Campaign Rhetoric

Composition Project 1: Campaign Rhetoric With one of its major focuses on both textual and visual rhetoric, English 102 invites you into an in-depth analysis of how text and image work together. In politics, product advertising, education, business, and many other contexts, we see words, pictures, and even sound coming together in campaigns to send messages to their audiences. Your increasingly sharp ability to analyze the rhetorical situations of such campaigns not only contributes to the strength of your communication, but it also helps to strengthen your ability to â€Å"read† and critique the world around you.This first project invites you to analyze, evaluate, and create an evidence-based argument about a campaign that interests you. Steps in the Process Like any authentic research project, you’ll begin with inquiry: What do I know? What don’t I know? You’ll use research to get to know some campaign(s) in the media around you: Web, TV, print, radio, m obile phone. Once you’ve done that research, you’ll 1. Choose a campaign: an anti-drug campaign for teens? A local Senator’s campaign for re-election? Starbucks’s line of seasonal coffee drinks?A university’s recruiting campaign? 2. Identify the rhetorical situation: the communicator, audience, message and purpose, context 3. Analyze its rhetorical strategies 4. Use this analysis to make an evaluative argument about this campaign Your Audience Your instructor and your peers are part of your audience. But the message you send with this analysis is likely to be of interest to audiences in and out of your field. Thus, it is up to you to decide who you want your audience to be, based on your purpose, message, and context.Form Depending on your audience, purpose, message, and context, this composition may take any one or a hybrid of textual forms: e. g. , an opinion piece, a letter, a memo, a report, a blog. Research and Evidence: Your composition will draw on at least one form of primary research (see Praxis 200-205). ), and at least one form of scholarly research. Additionally, you may feel welcome to draw on other sources (journals, newspapers or magazines, Web sites, images, popular culture) as your audience, purpose, and message require.

Cask of Amontialldo †Character Traits Essay

The character of Montresor in, â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado† is one who can only be defined with words along the lines of evil, or wicked. He vows to avenge the bold and childish Fortunato, whom Montresor swears did him wrong. Montresor could be described with many bold words, one being guilty. Though he is guilty, he is determined not to get caught. For instance, Montresor declares, â€Å"I must not only punish, but punish with impunity† (Poe, 1). Essentially, he is saying he will seek revenge on Fortunato, but he will get away with the vicious crime. Another obvious character trait for the devious Montresor, is dishonest. He claims to have obtained a cask of Amontillado, when the reader can tell through situational irony this is not true. He claims, â€Å"†¦ I have received a pipe of what passes for Amontillado, but I have my doubts† (Poe 1). Fortunato unknowingly follows the fiend, and in theory, seals his own fate. Montresor is also quite sneaky. He slyly gets Fortunato into a small inlet in his wine cellar– also a home for skeletal remains. He hastily chains him up before the poor Fortunato can even realize what’s happening. Explaining the situation, Montresor says, â€Å"†¦ inding his progress arrested by the rock, stood stupidly bewildered†¦ a moment more and i fettered him to the granite† (Poe 4). Lastly, Montresor is just plain mysterious. Readers never know exactly why he decided to go after Fortunato, but it is hinted he offended the killer in some way. When asked about his coat of arms, Montresor blatantly states, â€Å"A human foot†¦ the foot crushes a serpent rampant whose fangs are imbedded in the heel† (Poe 3). The motto underneath is â€Å"nemo me impune lacessit† (Poe 3). To conclude, Montresor plays not only a degrading character, but one of many evils.

The Performance of Microsoft Corporation and Oracle Corporation Essay

The Performance of Microsoft Corporation and Oracle Corporation - Essay Example Oracle, on the other hand has a net income of almost half as of with Microsoft, but has shown a growth of 17% which shows the company is progressing in the right direction. Account Receivables According to the balance sheets, the accounts receivable was $14,987 million in 2011 and $15780 million in 2012. The percentage of debtors compared to total revenues were 21.42 % (14987/69943 * 100) in 2011 and again 21.40 % (15780 /73723 *100) in 2012. On the other hand, Oracle, had accounts receivable of $6,628 million in 2011 and $6377 million in 2012. This as a percentage of total revenues was 18.6 % (6628/35622 *100) in 2011 and came down to 17.18 % (6377/37121 *100) in 2012. This indicates a tightening policy and Oracle started collecting cash quickly. Hence, Oracle has shown a positive trend making a good impact on its current assets, and in case of liquidation, it receives cash faster and might be offering cash discounts in order to speedup the collection. And as for Microsoft has been consistent with its debtors policy and has not made much effort in reducing the debtors collection period. Account Payables The accounts payable of Microsoft for 2011 were $4197 million and $4175 million in 2012. For Oracle, the creditors figure was $494 million in 2011 and $438 million in 2012. The accounts payable for Oracle was significantly lower. Also calculated as a percentage of the total costs the accounts payable for Oracle were significantly lower. This indicates that Oracle pays of its creditors earlier. This might be possible so that Oracle can avail cash discounts and not keep long credit term period. Inventory Looking at the past years balance sheet, it can be concluded that both of the firms were successful in reducing their inventory level over the past...However, this is not of due importance, the respective companies have been consistent with this over the years and this will not affect our analysis. Looking at the past years balance sheet, it can be concluded that both of the firms were successful in reducing their inventory level over the past two years. Microsoft reduced their inventory level from $1,372 million in 2011 to $1,137 million in 2012. This shows a decrease in inventory level of 17% over the year. On the other hand, Oracle was able to reduce the inventory level by 48% which is almost the half from the previous year. The company’s inventory level declined from $303 million in 2011 to $158 million in 2012. The above comparison of inventory level shows that Oracle has been able to reduce its cost of holding inventory such as cost to insure, track and storage cost. An inventory shows the firm’s investment tied up in form of stock until the good is sold. It also indicates that Oracle would have a better quick ratio which is a better measure of liquidity than current ratio. This ratio excludes inventory from current ratio as it is difficult for firms to convert inventory into stock. Also, Oracle might have a better inven tory management system as they might be using just-in-time method for their inventory, where company receives inventory only when needed or they might have a better a sales forecast in comparison to Microsoft.

How can the application of information and communication technology Essay

How can the application of information and communication technology (ICT) improve public services - Essay Example This implies that the public sector also needs to find tools and techniques to establish itself and work to attain the best results throughout their operations. This paper will examine the possibility of the public sector using information and communication technology (ICT) to improve public services. To this end, the paper would examine the areas that the public sector with the aid of information and communication technology. The research would be conducted through the use of a critical literature review which would critique authoritative sources for ideas and concepts that would be outlined in the essay. The subject is Public Management and Organisations . This is sources. You also can use your own sources. Asgarkhani, M. (2005). Digital government and its effectiveness in public management reform - A local government perspective. Public Management Review , 7, 3, 465-487. Brown, D. (2005). Electronic government and public administration. International Review of Administrative Sciences , 71, 2, 241-254. Dunleavy, P., Margetts, H., Bastow, S. and Tinkler, J. (2008) Digital Era Governance , Oxford, Oxford University Press. Dunleavy, P., Margetts, H., Bastow, S. and Tinkler, J. (2006) New public management is dead - long live digital-era governance, Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory , 16, 3, 467-494. Flynn, N. (2010) Public Sector Management, 6 th Edition, Sage, London. Gasco, M. (2003). New technologies and institutional change in public administration. Social Science Computer Review , 21, 1, 6-14. Gil-Garcia, J. R., and Pardo, T. A. (2005). E-government success fact ors: Mapping practical tools to theoretical foundations. Government Information Quarterly , 22, 2, 187-216. Hatford S., Obstfelder, A. and Lotherington, A. (2009) Beyond implementation and resistance: how the delivery of ICT policy is reshaping healthcare, Policy and Politics , 37, 1, 113-128.

What strategic influence does Special Operations have Research Paper

What strategic influence does Special Operations have - Research Paper Example This research aims at analyzing the nature and the characteristics of special operations and the strategic influence that they have on the target population. Special operations demand the use of special methods of employment, special techniques, tactics, procedures as well as equipment. Special operations acquire significance in harsh environments characterized by high level of hostility, denial and environments that are most sensitive politically or diplomatically. These operations are thus more time sensitive and concealed in nature. Special operations according to Derek (2006, 149) have lower visibility, work in collaboration with local forces and require greater regional point of reference as well as cultural proficiency. Special operations require very high level of intelligence and the intelligence organ must have a good understanding of the major activities. It must be capable of approving all the logistical requirements within the shortest time possible, which is usually within a span of fifteen days. The communication system has to be significantly efficient to ease collection of information from the ground as well as coordination within the staff members involved to arrive at the best solution for the prevailing situation. In operating in remote areas, according to Derek (2006, 252) special operations mostly require the use of long range and surface oriented combined firing support. With special operations, offensive actions can be either by seizing the core facilities of the people as a piece of the wide operation or utilizing a guerilla war tactic of hitting and running away to cool the chosen targets. Even though the other ordinary units are capable of carrying out such operations, special units perform with greater precision thus yielding better results. Special Forces are also capable of conducting such operations in areas where the other ordinary units cannot reach. A common characteristic of special operations is effectiveness in terms

The Importance of Being Earnest, Oscar Wilde honest relationships in Essay

The Importance of Being Earnest, Oscar Wilde honest relationships in the play - Essay Example Honesty was lacking in the social system and as Oscar Wildes The Importance of Being Earnest shows us, the lack of honesty even extended to the portrayed relationships between individuals which is evident in reworked versions of the play today (Feingold. 2004). Wilde attained popularity and notoriety because of his works and the manner in which he lived his life. However, his plays contained a lot more than simple comedy since they can also be viewed as social commentary (Ellmann, 1988). The biting tone presented in The Importance of Being Earnest only highlights the idea that while individuals seek to be honest and even present themselves as being honest and upright, the honesty exists in name only and not in spirit (Chafe, 2008). Perhaps that is exactly what society demanded of the characters that is they should appear to be earnest and honest while doing nothing which actually showed that were exactly so in reality. The Importance of Being Earnest gives us a satirical look at how characters can create elaborate deceptions to try and fool others. The deception even extends to how the characters relate to each other within the power structures defined by society where the man is supposed to be dominant and the woman is supposed to be subservient. However, dominant women can overturn the relationships and the social hierarchy as done by Lady Bracknell (Costa, 2008). While the rules are meant to be obeyed, they can be bent and altered by individuals in the same manner that the entire society is doing on a larger scale (Hawkins, 2006). For example, Jack is interviewed by Lady Bracknell but this interview was a role that had traditionally been reserved for the father in the Victorian age which is noted by Styan and Gentleman (1975, Pg. 44) as being â€Å"an extreme contrast well suited to the quality of farcical comedy found in this play†. Even Jack himself wishes to present the

How does the mainstream practice of journalism influence how conflict Essay

How does the mainstream practice of journalism influence how conflict is covered - Essay Example This was as a solution to previous excesses of the media that had either negative or no effects on conflict formation, escalation, solution and termination. However, like all new concepts, the newly born conflict sensitive media did not have a user manual and journalists and media houses had with them a new tool that they had no idea how to use. Government sponsored print and electronic media were the most common in those early days and, therefore, the public always heard what the governments wanted them to hear; mainly due to media control by their main sponsor, who was at the time the government. Governments used the media to downplay conflicts and conceal facts that they did not want their citizens to know, resulting in selective dissemination of crucial information. With the advent of strong civil society movements and the spread of capitalism, individuals and corporation got the rights to own and run media houses that were free from control by governments. However, this did not solve the problem with conflict sensitive journalism, as journalists in these media houses did not know how to implement the strategy (Lynch and McGoldrick 2005, p. 197). According to Lynch (2008, p. 186), conflict sensitive journalism is truly much evolved, and many media houses are using the tool to prevent or stop conflicts. However, the major force in how conflicts are reported is mainstream media houses, which pick on an approach to the reportage of a crime and other media houses follow suit. Approaches by mainstream media to reporting conflict falls into four principal categories; conflict-oriented coverage, truth-oriented coverage, people-oriented coverage, and solution-oriented coverage. If any the mainstream media decides to take any of these approaches, then other media houses have to follow suit for their coverage to have any relevance (Seow and Crispin 2005, p. 311). Conflict Oriented Coverage In this approach, media houses focus on the ignition of the conflict, factors that fuel it, factors that diminish it, and other factors that may sway the direction of the conflict without caring which direction the conflict takes. Media houses give the conflict airtime since they know that people are concerned about the happenings in the world, but instead of using this chance to alter the direction of the conflict in any way, the media prefer to watch in inaction. First, media focus on the conflict genesis, reporting about all the factors that resulted in the conflict. These factors include the parties on both ends of the conflict, and the disputed issue or issues, all in the name of keeping the public informed. This strategy exposes the commercial nature of mainstream media because despite which direction the conflict takes, media houses will reap the benefit from it since they do not take a stand against or for the conflict (Seow and Crispin 2005, p. 311). Another part of conflict oriented media coverage is that media houses offer real and imagined outcome s of conflicts, mostly with a bias to outcomes that are grim in nature. The media predicts and speculates about the conflicts, drawing parallels and creating links between these conflicts and historical events, and predicting the future based on the possible outcomes. This speculation and mixing of facts with opinions makes news material for both electronic broadcasting and printing, as reporters are

Critiquing an Argument Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Critiquing an Argument - Essay Example hortest course the later on he says that one leaves everything he has including family to take a walk I don’t think an idler who said to be the holy landers can even have a good family or job to leave n take a walk n to add on that if one is successful and has a family and he owns something why should he or she go on a walk the so called holy land which even doesn’t exist in real sense (Murphy 45). It requires a direct dispensation from Heaven to become a walker. You must be born into the family of the Walkers. This is not true because God can’t let someone become a walker and can’t allow one be born a beggar. Some commitment to religious practices is fantasy. If one is going to saunter through the woods and over the hills and fields how is he or she going to preserve their health, mechanics and shopkeepers spend their afternoons sited with their legs crossed yet they are to use their legs doing something important to earn a living so as not to become holy Landers (Lewin 22). In Thoreau’s mindset and observation, women do not like their place in society. This is because they are expected to just sit at homes while men do all the work and walking. For men, the indoor activities increase only when they are growing old. This is not such a fair assessment but he strongly believes in how women are bored and this is shown by the use of capital letters that â€Å"I have ground to suspect that most of them do not STAND it at all† (Murphy 85). Walking is considered as a catalyst to ungodliness. This Thoreau believes because he states that even great philosophers had to import woods to themselves instead of going out into the woods. Walking in my opinion does not make one forget about their duties and responsibilities (Lewin 34). Thoreau disagrees and believes one can walk in body without getting into the act in spirit. The author is a believer in walks only that he doubts if the society sees any good in them. He is an avid walker as he has made it almost a

Predictors of Medication Errors in Elderly in Nursing Homes Research Paper

Predictors of Medication Errors in Elderly in Nursing Homes - Research Paper Example The National Coordinating Council for Medication Error Reporting and Prevention (2011) explains that "A medication error is any preventable event that may cause or lead to inappropriate medication use while the medication is in the control of the healthcare professional, patient, or consumer.† This means that medication errors do not only occur at the hands of medical professionals. In this essay, the writer review predictors of medication errors in elderly in nursing homes. This means that the bulk of the writer’s attention shall be based on factors that medical practitioners in nursing homes and taking care of elderly people can use to predict possible medication errors. As seen in the definition of medication errors, the writer’s view of predictors shall be varying and widespread, not centering only on the health practitioner but on all other causative factors including patients and consumers. Predictors of Medication Errors in Elderly This section of the essay reviews five major predictors of medication errors that can take place among elderly people in nursing homes. Number of Home Medications The fact that elder people under consideration are based on nursing homes should not eradicate the possibility of medication error occurring as a result of a number of home medications. Nursing officers and other health professionals taking care of elderly people in nursing homes must predict the fact that once admitted at the home, the history of a number of home medications received by patients before their admission at the nursing home can interfere with the efficacy and functions of medications administered to them at the nursing home. For this reason, it is rightly appropriate that nursing and other health professionals have a fair idea of medications patients on admission might have received at home before being admitted. Over the years, it is because nursing practitioners have been negligent of the need to assess the number of home medicati ons taken by elderly patients admitted at the nursing homes that Prasanatikom and Madigan (2004) concluded in a research that â€Å"incidence of medication error was highest at the first visit (23.5%)† Self-administration of medication Self-administration of medication is something that is common among elderly patients in nursing homes. Pollick explains that self-administration of medication or self-medication is the â€Å"practice of using illicit or legal drugs without proper medical supervision is known as self-medication.† The commonest cause given to the problem of self-administration of medication among elderly patients in nursing homes has been found to be over anxiety among the elderly patients (Akakpo, 2003). As a matter of fact, due to degeneration psychological problems among elderly patients, they tend to be very anxious about their health and always have a feeling that taking medications in overdose or taking extra medications aside what is prescribed for them may lead to a quick recovery of their health. Health practitioners in nursing homes must, therefore, have a forecasted knowledge that if self-administration of medication takes place among their patients, the patients risk the problem of medication error because there is the tendency of self-medicated drugs conflicting with the functions of prescribed drugs.  

Sam Palmisano Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Sam Palmisano - Essay Example His vision for IBM and the sweeping changes he has made to the business of IBM have been met with optimism as well as cynicism. Some are succeeding while some are lackluster. His ideas, taken one at a time, seem to be all over the road, but when taken in context of his broader plans, they are indeed focused and revolutionary. The capstone of Palmisano's business plan is On Demand Computing. In the world of high technology Palmisano believes, "IBM can create and win high-margin opportunities in everything from Web-site management software to corporate technology services to mainframe computers" (Bergstein). His on demand vision creates the environment for the company to provide consulting, storage, computing, and management all from a single source. Palmisano has eagerly pushed for increased research and development while promoting the exploration of new communication methods to make on demand possible. His on demand process has been met favorably as businesses realize they need additional expertise outside their own walls to grow. The client can use what they want, when they need it, and without huge up-front outlays. It has also helped, if not required, the successful implementation of another Palmisano pet project, the IBM Partner Program. IBM's partner program is an integrated technology network that provides technology solutions throughout dissimilar business environments. It enables small to medium sized businesses to take advantage of IBM's expertise. In return, IBM gets access to their markets and clients. The expanding server market, where IBM has been gaining market share from HP, has attributed its rapid growth to the partner network. Palmisano reports, "It would be impossible for us to be that effective without them, so that works very well" (Palmisano Interview). Horizontal integration is another area that Palmisano has stressed with success. Palmisano believes the future lies in the ability to provide across the board, integrated solutions to increase the efficiency of the workflow process. Integration can connect supply-chain management, business modeling, streamlined production, employee management, and scientific research. His vision will offer IBM's customers the ability to view, in real time, every aspect of their product, schedule, and clients' needs. He has thrown the old concept of services out the window and replaced it with his new idea of integration. In his words,"... people should not think of 'services' as only a labor-intensive business." (Schlender). Integration has not just been a marketing tool for Palmisano. He has worked to guide IBM through a period of what he calls internal reintegration, the reassembling of his own company to make it more responsive and versatile. IBM has traditionally been plagued with complaints of the overwhelming bureaucracy that was confronted when attempting to do business with IBM. Palmisano acknowledges that they have a long way to go, but has taken steps to consolidate corporate entities and eliminate the need for their clients to deal with multiple business units. It's this attitude that has led to closing regional sales offices so the customer can deal directly with IBM, and encouraging his 35000 member sales staff to share information. Having an integrated philosophy removes any question about whether the numbers are correct or not.

An overview of the conflict resolution theory Essay Example for Free

An overview of the conflict resolution theory Essay Conflict Resolution Theory In conflict resolution, preconceived notions, also called the natural cognitive sorting processes, are the stimuli that unwittingly foment war. By taking a look at individual and intergroup relations, one can better grasp conflict resolution as a way of mediation which may lessen the probabilities of the outbreak of political violence. This essay takes a close examination of the effect of individual-level models of change to inspire change at the social level. The scaling up the process from individual treatment to social has its strengths and weakness. Controlled communication, sensitivity training, Freud’s hydraulic model, complex mirroring and conscious raising psychotherapy are experimented means in conflict resolution to dissolve conflict at both individual and general levels. The natural cognitive sorting mechanism of dividing people into ‘us’ and ‘them’ engenders prejudice and in the long run, political violence. This perspective is typical to The Self and The Other concept in which people and groups are constructed to exclude the other or any entity that is perceived as foreign and to include the self or other entities affiliated to the self. â€Å"Protracted social conflicts typically involve an enduring set of antagonistic perceptions and interactions between communal groups†¦negative attributions of motivations and reciprocal negative images perpetuate the antagonisms and solidify the conflict† (Fisher 1997). This concept breeds the antagonization of groups which turns one group against the other, deepening rifts and sharpening rivalry. Since this type of social cognitive process emphasizes differences between ‘us’ and ‘them,’ an elitism can arise which advantages one group over the othe r and fosters an unhealthy intergroup competition and mutual exclusion. With mutual degradation and demonized motives, each group continues to not only drift apart but rub against each other in a frictional relationship to produce an aggression fire. At the national level, us and them dichotomy leads to jingoism which is a chauvinistic form of nationalism. This ideology promotes the suppression of one and the superiority of a people. Fanatical patriotism and the prejudiced belief propose that another party must suffer in the power imbalance. (Paris 2004) agrees that â€Å"exclusionary forms of nationalism also make enemies of excluded groups.† In other words, one nation categorizes, segregates and disadvantages another. As a consequence, the excluded party harbors resentment toward the opposing group. Resentment begets tension-filled relations, which beget mistrust. The polarizing effect of the ‘us’ and ‘them’ construct leads inevitably to suspicion and in a competitive environment, to perceived inequalities. Inequalities result in the categorization of an oppressed and an oppressor, the victimized and the victimizer. At a particular point, one group arrives at a breaking point, demanding the redr ess of wrongs whether real or perceived and an equalizing of the playing field. (Fisher 1997) also recognizes that some â€Å"conflicts arise when identity groups perceive that they are oppressed and victimized through a denial of recognition, security, equity and political participation.† Imbalances of power stimulate one group to react or even retaliate – hence hostilities erupt. It was a wave of nationalism which provokes WWII in which the Aryan Germans attempt to purge Germany of ‘unwanted elements’ for the sake of the country. Similarly, in the case of Rwanda and other countries, ethnic cleansing or genocide take place because of inequality and a false sense of nationalism. Sorting out the Natural Cognitive Processes To arrive at conflict resolution, one must broach the theme of altering intergroup perceptions. This method is an individual-to-social strategy in which with a third party intervention, both groups can mutually exchange opinions and feelings. John Burton pioneers and implements a â€Å"casework approach,† a term used in social work to explain the methods implemented to solve an in individual or group problem. Controlled communication signifies a way to forge effective communication habits. Burton asserts that the source of conflict is miscommunication and the source of miscommunication is distorted worldviews or perceptions of the other. In practicing controlled communication, groups can share their prejudices and biases in a setting that diffuses anger and sets a more amicable tone for talks would help improve relations. Also, Leonard Doob advocates sensitivity training which progresses the transition from individual-level change to collective change. He puts forward that a s mall representative group ventilates their perceptions, opinions, and concerns to create awareness and better grasping of group processes. The sensitivity training workshop is similar to a psychological therapy conducted by a third party. Ideas and feelings are shared to increase interpersonal effectiveness. (Toft 2010) declares that giving voice to former combatants is a mechanism in conflict resolution to craft negotiation settlements in which â€Å"renewed violence can be averted.† This rule follows the sensitivity training theory which enhances sympathy and increases chances at understanding and positive change. In Sigmund Freud’s group processes theory, he posits that the group’s way of thinking is spawned directly from the individual’s. In Freud’s hydraulic model, the principle is that just as it is dangerous to suppress feelings for fear of compounding them for a more violent eruption, so at the social level, it is risky to continually inhibit ill-feeling by conflict resolution (Strachey 1966); instead, venting would help diffuse tensions and instead of internalizing the resentment, the person finds relief in expression. In his work â€Å"Give War a Chance† (Luttwak 1999) examines the effect of peacekeeping which only temporarily resolves the issue by satisfying parties. However, he advocates war as the means of reaching a more definitive and longer lasting conflict resolution. Complex Mirroring Complex mirroring within the group setting is a way in which the individual change scalps up to the group level change. In remedying traumatized individuals, the victims join themselves to a group and begin to mirror one another’s feelings and experiences. A critic notices that â€Å"by listening to one another’s individual presentation of personal experiences, participants gain a new perspective†¦by listening to the series of such descriptions, they gained the experience of universality† (Herman 1997). As a result, the individual-level change dynamic transmutes into the group-level change. As one witness the effect of trauma, the support group experiences secondary trauma as wounded members relate their experiences and seek emotional support. The incidence of secondary trauma gives rise to empowerment and awareness. Kathie Sarachild formulated the conscious-raising psychotherapy structures specifically for the individual but which could be used â€Å"to ef fect social rather than individual change† (Herman 1997). This method was implemented for rape-victims who were silenced by the violence and trauma inflicted by another. In the scope of social change, political violence is a grave injustice inflicted by one and visited upon the other. A remedial path is a sensitization rather than retaining the silence over the injury. As the public’s consciousness heightens, a cure has to be suggested and taken. The beneficial result is that â€Å"changes at the individual level were being linked with policy processes at the macro level† (Fisher 1997). Conflict Resolution Strengths and Weaknesses In conflict resolution, a strength of the individual to group model application is that groups comprise a conglomerate body in which individual mirroring gradually filters into the group’s ethics. The reasoning is that a group is comprised of individuals and since a group is made up of individuals, then a method aimed at effecting change in an individual can also be applied to the group. However, this method does not factor in the wide diversity of the individuals belonging to a group. One rigid rule utilized for one individual cannot work for a group because this view only facilitates the one-size-fits-all theory which is not socially viable. References: Fisher, R.J. (1997). Interactive Conflict Resolution, Syracuse University Press, New York. Herman, J.L. (1997). Trauma and Recovery. Basic Books Publishers, New York. Anonymous. (1996). Human Rights in Peace Negotiations, Human Rights Quarterly,18(2), 249- 258. Luttwak, E. (1999).   Give War a Chance, Journal of Foreign Affairs, 78 (4), 36-44 http://www.jstor.org/stable/20049362. Accessed 14 December 2011. Strachey, J. (1966). The Standard Edition of the Complete Psychological Works of Sigmund Freud, The Hogarth Press and the Institute of Psycho-Analysis, Vol. 22, Toft, M.D. (2010). Ending Civil Wars: A Case for Rebel Victory, Journal of International Security, 34 (2), 7-36. Paris, R. (2004). At War’s End: Building Peace after Civil Conflict. Cambridge University Press.

The Life Plan After College Essay Example for Free

The Life Plan After College Essay The Life Plan will help you to achieve your short-term, mid-term, and long-term life goals. It allows you to visualize your future. Its focus is on three major life areas, academic, career, and personal. Individuals who have a clear vision of their future have a greater likelihood of realizing their dreams and goals than those who treat life as a stream of random unrelated events. A secondary outcome of this assignment is that it will allow you to demonstrate your written communication skills. Instructions: Respond to the following questions by answering in complete paragraphs. Be specific and detailed in your responses. Use examples to illustrate your points. Make sure that your responses are grammatically correct with no errors in punctuation or spelling. Proof your work and have others proof your work. Use the College writing lab if you need additional assistance with grammar, structure, or punctuation. Produce a document with no errors. Questions: 1. Now that you have entered college, what are the immediate short-term goals you expect to achieve this semester and the following two semesters? Address the goals that are relevant to you in the academic, personal, and career realm. What does it mean to you to achieve these goals? Why do want to major in __________? What opportunities will your completing this academic degree will be available to you? Who can help you make your career and or academic decisions? 2. Visualize yourself, as you grow older. What do you see your accomplishments to be ten years from now, twenty, and thirty? What advocational goals do you have? These could include hobbies, artistic, musical or other creative pursuits. What do you hope to be doing following your retirement? Where will you live and work? Do you see yourself contributing to others in your community as you achieve the goals you have set? If so, how? Will you volunteer in some way in your community? What things will be necessary to allow you to live your long-term vision of this future? Again, address the areas of academic, personal, and career, as you respond to this question. 3. Identify and write about your mid-term goals in the areas of academic, personal and career. These are things you hope to complete during the next two to five years. These might include transfer to another higher education institution, relocating, finding a job more closely related to your career interest area, starting a family etc.

Analysis of Employee Treatment in MNCs in Malaysia

Analysis of Employee Treatment in MNCs in Malaysia According to The Columbia Encyclopedia (2008), a multinational company also called as multinational enterprise (MNE) or transactional corporation (TNC); it is a corporation business enterprise with manufacturing, sales, or service subsidiaries in one or more foreign countries. It can also be referred to as an international corporation. Besides that, Mohamed A. Youssef (2004) said that multinational companies are firms that engages in foreign direct investment and owns or controls value-adding activities in more than one country. The study of multinational companies is relevant to the major theme of changing national business systems in two important ways. Firstly, multinational companies reflect the strengths and weaknesses of their own country. Second, multinational companies work in at least two different national business systems, in their home and host countries (Maurits van Os, Gerarda Westerhuis, Onno de Wit, 2003). The Multinational companies are a powerful vehicle for the transfer of not only the capital and other production functions but also managerial and technical knowledge across nations (Limerick, 2004). Based on Bartletts (2003) research, the multinational corporations account for 40% of the worlds manufacturing output and almost a quarter of the world trade. About 85% of the worlds automobiles, 70% of computer and 65% of soft drinks are produced and marketed by multinational corporations. During the last two decades, many smaller corporations also become multinational, some of them in developing nations (The Columbia Encyclopedia, 2008). This often results in very powerful corporations that have budgets that exceed some nationals GDP and multinational corporations play an important role in international relations and globalization (Multimedia Corporation, 2009). In Bartlett (2003) research shows that in 1973, the United Nations defined the multinational corporation as an enterprise which control assets, factories, mines, sales offices and the like in two or more countries. The first qualification required a multinational corporation to have substantial direct investment in foreign countries and not just an export business. The second requisite for a true multinational corporation would be a company that engaged in the active management of these offshore assets rather than simply holding them in a passive financial portfolio. Overview of Multinational Companies in Malaysia Malaysia ranks as among the worlds top 20 attractive countries for foreign direct investment, according to the World Investment Prospects Survey 2007-2009. Among the Southeast Asian countries, Malaysia was the third favourite foreign direct investment location, just after the Vietnam and Thailand (Rajeswari Raman, 2008). Historically, multinational corporations in Malaysian manufacturing were concentrated in import substitution production in areas such as foods and beverages, chemicals and pharmaceutical. Their involvement in export production was limited to some processing activities linked to primary product sectors. In 1970s, there was a dramatic transformation in the product structure of multinational corporations participation. From about the mid-1980s, production for the domestic market has become secondary to using Malaysia as a base for manufacturing for the global market (Multinational Enterprises, Employment and Real Wages in Malaysian Manufacturing, 2005). According to Halims (2000) study, foreign direct investment has always been a major factor in developing Malaysias industrial sector. The promoting of the presence of the multinational corporations in Malaysia is to provide domestic firms with access to advanced technologies through subcontracting, the creation of spin-off firms, OEM and training activities. The Malaysian government encourages direct foreign investment, particularly in export oriented manufacturing and high-tech industries, but it has discretionary authority over individual investments. Malaysia has a stated policy of not promoting low value-added and labour-industries, preferring quality investments. A foreign company or a multinational corporation can conduct business in Malaysia through setting up a representative office, registering a branch office, setting up a joint venture company or granting patent licenses and franchising. General policy limits foreign equity to minority 30 percent shares, but 100 percent fo reign ownership in manufacturing is permitted in certain instances for export-oriented industries (www.atimes.com). According to list of multinational companies in Malaysia (2009), there are 37 major industry sectors covered in the foreign companies in Malaysia which are: Academic food drink petrochemicals Accountancy government pharmaceuticals/medical Agriculture/environmental individual printing/paper Aviation/defence insurance real estate/property Banking/finance IT/computers/software retail Chemicals legal services Chemicals/petrochemicals machinery/equipment telecoms/communications Construction/engineering manufacturing textiles Consultancy media tourism/travel/leisure Consultancy goods motor industry transport Electronics/electrical oil gas Energy/utilities packaging Multinational corporations from more than 60 countries have invested in over 3,000 companies in Malaysias manufacturing sector, currently 1052 regional establishments were approved, which included 67 operational headquarters, 182 international procurement centres, 29 regional distribution centres, 579 representative offices and 195 regional offices. The main sources of foreign investment were from USA, Germany and Japan (Rajeswari Raman, 2008). Manufacturing goods, mainly products from the electronics and electrical (E E) industries make up the Malaysias largest body of exports. However, most manufactured exports were produced by foreign firms in Malaysia. For example, the electronics industry which contributes more than half the exports of manufactured goods comprised mostly foreign owned multinationals (Abd Halim, 2000). Based on Rajeswari Raman (2008) research, the major factor that has attracted investors to invest in Malaysia is the governments commitment to maintain a business environment that provides companies with the opportunities for growth and profits. The government having the regular government-private sector dialogues and these allow the various business communities to air their views and to contribute toward the formulation of government policies which concern them. Besides, the Malaysian government offers multinational corporations a range of incentives designed to encourage the establishment of subsidiaries that are regarded as especially advantageous. The incentives primarily entail taxation allowances and more liberal ownership rights for investments (1) in particular industries like the manufacturing and high technology, (2) in particular geographic locations such as the Multinational Super Corridor or the Eastern Corridor, (3) offer significant learning opportunities such as from research and development and have particular strategic roles like the operational headquarters and international procurement centres (Southeast Asia, A New Era in Asian Shipping,2005). By the mid-1980s, there was a growing conviction among the Malaysian policy circles that certain elements of the ethnicity-based affirmative action policy of the NEP were inconsistent with the national economic goal of achieving greater integration of the Malaysian economy with the global economy. These policy inconsistencies were redressed and further incentives for foreign investors were introduced under the promotion of Investment Act passed in 1986 (Multinational Enterprises, Employment and Real Wages in Malaysian Manufacturing, 2005). The increasing trends of outsourcing of core as well as non-core activities by large multinational corporations have open greater investment opportunities in the provision of support services. Malaysia continues to enjoy healthy surplus in the external trade, low unemployment as well as strong international reserves and high national savings (Rajeswari Raman, 2008). According to Rajeswari Raman (2008), the private sector in Malaysia has become partners with the public sector in achieving the nations development objectives. Justification Based on Jaime Bonache (2005) finding, job satisfaction is usually defined as an affective or emotional response toward ones job. A better salary, for an identical level effort, will determine the decision to quit and a higher level of satisfaction. To expect more and active contributions from the staff members to the company, satisfaction will become the natural choice. Furthermore, regarding the reason for demission, the American company attributes it to the culture and the Japanese company thinks that the most important reasons for demission are disappointment on welfare and the work satisfaction. Both American company and the Japanese company recognize that the requirement of employees should be fully concerned. The welfare, working environment, job satisfaction, and the self-realization are the three factors that motivate the staff. Sonal Shukla (2009) found out that appreciation and recognition are more important and meaningful than a financial pay raise or a position promotion . It is important for providing the satisfactory welfare package in the company, learn and try to meet the employees requirement, create chance for self-improvement and wide space for self-development to the employee in the company because the welfare, individual career development, and the company brand are the three attractive aspects. (Yuanqiang Zhou, Lei Lu, Bo Jiang, 2005). Besides that, according to Jaime Bonache (2005), a person can be relatively satisfied with the absolute monetary rewards he or she received and dissatisfied with how they fare relative to others, or with other aspects of his or her job. Job satisfaction will not be understood as a unitary concept, but as an affective or emotional response toward various facets of ones job, and in which processes of social comparison take place. Furthermore, Jaime Bonache (2005) lodge that satisfaction results from ones perception that work outcomes, relative to the inputs, compares favourably with a significant others outcomes and inputs. We can identify the referent used in the individuals comparisons by analyzing peoples satisfaction with their salary. Through Sonal Shukla (2009) research, it is accepted that a satisfied, secure and happy employee during times of a recession, gives back much more to the organization in terms of loyalty and performance. A low level of salary satisfaction is a very common problem among all types of employees. It is well known that employees on international assignments are particularly costly for most organizations (Jaime Bonache, 2005). According to John Stredwick (2000), the pay must become more variable instead of a wage or salary being a fixed amount each week, month or year. A growing proportion should become contingent upon performance. Performance can be measured on an individual basis, often called performance related pay, or through the team based pay, gain sharing or the profit related pay. In addition, there must have the final change for the basic pay itself, which also need to become more flexible. The 1st thing that needs to be changed is in how levels of basic pay have been determined. In the public sector and in many large private concerns, basic pay levels used to be subject to national negotiations between a collection of unions and officials from the trade association or government body. Furthermore, according to John Stredwick (2000), the reward issues need to play a major part to produce a high-performance people machine, focused on organizational objectives. Many schemes of performance related pay have a built in conflict because they have been devised to reward the achievements of individuals while other parts of the human resource policy puts great emphasis on building up team working skills and practice. To release the company from the conflict, there must be a reward strategy in place. It must be derived from and contribute to corporate strategy and be based on corporate values and beliefs. A further development in reward strategy is related to the development of competencies. Organizations have identified specific competencies which can differentiate them from their competitors. So, rewards must contingent upon circumstances and performance (John Stredwick, 2000). Problem statements Nowadays, the economic down turn has given a lot of impacts to each companies and organizations, especially the multinational corporations because they have a lot of transnational companies in each country. No one can run away from this economic down turn and each countrys exports and imports have decreased dramatically in 2009. Malaysia also suffered in this financial crisis and the Malaysia government has tried their best to cushion the economic. Organizations also cut down the employee welfare to lower their monthly expenses. The Watson Wyatt survey shows that 61% of employers expect their current financial performances to remain poor at least until the end of 2009. About half said they plan to increase their cost-cutting actions in 2009 and beyond (Sarah, 2009). In view of recession, additional financial measures for welfare may not be possible. According to Sonal Shukla (2009), recession changed the work of work culture where cost-cutting plays a predominant part. The first affe cted are the employee welfare. All the luxuries enjoyed by the employees are either reduces or may come to a standstill. Furthermore, although the rewards system can motivate the employees to perform well and become the companys core competitive advantage, some of the organizations seldom provide the rewards system in their organizations. The employees will only get the bonus or incentives once or twice a year but this is quite hard to motivate the employees. Most of the Asian companies still experience double-digit voluntary turnover rate like the India (13.8 percent) and China (10.3 percent). An organizations ability to retain talent is a challenge facing all companies. This provides challenges to be more innovative in retaining the top people in the organizations with a tighter budget during the recession time (Salary Increases Decline in Asia Pacific after One Year of Economic Turmoil, Hewitt Annual Salary Increase Study Reports, 2009). Besides that, organizations in Malaysia rarely provide the self-improvement and the self-development environment for the employees. The employees will lost their aspirations towards the organizations because they will feel that they cannot have any improvement in the organizations and they will resign the job. Employees will feel that the organizations are not pay attention to their basic needs and the organizations will also lost the high productivity workers and the turnover rate will be very high. This issue will become more serious during the economic downturn. According to Sarah (2009), during the recession time, most of the employers will intend to save the money by freezing salaries, reducing workweeks and eliminating the training programs and 18% intend to reduce or eliminate tuition reimbursement and subsidized other financial perks. Lastly, the basic pay, or the salaries for the employees are very low amongst each companies. The fresh graduate with a bachelors degree can only command a basic salary ranging from RM1, 600 to RM3, 500, with a median of Rm2, 000 per month (Betty Yeoh, 2009). This issue becomes more serious after the world is having the economic down turn and the economic in each country are still very unstable. However, the low basic pay cannot match with the real life that the employees are facing with. 2009 the actual salary increase rate went down by 4 percent and 8 percent respectively and over 60 percent of responding companies keeping wages constant (Salary Increases Decline in Asia Pacific after One Year of Economic Turmoil, Hewitt Annual Salary Increase Study Reports, 2009). Now all the products prices increase the total expenses of each month become bigger and bigger but the salary still remains unchanged. The low basic pay will demotivate the employees and the productivity will also become very low. In short run, the low basic pay may cut down the total operating expenses of the organizations but in long run, the quality of the products will decrease and the organizations need spend more money to increase their production. Based on the above scenarios, there is an urgent need for a deep discussion on the following problem: The cutting down of the welfares towards the employees in multinational companies The cutting down of the self-development and self-improvement activities in multinational companies The absence of the attractiveness of the incentives and bonus in multinational companies The low basic pay in the multinational companies Research Objectives There are three main objectives in this study, which are: To address the adoption of compensations and benefits in the multinational corporations. A well designed and managed compensations system can change the employees behaviour and their passion in their works, in order to improve their performance and productivity. The compensations may become a very critical in supporting managers to achieving the organizations goal. Furthermore, a good compensation system may also develop a positive organizational culture. It may influence the degree to which the employees view the organization is having the human resource-oriented, result based oriented and so on. Consequently, compensations not only influence on individual, but also affect the whole organization as a result. To examine the satisfaction towards compensations in the multinational companies will affect the performance. Compensations can be considered as the best ways to ensure performance at the individual level. The employees may perform well when they get the high job satisfactions from the compensations. However, there are some arguments that indicate that the compensations may not be able to assist the workers to enhance their performance, and it may also lead to a negative organizational climate, which needs to use the compensations to motivate the workers and the absence of commitment to organizational objectives. To examine the satisfaction towards the benefits in the multinational companies will affect the performance. The main purpose for having the benefits is to motivate workers to perform better well. It plays a critical role in affecting individual performance. It is critical to make sure that the benefits systems are effective in motivating individual performance as the increasing of importance of this systems in achieving organizations goal. Organization of Paper Chapter one addresses the overview of multinational companies, the overview of multinational companies in Malaysia, the research problems, the objectives and the significance of the study. From the overviews, we will have the brief idea on what are multinational companies and the multinational companies in Malaysia. Besides that, from the research problems, we will notice that what exactly happened around the world and we will understand what other researchers have found out from the significance of the study. Furthermore, form the objectives this part can know the main purposes to have this research. In chapter two will reviews issues that related on the compensations and the multinational corporations literature. The role of the multinational companies, the conflict amongst the multinational companies and the labour union in Malaysia will be reviews in Chapter 2. Furthermore, Chapter 2 will also explain what are compensations and benefits towards the employees, the types of compensations and benefits, the importance to have the compensations and benefits. In chapter three, will discuss the research method and the theoretical framework of the study. Chapter three also will present the development of the hypothesis to further describe the relationships between the independent variables and the dependent variables. Besides that, Chapter three will also include the questionnaire that used in this study. In chapter four, will discuss the results of the statistical analysis of the data and the hypothesis tested. We want to know that the results will match with the finding from other researchers. Lastly, chapter five will have a comprehensive discussion on the finding of this study, the limitations, recommendations and suggestions for future research. Chapter 2: Literature Review Introduction In this chapter, author presents the literature background on the multinational companies, the compensations and the benefits to the employees. Author will discuss the role of the multinational companies in Malaysia and their force and the conflict amongst the multinational companies with employees. As noted in chapter one, the performance can be generally affected by the basic pay, performance related pay, the welfare, the employees development and the reward system (Jaime Bonache 2005; Sonal Shukla 2009; Yuanqing Zhou, Lei Lu, Bo Jiang, 2005; John Stredwick 2000). Therefore, in this chapter, relevant study background will be study to understand the types of the compensations and the benefits, and the importance to have the compensations and benefits. As workers or the employees are the manpower of the company, there is a need to examine what will motivate the workers or the employees to perform better by using the compensations and the benefits package. Additionally, employers need to identify which plan will be more suitable and preferable in motivating a certain performance. Foreign direct investment (FDI) represents one component of the international business flow and includes start-ups of new operations, as well as purchases of existing companies. Firms will choose to become multinational to reduce the direct and indirect costs, to reduce the capital costs, to reduce taxes, to reduce logistics costs, to overcome tariff barriers, to provide better customer service, to spread foreign exchange risks, to build alternative supply sources, to pre-empt potential competitors, to learn from local suppliers, and to attract talent globally (Zubair M. Mohamed, Mohamed A. Youssef, 2004). According to Zubair M. Mohamed and Mohamed A. Youssef (2004), there are six strategic roles for foreign factories of multinational companies, they are; off-shore factory, source factory, server factory, contributor factory, output factory, and the lead factory. An off-shore factory is established to produce specific items at a low-cost and then export for further rework or for resale. For the source factory, is also a low-cost production but gives local managers authority over production planning, redesign, process changes, and out-bound logistics. The primary purpose of the server factory supplies specific national or regional markets. It typically provides a way to overcome tariff barriers, logistics costs, and exposure to foreign exchange fluctuations. Furthermore, a contributor factory also serves a national or regional market, as developed as a source factory, has more powers to develop products, process engineering, sources of supply, and development of production capabilities. Besides that, an output factorys primary role is to collect information. They are located where competitors, research laboratories, or customers are located. Lastly, a lead factory creates new processes, products, and technologies for entire company. It should be noted that the choice of the factory not only influences the location, but also the operating decisions of the facility. The shorter product life cycles, fragmented and saturated markets, more demanding customers, consolidation and mergers of companies, and rapid advances in processes and technology always present a dynamic competitive situation. A firm need to made the decisions related to international locations, production strategy, and operations strategy when they decides to become an multinational companies (Zubair M. Mohamed, Mohamed A. Youssef, 2004).he From the list of multinational companies in Malaysia (2009), there have 1690 multinational companies in Malaysia. The Role of Multinational Companies Multinational corporations have played an important role in globalization. Countries and sometimes sub national regions must compete against one another for the establishment of multinational corporations facilities, and the subsequent tax revenue, employment, and economic activity. To compete, countries and regional political districts sometimes offer incentives to multinational corporations such as tax breaks, pledges of governmental assistance or improved infrastructure, or lax environmental and labour standards enforcement (Multimedia Corporation, 2009). In the fifty year from 1950 to 2000 world trade grew by a remarkable 1,700 percent. There is an unprecedented growth in both trade and international investment leading directly to a remarkable growth in living standards, not just in developed, industrialized world but also in many developing countries when there is a period of remarkable openness in the international economy (John Browne, 2002). Multinational companies expected to help develop the region where they operate by hiring local employees, providing training programs, sourcing locally and consequently supporting the local economy (Juliette Bennett, 2002). In addition, Juliette Bennett (2002) said that multinational organizations are increasingly drawing the private sector into the global initiative against corruption in order to encourage good governance and conflict prevention. When US multinational companies invest abroad, they usually introduce their management practices, along with production technology, into less developed countries (Daniel A. Sauers, Steven C.H. Lin, Jeff Kennedy, Jana Schrenkler, 2009). Besides that, according to Juliette Bennett (2002), good corporate governance at home and abroad, promoting economic inclusiveness and community goodwill and it are very important elements of international security. The intercourse between the business and the government for the sharing skills and expertise can be valuable in promoting regional and global stability. Of course the multinational companies cannot and should not replace governments as the primary actors in international peacekeeping. However, multinational corporations working in partnerships with government and the civil society can use their business skills and financial leverage to promote regional stability. Furthermore, the multinational companies are a powerful vehicle for the transfer of not only the capital and other production functions but also managerial and technical knowledge across nations (Wenchuan Liu, 2004). Corporations have an interest in leveraging their skills and impact to promote stability in their areas of operation. All the multinational companies should bear some responsibility for the effects of their operations on the local environment and population (Juliette Bennett 2002). There are a lot of constructive engagements drives by the multinational corporations. For examples, the use of solar powered equipment to such as refrigerators which can store vital medicines in remote areas and the support for the creation of civil society in countries damaged by conflict and violence. There is a commitment from the multinational corporations to diversity founded not on quotas but based on the ability. Merit becomes the guiding factor which influences the multinational corpor ations approach to people everywhere (John Browne, 2002). Lastly, according to Juliette Bennett (2002), multinational companies can contribute to crisis management in conflict zones through commercial or philanthropic support for humanitarian relief and responsible management of security arrangements for the companys operations, thereby minimizing the risks of human rights abuses. Many cross-sector partnerships promote international security and explore conflict prevention, crisis management and post-conflict reconstruction strategies that address the three principal causes of conflict: corruption, poverty and social inequality. However, there is a strongly argued view that in the poorer countries of the world the role of multinationals is exploitative, environmentally damaging, and hostile to human rights and democracy, and divisive, destroying established communities. It distorts the process of development against the interests of local communities. It challenges protected niches, and established patterns of activity. It is disruptive and in places where the adjustment mechanisms are imperfect of nonexistent it produces casualties (John Browne, 2002). Besides that, according to Juliette Bennett (2002), globalization creates poverty and inequality, which in turn create the motive for much violence. Juliette Bennett further explained that the private sector is becoming more public-minded, while the public sector is becoming more business-minded. The Influence of Multinational Companies According to Maral Muratbekova-Touron (2008), globalization processes during the past decades has led to the development of the large multinational companies expanding their activities across countries and continents. One of the main issues facing the development of the global companies has always been to find the right balance between the local autonomy between subsidiaries and the control of the corporate headquarters. Compared with domestic firms, the operation of multinational companies foreign subsidiary is complicated by the existence of the dual imperatives to serve both the needs of the parent company, and possibly of other sister subsidiaries (Riliang Qu, 2007). According to Zubair M. Mohamed and Mohamed A. Youssef (2004), the growing trend among multinational companies is to leverage organizational practices across their international subsidiaries in order to improve the worldwide use of their organizational skills as an important source of competitive advantage. Traditional thinking assumed that corporate head quarters of multinational companies are responsible for the decisions concerning the roles and the capabilities of the foreign subsidiaries. However in recent reach showed that in some circumstances the management at multinational companies foreign subsidiaries are responsible for defining the strategies and objectives of their subsidiaries, within the constraints set for their opera tion (Riliang Qu, 2007). According to Daniel A. Sauers, Steven C.H. Lin, Jeff Kennedy, Jana Schrenkler (2009), Multinational companies faced the problems relate to the cultural differences. Thus, subsidiaries and joint ventures face conflicting pressures from the parent firm and the local environment. The subsidiaries of multinational companies face pressures for both local adaptation and global integration when they operate in foreign countries. Furthermore, Riliang Qu (2007) has classified subsidiaries roles within the intra-firm organisational networks of multinational companies into four categories, which are receptive, active, autonomous and quiescent subsidiaries. Receptive types of subsidiaries are highly integrated into the multinational companies network of operation and are given relatively little power in making their own decisions in relation to the local markets they serve. For the autonomous subsidiaries, are much less integrated to the multinational companies network operation and have a lot of autonomy powers. The following type is the quiescent type of subsidiaries,

Road Not Taken :: Free Essays

Critical Interpretation of â€Å"The Road Not Taken† by Robert Frost As a poem, â€Å"The Road Not Taken† is a great source of inspiration and able to be understood by all readers from an intuitive reader to a novice poem reader. A short poem with 4 sections, Robert Frost has given the main theme of the poem in its title, â€Å"The Road Not Taken.† Depending on the reader, the â€Å"road not taken† can ultimately imply any journey in life in which a decision between two paths must be made. â€Å"Two roads diverged in a yellow wood† provides the introduction and gives the main idea that a path must be chosen from two roads. Frost has further added to the drama of the decision in that both paths are desirable with â€Å"and sorry I could not travel both.† Frost implies that the path to be chosen is a personal decision in â€Å"and be one traveler.† In describing the two paths, Frost uses reverse language to describe. The first path was â€Å"bent in the undergrowth,† meaning it was well worn with no opportunity for overgrowth. The second path was â€Å"grassy and wanted wear† meaning it was overgrown and lacked wear (or a path). Frost foreshadows his decision by his use of language in describing those two paths. With both roads or paths equal, ultimately a decision must be made with no regret is the meaning Frost is providing in â€Å"And both that morning equally lay In leaves no step had trodden black.† As Frost has made his decision as to which path to pursue, he introduces another idea that after traveling the selected path perhaps he can come back to the philosophical fork in the road and chose the other path. But then he reminds himself that as one decision leads to other decisions and time moves on, he will more than likely never be able to get back to this point in his life or journey. Road Not Taken :: Free Essays Critical Interpretation of â€Å"The Road Not Taken† by Robert Frost As a poem, â€Å"The Road Not Taken† is a great source of inspiration and able to be understood by all readers from an intuitive reader to a novice poem reader. A short poem with 4 sections, Robert Frost has given the main theme of the poem in its title, â€Å"The Road Not Taken.† Depending on the reader, the â€Å"road not taken† can ultimately imply any journey in life in which a decision between two paths must be made. â€Å"Two roads diverged in a yellow wood† provides the introduction and gives the main idea that a path must be chosen from two roads. Frost has further added to the drama of the decision in that both paths are desirable with â€Å"and sorry I could not travel both.† Frost implies that the path to be chosen is a personal decision in â€Å"and be one traveler.† In describing the two paths, Frost uses reverse language to describe. The first path was â€Å"bent in the undergrowth,† meaning it was well worn with no opportunity for overgrowth. The second path was â€Å"grassy and wanted wear† meaning it was overgrown and lacked wear (or a path). Frost foreshadows his decision by his use of language in describing those two paths. With both roads or paths equal, ultimately a decision must be made with no regret is the meaning Frost is providing in â€Å"And both that morning equally lay In leaves no step had trodden black.† As Frost has made his decision as to which path to pursue, he introduces another idea that after traveling the selected path perhaps he can come back to the philosophical fork in the road and chose the other path. But then he reminds himself that as one decision leads to other decisions and time moves on, he will more than likely never be able to get back to this point in his life or journey.

Fast Fashion Essay -- Philosophy, Globalization

For the past several decades, globalization has been a hot topic and it also anticipates every aspect of the world to connect each other. Likewise, globalization also allows consumers to have more access to catch up with updated fashion. The advantages of globalization bring a new philosophy called fast fashion, which holds quick response time and enhanced design in fashion apparel industry. In this paper, I will deliver By exploring all the aspects of each system, I will conclude the reason why fast fashion becomes the mainstream of the fashion apparel industry, and use one particular brand, Zara, as an example to discover the impact on consumer behavior in detail. Finally I will make some comments on the future of fast fashion and what luxury brands will react to this circumstance†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. It is necessary to identify fashion and explain the systems apparel industry uses before I start explore the essentiality of fast fashion. According to Dictionary.com, fashion is defined as the prevailing style or custom that is in a current mode and used to express oneself. It can be clothing, accessories, hair, etc. Why certain people like to frequently shop in malls and keep updating apparels in their closets every season? Form psychological perspective, people usually consider clothing as a symbol to show their values, personality and lifestyles to others. Critically, a rapid imaginative change and symbolic expression supports a sense people have about fashion. People believe that an ideal self-identity can be communicated to others through clothing, so figuring out how people make decision when they perceive clothing among different brands and understanding their needs and desires can help apparel industries expending and maintaining market s... ... 1% of the $181 billion U.S. apparel market (Tiplady, 3). The potential growth of fast fashion will expend all over the country just like a flow. H&M got its sales boosted up about 20% in the first three months in 2006. Zara is also going In addition, since more shoppers are loading up on online shopping style when they can not spent time to shop because of busy work. Asos, an online market leader in the online shopping industry, announced that its sales of maxi-dresses and festival wear helped its sales has rose by 54% during the first quarter this year (Jessup). From this point, fast fashion could consider the possibility of online business and gain a share of the market. Frequent, limited-edition products, in-season design. Consumers tend to be more demanding and more arbitrary, so use appropriate strategy will be critical to all fast fashion retailers.

European Integration Essay -- essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  After the tragedies of World War II, European leaders have made striving efforts to prevent such a catastrophic event from occurring on their continent again. The best solution seemed to be highly mechanized cooperation among the highest European powers to assure that future conflict, and perhaps war, could not arise between them. If all the states ran themselves in a manner cooperating with their neighbors, conflict could be avoided. To prevent other nations from not cooperating, treaties and institutions would have to be designed for each area of international interest such as trade, communications, security, and so forth. As the century progressed, more organizations, institutions and associations were developed and soon leaders recognized that maybe more good could come to Europe as a whole if cooperation as such could grow and eventually arrive at full European integration.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The â€Å"establishment of the European Union in November 1993 reoriented the European movement .† The union incorporates a good portion of Western Europe and fundamentally acts as an enforcer of all the agreements the included nations make with each other in terms of trade and the â€Å"economic, political, and social stabilization of the entire continent .† As we seem to get closer to Europe’s achieving integration, the actual possibility of it ever really occurring has been in constant question among scholars. Liberals believe that cooperation on the level of integration is very possible and likely, as each nation essentially desires to maximize its own individual gains, and each nation gains more by cooperating more and banding together as one â€Å"state†. However, as constructivists remind us, we cannot neglect the element of identity in this equation. Thereafter, we must recognize that lately it is more popular for nations to fig ht for their own established identity rather than to create a new one for the good of maintaining peace in their new state as we have seen in so many Eastern European countries. Therefore, as realists would agree, integration is in reality impossible due to the trend of nations to protect their individual sovereignty and at the fear of losing it, move towards more nationalistic regimes.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Liberals believe that nations inherently wish to cooperate as it benefits both actor... ...ative gains. They can never know each other’s intentions, and won’t risk the cooperation if they think they can gain more in the future from conflicting.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Furthermore, as in the Balkans or in Russia we have seen how disinclined nations or ethnic groups are to ignore their own unique national identity in order to create a new identity of the newly established state. Richard Caplan and John Feffer note that, â€Å"nationalism has been embraced as a bulwark against the erosion of cultural diversity and popular sovereignty in the face of creeping federalism .† New ethnic conflict arises and peace is far from realized as a result of integration. The potential European integration would suffer a similar and most likely greater effect. In the long run, integration, if actualized, would not lead to a peaceful and trusting state as hoped, but instead a brand new set of ethnic and nationalist conflict. This is a risk most states are probably not willing to take.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As we have seen on smaller scales in newly integrated democratic states in Europe today, nationalism is not a dying epidemic. In fact, ethnic and nationalist conflicts

Academic Reading and Writing

CENTRE FOR LANGUAGE STUDIES, UNIMAS PBI 1032: ACADEMIC READING AND WRITING Learning Unit 2: READING SKILLS By the end of this session, you should be able to: identify what the writer has stated literally (read the lines) infer what the writer has stated (read between the lines) apply ideas within the text to what you already know (read beyond the lines) A. Reading Academic Texts Academic texts are relatively formal in structure and style. They might be textbooks or just straightforward texts.To increase the amount of information that you can extract from a single reading of a section, chapter or article in an academic text, you need to use efficient academic reading strategies. Some of the skills which are essential in academic reading are skimming and scanning for specific information or details, making inferences based on what is stated and applying ideas with the text to what you already know. B. Identifying Specific Information To identify specific information, you should begin b y scanning the topic sentences (i. e. he sentence which makes the point of the paragraph and which is usually the first sentence of the paragraph). Locating the topic sentence helps you to stay focus on finding the needed information. Task 1 Read the following passage and provide the most appropriate answers for the corresponding questions. Social Influence 1 Of the many influences on human behaviour, social influences are the most constant. When we hear the term social influence, most of us think of attempts of someone to persuade us to change our actions or opinions. The television usually comes to mind.However, the major influence on people is people’s presence. Many of the most important forms of social influence are unintentional and the effects we humans have on one another occur due to the fact that we are in each other’s physical presence. In 1898, a psychologist named Triplett made an interesting study. In checking the speed records of bicycle racers, he notic ed that better speed records were obtained when cyclists raced against each other than when they raced against the clock. This observation led Triplett to perform another experiment. He asked children to turn a wheel as fast as possible for a certain period of time.Sometimes two children worked at the same time in the same room, each with his wheel; at other times, they worked alone. The results confirmed his theory that children worked faster in co-action, which is when another child doing the same thing was present. Therefore, the experiments proved that humans perform significantly better with the presence of another person when doing a task. 2 ARW-SEM2-2013-LU2-READING-SKILLS 48 CENTRE FOR LANGUAGE STUDIES, UNIMAS PBI 1032: ACADEMIC READING AND WRITING 3 Soon after Triplett’s experiments, it was discovered that the presence of a passive spectator was enough to improve one’s performance.This was discovered in an experiment on muscular effort by Meumann in 1910, who found that subjects lifted a weight faster whenever the psychologist was in the room. Later experiments have confirmed this audience effect that provides several contributions to humans. Firstly, it helps to motivate a person to perform better. Secondly, it drives a person to break the psychological barrier. This is apparent in sport competitions in which crowds have a great effect on athletes’ performance, and it is normally referred to as home-ground advantage. For example, footballers tend to win more matches hen playing in front of their own fans. It appears that co-action and audience effects in humans are caused by the individual’s cognitive concerns about competition and the evaluation of performance that others will make. We learn as we grow up that others praise or criticize, reward or punish our performances, and this raises our drive level when we perform in front of others. Thus, even the early studies of co-action found that if all elements of competition are removed, co-action effects are reduced or eliminated. Similarly, audience effects are a function of a person’s interpretation of how much he is being evaluated. adapted from Simon, 2010) 4 1. Based on the information provided in paragraph 1, what is the main influence in changing a person’s behaviour and views? ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ 2. What does the underlined phrase â€Å"comes to mind† in paragraph 1 mean? ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ 3. According to the passage, what was the result of Triplett’s two co-action experiments in 1898? ___________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ 4. Briefly explain TWO (2) reasons that caused the existence of co-action and audience effects in humans. ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ARW-SEM2-2013-LU2-READING-SKILLS 49 CENTRE FOR LANGUAGE STUDIES, UNIMAS PBI 1032: ACADEMIC READING AND WRITING C. Making Inferences Writers often tell you more than they say directly. They give you hints or clues that help you â€Å"read between the lines†.Using these clues to give you a deeper understanding of your reading is called inferring. When you infer, you go beyond the surface details to see other meanings that the details suggest or imply (not stated). Task 2 Warming-Up: Try to infer the possible message of the following cartoons. Discuss the messages with your peers and explain why your message is acceptable. Possible message: ______________________________ ______________________________ Possible message: ______________________________ ______________________________ ARW-SEM2-2013-LU2-READ ING-SKILLS 50 CENTRE FOR LANGUAGE STUDIES, UNIMASPBI 1032: ACADEMIC READING AND WRITING Task 3 Making Inferences: Read the short excerpts taken from several academic articles and answer the questions given. Excerpt 1 During the recession of the mid-1980s, there was an increase in graduate unemployment in Malaysia. With the recovery of the economy towards the end of the 1980s, graduate unemployment was slightly reduced thanks to government’s effort to create more jobs. However, graduate unemployment that existed during the 1998 currency crisis still persists until today as many companies were forced to merge and lay off workers.It has been reported that the number of unemployed graduates had increased from 45,000 in 2000 to 85,000 in 2005 (Sim, 2006). What is the main cause of the increasing rate of graduate unemployment in Malaysia? A. Limited job opportunities due to economic instability. B. Currency crisis in 1998 reduced salary of many jobs. C. Lack of efforts by the gover nment to improve the economy. D. The impact of the global economic recession in the mid-1980s. Excerpt 2 Students are required to take English exam as a compulsory requirement for entrance to public university.MUET (Malaysian undergraduate English Test) result for new entry student for the 2007/8 intake at one public university which can be considered as a typical sample for other public universities indicated that most students scored below the satisfactory level in English competency. From the population of 2916 new students’ intake at this public university, about 72. 7% has a score of Bands 1, 2 and 3. This is because all they need is to get the MUET certificate regardless of their Bands (Mohini, 2008). Why did many students still score below the satisfactory level though MUET is a compulsory entrance requirement?A. Students lack initiatives to improve their English. B. English is often taken for granted since it is accepted as unimportant. C. Majority of the programmes a t university does not have a minimum Band requirement. D. A high MUET band is not a necessity for university entrance. Excerpt 3 It is all too apparent in this study that many students, often very good students, suffer needlessly when doing group assignments. While some academics might claim that it is good to let students face problems arising from group work, it is pointless having them to face problems that they will not see in the workplace.Simply making students do assignments together is not preparing them for team work in industry. It is not simulating â€Å"real life in industry†. It causes stress to many students and gives them grades they do not deserve, especially when the better ones are penalized for the lack of efforts by others (Ford & Maurice, 2011). Why do good students suffer from doing group assignments? A. Group assignments reduce lecturers’ marking load. B. Group assignments do not relate to their future work life. C. Group assignments’ grad es do not reflect their actual ability.D. Group assignments help them manage problems when working together. ARW-SEM2-2013-LU2-READING-SKILLS 51 CENTRE FOR LANGUAGE STUDIES, UNIMAS PBI 1032: ACADEMIC READING AND WRITING D. Reading Practice Task 3 Read the passage below and choose the best answers (A, B, C or D) for the questions that follow Break Your Bad Habits By Amy Novotney As an undergraduate student, you probably got A's despite less-than-ideal study habits: reading in front of the television, staying up all night cramming, checking e-mail every 10 minutes while working on a paper.These behaviors may have cut it in college, but graduate school calls for a better set of strategies, says University of Virginia psychology professor Daniel Willingham, PhD. According to psychology faculty and other experts, here are the top five habits that hold graduate students back: 1. Highlighting. Dog-earing pages and highlighting journal article passages are popular but worthless exercises wh en it comes to helping you remember information later on, Willingham says. That's because they don't require students to engage with the material.Instead, he suggests students find a more active strategy that forces them to think about the meaning of what they're reading. This might be something as simple as taking notes on important points, outlining how journal articles fit together or spending a moment after reading a paragraph to reflect on how it fits into a piece's bigger picture. In a study by Pintrich and De Groot (1990), students who asked themselves â€Å"why? † at the end of each sentence while reading a factual passage about a university were significantly more likely to remember important points than students who were simply told to read the passage and remember it. . Cramming for exams. When you pull an all-nighter, your memories of the concepts you’re studying becomes associated with a particular time and environment, making them harder to retrieve, says Willingham. That's bad news for crammers, as most tests aren't handed out at 2 a. m. There are several reasons why distributing your studying throughout the semester is more long-lasting. One is that your brain doesn't make that association because the knowledge is cued and retrieved at many different points over time.Willingham's claims are backed up by Webb and Sheeran’s (2006) meta-analysis of 317 experiments examining the spacing of student study periods. The authors found that when participants studied at two different points in time, they recalled a greater percentage of the material than when the same amount of study time was nearly uninterrupted. 5 10 15 20 25 30 ARW-SEM2-2013-LU2-READING-SKILLS 52 CENTRE FOR LANGUAGE STUDIES, UNIMAS PBI 1032: ACADEMIC READING AND WRITING 3. Unhealthy eating. With both time and money in short supply, graduate students often skip lunch when rushing to class or hit the vending machine for a late-night snack.Yet the high-fat, empty-calo rie foods they often choose don't provide the energy needed to work effectively, and can also take a toll on the brain. A study by Manos (1999) linked memory loss to a diet high in saturated fat and cholesterol. And a 2008 meta-analysis of 160 studies examining food's effect on the brain showed that omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in salmon, walnuts and kiwi fruit, improve learning and memory (Hillman & Erickson, 1999). 4. Multitasking. Many students pride themselves on their ability to attend to several tasks at once, but multitasking undermines efficiency, according to a study by Miller (2006).It takes extra time to shift mental gears every time you switch tasks—that means when you sit down to work, close your e-mail program so it doesn't distract you. â€Å"If you ask any graduate student what they do first when they sit down to study, 99 percent say they check their e-mail, and then the next thing you know, an hour has gone by,† Miller says. When you're studyi ng, you may even need to disable your Internet connection and turn off your cell phone, she says. 5. Assuming you remember what you've read.According to a Pickering and Ferreira’s (2006) meta-analysis of 30 years of research, we aren't very good at assessing how well we understand something. You may feel well-versed in the social psychology theories you learned in class after reading over your notes several times, but familiarity doesn't mean you'll be able to recall the material for a test, Willingham says. To gauge whether you've studied enough, explain the material to someone else or create a test for yourself, he says. â€Å"Quizzing one another is the No. 1 thing I recommend to students,† Willingham says. It's a much more realistic assessment of what you know because it forces you to get inside the professor's head and think about what they are likely to ask about the material. † (adapted from Novotney, 2009) 35 40 45 50 55 60 For Questions 1-5, choose a wor d/phrase that is closest in meaning to the underlined word as used in the text. 1. Dog-earing pages †¦ (line 9) A. m a r kin g wit h book m a r ks B. dr a win g pict u r es on pages C. foldin g t h e cor n er s of pa ges D. wr it in g down n ot es on t h e side 2. †¦ making them harder to retrieve (line 24) A. or ga n ise B. pr ocess C. r eca ll D. t im u la t e ARW-SEM2-2013-LU2-READING-SKILLS 53 CENTRE FOR LANGUAGE STUDIES, UNIMAS PBI 1032: ACADEMIC READING AND WRITING 3. †¦ can also take a toll on the brain (line 38) A. ch a r ge B. disast er C. ba d effect D. lou d r in gin g 4. It takes extra time to shift mental gears †¦ (line 45) A. speed up wor k B. slow down t h inkin g C. t h in k a t a n a lyt ica l level D. ch a n ge focu s of concen t r a t ion 5. You may feel well-versed in †¦ (line 54) A. com pet en t B. en t h u siast ic C. h a bit u a l D. r em em ber For Questions 6-15, choose the most appropriate answers based on your reading. . Which of t he following is an ideal study habit for undergraduate students? A. Studying while watching television. B. Studying into the wee hours of the morning. C. Interacting in emails while doing an assignment. D. Searching the internet for information on assignments. 7. Which sentence contains the main idea for the paragraph on highlighting? A. Dog-earing pages and highlighting journal article passages are popular but worthless exercises when it comes to helping you remember information later on, Willingham says B. That's because they don't require students to engage with the material. C.Instead, he suggests students find a more active strategy that forces them to think about the meaning of what they're reading D. This might be something as simple as taking notes on important points, outlining how journal articles fit together or spending a moment after reading a paragraph to reflect on how it fits into a piece's bigger picture. 8. According to the paragraph 2, why are crammers unable to r emember what they studied the night before? A. Memory is better at night but tests are usually not conducted at night. B. People usually lose their concentration if they study in one long sitting. C.What is studied is stored in the memory as a single episode and is not easily recalled. D. The amount of time spent studying in one night is less than that for a whole semester. ARW-SEM2-2013-LU2-READING-SKILLS 54 CENTRE FOR LANGUAGE STUDIES, UNIMAS PBI 1032: ACADEMIC READING AND WRITING 9. Why do students end up with unhealthy eating habits that affect their memory and learning? A. Food stalls are not open at night. B. They are busy and short of money. C. High-fat, empty-calorie food is tasty. D. They have lectures during lunch hour. 10. What food should students avoid if they want to improve their memory and learning?A. Fish. B. Fries. C. Fruits. D. Nuts. 11. What is the main idea for the paragraph on multitasking? A. Multitasking is an ability to be proud of. B. Multitasking is not an efficient way to study. C. Checking email should not be part of multitasking. D. Internet connection is a distractor when multitasking. 12. What is the author not saying in paragraph on multitasking? A. Students should do the less mentally taxing tasks first. B. It is better to finish one task first before starting another. C. Email, internet connection and cell phones are distractive. D. To save time, graduate students should not check their email. 3. Why do students often assume they remember what they have read? A. They are familiar with it. B. They have copied the notes. C. They have attended the lecture. D. They can explain it to someone. 14. According to Willingham, which is the best way to assess how well we understand something? A. See whether we can recall the information in the lecture. B. Find out whether we can do the test given by the lecturer. C. Ask each other questions on the information in the lecture. D. Set a test on the lecture and answer the questions ourselves . 15. Which text? A. B. C. D. f the following less-than-ideal study habits is not an idea found in the Eating at irregular hours. Doing last-minute studying. Reading articles superficially. Doing many things at one time. ARW-SEM2-2013-LU2-READING-SKILLS 55 CENTRE FOR LANGUAGE STUDIES, UNIMAS PBI 1032: ACADEMIC READING AND WRITING Task 4 Read the passage below and choose the best answers (A, B, C or D) for the questions that follow. The Record-breaking Book 1 The biggest house of cards, the longest tongue, and of course, the tallest man: these are among the thousands of records logged in the famous Guinness Book of Records.Created in 1955 after a debate concerning Europe's fastest game bird, what began as a marketing tool sold to pub landlords to promote Guinness, an Irish drink, became one of the bestselling copyright titles of all time. In time, the book have sold 120 million copies in over 100 countries, quite a leap from its humble beginnings. 2 In its early years, the book aims to satisfy man's curiosity about the natural world around him. Its two principal fact finders, twins Norris and Ross McWhirter, travelled the globe to collect facts.It was their task to find and document aspects of life that can be sensed or observed, things that can be quantified or measured. But not just any things. They were only interested in superlatives: the biggest and the best. It was during this period that some of the hallmark Guinness Records were documented, answering such questions as â€Å"What is the brightest star? † and â€Å"What is the biggest spider? † 3 Once aware of the public's thirst for such knowledge, the book's authors began to branch out to cover little-known facts. They started documenting human achievements as well.A forerunner for reality television, the Guinness Book gave people a chance to become famous for accomplishing extraordinary and often pointless tasks. Records were set in 1955 for consuming 24 raw eggs in 14 minutes and in 1981 for the fastest solving of a Rubik's Cube (which took a mere 38 seconds). In 1979, a man yodelled non-stop for ten and a quarter hours. 4 In its latest form, the book has found a new home on the internet. No longer restricted to the physical paper, the Guinness World Records website contains seemingly infinite facts concerning such topics as the most powerful combustion engine, or the world's longest train.More and more facts and achievements are added. While there is no denying that each of these facts has its individual attraction, the increasing number of strange achievements represents an important change from the education-oriented facts of earlier editions. It seems Guinness World Records has changed its focus to cater to the audience that wants entertainment more than educational values. 5 Originating as a simple bar book, the Guinness Book of Records has changed over decades to provide insight into the full variety of modern life.Although one may be more likely to learn abo ut the widest human mouth than the highest number of casualties in a Civil War, the Guinness World Records website offers a peek into the future of fact-finding and record-documenting. (adapted from Michael & Timothy, 2012) ARW-SEM2-2013-LU2-READING-SKILLS 56 CENTRE FOR LANGUAGE STUDIES, UNIMAS PBI 1032: ACADEMIC READING AND WRITING 1. What caused the introduction of Guinness Book of Records in 1955? A. The search for bestselling titles. B. The debate by several pub landlords. C. The marketing tool to promote Guinness. D. The arguments on the Europe's fastest game bird.What was the main purpose of Guinness Book of Records in its early years? A. To document various life happenings B. To let the fact finders do the superlatives. C. To fulfil the curiosity within each human being. D. To travel around the world and find unbelievable facts. As used in paragraph 2, which is the best definition for â€Å"principal†? A. main B. belief C. senior D. original How did the Guinness Book r eality television show give people a chance to become famous? A. By accomplishing a task within a given time. B. By showing off their eating and singing habits. C. By presenting their skills in front of the audience. D.By performing strange and usually pointless tasks. 2. 3. 4. 5. What is the primary benefit of making Guinness World Records available online? A. It is more environmental friendly. B. It helps to save the cost of printing the book. C. The book can be sold to a larger number of readers. D. More facts can be added without the restriction of the paper. According to the author, the major difference between older editions of the Guinness Book of Records and the new Guinness World Records website involves A. a move from fact-finding to the recording of achievements B. a change in focus from educational to entertaining material C. departure from book sales being limited to local pubs and bars D. an end to the use of educational facts as a means to promote Guinness Why does Gu inness World Records include more strange achievements? A. It adds entertainment values to the records. B. It allows more people to achieve the impossible. C. More people were capable of doing weird things. D. The education-oriented facts are very hard to find. 6. 7. ARW-SEM2-2013-LU2-READING-SKILLS 57 CENTRE FOR LANGUAGE STUDIES, UNIMAS PBI 1032: ACADEMIC READING AND WRITING 8. As used in paragraph 4, which is the best definition for â€Å"infinite†?A. certain B. excellent C. unlimited D. very little Which of the following statements is TRUE? A. The reality television show for Guinness Book of Records was a failure. B. The title for the Guinness Book of Records was derived from an Irish bird. C. Norris and Ross McWhirter were the first fact-finders for Guinness Book of Records. D. Changes to Guinness Book of Records are expected in the future since many people dislike reading silly records. What does the author imply by â€Å"Guinness World Records website offers a peek int o the future of fact-finding and record-documenting† (paragraph 5)?A. Guinness World Records website will continue to be more entertainmentbased. B. Finding facts on various records to fit into the website would be harder in the future. C. The need for Guinness World Records website to be maintained for future generations. D. The Guinness World Records website may not be visited in the future since it has excluded educational facts. 9. 10. IMPORTANT NOTE: In the final exam, the reading section will only include multiple-choice questions (MCQ) ARW-SEM2-2013-LU2-READING-SKILLS 58