Wednesday, December 25, 2019

Lord of the Flies Literary Analysis Essay - 709 Words

Greed for Power In the novel Lord of the Flies, by William Golding, a group of English boys in their adolescence are stranded on an island. They crash-land while being evacuated because of an atomic war, so the boys must learn to cooperate with each other in order to survive. The boys are civil at first, but the bonds of civilization unfold as the rapacity for power and immediate desires become more important than civility and rescue. The conflict between Ralph, the protagonist, and Jack, the antagonist, represents the conflict between the impulse to civilization and the impulse to savagery, respectively. In Lord of the Flies, Golding uses Ralph and Jack’s struggle for power to show that greed and lust for power can corrupt the best†¦show more content†¦The conch was used to call meetings and whosoever held it, had the power to speak. Jack starts to disobey the conch because he is turning more and more savage-like. â€Å"[T]hey closed in on the struggling pig, knowle dge that they had outwitted a living thing, imposed their will upon it, taken away its life like a long satisfying drink,† thought Jack. As the story progresses, Jack realizes he wants to kill pigs, not keep fires going for rescue. Jack shouted, â€Å"We don’t need the conch anymore.† At this point in the novel, Golding is showing the reader that because Jack is lusting for power, he is turning into a ferocious monster. By turning into a savage, he has lost all sense of civilization and democracy. By the end of the novel, Jack has become a full blown barbarian. He is so caught up in killing pigs that he no longer listens to Ralph. He tries to become chief again and fails. Because of that, he starts his own tribe on the other side of the island where all they do is hunt pigs. The boys that follow him are transformed into the savage that he is. â€Å"Here, struck down by the heat, the sow fell and the hunters hurled themselves at her†¦Jack was on top of the s ow, stabbing downward with his knife. Roger found a lodgment for his point and began to push till he was leaning with his whole weight. The spear moved forward inch by inch†¦ [t]hen Jack found the throat and the hot blood spouted over his hands.† Jack and his followers were demoralized and taintedShow MoreRelatedLord Of The Flies Literary Analysis Essay1657 Words   |  7 Pagesnovel, Lord of the Flies, is a tale like no other. It’s a story of perseverance, determination, survival, and emotion. Golding does a superb job displaying these traits and so many more throughout this story of fighting, not for your life, but to the death. The authors style is one unlike any other I’ve read. I love emotion. I’m not sure if it’s the way it makes me feel or how it can help me relate to the reading, but for some reason I love it. That’s why my favorite style displayed in Lord of theRead MoreEssay about Lord of the Flies Literary Analysis1283 Words   |  6 PagesSymbolism is a very important factor in many books. The use of symbolism in William Golding’s novel The Lord of the Flies is the most essential aspect to the function of the story. At first glance you may not think the symbols are very important, but with some in-depth thought you can see how it is necessary to explain the microcosm of an island. The conch shell is the opening symbol in the novel and lasts roughly to the very end of the story. The conch is found by Ralph and Piggy, which they useRead MoreLord of The Flies Essay1673 Words   |  7 PagesLord of the Flies was published in 1954 by William Golding. Today Lord of the Flies is a well known literary criticism. Many schools require their students to read Lord of the Flies because of the literary criticisms in the book. In this paper three themes or literary criticisms are talked about: good vs. evil, symbolism of characters, and maturity of characters. Another topic in Goldings Lord of the Flies is the battle of good vs. evil. Everything seems to start out just fine on the island; theRead MoreNotes On Progressions And Regressions 974 Words   |  4 Pagesnoticed in my writing. The very first essay we had I scored fairly average for it being the first essay of the class. It had lacked many elements such as essay content, word choice, as well as grammar and mechanics. An example from that essay would be †Which holds the reader at the end of their seat† that was one of the many colloquialisms or in other words informal language usages I had in The Lord of the Flies Literary Analysis essay. Where in the most recent essay I only had minor issues such as grammarRead MoreHow To Write Literary Analysis4174 Words   |  17 PagesHow To Write Literary Analysis The Literary Essay: A Step-by-Step Guide When you read for pleasure, your only goal is enjoyment. You might find yourself reading to get caught up in an exciting story, to learn about an interesting time or place, or just to pass time. Maybe you’re looking for inspiration, guidance, or a reflection of your own life. There are as many different, valid ways of reading a book as there are books in the world. When you read a work of literature in an English classRead MoreArchetype Analysis of Lord of the Flies2467 Words   |  10 Pageshis first writing Lord of the Flies, in which symbolism is wildly used and attributes lots of symbolic meanings to the characters and events. The story thus becomes vivid and profound. This paper aims at using Swiss psychologist Carl Gustav Jung’s collective unconscious and archetypal theories to interpret the archetypes of characters, natural scenes and themes. Key words: symbolism, Lord of the Flies, collective unconscious, archetypal theory 0. Introduction Lord of the Flies is the masterpieceRead MoreStudy Guide Literary Terms7657 Words   |  31 Pages AP Literary and Rhetorical Terms 1. 2. alliteration- Used for poetic effect, a repetition of the initial sounds of several words in a group. The following line from Robert Frosts poem Acquainted with the Night provides us with an example of alliteration,: I have stood still and stopped the sound of feet. The repetition of the s sound creates a sense of quiet, reinforcing the meaning of the line 3. allegory – Where every aspect of a story is representative, usually symbolicRead MoreEssay Writing9260 Words   |  38 PagesThe Essay Writing Process In Greek legend, the goddess of wisdom, Athena, was born fully armed from the head of Zeus. Unfortunately, this is the only recorded instance of instant wisdom. Especially in the medium of the written word, the communication of complex ideas is a process—a process that requires thinking and rethinking, working and reworking. The student who claims to have dashed off an A essay at one in the morning the night before it was due is either a liar or a genius. ThisRead MoreWilliam Golding s Lord Of The Flies1819 Words   |  8 PagesMost of the time, the smallest detail yields the biggest impact. In William Golding’s Lord of the Flies, Golding’s inclusion of minute details helps to strongly communicate his theme of man’s innate darkness. On the other hand, Peter Brook’s film, Lord of the Flies, lacks some of the details required to convey Golding’s message properly. Because the novel includes the necessary details to convey the idea of mankind’s inner darkness and violence, the novel conveys Golding’s theme more effectivelyRead More African American Culture through Oral Tradition Essays3405 Words   |  14 PagesAfrican American Culture through Oral Tradition African American folktales have origins rooted in West African literary and cultural forms of expression. When Africans were taken from their homeland and brought to America as slaves, they also brought with them their individual cultures, languages and customs. However, their white slaveholders suppressed this part of their heritage in them. Thus they had to find other ways of expression, mainly story telling and songs. It is incredible to see how

Tuesday, December 17, 2019

A Brief History of China Essay - 1686 Words

China is on the verge of becoming the next Super Power like the United States and Great Britain. The reason why I am writing this paper is to relay information to you regarding China as it was and how it is now. China blossomed quicker than any other country in the beginning and later stalled in progress throughout its history. Culture is the end statement of a people’s identity. According to Merriam-Webster it is a way of thinking, behaving or working that exists in a place or organization (Dictionary). In this paper, we will not be discussing about a place or organization, but instead of a country rich in culture. My discussion will be about the country of China’s history, economy, weather, terrain and people. A BRIEF HISTORY OF†¦show more content†¦Next came the Sui Dynasty (581 AD- 618 AD). This dynasty had improved upon the Great Wall. This wall protected the enemies of China, especially keeping their mortal enemy the Mongolians at bay. This dynasty had also created the first manufactured canal known as the Grand Canal. The Grand Canal length is 2,400 miles long and 36 feet wide (Hook 185). They had also let the words of Buddhism reach across the land among the people with no interference. To assist in bridging the gap between the poor peasants and the rich upper class, a monetary class was established and enforced throughout the land (Hook 184). The last dynasty is the Sung. The Sung Dynasty (960 AD-1279 AD) had created huge cities of the time that allowed social programs (such as public postal services and welfare programs) to be created. This ignition of public meetings and exchanges of ideas assisted in the creation of new ideas and inventions. An example of this was gunpowder (which was very unstable, but highly usable) for the Chinese Military. Inventions of great magnitude will have come during this era. Most of all was the invention of gunpowder made from saltpeter. These inventions were the handgun (known as a fire-lance), grenades (small clay pottery the size of a fist) and exploding mines (ceramics disks the size of large belt buckles) (FairbankShow MoreRelatedEssay about Book Review: China in 21st Century978 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿ Book Review: China in 21st Century China in the 21st Century written by Jeffery N. Wasserstrom was published in 2010 with the purpose to clear up the misconceptions that many Westerners have towards China. Wasserstrom adds insights of each issue revealing the truth providing readers with a basic knowledge of China. Jeffery N. Wasserstrom is one of the writers/ scholars on China today. He is a specialist in Chinese History in a wide range of topics ranging from the globalization affects urbanRead MoreWorld War II : The Great People s War1529 Words   |  7 Pageshowever the following periods after this war between the greatest powers in the world are also of great significance. The analysis of those periods and their impact on world history will be the first approach of this assessment. It is important to clarify that these periods cannot be annualized as isolated events that happened in History, but related events that in a way or another influenced each other. After the World War II, the world was divided, and two s uperpowers emerged and commenced the impulseRead MoreMovie Reflection665 Words   |  3 Pagesdescried a story in a town of Northwest China happened between 1970s and 1980s. At that time, people could only watch the outdoor movie that cemented by celluloid. This film covers the family love, romantic love between two generations and friendship. Also, it gives me a strong feeling of how the Chinese cultural revolution have changed the people’s lives and ideas. From what I learned from the â€Å"brief history of China† and Spence’s â€Å"the search for modern China†, Mao wanted and desired equal outcomesRead MoreTrade Relations of the US and China in the Last Four Decades780 Words   |  4 Pagesmalpractices that the United States is unable to boost its exports which hampers its ability to increase jobs in return (Holliday). According to THF, China on the other hand has not been left behind on this as it has experienced deficits of up to US Dollars 10 Billion and costing over 1 Million jobs to its natives, who are the minority workers. A brief history of the trading between these two nations can assist the policy makers to come up with viable adjustments and developments which would be stipulatedRead MoreThe Legal Systems Of China And India1395 Words   |  6 PagesResearch Paper: The Legal Systems of China and India Introduction China and India are two nations that have endured significant political and economic change. Both nations’ legal systems are interestingly results of the influences from which they stem and contribute to the great strengths of both countries. However, it is quite evident that politics have triumphed over the legal systems in both countries. The strength of a legal system can be determined by the simplicity involved in ignoring itsRead MoreReflection of Modern East Asia887 Words   |  4 Pagestime was even spent examining China’s horrid history at the hands of foreign meddling, giving insight into a nation feared as the future #1 economic power of the world. Although we covered a broad range of topics, each was given particular attention, never skipping major events or characters which shaped Asia’s history over the last several hundred years. Essentially, this class provided an open atmosphere for students to learn the intricate history of major Asian countrie s in addition to sharingRead MoreChinas Accession Of The World Trade Organization1422 Words   |  6 PagesWith a series reform policies began to take place in 1978, China started to open up its markets and to develop extensive relationships with new trading partners all around the world. China’s accession to the world Trade Organization (WTO) in 2001 has accelerated the growth of its foreign trade still further. The more China’s foreign trade activities mean more trading partners, and china had already established trading relationship with more than 200 countries and regions all around the world. AtRead MoreEssay on General Motors Company922 Words   |  4 Pagesvehicle brands that are available, they have produced. You can understand how vital GM has been to the automotive world when you find out that â€Å"it was the world’s largest car maker from 1931 to 2008, when it was surpassed by Toyota† (Costantini). The history of GM dates back to 1908. At this time or to be more specific on September 16, GM was founded in Flint, Michigan, by William C Durant (General Motors Company, 2011). The company started as Durant-Dot Carriage Company which started in 1886 and by 1900Read MoreThe Speakers Speech on Trade Issues1454 Words   |  6 Pagesimported goods from China? It is this question that an increasing number of the American population fears that it is facing, regarding the US-Chinese trade deficit. America and American jobs are perceived as falling prey to what is called the Wal-Mart effect. This so-called Wal-Mart effect refers to the fact that when consumers are delighted at the cheap prices they can obtain at big box retailers, they are unintentionally propping up a trade deficit between the US and China. By importing cheapRead MoreCulture Is A Way Of Life1033 Words   |  5 Pagesthese interactions that resulted in ideas such as art, history, tradition, and science, along with a range of others. The study of the history of culture should then logically require these people and their interactions as the focus. As such, cultural history is the study and interpretation of experiences, testimonies, and points of view that combines anthropological and historical methodologies to appreciate the history of a culture. Cultural history therefore requires the study of all levels of society

Monday, December 9, 2019

Handbook Of Product Placement In Mass Media â€Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Handbook Of Product Placement In Mass Media? Answer: Introduction McDonalds is, globally, the largest fast food chain based out of the United States of America (Forbes, 2017). The company is headquartered in California and has company owned outlets as well as franchise in over 120 countries (The Guardian, 2013). As on 2016, McDonalds was a proud owner of approximately 36900 outlets. The purpose of this report is to understanding the marketing intricacies of McDonalds on a micro and macro level with the help of marketing tools like PESTLE, SWOT and Marketing mix (4 Ps of marketing). Company Background McDonald was founded back in 1940 by brothers Richard and Maurice McDonald. The firm was later purchased by their sole franchise distributer Ray Kroc. It is the worlds fourth largest private employer with over 1.9 million employees across the globe (BBC, 2012). McDonalds is currently conducting its business under the leadership of Andrew McKenna as Chairman and Steve Easterbrook as president and CEO. Micro Analysis Micro analysis of any organization predominantly talks about analyzing elements inside the organization (Forbes, 2017). Customer Customers of McDonalds primarily include families and children who appeal to the happy meal, workers who wish to consumer burger on the go and students who are looking for inexpensive fast food joints (McDonalds UK, 2017). Competitor Fast food market held a value of over USD 539 billion in 2016 (Global News Wire, 2016). Hence the industry is filled with eminent players and who are consistently competing for management share. Competitors of McDonalds are global fast food chains with a remarkable international presence. Major competitors include KFC, Burger King, Subway, Pizza Hut, Dominos Pizza, and Taco Bell etc. The following figure elaborates on worlds top 10 global fast food chains and their brand value (Statista 2017). Figure 1: Brand value of fast food brands in 2017 Company The company McDonalds is a well-established name in the world. Being a part of the food industry, it consistently aims to improve its quality and follows stringent procedures to maintain the value of their brand. The key strengths of McDonalds includes its wide reach and high brand awareness. McDonalds has outlets in over 120 countries and the brand has brilliantly managed to maintain consistency throughout the globe along with customizing the product according to different countries using the strategy of Think Global, Act Local (Forbes, 2014). Due to its high reach, the brands TOMA (Top of mind awareness score) is very high and leads to repeated buying (CNBC, 2015). Like every coin has two sides, McDonalds weaknesses lie with the extreme rigidity of its process. McDonalds procedures are similar in every country where the brand operates. This may lead to frustration among employees and the company therefore takes time to respond to market variations. Another weakness that McDonalds is faced with is lack of customization. Products of the brand are highly standardized in every country, this leaves less room for customers to modify their products according to their taste buds. Macro Analysis Macro Analysis of the firm throws light on various factors affecting the companies productivity outside the company. Political Fast food industry faces issues from the government whose aim is to reduce the fast food culture and reduce obesity especially in Singapore (Pacific Health Summit, 2008). The health promotion board of the country often indulges in promotion of a healthy lifestyle and organizes various events to discourage junk food eating (Health promotion board, 2014). By doing this they indirectly end up De-Marketing fast food chains like McDonalds. Company must secure its profit margins in every country after detailed study of the political scenario in that country as it tends to affect the companys bottom line. Economical Signs of a weak economy have been present in Singapore in the recent years and this is evidenced by empty malls and low sales. According to government data, Singapore showed the worst slowdown in the last four years (South China morning post, 2016). Singapores gdp might be growing slowly but that growth is not sustainable. In the future, the forecasted growth rate is close to 1% which is really low (Channel News Asia, 2017). This slowing of economy leads to lesser demand of products which is expected to hurt businesses like McDonalds as they are not necessary goods. Socio-cultural The socio-cultural environment is best suited for McDonalds as the consumption of fast food is growing. People have longer working hours and both the partners have jobs. This makes them increasingly dependent on the fast and handy availability of McDonalds. However, a lot of people are also now shifting to a healthier lifestyle so in order to secure its position in the future, McDonalds should come up with healthier operations. It gives positive impact on the operations of the business and also helps to maximize the sales (Sachdeva, 2015). Technological In the current scenario most people are well versed with technology in fact most people prefer ordering their food online or via mobile apps. Any restaurant which is not available on these platforms automatically has a competitive disadvantage. McDonalds has tied up with delivery apps including Zomato, Uber Eats, Deliveroo, Food Panda and Gourmet to go etc. Competitors of McDonalds like KFC and Burger king are also technologically averse hence to gain an advantage, McDonalds can work on increasing the speed of delivery and quality of servicemen. The company should also use the updated technology, so that the customer can feel comfortable to purchase the product (Galician, 2013). Legal McDonalds must operate all its functions under the health and safety legal framework of Singapore. Recently, Indian government closed down over 160 outlets of McDonalds due to failure to meet food quality standards (CNBC, 2017). In order to avoid such law suits, company should also take into consideration all the controls that are essential by the health agency (Percy, 2014). Environmental The fast food market is very competitive in Singapore especially with the rise of so many players in the industry. Fast foods are made available at a low price and a high reach. All the brands are currently competing to gain market share. In order to survive the competition, it is imperative that McDonalds comes up with plans of product differentiation (Mukhopadhyay, 2017). Market Strategy Market segmentation refers to dividing the market into various segments as per the needs of the consumers. This makes it easier for companies to target. This segmentation can be done on several factors, McDonalds in Singapore should segment the market into three different bases (Paul Roy, 2014). Demographic Segmentation: Considering demographics, McDonalds should segment the market into various age groups, working and non-working professionals, income groups and gender. Psychographic Segmentation: Psychographic segmentation is done on the basis of consumer lifestyle, eating habits, religious beliefs and spending patterns. Geographical segmentation: Geographically segmentation is done on the basis of livelihood in the area, genre of people, income class inhabiting the area and distance from competitors. Targeting Demographic targeting: McDonalds specifically targets students during the day as they are often on the lookout for low price food eating joint. Office goers who need a quick and convenient breakfast option on the go are targeted during the wee hours of morning. And families with children have been targeted specially after the introduction of happy meals which comes with a toy. Psychographic targeting: People who are not very health conscious and believe in a very convenient lifestyle are targeted by McDonalds. People whose eating habits involve eating out often find McDonalds as one of the most convenient options due to its high reach and comfortable culture. Basing on the income group, low income group people are also efficiently targeted by the brand due to availability of low price food items. Geographic targeting: McDonalds often launches its stores close to schools and colleges in order to target students. Many Malls like Tampines, Hougang, Pioneer, Riverval and Bedok have a McDonald outlet because of the high footfall there. Various office quarters also have McDonalds facility specifically targeted to serve office goers who require a quick snack between breaks. Differentiation Product or service differentiation refers to the art of distinguishing the brand from its customers. This is essential in the competitive scenario that exists today. McDonalds biggest differentiation strategies are as below: Fast service: Today in the world of business and extremely tight schedules, McDonalds takes immense pride in the speed of its service. This high speed is achieved with the help of high standardization and hiring efficient staff. Low Price products: In the slowing economy and decreasing buying power of consumers, McDonalds offers quick snack options at a low price. This helps in increased market share by targeting more consumers. High reach: McDonalds, today, holds the highest market share in in the fast food industry owing to its high number of outlets across the globe. Its international reach makes it a market leader and increases its visibility to its customers. Positioning Positioning refers to the image that consumers have in their minds about the brand. This includes what customers feel about the brand, how they perceive it and eventually will they buy its products or not. McDonalds has positioned itself as a low price fast food joint that has a very high reach in the country as well as internationally. McDonalds boasts of high quality products and is most suited for people who are not very health conscious and believe in a convenient lifestyle. The logo and mascot of McDonalds have helped the brand gain high awareness and ability to recognize. The arch shaped logo and bright yellow and red colors make the logo visible from a distance. The mascot, Ronald McDonald is a clown seated outside every McDonald outlet and highly appeals to children. Product Product is defined by the primary offering of a company. Product offered by McDonalds are low cost, appealing to taste buds burgers, fries and wraps. Their menu is changed as per the needs of the local market. Certain outlets are kept entirely vegetarian keeping in mind the local preferences of the consumers. The product is standardized and is prepared in the same manner all over the globe, this gives McDonalds food a consistent taste irrespective of where it is eaten. Price The price at which the company sells its product plays an important role in defining its target market, sales and company profits. McDonalds products are priced less as compared to its competitors, which gives the brand a price advantage. For Example, its Barbeque beef burger with egg costs $4.5, Grilled chicken McWrap is priced at $6.20 and a simple cheeseburger starts from a meagre $2.80 (McDonalds Singapore Menu, 2017). This makes McDonald a hot destination for youngsters. Place McDonalds has over 36900 stores in over 120 countries. The company outlet is spread throughout the cities which make them very accessible and easy to reach to the consumers (De Mooij, 2013). Place plays a very important role in ensuring a high reach and increased visibility of the brand. One of the smartest decision involved placing McDonalds outlets at the entry of highways and close to schools and colleges. Promotion Promotion is one of the most important factor involved in increasing visibility of a brand. McDonalds logo and mascot are used at every advertisement, billboard, signage and outlet. This increases the ability of a consumer to recognize brands. Besides this, McDonalds has done various television advertisements, newspaper ads and has worked on its social media visibility. McDonald actively responds to its tweets and Facebook messages and creates a two way platform for customer. Attractive tagline I am loving it is used by the company and has gained a lot of traction. Recommendations McDonalds is a leading fast food store with a high market share and immense brand value. A Few recommendation to McDonalds brand would be to firstly ensure a very high quality of food. The industry of food and beverage survives solely on the basis of quality, if that is gone, nothing remains. Secondly the brand should work on customization of products and increase its menu options. Specifically introducing healthier snack options is extremely imperative in order to survive the competition in the market and target the changing lifestyles of its consumers. Lastly, efforts should be put in to increase the attractiveness of McDonald stores. At present, they are very basic with no frills. This reduces the number of consumers who would otherwise be interested in a dining out experience. Conclusions As is clear by the report, McDonald is huge brand and is doing fairly well for itself. It has a large number of stores and a wide reach in over 120 countries. McDonalds has positioned itself as a low price, high quality fast food brand aimed at serving people who appeal to a convenient lifestyle. Specifically the brand target school and college students, office goers and families with children. The biggest advantage of the brand lies in the consistency of its taste and ability to localize as per every country. Another factor to McDonalds advantage is that the land and building of every outlet is owned by the company, this reduces costs of rent and secondly helps make more money in franchise models for the company. McDonalds must ensure that the quality of food served is up to the mark. McDonalds should also work on making its outlets more attractive to appeal dine in customers. It should build more 24 hour open outlets, at least one in every city, as there is almost negligible competition in this segment (overnight open restaurants) and is a great source of income by helping peoples midnight hunger pangs. Lastly, an image reconstruction is called for as the logo, official mascot as well as the I am loving it tagline is being used since a long time. A change in brand structuring and image would be refreshing and should help the brand by giving a kick start in to the slowing economy. References BBC, 2012, Which is the worlds biggest employer, https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-17429786, viewed on 20 September, 2017. The Guardian, 2013, McDonalds restaurants: Where are they, https://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2013/jul/17/mcdonalds-restaurants-where-are-they, viewed on 20 September, 2017. Forbes, 2017, Top 10 Global fast food brands, https://www.forbes.com/pictures/feji45hfkh/1-mcdonalds-3/#1373ddd215a7, viewed on 20 September, 2017. McDonalds UK, 2017, Target Nursing, https://www.mcdonalds.co.uk/ukhome/whatmakesmcdonalds/questions/running-the-business/business-strategy/who-is-your-target-market-audience.html, viewed on 20 September, 2017. Forbes, 2017, In marketing both the micro and the macro matter, https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescommunicationscouncil/2017/08/09/in-marketing-both-the-micro-and-the-macro-matter/#2ac75ec52dc8, viewed on 20 September, 2017. Global News Wire, 2017, Global fast food market, https://globenewswire.com/news-release/2017/03/01/929307/0/en/Global-Fast-Food-Market-will-reach-USD-690-80-Billion-in-2022-Zion-Market-Research.html, viewed on 20 September, 2017. Statista, 2017, Brand value of ten most valuable fast food brands, https://www.statista.com/statistics/273057/value-of-the-most-valuable-fast-food-brands-worldwide/, viewed on 20 September, 2017. Forbes, 2014, McDonalds winning strategy, https://www.forbes.com/sites/panosmourdoukoutas/2012/04/20/mcdonalds-winning-strategy-at-home-and-abroad/#15df3dc52a92, viewed on 20 September, 2017. CNBC, 2015, McDonalds brand perception, https://www.cnbc.com/2015/10/14/mcdonalds-brand-perception-at-a-two-year-high.html, viewed on 20 September, 2017. Pacific Health Summit, 2017, Obesity prevention and control efforts in Singapore, https://pacifichealthsummit.org/downloads/Obesity%20Prevention%20and%20Control%20Efforts%20in%20Singapore%20-%202008%20Case%20Study.pdf, viewed on 20 September, 2017. Health Promotion Board, 2014, Singapores obesity issue, https://www.hpb.gov.sg/article/health-promotion-board-ramps-up-efforts-to-combat-singapore's-obesity-issue-with-new-season-of-million-kg-challenge, viewed on 20 September, 2017. South China morning post, 2016, the week in Asia, https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/business/article/2028084/no-recession-heres-why-singapore-faces-bigger-worries-ahead, viewed on 21 September, 2017. Channel News Asia, Singapores economy is slowing, https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/business/singapore-s-economy-is-slowing-what-you-need-to-know-7708744, viewed on 21 September, 2017. Sachdeva, A. (2015). Evaluation and selection of differentiation as a strategy for McDonalds. Galician, M. L. (2013).Handbook of product placement in the mass media: New strategies in marketing theory, practice, trends, and ethics. Routledge. CNBC, 2017, McDonalds to shut 169 outlets in India, https://www.cnbc.com/2017/08/21/mcdonalds-to-shut-169-outlets-in-india.html, viewed on 21 September, 2017. Percy, L. (2014).Strategic integrated marketing communications. Routledge. Mukhopadhyay, S. K., Ye, G. (2017). Effect of Csr on Product Differentiation in the Presence of Cost Advantage.Journal of Economic and Social Development,4(1), 15. paradoxes. Sage Publications. Galician, M. L. (2013).Handbook of product placement in the mass media: New strategies in marketing theory, practice, trends, and ethics. Routledge. De Mooij, M. (2013).Global marketing and advertising: Understanding cultural paradoxes. Sage Publications. McDonald Singapore menu, 2017, Menu, https://www.mcdelivery.com.sg/sg/browse/menu.html?daypartId=21catId=30, viewed on 21 September, 2017.

Sunday, December 1, 2019

Night Sun and Figurative Language free essay sample

Night Calls Sometimes animals are replaced by humans to connect with the reader. In the Story Night Calls by Lisa Fugard, at first her story was about two Japanese birds but in the end she replaced the bird with a human character. Lisa Fugard creates a somber mood in Night Calls through imagery, fgurative language, and the creation of mood. With the somber mood it made the story very interesting to read. Fugard used imagery a lot in the story to help the readers understand what was oing on, so they could picture it in their head. Imagery in this story was very descriptive using adjectives and other things. For example: a large gray bird, with ugly hooked feet a long slithery neck that gave me nightmares a rod crest (Fugard 569). The bird seems very royal even though its tall and large. This image contributed to the mood by making it kind of sad with a sense of decay. We will write a custom essay sample on Night: Sun and Figurative Language or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The way that fgurative language was used in the story was that they were similes. Most of the figurative language used the word like to compare two things. Slablike, they seemed to hang off his arms like two chunks of meat sun like a fat brown snake (Fugard 566). The figurative language was very vivid. You can almost feel the warmth of the sun. The mood of the story was mostly sad and depressing. There was a lot that contributed to the mood but this single line contributed a lot. Shabby state of the ompound roads rutted and washed out many places-map of sanctuary had been knocked off post

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

10 Magical Multiplication Tricks to Teach Kids to Multiply

10 Magical Multiplication Tricks to Teach Kids to Multiply Not all kids are able to learn  multiplication facts using rote memorization. Luckily, there are 10 multiplication magic tricks to teach kids to multiply and many multiplication card games to help. In fact, research has shown that rote memorization doesn’t help kids to learn the connections between numbers or understand the rules of multiplication. Practically-based math, or finding ways to help kids do math activities in real life, is more effective than just teaching the facts. 1. Represent multiplication Using things like blocks and small toys can help your child see that multiplication is really a way to add more than one group of the same number over and over again. For example, write the problem 6 x 3 on a piece of paper, and then ask your child  to create six groups of three blocks each. She will then see that what the problem is asking is to put together six groups of three. 2. Practice doubles facts The idea  of â€Å"doubles† is almost magical in itself. Once your child knows  the answers to her â€Å"doubles† addition facts (adding a number to itself) she magically knows the twos times table as well. Just  remind her that any number multiplied by two is the same as  adding that number to itself- the problem is asking how much are two groups of that number. 3. Skip-counting to five facts Your child may already know how to count by fives. What she may not know is that by counting by five, she’s actually reciting the fives times table. Demonstrate that if she uses her fingers to keep track of how many times she’s â€Å"counted† by five, she can find the answer to any fives problem. For instance, if he’s counted by five up to twenty, he’ll have four fingers held up. That’s actually the same as 5 x 4! Magical Multiplication Tricks There are other ways to get the answers that aren’t as easy to see through. Once your child knows how to do the tricks, she’ll be able to amaze her friends and teachers with her multiplication talent. 4. The Magically Appearing Zero Help your child write out the  10 times table and then ask if she notices a pattern. What she should be able to see is that when multiplied by the number 10, a number looks like itself with a zero on the end. Give her a calculator to try it out using large numbers. She’ll see that every time she multiplies by 10, that  zero â€Å"magically† appears on the end. 5. Multiplying by Zero Multiplying by zero doesn’t seem all that magical. It’s hard for kids to understand that when you multiply a number by zero the answer is zero, not the number you started with. Help your child understand that the question really is â€Å"How much is zero groups of something?† and she’ll realize the answer is â€Å"Nothing.† She’ll see how the other number disappeared. 6. Seeing Double The magic of the 11 times tables only works with single digits, but that’s okay. Show your child how multiplying by 11 always makes you see double of the number she’s multiplying. For instance, 11 x 8 88 and 11 x  6 66. 7. Doubling Down Once your child has figured out the trick to her twos table, then she’ll be able to make magic with fours. Show her how to fold a piece of paper in half lengthwise and unfold it to make two columns.  Ask her to  write her twos tables in one column and the fours table in the next column. The magic that she should see is that the answers are the doubles doubled. That is, if 3 x 2 6 (the double), then 3 x 4 12. The double is doubled! 8. Magic Fives This trick is a little odd, but only because it only works with odd numbers. Write down the fives multiplication facts that use an odd number and watch as your child finds the magical oddity. She may see that if she subtracts one from the multiplier, â€Å"cuts† it in half and puts a five after it, that’s the answer to the problem. Not following? Look at it like this:  5 x 7 35, which is actually 7 minus 1 (6), cut in half (3) with a 5 on the end (35). 9. Even More Magic Fives There’s another way to make the fives tables appear if you don’t want to use skip-counting. Write down all the fives facts that involve even numbers, and look for a pattern. What should appear before your eyes is that each answer is simply half of the number your child is multiplying by five, with a zero on the end. Not a believer? Check out these examples:  5 x 4 20, and 5 x 10 50. 10. Magical Finger Math Finally, the most magical trick of all- your child just needs her hands to learn the times tables. Ask her to put her  hands face down in front of her and explain that the fingers on the  left hand represent the numbers 1 through 5. The fingers on the right hand represent the numbers 6 through 10. And, for the  first trick, ask her to fold down the index  finger on his left hand, or finger number 4.Remind her that 9 x 4 36, and then have her look at her hands.  To the left of her bent finger there are 3 fingers. To the right are her remaining 6 fingers.The magic to this trick is that the number given to the finger that she folds down  x 9 is equal to the number of fingers to the left of the bent finger (in the tens place) and the fingers to the right (in the ones place.) Recalling the  answers to multiplication facts is a key skill your child will need to master in order to move on to more complicated types of math. That’s why schools spend so much time trying to make sure that kids can pull up the answers as quickly as possible.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Taxpayer Cost for Political Conventions

Taxpayer Cost for Political Conventions American taxpayers help pay for the political conventions held every four years by both the Republican and Democratic national committees. The conventions cost tens of millions of dollars and are put on even though there have been no brokered conventions and every presidential nominee in modern history has been chosen well beforehand. Taxpayers directly contributed $18,248,300 million to the Republican and Democratic national committees, or a total of $36.5 million, to hold their presidential nominating conventions for the 2012 election. They gave similar amounts to the parties in 2008. In addition, Congress set aside $50 million for security at each of the party conventions in 2012, for a total of $100 million. The total cost to taxpayers of the two national party conventions in 2012 exceeded $136 million. Corporations and unions also help cover the cost of the conventions. The cost of holding the political conventions, though, has come under intense scrutiny because of the nations growing national debt and annual deficits. Republican U.S. Sen. Tom Coburn of Oklahoma has referred to the political conventions as mere summertime parties and called on Congress to end taxpayer subsidies for them. The $15.6 trillion debt cannot be eliminated overnight, Coburn said in June 2012. But eliminating taxpayer subsidies for political conventions will show strong leadership to getting our budget crisis in control. Where the Money Comes From The taxpayer subsidies for political conventions come through the Presidential Election Campaign Fund. The account is funded by taxpayers who choose to contribute $3 to it by checking a box on the federal income tax returns. About 33 million taxpayers contribute to the fund every year, according to the Federal Election Commission. The amount each party receives from the Presidential Election Campaign Fund to cover convention costs is a fixed amount index to inflation, according to the FEC. The federal subsidies cover a smaller portion of the political convention costs. In 1980, the public subsidies paid for nearly 95 percent of the convention costs, according to the Congressional Sunset Caucus, whose goal is to uncover and eliminate government waste. By 2008, however, the Presidential Election Campaign Fund covered only 23 percent of the political convention costs. Taxpayer Contributions to Political Conventions Here is a list of how much each major party was given in taxpayer subsidies to hold their political conventions since 1976, according to FEC records: 2012 – $18,248,3002008 – $16,820,7602004 – $14,924,0002000 – $13,512,0001996 – $12,364,0001992 – $11,048,0001988 – $9,220,0001984 – $8,080,0001980 – $4,416,0001976 – $2,182,000 How the Money is Spent The money is used to pay for entertainment, catering, transportation, hotel costs, â€Å"production of candidate biographical films,† and a variety of other expenses. There are few rules on how money from the Presidential Election Campaign Fund is spent. Federal law places relatively few restrictions on how PECF convention funds are spent, as long as purchases are lawful and are used to defray expenses incurred with respect to a presidential nominating convention, the Congressional Research Service wrote in 2011. By accepting the money the parties do agree, however, to spending limits and the filing of public disclosure reports to the FEC. Spending Examples Here is some example of how money is spent by the Republican and Democratic parties on political conventions in 2008, according to Coburns office: Republican National Convention Committee: $2,313,750 – Payroll$885,279 – Lodging$679,110 – Catering$437,485 – Airfare$53,805 – Film production$13,864 – Banners$6,209 – Promotional items - gift bags$4,951 – Photography services$3,953 – Floral arrangement for convention$3,369 – Communications consultant Democratic National Convention Committee: $3,732,494 – Salaries$955,951 – Travel$942,629 – Catering$374,598 – Political consulting fees$288,561 – Production music$140,560 – Production: Podium$49,122 – Photography$14,494 – Gifts/trinkets$3,320 – Makeup artist consultant$2,500 – Entertainment Criticism of Political Convention Costs Several members of Congress including Coburn and U.S. Rep. Tom Cole, a Republican from Oklahoma, have introduced bills that would end taxpayer subsidies of political conventions. The major parties are more than capable of funding their own national conventions through private contributions, which already generate over three times the amount the federal grants provide for this purpose alone, the Sunset Caucus wrote in 2012. Others have pointed out what they call the hypocrisy in congressional criticism of the General Services Administration for spending $822,751 on a team building meeting in Las Vegas in 2012 and lack of scrutiny over political convention spending. In addition, many critics of taxpayer subsidies for political conventions say the events are unnecessary. Both parties chose their nominees in the primaries and caucuses- even the Republicans, whose party implemented a little-noticed change in the primary system that lengthened the amount of time it took the eventual nominee to secure the 1,144 delegates necessary for the nomination in 2012.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

The Insulin Resistant Diet Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Insulin Resistant Diet - Assignment Example Researchers have contended that our bodies have become resistant to insulin, and an insulin resistant diet could have significant positive benefits. This paper will explain insulin resistance and the benefits that can be gained from an insulin resistant diet. At the foundation of the problem is that too many processed carbohydrates, fast foods, high fat content foods, and high fructose corn syrup are consumed in the average diet. Not all carbohydrates are bad, but the bad ones are found in "white bread, chips, snacks and other baked or fried foods that have been mechanically processed. These carbs are bad for you because during processing, much or all of the dietary fiber is removed from them, and your body cannot process these new complex carbs with efficiency" (Mason, 2005). In response to these bad carbohydrates, the body over-produces insulin and eventually develops a resistance to it. In addition, "intake of dietary fat, particularly saturated fat, appears to be associated with insulin resistance in animals and humans and may predispose to the development of diabetes" (Bessesen, 2001, p.2786S). Gone unchecked, these patients will gain weight and will eventually develop Type 2 Diabetes. To regain your insulin sensitivity, you need to put 'good' carbohydrates back into your diet and reduce the intake of

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Benihana of Tokyo Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Benihana of Tokyo - Case Study Example However, a market research done by Rocky, the president of this hotel, pointed otherwise. Through this research, Rocky realized that many Americans do not trust meals that are prepared in enclosures that are not visible for the customer. Therefore, he ensured that the meals, especially the streak were prepared from a close proximity to the dining table so that customers would be in a position to watch as their meals are being prepared. This boosted the trust of the customers towards the firm. Unlike other typical restaurants which have 30% of their total space as back of the house, this restaurant has only 22% of the total space left as back of the house (Warner 34). This has increased the space available for the restaurant. Another factor that distinguished this restaurant from others within this locality was the fact that its chefs were all from the parent country, Japan. All of them were young unmarried individuals with high standards of training in hospitality industry. The mannerism of the restaurant, though American in all aspects, had a touch of the Japanese culture, a fact that made it stand out as uniquely cultural. Simply put, the operation of this restaurant is positively unique. The design choices of this restaurant have positive contributions to the general operative efficiencies. The decision to have the cooking area located close to the dining hall is not only meant to please the customers as they watch their meals being prepared, but it also enhances the efficiency. The cooking area is very close to the customers and therefore the process of serving is easier. As the president of this restaurant admits, this has enabled the management to cut down on the operative cost because it would require a relatively lesser labor as compared to a conventional kitchen location in typical hotels (Page 76). The decision to reduce the back space of the hotel has also improved efficiency of

Sunday, November 17, 2019

There is no Safety Without Risk and What You Risk Reveals What You Value Essay Example for Free

There is no Safety Without Risk and What You Risk Reveals What You Value Essay Everyone at one time or another are faced with challenges that goes against what they know is the right thing to do.   Sacrifices are a necessary part of life. We all have to make decisions as to what sacrifices and values we will give up in exchange to be accepted by a certain social class, age group, the community, the church, promotions, jobs and so on. Very emotionally sound people are capable of giving up popularity and acceptance, and choosing isolation to keep their values. These people almost never are persuaded to choose the wrong path, be one of the crowd, giving in to peer pressure.  Ã‚   Some people have their fears and personal conflicts that make their lives difficult because they act against their beliefs and do what others expect of them.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   No one can influence my personal beliefs or opinions. I am not impressed with money or status, do not wear or purchase clothes-or on the other hand avoid wearing clothes-because everyone else wears certain fashions, or disapproves of what I am wearing. I am willing to risk hatred, enmity, a certain status, social approval to keep my values. I determine peoples character by their behavior, not their age, neighborhood, race, monetary status, or any external features. Of course, what they are on the inside shows up on the outside. Substance abuse still affects people’s mental and physical health, whether it is a licensed nurse or drug dealer misusing and distributing drugs. People will always show you who they are, especially when put under pressure or a third party becomes involved.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In 1964, a woman named Catherine Genovese was stabbed to death in New York City one night walking home from work. Thirty eight people were reported witnessing the attack. No one did anything to stop the attack. Certainly, someone witnessing an attack involving someone getting murdered is going to hear some distinctive screaming. Many people hearing the attack decided this dispute was none of their business. So what if they would have intervened in an incident that was â€Å"none of their business,† called the police anonymously and it turned out to be nothing. People did not want to risk their image of being one of these old nosey neighbors who peeks in the blind wanting to see trouble.   Should I ever hear someone getting stabbed, I would risk being identified as a nosey person who got involved in something that was none of her business. I could not live with knowing I could have saved a life, anyone’s life and did not act on it that instant moment. I would risk having the entire city gossip about me, calling me paranoid if it involved potentially saving someone’s life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   I remember of an incident when I was about 12 years old. This took place at the dance studio I was going to. We were talking about our costumes for an upcoming performance in a huge theatre. I was eager to go to my dance instructor’s car and get the costume catalogs.   She parked her car on the side, towards the back. She did not want to be in the way of parents and other dancers coming into the dance studio. It was about 9:30 P.M. When I went out there, I saw a group of boys talking, but their tone of voice sounded very threatening and demanding to each other. I do remember seeing a very shiny knife in the dark. I wanted to see if one of my friends from dancing was out there. I walked up to the crowd, and asked them what where they doing. The boys or men outside   quickly they all got into their very nice, expensive   sports cars and drove away. Not a one of them seemed to have known I was there or acknowledged me. I did not understand why they reacted when I walked up to them, but all acted like I was invisible. I thought I was going to save someone, anyone from getting hurt. I told many people, and got severely fussed at. For the next week or so, I had lots of trouble, from teachers, other kids, even the school principle kept calling me in the office. The secretaries were very ugly to me.   I am sure the incident at the dance studio had something to do with this. I thought to myself, I did not care if the whole school or my parents turned against me. I stopped a fight. Of course today, I understand why my parents would have been concerned. A twelve year old female going to ask a group of boys or young men in their twenties or so could be very dangerous. Also, a twelve year old who never knew that people actually do get in fist fights is incapable of stopping gang violence or obvious drug deal. I did not realize a drug deal was going on, or that drugs even caused such incidences. I guess I thought this was older brothers of the girls I was dancing with. I was following the values my parents taught me the last 12 years. But they never taught me about situations like this.   I did not know people actually held knives or guns or even got into physical violence with each other. At twelve years old, I had no concept of that, except maybe on television. Of course this is a very unusual situation. Today, I would still risk disapproval from everyone to save someone else’s life. Today, the only reason I could think of the school treating me like I did something wrong was those boys were a bunch of judges and politician’s sons. Today, of course I would be smarter about it saving someone’s life if I thought they were in jeopardy. Knowledge and human compassion should be part of our every day lives so we can help others who at the same time can help us to continue to develop our great society.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Swordfish :: essays research papers

Swordfish   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the opening scene of the film a major character (John Travolta) has a monologue; it is one of my favorite monologues I have ever seen in a film. The scene is carried out in a very interesting way, all the while never losing sight on the main subject. Slight variations in the focal length, lighting, sound and of course the composition of each shot, it is the most well thought out scene in the film.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Although I am no supposed to discuss the context of the scene, it is what adds a certain level of charm that would otherwise be missed. There is a discussion of the quality of film making in Hollywood, and the character relates his current situation to a quality film, the irony is not stressed which makes it believable.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The most obvious effect used in the scene, is the use and movement of both the focal length and point. Although moving the focal point can distract from the film and have it deteriorate very easily, but it is not overly done, you are able to concentrate on very particular details in the frame, instead of trying to absorb the whole frame at one time. Also you feel the dialogue is much more important than the image, you not only hear the dialogue but you listen to it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The lighting is very well though out, the scenery is slightly dark soft ambient side light giving you a somber feeling also hinting at the time of day giving the viewer a reference point on the time that has passed. What is really important is the lighting on the main character, a soft butterfly light makes him non-threatening and the uninteresting was the face is lit puts more importance on the dialogue. Making the viewer more open to what the character has to say.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The sounds or lack of sounds in this scene accentuates the importance what is going on. Other than the dialogue every other sound is extremely subtle, light musical sounds and very little Foley work make up the rest of the auditory stimuli. There is one sound effect that is extremely subtle that makes the scene feel scrutinized or watched, that is the sound of an automatic focus changing and trying to catch up.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Bowen Family Systems

Bowen Family System Theory Introduction In doing my studies on family/systemic counselling, I found Bowen’s theory intriguing. In my work and everyday life, I witness triangulation on a daily basis, from my own experience, without the awareness from this module, I was often entwined in triangulation. As a trainee therapist I decided to write my paper on Bowenian Therapy in order to gain a better understanding and develop my awareness. Murray Bowen, M. D. (31 January 1913 – 9 October 1990) was an American psychiatrist and a professor in Psychiatry at the Georgetown University. Bowen was among the pioneers of family therapy and founders of systemic therapy. â€Å"The family systems theory is a theory introduced by Dr. Murray Bowen that suggests that individuals cannot be understood in isolation from one another, but rather as a part of their family, as the family is an emotional unit. Families are systems of interconnected and interdependent individuals, none of whom can be understood in isolation from the system† (Genopro. com 18/11/2010) Bowen’s interest in family began as he was practicing as a psychiatrist in the 1940s. He focused on schizophrenic patient’s emotional relationships with their mothers. Others have called it a symbiosis relationship, but for him it was only an exaggerated natural process of emotional relationship. In 1954 he started to hospitalize the entire family of the sick (schizophrenic) person. He found out that the entire family suffered with the sick person emotionally. He also studied the relationship between mother-child symbioses. This involved a certain repetitive pattern, where he observed alternating patterns of closeness and distance. They portrayed sensitive emotional tensions caused by separation anxiety and incorporation anxiety. In 1959 he started working with families with less severe problems. Surprisingly these families displayed the same problems as the disturbed families. He concluded that there is no discontinuity between the normal and disturbed families but vary along a continuum line of emotional fusion to differentiation. Bowen was one of the first to realize that the history of our family creates a template which shapes the values, thoughts, and experiences of each generation, as well as how that generation passes down these things to the next generation. Bowen's theory focuses on the balance of two forces – togetherness and – individuality. Too much togetherness can prevent individuality, or developing one's own sense of self whereas too much individuality results in a distant and estranged family. The theory looks at the family as a system and describes the complex interactions that exist in any one unit. The way members of a family are connected and the way they react to one another makes the functioning of family members interdependent. According to the theory, mental illness happens as a result of emotional fusion. This can happen when there is an increase in the level of emotions and anxiety in the family. Bowen introduced eight interlocking concepts to explain family development and functioning. Below I will provide an overview of each concept. Differentiation of Self The first concept is Differentiation of Self, or the ability to separate feelings and thoughts. Undifferentiated people can not separate feelings and thoughts; They have difficulty thinking logically because when asked to think they are flooded with feelings, so this makes It difficult for them to base their responses on their own logical thinking. They also have difficulty differentiating between their feelings and the feelings of others. They look to their family to define how they think about issues, feel about people, and interpret their experiences. Differentiation is the process of freeing yourself from your family's processes to define yourself so you can have different opinions and values than your family members, but are still capable of staying emotionally connected to them. It means being able to calmly reflect on a conflicted interaction afterward, realising your wn role in it, and then choosing a different response for the future. Triangles Triangles are the basic units of systems. They balance between closeness and distance. The third person or party brings unity and creates continuity in warring situation. The triangle brings stressed person into a manageable level of operation. This involves true listening and gives a true advice for a better solution. In it virtually all relationships are shadowed by third part ies. For example when a couple have an argument, afterwards, one of the partners may call their friend to talk about the fight. The third person helps them reduce their anxiety and take action, or calm their strong emotions and reflect, and make decision. People who are more undifferentiated are likely to triangulate others and be triangulated whereas people who are differentiated cope well with life and relationship stress, and as a result are less likely to triangulate others or be triangulated. The Nuclear Family Emotional Process These are the emotional patterns in a family that continue over generations. This involves a modeling scenario where a family member models and imitates the behaviour and even the language of his or her parents. For example, a parent who teaches his or her children to be happy when things are ok and sad when things are bad shapes the future thinking of those children. Here the parent passes on an emotional view of the world (the emotional process), which is taught throughout generation from parent to a child, in a nuclear family. Reactions to this process can range from open conflict, to physical or emotional problems in one family member, to reactive distancing. This will bring problems with family members like substance abuse, mental illness and irresponsibility. The Multigenerational Transmission Process This process entails the way family emotional processes are transferred and maintained over generations. This captures how the whole family joins in The Family Projection Process, for example, by reinforcing the beliefs of the family. As the family continues this pattern over generations, they also refer back to previous generations (â€Å"He's just like his Uncle – he was always irresponsible too† or â€Å"She's just like your cousin Mary – she was divorced four times. â€Å"). Sibling Position Bowen believed In sibling order and that each child had a place in the family hierarchy. He believed that the oldest sibling was more likely to be seen as overly responsible and mature whilst the youngest as overly irresponsible and immature. Emotional Cut-off Emotional cut-off refers to the techniques people use to reduce anxiety from their unresolved emotional issues with parents, siblings, and other members from the family of origin. Some people seek distance either by moving away physically or emotionally using silence, diversion or avoidance of difficult and hurtful topics. To avoid sensitive issues, they may move away from their families and refuse to go home regularly. This strategy may work in the short term to reduce immediate anxiety but over time, the deeper, unresolved problems are toxic towards other relationships. An open relationship is the opposite of emotional cut-off. It is the best way to reduce a family's over-all anxiety. Continued low anxiety permits family members who would like to, to begin the slow steps to better differentiation. Bowen wrote, â€Å"It might be difficult for a family with severe cut-offs to begin more emotional contact with the extended family, but any effort toward reducing the cut-off with the extended family will soften the intensity of the family problem, reduce the symptoms, and make any kind of therapy far more productive. Societal Emotional Processes The concept of societal emotional process describes how the emotional system governs behaviour on a societal level, promoting both progressive and regressive periods in a society. Cultural forces are important in how a society functions but are insufficient for explaining the rise and fall in how well societies adapt to the challenges that face them. The society’s attitudes towards for example different r aces, classes, genders and sexual orientation, have definite effects on the family. In many ways, this is like the Family Projection Process scaled up to the level of a society as a whole. The way a family deals with prejudice, discrimination and persecution is instinctively passed on to their children so that they can survive in their unique environment. The coping practices of the parents and extended family may lead to more or less adaptive emotional health for the family and its members. Normal Family Development According to Bowen, all families lie along a continuum. Bowen believed that all families lie on a spectrum or continuum and that it is difficult to try to classify families into types. If circumstances change, one type of family could change and become another type of family. For this reason, Bowen is credited with being one of the first culturally sensitive family therapists. A normal, adjusted family will have tensions and anxieties but will be balanced in terms of their togetherness and differentiation. A normal family will have good emotional balance and recognise that some problems are external and others come from the individual. There are connections between the different generations in the family and also to the extended family. The transitions for example from adolescence to adulthood are smooth and supported by the wider family. Past pains and joys are shared. Bowen says no matter how we transform and forget the past, these memories of our relationship, still stay alive in us. The danger is the way our former family attachment will shape our new family. At various times difficulties in different relationships, sometimes called dyads, are resolved without drawing in others into their difficulties. The ability to tolerate and support family members with different views supports differentiation and is a sign of a healthy family. Awareness of external societal influences as well as the unique family influences helps a family to become well adjusted. During times of grief and loneliness for example, family members give space and allow the person opportunity to grow. A positive emotional atmosphere with a belief in the virtues of family builds normal family development. Finally, when family members depend on each ther for feedback and support rather than in co-dependent ways, the family develops healthily. Family Disorders Bowen believed that family problems result from emotional fusion, or from an increase in the level of anxiety in the family. He believed that the member with â€Å"the symptom† is the least differentiated member of the family, and is the one who has the least ability to resist the pull to become fused with another member. This person absorbs the anxiety an d worries of the whole family and has the least ability to separate their own thoughts and feelings from those of their family. Families face two kinds of problems. Vertical problems are â€Å"passed down† from one generation to the next. Thus, adults who had cold and distant relationships with their parents do not know how to have warm and close relationships with their children, and so pass down their own problems to their children. Horizontal problems are caused by environmental stressors or transition points in the family development. This may result from traumas such as a chronic illness, the loss of the family home, or the death of a family member. However, horizontal stress may also result from Social Emotional Processes, such as when a minority family moves from a like-minority neighbourhood to a very different neighbourhood, or when a family with traditional gender roles immigrates to a culture with very different views, and must raise their children there. The worst case for the family is when vertical and horizontal problems happen at once. Goals of Therapy Bowen’s therapy was not aimed at changing people or solving problems, it was basically geared towards: †¢ Helping families to inquire and explore their own roles in family problems Making them assume responsibility for their own problems†¢ People learning more about themselves and their relationships †¢ Decreasing emotional reactivity†¢ Improving self-focus †¢ Modifying dysfunctional patterns †¢ Evaluating progress of the family in terms of how they function now, as well as how adaptive they can be to future changes In general, the t herapist accomplishes this by giving less attention to specific problem they present with, and more attention to family patterns of emotions and relationships, as well as family structures of dyads and triangles. Techniques that are most prominent in the practice of Bowenian family systems therapy. Genogram: Bowen used what he termed a â€Å"family diagram† to collect and organise important data concerning the multigenerational family systems. In 1972 Guerin renamed the family diagram the â€Å"genogram. † The main function of the genogram is to organise data during the evaluation phase and to track relationship processes and key triangles over the course of therapy. In the process of assessment, the following are noted: the history of the presenting problems, exact dates are noted, history of the nuclear family, when the parents met, their courtship, their marriage, child rearing, where the family lived especially in relation to the location of the extended family, history of both spouses birth, sibling positions, facts about childhood, past and current functioning with parents The Therapy Triangle: This technique is based on the theoretical assumption that conflictual relationship processes within the family have activated key-symptom-related triangles in an attempt to re-establish stability; and the family will automatically attempt to include the therapist in the triangling process. If they succeed, therapy will be stalemated. On the other hand, if the therapist can remain free of reactive emotional entanglements, in other words, stay detriangled ,the family system and its members will calm down to the point where they can begin to work out s olutions to their dilemmas. Relationship Experiments: Relationship experiments are carried out around structural altercations in key triangles. The goal is to help the family members become aware of systems processes and learn to recognise their role in them. Thomas F. Fogarty developed experiments for use with emotional pursuers and distancers (lartin-drake. com 28/12/2010). Pursuers are encouraged to restrain their pursuit, stop making demands, and decrease pressure for emotional connection and see what happens in themselves and in the relationship. The exercise isn’t designed to be a magic cure, as some people have hoped, but to help clarify the emotional processes involved. Distancers are encouraged to move toward the other person and communicate personal thoughts and feelings, in other words, to find an alternative to either avoiding or capitulating to the others’ demands. Coaching: Coaching is the Bowenian alternative to the more emotionally involved role common to most other forms of therapy. By acting as a coach, the Bowenian therapist hopes to avoid taking over for patients or becoming embroiled in family triangles. The goal is increased understanding, increased self-focus, and more functional attachment to key family members. The I-Position: Taking a personal stand, saying what you feel, instead of what others are â€Å"doing†, is one of the most direct ways to break cycles of emotional reactivity. Bowenian therapists not only encourage clients to take I-Position, they also do so themselves. Another assumption in Bowenian therapy is that confrontation increases anxiety and decreases the ability to think clearly and see options. Therefore, displacing the focus, making it less personal and less threatening, is an excellent way to increase objectivity. This forms the basis for two related techniques, multiple family therapy and displacement stories. Conclusion In conclusion I believe that Bowen developed a comprehensive theory of family therapy which inspired generations. His theory describes how the family shapes the interplay of individuality and togetherness using six interlocking concepts which are: differentiation of self, triangles, nuclear family emotional process, family projection process, multigenerational transmission process and sibling position. In 1970 Bowen added two additional concepts: emotional cut-off and societal emotional process. Bowenian therapy is a process of active inquiry in which the therapist helps family members get past blaming and fault finding in order to face their own roles in family problems. The goals of Bowenian therapy are not to change people or to solve their problems. Instead they see therapy as an opportunity for people to learn more about themselves and their relationships so that they can assume responsibility for their own problems. Contents Introduction Differentiation of Self The Nuclear Family Emotional Process Triangles The Multigenerational Transmission Process Sibling Position Emotional Cut-off Societal Emotional Processes Normal Family Development Family Disorders Goals of Therapy Conclusion Bibliography Bibliography http://www. abacon. com/famtherapy/bowen. html (14/12/2010) http://www. anzjft. om/pages/articles/78. pdf (14/12/2010) http://www. bukisa. com/articles/293438_what-is-the-concept-of-bowen-family-therapyixzz14iOkMQpM (16/12/2010) http://www. genopro. com/genogram/fam ily-systems-theory/ (22/10/2010) http://www. houd. info/bowenTheory. pdf (22/10/2010) http://www. lartin-drake. com/distancer. pdf (22/10/2010) Bibliography http://www. abacon. com/famtherapy/bowen. html http://www. psychpage. com/learning/library/counseling/bowen. html http://www. bukisa. com/articles/293438_what-is-the-concept-of-bowen-family-therapy http://www. thebowencenter. org/ http://homepages. wmich. edu/~macdonal/SW 6680. 05/Friedman. Bow†¦ Contents Introduction

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Kem Chicks Case Study

I. Time Context: 1985 II. Viewpoint: Bob Sadino, owner of Kem Group of business III. Major Policy Statement Kem Chicks is the best gourmet lifestyle supermarket in the Kemang area that serves upper and middle cosmopolitan customers delighting the customers through better product quality, delightful ambiance and display with depth of knowledge of specialty foods and products.IV. Statement of the ProblemHow will the Kem Chicks expand its supermarket by its own investment while sustaining its growing operations and without putting the quality of their products into a risk? V. Statement of ObjectivesLong-termTo maintain and develop a competitive position in the growing industry To formulate a strategy in order to gain economies scale for existing supermarkets. To occupy more than 1% of the supermarket space in Jakarta, Indonesia To increase the public awareness of Kems goal to be the â€Å"Meat People† To become the market leader in the national marketShort-term To give excellent service To improve services To establish a good rapport with the employees To provide goods or services that is cheap and affordable to consumers or the public To meet the needs of customers by constantly seeking and actin on their opinions regarding innovation, product quality, choice, store facilities and service VI. SWOT AnalysisStrengths (S) Weaknesses (W) Have valuable Human Assets Good personnel management Responds and caters the needs of immediate community. Offers First quality meat products The organization is leading Have a harmonious relationship between employer and employees Flexibility (Bob Sadino doesn’t have any problems, because he is flexible) They lack marketing strategies Unwillingness of Bob Sadino to know the important details of the financial information about the company Weak long-term strategic planning Difficulty with over-the-counter communication Lack of internal control No particular designation of job Opportunities (O) Threats (T) Acquisition of rival firms Diversification of the business Expansion of the business Customers’ word of mouth Declining price of oil Change in customers’ preferences Increasing in Bargaining Positions of the consumers, thus, resulting in the increased risks in capital expansion The investment risk is at high level Increasing competition Rising interest rates Natural calamities Government regulations, rules and policiesVII. Alternative Courses of ActionThe Kem Chicks case study given the facts that the best altenative for them to expand is to engage in franchising. This has been thoroughly studied by groups of individuals for Kem Chicks existing problem. Therefore, the  alternative courses of action will focus on the types of franchising alternatives.1. Product distribution 2. Product licensing 3. Enter into a franchising agreement called Entire Business Format franchising VIII. Analysis of Alternatives 1. Product DistributionIt is the simplest form of franchising contractual arrang ement in which Kem Chicks as the franchisor offers the franchisee the right to market Kem Chicks’ products in an essentially unchanged state within a designated market area. In return the franchisee would pay a fee to Kem Chicks AdvantagesDisadvantages Increase in sales volume of the parent company Will not cater development of KemChicks' internal management thus it does not support the supermarket as a whole.2. Product Licensing Arrangement Under this term, the franchisee would be offered almost the whole operation of the franchisor. The franchisee would have the right to manufacture or modify Kem Chicks in a certain area of distribution to maintain its standard product and service quality. Kem Chicks would exert tight control over the manufacturing and selling process and set and control specification. In return, the franchisee would pay a royalty and other fees.Advantages Disadvantages Either the franchisor or franchisee or both can have more benefits Improve its quality control policies Right to manufacture or modify Kem Chicks in a certain area of distribution No assurance of success Will pre-empt all important positions in the organization KemChics could lose control over the management of the business3. Enter into a franchising agreement called Entire Business Format franchising Under this arrangement, the franchisee would be an imitation of what the franchisor is. The franchisee would be offered the right to manufacture, to sell the product, to use the franchisor’s name of trademark and other symbols, management system, architecturedesign, and would be provided with supervision, a reporting system and management consultation. Kem Chicks would require certain initial fees, continuous fee based on sales (royalty), management fee, training and consultation fee, and a fee for design and reporting system. AdvantagesDisadvantagesKem Chicks will have full control of the business. Possibly have a chance to develop and to promote human resources Enables the franchisee to enter the industry without know-how and experience and it can hold out to them the chance of success while minimizing risks Security in the protection of the rights and property of the company Mistake of one franchisee will bear to the image of the companyIX. Decision StatementConsidering that the industry is reaching toward the peak of its growth phase, Kem Chicks faces tough competition with a limited choice of land and location. Also, an increasing bargaining position on the part of the shopper, each element of the key success factors should therefore not be neglected. Since the profitability of the investment in a new outlet is highly dependent on the level of sales and cost, each of the success of this investment.Therefore, we concluded that the best alternative solution to the problem is a to enter into a franchising type called entire business format franchising because of the following reasons: Franchisee operates exactly the same as franchisor beca use the entire franchise was provided by Kem Chicks. Kem Chicks will generate different types of income such as management fees, training fee, reporting system fee and other from the franchisee.The privacy of their field of expertise or specialty will be maintained by Kem Chicks on their own because under this type of franchise, Kem Chicks is the sole provider of all information and needs of the franchisee upon proper payment. X. Implementation ProgramIn order to materialize the said recommendation and just like the real process in the world of franchise, Kem Chicks should: 1. The franchise relationship is founded upon a contract, which should contain all the terms agreed upon. 2. The Kem Chicks must develop first a successful business format (the system), which is identified with a brand name, be it a trademark, service mark and/or trade name Kem Chicks must initiate and set a period wherein they will train the franchisee in the operation of the system prior to the opening of the b usiness so that the franchisee is equipped to run the business effectively and successfully.Kem Chicks must also assist with the opening. 4. After the business has opened, the franchisor must maintain a continuing business relationship with the franchisee to provide the franchisee with support in the operation of the business. 5. The franchisee is permitted, under the control of the franchisor, to operate under the branding and the business systems developed and owned by the franchisor and to benefit from the goodwill associated therewith. 6. The franchisee must bake a significant capital investment from own resources. XI. Proposed Business PoliciesManagement: Generate periodic computer reports for management information, such as reports showing the sales income, cash balance, sale of shopping vouchers and issue of the gift coupons and refunds to customers Franchisee must pay initial fee and percentage of salesThere should be a monthly regular meeting of the management and an annual regular meeting of the management with the franchisees with regards to update reports for the business Marketing: Advertise supermarket through local newspapers, brochures/billboards/posters Advertise through local radio ad Offer discount coupon Can offer weekly sales discount Operations: Open12-hours a day from Mondays to Sundays Tight security Inventory Control Acceptance of goodsTo enhance accountability, the staff responsible should be required to inspect and count goods/food items upon delivery against the quantity specified in the delivery note, cross-referencing the relevant purchase orders if any, and to certify acceptance. There should be a procedure for staff to record defective or short delivered goods or food items and to follow up promptly with the supply department or the supplier direct. The types and quality of food or goods to be replenished directly by the concession counter staff should be subject to checks before sale. Random supervisory checks should be conduct ed on the quality and quantity of accepted food or goods, especially those of high value. Ordering and Delivering StockStandard requisition form, preferably in an electronic format to facilitate electronic data interchange between the operator and the supplier or sending of electronic fax, should be used to provide an audit trail. The form should show details such as the description, quantity and place of origin of the goods/food items required, the agreed price, the delivery address, the expected date of delivery, the name of the requesting person, and the approval authority as appriate.Phone orders should be confirmed in writing afterwards. Any deviations should be approved by the appropriate authorities. Extension of the lead time should be justified and approved by senior staff Over-deliveries or short-deliveries should normally not be accepted unless justified and authorized Suppliers’ performance in stock delivery should be appraised Finance:Conduct inventory Generate d aily and periodical sales and receipt reports Cash Handling To prevent manipulation, the following control measures are recommended: The guidelines on hadling of cash should set the maximum amount of cash flow per day for each store, the banking frequency, and the requirement for daily cash position reports Notes handling procedures should specify, among others, the bank notes, to be tested using a money tester by a sales assistant and notes by a store supervisor CCTV with tape recording  facilities could be installed to monitor cash handling at the cashier counters if necessary Responsible staff member at the appropriate level should be designated to conduct day-end reconciliation of electronic sales records against the cash in hand and to make spot checks on other operational activities daily at random Compliance with cash collection security requirements by staff responsible should be subject to supervisory and audit checksHandling of Credit Card informationBriefing sessions ma y be arranged for staff to raise their awareness of the criminality of such activities and the company’s disciplinary action if such activities are discovered. Clear instructions should be given to staff on the handling of credit card transactions, e.g. requiring the handling staff to sign on the credit card payment slips to hold them accountable for the transactions Effective security measures should be adopted to minimize the risk of information leakage, e.g. to keep the credit card payment slips in a secure place with restricted access. Staff should be informed of the channels for reporting approaches by criminal syndicates and incidents of suspected corrupt practicesInternal AuditSales and accounting operations should be subject to internal audit. Human Resources Employees work in 2 shifting schedules Conduct training for employees Bereavement LeaveAn excused paid absence of up to 3 days for missed work time will be granted for purposes of arranging, attending and resolvi ng personal matters with regard to a death in your immediate family. Your immediate family is defined as spouse, parents, grandparents, sons, daughters, sisters, brothers, stepparents, stepbrothers and stepsisters, mother-in-law and father-in-law. The company will also pay employees for time lost from work for up to one day for relatives beyond the definition of immediate family. The company may allow an unpaid leave of absence for up to two weeks to be taken in connection with the death of a relative or close friend. Such absences must have the prior approval of the employee’s supervisor and managementDress CodeProper attire is expected for all employees Employees who do not meet the standards for appropriate business atture should be counselled by their supervisors and may be sent home to change. It is the supervisor’s responsibility to ensure that his or her staff presents a professional appearance.Equal Employment OpportunityIt is the policy of Employer Name to pro vide equal opportunity in employment to qualified individuals regardless of race, color, reigion, age, sex, marital status, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, genetic information, or any other legally protected class in accordance with all applicable laws.Inclement WeatherThe company maintains the policy of remaining open during bad weather, unless the severity of conditions and/or municipal or state government rulings close the office. If operations are canceled after a shift has started, hourly employees will be paid for the time worked, or two hours minimum, whichever is greaterMoonlightingOutside employement must not be engaged in during the employee’s regularly scheduled working hours. The use of the company’s supplies, equipment, telephone, materials, and personnel is prohibited.Open Door PolicyThe management recognize the accumulation of unspoken, unanswered problems, complaints and questions. It is everyone’s ad vantage to bring these matters out in the open.OvertimeIt may be necessary at times to ask the employees to work beyond their regularly scheduled hours. Overtime will be paid at the rate of time and one-half the hourly rate for all hours worked in excess of 40 hours in any one week. With the exception of holiday pay, hours paid but not worked, such as personal itme, jury duty, bereavement pay, etc., will not be considered timeworked for the basis of computing overtime. The management will make every effort to distribute overtime fairly and equitably.The selection of who is to work is based primarily on the job experience and ability to handle the work that needs to be done, and on seniority, one’s productivity  and job performance. There is no guarantee of overtime work, and employee are cautioned to not become financially dependent upon it. Anyone working unauthorized overtime will be subject to discipline.Workplace Threas and ViolenceAny person who makes threats, exhibits threatening behaviour, or engages in violent acts on company property shall be removed from the premises as quickly as safety permits, and shall remain off company premises pending the outcome of an investigation. XII.Management Lessons Learned from the caseIn every company established, growth must be sought after. Big things come from small beginnings. Just like Kem Chicks, they may have earned income initially and started good yet Bob has never stopped expanding his business. We shall see not only what’s inside our company but also what’s happening outside. Almost all businesses have competitors; competitors whom we need to compete with. Jakarta has a growing population which meant more demand. We can’t just let our competitors benefit from them while we stay like the old times, watching our opponents beginning to climb and then eventually stay at the same level we are in. Who can miss the need for a bookkeeper?Money, as one of the essentials in a business sh all be handled properly. Accountants play a crucial role in today’s establishments. It’s possible that a company may gain success even we have poor systems (as we have observed from Kem Chicks itself), yet we know that we cannot stay like that forever. Every organization shall be organized—that’s why it’s called an organization. There shall be positions filled with the right personnel, with the right ability. Employees potential shall be carefully studied and continually improved. People who work for us are indispensable. Without them, we may be limited.We shall care for them, the same way they care for us; just like how Bob valued his relationship with his workers and how he took care of them. Of course, the group has also learned about franchising and investment risks. It’s not just the expansion that we care for but also what it may do for our company. We are reminded to take care of our product. Company name may be copied over multiplied outlets, but if the product quality and employee morale are not retained, this could destroy a company’s reputation and may start its ruins.We cannot say that we love our company if we don’t  love every bit of it. When we love something, we care for its growth, we care for how it is being managed and we consider the hazards it may go through. Life is not a matter of chances, it’s a matter of choice.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Douglass Method of Persuasion My Bondage and My Freedom essays

Douglass' Method of Persuasion My Bondage and My Freedom essays My Bondage and My Freedom is widely considered to be one of the most historically influential documents produced in the midst of the abolitionist movement. Written by a former slave, the memoir served as a moving argument against the inhuman institution of slavery in American history. Interestingly, however, although Douglass was an incredibly educated man, he did not resort to arguments of reason or philosophy in the work in an attempt to illustrate the immorality of slavery. Instead, perhaps because of his education and natural intelligence, coupled with a keen awareness of public (white) sensibility, he refrained from attacking those responsible for using slaves, as well as those responsible for supporting the institution, itself. Instead, recognizing the limitations of his time and dominant social culture, he used the device of emotion to convey the brutality to the sympathetic side of his reader's psyches. The genre of the "slave memoir" was hardly a novel form during the years of the abolitionist movement. Indeed, several accounts exist of the experiences of emancipated or escaped slaves. However, during that time, although such accounts did gain popular readership, and even greater readership within anti-slave circles, the accounts were often regarded with some amount of suspicion. Indeed, many charged that the stories coming from the pens (or oral accounts) of former slaves were either negatively skewed or fabricated, or were outright fictional propaganda, forged by white abolitionists with political (as well as economic) motives. However, in spite of this fact, many educated former slaves were thrown into a quandary when they considered their options for communicating their heartfelt opinions about the brutality of slaveryfor even in the North, dominant white culture was not ready for "attacks" literal or literary against the white...

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Early American Aircraft Development and World War I

Early American Aircraft Development and World War I While human warfare dates back to at least the 15th Century when the Battle of Megiddo  (15th century BC) was fought between Egyptian forces and a group of Canaanite vassal states led by the king of  Kadesh, air combat is barely more than a century old.  The Wright brothers made the first flight in history in 1903 and in 1911 aircraft were first used for warfare by Italy using planes to bomb Libyan tribesmen.  In World War I, aerial warfare would play a major for both sides with dogfights first taking place in 1914 and by 1918 the British and German were making widespread use of bombers to attacking each others cities. By the end of World War I, more than 65,000 airplanes had been built. The Wright Brothers at Kitty Hawk On December 17, 1903, Orville and Wilbur Wright piloted first powered airplane flights in history over the windy beaches of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.  The Wright brothers made four flights that day; with Orville taking the first flight that lasted a mere twelve seconds and traversed 120 feet.  Wilbur piloted the longest flight which covered 852 feet and lasted 59 seconds.  They choose Kitty Hawk due to the constant winds of the Outer Banks that helped to lift their aircraft off the ground. Aeronautical Division Created On August 1, 1907, the United States established the Aeronautical Division of the Office of the Chief Signal Caller.  This group was placed in â€Å"charge of all matters pertaining to military ballooning, air machines, and all kindred subjects.† The  Wright brothers  made the initial test flights in August 1908 of what they hoped would become the Armys first airplane, the Wright Flyer. This had been built to military specifications.  In order to be awarded a military contract for their aircraft, the Wright brothers had to prove that their planes were able to carry passengers. First Military Casualty   On September 8 and 10, 1908, Orville conducted exhibition flights and carried two different Army officers for a plane ride.  On September 17th Orville made his third flight carrying Lieutenant Thomas E. Selfridge, who became the very first U.S. military personnel to be a casualty from an airplane crash. In front of a crowd of 2,000 spectators, Lt. Selfridge was flying with Orville Wright when the right propeller broke causing the craft to lose thrust and go into a nosedive. Orville turned off the engine and was able to an altitude of about 75 feet, but the Flyer still hit the ground nose-first. Both Orville and Selfridge were thrown forward with Selfridge striking a wooden upright of the framework causing a fractured skull which led to his death a few hours later. In addition, Orville suffered several severe injuries which included a broken left thigh, several broken ribs, and a damaged hip. Orville spent seven weeks in a hospital recuperating. While Wright was wearing a cap, Selfridge was not wearing any headgear but had Selfridge had been wearing any type of helmet, he more than likely would have survived the crash. Due to Selfridges death, the U.S. Army required their early pilots to wear heavy headgear which was reminiscent of football helmets from that era. On August 2, 1909, the Army chose a revamped Wright Flyer which had undergone much more testing as the first powered fixed-wing aircraft.  On May 26, 1909, Lieutenants Frank P. Lahm and Benjamin D. Foulois had become the first U.S. serviceman to qualify as Army pilots.   Aero Squadron Formed The 1st Aero Squadron, also known as the 1st Reconnaissance Squadron, was formed on March 5, 1913, and it remains as America’s oldest flying unit.  President William Taft ordered the unit organized due to increasing tensions between the U.S. and Mexico.  At its’ origin, the 1st Squadron had 9 airplanes with 6 pilots and approximately 50 enlisted men. On March 19, 1916, General John J. Pershing ordered the 1st Aero Squadron to report to Mexico and therefore the first U.S. aviation unit to participate in military action.  On April 7, 1916, Lt. Foulois became the very first American pilot to be captured even though he was only held for a day. Their experience in Mexico taught both the Army and the U.S. Government a very valuable lesson. The Squadron’s main weakness was that it had too few airplanes to properly conduct a military operation.  World War I was teaching the importance of each squadron having 36 total airplanes: 12 operational, 12 for replacements, and 12 more in reserve of 12. The 1st Aero Squadron consisted of only 8 airplanes with minimal spare parts. In April 1916 with only 2 airplanes in the flyable condition in the 1st Aero Squadron, the Army requested a $500,000 appropriation from Congress to purchase 12 new airplanes – the Curtiss R-2’s that were equipped with Lewis guns, automatic cameras, bombs, and radios After much delay, the Army did receive 12 Curtiss R-2s but they were practical for the Mexican climate and required alterations which took until August 22, 1916, to get 6 planes into the air. As a result of their mission, the 1st Squadron was able to General Pershing with the first aerial review conducted by a U.S. air unit. US Aircraft in World War I When the United States entered World War I on April 6, 1917, the countries aircraft industry was mediocre in comparison to Great Britain, Germany, and France, each of which had been involved in the war from the onset and had learned firsthand about the strengths and weaknesses of combat-ready aircraft.  This was true even though there had been more than ample funding provided by the U.S. Congress around the start of the war.   On July 18, 1914, the U.S. Congress replaced the Aeronautical Division with the Aviation Section of the Signal Corps.  In 1918, the Aviation Section then became the  Army Air Service.  It would not be until September 18, 1947, that the United States Air Force was formed as a separate branch of the U.S. military  under the National Security Act of  1947. Although the U.S. never reached the same degree of aviation production experienced by their European counter-parts countries during World War I, starting in 1920 numerous changes were made that resulted in the Air Force becoming a major military organization in time to help the United States prevail in World War II.