First Date in A Bad Restaurant :: essays papers

First Date in A Bad Resteraunt It was a delightful fall evening. The sun was simply starting to offer approach to approaching nightfall. I could smell winter noticeable all around, even through my shut window. Before long there'd be snow on the ground. Matchbox Twenty was playing on my clock radio. I need to push you around...† The mind-set was set for a delicate pre-winter night. Anyway the state of mind inside my room was very extraordinary. I was going around attempting to do a million things a one time. My cosmetics was all off-base for my outfit. My hair was too huge, no, presently excessively level. My stomach was moving inside itself. My helpless belly was on tumble dry and I couldn't exactly get it to stop. I was unable to discover my shoes; my shirt had establishment as an afterthought. What I truly needed to do was to sit on my bed and cry. Brian had called twenty minutes before the mayhem. I was unable to accept he had called me. He most likely idea I was moronic on the grounds that I was so silenced. He inquired as to whether I would mind coming to supper with him and a couple of his companions. Would I mind? Do cows moo? The horn blared. My dissatisfaction developed. On the off chance that this was a genuine date, my initial one ever, shouldn't he gone to the entryway and jolt of energy? Possibly take my arm in his and lead me to the vehicle? I had imagined my first date to in any event start off right. This must be a sign. I exited the entryway. The second I heard the snap of the lock I realized I looked appalling. A million contemplations dashed through my brain, among these were the way that I ought to have worn the blue shirt, my hair looks terrible, and goodness God everybody is watching me. I attempted to conceal the sheer gut-regurgitating dread that was bubbling in my stomach. I needed. I was in too far to turn and run now. My sweet chariot of the night was a 1988 van. Rust secured the guard and half of the entryway. The shade of had once been maroon, anyway had now blurred to a slight orange shading. Elective stone blasted from the less then quality speakers. There were at any rate 6 individuals in the vehicle, and it was shaking from side to side, so as to the beat.

First semmester in the university Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

First semmester in the college - Essay Example Previously, I had fragmented notes and regularly went out with my companions before contemplating. Presently, I generally record highlights during class conversations, join study gatherings, and do propel perusing at whatever point I can. What's more, I likewise depend on my learning style to hold what I am examining. I have discovered that I am a visual-sound-related individual. I gained from the site Ldpride.net that as a visual-sound-related student, I learn best by perusing and tuning in. In this way, at whatever point I concentrate for a test, I request that somebody pair up with me and read the notes to me. Along these lines, I can tune in to the terms and definitions I have to retain. Moreover, I additionally utilize my cell phone recorder to record my voice while auditing for tests. I discovered this exceptionally viable particularly for remembrance tests. The second thing that improves this semester is the way that I have made some pleasant companions. My companions fill in as my helpers and study gathering. At whatever point I feel like not taking care of classes because of colds, my companions are there to urge me to join in. They are certain impacts in my investigations, and consequently, I do a similar sort of inspiration and motivation to them. We likewise direct out-of-class sharing and conversations to dissect issues and ideas examined in class. Up until now, everything is working out in a good way and we are appreciating each others’ organization. The third thing that keeps me on target is the way that I have warmed up to different understudies globally. I as of late discovered a few companions through long range interpersonal communication destinations, along these lines at whatever point I have time, I speak with them on the web and we trade thoughts on different subjects about existence. Alongside the great beginning are a few things I have to enhance in the following semester. These incorporate getting subjects I need and having the opportunity to pick my timetable. I was somewhat late during the enlistment, henceforth I had constrained options identifying with class plan. I guarantee to select prior next an ideal opportunity to get the subjects I need. Also, I trust I have to consider

Does globalisation benefit the third world or does it in fact make Essay

Does globalization advantage the third world or does it in certainty exacerbate them off and increment disparity - Essay Example It is this auxiliary component that is at the very center of clarifying why people are more awful off as a result of globalization. At long last, this investigation will give experimental proof mirroring the results of these auxiliary and fundamental imbalances. Thought will be paid to day to day environments and the misuse of work as proof of more prominent imbalance and a more terrible circumstance under globalization. Presentation: In the previous decade, the procedure of globalization has gotten set as a focal political plan in the created or Western world. That this wonder has lead to the â€Å"polarization† between the â€Å"rich† and â€Å"poor† is validated in incalculable investigations [Rapley, 2003: 87; Murshed, 2002: 2; Beck, 2000: 57; McGrew and Poku, 2007: 7]. It will be contended in the accompanying examination, that there is more prominent disparity absolutely due to the auxiliary conditions that have made globalization. It will be contended that the neoliberal motivation in principle, practice and impact are absolutely what makes imbalance an undeniable issue. In this manner, imbalance because of globalization is foundational in nature, and estimated in sway by an expanded level of polarization between the rich and poor. It will be contended that globalization builds imbalance. NEOLIBERAL BACKGROUND: Globalization is to a great extent a post-war (1945 - ) marvel. It depicts the procedure whereby ‘trade’, ‘economies’ and ‘communication’ become increasingly coordinated on a world scale [Ohmae, 1991: 192]. Generally, it has been encouraged by a checked increment in an assortment of innovations, for example, progress in the regions of transportation and media communications, and it has been additionally encouraged by relative political security and an accord of market private enterprise. As a term, it was authored in the mid 1950's however didn't become a force to be reckoned with in polit ical writing until the late 1960's [Hopkins, Ed., 2004: 4ff]. One of the characterizing highlights of this procedure, is that it is generally showcase driven, and as Moody [1998] contends, legitimated by the ascent of neo-progressivism harmonizing with the decay of Keynesian monetary models [Moody, 1998: 119]. That is, and to sum things up, Keynesian monetary hypothesis, set that the methods for making financial development was to halfway control an economy somewhat, and this involved setting up a social framework which put cash legitimately under the control of people inside a general public. The hypothesis recommended that by expanding the sum an administration spent in territories, for example, social projects, the more prominent the possibilities that the sponsors would produce income for the economy when all is said in done or a â€Å"believe that cash earned by the most extravagant would stream down to the poorest† [Boyle and Sims, 2009: 27]. On the other hand, neo-radi calism kept up that by cutting social projects, and thusly, lessening government spending and consequently burdens, more riches would be created through the reinvestment of salary which would have been settled in charges: â€Å"this new arrangement approach was neoliberalism: a blend of neoclassical monetary fundamentalism, showcase guideline instead of state direction, financial redistribution for capital (known as ‘supply-side’

buy custom Adobe Connect for Web Meetings essay

purchase custom Adobe Connect for Web Meetings paper These days, the innovation can amazingly add to the scattering of data from focal areas to different places over the world with the nearness of a devoted Internet access just as private line administrations. Web conferencing must be conceivable if the Internet association has a devoted transmission capacity (Song, 2010). This strategy for correspondence is simple associating individuals over the Internet over the world. Thusly, web conferencing can signify the investment funds of your organization as a result of decreasing travel cost and different costs, particularly when conferences or commitment happen at an inaccessible spot (Song, 2010). Notwithstanding decreasing the companys costs, web conferencing can make it workable for all representatives to take an interest easily in the gathering. This improves the ongoing information transmission and sharing of the data with the end goal that the representatives can have the option to finish regular errands. With web conferencing, people can balance other people who need physical cooperation by the utilization of web conferencing apparatuses (Manning Johnson, 2011). Adobe Connect for Web Meetings Numerous organizations have seen Adobe Connect as web conferencing answer for eLearning, online courses, and online gatherings that are a decision for the main government offices and enterprises. The premise of Adobe Connect is Adobe Flash innovation, which implies that you can convey rich and quality cooperations that people can discover simpler to join (Manning Johnson, 2011). Adobe interface can empower your groups to perform different assignments in an effective way, which will decrease the expense of creation too increment the general profitability (Manning Johnson, 2011). This can likewise profit your association in the accompanying manners: empower rich and exceptionally cooperative connections; oversee substance and gatherings in an increasingly powerful manner; guarantee that all members meet without any problem; meet the consistence and security necessities of your association; improve use, versatility, and execution; coordinate with your associations existing frameworks and grow the center abilities of Adobe Connect. Adobe Connect program incorporates numerous different highlights suchas: Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) Sound incorporation Screen sharing Adjustable, boundless gathering rooms Meeting recording Video conferencing Accordingly, it is apparent that Adobe Connect underpins an assortment of highlights that are basic in Web Conferencing. For example, Adobe Connect can bolster excellent recordings, which will empower people at the goal to see clear pictures (Manning Johnson, 2011). Of the Web Conferencing Programs, Adobe Connect was the best program in Web Conferencing. Appended is the table of Web Conferencing Comparisons. Web Conferencing Comparison Table Program Permit Limit Microsoft Windows Sound Support Video Support Work area Sharing Support Transfer PPT Adobe Connect Restrictive 1-500 Indeed Indeed Indeed Indeed Indeed Bankle Online Meeting Restrictive 1-200 Indeed Indeed Indeed Indeed Indeed Tokbox GPL and Proprietary 20-25 Indeed Indeed Indeed No No GoMeetNow Restrictive 1-100 Indeed Indeed Indeed Indeed No Citrix GotoMeeting Restrictive 15(25) Indeed Indeed Indeed Indeed No Fuze Meeting Restrictive 100+ Indeed Indeed Truly Truly Truly Netviewer Exclusive 1-100 Truly Truly Truly ? ? LiveOn Exclusive 1-1000 Truly Truly Truly Truly Truly Look Exclusive 100 Truly No No ? ? Purchase custom Adobe Connect for Web Meetings exposition

Electoral Processes of Thailand and Great Britain Essay Example for Free

Discretionary Processes of Thailand and Great Britain Essay Discretionary Process of Kingdom of Thailand and Kingdom of Great Britain The political race is a proper dynamic procedure by which a populace picks a person to hold office. Decisions may fill workplaces in the administrative, at times in the official and legal executive, and for local and nearby government. The all inclusive utilization of political decision as an apparatus for choosing agents in present day majority rules systems is conversely with the training in the popularity based original. Realm of Great Britain leads such political race since seventeenth century. On the otherhand, the Kingdom of Thailand have their first broad political race on 1993which is called to be aberrant on account of huge number of populace. Since both Kingdom of Great Britain and Kingdom of Thailand have established government as type of their legislature, these two realms have some fundamental likenesses in dynamic procedure political race. The Kingdom of Thailand utilized the multi part framework in voting demographics for the appointment of senate and blend of majority and relative framework for the appointment of HoR. Then again, Kingdom of Great Britain utilized the framework normally called â€Å"First Past The Post System† of political decision toward the West Minster Parliament, considering four prerequisites, to be specific wide proportionality; the requirement for stable government; an expansion of voter decision; and the support of a connection among MP’s and land bodies electorate. These two kingdom’s points basically to take out issues in decisions, for example, vote purchasing, cheating, and the fanatic direct of government officials. This paper plans to break down the noteworthiness of the political decision frameworks utilized in leading such races in deciding of what number of delegate/s in every area or division; what number of votes an up-and-comer or ideological group gathers or the amount it is in front of other competitor/gathering to hold office; and how do it stay away from political race issues, for example, party exchanging. For additionally understanding, questions will be addressed, for example, who can cast a ballot? Who can run as possibility for an open office? Catchphrases: Election, Public Office, Legislative, Executive, Judiciary, Democratic, Kingdom of Great Britain, Kingdom of Thailand, HoR, Senate, Multi-Member System, Plurality and corresponding System, First-Post-The-Past System, Party Switching.

Feed Your Fiction Addiction A Hot Spot for YA and NA Enthusiasts

Feed Your Fiction Addiction A Hot Spot for YA and NA Enthusiasts If youre like me, then you have an ever-growing list of books, and when its time to choose your next read, you dont know where to start. Thats where the popular blog Feed Your Fiction Addiction comes in. This book blog provides everything you could ever need to choose your next book in the YA (young adult) or NA (new adult) categories, participate in reading challenges, and even learn about writing your own book reviews.The authorHomeschooling mom of three Nicole Hewitt took her love of fiction and her own talent for writing and turned it into a website offering book reviews on YA and NA, writing and editing services, and much more. Since beginning her blog five years ago, shes won a number of top book blog awards in the blogosphere and is in GoodReads top 1% of reviewers. Shes dedicated to her craft, and her passion for reading and writing shows. Her familiar and friendly writing style invites you in, making you feel like you are chatting with your girlfriends at a book club, or tal king with your sister over coffee.I learned about NA fiction while reading Ms. Hewitts blog. NA stands for New Adult, which was a new category to me! It means the protagonist of the book is between the ages of 18 and 30. This developing genre often focuses on issues important to young people, especially women, including moving out, sex, education, and starting a career. Its considered a crossover category from YA fiction, appealing to the older crowd that is still into YA fiction. Ms. Hewitts blog is part of the growing movement in popularizing these books and this category and is helping to create the community that surrounds this type of book.ReviewsMs. Hewitt has blogged over 700 fiction book reviews with thorough, thought-provoking commentary which helps the reader truly understand not only the plot summary, but also the highs (and sometimes lows) of each book. She lays out each review in an easy-to-read fashion, with the book cover, her rating system, and a plot summary. Then s he explains what she liked, didnt like, and what she was neutral about as she read the book under her signature My Take section. She also includes a button that allows you to add the book to your own GR TBR (thats your GoodReads To-Be-Read list in book blogger lingo! For more on that, check out Ms. Hewitts awesome list decoding book blogger acronyms and slang).Her reviews are easily searchable and you can view her list of reviews by author, title, or rating. She also takes the time to respond to nearly every comment on her blog, answering questions and creating a fun dialogue after each blog entry. Her pure volume of entries is another feature to be applauded. She is truly dedicated to reading and blogging.I love her bite-sized reviews concept, in which she offers several short reviews in one blog post, focusing on similarly-themed books. Theyre a great way to get a quick snapshot of many different books and get some help choosing which YA or NA book to read next.Because of Ms. Hewi tts expertise in teaching her own children, she also offers a spotlight on books for middle grade students (around ages 8 through 12). She had a fully dedicated blog that reviewed middle grade-focused books, but it appears this merged with her main blog sometime in 2017. Therefore, her blog also includes many reviews on books of this genre, which is great because many of the women reading NA fiction have children who are reading the middle grade genre.Design and setupMs. Hewitts logo is adorable and her name is catchy, cute, and appealing to her demographic. In her drop-down menus, all the entries in a category are listed out and easily searchable using the Find function of your browser. She also has a search function on her blog itself, which is helpful. I used it to search for blog entries on a particular topic and I got some terrific relevant entries that I couldnt find myself.Reading and writing challengesOne of the most popular activities in the reading/writing blog community i s participating in challenges. Reading or writing challenges encourage the participants to read a certain number of books or to write a certain number of blogs within a given time frame, for example. On her blog, Ms. Hewitt has collected, categorized, and summarized hundreds of reading and writing challenges, with a quick link to join. Challenges that interest each individual reader are easy to find thanks to her category system, listing challenges under headings like Location-Based Challenges, Blogging Challenges, and Topical Challenges. This list is helpful for readers and bloggers alike, and it seems like everyone loves to participate in these. She also keeps track of her own progress in reading challenges, such as Bookopoly, which is a Monopoly-themed reading challenge. Each square on the Bookopoly board asks the reader to choose a book based on a common theme (e.g., a book with a yellow cover, a book featuring an animal). The goal is to check off each game square throughout the entire calendar year, and it looks like Ms. Hewitt never fails!Blogging communityBy reading Ms. Hewitts blog, its obvious that shes a huge supporter of her blogging community. She keeps a calendar of fellow bloggers birthdays and blogoversaries (their blog anniversaries) and promotes fellow bloggers in many of her entries and through her giveaways. Its clear that shes important to the community of YA and NA bloggers and enjoys being a part of it.Her feminist slant is inspiring and brings this community together. The YA and NA categories are powered mostly by women writers and readers, so it would be hard to not be a little bit feminist. Shes constantly promoting female fiction writers as well as female bloggers, so you can see why young women who read this genre would look up to Ms. Hewitt and her blogging counterparts.She touches on controversial topics that are interesting to her demographic, including celibacy shaming (the opposite of slut shaming), books about the abortion deba te, Banned Books Week (and her unpopular opinion on reading banned books), LGBT books, and her Christian faith. Shes unafraid to voice her opinion on these topics and is interested in stirring up conversation, even if not all of her readers agree. Shes respectful and thoughtful about the point of view of others, which allows her readers to truly open up and become part of the discussion. Its inspiring to see a corner of the internet where these topics can be discussed in a civil manner and where everyone leaves the table as friends. For example, she highlights the discussion of her faith and states that shes never known about a reader or a follower shes lost due to her faith. If you delve into the comments, you will see commenters of all faiths (and nonfaiths) letting her know theyre proud of her for discussing the topic on her blog and that they enjoy reading about her personal beliefs. Not only is she invested in her blogging community, but theyre also invested in her.Fun featured postsAside from book reviews, Ms. Hewitt provides her take on many different book-related topics on her blog. A favorite feature of her readers is Top Ten Tuesday â€" on various Tuesdays throughout the year, she highlights a new topic, listing out her 10 favorites in categories like quick reads, hidden gems, and books shes highly anticipating. This exciting feature gives readers a glance into whats new and next in the fiction world.Ms. Hewitt also features giveaways on her blog. Thanks to her partnership with some publishers, she has special book-related giveaways. Her current Valentines Day promotion is especially adorable, with giveaways of Macmillan Collectors Library Editions of some of their classic love stories like Emma, Jane Eyre, and Wuthering Heights. Many of the monthly giveaways are geared toward other blog writers, requiring entrants to link to their own current blog post in order to win. Yet another way shes a champion of the book blogging community!Ms. Hewitts Lets D iscuss feature touches on many different topics for readers and bloggers alike. She really likes to get the conversation flowing in the comments, responding and replying to the thoughts of everyone. Some of these posts have upwards of 75 or 100 comments! She writes on topics for readers like how to deal with a lapse in your reading habits, as well as topics for bloggers, like how to write a quick blog post.Blogger assistanceAfter reading through Ms. Hewitts blog, its easy to become enamored with her fun and witty writing style. Its also easy to envision yourself doing what she does â€" writing a book blog seems like so much fun! But if youre just getting started, it may be difficult to come up with topics or to decide what books to blog about. Well, Feed Your Fiction Addiction has you covered. Ms. Hewitt has an extensive list of blog post topics, ranging from your favorite hobby outside of book blogging to what book character you would want as a boyfriend. Her creative and interesting topics could make any reader want to start his or her own blog. You can also have your birthday and blogoversary easily added to her calendar â€" a great place to shop your link to the book blogging community since she does seem to have a great amount of traffic to her site.Its clear that Ms. Hewitts blog is a hot spot for those in the YA and NA reading and blogging community, and its not hard to see why. Shes an enthusiastic and voracious reader who enjoys chronicling her journey through books and blogging, sharing her stories with many along the way. Its an inspiring read, so give it a bookmark if youre into YA or NA fiction!

Plagiarism and Referencing Format Essay - 1375 Words

Plagiarism and Referencing Format (Research Paper Sample) Content: Plagiarism and Referencing FormatNameCourseCourse instructorDateIntroductionReferencing is a technique of organizing data or information used in academic writings such as essays and assignments. In writing academic work, it is always significant to acknowledge sources of the information used in writing thus allowing the reader to trace the source. Referencing is an important aspect in academic writing as it eliminates some of the serious penalties that may be imposed on someoneà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬s work such as thesis or essays after using someone elseà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬s words or ideas ("University of Southern Queensland," 2013).Purpose of referencingReferencing helps in differentiating an academic writerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬s idea from other sources and inclusion of various points of views from different writers. Referencing helps in acknowledging sources of all the information used in writing to avoid plagiarism which is a serious academic crime. Additionally, referencing is very useful in v alidating an academic writing thus adding credibility of the work since it refers to originally documented work. Referencing further provides the scope and depth of an academic writing by evaluating and conceptualizing primary sources. It shows the position of agreeing or disagreeing with an individualà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬s position and incorporates other researches which make up an academic writerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬s study ("University of Southern Queensland," 2013)Plagiarism and consequencesPlagiarism is one of the major problems scholars are facing today in the education sector all over the world. Plagiarism is defined as the unacknowledged use of someone elseà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬s work and passing it off as if it were oneà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬s own. There are different types of plagiarism which are classified into two major categories that include deliberate and unintentional plagiarisms. Unintentional plagiarism is that kind of plagiarism that occurs due to a minor referencing error such as attributing an academic work to a wrong source or author, misquoting or missing a reference. On other hand, deliberate plagiarism is categorized into ignorant and malicious plagiarisms where malicious plagiarism is very obvious (Griffin, 2008).Several reasons contribute to plagiarism being rampant in the society and therefore students should not be condemned but rather measures be taken to assist them in their research work. For example, the predominance of electronic media in the society has largely contributed to the rising cases of plagiarism because this has made it easier for students to copy other peopleà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬s work not because they have to but because they can. Some students also engage in plagiarism because they do not know how to make citations while others do not understand what constitutes plagiarism, its nature and component. Others on the other hand, do their assignments and research work when the papers are due and they end up copying to submit in time.Several measures need to be taken t o avoid plagiarism because when one is found guilty several measures can be taken. Preventive or punitive measures can be taken but they have different impacts. Punitive measures are negative forces imposed on offenders and most of the time they discourage students. On the other hand, preventative approaches encourage, motivate, and teach students how to avoid plagiarism. The society should be enlightened on the issues of ethics to help curb plagiarism (Neville, 2010).Some students are usually aware that plagiarism is wrong but they engage in it anyway given the unethical climate in the society. Students should be at the forefront in ensuring integrity in their learning process. They should have the ability to question and ask for clarification when need arises. This would help in ensuring that all students are enlightened on referencing and causes of plagiarism would reduce drastically ("University of Southern Queensland," 2013).Plagiarism as an evil has a cost and therefore it sho uld be avoided at all times. This has clearly been indicated in the recent past in Germany when the education minister resigned over plagiarism accusation ("Deutsche Welle" Web). To help curb this evil completely the society should participate fully in ensuring that students are aware of the consequences that follow and the need to avoid plagiarism. (Neville, 2010)Referencing ShortcutsVague summarizationThis is a form of plagiarism where another partyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬s work is narrowed by summarizing its contents then assuming the idea as the writerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬s own or thinking that because it does not constitute the whole of third partyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬s idea, it is insignificant to reference it. This form of plagiarism is based on an assumption that if similar words of an original work are not copied by twisting the words then it does not count to plagiarism (Neville, 2010).Works Cited is good enoughThis is failure to provide reference in the text and believing that by including the work on th e reference part is satisfactory. This act is predominant when discussing a common knowledge from a particular source or author.Change the wordsSome students believe that plagiarism is copying someone elseà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬s word by word hence prompting them to change words or wording of original work forgetting that the idea of the original work do not change.CompilationCompilation is gathering and copying several pieces of texts from various sources to complete a particular writing work. It may include work whose paragraphs have information from different sources. Compilation of data from different sources does not mean that the work is the studentà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬s own but it simply lead to plagiarism.Three types of proper referencingSummaryThis is a way of referencing that includes a short description of a bigger section of text from another source. After summarizing the work of someone elseà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ a student should refer to the author as well as year of publication in the text reference especially while using the APA style.Direct quotation is another type of reference which entails the use of similar words of someone else and putting them in quotation marks. It involves restating an original work of someone else and applying inverted commas. Quotations are further classified into short quotations and long quotations depending on the length of the quotation (Neville, 2010). Short quotations must include the name of the author, the year in which the original work was published and the page number in the APA referencing style. A short quotation is introduced using a signal phrase with the publisher...

Durkheim s Influence On Sociology - 1240 Words

Please describe the impact Marx, Durkheim, Weber had on sociology as prominent contributors of the discipline. Durkheim and Max Weber, Marx is seen as one of the three founders of the social sciences. Emile Durkheim, was a French sociologist. His theories and writings helped establish the foundations of modern sociology. Durkheim disagreed with most social theorists of the late 1800 s because they thought that individual psychology was the basis of sociology. Durkheim regarded sociology as the study of the society that surrounds and influences the individual. Durkheim explained his theories in his book The Rules of Sociological Method (1895). He says there is relationship between moral values and religious beliefs, which establishes unity in society.Emile Durkheim has long been viewed as one of the founders of the so called variables oriented approach to sociological investigation. Durkheim developed the theory that societies are bound together by two sources of unity. He called these sources mechanical solidarity and organic solidarity. Mechanical solidarity refers to similarities that many people in the society share, such as values and religious beliefs. Organic solidarity resu lts from the division of labor into specialized jobs. Durkheim believed that the division of labor makes people depend on one another and thus helps create unity in a society. Durkheim studied thousands of cases of suicide to demonstrate his theory that a person commits suicide because of theShow MoreRelatedKarl Marx, Emile Durkheim And Max Webers Influence On Religion1727 Words   |  7 PagesThree theorists, Karl Marx, Emile Durkheim and Max Weber, are undoubtedly the fathers of modern sociology. â€Å"Nineteenth century Western Europe was pounded by pivotal forces of transformation. Politics, education, religion, communication science, art, and social life were being revolutionized.† (Mohseni 1994;85) Each with distinct views on society and religion, these sociologists are and their theories are significant especially in the field of society. Just as much as they play a major role in theRead MoreEmile Durkheim s Influence On Society1562 Words   |  7 PagesINTRODUCTION Emile durkheim was a prominent french sociologist of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. This was the time when the sociologist like Karl marx and Max webber were on its peak and At the same time Durklheim was credited with great prestige principle founders of sociolgy. His philosophy has worked like fusion in society which was related from an individual to whole society.he claimed that socity is a â€Å"Sui Generis† Reality or a reality unique which is called ruductinist methodRead MoreLike Any Scientific Discipline, Sociology Has Its Own Object1455 Words   |  6 PagesLike any scientific discipline, sociology has its own object and subject of research. The object is understood as the sphere of reality that is to be studied, and to this the research is directed. Consequently, the object of sociology is society. But society is explored by many disciplines, such as history, philosophy, economics, political science, etc. At the same time, each of the named social sciences distinguishes its specific aspects, the properties of the object, which become the subject ofRead MoreEmile Durkheim s Influence On Society850 Words   |  4 PagesÉmile Durkheim was born in France in 1858 to a Jewish family and started attending a rabbinical school at a young age but eventually decided not to continue on that path and instead became an agnostic. He eventually went on to become a philosophy teacher and is considered to have played a pivotal roll in the rise of sociology. Durkheim believed that society shaped every aspect of human thought and behavior. He promoted the importance of society and suggests that without it things like art, familyRead MoreDescribe the Functionalist (Emile Durkheim), Conflict (Marxist) and Interactionist approach to the Socialization of Education.877 Words   |  4 PagesDescribe the Functionalist, Conflict and Interactionist approach to the Socialization of Education. Education - A Functionalist Perspective Emile Durkheim proposed an explicitly functionalist explanation of the role of education in society. The major function/task of education was, according to Durkheim, the transmission of society s norms and values. Durkheim considered that all societies must have means of passing on their norms and values to the young. If they did not, they could not continue. SuchRead MoreModernism vs. Post-Modernism1338 Words   |  6 Pagesare explained through sociology not psychology. (Durkheim). | 3.Some social phenomena will be misunderstood like suicide can also be explained psychologically . | Postmodernism is a complicated term, or set of ideas, one that has only emerged as an area of academic study since the mid-1980s. Postmodernism is hard to define, because it is a concept that appears in a wide variety of disciplines or areas of study, including art, architecture, music, film, literature, sociology, communications, fashionRead MoreMax Weber And Durkheim s Views On Religion1250 Words   |  5 Pagesbeliefs and cultural systems that relate humanity to an order of existence. One of the foundations of religion is social orientation that in one way or another influence a society s social stability. Max Weber along with Emile Durkheim were very influential people in the course of social stability in the 19th century. Weber and Durkheim attempted to make comprehensible social changes, particularly in the aspects of religion of a society. Their perspectives on religion differ on some aspects. TheirRead MoreSociology : How Human Action And Consciousness Shape The Surroundin g Of Cultural And Social Culture1734 Words   |  7 PagesZygmunt Bauman once said, â€Å"The task for sociology is to come to the help of the individual. We have to be in service of freedom. It is something we have lost sight of.† This quote means the main purpose of sociology is to help people with our freedom of service, because it is something we as people lost sight of. Sociology can be defined by Dictionary.com, as the science or study of the origin, development, organization, and functioning of human society; the science of the fundamental laws of socialRead MoreSociological Perspectives Of An Individual And Their Own Behaviour And The Society1126 Words   |  5 PagesIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES   Sociology studies the lives of an individual and their own behaviour and the society they live in (A. Giddens 2006). There are theoretical perspectives used so that one understands an individual behaviour and the society they live in. The sociological perspectives study each behaviour and how it is linked to the whole society or how the society influence the individual rather. The society is a diverse body and different perspectives is used to understand how they are linkedRead MoreSociology : A Sociological Perspective1292 Words   |  6 PagesOrigins of Sociology Ashley Drees Ivy Tech Community College Professor Brosmer April 10,2016 What is Sociology Sociology  is the  study of  social behavior or society, including its origins, development, organization, networks, and institutions. Sociology is a social science that uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about social order, disorder, and change. Three Main Theoretical Perspectives in Sociology Functional Perspective

Their Eyes Were Watching God - 556 Words

Their Eyes Were Watching God surrounds the life of Janie Crawford, a woman who was of mixed heritage. Janie had beautiful, long hair which was admired by most people that she met. Janie was raised by her grandmother since her own mother and father where absent in her life. Since a teen, she was obsessed with true love. Her first marriage was to Logan Killicks, a much older and unattractive man. Janie’s marriage to Logan was forced upon her by her grandmother and Janie resented her grandmother for this. Even though Logan took care of Janie, she was very unhappy with Logan and tried to love him but could not. While living with Logan, Janie meets Joe Starks. Joe is charismatic and full of ambition and promises Janie the life she knows she can’t have with Logan. She soon runs away with him to Eatonville, a town that Joe invests in and builds from the ground up. In Eatonville Janie is known as the â€Å"mayor’s wife† and is constantly belittled by her husband, Joe. He forces her to tie her hair up with a head rag in public and sometimes physically assaults her. After twenty years of marriage, Janie is sick of Joe and his constant attempts to make her subordinate to him. On Joe’s death bed, Janie finally speaks her mind to him and he dies. After Jody dies, Janie feels a new sense of freedom and liberation. After Jody’s death Janie unwraps her hair and is living happily single until she meets the handsome, ambitious, and much younger Tea Cake. Despite their drastic age difference,Show MoreRelatedTheir Eyes Were Watching God1064 Words   |  5 Pagessignificant than death. In Zora Neale Hurston’s famous novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, the main character Janie Crawford is plagued by the deaths of loved ones. Janie moves from caregiver to caregiver searching for true love and happiness, only to have it stripped away from her once she finds it in her third husband Tea Cake. At the end of the novel, having realized true love and loss, Janie is a whole woman. Their Eyes Were Watching God portrays the growth of the human spirit through both the emotionalRead MoreTheir Eyes Were Watching God1780 Words   |  8 Pagesshort story â€Å"Sweat† and novel Their Eyes Were Watching God, the focus is on women who want better lives but face difficult struggles before gaining them. The difficulties involving men which Janie and Delia incur result from or are exacerbated by the intersection of their class, race, and gender, which restrict each woman for a large part of her life from gaining her independence. Throughout a fair part of Zora Neal Hurston’s novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God, Janie’s low class create problemsRead MoreTheir Eyes Were Watching God932 Words   |  4 PagesJanie Crawford: The Woman Whose Clothing Conveys Her Relationships In Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God, the protagonist, Janie, endures two marriages before finding true love. In each of Janie’s marriages, a particular article of clothing is used to symbolically reflect, not only her attitude at different phases in her life, but how she is treated in each relationship. In Janie’s first marriage with Logan Killicks, an apron is used to symbolize the obligation in her marriage. â€Å"Read More Eyes Were Watching God Essay711 Words   |  3 Pages Their Eyes Were Watching God provides an enlightening look at the journey of a quot;complete, complex, undiminished human beingquot;, Janie Crawford. Her story, based on self-exploration, self-empowerment, and self-liberation, details her loss and attainment of her innocence and freedom as she constantly learns and grows from her experiences with gender issues, racism, and life. The story centers around an important theme; that personal discoveries and life experiences help a person findRead MoreAnalysis Of Their Eyes Were Watching God 1061 Words   |  5 PagesDivision: Janie Crawford in Their Eyes Were Watching God Their Eyes Were Watching God was written in 1937 by Zora Neale Hurston. This story follows a young girl by the name of Janie Crawford. Janie Crawford lived with her grandmother in Eatonville, Florida. Janie was 16 Years old when her grandmother caught her kissing a boy out in the yard. After seeing this her grandmother told her she was old enough to get married, and tells her she has found her a husband by the name of Logan. Logan was a muchRead More Their Eyes Were Watching God Essay1757 Words   |  8 Pages Their Eyes Were Watching God Book Report 1. Title: Their Eyes Were Watching God 2. Author/Date Written: Zora Neale Hurston/1937 3. Country of Author: 4. Characters Janie Mae Crawford- The book’s main character. She is a very strong willed, independent person. She is able to defy a low class, unhappy life because of these factors, even though the environment that she grew up and lived in was never on her side. Pheoby Watson – Janie’s best friend in Eatonville. Pheoby is the only towns person whoRead MoreWhose eyes were watching God?1400 Words   |  6 PagesWhose eyes were watching God? In the movie Their Eyes Were Watching God, Oprah Winfrey manipulates events that happened in the book by Zora Neale Hurston. Oprah morphs many relationships in the movie Their Eyes Were Watching God. She changes the role of gender, and also makes changes in Janie’s character strength. Oprah also changes the symbolism in the movie to where some important symbols in the book change to less important roles. Oprah changes many important events in the book Their Eyes WereRead MoreTheir Eyes Were Watching God Essay724 Words   |  3 PagesTHEIR EYES WERE WATCHING GOD ESSAY  ¬Ã‚ ¬ Janie Crawford is surrounded by outward influences that contradict her independence and personal development. These outward influences from society, her grandma, and even significant others contribute to her curiosity. Tension builds between outward conformity and inward questioning, allowing Zora Neal Hurston to illustrate the challenge of choice and accountability that Janie faces throughout the novel. Janie’s Grandma plays an important outward influenceRead MoreEssay on Their Eyes Were Watching God921 Words   |  4 PagesTheir Eyes Were Watching God An Analysis So many people in modern society have lost their voices. Laryngitis is not the cause of this sad situation-- they silence themselves, and have been doing so for decades. For many, not having a voice is acceptable socially and internally, because it frees them from the responsibility of having to maintain opinions. For Janie Crawford, it was not: she finds her voice among those lost within the pages of Zora Neale Hurston’s famed novel, Their Eyes Were WatchingRead MoreTheir Eyes Were Watching God By Zora Hurston Essay1233 Words   |  5 PagesHurston In the novel â€Å"Their Eyes Were Watching God† by Zora Neal Hurston is about a young woman named Janie Crawford who goes on a journey of self discovery to find her independence. The book touches on many themes like gender roles, relations, independence and racism however racism isn’t mainly focused upon in the book which some writers felt should have been. Some felt that the representation of black characters should have been better role models. Zora Hurston’s novel wasn’t like other black literature

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International Business - 604 Words

Doing business overseas requires the company to adapt to local laws and conditions in every country in which it operates. There are two steps that the organization should follow in order to prepare for doing business around the world. The first is that the company needs to have a set of guidelines for conduct that is consistent throughout the entire company. This would include a code of ethics that sets a minimum standard for behavior, regardless of what laws the company is subject to. Standardizing conduct and ethics throughout the organization helps to insulate against differences in laws and codes of conduct around the world. The other strategy is to work with people who are familiar with the laws of the foreign markets. There is little hope that a domestic company can become expert in the laws and ways of doing business in dozens of foreign countries. Thus, it is necessary to employ a local team, accounting team and perhaps even local teams for management and for human resources consulting. Many firms seek to reduce the risk associated with foreign markets by utilizing joint venture partners, as those partners have a much high degree of local market expertise than the American company could possibly have. Such an arrangement allows the American company to focus on its strengths marketing, brand building, and product development while leaving many of the operational issues like hiring, legal and accounting to the local partner (Clark, 2012). There are many issuesShow MoreRelatedInternational Business Ventures2671 Words   |  11 PagesInternational Business Ventures Measuring a potential business venture has many aspects which the international manager must be aware of in order to convey the correct information back to the decision makers. Being ignorant to any of the aspects can lead to a false representation of the project, and hence an uninformed decision being passed. In order for a business to survive it must grow. For growth to be optimal, management must first be able to identify the most attractive prospective leadsRead MoreChallenges of International Business Management1037 Words   |  5 PagesCHALLENGES OF INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT What are the challenges of International Business Management? International business management is a term that is used collectively to describe all commercial transactions which include; †¢ Private †¢ Governmental †¢ Sales †¢ Investments †¢ Transportation The above take place between two or more nations. It involves all business activities which partake in cross border activities of goods, services and resources between nations. PrivateRead MoreInternational Business1578 Words   |  7 PagesInternational business contains all business transactions private and governmental, sales, investments, logistics, and transportation that happen between two or more regions, nations and countries beyond their political limits. Generally, private companies undertake such transactions for profit governments undertake them for profit and for political reasons. It refers to all those business activities which involve cross border transactions of goods, services, resources between two or more nationsRead MoreInternational Business And International Marketing1457 Words   |  6 PagesInternational business compares all commercial transactions like private and government, investments and sales and transportation which take place between two or more regions , nations and countries beyond their political boundries.simply international business is exchange of goods and services among business and individual in multiple count ries. International business such as an essential subject for students around the world because international business is vital ingredient in entrepreneurshipRead MoreInfluential Factors of International Business and International Business Environment4145 Words   |  17 PagesA Business Growth and Strategy Project On INFLUENTIAL FACTORS OF INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS AND INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT By: Ankit D Jethani 6937 Business Environment consist of every factors influential to the business operations. These factors are classified into two broad categories. These are: a) External or UncontrollableRead MoreInternational Business Environment6667 Words   |  27 PagesModule specification INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT Code: PGBM04 Credits: 15 Level: Masters FBL, Business School Board: Postgraduate Business Studies Learning Hours: 150 of which 30 CONTACT hours Rationale 1. The international business environment is multi-dimensional, including economic, political, socio-cultural and technological influences. While each can be viewed in specific national settings, increasingly they have become interrelated through processes of globalisation. In particularRead MoreInternational Business5797 Words   |  24 Pagesof world output and world exports accounted for by the United States and other long-established developed nations is unlikely. FALSE 23. (p. 21) A current trend in international business is the growth of medium-sized and small multinationals, known as mini-multinationals. TRUE 24. (p. 22) Today, the risks involved in doing business in countries such as Russia are low, but so are the returns. FALSE 25. (p. 23) If the free market reforms in China continue for two more decades, China may move fromRead MoreInternational Trade As A Tool For International Business1707 Words   |  7 Pagesfourteen asks some very important questions regarding international trade as SME and MNE evolve globally due to technology. Therefore as international business continues to evolve companies are find easier ways to find importers and exporters from the comfort of their offices without the costly methods of travel and due diligences trying to find reputable companies to handle their needs. Using a variety of sources I will analyze international trade through the use of websites and go into detail aboutRead MoreBusiness Administration International Business Essay1784 Words   |  8 PagesBUSINESS ADMINISTRATION amp; INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS In the literal meaning, Business refers to an organized approach to providing customers with the goods and services they want. Business Administration has over the years taken the form of a formal field of knowledge, besides engineering medical and even closely-related Economics. In the 20th century, with the development and growth of business schools in America and Europe, the dynamics of business administration changed. With more research conductedRead MoreThe Problem Of International Business842 Words   |  4 Pages International business c Trade occurring between one or more countries worldwide. Balance of trade Difference in value of a countries imported and exported goods. Balance of payments Also known as BOP, is the monitoring of all international money transactions during specific times. Global dependency The dependency of one nation to another. Competitive advantage The advantage a company has over its competitors, allowing them to achieve greater

Hrm Procter Gamble Free Essays

string(69) " is one of the largest packaged consumer goods company in the world\." Human resource management is a vital part to any business striving to be successful in the world. Every business has a way that they like their business to be ran. Human Resource management is the â€Å"policies, practices, and systems that influence employee’s behavior, attitudes, and performance. We will write a custom essay sample on Hrm: Procter Gamble or any similar topic only for you Order Now † Without human resource management many companies would simply not be able to function correctly. Human resource management deals with every practical part that has to do with people in general. It depends on the employees of a company to want their company to be a success.It is always a team effort to make sure everything is right and acceptable. This paper explores the different aspects of human resource in a company. It details the relationship between human resource strategies and business strategies. It shows specific strategies that will benefit a company’s overall objective. The strategic partner is discussed greatly in the paper. The paper discusses the situation where the strategic manager reports to the CEO or in some cases where it does not. Procter and Gamble is the company that will be discussed in regards to its business and human resource strategies.There are key competencies that the strategic manager must follow to assess what is needed to develop programs for a company. The career path for a senior executive is also discussed. | The human resource department of a company usually formulates more than one strategy. They all come together for one purpose and that is the success of the company. In order to advance to an actual strategy a company’s human resource department must go through many steps devising. A company’s human resource strategy usually consists of many things such as, what the company, employees, and sometimes their customers need.The relationship between human resource strategies and business strategies aids in the outcome of the company’s goals. One of the main goals of human resource management is to make sure that the company’s human resource provides a competitive advantage over other companies. There are many problems that exists that cause human resource management to choose other routes for the company. The strategies the company chooses can be â€Å"the specific adjustments and actions taken to deal with a particular situation. † That is the reason there is always more than one strategy in business. For every problem, a new solution is needed to solve it.The human resource strategy and business strategy go hand and hand. Human resource typically is what helps the company’s business strategy to come together. The human resource department decides on recruitment, compensation, recruiting, training and development and also evaluating performance. Human resource has to make sure the company is competitive in relation to other companies in their spectrum. â€Å"Competitiveness is related to company effectiveness, â€Å"which means that a company must make sure that all people involved with their company are satisfied and receiving what they expect.Important people include stockholders, customers and employees. Stockholders generally expect to receive a return on their investment that they have purchased from the company. If the company cannot pay out stockholders then this must mean that the company is not making money. The customers expect a product of high quality or service just as good. People set high standards on products and services that they like. If they are not satisfied then the company has not succeeded in this. Without competition companies would probably never make the maximum profit that they are able to make.Competitiveness aids in helping a company go over and above the standard of what is expected. Human resource helps with this. All aspects of the company rely on the human resource strategy. Every company has a business strategy that they go by. What the company wants to focus on to be successful typically maps out their business strategy. The business strategies are usually the base of a successful business. The business strategies usually answer many questions about the company and what their expectations are for the long run.The long-term view of the company, the markets they want to pursue, what resources they need, and the main point they think about is whether they will be able to keep up and compete. The strategy a business chooses is what makes the company know how they will function. Choosing a strategy is not the end to the process, the company still has to figure out how they will apply it to the company’s way of functioning. Strategy has to be thought about on a level of what the company can do regarding the internal and external environment.The business strategy has to be able to work with both internal and external activity to be successful. Without a successful internal, there is no way the company can excel at the level that they wish to. The company uses it’s mission, goals, external and internal analysis to reach their business strategy. The relationships between human resource strategy and business strategy have reason together. They both go hand and hand with one another. People have to believe in a strategy and this requires that leaders create the right environment for the change to occur and for believing that it can.All human resource strategies are implemented with the business strategy in mind. Human resource strategies usually provide support for the business strategy. The human resource strategies and business strategies must be aligned. The aligning of the two strategies is important because it helps the company to execute its business strategy. A company’s business strategy needs certain things from human resource. The human resource strategy must be able to complete its goals to the company by providing employees that are needed to carry out the business strategy.The human resource strategy has many features that aid in the future success of the business strategy. Human resource has a major influence on business strategy. A successful business depends on how well the human resource strategy is implemented to aid in the business strategy. The Procter and Gamble Company, is one of the largest packaged consumer goods company in the world. You read "Hrm: Procter Gamble" in category "Papers" Procter and Gamble is responding creatively and competitively with branded products and services that enhance firm’s performance and their consumer’s satisfaction.Two men, William Gamble and John Procter, founded Procter and Gamble. Procter and Gamble strives to provide products and services of the best quality. Their products must be of the best standards. They strive to offer products that will take them over the competition by the customers. Procter and Gamble has come a long way from where it started in 1837. The company employs over 98,000 people and they operate in over 140 countries. Procter and Gamble first started its production by working out of a storeroom. The business began during nationwide panic and depression.But the struggling young firm survived. Cincinnati proved a sound business base because as a meat packing center, it offered plenty of fat and oil for soap and candle making. Procter and Gamble’s profit is more than some countries GDP. They produce many products from soap to baby diapers. They are a company that many people depend on. Procter and Gamble is a company that focuses on sense and value. Procter and Gamble has a strategy of touching and improving more consumers’ lives in more parts of the world. One of Procter and Gamble’s biggest functions is the idea of innovation.Procter and Gamble are known around the world for its innovation of its products. The success of Procter and Gamble comes from the company not being afraid to take risks. They have ventured and tried many products un-related to what products they began with. Procter and Gamble owns over 300 brands. Procter and Gamble has prospered by organizing around customer driven innovation. Procter and Gamble works by trying to increase how much earning per share of their company is a year. It usually starts at 4% to 6% but by the end of the year it has grown a couple of percents.This helps to show the company that they are making a profit because of the increases. Procter and Gamble work to connect with the consumer and customer. The innovation of product depends on the customer’s first experience. If they enjoy it, then Procter and Gamble have found a new loyal user. The innovation strategy is a great way for the company to achieve its overall goals. If the innovation is a success than the company has a new product that consumers and customers can get. It provides satisfaction to customers, helps with the company’s profit, and would essentially be a positive thing for the company.Procter and Gamble is a company that focuses on the good of the environment and people. There are different human resource strategies that can influence Proctor and Gamble’s ability to achieve its objective. A type of human resource strategy that provides certain compensation for workers who achieve goals for that the company has set would be effective for the company. Employees would work harder to get money when there is an essential benefit to what they are doing extra for the company. It sort of challenges the employees to work over and above what they are expected by the company.Another, type of human resource strategy would be the type of recruiting the human resource department chooses. The human resource department must recruit in places where the best people are. A company wants the best and most knowledgeable workers they can get to achieve objective. A third human resource strategy could be related to benefits to customers. Any person would love to work in that offer the best benefits for both short and long term.. With this strategy, human resource would concentrate on helping their employees. There could be many different type of programs implemented to help employees with any need they have.There are different strategies that human resource could use to obtain a company’s objective. They all must come together for the positive influence of the company. The human resource management side of an organization is important for a business. The human resource department reports to the chief executive officer or CEO as a strategic partner. The chief executive officer expects a lot from human resource. Communication is a key for the business to rely important information to higher levels of the business. The strategic partner is the person that aligns human resource management strategies to business strategies.They would typically be the person that reports all information about human resource to the chief executive officer. By reporting to the CEO, the strategic partner is building a relationship between the two. The report the strategic partner shares with the CEO is translating the human resource case into a definite plan. The role of strategic partner gives direct contact with the CEO. Human resource has the opportunity to more opinion of the expectations and challenges a company faces with direct contact with the CEO. Being a strategic partner provides the human resource department with more input in company decision.The consequences that a company might face because of the human resource not reporting to CEO could be minor or major. Depending on the company, the human resource aspect of the company not reporting to the CEO directly might cause a problem because of the lack of communication. The CEO is the person who is a top power of the company. When the human resource reports as strategic manager is shows the human resource department more about the company. They have more inside view of the company’s needs for future planning of human resource.The CEO’S opinion matters greatly when it comes to human resource and their decision. All businesses must work as a team in order to achieve their overall objectives. As stated earlier, the human resource strategy and business strategy work together. Therefore without the reporting to the CEO there might be miscommunication between what is expected from both departments. The strategic partner provides good opinions to the CEO on behalf of the human resource department. Without this connection between the strategic partner and CEO, the company might lose out on vital information needed to make it better.All employees should work together for the greater good of the company. A human resource executive must know the key competencies of business in order to develop appropriate programs for the company. There are four main competencies a human resource executive must be aware of. The first is the business competence. This is knowing all about the company. The human resource executive must be aware of the company’s financial capabilities. The business competence helps in making decisions that helps support the company’s strategic plan. This competence also deals with both monetary and nonmonetary business.The human resource executive must make decisions based on the amount of money available but also make decisions about other issues that do not require money. The next competence would be the professional and technical knowledge aspect of business. The human resource executive should know everything that regards to human resource management practices. They need to know everything and keep up with new programs and plans being applied to human resource departments. The human resource executive must be able to know what new programs can be used to benefit the company.The human resource executive also must be equipped in the ability to change. The HR executive must keep up with any change in the company. One minor change within the company’s strategy causes every department to change in a way. Changes might cause problems for departments. The human resource executive must be able to oversee these problems and choose the most efficient way to solve. The final thing the human resource executive must know is the integration competence. The human resource executive must be able to bring together all the competence to ensure the company’s value is up.All parts of the company’s human resource should work together to ensure the goal they are seeking to meet. With the knowing the different competencies for human resource, the executive should be able to develop different risk management programs for the company. The human resource executive should be very knowledgeable about the company and the external environment in order to assess what is needed. There are many jobs available in the field of human resource management with many different salary ranges. Of course, the top paying human resource job ould be senior human resource executive. A college degree and postgraduate work are what most workers of the human resource profession have. Many companies train beginning human resource workers by letting them work in different departments of the business. When they eventually move up in the HR department they have a sense of how the business is ran. The path to being a senior human resource executive comes with time and experience. A person must always start at the bottom and make their way to the top. There are many HR jobs available with different specialization.A person must climb the corporate ladder in order to become a senior HR executive.References Anonymous. â€Å"Strategic HR Review. † Chicago: Jan/Feb 2005. Vol. 4, Iss. 2; pg. 6, 1 pgs. Bates, Steve. â€Å"FACING the future. † HRMagazine 47. 7 (2002): 26. Business Source Elite. EBSCO. Web. 28 Apr. 2010 Berger, Lance A. â€Å"Anatomy of a successful HR executive. † HR Focus 75. 3 (1998): 11. Business Source Elite. EBSCO. Web. 28. Apr. 2010. Harrington, Siam. â€Å"Human Resources. † London: Apr 2007. Pg. 25, 2 pgs. Leonard, Bill. â€Å"What Do HR Executives Want from CEOs? †. HRMagazine 43. 13 (1998): 92. Business Source Elite. EBSCO. Web. 28 Apr. 2010. Noe, Raymond. , Hollenbeck, John. , Gerhart, Barry. , Wright, Patrick. Human Resource Mangement: Gaining a competitive advantage. 5th edition Saporito, Bill. â€Å"Making P amp; G New and Improved. † Time International (South Pacific Edition) 16 (2008): 53. Business Source Elite. EBSCO. Web. 27. Apr. 2010. Strategy, Goals amp; Progress. Procter amp; Gamble. www. PG. COM (26. Apr. 2001) â€Å"What CEOs Want From HR. † HR Focus 79. 9 (2002): 1. Business Source Elite. EBSCO. Web. 28 Apr. 2010. How to cite Hrm: Procter Gamble, Papers

The Image Culture Essay Sample free essay sample

In the Article â€Å"The Image Culture† ( 1976 ) Christine Rosen negotiations about how our civilization has grown from a words civilization to an image civilization. â€Å"A diminution from a universe ruled by the nuance and contemplation of words on paper. † How we may happen ourselves in a universe where our ability to pass on is stunted. our apprehension and credence of what we see questionable and our desire to convey civilization from one coevals to the following earnestly compromised. The Image Culture informs us of how engineering and movie has come a long manner and besides informs us of how society has changed due to images and digital media. When cameras were foremost invented it was a simple image in black and white. you peeled off a movie screen and you had an image. Over clip movie has developed into films. media. and images. The media shows us life as it is go oning all over the state. We will write a custom essay sample on The Image Culture Essay Sample or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page which is extremely developed from the old black and white still image from the yesteryear. But has the development of Imaging hurt our society? In the yesteryear we used to read articles. books. documents to larn. Now our society watches the intelligence. surfs the cyberspace. expression at images in a book. Yes it makes larning about what is go oning. happened or is traveling to go on easier but we lose our ability to pass on these issues in a broader sense. We don’t learn certain types of nomenclature to convey messages. We lose out on grammar and spelling. The fact that exposures and films can be doctored to relay a message that may non be wholly true leaves us oppugning what is fact and what is fiction. How can we be certain what the media is demoing us is wholly true and non merely what they want us to see to maintain us interested and desiring more? From the magazines we read and the work forces and adult females we feel we want to look like because the magazines have airbrushed their imperfectnesss and take us to believe their organic structures and faces are perfect because they used certain merchandises on the market to the intelligence and the force we see on the intelligence taking us to believe there is a whole batch of bad and non much good left in this universe. we are fooled by this modern twenty-four hours engineering of picture taking and movie.

Acid Rain (1631 words) Essay Example For Students

Acid Rain (1631 words) Essay Acid RainWhat Causes Acid Rain? One of the main causes of acid rain is sulfur dioxide. Natural sources, which emit this gas, are Volcanoes, sea spray, rottingvegetation and plankton. However, the burning of fossil fuels, such as Coal andoil, are largely to be blamed for approximately half of the emissions of thisgas in the world. When sulfur dioxide reaches the atmosphere, it oxidizes tofirst form a sulfate ion. It then Becomes sulfuric acid as it joins withhydrogen atoms in the air and falls back down to earth. Oxidation occurs themost in clouds and especially in heavily polluted air where other compounds suchas ammonia and ozone help to catalyze the reaction, changing more sulfur dioxideto sulfuric acid. However, not all of the sulphur dioxide is changed to sulfuricacid. In fact, a substantial amount can float up into the atmosphere, move overto another area and return to earth unconverted. In the following pages I willshow the effects of acid rain on: ? Effect on Trees and Soils ? Effect onLakes and Aquatic Systems ? Effect on Materials ? Effect on Atmosphere ?Effec t on Architecture ? Effect on Humans Effect on Trees and Soils One of themost serious impacts of acid precipitation is on forests and soils. Great damageis done when sulfuric acid falls onto the earth as rain. Nutrients present inthe soils are washed away. Aluminium also present in the soil is freed and theroots of trees can absorb this toxic element. Thus, the trees are starved todeath as they are deprived of their vital nutrients such as calcium andmagnesium. Not all of the sulphur dioxide is converted to sulfuric acid. Infact, a substantial amount can float into the atmosphere, move over to anotherarea and return to the soils unconverted. As this gas returns back to earth, itclogs up the stomata in the leaves, thus hindering photosynthesis. Research hasbeen made where red spruce seedlings were sprayed with different combinations ofsulfuric and nitric acid of pH ranging from 2.5 to 4.5. The needles of theseseedlings were observed to develop brown lesions. Eventually, the needles f alloff. It was also found that new needles grew more slowly at higherconcentrations of acid used. Because the rate at which the needles were fallingwas greater than the rate at which they were replenished, photosynthesis wasgreatly affected, The actual way in which these needles were killed is still notyet known. However, studies have shown that calcium and magnesium nutrients arewashed away from their binding sites when sulfuric acid enters the system. Theyare replaced by useless hydrogen atoms and this inhibits photosynthesis. Effecton Lakes and Aquatic Systems One of the direct effects of acid rain is on lakesand its aquatic ecosystems. There are several routes through which acidicchemicals can enter the lakes. Some chemical substances exist as dry particlesin the air while others enter the lakes as wet particles such as rain, snow,sleet, hail, dew or fog. In addition, lakes can almost be thought of as thesinks of the earth, where rain that falls on land is drained throughthe sew age systems eventually make their way into the lakes. Acid rain thatfalls onto the earth washes off the nutrients out of the soil and carries toxicmetals that have been released from the soil into the lakes. Another harmful wayin which acids can enter the lakes is spring acid shock. When snow melts inspring rapidly due to a sudden temperature change, the acids and chemicals inthe snow are released into the soils. The melted snow then runs off to streamsand rivers, and gradually make their way into the lakes. The introduction ofthese acids and chemicals into the lakes causes a sudden drastic change in thepH of the lakes hence the term spring acid shock. The aquaticecosystem has no time to adjust to the sudden change. In addition, springtime isan especially vulnerable time for many aquatic species since this is the timefor reproduction for amphibians, fish and insects. Many of these species laytheir eggs in the water to hatch. The sudden pH change is dangerous because theacids can ca use serious deformities in their young or even annihilate the wholespecies since the young of many of such species spend a significant part oftheir life cycle in the water. Subsequently, sulfuric acid in water can affectthe fish in the lakes in two ways: directly and indirectly. Sulfuric acid(H2SO4) directly interferes with the fishs ability to take in oxygen, salt andnutrients needed to stay alive. For freshwater fish, maintaining osmoregulationis key in their survival. Osmoregulation is the process of maintaining thedelicate balance of salts and minerals in their tissues. Acid molecules in thewater cause mucus to form in their gills and this prevents the fish to absorboxygen as well. If the buildup of mucus increases, the fish would suffocate. Inaddition, a low pH will throw off the balance of salts in the fish tissue. Saltslevels such as the calcium (Ca+2) levels of some fish cannot be maintained dueto pH change. This results in poor reproduction their eggs produced would bedama ged; they are either too brittle or too weak. Decreased Ca+2 levels alsoresult in weak spines and deformities. For example, crayfish need Ca+2 tomaintain a healthy exoskeleton; low Ca+2 levels would mean a weak exoskeleton. The Samurai: Warrior and Ruler of Ancient Japan EssayBibliographyElliott, Thomas C., and Robert G. Schwieger (Editors). The Acid RainSourcebook. New York: McGraw-Hill, Inc., 1984. Bown, William. Europesforests fall to acid rain. New Scientist. Vol. 127. August 11, 1990. p. 17Calvert, Jack G.(Editor) SO2, NO and NO2 Oxidation Mechanisms: AtmosphericConsiderations Acid Rain Precipitation Series, Volume 3. Toronto:Butterworth Publishers, 1984.

Themes in of Mice and Men free essay sample

Themes, Motifs Symbols Themes Themes are the fundamental and often universal ideas explored in a literary work. The Predatory Nature of Human Existence Of Mice and Men teaches a grim lesson about the nature of human existence. Nearly all of the characters, including George, Lennie, Candy, Crooks, and Curley’s wife, admit, at one time or another, to having a profound sense of loneliness and isolation. Each desires the comfort of a friend, but will settle for the attentive ear of a stranger. Curley’s wife admits to Candy, Crooks, and Lennie that she is unhappily married, and Crooks tells Lennie that life is no good without a companion to turn to in times of confusion and need. The characters are rendered helpless by their isolation, and yet, even at their weakest, they seek to destroy those who are even weaker than they. Perhaps the most powerful example of this cruel tendency is when Crooks criticizes Lennie’s dream of the farm and his dependence on George. We will write a custom essay sample on Themes in of Mice and Men or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Having just admitted his own vulnerabilities—he is a black man with a crooked back who longs for companionship—Crooks zeroes in on Lennie’s own weaknesses. In scenes such as this one, Steinbeck records a profound human truth: oppression does not come only from the hands of the strong or the powerful. Crooks seems at his strongest when he has nearly reduced Lennie to tears for fear that something bad has happened to George, just as Curley’s wife feels most powerful when she threatens to have Crooks lynched. The novella suggests that the most visible kind of strength—that used to oppress others—is itself born of weakness. Fraternity and the Idealized Male Friendship One of the reasons that the tragic end of George and Lennie’s friendship has such a profound impact is that one senses that the friends have, by the end of the novella, lost a dream larger than themselves. The farm on which George and Lennie plan to live—a place that no one ever reaches—has a magnetic quality, as Crooks points out. After hearing a description of only a few sentences, Candy is completely drawn in by its magic. Crooks has witnessed countless men fall under the same silly spell, and still he cannot help but ask Lennie if he can have a patch of garden to hoe there. The men in Of Mice and Men desire to come together in a way that would allow them to be like brothers to one another. That is, they want to live with one another’s best interests in mind, to protect each other, and to know that there is someone in the world dedicated to protecting them. Given the harsh, lonely conditions under which these men live, it should come as no surprise that they idealize friendships between men in such a way. Ultimately, however, the world is too harsh and predatory a place to sustain such relationships. Lennie and George, who come closest to achieving this ideal of brotherhood, are forced to separate tragically. With this, a rare friendship vanishes, but the rest of the world—represented by Curley and Carlson, who watch George stumble away with grief from his friend’s dead body—fails to acknowledge or appreciate it. The Impossibility of the American Dream Most of the characters in Of Mice and Men admit, at one point or another, to dreaming of a different life. Before her death, Curley’s wife confesses her desire to be a movie star. Crooks, bitter as he is, allows himself the pleasant fantasy of hoeing a patch of garden on Lennie’s farm one day, and Candy latches on desperately to George’s vision of owning a couple of acres. Before the action of the story begins, circumstances have robbed most of the characters of these wishes. Curley’s wife, for instance, has resigned herself to an unfulfilling marriage. What makes all of these dreams typically American is that the dreamers wish for untarnished happiness, for the freedom to follow their own desires. George and Lennie’s dream of owning a farm, which would enable them to sustain themselves, and, most important, offer them protection from an inhospitable world, represents a prototypically American ideal. Their journey, which awakens George to the impossibility of this dream, sadly proves that the bitter Crooks is right: such paradises of freedom, contentment, and safety are not to be found in this world. Motifs Motifs are recurring structures, contrasts, and literary devices that can help to develop and inform the text’s major themes. The Corrupting Power of Women The portrayal of women in Of Mice and Men is limited and unflattering. We learn early on that Lennie and George are on the run from the previous ranch where they worked, due to encountering trouble there with a woman. Misunderstanding Lennie’s love of soft things, a woman accused him of rape for touching her dress. George berates Lennie for his behavior, but is convinced that women are always the cause of such trouble. Their enticing sexuality, he believes, tempts men to behave in ways they would otherwise not. A visit to the â€Å"flophouse† (a cheap hotel, or brothel) is enough of women for George, and he has no desire for a female companion or wife. Curley’s wife, the only woman to appear in Of Mice and Men, seems initially to support George’s view of marriage. Dissatisfied with her marriage to a brutish man and bored with life on the ranch, she is constantly looking for excitement or trouble. In one of her more revealing moments, she threatens to have the black stable-hand lynched if he complains about her to the boss. Her insistence on flirting with Lennie seals her unfortunate fate. Although Steinbeck does, finally, offer a sympathetic view of Curley’s wife by allowing her to voice her unhappiness and her own dream for a better life, women have no place in the author’s idealized vision of a world structured around the brotherly bonds of men. Loneliness and Companionship Many of the characters admit to suffering from profound loneliness. George sets the tone for these confessions early in the novella when he reminds Lennie that the life of a ranch-hand is among the loneliest of lives. Men like George who migrate from farm to farm rarely have anyone to look to for companionship and protection. As the story develops, Candy, Crooks, and Curley’s wife all confess their deep loneliness. The fact that they admit to complete strangers their fear of being cast off shows their desperation. In a world without friends to confide in, strangers will have to do. Each of these characters searches for a friend, someone to help them measure the world, as Crooks says. In the end, however, companionship of his kind seems unattainable. For George, the hope of such companionship dies with Lennie, and true to his original estimation, he will go through life alone. Of Mice and Men offers limited, rather misogynistic, descriptions of women who are either dead maternal figures or prostitutes. Despite Steinbeck’s rendering, Curley’s wife emerges as a relatively complex and interesting character. Although her purpose is rather simple in the book’s opening pages—she is the â€Å"tramp,† â€Å"tart,† and â€Å"bitch† that threatens to destroy male happiness and longevity—her appearances later in the novella become more complex. When she confronts Lennie, Candy, and Crooks in the stable, she admits to feeling a kind of shameless dissatisfaction with her life. Her vulnerability at this moment and later—when she admits to Lennie her dream of becoming a movie star—makes her utterly human and much more interesting than the stereotypical vixen in fancy red shoes. However, it also reinforces the novella’s grim worldview. In her moment of greatest vulnerability, Curley’s wife seeks out even greater weaknesses in others, preying upon Lennie’s mental handicap, Candy’s debilitating age, and the color of Crooks’s skin in order to steel herself against harm. Steinbeck does not give her a name because he wants to reflect her complete lack of individual indentity. Curleys wifes dream of becoming a movie star dies when she marries Curley. I think that you can see this symbolized in the fact that she is never even given a name in this book. That shows, to me, that she has essentially had who she is taken away by marrying Curley. If you think about it, now that shes married to Curley, what chance has she got of ever becoming anything? In those days, women didnt have a lot of opportunities once they married and Curley is even less likely than most men to ever let his wife get any independence. As jealous as he is, he would never let his wife become anything. Curleys Wife is trapped. She is locked into a rural social structure of the 1930s California farm life, and by the common stereotypes and social views of women and their role at that time. She is certainly portrayed as disadvantaged for her choice of husbands, as Curley is both abusive and unloving. Steinbeck also takes care to portray her as a character who is consumed by loneliness and hopelessness. She has dreamsgoing to Hollywood to be in the movieswhich will never come true. She wants things as simple as someone to talk to, but has a husband with a personality that is half anger and half jealousy. She is just one of several sympathetic characters in this novel.

Cost Leadership Dell Essays

Cost Leadership Dell Essays Cost Leadership Dell Paper Cost Leadership Dell Paper Cost leadership that attempt to become the lowest-cost producers in an industry can be referred to as those following a cost leadership strategy. The company with the lowest costs would earn the highest profits in the event when the competing products are essentially undifferentiated, and selling at a standard market price. Companies following this strategy place emphasis on cost reduction in every activity in the value chain. Ideally, low cost strategy is centered on the capability of Dell to produce and deliver products of competitive quality at lower costs. Cost leadership strategy is much more than cost reduction initiatives that get lot of prominence in strategic planning and review session of Dell as a means to improve the bottom line of a company by improving its efficiency. Dell uses efficient cost structures to protect their markets from the competitors by responding to competitors’ move of making in-roads in the market space by reducing prices. Such reactive response may makes Dell inward focused. Better way to strategically position Dell on advantage of cost is to increase market share by transforming from lowest cost producer to lowest cost supplier of products. This way the company translates its cost advantage into price advantage for its customers and thereby improves the market share. The prospect of increasing the market share provide great opportunity for Dell to leverage the economies of scale coupled with the ruthless cost cutting measures it plans to execute. More the competitive space it occupies which also means that more competitors eliminated effective are economies of scale and as a result the costs are driven still lower. When Dell is able to transform the efforts of cost reduction into cost advantage for customers Dell can be said to be successfully pursuing low cost leadership strategy as there continuously strives to reduce costs and in the market place it has got the image of supplier of products at the lowest prices. This is how Dell can capture markets and eliminates the competitors and improves revenues and market share. Economies of scale and efficiency form the core around which Dell executes its strategy. Thus, other companies pursuing cost leadership strategy compare each and every activity along their value chain with competitors and are committed to surpass them ( 1986). Aside, innovation at Dell is focused on process improvements rather than on products. In fact Dell pursuing cost leadership strategy target mass markets with proven products. Dell has sufficient control over in-bound supplies and logistics. Their cost effectiveness starts from the premises of their suppliers. This is important as major costs are incurred in the inbound supply chain. The cost leaders today generally miss out on one important aspect as concentrate on delivering product of competitive quality at the lowest cost and pass on part of the savings to customers, so obsessed with costs and pricing that rarely do they dissect the customer value proposition. This is prospective area that may provide yet another cost reduction opportunity and at the same time attract potential customers from niche segment. Dell when it compares the value proposition that it offers against the attributes that customers really value, new insights and opportunities may open up (1986). Investing in cost leadership by riding down the experience curve is a common way to establish Dells competitive advantage as success depends on factors that underlie the experience curve. The strategy of cost leadership is associated with stable and predictable environments and correlates with the use of controls. Unfocused strategies make much use of liaison devices. These relationships were likely to be significant for high-performing Dell than those of poor performers. According to (1985), cost leadership and product differentiation can be pursued simultaneously only under rare conditions as unclear how these strategies can be implemented. Dell pursuing cost-leadership strategy attempts to gain a competitive advantage primarily by reducing its economic costs below its competitors. If cost-leadership strategies can be implemented by numerous Dell in an industry, or if Dell face cost disadvantage in imitating a cost-leadership strategy, then being cost leader does not generate sustained competitive advantage for Dell. The ability of a valuable cost-leadership competitive strategy to generate competitive advantage depends on that Dell strategy being rare and costly to imitate. Dell should not put all eggs in one basket as far as implementation of its Business Strategy is concerned. Of course Dell need to take advantage of their core competencies but at the same look for opportunities uses their core competencies to broaden their strategy implementation. In Dell’s case they should use core competencies to implement Cost Leadership Strategy by pursuing multi sales channel opportunities.

High School Education in America and China Research Paper

High School Education in America and China - Research Paper Example American education system emphasize on students’ ability more than score whereas Chinese education system focus on student’s own knowledge more than his capabilities. In other words, American high school education system is more flexible than the Chinese educational system. It can give more individual care to the students since it focuses more on individual abilities. Although both China and America learn from other’s strong points to offset their weakness, differences still exist such as time schedule, educational style, and extracurricular activities. Heavy workloads are the major problems in Chinese education. High schools in China expect that there are twenty-five hours a day so that the students can have one more hour to study. Moreover, even Saturdays are working day in Chinese schools. In other words, Chinese students are not getting any opportunity for leisure activities. The over emphasize given to education is actually demotivating Chinese students. During my high school years in China, I could not travel around during school holidays because the school does not give long break time even on holidays. The schools believe that the long time study can help students to improve the skill. However, students need time to take a break. For example, I asked my younger cousin who finished his college entrance examination last month that what was his plan for vacation. He told me that he wants to stay home and seep in order to retrieve those sleep which he lost in the past three years. On the other hand, American high school educational system is giving more freedom to the students. American students are getting enough leisure time for playing, watching television or movies, surfing internet etc. Some American parents are of the view that American school system should follow the Chinese system in order to generate a sense of urgency about education in the minds of students. However, they are forgetting the fact that an external observer cannot judge Chinese education properly. American students have four classes per day and each class is of two hours. Students always do the voluntary labor on Saturdays after the class. Also, school will never construct barriers in front of students during vacation time. Many of the American students do volunteer jobs in order to get college admission without any hassles. Volunteer job is very important for getting admissions in American colleges. Not only the time schedule, but the education style also is different in China and Ame rica. Entwistle (1986) has classified learning into three major categories; deep, surface, and strategic

Emotions Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Emotions - Personal Statement Example The incidence is when I was attending a school annual function. I really wanted to have a nice view of the entire programme. I was in the audience, sitting in the first row with a relaxed temperament. I am a down- to - earth person I enjoy dances and songs but never wanted to be a part of the show. Things were going smooth and I was totally involved in the function. I was applauding my friends, cheering them for their actions, encouraging them for their performance. It was really a fun and frolic time for me and I became the part of the function. The emotional turmoil came when I was asked by the master of the festival to be present on the stage. I got the shock of my life. I was in a real fix, freeze as ice and was spell bound. Could not understand anything but heard my heart beats and could feel the blood gushing into my body with a much faster pace. I could not make a single move. It was like the whole world is spinning around me and everybody is giving me a fleeting look! I gathered all my lost courage and started a move to the stage with an emotional pressure that was pushing and at the same time pulling me. A battle was going on inside me, what to do What should I say How it happened Why me only Cursing myself why I was making so much fuss, praying to God Uttering.. "Please help me God.

High Fracture Toughness of Al2O3-TiN0.3 Composites

High Fracture Toughness of Al2O3-TiN0.3 Composites High fracture toughness of Al2O3-TiN0.3 composites prepared via spark plasma sintering Lina Qiaoa, b, Yucheng Zhaoa, Mingzhi Wanga, à ¯Ã‚ Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃƒ ¯Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ªÃƒ ¯Ã‚ Ã‚ , Yana Yea, Junxing Zhanga, Qin Zoua, Qian Yanga, Hua Dengc, Ying Xingc Abstract Al2O3–TiN0.3 composites with different TiN0.3 contents were spark plasma sintered at 1300–1600  °C for 10 min. Phase identification was characterized through X-ray diffraction. Microstructures were observed using a scanning electron microscope. The fracture toughness of the composite with 30 vol% TiN0.3 sintered at 1500  °C reaches to the highest value of 6.91 MPa m1/2. Based on the first-principles density functional theory, the density of states for TiN and TiNx was calculated. The covalent bonding is weakened and the metallic bonding is strengthened as the nitrogen concentration is reduced in nonstoichiometric TiNx. The active slip systems determined by covalent bonding for the nitrides are possibly increased by adding nonstoichiometric TiN0.3, which improves the fracture toughness of Al2O3-based composites. Keywords: Al2O3–TiN0.3 composites;Fracture toughness; Slip system; Bond calculation 1. Introduction Alumina (Al2O3) ceramics are essential structural materials, but the inherent brittleness has inhibited their applications [1, 2]. The fracture toughness can be improved substantially by adding a secondary reinforcing phase into the matrix. The effects of TiN particles on the mechanical properties of Al2O3-based composites have been widely studied [3–9]. Shen et al. [9] reported that the fracture toughness of Al2O3–TiN composites prepared via spark plasma sintering (SPS) at 1500  °C reaches to a maximum value of 5.7 MPa m1/2. Li et al. [1] studied the mechanical properties of TiN–Al2O3 nanocomposites prepared by hot pressing at 1550  °C, and pointed out that the highest fracture toughness is 5.27 MPa m1/2. However, there have been few reports about the effects of nonstoichiometric TiN0.3 on the fracture toughness of Al2O3-based composites. In this study, nonstoichiometricTiN0.3 was added into Al2O3 matrix, and the effects of TiN0.3 on the mechanical properties (especially fracture toughness) of the composites were discussed. Nonstoichiometric TiN0.3 synthesized via mechanical alloying (MA) possesses fine grain size and TiN-type structure with numerous N vacancies [10, 11], which are conducive to improving sinterability [11–14]. Furthermore, weakening covalent bond and strengthening metallic bond in TiN0.3 structure [15, 16] may have an important influence on the fracture toughness. This study aims to verify whether or not adding nonstoichiometric materials can increase the fracture toughness of Al2O3-based composites. 2. Experimental Raw materials used include TiN0.3 synthesized through MA [10, 11] and commercial powders Al2O3 (analytically pure, an average particle size of 1 ÃŽ ¼m). Powder mixtures were milled for 2 h in absolute ethanol using WC milling media on a Pulverisette 4 Vario-Planetary Mill (FRTSCH German) at 300 rpm. SPS (3.20 MK-IV, Sumitomo Coal Mining Co., Ltd.) was performed in vacuum (6Ãâ€"10−3 Pa) at different heat treatment temperatures (1300–1600  °C) for 10min at 30 MPa. The heating rate was 100  °C/min. The temperature was determined using an optical pyrometer focused on the non-through hole located on the surface of the graphite die. Phase identification was performed through X-ray diffraction (XRD) with Cu KÃŽ ± radiation by using a D/MAX-2500PC diffractometer (Rigaku). Microstructures of the specimen’s polished surface and fracture cross-sections were observed using an S-3400N (Hitachis) scanning electron microscope (SEM) equipped with electron back-scattered diffraction (Edax-Tsl, Ametek). The bending strength was measured with Instron-5848 MicroTester (America) using the three point bending test with a span length of 13 mm and crosshead speed of 0.5 mm/min. Fracture toughness was determined through the Vickers indentation method proposed by Anstis et. al [17]. Measurements of the hardness and fracture toughness were conducted using an FM-700 Vickers hardness tester (Future-Tech, Japan) by indentation using a pyramidal indenter and applying a 10 kg load for 10 s. 3. Results 3.1 XRD identification and morphology observation Fig. 1 shows the XRD patterns of Al2O3–30 vol% TiN0.3 composite sintered via SPS at different temperatures in vacuum (6Ãâ€"103 Pa) for 10 min. Only TiN0.3 and ÃŽ ±-Al2O3 phases are detected in the XRD patterns. It suggests that no chemical reaction occurs between the second phase and the matrix. Fig. 2 shows the back-scattered SEM micrograph of the polished surface of Al2O3–30 vol% TiN0.3 composite sintered via SPS at 1400  °C in vacuum (6Ãâ€"103 Pa) for 10 min. The gray grains are Al2O3, while the white ones are TiN0.3. TiN0.3 grains are uniformly dispersed in Al2O3 matrix. Fig. 3 shows the microstructure of the fracture cross-sections of Al2O3–30 vol% TiN0.3 composite sintered via SPS at different temperatures in vacuum (6Ãâ€"103 Pa) for 10 min. When the sintering temperature is raised to 1400  °C, the grain size of the composite is fine and approximately 2 ÃŽ ¼m for Al2O3; the fracture mode is mainly intergranular (Fig. 3 b). Then the gains grew obviously with further raising the sintering temperature, here ~3-4 ÃŽ ¼m at 1500  °C and ~4-5 ÃŽ ¼m at 1600  °C for Al2O3; the fracture modes are intergranular and transgranular (Fig. 3 c and d). In addition, Al2O3–30 vol% TiN0.3 composite has not reached full density at 1300  °C, as indicated both by the SEM observations (Fig. 3) and measured hardness values (Fig. 5). Fig. 4 shows the microstructure of the fracture cross-sections of Al2O3–TiN0.3 composites with different TiN0.3 contents sintered via SPS at 1400  °C in vacuum (6Ãâ€"103 Pa) for 10 min. The grain size of Al2O3 existed in all samples does not change significantly. It is not agreement with the previous study that the addition of TiN effectively inhibits the grain growth of Al2O3 [9]. This phenomenon may be attributed to the fact that Al2O3–TiN0.3 composites have good sinterability. In addition, the fracture morphology is influenced by TiN0.3 content in these samples. The fracture mode of Al2O3–TiN0.3 composites with TiN0.3 contents from 10 vol% to 30 vol% (Fig. 4 a–c) is mainly intergranular. But, the fracture modes of Al2O3–TiN0.3 composite with 40 vol% TiN0.3 (Fig. 4 d) are intergranular and transgranular. The explanation for the fracture mode change is that the grain boundaries in Al2O3–TiN0.3 composites are strengthened, inhibiting inter granular crack propagation. 3.2 Mechanical properties Fig. 5 a shows the Vickers hardness of Al2O3–30 vol% TiN0.3 composite sintered at different temperatures. The Vickers hardness of Al2O3–30 vol% TiN0.3 composite sintered at 1400  °C reaches to the highest value of 18.75 GPa, then slightly reduces with raising the sintering temperature, which is due to grain growth [9, 18, 19] (Fig. 3 b-d). Fig. 5 b shows the Vickers hardness of Al2O3–TiN0.3 composites sintered at 1400  °C versus TiN0.3 content. The Vickers hardness of Al2O3–TiN0.3 composites with different TiN0.3 contents from 10 vol% to 40 vol% reaches to a range of 17–19 GPa, which is no significant difference from that of pure Al2O3 and close to that of Al2O3–TiN nanocomposites [1]. Fig. 6 shows the bending strength of Al2O3–TiN0.3 composites sintered at 1400  °C versus TiN0.3 content. The bending strength of Al2O3–TiN0.3 composites sintered at 1400  °C increases with increasing TiN0.3 contents from 10 vol% to 40 vol%, and is higher than that of Al2O3 ceramics. As adding TiN0.3 into Al2O3 matrix, the microstructure is improved and the grain boundaries are strengthened, which lead to an increase in the bending strength of Al2O3–TiN0.3 composites. The fracture toughness of the composite with 30 vol% TiN0.3 sintered at 1500  °C reaches to the highest value of 6.91 MPa m1/2, as shown in Fig. 5 a, which is much higher than that of nano- or micron-sized Al2O3–TiN composites [1, 4, 5, 9, 20]. And the fracture toughness of the composites sintered at 1400  °C increases with the addition of TiN0.3, and presents a maximum value of 6.60 MPa m1/2 at 30 vol% TiN0.3, then decreases with further increasing the amount of TiN0.3, as shown in Fig. 5 b. These results are in agreement with previous studies [1, 4, 5, 9, 20]. For particulate reinforced composites, many toughening mechanisms such as crack pinning, microcrack toughening, crack deflection, residual stress toughening and crack bridging have been proposed. For TiN–Al2O3 composites, Li et al. [1] reported that possible toughening mechanisms are crack deflections and/ or crack pinning; Shen et al. [9] pointed out that the predominating toughening mechanism is related to crack tilting and twisting caused by thermal expansion and/ or elastic modulus mismatch stresses. It is difficult to indicate a prevailing toughening mechanism. In this research, maybe some of these toughening mechanisms are active at the same time. Nonetheless, due to structure defect, TiN0.3 may have an important influence on the fracture toughness. It will be discussed subsequently in more detail. 4. Discussion The above experimental results suggest that adding a nonstoichiometric TiN0.3 phase is more effective for improving the fracture toughness of Al2O3-based composites. To explain the phenomenon, based on the first-principles density functional theory [15, 16, 21], the density of states (DOS) for TiN and TiNx was calculated, as shown in Fig 7. Close to the Fermi level, the DOS for TiN consists of hybridized Ti-3d and N-2p states, as shown in Fig. 7. It can be seen that the DOS for TiN at the Fermi level is not at the minimum and mainly dominated by Ti-3d states. This is an evidence that the cohesion in TiN is a complex mixture of covalent, ionic (a little) and metallic types. The new structures in the DOS for TiNx near the Fermi level can clearly be seen in Fig. 7, which are called ‘vacancy state associated structures’ [15, 16]. It can be explained by symmetry changes resulting from the vacancy sites in the lattice. Titanium atoms are completely equivalent in a perfect stoichiometric rocksalt structure. But, in a nonstoichiometric structure, both Ti neighboring levels of symmetry interact together through a vacancy (symbolized by à ¢- ¡) to establish a Ti–à ¢- ¡Ã¢â‚¬â€œTi bond which is absent in the stoichiometric titanium compound. In other words, the covalent bonding is weakened and the metallic bonding is strengthened as the nitrogen concentration is reduced in nonstoichiometric TiNx, which are indicated by the peaks observed near the Fermi level on the DOS curves in Fig. 7 and in accordance with Refs. [15, 16]. Al2O3 is a kind of brittle material due to the lack of active slip system essentially. The active slip systems determined by covalent bonding for the nitrides can be increased by adding a nonstoichiometric material. Rowcliffe et al. [22] had reported that TiC has the {111} 0> slip system at high temperature and the {110} 0> slip system at room temperature. The root cause of the change of the slip systems is that the cohesion in TiC is a complex mixture of covalent, ionic (a little) and metallic types. At low temperature, the bonding is covalent with strong, directional bonding between neighboring carbon and metal atoms; as the temperature is raised, electrons are transferred from these bonds into less localized metallic states. Such a transfer has the effect of reducing both the directionality and strength of the bonds. They also pointed out that the covalent contribution to bonding becomes less as the carbon concentration in nonstoichiometric TiCx decreases [20]. TiC and TiN crystals belong to the same space group (FM-3M, cubic system) and the atomic radii of C and N are closed. It is inferred that TiN (or TiNx) has the similar slip system. Same as previous analysis, the nitrogen concentration in TiN0.3 is very low, which leads to weakening covalent bond and strengthening metallic bond. Maybe the {111} 0> slip system, or some of it, is active at room temperature. In other words, there may be more active slip systems at room temperature in Al2O3–TiN0.3 composites. This is a major reason for the improvement of the fracture toughness of Al2O3–TiN0.3 composites. 4. Conclusions This paper introduces a new and effective method to improve the fracture toughness of Al2O3-based composites by adding a nonstoichiometric material. Al2O3–TiN0.3 composites were prepared via SPS at a relatively low temperature. The fracture toughness and bending strength of the composites have been greatly improved and the hardness is almost identical to that of Al2O3 matrix. Based on the first-principles density functional theory, the DOS for TiN and TiNx was calculated. The covalent bonding is weakened and the metallic bonding is strengthened as the nitrogen concentration is reduced in nonstoichiometric TiNx. The active slip systems determined by covalent bonding for the nitrides are possibly increased by adding nonstoichiometric TiN0.3, which improves the fracture toughness of Al2O3-based composites. Acknowledgments The authors gratefully acknowledge financial support from Key Laboratory of Metastable Materials Science and Technology, the Science and Technology Foundation of Hebei (E2012203116), the Key Item of Education Department of Hebei (ZH2012003), Synergy Innovation Plan Project of College of Mechanical Engineering (JX2014-3), and Heavy Machinery Synergy Innovation Plan Project (ZX01-20140100-01). References [1] Jingguo Li, Lian Gao, Jingkun Guo. Mechanical properties and electrical conductivity of TiN–Al2O3 nanocomposites. J. Eur. Ceram. Soc. 2003; 23: 74-6. [2] Songlin Ran, Lian Gao. Electrical properties and microstructural evolution of ZrO2–Al2O3–TiN nanocomposites prepared by spark plasma sintering. Ceram. Int. 2012; 38: 4928-6. [3] Bellosi A., Guicciardi S., Tampieri A.. 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Fig. 3 SEM micrographs of fracture cross-sections of Al2O3–30 vol.% TiN0.3 composite sintered via SPS at different temperatures in vacuum (6Ãâ€"103 Pa) for 10 min: (a) 1300  °C; (b) 1400  °C; (c) 1500  °C; (d) 1600  °C. Fig. 4 SEM micrographs of fracture cross-sections of the composites sintered via SPS at 1400  °C in vacuum (6Ãâ€"103 Pa) for 10 min: (a) Al2O3–10 vol% TiN0.3; (b) Al2O3–20 vol% TiN0.3; (c) Al2O3–30 vol% TiN0.3; (d) Al2O3–40 vol% TiN0.3. Fig. 5 Vickers hardness and fracture toughness of (a) Al2O3–30 vol% TiN0.3 composite versus sintering temperature; (b) Al2O3–TiN0.3 composites sintered at 1400  °C versus TiN0.3 content. Fig. 6 Bending strength of Al2O3–TiN0.3 composites sintered at 1400  °C versus TiN0.3 content. Fig. 7 Density of states for TiN and TiNx. à ¯Ã‚ Ã¢â‚¬ ºÃƒ ¯Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ªÃƒ ¯Ã‚ Ã‚  Corresponding author. Tel (fax): 086-0335-8061671; E-mail: [emailprotected] Supported by the Hebei Province Scientific Committee of China (Nos. E2012203116, ZH2012003, JX2014-3 and ZX01-20140100-01).