions are ideal for Tesco Plc. as it will help it acquire other companies that are already performing well in foreign markets. The last strategy is Greenfield investment which is a type of foreign investment that entails investing in foreign markets by starting new subsidiaries and then fully owning them. This is a strategy that is suitable for Tesco Plc. because it allows it to venture into new unexploited markets and exploit the opportunities present. Theories of International Strategies There are different theories that explain the reasons why an organisation opts to pursue a specific international strategy in a specific target market. This is the reason why organisations pursue different foreign markets using different strategies depending on their unique characteristics (Hitt et al 2008). These theories are monopolistic advantages, transaction cost, internalisation, strategic behaviour, internationalisation, bargaining and eclectic theories. These theoretical perspectives at times hold divergent perceptions on the relative importance of the different factors that influence choice of entry into foreign markets. The monopolistic advantage theory was proposed by Hymer and represented a major shift from the previous theories of capital investments and international trade (Sternquist & Witter 2011). The previous theories like that of Heckscher and Ohlin had restrictive assumptions on the immobility of the factors of production. Hymer argued that organisations could use their firm-specific advantages or monopolistic advantages that other organisations do not have to expand into foreign markets. These advantages are things like superior technology, economies of scale, superior knowledge in finance, marketing or management (McLoughlin & Aaker 2010). Therefore foreign direct investment was made possible by product and market imperfections. These market imperfections are structural and are as a result of control ownership advantages like proprietary technology, economies of scale, special access to inputs, product differentiation and gathered managerial expertise. According to this theory, the dir ect investor is often a monopolist or an oligopilist in product markets. Therefore these organisations pursue market power and monopolistic advantages in the foreign markets leading to the increased growth of international trade. Internationalisation theory builds on the monopolistic advantage theory and it holds that firms often expand into foreign markets whenever there are market imperfections and they can gain advantage by internalising markets across countries (Seth & Randall 2011). This results to the growth of the firms as they increase their operations across the borders to take advantage of the existent opportunities. As the organisations increase their efficiency through internalisation of transactions, the vertical integration of operations across the world lead to efficiencies and economies that include long term contracts, opportunity to exploit tax differentials and better quality control. The theory perceives the internalisation process and entry strategies as being products of series of incremental decisions that result in increases involvement in international operations (Alexander & Doherty 2009). Therefore firms move from exporting to foreign production as they continually gain internatio nal experience. This experience enables the firms to build their knowledge and developing deeper understanding of the foreign markets. The transaction cost theory holds that firms try to minimise the costs associated with exchanging resources with the environment and the bureaucratic costs of exchanges within the firm (Krafft & Mantrala 2010). Therefore they weigh the costs of exchanging resources with the environment against the bureaucratic ones that arise from performing the same operations within the firm. It perceives institutions and markets as possible forms of organising and coordinating economic transactions. Firms grow whenever the external costs exceed the internal bureaucratic costs because they are able to operate more cheaply compared to performing the same operations in the market (Seth & Randall 2011). However, the firms should be downsized whenever the bureaucratic costs exceed the external transaction costs. Therefore the firms will keep expanding for as long as they can perform their operations cheaply within the companies compared outsourcing them to external market providers. The bargaining theory was advocated by Fagre and other scholars and holds that the choice of entry is a function of the bargaining processes between the firm and the host countries (Ryans 2013). The interaction between the host country and the firms is often characterised by power struggles. Although the host country can exercise its bargaining power through controlling market access, the bargaining power of the firms lie in the ownership advantages that they have (Hensmans et al 2013). Therefore the relative power determines the entry strategy of a firm into a foreign market. The last theory is the strategic behaviour theory and it is based on the premise that firms derive comparative advantage from the resources that contribute towards giving them the advantage over the others (Thain & Bradley 2012). This is particularly true when some resources are worth more to an organisation owing to the special linkages between the firm and such resources. When the firms have such resources, t hey are more likely to opt for high control strategies for instance wholly owned subsidiaries. This decision is mostly made with the assumption that such linkages will be influential in enhancing the relative position of the firm in the new foreign market. In addition to the highlighted theories, the integrative theoretical perspective on foreign market entry holds that the firm’s decision to enter into a foreign market and its choice of entry are functions of multiple factors that arise from location and ownership-specific advantages (Alexander & Doherty 2009). Although these theories differ in many important aspects they allow for broad generalisations on the factors that influence an organisation to enter into a foreign market and the entry strategy. The next section analyses the international strategy of Tesco Plc based on the integrative framework. Tesco Plc International Strategy The company enters foreign markets mainly through joint ventures with local firms, acquisitions and Greenfield investments (Mosley & Barrow 2013). The company aims at being the market leader in the foreign country it enters within a period of five years. It has registered huge successes in Asia and most of the European markets. However, the situation in America has been different because the company has struggled to gain market control (Harrison 2013). The success of Tesco Plc in the international market has been aided by its sensitivity to the local culture of the host countries and the market environment. This has mainly been done through partnerships, mergers and acquisitions which have made it easier for the company to offer the local markets with what they want by serving their unique needs. This has been particularly helpful in high context cultures like in the Asian market. The global expansion and diversification of Tesco Plc are based on the long-term desire for the company to develop sustainable growth and development. Morschett (2011) claims that one of the main reasons why the company decided to pursue the international market was that the local UK market had reached saturation and maturity making it very difficult to grow without exploiting overseas opportunities. This was therefore the only viable solution for the company if it was to remain relevant for the economy in the long run. The main factors influencing the choice of entry for Tesco Plc are the different threats that it may encounter in the international markets. Some of the common threats are industrial structures and cultural factors. Nonetheless, the primary influencers of the choice of entry for the company are based on cultural factors (Harrison 2013). Tesco Plc has consistently preferred to use international joint ventures as an entry strategy in the Asian market. This is partly because these countries have high context cultures that require organisations to build interpersonal relationships (Alexander & Doherty 2009). In these cultures, relationship networks among business associates, colleagues and even clients tend to be close and personal. As a consequence, it is important for firms to build trust and relationships during business interactions. The importance of these relationships arises from the fact that they have high uncertainty avoidance levels; therefore relationships and trust reduce the level of uncertainties, risks and ambiguities (McLoughlin & Aaker 2010). For instance in South Korea, the international joint venture with Samsung helped the company establish contacts with the local suppliers and manufacturers. This was very important in penetrating the market in South Korea because the customers there often shop freq uently as they prefer fresh and quality products like vegetables and meat which is different from the customers in the UK who like piling stock. Based on the internalisation theory, Tesco Plc gained advantage by internalising the market in South Korea. This was done through building local networks to ensure that the company sales remain as high as possible. Therefore it employed all the employees of Samsung to ensure that the normal operations were not interfered with. The local managers were also given the authority to make decisions on behalf of the company because of their experience with the local market. Additionally, this was part of the company’s plan to deal with the challenges associated with the competitive environment by positioning itself using localisation and decentralisation while the other players in the industry pursue globalisation strategies (Hitt et al 2008). According to the bargaining theory, localisation and decentralisation gives the company a local im age thus making it highly responsive to the tastes and lifestyles of the local consumers. This gave Tesco Plc a competitive advantage in the South Korean market compared to the other foreign firms like Wal-Mart and Carrefour. The entry strategies of Tesco Plc have also been shaped by cultural factors like psychic distance. Psychic distance refers to the extent to which a firm is uncertain on the nature of the foreign market (Thain & Bradley 2012). Acquisitions and international joint ventures with the local businesses in the high context cultures are important in reducing risks, adaptation costs, psychic distance and cultural barriers. The acquisition of the local distribution channels gave the company a huge advantage over the other multinationals like Wal-Mart which were struggling because the Korean market is characterised by a strong nationalist outlook. The company pursued the same strategies in Thailand and China and this enabled it to penetrate the market with ease compared to other multinational companies. Therefore international joint ventures and acquisitions enabled Tesco Plc. to succeed in markets where Carrefour and Wal-Mart had failed eventually being forced to exit the market in 2006 (Mosle y & Barrow, 2013). In Thailand for instance, after the acquisition of Lotus, Tesco Plc has managed to grow and is currently the market leader as it has pumped huge investments into organic management. The company also diversified its operations in Thailand to include smaller express stores so as to reach more customers. Tesco Plc has made huge successes whenever it chose to enter foreign markets through strategic alliances and acquisitions; however Greenfield entries have proved to be costly and inappropriate. Although Greenfield entries provide the company with full control and ownership over its operations, it has proved to be unsuitable because of the dismal results. Despite the extensive research that the company made prior to joining the US market, its failure there demonstrates that the research was either flawed or inadequate (Krafft & Mantrala 2010). Additionally, its operations in the US were an attempt to duplicate its operations in the UK because it tried to standardise instead of localising them. Part of the problem with the market research was that it only concentrated on the buying behaviour of the Americans and ignored other important variables like shopping experience, value, aesthetics, store atmosphere and quality. This was a great mistake because corrective investments should have been made in response to these marketing aspects (Morschett 2011). For instance the Tescosells pre-packaged fruits was a big mistake because Americans prefer selecting their own fresh fruits. Tesco failed to appreciate the US customer base because it underestimated it. This is the reason why the company handled its operations in the US as an extension of the UK market. The company was attracted to the US market by the booming economy and the ever rising property value (Ryans 2013). These are the factors that prompted it to go for Greenfield investments in US. This was a viable option; however the company failed to account for the deeper financial dynamics that could have saved it from the 2009 financial crisis. In addition to this, the choice of Tesco Plc to enter the US market through Greenfield investments was partly influenced by managerial short termism and egoism. As a consequence, several mistakes can be pointed out from its entry and post entry strategies. The first mistake that the company made at the point of entry is that it increased its exit barriers by aggressively increasing more stores despite the fact that it was making huge losses. Secondly, the company may have been driven by managerial subjective interest for power emanating from the previous international successes. This led to overconfidence therefore blurring the vision of the managers to see that they were driving the company in the wrong direction (Morschett 2011). However, the biggest mistakes that Tesco Plc made was that it failed to plan and strategize for post entry and this led to flaws in its quest to compete in the home market of the world’s largest retailer. As a result the company made huge loses in the US and was eventually forced to exit without ever recording any profits. In Taiwan, the situation was the same as that of the US; Tesco entered the market in 2000 without partnering with the local companies. The company was able to establish six hypermar kets through organic growth. However, just like in the US the Taiwanese retail market was hugely dominated by Carrefour which had the advantage of having all the strategic positions. Just like in the US, the company was unable to attain the market scale necessary for building central distribution centres. Therefore in 2005, it was forced to exit the market through a divestment deal with Carrefour. Recommendations Based on the findings of this study, the following recommendations can be made for Tesco Plc for it to succeed in its quest to establish its presence in other international markets. First off, the company should abandon Greenfield investment strategies because they have proved to be very costly in the past. The company struggled in the US and Taiwan and was eventually forced to exit because lack of local partners made it very difficult for it to succeed in markets that are dominated by the two retail giants. The company should have strategies that fit into the culture of the target market like it did in South Korea. The retail industry is very sensitive because it represents the daily necessities of the consumers and as such must be responsive to their cultural habits. For a multinational company to succeed in a foreign market it must have strategies that are responsive to the needs and culture of the local people. Therefore Tesco Plc. should continue incorporating localisation strat egies and respond to the culture of the local markets. It should be more innovative and proactive in its marketing strategies in the international markets. For instance the company should enhance its market intelligence and customer database in order to be able to customise service delivery to the customers. References Alexander, N., & Doherty, A. M. (2009). International retailing. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Cunningham, J., & Harney, B. (2012). Strategy & strategists. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Harrison, A. L. (2013). Business environment in a global context. Oxford: Oxford university press. Hensmans, M., Johnson, G., & Yip, G. S. (2013). Strategic transformation: Changing while winning. Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan. Hitt, M. A., Ireland, R. D., & Hoskisson, R. E. (2008). Strategic management: Competitiveness and globalization. Mason, Ohio: South-Western. Krafft, M., & Mantrala, M. K. (2010). Retailing in the 21st century: Current and future trends. Heidelberg: Springer. McLoughlin, D., & Aaker, D. A. (2010). Strategic market management: Global perspectives. Hoboken, N.J: Wiley. Morschett, D. (2011). European retail research: Volume 25, Issue I. Wiesbaden: Gabler Verlag. Mosley, R., & Barrow, S. (2013). The employer brand: Bringing the best of brand management to people at work. Hoboken, N.J: Wiley. Ryans, A. (2013). Beating low cost competition: How premium brands can respond to cut-price rivals. Hoboken, N.J: Wiley. Seth, A., & Randall, G. (2011). The grocers: The rise and rise of the supermarket chains. London: Kogan Page. Sternquist, B., & Witter, G. (2011). Retail strategic international expansion (SIRE?) theory and cases. Haslett, MI: BSC Publisher. Thain, G., & Bradley, J. (2012). Store wars: The worldwide battle for mindspace and shelfspace, online and in-store. Chichester, West Sussex: John Wiley & Sons.

When Brothers Share a Wife by Melvyn C. Goldstein Essays

When Brothers Share a Wife by Melvyn C. Goldstein Essays When Brothers Share a Wife by Melvyn C. Goldstein Paper When Brothers Share a Wife by Melvyn C. Goldstein Paper Essay Topic: O Brother Where Goldstein is an American Anthropologist and Tibet scholar whose mall focus Is on the Tibetan society. In this article, It speaks about these three brothers who are Tibetan living in Limb, Nepal. They are all to marry one wife who leaves her home to live with them. All of the brothers share working and having sex with their wife. Unlike our own society, Tibetan society allows a variety of marriage types: monogamy, fraternal polyandry and polygon. They have these family plans for each type of marriages. Monogamy Is when the three brothers take three wives and each have three sons and so on. Polyandry Is when the three brothers take one wife and have three sons. In my opinion both these types are wrong. Im not sure of anyone being in their right mind, would think its okay for brothers to marry one wife together. Its odd to think the wife doesnt seem to care, she thinks of it more as a way that three husbands are better and more helpful than one. This article reminds me of the video we watched in class only a little different. The video had to do with men who had more than one wife; each woman would watch their own area near their hut. The one message to receive and get out of this article is the culture relativity. It goes to show that each culture is valid in its own way. The Tibetan society were grown up to learn that their relationships are okay Just as how weve grown up in our own society to think it isnt normal and that are way is the right way.

Macbeth Overview

'Macbeth' Overview Macbeth, one of Shakespeare’s most famous tragedies, tells the story of a Scottish nobleman and his own ambition to become king. The source material is Holinshed’s Chronicle, which compiled a history of England, Scotland and Ireland. First published in its Folio edition in 1623, it is the shortest of Shakespeare’s tragedies. Despite its brevity, it had a rich legacy. Fast Facts: Macbeth Title: MacbethAuthor: William ShakespearePublisher:  Edward Blount and William and Isaac JaggardYear Published: First Edition, Folio, 1623Genre: dramaType of Work: tragedyOriginal Language: EnglishThemes: Ambition, fate, free will, loyalty, appearance vs. realityCharacters: Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, The Three Witches, Duncan, Banquo, MacduffNotable Adaptations: Orson Welles’ Voodoo Macbeth (1936); Akira Kurosawa’s Throne of Blood (1957);  Roman Polanski’s The Tragedy of Macbeth (1971)Fun Fact: due to superstition, actors avoid addressing Macbeth by its name directly, and use the phrase â€Å"The Scottish Play† instead. Plot Summary Macbeth is a tragedy telling the story of the Scottish nobleman by the same name, consumed by his own ambition to become king and by the consequences of the acts he commits in order to achieve his goal. At the beginning of the play, after a victorious battle, Macbeth and fellow general Banquo meet three witches in a heath, and they deliver prophecies to both of them: Macbeth would become king of Scotland, and Banquo will father a line of kings while not becoming king himself. Encouraged by Lady Macbeth, his ruthless wife, Macbeth plans to kill King Duncan. After his murder, since his heir Malcolm and his brother Donalbain promptly flee to England and Ireland, respectively, Macbeth is crowned king. Consumed by guilt and paranoia, he becomes more and more of a tyrant as the play progresses. First he has Banquo killed, and his ghost visits him during a banquet. After consulting the witches again, who tell him to beware of Macduff and that he won’t be vanquished by anyone â€Å"of woman born,† he tries to have Macduff’s castle seized and everyone inside killed. However, since Macduff had gone to England to join forces with Malcolm, Macbeth only succeeds in having Macduff’s family killed. This prompts Macduff and Malcolm to raise an army aimed at dethroning Macbeth. Meanwhile, Lady Macbeth, who initially was more assertive than her husband, has become consumed by guilt to the point of insanity and eventually kills herself. The Scottish generals rally against Macbeth, and Macduff manages to vanquish him- he was not â€Å"of woman born† but â€Å"from his mothers womb untimely ripped.†Ã‚  The play ends with Malcolm being crowned king of Scotland. Major Characters Macbeth. Macbeth is initially presented as a Scottish nobleman and a valiant warrior. However, after listening to the prophecy delivered by the Three Witches in which he is told he would be king, he is overcome by blind ambition, and, strongly encouraged by his wife, he kills the king to usurp the throne.  His thirst for power is counterbalanced by paranoia, which leads to his downfall. Lady Macbeth. Macbeth’s wife, she thinks her husband’s nature is too full of kindness. She is the one who devises the plot for her husband to murder King Duncan, and is initially less fazed by the deed than her husband. However, she eventually unravels too, and commits suicide. The Three Witches. Whether they control fate or are merely its agents, the Three Witches set the tragedy in motion: they deliver Macbeth and his companion Banquo with a prophecy that the former shall be king, and the latter shall generate a line of kings. These prophecies have a great influence on Macbeth, who decides to usurp the throne of Scotland. Banquo. Banquo is another Scottish thane who was with Macbeth when the witches delivered their prophecy. He is told that he will father a line of kings while not becoming king himself. After the king’s murder, Macbeth feels threatened by Banquo and has him murdered by hired assassins. Yet, Banquo returns as a ghost at a banquet, visibly startling Macbeth, who is the only one who can see him.   Macduff. Macduff finds King Duncan’s body after he was murdered and immediately suspects Macbeth. Eventually, he murders Macbeth. King Duncan. The wise and firm king of Scotland at the beginning of the play, he is murdered by Macbeth so he can usurp the throne. He represents moral order in the play, which Macbeth destroys and Macduff restores. Main Themes Ambition. Macbeth’s ambition is devoid of any morality and is the cause of Macbeth’s downfall. After becoming king of Scotland, Macbeth’s ambition turns him into a tyrant, and he has his suspected enemies murdered. Ambition is a trait his wife Lady Macbeth shares, and she, too, succumbs to it.   Loyalty. At he beginning of the play, King Duncan rewards Macbeth with the title â€Å"Thane of Cawdor† because the original Thane of Cawdor was actually a traitor, but Macbeth betrays the king in order to usurp the throne. Macduff, who suspects Macbeth once he sees the king’s corpse, flees to England to join Duncan’s son Malcolm, and together they plan the downfall of Macbeth and restore the moral order.   Fate and free will. The witches do show Macbeth his future and his fate, but Macbeth’s actions are arbitrary and not pre-ordained.   Appearance and reality. â€Å"Fair is foul and foul is fair,† is one of the famous quotes in Macbeth, and appearance and reality intermingle in the play: the witches give out paradoxical prophecies and characters hide their true intentions. For example, Macbeth seems honorable but actually plans to murder King Duncan. Malcolm soon flees Scotland after his father’s murder, which seems suspicious at first, but it’s actually a way for him to protect himself. Literary Style The language used by Macbeth and Lady Macbeth evolves throughout the play.  At first, they’re both characterized by a fluent and energetic style, but, as their ambition gradually overtakes them, their speech becomes fragmented. For instance, while prose in Shakespeares plays is reserved to characters of low social orders, once Lady Macbeth is overcome by madness, she utters her lines in prose too. By contrast, the witches speak in enigmatic riddles interposed with grotesque elements.   About the Author William Shakespeare, who wrote ten tragedies and eighteen comedies, wrote King Lear (1605), Macbeth (1606), and The Tempest during King James’ reign. King James was patron of Shakespeare’s acting company, and Macbeth, by stating that King James descended from the Scottish thane Banquo, is a de facto tribute to Shakespeare’s sovereign.

Molecular biology cloning and Brachyury gene Essay

Molecular biology cloning and Brachyury gene - Essay Example Such recombinant vectors imitate effectively in specific strains of bacterial host cells, leading to the production of several copies of the recombinant DNA molecule, which was put into the vector (Eisen, et al, 2002, p 5483; Sambrook, Fritsch & Maniatis, 1989, p 891). 2. Brachyury gene: definition and the relation between the genes with cancer Brachyury refers to a protein which is encoded by the T gene in humans. It is a transcription factor that is within the T-box complex of genes, which has been identified in all bilateral animals. Brachyury also helps in defining the mesoderm in the process of gastrulation (National cancer institute, nd, para 5). The T gene is first expressed at the ending stage of blastula, at the mesoderm region and then later in the process of gastrulation. Expression of the Brachyury gene is contained to the tail bud and the notochord region. Brachyury is expressed within the endothermal epithelial cells of the hypostome in the diploblastic Hydra that makes up the apical portion of the polyp cranium. Therefore, the T gene plays an essential role in forming the axis of the initial body. The T gene is critical in the molding tripoblasts’ and diploblasts’ layers of germ, as well as, in the formation of the apical pole (Rolf, 2013, para 1). Genetic evaluations of individuals with hereditary form of bone cancer reveal that acquiring an additional T gene might cause the uncommon bone cancer. A study of seven families diagnosed with chordoma involving two or more blood relatives was conducted by the NCI researchers. Linkage analysis approach was utilized to explore whether certain genetic markers with established points in humans are present at birth along with chordoma. The initial analysis set out six genome areas that necessitated an extra examination. A comprehensive hereditary examination revealed that chromosome 6 section was more apt to be related with hereditary bone cancer. Brachyury gene that is contained in chromosom e 6 is exceptionally significant in the growth of notochord. Results from earlier examinations show that the T genes is found in almost all bone cancer cases, but not in the wide ranging assortment of ordinary body tissues or other malignant cells kinds. As such, the observation made the Brachyury gene an excellent candidate for involvement in the uncommon bone cancer (Rolf, 2013, para 2) 3. What is plasmid pNEB193? Plasmid pNEB193 is an enigmatic and a fresh plasmid. It was first found in NBRC14147 in S.albulus. Its functions are not known, though the cryptic plasmid pNEB193 replicon was utilized in duplication of vector construction (Sambrook, Fritsch & Maniatis, 1989, p 894). 4. Cloning technique What is the aim from using the polymerase chain reaction PCR in the cloning technique? Polymerase chain reaction is the primer-meditated enzymatic amplification of distinctively replicated or genomic DNA sequences. The template DNA includes a target sequence that can be very long in term s of nucleotides length. The main aim of using PCR is to clone genes directly without constructing DNA libraries. PCR makes gene cloning rapid by starting with a whole genome, PCR permits the DNA from a chosen region to be increased several billion fold, successfully sanitizing this DNA away from the remainder of the genome (Taylor & Francis group, 2010, p 544). PCR is mostly employed in molecular biology and