Kimbell Art Museum Essay

The Kimbell Art Museum at Fort Worth, Texas houses some of the most exquisite and fascinating art pieces. The museum boasts of its wide array of collection of paintings, sculptures, potteries and other historical and cultural artifacts from all over the world. Visiting this place is like going through a time machine because of the many artworks from different periods in history that you can see and even touch. Visitors can enjoy both the beauty of the old and the new and at the same time comprehend the perspectives of the traditional and the avant-garde. Ancient masterpieces that date back as old as the prehistoric period are displayed alongside modern artworks. Most of the collections exhibited at the museum had existed way before I was even born. Meanwhile, there are also items that are so recent that I am not even aware of them. The diversity of paintings, sculptures and other artworks is so overwhelming that it inspires the visitors to be in touch with their creative or â€Å"artsy† side. The various collections and exhibitions are not the only attractions of the museum because the museum itself is also considered as a work of art. The modern design of the building and the manner the space and the natural light were utilized â€Å"enhanced the experience of the art (Kimbell Art Museum). Moreover, when I was looking around in and out of the museum, I stumbled upon a collection of a few Greek art pieces. In this part of the museum, there was this one object that caught my attention and interest. To feed my curiosity, I went closer to see the object up-close and to learn more about it. It was a black vase with red graphics painted on it. According to the description, the vase was credited to Brygos Painter which was made around 490–480 B. C. during the late archaic period (Kimbell Art Museum). Back then, the red-figure and black-figure vases were the prominent works of art made by skilful artists. These vases were constructed based on their specific functions for everyday and ritual activities. Meanwhile, the â€Å"pictorial decorations provide insights into many aspects of Athenian life and complement the literary texts and inscriptions from the Archaic and, especially, Classical periods. † This particular vase is called the â€Å"lekythos or the one-handled oil jug. † Moreover, Brygos Painter was considered as a â€Å"second-generation master of the red-figure style. † Most of his masterpieces exuded â€Å"freshness and vigor of Late Archaic art† (The Metropolitan Museum of Art). On the illustration painted on the vase, it displayed the image of a Greek god called Eros who is also known as the â€Å"god of love. † In this particular visual representation, he was portrayed as an archer with wings with a bow and arrow. Also, Eros was nude with only a mantle covering his shoulders. Meanwhile, the facial expression was stoic but with a hint of serene concentration as Eros get ready to draw his bow. In this period, the mastery of human form was not that evident but artists were able to provide a close depiction of the human body which was shown in the muscular definitions of the body of Eros specifically at the chest and torso area. More so, the figure lacked depth emphasizing the two-dimensionality feature of the painting. The position of Eros, with the right foot slightly bent with the left foot stretched and combined with the extended arms pointing to the left holding the bow and arrow, showed motion. Through this body gesture, the artist was able to create movement for the figure which at that time was considered as a sophisticated painting technique. Additionally, the series of repetitive intricate patterns drawn all over the vase gave the painting texture making it more interesting and visually appealing. Also, the floral design on the base of the neck of the vase provided fluidity to the overall painting because of the curves and various shapes incorporated. Works Cited â€Å"About the Museum. † 2008. Kimbell Art Museum. 19 November 2008 . â€Å"Athenian Vase Painting: Black- and Red-Figure Techniques. † 2008. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. 19 November 2008 . â€Å"Greek. † 2008. Kimbell Art Museum. 19 November 2008 .

Analysing the change in the role of the management accountant

This work is focused on critically measuring the doggedness of the alteration in the function of the direction comptroller from traditional accounting maps to that of a strategic contriver and concern spouse. The work of Johnson and Kaplan ( 1987 ) , titled â€Å" Relevance doomed † has prompted a drill-down on this research country. Though most of the research workers agree to the altering function of the direction comptroller ( Burns and Baldvinsdottir, 2005 ; Cooper and Dart 2009 ; Allot 2000 ; Chenhall and Langfield-Smith2007 ; Siegel1999 ; Kerby and Romine 2005 ; Vaivio1999 ; Ittner and Lacker2001 ; Ax and Bjornenak 2007 ; Bhimani 2006 ; Roslender and Hart 2002 ) . The importance the traditional function still remains critical to others, and should function to complement the new techniques or the alteration. ( Bromwich and Bhimani 1998 ; Burns et Al. 1999 ) . Others are of the position that history is still a relevant portion of the hereafter or the altering tendency. ( Fleischman and Funnell 2006 ; Luft 1997 ; Beaman and Richardson2007 ) .The type of organisation every bit good as the direction may besides find the nature of alteration. Yazdifar and Tsamenyi ( 2005 ) . This a lteration does non take the same signifier in organisations, but differs in form. Sulaiman and Mitchell ( 2005 ) . With the present economic miasma, some research workers are even recommending a return to the old ways: the traditional function, ( Baldvinsdottir et al ( 2009 ) . The first subdivision of this work will therefore reexamine these positions presented and seek to pull a comparing between these positions to see if the function of the direction comptroller has really changed and to what extent. This will be done pulling support from literatures. It will instantly be followed with some of the new roles the direction comptroller is taking up in organisations. Thereafter the place of traditional accounting pattern in this new tendency of events will be discussed. This will enable us to cognize where to put the traditional accounting function, whether it has lost its utility and should be wholly cast-off or should function to congratulate the new functions. Following to that, some of the new techniques in direction accounting that organisations are following, the factors that are driving the alteration in function every bit good as their significance to the new function will be discussed. Decisions will so be drawn as to the direction comptroller ‘s functions change.The altering function of the direction comptroller.Johnson and Kaplan ( 1987 ) are deemed to hold set the canvas in this statement with their book titled â€Å" Relevance lost: the rise and autumn of direction accounting. † These strong footings used by them has prompted or necessitated a batch of research work in this way. They argue that the bing signifier of direction accounting lacked the know-how to run into up with the dynamic concern environment. Their statement was supported by mentioning technological promotions, information engineering, every bit good as planetary and domestic competition as grounds doing the bing patterns inadequate. Harmonizing to an article published in the Journal of Accountancy ( Most Companies Want Their Certified public accountant to Be Business Strategists, Survey Says, 1996 ) , much more is now being demanded of the direction comptrollers within organisations. Their occupations are traveling beyond the readying of fiscal statements as accounts and reading are now required of them of the information they provide. The direction comptroller is consequently a â€Å" high-ranking determination support specializer † . Kerby and Romine ( 2005 ) argue that for direction comptrollers to stay a relevant portion of their organisations, there must be a alteration in accent from the traditional accounting patterns which involves the numeration, analysis, reading and presentation of fiscal information. They advocate that the direction comptroller should be versed with cognition about alterations impacting the concern of his organisation and imbibe qualities that would enable them map as fully fledged concern spouses. Smith ( 2007 ) opined that the focal point of the direction comptroller within organisations is now switching to the external environment. That the direction comptroller is no more uniformed of what happens externally to his organisation, He now looks both inwards and outwards. Cooper and Dart ( 2009 ) , give support to this position that, direction comptrollers are traveling from being information suppliers to back uping the determination devising. Siegel ( 1999 ) , noted that direction comptrollers were earlier now non involved in the existent decision-making procedure, but acted in support of the determination shapers and subsequently got informed of facts. But the function of the direction comptroller had changed and greater portion of their clip was being spent as internal advisers or concern analyst within their companies. Like most of the other authors he attributes this altering function to the promotion in engineering which he states has freed the direction comptroller from what he describes as â€Å" mechanical accounting † . He stated that the new function of the direction comptroller now involves a batch of direct contacts with people throughout their organisations, and that they are more involved in determination devising and cross-functional squads. This he termed development from functioning internal clients to being concern spouses.The direction comptroller as strategic contriver and concern spouse.The cardinal message of this work has been on the direction comptroller presuming the function of strategic contriver and concern spouse as opposed to the traditional function of corporate bull and bean counter. The direction comptroller ‘s function has evolved and is determining up into a strategic fiscal contriver and director of information. The direction comptroller is said to be h olding less to make with the everyday accounting pattern. ( Siegel 2000, Cooper and Dart, 2009, Latshaw, A. and Choi, Y. , 2000 ) . New countries of focal point of the direction accountant include the development of fiscal programs, information engineering systems direction, assisting in the formation of concern aims every bit good as monitoring consequences and maintaining up with selling aims. Others are direction and organisation of work force, playing consultative function in operational determinations, programmes and undertakings. ( Feeney and Pierce, 2007 ) . For the direction comptroller to work efficaciously as concern spouse, certain accomplishments must be acquired. This will include the quality of analysing and treating unwritten and numeral informations into meaningful information. This should be buttressed by the ability to work efficaciously in a squad. ( Curruth, 2004 ) As concern spouse, the direction comptroller combines both the traditional function of protecting the assets of the concern with a new function of analysis and engagement in determination devising in the concern disposal. ( Kennedy and Sorensen, 2006 ) . Caron ( 2006 ) , defined stairss that should be taken for the direction comptroller to presume the place of a concern spouse. They include: Acting as operation and cognition expert. He/she should be able to supply best pattern information and strategic accomplishments. Should be able to set to pattern the cognition acquired in developing strategic direction programs. He/she should be able to mobilise the human resources at his disposal. He/she should be able to circulate accounting information efficaciously.Management accounting the place of the traditional function.Although Johnson and Kaplan ( 1987 ) opined that the traditional accounting function of the direction comptroller had lost its value and have argued that it is no more relevant to the dynamism of today ‘s universe, non everyone believe their sentiment is best for direction accounting, and have therefore expressed their reserves. ( Bromich and Bhimani 1989 ; Burns et Al 1999 ; Yazdifar and Tsamenyi 2005 ) . Baldvinsdottir et Al. ( 2009 ) are of the sentiment that a return to the traditional or â€Å" mechanical † accounting methods is of great importance particularly at this period of economic down-turn. They argue that although the ballyhoo about the altering function of the direction comptroller, a batch of the traditional accounting function has comparatively remained the same over several decennaries. Luft ( 1997 ) is of the position that history serves as a platform for understanding the present ; that the oversights of the nowadays could really be alleviated by mentioning back to history. Fleischman and Funnell ( 2006 ) , while holding with Johnson and Kaplan, that it is of import that direction accounting studies provide direction with information that will help them in minimising cost and improved productiveness, argue that although these activities are frontward looking, they have to be based on what they described as â€Å" intimate dependance between the past and future † . They insist this is necessary because of the uncertainnesss and instabilities associated with commercial environments, coupled with the intricatsies of direction. That, direction comptrollers in the class of seeking to do the information they provide more utile to their organisations should bear in head that this should be done in observation of necessary ethical issues. Beaman and Richardson ( 2007 ) found out in their research that accounting patterns within organisations are being confined to the traditional function, alternatively of the expected function of determination support and job resolution. There has been the recognition of the broad usage of traditional accounting techniques in most organisations as opposed to the supposed outlook of radically new advanced accounting techniques being adopted by these organisations. ( Burns and Scapens, 2000 ) .Emerging techniques in direction accounting.Some comparatively new trends/techniques have emerged with the purpose of undertaking the insufficiencies of the traditional accounting methods. Some of them have been lauded as the new title-holders of direction accounting solution suppliers in organisations. ( Cooper and Kaplan, 1991 ) . Although these techniques are extremely praised, their acceptance and execution may non hold been as widely accepted as the ballyhoo associated with them. ( Collier and Gregory, 1995 ; Roslender and Hart, 2003 ) . These techniques include: Activity based costing ( ABC ) ; The coming of ABC has changed the pattern of cost allotment necessitating that direction accountants develop more analytical accomplishment to undertake the complexnesss of apportioning operating expenses to different cost objects utilizing cost drivers. ( Burns and Yazdifar, 2001 ; Byrne and Pierce, 2007 ; Anderson, 1995 ) . ABC made the direction comptroller an indispensable portion of the determination doing procedure by concentrating on pertinent information needed to better steadfast public presentation financially and market wise. ( Kennedy and Affleck-Graves, 2001 ) . Kaplan and Anderson ( 2004 ) nevertheless noted that organisations have abandoned ABC because of its failure to capture the complex nature of their operations, the holds of execution and the cost consequence which are normally excessively expensive. Balanced scorecard ( BSC ) : The balanced scorecard enables the direction comptroller to strategically mensurate public presentation and develop a model for the strategic measuring and direction systems ( Kaplan and Norton, 2007 ) . It changes accent from fiscal facet to encompassing client, internal and every bit good as acquisition and growing factors of organisations. ( Kaplan and Norton, 1996 ) . This has altered the function of the direction accountant puting him strategically as a determination support specializer. ( Latshaw and Choi, 2002 ) . BSCs are adopted by houses for strategic public presentation measuring, but the result of these steps is normally developed to encompass operational scheme, nevertheless it was noted that organisations frequently fail in seeking to set BCS into a peculiar usage ( Wiersma, 2009 ) . Atkinson ( 2006 ) noted that the BSC has been found deficient from empirical consequences of its benefits.Strategic direction accounting:Strategic direction acc ounting ( SMA ) : SMA shifts the focal point of direction comptroller to non-financial factors external to the organisation. ( Simmonds,1981 ) . It demands that the direction comptroller be knowing in subjects like public presentation indexs development, value concatenation analysis every bit good as capacity cost direction. It broadens the range of the direction accountant beyond the house to strategizing for competitory market and chances. ( Whiteley, 1995 ) . SMA requires the direction comptroller as a member of the cross functional squad which his function now embraces to convey to bear relevant information and expertness that will help determination devising. ( Roslender and Hart, 2001 ) . The direction comptroller now addresses the impact of other non-financial activities, the cost place of rivals, and rating of rival merchandises and services. These activities have placed the direction comptroller in the important function of strategic contriver and concern spouse. ( Whiteley , 1995 ; Langfield-Smith, 2008 ) . However, Roslender and Hart ( 2003 ) , noted that what constitutes strategic direction accounting is still non clearly defined. Collier and Gregory, ( 1995 ) opined that the degree of execution of strategic direction accounting may postpone in different economic systems. That is, the economic system determines the scheme and functionality of the direction comptrollers. Enterprise resource planning ( ERP ) : ERP requires the direction comptroller to hold sound cognition that will enable him to supply information that will technically run into the demands of the house. It besides demands that the MA be versed with cognition of concern maps related to production, selling and information engineering. For the direction comptroller to acquire traveling with all these maps, he needs to construct a sound inter-personal and societal accomplishments. ( Barton, 2009 ; Pierce and O'Dea, 2003 ) . It may nevertheless cut down occupations, making unemployment. Enterprise resource planning ( ERP ) : enables the direction comptroller to track â€Å" production by occupation, work centre, and activity † ( Zimmerman, 2009:720 ) . However, respondents to research carried out by Knnerley and Neely ( 2001 ) were non certain the debut of ERP to their organisations had made any noticeable impact.Factors driving the alteration in the function of direction accounting.The utility of direction accounting has come under examination following factors like: mechanization of mill procedures and processs, information engineering, competition, and globalisation, complexness of concern among others. Some of these factors and their significance will be discussed briefly. Information Technology: ( Carruth, 2004 ; Beaman and Richardson, 2007 ) , noted that information engineering has enabled direction comptrollers to take more responsible functions in their organisations. The direction comptroller is now able to salvage clip in his analysis and reading of information. The direction comptroller helps in showing informations in a signifier that makes them relevant and utile for managerial intent. This involves strategizing and being involved in the determination devising procedure. Granlund, M. and Malmi, T. ( 2002 ) It has changed the nature of information and placed determination doing on information provided by the direction comptroller. ( Atkinson et al. 1999 ) . Automation ; requires the direction comptroller to develop more analytical accomplishments and to be able to supply such information that will enable houses take determinations and follow such schemes that will assist them remain in competition. ( Kerremans et al. , 1991 ) . Automation is advantageous in take downing labor cost, but may make occupation losingss. ( Mantripragada and Sweeney, 1981 ) .Other factors:Other noteworthy factors driving the function alteration in direction accounting include ; the accent on quality, rational capital, more client focused organisations, addition in overhead cost, less of direct labor cost, and precedence on environmental and external issues. These factors have helped orient the direction comptroller ‘s function to that of a strategic contriver and a concern spouse. The direction comptroller now takes a more proactive function in cognizing and supplying solutions to strategic issues in his organisation. The issue of competitory concern env ironment which is closely related to globalisation is another major factor impacting the manner direction accounting maps are handled in organisations.DecisionAlthough there have been demands for the alteration in accent on the function of direction comptroller, this alteration has non been absolute. This is because the cost and complexness of using these new techniques have made their acceptance slow. The debut of new techniques in direction accounting and the impact of assorted factors have made the direction comptroller more focussed on non-financial facets of organisations and has widened the range of activities external to the organisation, doing him a utile portion of the determination devising procedure. However recent issues ‘ following the economic downswing has suggested keeping of portion of the traditional function in combination with new techniques might be more utile. ( Balvinsdottir et al. , July/Aug. 2009 ) Furthermore, the importance of these new techniques and the benefit they provide to organisations can non be overemphasized. These new inventions have made the direction comptroller more flexible, a solution supplier and an of import portion of the organisation as concern spouse and strategian, reconstructing relevancy. ( Johnson, 1992 ) . It is notable that though many are the advantages of implementing these new techniques, some organisations still stick to traditional accounting because it is less complex to implement, salvaging clip.

Writer's choice Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Writer's choice - Assignment Example On day one, just after writing down my values, I remained determined to living by them to the latter. Most of my action were controlled by them as I frequently reflected on them whenever I engaged in any activity or interacted with colleagues and/or family members. For instance, I have been cautious not to hurt or cause any sort of discomfort to others as I interacted with them. I even let go a friend who deliberately splashed dirt on my just polished shoes. This was unlike the former me who would have reacted violently. Similarly, I have been keen in arriving for lectures in time and diligently perform all tasks that appertains to my academics. I would even consult colleagues and teachers on matters that I felt I needed further clarification. Essentially, I have been upbeat to attain the above mentioned themes. My stretch experience connects significantly to acceptance, which is one of the other core principles of ACT aside from values. Acceptance involves allowing or rather embracing the unpleasant thought in one minds until that moment when they fade away without any attempt to fight them off. Handling such thought in this manner helps minimize their negative impact on one’s life as they give a feeling that they are less threatening. It may also be seem that acceptance is just but a means to enhance a value based lifestyle (Bach and Daniel 43). In the course of my stretch, this principle has been critical in so far my interaction with the other colleagues is concerned. I have been such a person who is reserved that I detested other people from meddling into my affairs. Said in other words, I disliked those colleagues who poke their noses in what does not concern them. This behavior frustrated my relationship with classmates as I often felt that none of them wants the best for me. Nonetheless, my moment in stretch has serve to make me embrace the negative attitude towards my colleagues whenever it boggles my mind and

Starbucks and Corporate Social Responsibility Case Study

Starbucks and Corporate Social Responsibility - Case Study Example This rlativ brand familiarity and th prcptin f it bing stablishd indpndntly f a glbal playr lik Starbucks may hlp initial markting ffrts. Th caus-rlatd markting initiativ cmplmnts Starbucks' rcnt fcus n incrasing its cmmitmnt t scially rspnsibl practics, including prviding thically-prducd cff. Caus-rlatd prjcts hav bcm an incrasingly ppular way f cnncting with cnsumrs as thy tap int shard attituds and valus. (Barr, 2007, 234-67) Th Starbucks Crpratin, a Sattl, WA basd cff hus, fllws sm fairly standard practics fr mting tday's thics and cmplianc. Fr businsss t rmain cmptitiv and hld rspct frm bth th businss wrld and its custmrs, a businss must striv t mt and vn xcd th lgal and thical standards that hav bcm th xpctatin tday. Starbucks mts ths bligatins by fllwing its wn cd f thics alng with mting th lgal rquirmnts and th xpctatins f its custmrs and invstrs. (Jams, 2005, 72-89) Rl f thics and CmpliancTh rl f thics and cmplianc in Starbucks financial rganizatin is up frnt and wvn int th backbn f th cmpany. All partnrs must nsur th accuracy and intgrity f Starbucks crprat rcrds.Mst imprtantly this includs rliability and accuracy f bks and rcrds, as wll as hnsty in disclsurs and in prviding infrmatin. Financial rcrds, bks f accunts, financial statmnts and rcrds f Starbucks ar maintaind in accrdanc with th rquirmnts f law and gnrally accptd accunting principls. All f Starbucks assts and liabilitis ar prprly rcrdd in its financial rcrd bks. Csts and rvnus ar rcrdd in th right tim prids. Th sal has nt fficially bn cmpltd until thr is vidnc f a sals agrmnt, th titl has passd, and th sals pric can b dtrmind and is rasnably cllctibl (Starbucks 2009). Accrding t Starbucks principals rcrding a sal until thn, wuld b a misrprsntatin f rcrds. Starbucks blivs that cnducting businss thically and striving t d th right thing is vital t th succss f th cmpany (Jams, 2005, 72- 89) Fr th third yar in a rw, thisphr Magazin has namd Starbucks as n f th Wrld's Mst thical Cmpanis. thisphr cnductd data analyss n hundrds f cmpanis basd n thir rspnss t svral survys, as wll as dcumnts and infrmatin rsarchd and rqustd by thisphr t cnfirm survy rspnss. vry cmpany was thn givn an Q scr basd n th rsults f th survy and masurd against svn distinct catgris. Ths catgris wr Crprat Citiznship and Rspnsibility; Crprat Gvrnanc; Innvatin that Cntributs t th Public Wll Bing; Industry ladrship; xcutiv Ladrship and Tn frm th Tp; Lgal, Rgulatry and Rputatin Track Rcrd; and Intrnal Systms and thics/Cmplianc Prgram (Jams, 2005, 72-89) Starbucks thical Bhavir PrcdursStarbucks has bn succssful thrughut th past dcad by cnducting businss with a strng blif in thical bhavir. As a rsult, Starbucks has arnd a rputatin as an industry ladr and rl mdl in rgards t businss thics. It is n surpris that Starbucks has bn rankd as n f "Wrld's Mst thical Cmpanis" by thisphr magazin fr thr yars in a rw(Jams, 2005, 72-89)Th fundatin f Starbucks rganizatinal cultur is utlind in th Standards f Businss Cnduct Manual. It is usd as a larning tl fr nw rcruits and can b usd as a rfrnc manual during daily pratins. Cmpany rfrncs play a

Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 19

Leadership - Essay Example According to a definition cited by Stanley (2005, p.108), a clinical leader is a leader who holds quantifiable medical and scientific skills, knowledge and proficiency in nursing practice and one who employs the use of interpersonal proficiency to facilitate provision of quality care by nurses and other care providers. There are also other factors that are used in explicating nursing leadership. Further explication by Stanley (2005, p.109) asserts that excellence in clinical practice coupled with provision of a conducive or positive environment that empowers nurses are fundamental elements of nursing leadership. Another definition of nursing leadership asserts that a nurse leader is "A nurse directly involved in providing clinical care that continuously improves care through influencing others" (Stanley, 2005, p.109). In extrapolation, this definition of a nurse leader shows that it is not a prerequisite for nurse leaders to be higher-ranking officials in nursing practice. In other w ords, a nurse can be a leader despite the position held. There are a number of leadership theories that in essence categorises leadership. One of these theories is denoted by Curtis, Vries and Sheerin (2011, p.307) to include trait theory. This theory focus primarily on individual characteristics that facilitate leadership. The second theory is referred to as the behaviour approach that expounds leadership in a leaders viewpoint and in fact spotlights on leadership behaviours (Curtis, Vries and Sheerin, 2011, p.307). The third theory is the contingency approach that views leadership in the context of the interface and communication between a leader, existing circumstances and his or her actions (Curtis, Vries and Sheerin, 2011, p.307). Fourthly is the transformational theory that spotlights on the association or connection between a leader and his or her employees (Curtis, Vries and Sheerin, 2011, p.307). Though all the leadership theories and styles

Answer the question Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

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Gran Torino - Movie Review Example The beginning of the movie shows Walt Kowalski as a loner, whose wife has recently died leaving him alone in a neighborhood which is gradually being filled heterogeneous working-class ethnic minorities. In such a scenario, the American flag hoisted in front of his house and his meticulous mowing of his lawn maintaining boundaries are suggestive of the strict boundaries Walt has in his mind. He is strictly American, who drinks Pabst Blue Ribbon beer, drives a vintage Gran Torino and hates Land Cruiser and Hmong people. He refers to his Hmong neighbors as, "swamp rats" and "barbarians". He even doesnt mind closing the door on Thaos face when the later turns up at his door asking for jumper cables. However, his endeavor to save his lawn one night accidentally saves Thaos life and leads to a battery of interactions between the Lor family and himself. Initially reluctant to take the relationship with his neighbor any forward after that night, Walt throws away all the gifts and flowers that the Hmong neighbors leave at his doorstep as their mark of gratitude towards the man who saved their child. On one hand, this scene shows how the Hmong culture pays respect to a person who has helped them, on the other hand, it also shows how Walt is not ready to accept gratitude for a deed that he never actually intended to do. Walt only tried to keep people out of his lawn. However, he actually saves Sue from being harassed by three colored boys in a desolate area. It is Sue who introduces Walt to Hmong culture by enlightening him with the fact that, Hmong is a race of hill people. The party scene at Lors house actually shows Walts adaption to a new culture which till date he had no idea about. The audience along with Walt comes to know that Hmong think a persons soul resides on his head and should never be touched. They also consider it rude to make eye contact while talking and would most likely be found smiling while being

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Advertising Disrupts the Objective of Rational Choice Essay

Advertising Disrupts the Objective of Rational Choice - Essay Example But repeated exposure to such ads ends up affecting the thinking cycle of the consumers and influences their buying habits. (Levinson, n.d.) On an average, an American views about 1500 advertisements every day (Butler, 2001). Most of these advertisements promote materialism. They introduce a product in a way that makes the customers feel as if they need it. This results in building dissatisfaction in the mind of the customer and makes him want to buy that product. These advertisements aim to eliminate the difference between needs and want and use the very influential source, media, to make the customers feel the need for those products, even when they do not really need it at all. By portraying that through the use of a certain product, a fancy lifestyle, or an ideal life could be achieved, they give a false perception of happiness and tricks the customers into buying the wrong products. (Butler, 2001) There are various examples of such manipulation present in our society. Consider for example a brand new BMW car being advertised. There is no logical justification of the car being priced at more than ten times the price of an ordinary sedan. Nonetheless, the ideal, happy life depicted through the advertisements convinces the consumers that the car really is worth the price tag, and forces them to make the illogical decision of buying the car. (ScienceDaily, 2007) As already discussed, advertisers use tactics like subliminal messages and promoting ideal lifestyles in the advertisements to manipulate consumers into buying what they do not need. The tools that are used by advertisers to promote such lifestyles are as follows: There are numerous examples of advertisements using

Cushy Armchair New Objectives and Rules Essay Example for Free

Cushy Armchair New Objectives and Rules Essay As you know, my name is Alison Sampson. I am the new director of Cushy Armchair. I come from Cabletronica U.S. with the purpose of guiding Cushy Armchair to a new era in this changing industry. We will begin with some small steps, all involving â€Å"greater consolidation† in order to achieve economies of scale and scope. In order to adapt and to be more competitive, we must focus our efforts to reduce cost, speed product design and improve technology transfer. Specifically, we most work in production, design (fabric Style), sales and distribution (advertising), and procurement. Requested Activities †¢To Purchasing Manager: oWorld Furniture’s procurement division In New York, will be responsible to contract all chair glide-mechanisms, as well as fabric orders in excess of HK$35,000. This will help us to reduce our raw material cost. †¢To Marketing Manager: New York advertising specialist will work together with us in launching new advertising campaigns. In this way, we can all share knowledge and come up with the best decision. †¢To Design Manager: New York staff will be included in any substantial design and feature changes. In order to accomplish our ultimate goal of having everything in one place. Conclusion Even though I haven’t yet had the opportunity to meet with almost anyone, I will contact you over the next days to discuss the impact of these policy changes and the changes coming ahead. Do not hesitate to contact me if I have not called you yet. You will receive this MEMO in your native language over the next couple of days. I hope you share my observations and concerns for the future of Cushy Armchair, and I trust you will welcome these changes.

Porters Five Forces Model of Competitive Advantage

Porters Five Forces Model of Competitive Advantage The aim of this paper is to critically analyse Porters 5-Forces framework and the concept of the Resource-Based view (RBV) which originated from Wernerfelt (1984) to develop strategy as a source of competitive advantage. A comparative analysis between the two approaches is undertaken. This paper further attempt to contrast the two frameworks taking into consideration what researchers have identified throughout the development of both theories. The methodology applied to approach this paper commences by briefly defining both concepts and their focus of attention. The analysis then identifies common elements found in both theories supported by diverse researchers opinions and views. This section undertakes a critical approach which serves a primary need to reach the objectives of the paper. The paper then proceeds with an essential critique of fundamental differences between the two approaches under investigation. Specific uncomplimentary elements are identified within both framework and which are critically expounded. The paper concludes with a discussion on what could be the future of both theories and their contribution towards strategy formulation for organisations to gain competitive advantage. The Key Elements of Porters and RBV Theories It is pertinent to define briefly the key elements of both theoretical frameworks on which this paper will based to carry out a critical and contrast analysis. Porters 5-Forces The theory originating from industrial economics forms part of the classical perspectives of strategies developed throughout the last fourty years of the twentieth century (Whittington 2001). Porter (1980), specialising on competitive strategy, designed a model of five competitive forces, to assess the attractiveness of the industry via which the corporate strategy can effectively capitalise on both present and emerging market opportunities. This model serves as an indispensible tool in critically analysing both the structure and dynamics of the industry in which the organisation pertains (Fortenberry 2009). These five forces incorporate the threat of new entrants and substitute products or services to the industry on a horizontal dimension and the vertical dimensions of suppliers and customers bargaining powers. Both dimensions intersect on the fifth force consisting of the rivalry amongst current competitors in the industry (Porter 1980:4). The theory claims that profitability is h ighest when competition is lower and that competition erodes profits (ibid). It further sustains that some competition should be avoided and the theorist gives advice on how firms can maximize profits through maintaining or changing fundamental industry structures. However, empirical investigation has failed to support the link between industry structure and profitability (Grant 1991:117). Furthermore, Grove (1996) claims that government strategic forces are ignored in Porters theory. The Resource -Based View The RBV framework designed by Wernerfelt (1984), is essential to assess strength and weaknesses within a business concern so as to engineer a strategic competitive advantage. Wernerfelt (cited in UoL 2009:65) advocated, that Sustainable competitive advantages are conferred by resources which are hard to imitate and scarce relative to their economic value. The RBV strategic theory links resources, capabilities, competitive advantage and profitability and their synergistic combination, ensures a sustainable competitive advantage to the firm (Grant 1991). Theorists such as Fahy and Smithee (1999) remarked that the development of this framework took a step forward when diverse strategists became bored with Porters 5-forces theory, and found possible alternatives in the RBV theory. Grant (1991) claims that this theory can be appropriately applied in the development of robust long tern strategies. Primarily the RBV is focused on the maximisation of resources to economically perform efficie ntly and fulfill customer requirements. It is not surprising that this theory has its critics. Hooley et al. (1998) disagrees with this theoretical approach by arguing that due to its internal focal point it jeopardises the importance of external market requirements. Furthermore, Grant (1991) implies that little effort has been done to provide practical applications of the RBV which brought him to develop his 5-stages approach to strategy analysis. Common elements in both Porters and RBV frameworks Diverse researchers such as Spanos and Lioukas (2001) claimed that both Porters and RBVs perspectives on strategic formulation are similar. Firstly, they both assume that regular higher profits are possible to achieve and secondly both approaches attempt to define the term competitive advantage (ibid). Conversely, one can notice that both theories have contradicting and differing definitions of competitive advantage Grant (1991). This is further supported by claims made by Fahy and Smithee (1999) that both theoretical frameworks could have elements of vagueness and uncertainty in their methodology and both are obscure in their pragmatic approach. Both theorists have been criticised for their stagnant approach towards the strategy development which in its originality is definitely ever-changing (Dickson cited in Fahy and Smithee (1999). Porters and Wernefelts approaches to strategy development for competitive advantage were critised by various researches for their lack of practical applications when strategic managers formulated their strategies to combat competition (Conner 1991; Grant 1991; Foss 1996). Besides, there is little evidence on to what extent both theories assist managers to take strategic decisions (Bridoux n.d.). Fundamental Differences between Porters 5-Forces and RBV The RBV and Porters framework, endorse a number of differences. Porters 5-forces (1980) model adopts a macroeconomic perspective of the industry whilst the RBV approach focuses on the micro perspective of the firms resources. Foss (1996) claims that Porter failed to assess the businesses potential of exploiting their resources so as to effectively implement their strategic plan. Furthermore, researchers such as Bridoux (n.d.:7) claims that In Porters framework, the accumulation of resources is part of the implementation of the strategy dictated by conditions and constraints in the external environment. This is in contrast with RBVs framework where managers apply their resources and capabilities to lead organisations to competitive advantage over their rivals. Therefore, one can argue that Porters theory ignored the potential of the use of internal resources to determine strategies. Although the RBV can be applied tactfully so as to assess both resources and capabilities, however, it focuses simply on the internal infrastructure of the organisation. Conversely, Porters model adopts a wider macroeconomic perspective, capitalising on an outside approach. The nature of performance that an organisation can attain marks also a fundamental distinction when contrasting Wernerfelt and Porters theories. On reviewing the RBV, it transpires that it represents efficiency in terms of how the business resources perform to maximise their over-capacity and in the meantime satisfy customer demand. In contrast, Porters approach focuses on the ability of the firm to exploit the monopolistic benefits of the market that differentiate between industries performance (Conner 1991). Besides the contrasting disagreements between both theoretical frameworks mentioned above, Foss (1996) claimed that the RBV approach is focused on long term strategy and can be applied to identify potential hazards by assessing opponents resources and capabilities. Conversely, Porters framework is oriented towards the external environment in terms of the short run with concepts such as commitment, signaling, the role played by exit barriers (Foss cited in Bridoux n.d:6). Uncomplimentary Elements within Porters 5 -Forces and RBV Frameworks The author of this paper identified various elements within both frameworks and which are uncomplimentary to each other. These are critically anaylsed. This paper approach will contribute to the comparative analysis undertaken and furthermore enhance the contrasting discussion of the two models under investigation. One of the characteristics that is claimed to be found in the RBV by Barney et al. (2001) is that an entrepreneurs can be illuminated through this theory as they can value their resources as a competitive advantage over their rivals. One can argue that the term entrepreneurial knowledge can be by far easily associated with the RBV approach rather than Porters framework. With respect to emerging markets, RBV research has been important in suggesting that local firms are interested in using foreign alliances to acquire advantages over their domestic rivals, in emphasising the importance of network ties as an intangible resource for entrepreneurial start-up and in understanding the changing benefits of unrelated diversification as economic institution develop. (Barney et al. 2001:630). Other diverse researchers advocate that the RBV can assist firms to evaluate competitive advantage through an ethical approach by applying Corporate Social Responsibility in theory strategy formulation (Russo and Fouts cited in Barney et al. 2001). Besides, one cannot ignore what Powell and Dent-Micallef (cited in Barney et al.2001) remarked that the human resource skills combined with the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) can play an important role within organisations to enable them to compete. A prominent and complimentary element of the ethics and ICT approaches found in the RBVs framework and which is not found in Porters theory is the contribution towards the appreciation of strategic Human Resources Management (HRM) (Wright et al. cited in Barney et al. 200l). Supporters of RBVs theory claim that the approach towards the perceived benefits of using human resources practices can be used by firms as a competitive weapon. However, Barney remarked that: As yet research has failed to test empirically whether HRM practices are path dependent, casually ambiguous, or imitable. Similarly, there is a lack of evidence that HRM practices impact the skills and behaviour of the workforce, or that these factors are linked to performance. (Barney et al. 2001:628) Moreover, Grant (1991:119) when referring to the association of HRM with the RBV framework remarks that probably the most strategically important resources of the firm can be highly vulnerable because they are mobile and can be attracted by competitors. There are even some conflicting views by different authors whether Porters framework appreciates the role of industry co-operation when determining strategies. For example, Bridoux (n.d.:5) claimed that Porter 1980s work is that it over emphasises competition to the detriment of co-operation. Conversely, Aubert and Morel Guimaraes (n.d.) states that Porters embraces a strategic approach towards co-operation between industries. In fact, quoting Aubert and Morel Guimaraes (n.d.:5) Porter argues that by strategy of cooperation, the companies achieve a stronger positioning together than they would in individual, in isolation. Conclusion Throughout this critical assessment of both theories, it emerged with a degree of certainty that Porters theory greatly differs from the RBV approach as it is focused on industry rather than on the organisations resources. Also, it can be concluded that both strategic frameworks are focused towards achieving profitable maximisation through competitive advantage. However the RBV recommends the use of resources to achieve this goal whilst Porter approach uses the ability of the industry to position itself appropriately within its competitive forces. Surprisingly, this paper found out that theories have been critised for their severe practicality limitations. Imai (n.d.) advocated that Each organisation is a collection of unique resources and capabilities that provides the basis of its strategy and the primary source of its returns. However, from a critical perspective, the author of this paper concludes that although the performance of an organisation is determined by its unique resources and capabilities, the industrys structural characteristics cannot be granted secondary consideration.

The Major Themes of Joseph Conrads Heart of Darkness Essay -- Heart D

The two major themes of Heart of Darkness are the conflict between â€Å"reality† and â€Å"darkness,† and the idea of restraint and whether or not it is necessary. Conrad’s passage describing the restraint of the hungry cannibals exemplifies both themes:   It describes how reality shapes human behavior, and contrasts the characters of Kurtz and Marlow.   â€Å"Reality,† as it is used here, is defined as â€Å"that which is civilized.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Conrad emphasizes the idea of what is real versus what is â€Å"dark,† what is civilized versus what is primitive, what colonizes versus what is colonized, repeatedly throughout Heart of Darkness.   As stated above, â€Å"real,† in this case, contains all the implications of a civilized society:   clothing which covers a person’s sexual organs, restraint from gluttony, a constant reliance on clocks as dictators of action, etc.   The cannibals in the aforementioned passage face a horrendous conflict between what is real and what is â€Å"dark,† or, in their case, what is natural and what must be restrained.   Marlow cannot fathom how these â€Å"big powerful men, with not much capacity to weigh the consequences† could restrain their desires to consume him and the pilgrims:   â€Å"Restraint!   What possible restraint?   Was it superstition, disgust, patience, fear – or some kind of primitive honor?   N o fear can stand up to hunger, no patience can wear it out.†Ã‚   The â€Å"darkness† these men restrain is the part of every person that wants fulfillment, the Id in psychoanalytic terms, the part almost every orthodox religion looks down upon.   Along with every civilized society, one which requires some form of government, the citizens are expected to restrain, to a certain extent, their most basic desires.   This theme can be taken a step farther, and c... ...ssage describing the cannibals exemplifies both.   The cannibals are practicing a sort of enigmatic restraint that keeps them from fulfilling a basic human need; on a second level, they are facing the issue of what is reality (what is civilized) versus what is natural.   Although there is no concrete evidence that these peoples are cannibalistic, the natural solution to their hunger is to eat, and they do not.   Marlow, the character symbolic of the reality of civilization, practices this restraint, a sort of religious emulation of what he has seen of civilized peoples up to this point.   Kurtz, on the other hand, has abandoned his restraint, has stepped into the â€Å"darkness† so to speak.   â€Å"The horror! The horror!† he utters on his deathbed, perhaps expressing contempt at his own actions, perhaps at all existence.   Perhaps at the reality and restraints of civilization.  

The Roman Colosseum Essay -- essays research papers

The Roman Colosseum, also known as the Flavian Amphitheatre, is perhaps the most famous ancient landmark in the world. The Colosseum was the host to thousands of gladiatorial shows, mock naval battles, executions, and animal hunts. Today, the Colosseum still stands in the center of Rome, Italy, however, not quite as it used to be. Still, today, the Roman Colosseum is a large tourist attraction, thousands of tourists from all over the world still come to view this marveled arena. The Roman Colosseum has a rich history, and remains a prized possession of the Roman citizens. Construction of the Colosseum was initiated by Roman emperor Vespasian, around 70 AD. Vespasian named the Colosseum after the colossus of Nero, a large statue that stood nearby. Vespasian, however, did not live to see the completion of the Colosseum, as he died in AD 79, only a year before the construction of Colosseum had been finished. Titus, Vespasian’s son and successor, completed the construction in 80 AD, in dedication for his father. Further modifications were made during the reign of Domitian, the brother of Titus. Construction was very expensive. Just the external wall of the Colosseum would cost about $50 million dollars, today. About the size of a professional football stadium, the Colosseum could hold over 50,000 spectators. Upon entering, the audience climbed sloping ramps to their seats. These seats were separated according to gender and social class. The women and the poor sat at the top of the Colosseum, on wooden benches. The Colosseum contained over four stories. The first three contained over 80 entrance arches and contained a complex drainage system. These entrance arches made evacuation extremely fast in case of an em... ...s were outlawed by Emperor Constantine I in AD 325. Combats, however, continued long after that. The last recorded gladiatorial battle was recorded in 404 AD. Even after this, the Colosseum was put to further use. Parts of the Colosseum were torn down and donated, in the production of other buildings (mostly churches) in Rome. Today, the Colosseum still stands, but in ruins. It now serves as a tourist attraction. Thousands of tourists from all over the world come to see this ancient stadium. This Colosseum is standing proof of the great architecture and engineering that the Romans possessed. Even today, in a world of skyscrapers, the Colosseum is very impressive. One of Rome’s most popular tourist attractions, The Colosseum tells very much about Roman culture. Even in ruins, the Colosseum continues to stand as a great marvel and a spectacular artifact. The Roman Colosseum Essay -- essays research papers The Roman Colosseum, also known as the Flavian Amphitheatre, is perhaps the most famous ancient landmark in the world. The Colosseum was the host to thousands of gladiatorial shows, mock naval battles, executions, and animal hunts. Today, the Colosseum still stands in the center of Rome, Italy, however, not quite as it used to be. Still, today, the Roman Colosseum is a large tourist attraction, thousands of tourists from all over the world still come to view this marveled arena. The Roman Colosseum has a rich history, and remains a prized possession of the Roman citizens. Construction of the Colosseum was initiated by Roman emperor Vespasian, around 70 AD. Vespasian named the Colosseum after the colossus of Nero, a large statue that stood nearby. Vespasian, however, did not live to see the completion of the Colosseum, as he died in AD 79, only a year before the construction of Colosseum had been finished. Titus, Vespasian’s son and successor, completed the construction in 80 AD, in dedication for his father. Further modifications were made during the reign of Domitian, the brother of Titus. Construction was very expensive. Just the external wall of the Colosseum would cost about $50 million dollars, today. About the size of a professional football stadium, the Colosseum could hold over 50,000 spectators. Upon entering, the audience climbed sloping ramps to their seats. These seats were separated according to gender and social class. The women and the poor sat at the top of the Colosseum, on wooden benches. The Colosseum contained over four stories. The first three contained over 80 entrance arches and contained a complex drainage system. These entrance arches made evacuation extremely fast in case of an em... ...s were outlawed by Emperor Constantine I in AD 325. Combats, however, continued long after that. The last recorded gladiatorial battle was recorded in 404 AD. Even after this, the Colosseum was put to further use. Parts of the Colosseum were torn down and donated, in the production of other buildings (mostly churches) in Rome. Today, the Colosseum still stands, but in ruins. It now serves as a tourist attraction. Thousands of tourists from all over the world come to see this ancient stadium. This Colosseum is standing proof of the great architecture and engineering that the Romans possessed. Even today, in a world of skyscrapers, the Colosseum is very impressive. One of Rome’s most popular tourist attractions, The Colosseum tells very much about Roman culture. Even in ruins, the Colosseum continues to stand as a great marvel and a spectacular artifact.

1-Year Marketing Plan Essay

Introduction This one-year strategic marketing plan for Great Gaming Graphics (3G) has been created by its founder to obtain additional private funding for the company. Great Gaming Graphics has been launched two years ago and the discrete graphic chip prototypes that got developed during this time shows great promise, offering computer gaming graphic speeds in excess of 220% compared to the competition. The prototypes have been put on graphic card reference boards for standard PC’s and distributed to PC Gaming Review sites, PC Gaming magazines and PC Game companies for testing/review purposes and the reception was extremely positive. Alongside with this the Gaming Review Sites and Magazines published their findings in their publications and the reception of the general public (through letters, blogs) has been extremely enthusiastic. The next step in the process is to bring the prototype to market (expected launch is Q3 2015 and evaluate entry into new markets (mobile and High Performance Computing) See more:  The Story of an Hour Literary Analysis Essay Mission Statement Great Gaming Graphics mission statement is as follows: â€Å"The best Gaming experience in the world. Period!!!!!!!† The Product  3G has developed graphic chips for the PC gaming market. The graphic chips (lower end model 3G100 and higher end model 3G200) offer substantially higher frame rates per second with the maximum feature set enabled (Anti-Aliasing at maximum) than the competition. The experience for the video gamer is that games can run with live like graphic experience on large resolution screens (including 4K screens) without any stutter of the motion (at least 60hz up to 4K resolution). Consumer Product Classification Gaming Graphics Cards are shopping products. Consumer usually spend 1-3 month researching the product they are looking at buying and replace their cards within 12-36 month, depending if they are hardcore or casual gamers. Gamers usually have a graphic chip brand affiliation (either AMD or NVidia), but will sway to another brand if the performance is at least 20% higher for  the same price. Graphic Cards are usually ordered through online retail outlets like Amazon, Newegg and TigerDirect. Target Market The target market for the 3G products are computer gamers (Males in the age group 14-50 years old), PC/Notebook OEM’s (HP, Dell, Lenovo, ASUS, MSI etc.) and Graphic Card Manufactures. The gaming market represents at least 100 Mio people globally, based on the best-selling computer games ever sold. The target audience for the product is split into three distinctive groups: The Casual Gamer The term â€Å"casual gamer† is often used for gamers who primarily play casual games, but can also refer to gamers who play less frequently than other gamers. Casual gamers may play games designed for ease of gameplay, or play more involved games in short sessions, or at a slower pace than hardcore gamers. The types of game that casual gamers play vary, and they are less likely own a dedicated video game console. The casual gamer represents approx. 80% of the gaming market. The casual gamer will upgrade his gaming experience from build-in graphics (at time of purchase of the PC/Laptop), if the price is low enough to justify the upgrade. The price a casual gamer is willing to pay for a better gaming experience is up to $50. Mainstream Gamer A mainstream gamer is a player with a wider range of interests than a casual gamer and is more likely to enthusiastically play different types of games, but without the amount of time spent and sense of competition of a hardcore gamer. The mainstream gamer enjoys games but may not finish every game they buy and doesn’t have time for long MMO (Massive Multiplayer Online) quests. The mainstream gamer represents approx. 15% of the gaming market. The mainstream gamer will seek out the best bang for the buck regarding his/her gaming experience and is willing to spend up to $200 for a graphic card. Hardcore Gamer A hardcore gamer is a player that spends the majority of his/her free time with gaming. The hardcore gamer is very competitive, often owns the latest high-end technology (High-End PC’s, Consoles, Multi-Monitor Setup, 7.1 Sound  System etc.), are very technology savvy and often seek out and participate in gaming communities. The hardcore gamer represents only about 5% of the gaming market, but a large part of the earnings for the gaming hardware producers, because the margin of the high-end products are substantially higher than in the other categories. The hardcore gamer will seek out the best performing product, no matter what the price is. Some hardcore gamers install up to 4 graphic cards (with a total price of up to $3000 for the Graphic System alone) to have the best gaming experience possible (very high resolution across multiple screens and all graphic options enabled for the best experience) Competitive Situation Analysis Analysis of Competition using Porter’s 5 Forces Model Competitive Rivalry The discrete PC graphic card market generates approx. $6 billion revenue annually on a global scale. The two competitors in this market are AMD (Radeon) and Nvida (GEForce) with a roughly equal market share of about 20% each. Even though Intel is considered to be the market leader in PC graphics, they only have CPU embedded graphics with low performance/features and are currently not considered a competitor. NVidia has recently released an upgraded product line (Mainstream to High-End), with performance increases of approx. 20% across the product line and power reduction of approx. 25% compared with the previous models. Pricing got slightly reduced within the classification of their products (~$200 Mainstream, ~$300 Enthusiast, ~$600 High-End) to gain market share against its only competitor who hasn’t upgraded its product line yet. Nvidia is still producing its upgraded product line in a 28nm process and is not going to 20/16nm before the end of 2016. 3G’s current prototype is already produced in 20nm and is slated to be on 16nm at Q1/2016, which gives it an even greater greated competitive advantage over Nvidia, considering that smaller structures allow substantially faster performance of graphic chips while at the same time reducing power requirements. AMD’s current product line is still based on the three year old Graphics Core Next (GCN) design, which has been refined over the years but is clearly at its limit. Power consumption of AMD powered  graphic cards is almost twice of Nvidia’s and more than 4 times of the 3G prototype. 3G has a clear advantage against both competitors, considering that 3G’s high-end prototype is currently 220% faster than either competitor, with a power use advantage of at least 50% which results in not only a lower power bill for the end consumer of the graphic card but as well reduced cost for cooling components. Additionally the low power requirements allow the use of smaller and cheaper power supplies, which is going to reduce the overall cost of a PC gaming machine even further. One large advantage of the reduced power requirements is that the graphics chip can be used in the upcoming STEAMOS machines (small form factor PC gaming machines, which resemble video game consoles) without sacrifice to performance. Threat from New Entrants There is a potential that ARM (with Mali) and Qualcomm (Adreno) redesign their current SoC (System on a Chip) products and license it to third parties to produce discreet graphic chips. Both companies offer their current products only in the mobile market (Phone/Tablets), which is high volume with a substantially lower margin per chip sold than the discreet PC graphic market. Alongside with this, both companies are in a very good position to drive power requirements even further down, considering their experience with the low power requirement of battery operated systems like phones and tablets. Threat from Buyers The following two potential issues arise from an end customer perspective. 1. Competitive products catch up or exceed with 3G’s product performance at the same price point, which will lower the appeal for end-consumers to use the 3G product. 2. A change in gaming habits to games that don’t have the high graphic power requirements and therefor curbing demand for the overall discreet graphic chip market. Threat from Suppliers Considering the initial lower volume of the product for production in a Semiconductor Fab (TSMC, Samsung etc.) 3G might get bumped to a lower priority if larger customers of the Fab are asking for a larger part of the capacity, due to higher demand. There is a limited amount of Fab Capacity available and it is not easy to move to another Fab (ramp-up time approx. 6 month). Therefor the contracts with the Semiconductor Fab have to be structured in a way to have a guaranteed amount of product delivered (with penalties associated if not fulfilled) plus a contract  clause to allow ramp up of production by 10% on a monthly bas e. Once 3G is getting bigger, it might make sense to pursue a dual supplier strategy, with the advantage of not relying on a Single Fab to produce all graphic chips and the disadvantage alongside with this with not getting high enough volume discounts. Threat from Substitutes One potential issue arising in the future is that IGP (Integrated Graphic Processing) units that are part of a CPU (Intel, AMD and SoC’s) are becoming powerful enough to play the most demanding games and therefor a dedicated Graphic Chip is not going to be required anymore. At this stage this is not a threat for the next 3 years (according to 5 year roadmaps of potential CPU/SoC providers), but could certainly change in the future. It takes 2-3 years to develop a competitive product and there is usually enough advanced notice in the market that a new competitor is going to enter the specific segment. SWOT Analysis In this first paragraph, please introduce the SWOT analysis. For more information, see the recommended text. This section is laid out to summarize the analysis in a table, and is then followed by more detailed explanations of each item. Please see specific instructions in the four sections below the table. STRENGTHS *indicates core competency *Worldclass ASIC Engineering Team Experience of the Executive Management Team Strong capital base WEAKNESSES Only two Graphic Card Manufacturers signed up to produce Graphic Cards based on 3G chips No PC OEM relationships established yet No reputation yet OPPORTUNITIES Approaching the mobile market (Phones/Tablets), with either licensing the technology to SoC companies Finance the game development efforts of Independent Game Companies to focus their efforts specifically on the 3G product Develop out of the existing product a GPGPU, to be used in Supercomputers. THREATS Competition (AMD and NVdia) moving to new Fab technology faster than 3G, removing the advantage on the power front Competition launching new designs that are as efficient as 3G’s, but with the advantage of greater brand recognition Game Developers hitting a plateau with their new generation of games, that don’t require anymore improvements on the graphics card front Strengths 3G’s first strength is having a world-class ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) engineering team. The members of the team have on average 15 years’ experience in the field of development of low power and high performance ASIC and some of the members of the 3ZG engineering team have been instrumental on developing in the past key products in the graphics card market. The second strength of 3G is the extensive experience of the executive management team. The CEO of 3G used to serve as the president of AMD (direct competitor) for over 10 years. The Sr. Vice President of engineering was the head of engineering at 3DFX in 2001 and after the acquisition of 3DFX by NVidia, he served as the head of engineering products until joining 3G. The Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing has over 20 years’ experience in building rapid growth sales and marketing teams in seven companies. The third strength/advantage 3G has is its strong capital base. 3G got ove r the past 2 years funding from venture capital in excess of $175 million and currently still has $100 million in the bank, which at current and planned spending levels should sustain the company for another 30 month. Weaknesses The first weakness in 3G’s strategy is that 3G has only managed to sign-up two mid-tier Graphic Card Manufactures (EVGA and XFX). The Graphic Cards Manufactures use the reference boards 3G delivers and implement their own cooling solution plus additional tweaks to boost performance of the cards by 5%-10%. A large part of the Mainstream and Hardcore Gamers like to buy their graphic cards from the top graphic card companies (ASUS, MSI, GigaByte), due to the custom designs and extended warranties. This might limit the initial availability of cards in the market until 3G can sign-up the top graphic card companies as well. The second weakness in the strategy is that 3G has not established any relationships with PC OEM’s (Dell, HP, Lenovo etc.),  which will limit the initial exposure of the product to the mainstream and hardcore gaming user. 3G will start pursuing 6 month after the launch of the product the PC OEM’s, to start including the lower end 3G products in their offerings. The third weakness in the strategy is that 3G doesn’t has the reputation of the two main competitors. AMD and NVidia have both been in the graphic card marketplace for almost 20 years and the end consumer knows what to expect from both companies. 3G is new to the game and will need to build this reputation over time to gain the confidence of the gamers. Opportunities Additional opportunities persist for 3G in several areas that can be explored once 3G had a successful launch of its core product and got additional funding for development. The first opportunity is in the mobile market (phone/tablets). 3G is actively looking into creating reference designs for the mobile market that satisfy the unique requirements present (very low power, with fast performance). The big advantage of the mobile market is that the volumes of the market are extremely high (total annual volume in excess of 1 billion units) and 3G would only need to license the product to SoC companies (e.g. Samsung, MediaTek, Apple, Allwinner) versus getting into production as well. The second opportunity for 3G is the GPGPU (General Purpose Graphic Processing Unit) market, to develop cards that will power Supercomputers. The current prototype is already ahead of the completions (NVidia’s Tesla and Intel’s XEON Phi) and this is a very high margin, but low volume market that will give 3G additional market recognition. The third opportunities for 3G is to finance the game development of up-and-coming independent game developers to specifically optimize the games for the 3G product line. AMD (with Mantle) and NVidia (with PhysX) have been quite successful with the strategy to boost the sales volume of their products. Threats 3G wants to look at potential threats that can derail the strategy in the future and has identified the following three areas: The first threat is that 3G’s competitors are moving faster to a new fab technology than currently presented in their roadmap, which would allow them to come closer to 3G’s low power requirements and allows them as well to boost the performance of their current generation of graphic chips without redesign.  The second threat comes from 3G’s competitors launching radically new design concepts for their graphic cards, which are equal or better to 3G’s design. This would remove 3G’s current advantage entirely and 3G would potentially lose market share. The third threat not only for 3G but as well for 3G’s competitors comes from Gaming Developers hitting a plateau with their next generation of games, which won’t require anymore additional performance from graphic chips. The graphic chip market is largely driven by game developers putting graphic features in place that require substantial upgrades to older gaming platforms. One example of developers driving the graphics chip market was the release of Crysis by Crytek in 2007, which was not playable (with all graphic options enabled) even on high-end hardware available at the time. It took almost four years to have powerful enough graphic chips to be able to play the game with all options enabled, which gave the gamer an almost super realistic view. Market Objectives (launch Q3 2015) During the next year, 3G seeks to achieve the following objective using their marketing mix, including product, price, place (distribution), and promotion strategies. Successful launch of the 3G graphic chip/card on a global scale.

Crime control vs. Due Process Essay

The criminal justice system in the United States has over time and in recent times been developed in two model systems. The crime control model and due process model. The two systems have been adopted over time to deal with the spiraling rate of crime. On the one hand conflict and crime control model which other commentators have referred as social reality crime tend to associate the crime on how it is affected by the dynamics that mould the society’s social, economic and political structure. The crime control model works on the assumption that the criminal law as enacted by parliament and enforced by the police and prosecutors can control crime. This model looks to the legislature as opposed to the courts as its validating authority and accepts extensive reliance that legislatures place on the criminal sanction. (The new law victim’s rights, Kent Roach). The crime control policy otherwise termed by Malcolm M Feeley and Jonathan Simon as a new concept in their article ‘The new penology’ is neither about punishing nor about rehabilitating individuals. The system is about identifying and managing unruly groups. On the other hand consensus and due process model describes the values that courts have embraced in many of their decisions. The model’s main purpose is protection of rights of citizens. Due process is like an obstacle course, you have to keep going through the legal obstacle to ensure in the end you convict the right person. In crime control model the law enforcement possesses the investigative powers to arrest people for questioning, and this is often the fastest way by which to establish the suspect is factually guilty. This model performs the role of getting the criminal off the street and protects the innocent. The law enforcement leads in this role. In due process model, law enforcement has little role to play. The bulk is performed by the prosecution which lays the crime committed by the offender before the court. The court’s role is to find the guilt of the offender and ensuring that the offender’s rights are safeguarded. In controlling crime, the correctional facilities have an important role to play, the kind of rehabilitating an offender who is released into the society matters a lot. The correction can also play a significant role where offenders who are due to be released are not reformed enough to be sent to the unsuspecting members of the public. Malco M. Feeley & Jonathan in their new penology document focuses on what role correction can perform. They dwell more on incapacitation which they say promises to reduce the efforts of crime in society not by altering either offender or social context but by rearranging the distribution of offender in the society. If the prison can nothing else, the incapacitation theory hold says that, it can detain offender for a time and thus delay their resumption of criminal activity. If such delay is sustained for enough time and enough offenders, siginificant aggregate effects in crime can take place although individual destinies are only marginally altered. The Federal application of the crime control has been traditionally directed at problems transcending state boundaries, with maintaining law and order in are subject exclusively to federal jurisdiction or national concern. The 107th congress did enhance authorities of the department of justice (DOJ) and in specific the Federal Bureau of Investigation in dealing with homeland security and anti-terrorism problems which arose from the September 11, 2001 attacks. Included are expanded federal law enforcement authority in such areas as wiretapping and related investigative tool to aid law enforcement official in the war on terrorism e. g. USA Patriot Act. (Jo Anne O Bryant & Lis Segheli,congressional research Service update September 11,2002) Congress has been extending federal jurisdiction over crime to areas once considered to be within state and local jurisdiction (e. g. juvenile justice and gun control) and enlarging federal support of state and local efforts to combat crime over last two decades. In general, the federal is trying to adopt crime control by pre-emptively dealing with measures which can enable prevention of crime in a bid to control. In contrast states have areas which they dwell on and some are left to the jurisdiction of the federal government or agencies. For example terrorism laws are federal laws are congress has come up with laws dealing with terrorism laws and also ways of controlling and safeguarding the boundaries of United States. The local or state jurisdiction has crime control measures within the sphere which does not overstep the mandate of federal agencies. Matters to do with dues process are both for the state and federal. Due process has been a process of the courts and the courts always will endeavor to defend their mandate of making laws and at the same time protecting existing one. The state and the federal have no option when the courts tend to hold opinion which they legally support. The crime control policy is preemptive in nature. That is to say it seeks to have prevention done in order to check the rate of crime in society. To some extent it is a perfect system to deal with a rate of crime that never comes down. Crime control policy does not have any adverse effect in the society’s social, economic state. While on the other hand due process being a court initiated process ensures that the rights are not violated by law enforcement. Due process is offender minded whereas crime control is society minded. It is relatively easier to ascertain the performance of crime control policy in comparison with due process. The rate of crime in society may fall relatively if the emphasis is laid crime. Opinion from the law enforcement can also be sought in evaluating their performance and what they think about the two policies. The courts also may provide vital information with regard to due process because they can make the best judgment than law enforcement. Officials in correctional facilities can also provide vital information on the crime control model as they play a large part in implantation of some recommendations. 1. The new law victim’s rights, Kent Roach. 2. The new penology,Malcom M. Feeley & Jonathan Simon 3. Congressional Research Service update sept. 11,2002 ,Jo Anne O Bryant & Lisa Segheli

Capstone to Business Management Final Project Essay

Executive Summary Tim’s Coffee Shoppe is located in Sunnydale, Illinois. Sunnydale is a mid-sized city with a busy business district and a large university and Tim’s is located smack dab in the middle of all the traffic. Tim’s Coffee Shoppe is in need of some much needed improvements and needs things to run more smoothly. Some of Tim’s problems were customer satisfaction, employee loyalty and marketing. The following pages have a detailed review of what Tim needs to become more successful. One of the most important things Tim needs to accomplish is a makeover of his human resource program to address employee training, thus creating better customer service as well as expanding the types of marketing he utilizes. If he follows suggestions he would have the opportunity to obtain his long term goals such as * To double revenue by the end of the current fiscal year. * To receive at least 95 percent positive customer feedback regarding the service we provide. Regulations and Management Summary The attempt is to suggest to Tim’s Coffee Shoppe’s areas of weaknesses where subtle improvement to business strategies which can bring in the much desired and needed revenues and increase customer traffic. It is also an attempt to provide cost effective products through a change in supply and logistics for Tim’s Coffee Shoppe. The market segmentation is also to be altered to expand his customer base. Action Items The vision statement chosen is: â€Å"To ensure that each guest receives prompt, professional, friendly and courteous service. To maintain a clean, comfortable and well maintained premises for our guests and staff. To provide at a fair price – nutritional, well-prepared beverages and foods-  using only quality ingredients. To ensure that all guests and staff are treated with the dignity and respect they deserve. To thank each guest for the opportunity to serve them. By maintaining these goals we shall be guaranteed a fair profit that will allow us to contribute to the community we serve† (Missionstatements.com, 2013). There are various things Tim could do to help achieve living up to this vision for his business. The following are Short Term Goals which would be actions that should ideally be completed within the next three months. * Spend the next month analyzing the competition and brainstorm on what they don’t offer that we do or can offer. * Choose one or two high-profile local charity events to sponsor * Redesign the customer service research process to include new questionnaires and incentives, such as monthly drawings for free products or discounts on future purchases for customers who take the time to respond. (Williams, 2013) The next few items are actions that would be Long Term Goals which should be completed by the end of the business’ fiscal year. * To build the company’s name recognition within the community through community outreach projects (Williams, 2013) What else could Tim do to help achieve these very important goals? * Create actionable steps within committees to break down workload * Be positive and energetic * Decide how you are going to measure your success and keep track of it at regular intervals. * If your company is achieving its goals, be sure to recognize employees that helped. (Slutsky, 2013) HR Analysis Summary Human resources help the business in many ways. However, Tim has not been taking full advantage of this valuable tool. â€Å"While human resources handle many of the matters pertaining to the employees of a company, such as recruiting and benefits management, they also work with management to help develop long-term strategies for the growth and development of a company. HR departments often act as a middleman between employees and management and should be where employees go for basic company information† (Christensen, 2013). According to the files in Tim’s office most of his employees are  valuable assets. Employees are a critical component of any business. Successfully managing the human resource aspect of business can be important, even for very small businesses such as Tim’s Coffee Shoppe. After all, in a service economy, employees are part of the delivery of the product and service. Their performance, commitment and loyalty to the job are critical and can be boosted through successful HR management. However, there are a few that need coaching to achieve higher customer service and company loyalty standards, such as Darryl. The files also need to be better organized to achieve higher efficiency. It can become the single largest consumer of your time and energy if you don’t know how to handle things well. And, it’s still a big consumer of your time and energy, even if you’re adept at handling such things. Action Items There are numerous actions Tim should take to help this area of his business run more smoothly and effectively. These include; to have a staffing plan, find good employees, how to screen potential candidates, conduct personal interviews and the actual hiring process and most important of all, retaining the valuable employees and evaluating their performance as well as maintaining high standards. There are several steps to follow to help stay organized and achieve a highly valuable staff. The following are actions to take to maintain and educate the staff Tim already has. * Put together a human resource guideline handbook that states what policies and procedures you will and expect the employees to follow. This handbook should address issues such as: * at will employment * compensation * perquisites and bonuses * performance reviews * lay offs * terminations * conflicts of interest * disciplinary process * vacation time * sick time * family time * leave of absence * employee behavior * â€Å"To retain employees, your human resource management philosophy should be to eliminate things that push employees out. It should also, within reason, provide a number of things that keep pulling employees into the organization. Both approaches should be successful in retaining good employees as they both counteract the â€Å"pulls† from outside organizations† (Sensible Small Business Ideas, 2013). Some employees will lose interest and need something new to keep their interest in your company. It might be necessary to provide challenges, opportunities for advancement and other rewards. * It is important to remember that everyone including yourself, the owner, is a team. Everyone needs to be quietly evaluated on their performance and their pay should reflect that. Make sure to recognize high performing employees to upkeep their motivation to better your company and take the time to coach your lower performing employees. Also make sure they all know you are there to support and help them with any issues that they come across. Marketing Analysis Summary The competitive environment, also known as the market structure, is the dynamic system in which your business competes (Mack, 2013). It is the part a company’s external environment that consists of other organizations trying to secure clientele in the same market. It is the part of the trade that includes all immediate rivals. Tim has not effectively advertised his coffee shop. He has signage in the office that is not being put to use and the only sign that is noticed in the coffee shop is the Buy 10, Get 1 Free. Also, I believe that Tim heavily relies on his location of being near the university, bus stop and business district to attract customers. It may work well but there is always more that he could do to take his business from being good to booming. Some possibly effective marketing ideas to promote Tim’s Coffee Shoppe might be: * To create a website- Even if it  is just 1-3 pages of general information, it’s better than nothing. Blog sites are best because Tim would be able to easily update. * Neighborhood Marketing- Take advantage of areas that are outdoors like billboards, bus-stops, park benches†¦ anywhere that potential customers might frequent. Also, partner up with other small businesses and exchange flyers to pass out to customers. * Social Sites- Facebook and Twitter * Use Guerilla Marketing tactics- Go pass out coupons at malls, pass out fliers at the college, etc. Take samples of coffee and pastries to churches or community centers. Get reviewers to come in and write an article about the coffee shop. * Celebrate holidays or create a family day with free drinks for kids under a certain age. * Educate your customers- Host a seminar on the use of coffee or on different brewing methods. Have a â€Å"Coffee of the Month† where you can educate on the origin country of the coffee. (Reynolds, 2013) The majority of Tim’s Coffee Shoppe’s customers are the university’s students and also business professionals stopping by on their lunch breaks. A lot of the customers have filled out satisfaction surveys. This is a great tool and lets Tim know what they are doing right or wrong and what they need to improve on to make their business more successful and profitable. Especially when there is space for the consumer to fill in their own suggestion or comment, such as the survey at Tim’s which stated â€Å"I just love Tim’s. I love the special attention, atmosphere and a coffee shop that isn’t a chain for once.† This shows Tim that the customer is extremely pleased and he should be proud of his product and staff. However, the surveys can also show Tim where his business needs to improve to keep people coming back, such as the comment â€Å"The morning staff is RUDE† or â€Å"The coffee always tastes burnt. Don’t know why I come back†. This shows the Tim where there is opportunity for improvement. By making customer satisfaction surveys available, this is another tool they can utilize by taking suggestions to make their company better than the competition. Taking these suggestions and considering them an opportunity to improve will attract more customers to come back as well as giving Tim and his employees a goal to work towards and achieve. Action Items Creating a SWOT analysis — identifying the good, bad and potential ugly — for your business is essential before moving forward. Strengths: Tim needs to stand out from the rest of his competition. One strong strength would be his location. Being close to the university, Business Park and bus stop is a prime location to attract business. Weaknesses: Weaknesses noted on the marketing surveys are rude staff, old cash registers which make customers order incorrect, cramped seating, slow service, not taking debit cards and so on. Opportunities: Some opportunities for Tim’s might include a coffee of the month club, or adding more items to the menu. Threats: Some of the threats might be, of course, Queequeg’s and even the campus coffee machine. Economic Environment/Finance and Accounting/Financial Statements Summary Looking at the economic situation at Tim’s Coffee Shoppe it is decent but could definitely be better. To have a strong and successful business, you need to have a clear understanding of the financial impact that your most business decisions may have. Tim is expecting an increase in sales volume due to several large businesses moving into the area around the coffee shop. With more traffic going by the coffee shop, one would expect an increase in customers which would mean an increase in income for Tim. Virtually all of your business’s costs will fall, more or less neatly, into one of two categories: variable costs and fixed costs. â€Å"Variable costs are costs which increase directly in proportion to the level of sales in dollars or units sold† (BizFilings, 2012). Variable expenses for the coffee shop would be some examples would be cost of goods sold, costs of supplies, and salaries of the employees. Action Items The total expenses will increase if the sales volume will increase due the variable expenses increasing. The company’s total costs are a combination of the fixed and variable costs. â€Å"Assuming your sales exceed your variable costs, each additional unit of sales volume increases your gross profits and  your net income. If you can lower your costs without impacting revenue and maintain the same sales volume, your profits will go up† (Kokemuller, 2013). This means if Tim’s profits increase so does his net income. â€Å"It is very important for small business owners to understand how their various costs respond to changes in the volume of goods or services produced. The breakdown of a company’s underlying expenses determines the profitable price level for its products or services, as well as many aspects of its overall business strategy† (Inc.com, 2013). The salaries of the employees will increase due to the fact Tim will have to hire more employees or increase the hours of existing employees to accommodate the additional customer base. The cost of supplies and goods sold will increase with the more customers and products sold. Fixed cost will remain the same regardless of the level of sales. These expenses would include Tim’s rent, depreciation, the lease on the refrigerator, taxes and insurance. Problem Solving/Recommendations Summary There are several things Tim could do to improve his coffee shop, especially to get it to become more marketable for him to sell. The following are good recommendations to start with: * Redesign the customer service research process to include new questionnaires and incentives, such as monthly drawings for free products or discounts on future purchases for customers who take the time to respond. * Create actionable steps within committees to break down workload * Put together a human resource guideline handbook that states what policies and procedures you will and expect the employees to follow * Expand advertising to other venues * More employee training and recognition References Associates Capstone in Management. (2012). Retrieved from Tim’s Coffee Shoppe simulation: http://extmedia.kaplan.edu.edgesuite.net/buness/AB299/Tims_Coffee_Shop/index.html BizFilings. (2012). Business Decisions and Finances: Cost-Volume-Profit Analysis. Retrieved June 24, 2013, from

Relationship between Theory and Practice Essay

Cognitive development indicates growth of the ability to reflect and explain. Lev Semionovich Vygotsky and Jean Piaget were greatly contributed to the cognitive development section of Psychology. The way small kids discover surrounding environment and psychologically develop plays a key role in their learning processes and skills. By learning the process of cognitive development supervisors give themselves a chance to great extent meet the requirements of the individual demands of each separate child. Vygotsky and Piaget were considered to be constructivists. Constructivism is a method of training and learning based on the idea that cognition is the consequence of â€Å"psychological construction†. To put it differently, children obtain knowledge making compatible their previous experience and new fresh information. Constructivists believe that learning is influenced by the situation in which a concept is delivered also by children’s attitudes and values. Another common feature between Vygotsky and Piaget is that they both think that the limits of cognitive development were set by societal influences. Unfortunately, this is the point where the correspondence between Vygotsky and Piaget comes to an end. There is a great difference between both theories of highly indicated scientists. Piaget claimed that mental growth came from activity. He believed that students learn by means of communicating with their surroundings and that learning takes place after growth. On the other hand, Vygotsky held that knowledge takes place prior to the growth that can occur and that children learn because of history and symbolism. Vygotsky also claimed that students appreciate effort from their surrounding environment and from other people such as teachers and parents as well. Piaget did not consider the latter to be true. Vygotsky’s and Piaget concepts on cognitive development also have different attitudes. School systems and teachers have been practicing the cognitive development theories of Vygotsky and Piaget for quite a while. A good illustration of Piagentian training could be arranged in a preschool environment. Through the preschool period Piaget considers students as being at the Preoperational level and as a consequence they are more likely to be self-centered. Consequently, it would be fair to discuss things with preschool age children from their own points of view as they will feel their experiences are unique and precious. During classroom activities one student might say the glass of milk that another student brought to classroom to share is half empty while the student who brought the glass may consider the glass to be half full. Neither student is wrong in this example, the glass can be characterized by both descriptions but they may believe it due to the fact that each accordingly likes or dislikes milk. Application of Vygotsky’s cognitive development theory could occur in a first grade classroom. First grade children are frequently characterized by having varying stages of knowledge. Some students may already know letters and how to read while others are still making attempt to improve this process. An optimal option to assist the students who are not reading as well as the others includes ensuring these children aid speaking out a word when they get stuck while reading a text. With these preliminary considerations in mind it would be well to conclude that cognitive development plays a central part in learning and thinking approaches of students. Vygotsky and Piaget provide valuable knowledge and data into the possible ways students learn and by employing these concepts it is possible to design a more advantageous learning context for each student. To get deeper understanding of Vygotsky’s theory it would be useful to visit the web-site http://www. newfoundations. com/gallery/Vygotsky. html. It suggests a number of approaches provided by in-depth studies and research of the scientist. Vygotsky tries to find answers to questions such as â€Å"What is a human being? †, â€Å"What is knowledge? †, â€Å"What is learning? †, â€Å"What is society? †, or â€Å"Who is to be educated? †. One more web resource that provides valuable insight into the researches conducted by Piaget is http://webspace. ship. edu/cgboer/piaget. html. To apply theory into practice we may observe that preoperational stage includes symbolism which means that the child already understands parallel notions of objects. For instance, to develop business skills from the early age it would be very useful to set an activity where objects replace real things: paper instead of money, books instead of TV-sets to be sold, etc. These two particular web-sites were chosen because besides the theory itself they also include practice and illustrations. They describe how the results of the studies may be applied in learning and teaching processes.