Trifles A One-act Play by Susan Glaspell

Farmer John Wright has been murdered. While he was asleep in the middle of the night, someone strung a rope around his neck. Shockingly, that someone might have been his wife, the quiet and forlorn Minnie Wright.   Playwright Susan Glaspells one-act play, written in 1916,  is loosely based on true events. As a young reporter, Glaspell covered a murder case in a small town in Iowa. Years later, she crafted a short play, Trifles,  inspired by her experiences and observations. The Meaning of the Name Trifles for This Psychological Play The play was first performed in Provincetown, Massachusetts, and Glaspell herself played the character, Mrs. Hale. Considered an early illustration of feminist drama, the themes of the play focus on men and women and their psychological states along with their social roles. The word trifles typically refer to objects of little to no value. It makes sense in the context of the play due to the items that the female characters come across. The interpretation may also be that men do not understand the value of women, and consider them trifles. The Plot Summary of a Family Murder-drama The sheriff, his wife, the county attorney, and the neighbors (Mr. and Mrs. Hale) enter the kitchen of the Wright household. Mr. Hale explains how he paid a visit to the house on the previous day. Once there, Mrs. Wright greeted him but behaved strangely. She eventually stated in a dull voice that her husband was upstairs, dead.  (Though Mrs. Wright is the central figure in the play, she never appears onstage. She is only referred to by the on-stage characters.) The audience learns of John Wright’s murder through Mr. Hale’s exposition. He is the first, aside from Mrs. Wright, to discover the body. Mrs. Wright claimed that she was sound asleep while someone strangled her husband. It seems obvious to the male characters that she killed her husband, and she is been taken into custody as the prime suspect. The Continued Mystery With Added Feminist Critique The attorney and sheriff decide that there is nothing important in the room: â€Å"Nothing here but kitchen things.† This line is the first of many disparaging comments said to minimize the importance of women in society, as noticed by several Feminist critics.  The men criticize Mrs. Wright’s housekeeping skills, irking Mrs. Hale and the sheriff’s wife, Mrs. Peters. The men exit, heading upstairs to investigate the crime scene. The women remain in the kitchen. Chatting to pass the time, Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters notice vital details that the men would not care about: Ruined fruit preservesBread that has been left out of its boxAn unfinished quiltA half clean, half messy table topAn empty birdcage Unlike the men, who are looking for forensic evidence to solve the crime, the women in Susan Glaspells Trifles observe clues that reveal the bleakness of Mrs. Wright’s emotional life. They theorize that Mr. Wright’s cold, oppressive nature must have been dreary to live with. Mrs. Hale comments about Mrs. Wright being childless: â€Å"Not having children makes less work—but it makes a quiet house.† The  women are simply trying to pass the awkward moments with civil conversation. But to the audience, Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters unveil a psychological profile of a desperate housewife. The Symbol of Freedom and Happiness in the Story When gathering up the quilting material, the two women  discover a fancy little box. Inside, wrapped in silk, is a dead canary. Its neck has been wrung. The implication is that Minnie’s husband did not like the canarys beautiful song (a symbol of his wife’s desire for freedom and happiness). So, Mr. Wright busted the cage door and strangled the bird. Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters do not tell the men about their discovery. Instead, Mrs. Hale puts the box with the deceased bird into her coat pocket, resolving not to tell the men about this little â€Å"trifle† they have uncovered. The play ends with the characters exiting the kitchen and the women announcing that they have determined Mrs. Wright’s quilt making style. She â€Å"knots it† instead of â€Å"quilts it†Ã¢â‚¬â€a play on words denoting the way in which she killed her husband. The Theme of the Play Is That Men Do Not Appreciate Women The men within this play betray a sense of self-importance. They present themselves as tough, serious-minded detectives  when in truth, they are not nearly as observant as the female characters. Their pompous attitude  causes the women to feel defensive and form ranks. Not only do Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters bond, but they also  choose to hide evidence as an act of compassion for Mrs. Wright. Stealing the box with the dead bird is an act of loyalty to their gender and an act of defiance against a callous patriarchal society. Key Character Roles in the Play Trifles Mrs. Hale: She had not visited the Wright household for over a year because of its bleak, cheerless atmosphere. She believes that Mr. Wright is responsible for crushing the merriment out of Mrs. Wright. Now, Mrs. Hale feels guilty for not visiting more often. She believes she could have improved Mrs. Wright’s outlook on life.Mrs. Peter: She has tagged along to bring back clothes for the imprisoned Mrs. Wright. She can relate to the suspect because they both know about â€Å"stillness.† Mrs. Peters reveals that her first child died at the age of two. Because of this tragic experience, Mrs. Peters understands what it is like to lose a loved one (in Mrs. Wright’s case—her songbird).Mrs. Wright: Before she was married to John Wright, she was Minnie Foster, and she was more cheerful in her youth. Her clothes were more colorful, and she loved to sing. Those attributes diminished after her wedding day. Mrs. Hale describes Mrs. Wright’s personality: She was kind of like a bird herself–real sweet and pretty, but kind of timid and—fluttery. How—she—did—change.

Financial Analysis Of CFO - 1191 Words

This paper reports on an analysis of a survey of 1,050 CFOs in firms across 39 different countries in December, 2008 with the goal of examining the actions taken by firms that were financially constrained in juxtaposition with those that were not financially constrained. They utilize the distinction between constrained and unconstrained to determine how company plans pertaining to employment, marketing, technology spending, and other facets of their business are impacted. Additionally, they examine company financial policies and corporate spending behavior to shed light on instances when investment strategies may have been impacted by financial constraint. Prior research on the topic primarily used data from publicly available financial†¦show more content†¦In order to distinguish the various confounding factors that may impact the responses from firms that are financially constrained or unconstrained, Campello, Graham, and Harvey use the methods of Abadie and Imbens (2002) and Dehejia and Wahba (2002) and match their firms according to size, industry, ownership structure, credit score, profitability, whether or not they pay a dividend, and prospects for future growth. In this manner, they analyze financially constrained firms (as the treatment group) with the constructed counterfactual firms that were not financially constrained (the control group). Per the survey, firms could categorize themselves as â€Å"not affected,† â€Å"somewhat affected,† or â€Å"very affected† by credit conditions. The authors found that there was little to no relationship between the size and financial constraint as well as between the ownership structure and financial constraint. Most CFOs expected high growth prospects regardless of their declaration regarding the impact of credit markets. They attempted to find the nature of the constraints by asking about credit availability, higher costs of external funds, and ability to access newShow MoreRelate dGrooming CFOs to be CEOs674 Words   |  3 PagesCFO as CEO Introduction Given the increasing complexity of business and the need to financially quantify risk and opportunities so options are clearly understood while also operating in uncertainty, the progression of CFOs to CEOs will continue to accelerate. 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Comparative Analysis of De Montaigne and Donne on Mind and Body Free Essays

Both Michel De Montaigne and John Donne argue that the cultivation of the mind is linked to the well being of the body. Both argue that a mind void of proper enrichment and education will lead to an unhealthy body. However, Montaigne argues that the appropriate means of â€Å"education and enrichment† are studying and following the works of other great thinkers of history. We will write a custom essay sample on Comparative Analysis of De Montaigne and Donne on Mind and Body or any similar topic only for you Order Now Additionally, Montaigne declares imagination to be the impetus for the downfall of the body. Conversely, Donne argues that a mind groomed in imagination is the proper mode of finding bodily health. In their writings, both Montaigne and Donne are seeking a unity between the mind and the body. By comparing Montaigne†s Essays and the poetry of Donne, it is evident that the means for unifying the mind and body can vary for different people. Montaigne†s general philosophy on the relationship between the mind and the physical health of the body is one that associates a healthy existence with a healthy mind. His idea of a healthy mind is that which is learned through the studies of the â€Å"great thinkers† of the past, and steered clear of being taken control of by the omnipotent imagination. In Montaigne†s essay â€Å"On the Education of Children,† Montaigne stresses the importance of education, but only promotes a select few genres of education as appropriate. Montaigne links these few genres of education directly to the well being of the body. First, Montaigne declares that â€Å"The mind that harbours philosophy should, by its soundness, make the body sound also†(pg.67). Here he argues that anyone who is soundly based in the philosophy of the â€Å"great thinkers† of history will have the wellness of body that they desire. He states that † The most manifest sign of wisdom is a constant happiness; it†s state†¦always serene†(pg.67). Montaigne†s obvious foremost concern is that people be educated in the thinking of great thinkers. Secondly, Montaigne addresses the types of free thinking that are appropriate for a healthy mind and body. He argues that the free thought of a person should be based in the thought of the â€Å"great thinkers.† Montaigne says if a person â€Å"†¦embraces the opinions of Xenophon and Plato by his own reasoning, they will no longer be theirs, but his†(pg.56). He encourages people to â€Å"†¦imbibe their [â€Å"great thinkers†] ways of thought†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (pg.56). Montaigne†s argument is that free thinking not based in the thought of the â€Å"great thinkers† is simply uneducated freethinking, and thus is unhealthy for the mind and body. Finally, Montaigne†s essay â€Å"On the Education of Children† reveals Montaigne†s argument against the learning of â€Å"profitless† knowledge, or in other words. He says that â€Å"†¦most of the branches of knowledge in current usage are valueless to us†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (pg.65) and that â€Å"†¦we must limit the extent of our studies in those branches†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (pg.65). Montaigne†s apparent argument is that only a certain type of education, one based strongly in the thought of the â€Å"great thinkers,† is the type of education that will provide for not only a healthy body, but also a healthy mind. In Montaigne†s essay â€Å"On the Power of the Imagination,† Montaigne next argues against the perils of the imagination. He declares that the imagination, unlike freethinking based in acceptable knowledge, leads directly to an unhealthy body. Montaigne first attacks the sheer power of the imagination. Montaigne states regarding the imagination that â€Å"Everyone feels its impact, but some are knocked over by it†(pg.36). He contends that the imagination is something that slowly begins to take over the mind of a person and drive them further from the appropriate lines of learning. He argues that the imagination leads to the harm of the body. His first claim on this is that bad thoughts, such as having bodily failures (Montaigne uses the example of impotence), are spawned from the imagination. He declares that the â€Å"†¦comical impediments which so embarrass our society that they talk of nothing else are most likely caused by apprehensions and fears†(pg.39). These apprehensions and fears are brought on, Montaigne argues, by an imagination that controls the mind and body. Montaigne even goes as far as to call imagination the culprit for many people falling ill, as he says that the reason some people become sick is that their imaginations concoct how bad they could feel, and their bodies simple follow suit. He states that â€Å"†¦the mind must generally be prepared in advance.†(pg.41) in order for the body to feel a certain way. Montaigne†s whole argument in the essay reflects his distaste for the cultivation of a mind through imagination and his idea that imagination leads to an unhealthy mind and consequently, an unhealthy body. John Donne†s general viewpoint on the relationship between the mind and the health of the body differs greatly from Montaigne†s. Donne†s theory is simply that the path to a healthy body is an imagination. He claims that the imagination is the machine responsible for creating the ideas that make the body feel good. As for education, he argues that the highest forms of education are not from history books or philosophers, but from the deeper and more imaginative forms. In Donne†s poems â€Å"The Canonization† and â€Å"The Will,† Donne presents the argument that there is a knowledge to be sought that is much deeper and truer than any book knowledge. In â€Å"The Canonization,† Donne boldly states that earthly knowledge and materialistic cultivation of the mind is far below the education of the mind through love. He says: â€Å"For Godsake hold your tongue and let me love†¦ With wealth your state, your minde with Arts improve, Take you a course, get you a place, Observe his honour, or his grace†¦ Contemplate, what you will approve, So you will let me love†(pg.28). Here Donne states that to him the ultimate knowledge is that of love and that he would choose this before all other earthly types of knowledge. Donne argues that love can teach all necessary knowledge in life. He continues this argument in his poem â€Å"The Will,† in which he discusses all of the knowledge that love has imparted on him. He states: â€Å"Thou, Love, hast taught mee†¦ That I should give to none, but such, as had too much before†¦ Onely to give such as have an incapacatie†¦ Onely to give to those that count my gifts indignity†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (pg.60). Donne reveals hear some of the lessons that love has taught to him. Donne†s obvious argument is that the knowledge that is held in a book cannot be paralleled to that which can be learned through the higher ways of learning such as love. In Donne†s poems â€Å"The Flea† and â€Å"The Dreame† Donne lets his imagination go and argues that the imagination can be used in order to achieve a healthy and happy mind and body. First, in â€Å"The Flea,† Donne sets up a very imaginative metaphor as he uses a flea to act as the means of uniting him with his woman. He tells his woman that â€Å"†¦in this flea, our two bloods mingled bee;†(pg.48) and continues to say that â€Å"This flea is you and I†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (pg.48). This very use of the flea stretches the imagination to a great extent, as it places a seemingly bothersome insect into the place of tying together two people through its blood. It is evident then that Donne†s support for the imaginative went as far as placing it into the love poems he wrote to try to seduce his woman. Donne†s belief in imagination was wholehearted. As for relating this use of the imagination to the well being of the body, Donne addresses this as well. Donne†s imaginatively crafted metaphor is also a well-planned out scheme to seduce his woman. In other words, Donne uses the imagination to help make his body feel better by seducing and sleeping with his woman. His argument to his woman is that since the flea has drawn blood from each of them and the two have already exchanged the most special of bonds, that sleeping together would not be anything wrong. He tells her: â€Å"Thou know†st that this cannot be said A sinne, nor losse of maidenhead, And pamper†d swells with one blood made of two, And this, alas, is more than we would doe†(pg.48). Here we see Donne putting into practice his argument that the imagination can be used in order to get the body what it desires. In his poem â€Å"The Dreame,† Donne parallels his dreaming, or imagination, to the very woman of whom he is dreaming in the poem. During the poem, Donne dreams of a great sexual fantasie with his woman, and soon enough, she walks into the bedroom to find him dreaming. However, Donne†s dream is not interrupted, but rather it continues with her entrance. He says: â€Å"Therefore thou wakd†st me wisely; yet My Dreame thou brok†st not, but continued†st it, Thou art so truth, that thoughts of thee suffice, To make dreames truths; and fables histories; Enter these armes, for since thou thoughtst it best, Not to dreame all my dreame, let†s act the rest†(pg.45). Donne†s apparent argument is then one that declares imagination to be the precursor to reality. He argues that if a person does not first imagine how a certain circumstance will result, then they will certainly not have the pleasure of knowing what circumstances may follow. In other words, Donne believes the imagination to be a passageway from mental health and pleasure to bodily health and pleasure. Montaigne and Donne are two people seeking the same result: a unity between the mind and body. Both incorporate their compelling philosophies into their writing and present convincing arguments in order to explicate their theories. Each of the two agree that the body and the mind are related, and additionally that the imagination is a powerful controller of both the mind and body. However, the two disagree in their sentiments towards what types of learning and creativity create a healthy mind and body. Each of the two present their respective theories in very coercive arguments, and yet very disparate arguments. However, the two may have more ecumenically similar qualities when brought into modern society. Perhaps the greater message imparted upon the reader by the two authors is that the unity between the mind and the body is found through different means for different people. Each person must seek out their own form of mental cultivation that will help them to achieve both a healthy mind and a healthy body. How to cite Comparative Analysis of De Montaigne and Donne on Mind and Body, Papers

Walmart Scandal in Mexico free essay sample

Walmart is under investigation for the allegations of bribery carried out by executives in Mexico eager to boost the company’s growth in that Market. The New York Times was first to break the story describing the Mexican scandal as â€Å"a prolonged struggle within the company that pitted its much publicized commitment to the highest moral and ethical standards against its relentless pursuit of growth†. In Septemper 2005, a senior Wal-Mart lawyer received an email about how Wal-Mart de Mexico had orchestrated a campaign of bribery to win market dominance in its rush to build stores. The New York Time lays out a seven-year campaign of unethical behavior, totaling more than $24 million in â€Å"suspect payments† and corporate aggression that has made Walmart the largest private employer in Mexico with one of every five stores and over 200,000 employees. I found it interesting that during the alleged scandal the Los Angeles Times comments that a 42% increase from the $312 billion Wal-Mart said it earned in the 2005 fiscal year, when much of the Mexican bribery was said to be occurring. We will write a custom essay sample on Walmart Scandal in Mexico or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page It seems to be a very fine line with Wal-Mart regarding public scrutiny over balancing profits and growth with sustainability and ethical business practices. Along with the allegations in Mexico some critics question if the same has happened in the US. According to Al Norman, author of the Case Against Wal-Mart; is known as the â€Å"the guru of the anti-Wal-Mart movement. Mr. Norman comments about some claims that include situations where citizens testifying at public hearings have accepted cash in exchange for making pro-Wal-Mart statements. In other cases, he claims, groups protesting Wal-Mart expansion have ceased to protest after accepting donations from the company or its partners. Mr. Norman cites an example that happened in 2004 in Tallahassee, FL where a group opposing Wal-Mart’s construction of a store said that a real estate broker representing the project offered them a six-figure contribution if they would support it. The group declined the offer and reported it to the county commissioners as having been bribed. However under Florida law, a bribe, to be illegal, must include criminal intent. Ok but about just being morally wrong? According to Carol Cone, managing director of brand and corporate citizenship for Edelman, the public relations firm, shoppers really do care about the moral and integrity compass of the stores they shop. 87% of American consumers surveyed think businesses need to place at least as much weight on society’s interests as they on business interests. I believe that this could have been avoided had Wal-Mart committed to having a strong and effective global anti-corruption program in every country that they are in. The U. S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) prohibits bribes to win business overseas. Also I believe the consumer has to speak up by using the theory of voting with dollars! We need to do the research by probing the track record of our favorite stores to shed light on their business ethics, labor and human rights. Another point of how Wal-Mart can avoid this in the future is having a more proactive approach to corporate social responsibility (CSR) and an adequate crisis management system. The reactive steps Wal-Mart has put in place regarding its compliance program will help prevent this from happening in the future. Randy Hargrove, a company spokesman, stated that Wal-Mart improved the way it reported and investigated accusations of ethical violations; it hired new executives to oversee compliance; and it combined its compliance, ethics, investigations and legal functions into one department. According to Wagner, Lutz and Wietz, â€Å"the importance for firms to communicate their social responsibility not only has risen substantially over the last few years but also continues to increase dramatically as a result of current worldwide economic conditions and the resultant skepticism of how corporate practices affect the well-being of societies†. In addition, media and technology advances allow for immediate dissemination of both positive and negative messages about a company. When company actions are different than CSR statements, the company’s image and sales suffer. I believe as result of the improved CSR statements and the Wal-Mart bribe situation, American businesses working on foreign soil will improve. Furthermore, I believe U. S.  companies operating on foreign soil will use the Wal-Mart example as company business lesson and ensure they have the above mentioned best business practices set up to avoid another repeat in history. Any further examples of this sort of unethical business behavior could be fatal to businesses from law suits and fines not excluding reputation. Also the consumer is much more aware and checking to make sure these companies are who they say they are! I know I will be following up a little more closely.

Walmart Scandal in Mexico free essay sample

Walmart is under investigation for the allegations of bribery carried out by executives in Mexico eager to boost the company’s growth in that Market. The New York Times was first to break the story describing the Mexican scandal as â€Å"a prolonged struggle within the company that pitted its much publicized commitment to the highest moral and ethical standards against its relentless pursuit of growth†. In Septemper 2005, a senior Wal-Mart lawyer received an email about how Wal-Mart de Mexico had orchestrated a campaign of bribery to win market dominance in its rush to build stores. The New York Time lays out a seven-year campaign of unethical behavior, totaling more than $24 million in â€Å"suspect payments† and corporate aggression that has made Walmart the largest private employer in Mexico with one of every five stores and over 200,000 employees. I found it interesting that during the alleged scandal the Los Angeles Times comments that a 42% increase from the $312 billion Wal-Mart said it earned in the 2005 fiscal year, when much of the Mexican bribery was said to be occurring. We will write a custom essay sample on Walmart Scandal in Mexico or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page It seems to be a very fine line with Wal-Mart regarding public scrutiny over balancing profits and growth with sustainability and ethical business practices. Along with the allegations in Mexico some critics question if the same has happened in the US. According to Al Norman, author of the Case Against Wal-Mart; is known as the â€Å"the guru of the anti-Wal-Mart movement. Mr. Norman comments about some claims that include situations where citizens testifying at public hearings have accepted cash in exchange for making pro-Wal-Mart statements. In other cases, he claims, groups protesting Wal-Mart expansion have ceased to protest after accepting donations from the company or its partners. Mr. Norman cites an example that happened in 2004 in Tallahassee, FL where a group opposing Wal-Mart’s construction of a store said that a real estate broker representing the project offered them a six-figure contribution if they would support it. The group declined the offer and reported it to the county commissioners as having been bribed. However under Florida law, a bribe, to be illegal, must include criminal intent. Ok but about just being morally wrong? According to Carol Cone, managing director of brand and corporate citizenship for Edelman, the public relations firm, shoppers really do care about the moral and integrity compass of the stores they shop. 87% of American consumers surveyed think businesses need to place at least as much weight on society’s interests as they on business interests. I believe that this could have been avoided had Wal-Mart committed to having a strong and effective global anti-corruption program in every country that they are in. The U. S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) prohibits bribes to win business overseas. Also I believe the consumer has to speak up by using the theory of voting with dollars! We need to do the research by probing the track record of our favorite stores to shed light on their business ethics, labor and human rights. Another point of how Wal-Mart can avoid this in the future is having a more proactive approach to corporate social responsibility (CSR) and an adequate crisis management system. The reactive steps Wal-Mart has put in place regarding its compliance program will help prevent this from happening in the future. Randy Hargrove, a company spokesman, stated that Wal-Mart improved the way it reported and investigated accusations of ethical violations; it hired new executives to oversee compliance; and it combined its compliance, ethics, investigations and legal functions into one department. According to Wagner, Lutz and Wietz, â€Å"the importance for firms to communicate their social responsibility not only has risen substantially over the last few years but also continues to increase dramatically as a result of current worldwide economic conditions and the resultant skepticism of how corporate practices affect the well-being of societies†. In addition, media and technology advances allow for immediate dissemination of both positive and negative messages about a company. When company actions are different than CSR statements, the company’s image and sales suffer. I believe as result of the improved CSR statements and the Wal-Mart bribe situation, American businesses working on foreign soil will improve. Furthermore, I believe U. S.  companies operating on foreign soil will use the Wal-Mart example as company business lesson and ensure they have the above mentioned best business practices set up to avoid another repeat in history. Any further examples of this sort of unethical business behavior could be fatal to businesses from law suits and fines not excluding reputation. Also the consumer is much more aware and checking to make sure these companies are who they say they are! I know I will be following up a little more closely.

Traditions and Customs free essay sample

A huge theme in the story of Beowulf involves the traditions and customs of the people because characters are repeatedly asked to tell about themselves, always rewarded for sacrificing for the greater good, and constantly showing loyalty to their king or leader. When traveling to another land, the traveler is asked to state his name, family, home,and purpose. If something is done for the good of the king and the people, those warriors are rewarded with praise, treasures, and long-lasting relationships. In life and in death, the folk never fail to show loyalty and appreciation to their leader. Common traditions such as how folk from different lands approach and greet each other, how people display gratitude when something is done for them, and how the common people stay loyal and show appreciation to their leader are consistent throughout the poem. When someone journeys to another kingdom in this time period, they cannot do so without passing by a coastguard and stating who they are, where they are from, who their family is, and what is their purpose in coming to their land. We will write a custom essay sample on Traditions and Customs or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page As Beowulf begins his journey, he is asked multiple times to state those four things. The first time is when he and his crew arrive to their destination, the Danish land. A curious sea warden sees them dressed in armor and immediately travels to where the strangers are to ask, â€Å"Who are ye, then, ye armed men, mailed folk tell your folk and home, lest hence ye fare suspect to wander your way as spies in Danish land. † Beowulf then replies that they are followers of Hygelac from the land of the Geats, and â€Å"To folk afar was my father known,noble atheling, Ecgtheow named we on mickle errand, to the lord of the Danes.. † (Gummere, Ch. 4). With that along with much more said, the coastguard agrees to lead them to the king. After Beowulf and his clansmen pass through that guard, they are lead to the mead-hall to seek the Danish king, Hrothgar. Before they can enter to see the king, however, they have to answer to another warrior guarding the hall, Wulfgar. Beowulf then repeats what he said to the first guard, â€Å"Hygelacs, we,fellows at board; I am Beowulf named. I am seeking to say to the son of Healfdene this mission of mine.. (Gummere, Ch. 5). Wulfgar carries this message to Hrothgar who sends the warrior to bring Beowulf to him. Beowulf informs the king of his homeland, his king, and his mission to defeat the monster that is putting the Danes in such misery. Although the Danes are very curious and suspicious in the beginning, they, like many other folk, are extremely grateful and appreciative to anyone who offers and succeeds in helping them during a crisis. Before he even meets Beowulf, Hrothgar states that he hopes â€Å"to give the good youth gold for his gallant thought † (Gummere, Ch. 6). After Beowulf defeats Grendel, he is given much praise from the common folk and many treasures from both the king and the queen. Hrothgar promises to love and treat him as a son and that â€Å"thy fame shall endure through all the ages† (Gummere, Ch. 14). He also gives Beowulf â€Å" a gold-wove banner, broidered battle-flag, breastplate and helmet, and a splendid sword† (Gummere, Ch. 15) as well as a saddle covered in jewels that was valuable and important to him. The queen kindly greeted Beowulf and â€Å"Of wounden gold, she offered, to honor him, arm-jewels twain, corselet and rings, and of collars the noblest.. † (Gummere. Ch. 18). As more crisis came, more treasure and appreciation was given. After the defeat of Grendels mother, Hrothgar honored the Geats with a banquet, an even stronger friendship, and more wealth. He states that his â€Å"landfolk towards friend and foe are firmly joined, and honor they keep in the olden way.. † while rewarding Beowulf with â€Å"treasures twelve, and the trust-of-earls bade him fare with the gifts to his folk beloved.. † (Gummere, Ch. 26). The Danish were not alone with their custom of showing gratitude and rewarding treasures to heroes. Although the Danes had their troubles and heroes, the Geats also had their own. Hygelacs brother was killed in a battle between the Geats and the Swedes, and while they were still fighting, Hygelac was trying to get revenge. Two men, Eofor and Wulf, assisted in the killing of his brothers killer. Hygelac promised them wealth and gave them each huge masses of land and linked rings. He honored Eofor with â€Å"his only daughter in pledge of grace, the pride of his home † (Gummere, Ch. 39). Hidden inside all of this wealth, praise, and gratitude is another traditional characteristic frequently shown. While receivers of the good deeds are showing appreciation, the givers are displaying a tremendous amount of honor and loyalty throughout the poem. Some acts of loyalty are minor. For example, Beowulfs battle with Grendels mother took longer than expected. The Danes gave up on waiting for the warrior, despite the great amount of loyalty he had shown them, but his men stayed by his side and â€Å" sat on,stared at the surges,sick in heart, and wished, yet weened not, their winsome lord again to see. Another small loyal motion was made in the battle between Beowulf and the dragon. When the odds were in the dragons favor, all of his comrades ran for safety in the woods, â€Å"but the soul of one with care cumbered. Kinship true can never be marred in a noble mind.. † (Gummere, Ch. 33). Remembering the trust and honor his king had for his warriors, Wiglaf went in after his lord and ended up weakening the dragon and inspiring Beowulf so he could could kill the raging monster. After returning home from the Danish land, Beowulf showed a major motion of loyalty towards his king, Hygelac. He tells his lord of the treasures he was rewarded. Instead of keeping it all for himself, he says to Hygelac, â€Å"Now to thee, my prince, I proffer them all, gladly give them.. † (Gummere, Ch. 29). He even presents the necklace given to him by Hrothgars wife to his own queen, and â€Å"Thus showed his strain the son of Ecgtheow as a man remarked for mighty deeds and acts of honor.. † (Gummere, Ch. 29). Beowulf was always loyal to his uncle both as a warrior and a nephew, and in the end, that grand amount of honor and loyalty was given back by a dear friend and warrior of his. During his fight with the malicious dragon, Beowulf was bitten, and eventually that bite lead to the death of the great, honorable king of the Geats. In his dying wishes, Beowulf asked Wiglaf to look after the kingdom and build a statue in his memory so people can see it and remember what a great king he was. Wiglaf granted those wishes. He gathered a group of men ,and together they built a pyre and â€Å"hung it with helmets and harness of war and breastplates bright† (Gummere, Ch. 41) in honor of his success in the many battles he fought. Afterwards, they built Beowulfs Barrow and surrounded it with the treasures collected from the dragons cave. Lastly, a band of twelve warriors rode around the statue â€Å" to mourn their king, chant their dirge, and their cheftain honor.. † (Gummere, Ch. 41). All of these actions were taken out of nothing other than loyalty and honor. In conclusion, the theme traditions and customs was demonstrated endlessly in Beowulf because characters had to explain themselves when traveling to another land, were rewarded and gave rewards for good deeds, and expressed a marvelous amount of honor and loyalty for their leaders. Beowulf was asked several times to state his name, his family, where he came from, and his purpose for journeying away from his homeland. Beowulf as well as other characters accomplished various good deeds for the benefit of others earning themselves treasure, weapons, life-long relationships, land, loyalty, and a variety of other rewards. Enormous amounts of loyalty and honor were shown from kings, warriors, and common folk alike. The theme of traditions and customs plays an important role and stays consistent throughout the story of Beowulf.

International Environmental Analysis a Case of Tata Group

International Environmental Analysis a Case of Tata Group Tata is one of the Indian business giants that have been seen to expand drastically, acquiring different businesses abroad. These range from manufacturing businesses to consultancy services. For instance, Tata Motors (2006) acquired the truck division of the beaten Daewoo of Korea in 2003.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on International Environmental Analysis: a Case of Tata Group specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Tata steel has acquired steel mills in many places including Europe. Tata Tea bought Tetley Tea in 2000 while Tata consultancy has spread its tentacles all over. In UK for instance, Tata employs at least 45,000 workers; Tata consultancy employs over 5000 staff while Tata UK is the country’s biggest manufacturer and employs over 40,000 workers. The steelworks at Stockbridge are currently under the ownership of Tata. In a recent business move, Land Rover which had earlier been taken by Tata launched the E voque, which is a mini sports utility vehicle. This is a vehicle that drew the admiration of many leading to placement of up to 20,000 orders prior to opening of its sale. This is just a glimpse of Tata’s spread of its tentacles. Tata’s Environment The internal environment includes its strengths and weaknesses in management, strategy, and products. In their internalization strategy, TATA envisages to always retain managers that were already in place in the acquired company and combine them with some senior managers from the Indian constituent. By retaining management staff of the acquired companies, Tata will be able to face the possible management challenges that would especially relate to human resources. Some of these challenges are developing HR initiatives to manage employee morale in a new environment and managing their productivity and insecurity (Shah 2006). The company also is keen on management development of the leaders. They have programs intended to improv e the skills of the managers. In its alliances, the company enhances product portfolios for the two companies (Greer 2002). For instance, it made an agreement with Fiat to build a pickup together that was designed for its Central and South American market in 2007. One of their weaknesses is that the passenger cars that offer Tata Motors are often produced on lower generation platforms which would not allow it compete strongly in a market where competition is strong. Tata has also not been able to enter luxury car segment even after acquiring Jaguar and Land Rover. This is perhaps because people associate it with heavy commercial vehicles. The external environment too consists of strengths and weaknesses.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The increase in oil products for instance can be considered to be a blessing in disguise, especially in America. As Tata corporatio n intends to introduce the low consumption Tata Nano. The economic challenges facing America calls for more jobs and the entry of Tata could not be such timely as now (Green 2002). In globalizing, Tata is a fast learner and takes its lessons from among others, Daewoo. It is able to diversify from metal to tea, from chemicals to hotels and several other lines of investments. One of the big threats is the shift from big cars to smaller compact cars that is becoming the trend of many manufacturers. The emergence of new technology electrical engine by Chevrolet is a looming threat. Since it is a home car, Americans might favor the Chevrolet over the Indian Tata even though they have the same specifications. The electric engine might also receive more attention with greater environmental awareness today. The company also faces serious problems in parochialism where the top management is dominated by Indians. The diversification could also be counted as a disadvantage; Tata seems to be dr agging both performing and non-performing sectors along. Some examples are Tata Teleservices and Tata Financial services (Windecker 2011). On the side of human resources, the challenge comes in developing equitable pay plans for individuals working in different countries. There would also need some extra knowledge in identifying and training expatriate managers to do overseas assignments and developing some human resource initiatives that will be directed towards workforce diversity, which means there would be need for diversity training programmes (Green 2002). There is a threat in TATA being a family business. It would seem also that its chairman, Ratan Tata, is one of a major investment himself. Replacing him would not be easy considering that he has led the company through major transformations right from its restructuring to innovations. Being a family business, it would mean that the other one in line is also a family member which raises the question whether this concept would continue working wonders in it internalization and its survival in the developed world markets. Rattan Tata retires in the end of 2012. There is no obvious heir of the business as Ratan has no children. If it becomes the end of a trend of inheritance, it is not yet the end of the company strategy and it will depend much on the direction in which the company is driven (Shah 2006). PESTLE Analysis of TATA In terms of entry barriers there may not be much lobbying to do to enter the American market even though they will have to have their cars approved by the appropriate agencies before they are allowed to enter. This may include some modifications as specified by the agencies. A company that is trying to keep a competitive advantage may not succeed well especially if they are also trying to be among the cheapest (Chaudhuri Muthukumar 2004).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on International Environmental Analysis: a Case of Tata Group specifically for you for o nly $16.05 $11/page Learn More Even though the economic crisis can be used to market cheaper cars, Tata may have to adapt its strategy keeping in mind that this will also affect their business in other ways. For instance, the exchange rates, inflation, and GDP trends. This is a crisis in itself because the company might be considering the job creation it will bring through entering the market (Biswas 2005). Tata will have to look into the environmental footprint since there are current trends of higher environmental requirements. If their car is not environmentally friendly, it may receive a cold reception from an environmentally aware clientele. The company may therefore have much to do with corporate social responsibility (Nieuwenhuis Wells 2003). The company might need to do something about its image as compared to the home brands so as to counter the sour attitude or comparison of home versus Indian product (Encarnation 1982). Due to the presence of the electric Chevrolet Spark, more research and development will be required to bring such a product into the market if it will have to be competitive in the long run. Engine technologies are also changing fast and they need to adapt to this so that they do not become obsolete in the fast changing arena (Chaudhuri Muthukumar 2004). Indian policy towards investments abroad had always been a dilemma for the government. It was highly restrictive but in the recent times, investments abroad have been seen as India’s way of promoting its exports. The general guidelines that governed Indian company participation in joint investments abroad by 1995 had the following specifications: Only industrial ventures; the Indian participation could only be minority; there should be no cash remittances to start up the companies; There should be Indian participation in terms of machines, equipment and technical know-how; and the reserve bank of India should be the single window clearance agency and many oth er regulations (Encarnation 1982). All these guidelines were restrictive, reflecting that effort was to conserve foreign exchange. These policies were to ensure that the investments abroad would lead to increased export of Indian-made machinery. After 1995, the government policies were liberalized and it saw a wave of increased investments abroad. However, an annual ceiling of $500 million was introduced as a precaution. April 2003 saw the ceiling abolished and the companies were now free to invest abroad (Biswas 2005). In contrast to earlier waves of investments abroad, the current wave seems to be focused on developed nations like U.S and U.K. some investment projects are still directed towards other developing countries of the world (Agmon Kindieberger 1977). India is now in joint ventures in such areas like light engineering, oil and seed crushing, chemicals and pharmaceuticals, glass and glass products, commercial vehicles, cement and other manufacturing, consultancy and many other fields (Dunning 1981). Statistical evidence shows that most of these investments have taken the form of acquisitions.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Dunning’s theory Dunning’s theory of investment development path shows that outward investments and also inward investments create more structural development in the home economy as compared to the countries of destination. According to the theory, as a country develops it may be able to expand its industries further to neighboring countries or to other countries that are behind it in terms of development. As development becomes advanced, it becomes possible to invest even in countries that are more developed than that investing country (Dunning, Hoesel Narula 1998). It would be expected that after India liberalizing its policy, there would be more concentration on its domestic market instead of concentrating on other markets where percentage growth is lower than in India. The explanation could be that India seems to follow the theory of investment development path (Ruta 2005). These investments eventually culminate to India’s development. With India’s p reoccupation with foreign currency reserves, it would be expected therefore that the outward flow of investments will fluctuate with the level of foreign currency reserves (Bhat 1973). TATA’s UK Environment The UK market is highly influenced by the bargaining power of competitors. The presence of powerful competitors in the UK like Ford, GM, Toyota, Peugeot and others makes it a highly consolidated market. Intense price wars would therefore arise and necessitate differentiation of products (Windecker 2011). The bargaining power of the buyers in the UK market also characterizes TATA’s UK environment. Due to the high competition of the several companies in UK, buyers also have immense bargaining power. They have also in the recent times exhibited high level of bargain seeking behavior. One cannot also fail to recognize the bargaining power of the suppliers. Even with the consolidation of the vehicle manufacturers, suppliers groups have also consolidated and so car dealer s experience a lot of bargaining power due to the overcapacity problem. TATA’s UK environment is also determined by threat of new entrants into the market. There is future potential of Chinese manufacturers flooding the EU markets if there is no protection measures implemented in the near future. Even when the threat is minimized by the entry barriers of value, investment capability and product development, the globalized nature of the industry makes entry of new competitors not clear cut (Aggarwal Johann 1998). The UK market is characterized by slow pace of market entry. The high competition in the UK market means that the market window for Tata Motors is narrow. This may undermine that company’s success on this market (Shah 2006). Despite the threat posed by these challenges Tata could position itself strategically and not only concentrate on low cost cars but also SUVs since after market recovery, there would be high demand for them. They could also take advantage of the expansion of the EU market. Why UK? TATA chose UK due to presence of several favorable business and environmental factors like economic stability, medium entry barriers, growth of the car market segments and the future market expansion prospects into the EU, using UK as the base. Fast entry mode was chosen where there was establishment of contractual relationships with UK operating market agents through joint ventures (Windecker 2011). This would guarantee Tata fast market penetration and market knowledge. There was a negative aspect that had to be counterbalanced. The fact that Tata heavily relied on its Indian success undermined its competitive pressure. In order to counter this, Tata proposed to focus on building customer relations and enhance customer loyalty. A consideration is being given by Tata to come up with a SUV model to suit customers who are looking for sports type, environmentally friendly high quality but cheap cars. This is a large market that Tata could focu s on. It would use price as one of the attractive factors and this would work wonders for price sensitive individuals. In its strategy, the company will launch advertising campaigns to create awareness about the car. The company also intends to cooperate with different car dealers and develop e-commerce to ensure the products are available. In a very recent research study of Tata by a branch of its UK consultancy segment, some sustainability strategy tailored to the UK segment was proposed. The ten year sustainability strategy is designed to complement its growth and expansion. The areas addressed were steel, automobile, software consulting, chemicals, tea and other major interests it invests in. First, creation of a Tata Sustainability Solutions (TSS) was proposed. While much of its operational details will not be discussed here, TSS will ensure centralized consulting support for all business units, increased transparency, financial independence, and management development, ease of raising funds, strategic continuity and consistency of business practices. In this research it was suggested that when the support structures are in place alongside TSS, the initiatives that reflect each unit’s target market needs, business expertise needed and such variables can start being looked at. The initiatives should be tracked in aggregate by TSS perhaps with an exception of the Corporate Social Responsibility. All details should be addressed using a specific timeline to avoid jumping the gun. If Tata was to adopt such strategy, several current strategies could be affected right from human resource practices to operations (Windecker 2011). What does internalization mean to UK stakeholders? Even if capital gains are not channeled to the UK, accommodation of such investments as those coming from the East is crucial for its economy too. The advantages could be counted especially on job creation. Counting Tata only, it has been confirmed that there are 40,000 jobs in UK only coming from such an investment. This would mean that if the acquired companies were still under previous management, there would perhaps be downsizing owing to the poor performance of these companies. Allowing such foreign investments also brings in new ideas into already existing knowledge base (Shah 2006). Such investments also make UK the hub of activity in the EU and bring market not only for the foreign company products but also for home products. It brings business to such other industries like the flight industry, freight, outsourcing and others (Windecker 2011). The presence of competition also can be considered an advantage in that it brings product improvement, differentiation and makes prices affordable for the customers. Company standards also rise due to the competition bringing aspects like HR practices and services to a new level. All these combined are a plus to the local economy. The competition it brings can however be considered a negative in the sense that it takes business away from local producers. This compared to other advantages that foreign investments bring, can be considered as healthy competition (Green 2002). The stockholders are above all better positioned to benefit from the diversified investments. The internalization of companies especially from the developing countries of the East and their entry into the UK can therefore be regarded as important for the UK. List of References Aggarwal, R., and Johann, K., 1982. Foreign operations of third world multinationals: A literature review and analysis of Indian companies. Journal of Developing Areas, 17(1), 13-29. Agmon, T., Kindieberger, C. P., 1977. Multinationals from small countries. Cambridge: The MIT Press. Bhat, V. M., 1973. â€Å"Indian investment and collaboration in foreign countries.† In C. N. Vakil (ed.), Industrial development of India: policy and problems. New Delhi: Orient Longman. Biswas, S., 2005. Knowledge services sector to generate $ 200-b economy by 20. The Economic Times, New Delhi, 12 April, p. 16. Chaudhuri, A.R., and K. Muthukumar, 2004. The Worlds Ageing, and its an Old hand at Work All around You, The Economic Times, New Delhi, 15 June, p. 9. Dunning, J. H., 1981. Explaining the international direct investment position of countries: towards a dynamic or developmental approach. Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv., 117(1), 30-64. Dunning, J. H., Hoesel, V., Narula, R., 1998. Third world multinationals revisited: New developments and theoretical implications, in J. H. Dunning (Ed.). Globalization: Trade and foreign direct investment. Amsterdam: Elsevier Encarnation, D., 1982. The political economy of Indian joint industrial ventures abroad. International Organization, 36(1), 31-59. Greer, C. R., 2002. Strategic human resource management: A general managerial approach, 2nd edition. Singapore: Pearson Education. Nieuwenhuis, P., Wells, P. E., 2003. The automotive industry and the environment: A technical, business and social futur e. Cambridge: Woodhead Publishing Ruta, C. D., 2005. The application of change management theory to HR portal implementation in subsidiaries of Multinational Corporation. Human Resource Management, 44(1), 35-53. Shah, K., 2006. â€Å"The Dream Nightmare. The Economic Times. New Delhi, 10 June, p.7 Tata Motors, 2006. Annual report. Tata Motors. [online] Web. Windecker, R., 2011. Upsize and upscale lead the way. Automotive Industries, 184(6), 18

Moral Saints Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Moral Saints - Essay Example The role that morality should play in our lives is a topic that garnered attention from many philosophers. Wolf (419-439) is among the scholars who focused on the way human beings apply morals on their life. She states that human beings should not strive to live a saintly life as this was be too good to the extent of denying themselves happiness. She advises that human beings should treat others not as a means but an end. The implication of this is that people should strive to be happy and make other happy by treating them fairly and with respect. For instance, they should do as much good as possible, save lives and avoid killing. This coincides with the idea of Mill that human beings should strive to save lives as failing to do so is tantamount to killing (Bendle 36). On this note, there is a concession that good actions should not be in striving to saints but in treating others in a fair manner for mutual happiness. Human beings should weigh their private or personal projects on the way their consequences on others. Wolf (429) agrees with the idea of Mill that rational moral would guide people in their actions with one another. Mill proposed the principle of utilitarianism in determining the morality of actions in the society (Bendle 40). In his argument, human beings should weigh their actions on the consequences they have on the people whom they affect. In the principle of utilitarianism, the best action is one whose consequences do overall good to the society. This is similar to the idea of Wolf that one should do as much good as is possible, unlike the absolute saints who should strive to do good only. On the other hand, this contradicts the idea proposed by Kantianism on the universality of moral laws that bind each person. Kant proposes that each person must do act according to the moral laws. For instance, if lying is bad it remains bad in

Batian Food and Wine Festival Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Batian Food and Wine Festival - Case Study Example In total the event attracted over 50,000 participants. The festival had been so well managed by the use of the SWOT analysis, HR management, financial management, marketing and promotion, sponsorship, and risk management. Good organization and management were the key pillars that led to the success of the festival. Batian food and wine festival is one of the most tremendous festivals have ever experienced. The festival involved a three day event in which there were various presentations of traditional food recipes and wines. Some of the events included brilliant musical productions, theater, gospel music's, historic presentations, wine and food presentations/techniques which were presented to the guests who had been welcomed to witness this gratifying event. The festival began with a traditional wine tasting competition which was aimed at sampling the best wine presented in the festival. This was done by professional wine tasters. The festival brought together different communities from different parts of the world. There were wine tasters from each community. The main theme of the festival was to educate people on the various traditional techniques which are used to prepare foods and wines and hence increase their knowledge on food and wine. One of the key entry criteria for the event was that each community that participated had to present a unique type of food and wine and their production technique. One each day of the event there were different activity that was performed. For the first day, there was wine sampling and tasting. Then on the second day, there was sampling of food and their recipes. On the third day, the finals were held and judgment delivered. (Abel, 2000). January 25th 2005 This was the first day of the festival. Since all the entries had been made earlier, there was no issue of registration on the first day. There was exclusive wine sampling and tasting along the beach. All the participants aligned their wine in shades and the tasters who were about 50 went from shade to shade. The day one event started at 6:30 PM and continued till late at night. After the tasters had visited all the shades, the participants were then allowed to try their buds on different sampled wines since they had a chance to vote for the best wine also. There were more than 83 wine varieties which were presented in the festival. There were traditional dances to spice up the festival. At the end of the day, every one seemed a bit tipsy. Every one was jovial while the paned of wine tasters confined themselves in a closed room where they were making their deliberations. The results were not released on that day since they had to wait for the results of the voting from the participants as well (Abraham, 2000). January 26th 2005 The event started at 8:00 Am but this was abit different from the day one event. This was a chance for the best chefs from the communities to test one another. It was during this day when so many levels of competitions were presented on the types of cooks and wines which these professional could make. It was also during this day when all those professional chefs had been invited for the festival so that they could try and compete at their many levels of cooking (Abraham, 2000). The chefs lined up with recipes in shades. Food competitions were organized in modern

UK education investment is going to be cut while the tuition fees will Dissertation

UK education investment is going to be cut while the tuition fees will be triple , discuss the impacts on domestic students - Dissertation Example Using a questionnaire, the present study assessed how the cutting down of the investment in the educational sector by the UK government has tripled the tuition fee and influenced domestic students in the UK. The results suggested that there will be neither a positive influence nor a negative influence on the student participation rate in the higher education, while there will be a significant impact on the overall academic performance due to term time employment and pressures of the debt and enrollment decisions of students to pursue higher education. The results further indicated that there was a positive relationship between higher levels of education and annual wages and the fact that students acquiring higher education tend to find employment far more easily as compared to those without higher education. The findings also suggested that higher education offered better opportunities for promotion and superior living standards in the future. In conclusion, the research offered an i nsight into the policies and programmes that could be initiated by policy makers and higher education institute to accommodate the students and provide them with the best possible education. TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 8 1.1 Outline 8 1.2 Context 10 1.3 Research Aims 12 1.4 Research Questions 13 CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW 14 2.1 Tuition Fee and Student Participation Rate 14 2.2 Tuition Fee and Students’ Enrollment Decision 15 2.3 Tuition Fess and Persistence of Degree 17 2.4 Tuition Fee and Academic Performance 18 2.5 Higher Education and Future Benefits 22 CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY 25 3.1 Sample 25 3.2 Sampling Strategy 25 3.3 Data Collection Methods 26 3.3.1Triangulation 26 3.3.2 Quantitative Research 26 3.3.2.1 Questionnaire 27 3.3.3 Qualitative Research 28 3.3.3.1 Qualitative Interview 28 3.3.4 Secondary Data 29 3.4 Data Analysis 29 3.4.1 Percentages 30 3.5 Methodological Limitations 30 3.6 Ethics 31 CHAPTER 4 RESULTS AND FINDINGS 32 DISCUSSION 35 CHPATER 5 RECO MMENDATIONS AND CONLUSION 40 5.1 Recommendations 40 5.2 Conclusion 41 CHAPTER 6 RETROSPECTIVE 42 6.1 What went well? 42 6.2 Limitations 42 REFERENCES 44 APPENDIX 52 LIST OF TABLES Table 1 Sample of Students 59 Table 2 Age Group (in years) 60 Table 3 Household Income 61 Table 4 Level of Programme 62 Table 5 Host Univeristy 63 Table 6 Tuition Fee 64 Table 7 How are you funding your studies? 65 Table 8: Do you think the investment cutting will have an influence on the particpation rate (number of partcipants) of domestic students in educational programs. There will be a descrease in the participation rate (number of particpants) of domestic students in educational programs? 66 Table 9 Do you think high tuition fees will lead to students load increase significantly? 67 Table 10 Do you think the high tuition fee will have an impact on the number of hours students work per week? 68 Table 11 Do you think student performance in their respective educational programs will be influenced signif icantly by cut in investment? 69 Table 12 Do you think the number of current students will drop off after the tuition fees rise? 70 Table 13

New Headway Intermediate Book Evaluation English Language Essay

New Headway Intermediate Book Evaluation English Language Essay The purpose of the second part of this essay is to evaluate New Headway intermediate students book, one of the course books used at many of the foreign language institutes around the world. The evaluation will be based on an external and an internal evaluation of the book. The external evaluation will give us a brief overview of the materials from the outside (also known as factual information) and the internal evaluation will give us a closer and more detailed look at Units 1 and 2. The new headway course book is meant to be suitable for adults undertaking a general English course. It is the third edition, which means that the book is very popular and published many times. Liz and John Soars are the authors of this book. There is a note at the back of the book which states: Liz and John Soares are internationally renowned authors and highly experienced teachers and teacher trainers. This statement indicates that the authors are recognised in an international basis. The publisher is the oxford university press; A widely known publisher which has published thousands of books. There is a website link in the front and in the back of the book which you can access it online. The one link contains exercises you can do online and the other one has different English Books it has published so far. This single course book costs  £22.00, without the supplementary materials. If you want to buy the whole package, you have to buy each material individually. However, the whole package includes: class CDS/cassettes, a workbook (with or without key), the students workbook CD/cassette and a DVD/Video with students activity book. There is also a teachers book in print and locally available. Thus, the student edition will not be difficult to work with. However, if you go online at Amazon, you will see that if you want to buy together the teachers book, the workbook and the class audio cds, costs  £68. It is very expensive for someone who cannot afford it economically and he will be dissuaded from selecting it. In my opinion I would not buy the single book for only  £22 pounds as I would definitely need a workbook for supplementary exercises. However, it is not included in the package and it costs  £12.50. Also the course book does not provide any audio material in the back as man y do. I think that it is essential to provide this extra material in order to use the textbook more successfully in self-time study. The front cover is colourful with nice pictures, but in my opinion it is not very inspiring and attractive for learners. If you would take off the title I will take it as a science or a maths book. When opening the contents page, language is presented and organised into teachable units. The contents page illustrates the general organisation of the material, which is based on topics. Under each unit there is an established topic. Meanwhile, the importance of form is also made obvious by the prominent placement of grammar in the second column. It is now clear that the content is sequenced on the basis of the grammar complexity. It starts from a more simple grammar form and then progress to a more complex grammar form. The contents are divided broadly into language input and skills development. Under language input there is grammar, vocabulary and everyday English. Under skills development there is: reading, speaking, listening and writing. We can now continue to the next stage of the evaluation by performing a more deep investigation into the materials. I am going to examine Unit 1 and 2 in order to perform an effective internal inspection of the materials. Both units start with a presentation of the grammar which will be the focus of the unit and provides an engaging start. Looking the units as a whole all the language skills including grammar, vocabulary, reading, listening and speaking are all covered. Usually after the test your grammar part which engages you into the main focus of the units, there is a text. It is good that the unit starts with this way because it is helping them to remember thing they have done previously but also is going to introduce them of what grammar is going to follow. In unit 1 the grammar is very simple. It starts with auxiliary verbs, naming the tenses, questions and negatives, and short answers. Tenses and auxiliary verbs are integrated into a quiz which they have to complete and then listen to it in order to check their answers. Then there is the grammar spot and then there is a practice section where they have to practice negatives and pronunciation. Then follows some exercises on short answers where they have to notice differences between the two conversations. This is followed again by a grammar spot and then a practice activity based on short answers. It is obvious that it gives more emphasis on grammar. However, then follows an information gap speaking activity. In the next page follows a reading and a speaking activity where the students have to read a passage on the wonders of the modern world and answer some questions based on the text and then discuss some other questions. Further down there is a freer listening and speaking section w hich consists of listening about wonders of the modern world and a discussion based on inventions. Then, follows a vocabulary section with different exercises based on what it is new in a word. This part includes some spelling and pronunciation exercises. Additionally there is a reference to page 159 where you can find all the phonetic symbols. At the end of the vocabulary section there is a writing exercise in page 103 based on correcting mistakes and finally there is the section every day English where students practice social expressions through exercises. Unit 2 starts with a short Test your grammar exercise which is to guide students into the focus of the unit and provide an engaging start. Following this is a picture presentation of different people having fun and here students have to talk about what makes them happy. Then there is a textual representation incorporating pictures and a written text on the theme of what makes people happy, which talks about Sidney fisk and below some comprehension questions focusing on conceptual aspects of the target language. The target language has been embedded in the written text .The object is that learners are given some exercises where they have to opportunity to practice how the present tense is used and why. These rules are reinforced in a grammar spot section under the passage and in the grammar reference in the back of the book where learners can look for help. This is followed by a listening and speaking controlled practice activities, the first two focusing on present tenses. Both of th ese exercises use information and examples from the presentation of grammar. Then students listen and read a conversation which is based on simple or continuous and they have to practice similar conversations with the one they have listened to including different jobs. This is followed by grammar practice activities, where in the first one they have to indicate whether the sentences are correct or not and in the second to complete the sentences with present simple or present continuous. Then, the reading and speaking section is about I am a clown doctor. The unit here includes some pre-reading activities; mainly questions which are said to motivate learners. Then learners have to read the text and answer some questions. Following this is a grammar spot exercise which focuses on present passive. Students have to complete sentences from the text and then if they want they can go and see the rules on how and when to use present passive on the grammar reference part. Some more exercise s follow. The one is related to the text and in the other one you have to format some questions in order to complete the interview. Then there is an activity where students have to discuss some questions in groups. Exercises on vocabulary and listening are in the next page, based on sports. There are pictures of different people doing different sports and a warm-up activity in which learners have to make a list of as many sports and leisure activities they can think of. They can use the pictures for help. When they finish, there is an exercise where they have to match some sports with the verbs do, play or go. Then follows an activity in which they have to complete a chart using activities from the list they have made before. Meanwhile they have the opportunity to use a dictionary to look up any words they need. Then they listen to different people talking about a sport activity they enjoy and take notes. In a freer activity they can ask their partners some questions based on sports . For writing they have to write letters and emails. The unit finishes by everyday English which is based on numbers. They will learn about money, fractions, decimals and percentages, dates and phone numbers. Then they will listen to some conversation and write the numbers they hear. In my opinion it would take me 18-20 hours to teach both units in this course book. New Headway Intermediate is attractively laid out, with glossy pages and plenty use of colour and photographs which inspires the student. The strong visual element is likely to attract students. However, the cover does not really remind you of an English book, but the inside is different. I think that the new headway intermediate book is well organised into units and sub-sections and it is easy to follow. There are headings or labels for each section and exercises and activities are always introduced with clear instructions. The book clearly arranges the contents, and cross references indicate where learners can find further grammatical information, typescripts, pair work activities, irregular verbs, verb patterns and phonetic symbols in the back. Still, it does not include any revision or recycling sections and this is a disadvantage because students will not have the opportunity for self study in order to check the skills they have learnt. I would provide them with some revision ac tivities with every 2 or 3 units so that they will do revisions and refresh their skills. However, I find the way that the materials are sequenced logical, because intermediate learners need to work their grammar. Some people may find this as a limitation but I believe that it is a good for intermediate learners that the content is based on the complexity of grammar. Moreover, there is a varied mix of activities, like grammar, vocabulary, listening, speaking, reading and writing skills, and functional English, but it lacks on pronunciation activities. Even if it provides phonetic symbols in the back of the book it does not include material for pronunciation work, and it is essential for this level of students to practice their pronunciation. The material for vocabulary is adequate in terms of quantity and range It offers a good balance of work on all skills and they are adequately covered .Also, there are some points where there are materials for integrated skills. I think that there are not enough activities associated to the text in each unit. In unit 1 and 2, they have to read the passage and then answer some comprehension questions. There are not exercises or suitable texts that will help students to improve their reading skills (scanning, skimming, intensive reading, and extensive reading). As homework I would give students extra reading exercises to do in order to practice their reading skills. The other skill that lacks in practice in the unit is the listening skill. I believe that again the book does not provide learners the opportunity to expand and practice their listening skills. The exercises provided for listening does not help students to expand their listening skills, and thus I would give them different listening activities to do within a lessons in order to practice their l istening. Grammar, writing and vocabulary are well covered. Speaking activities can equip them for real-life conversations. The topics are motivating for the adult learners and suitable for their language level. It covers a variety of interests and it gives them the opportunity to expand their awareness on some topics and enrich their experiences. Other groups of people are also presented in the topics. On the whole, New Headway Intermediate course book is perceived as a well designed and a well written book which supports English language learning. It is also used in many schools which teach English as a foreign language. It is suitable for learners, and regarding the disadvantages mentioned above they can become overcome through supplementary activities. .

Teaching Critical Reflection :: Education Educational Essays

Teaching Critical Reflection The ability to reflect critically on one’s experience, integrate knowledge gained from experience with knowledge possessed, and take action on insights is considered by some adult educators to be a distinguishing feature of the adult learner (Brookfield 1998; Ecclestone 1996; Mezirow 1991). Critical reflection is the process by which adults identify the assumptions governing their actions, locate the historical and cultural origins of the assumptions, question the meaning of the assumptions, and develop alternative ways of acting (Cranton 1996). Brookfield (1995) adds that part of the critical reflective process is to challenge the prevailing social, political, cultural, or professional ways of acting. Through the process of critical reflection, adults come to interpret and create new knowledge and actions from their ordinary and sometimes extraordinary experiences. Critical reflection blends learning through experience with theoretical and technical learning to form new knowl edge constructions and new behaviors or insights. Learning by critical reflection creates new understandings by making conscious the social, political, professional, economic, and ethical assumptions constraining or supporting one’s action in a specific context (Ecclestone 1996; Mackintosh 1998). Critical reflection’s appeal as an adult learning strategy lies in the claim of intellectual growth and improvement in one’s ability to see the need for and effect personal and system change. Reflection can be a learning tool for directing and informing practice, choosing among alternatives in a practice setting, or transforming and reconstructing the social environment (Williamson 1997). Can critical reflection be taught in a classroom? Does the new knowledge created foster change? This Myths and Realities investigates the extent to which critical reflection can be taught to adult learners. How Do Adults Learn to Be Critically Reflective? Without agreement on what reflective practice is, it is difficult to decide on teaching‑learning strategies. Reflective practice may be a developmental learning process (Williamson 1997), may have different levels of attainment (Wellington 1996), and may be affected by a learner’s cognitive ability (James and Clarke 1994), willingness to engage in the process (Bright 1996; Haddock 1997), and orientation to change (Wellington 1996). However, there does seem to be some agreement that critical reflection consists of a process that can be taught to adults. Brookfield (1988) identified four processes central to learning how to be critically reflective: assumption analysis, contextual awareness, imaginative speculation, and reflective skepticism. Assumption analysis describes the activity adults engage in to bring to awareness beliefs, values, cultural practices, and social structures regulating behavior and to assess their impact on daily activities.