Philosophy Of Mind Essays - Philosophy Of Artificial Intelligence

Philosophy Of Mind In this paper I plan to show that Searle is correct in claiming that his Chinese Room Analogy shows that any Turing machine simulation of human understanding of a linguistic phenomenon fails to possess any real understanding. First I will explain the Chinese Room Analogy and how it is compared to a Turing machine. I will then show that the machine can not literally be said to understand. A Turing machine has a infinite number of internal states, but always begins a computation in the initial state go. Turing machines can be generalized in various ways. For example many machines can be connected, or a single machines may have more than one reader-printer under command of the control. The machines are set to accept input and give output based on the type of input given. When comparing the Turing machine simulation of understanding to actual human understanding you ca see the story given as input, and the answers to questions about the story as output. In the Chinese Room Analogy Searle supposed that he was locked in a room with a large batch of Chinese writing referred to as "scripts". By using the term "script" it is meant to say that this first batch of Chinese writing is the original or principal instrument or document. Further more in this case he is said not to know any Chinese, either written or spoken. The Chinese writing is described by Searle as " meaningless squiggles". Next he is presented with a second batch of Chinese writing referred to as a "story". The term story here is meant to describe the second batch to be an account of incidents or events that will be used to make a statement regarding the facts pertinent to the incidents or events that will follow. Accompanied with the second batch of writing is a set of written rules written in English that is meant to be used for correlating the two batches called a "program". The "program" given to Searle is meant to used as a printed outline of a particular order to be followed to correlate the Chinese symbols. The rules, or the "program", will allow Searle to correlate the symbols entirely by their shape. Finally a third batch of Chinese symbols is presented along with further instructions in English, referred to as "questions". The "questions" are implemented as a way to interrogate Searle in such a manner that his competence in the situation will be given. These "questions" allow the third batch to be correlated with the first two batches. It is supposed in this analogy that after a while he becomes so good at following the instructions to manipulate the symbols, while giving the correct answers, that is becomes impossible for a man from outside the direct point of view to distinguish his answers from that of a native Chinese speaker. The Chinese Room Analogy goes a step further when he is given large batches of English, called "stories", which he of course understands as native English speaker. The story in this case is to be used just as it was in the previous case, to describe the batch as an account of incidents or events that will be used to make a statement regarding the facts pertinent to the incidents or events that will follow. Much like the case with the Chinese writing questions are asked in English and he is able to answer them, also in English. These answers are indistinguishable from that of other native English speakers, if for no other reason that he is a native speaker himself. The difference here is that in the Chinese case, Searle is only producing answers based on manipulation of the symbols of which have no meaning to him, and in the English case answers are given based on understanding. It is supposed that in the Chinese case, Searle behaves as nothing more than a computer, performing operations on formally specified elements. An advocate of the strong AI (Artificial Intelligence) claim that if a question and answer sequence much like the case with the Chinese symbols, a machine is not only simulating human ability but also that the machine can be said to literally understand a story and provide answers to questions about them. Searle declares that in regard to the first claim where machine can literally be said to understand a story and provide answers, that this is untrue. Obviously in the Chinese Room Analogy even though the inputs and outputs are indistinguishable from that of native Chinese speaker Searle

Foreign Direct Investment Impacts on the Economic Development

Foreign Direct Investment Impacts on the Economic Development Introduction According to the definition presented by Borensztein and Gregorio (1997), foreign direct investment (FDI) is the process through which a corporation directly invests in a nation other than its parent country. On the other hand, Graham (1991) defined foreign direct investment as the process through which a company purchases or constructs tangible assets in a foreign nation.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Foreign Direct Investment Impacts on the Economic Development specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More These assets can be in the form of land, processing plants, machineries, equipments, buildings and so on. From these definitions, it is evident that FDI is a process through which a corporation invests in a foreign counry. In the process, both the corporation and the host nation benefit from this process in terms of economic gains. The concept of foreign direct investment has been present for several decades no w. Between 1985 and 1988 for instance, foreign direct investment within the United States of America increased from $47 billion to $139 billion (Graham, 1991). This remarkable increase in foreign direct investment was attributed to the high level of commercial inflow within the nation. Toyota is a prime example of a company that increased its investments in the automobile industry in the United States during the 1980s. As a result, therefore, the level of foreign ownership in the United States has increased tremendously. On the other hand, foreign direct investments have facilitated the economic growth of many countries especially in developing nations. Despite the fact that foreign direct investments do not have a huge impact on the capital gains of these nations, their resulting impacts on their economic growth has been changing over the years especially because there are alternative sources of finance to support FDIs in developing nations. Given these facts, therefore, this paper will focus on the impacts of FDIs on the virtuous circle of economic development. To achieve this, the paper will analyze the impacts that FDIs have on the economy of a given nation and the resultant effects. The Impacts of FDI on the Host Nation In the modern world, FDIs play an important role in maintaining and developing the economies of developed nations, emerging economies, countries that are in transition as well as developing nations (Tulug, 2004). FDIs increase the level of employment within the host nation, bring about modernization and technological development, enhance the level of international trade, increase the level of competition among domestic companies and play a critical role in the development of human capital formation.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Other than achieving economic success, FDIs are also helpful in achieving social needs of ho st nations. Through social corporate responsibility schemes, FDIs can introduce modern technologies that are safe for the environment. At the same time, these corporations can start up programs that aim at alleviating common social problems such as drug abuse, HIV/AIDS prevention and management and so on. However, the success of FDIs highly relies on the policies that have been put in place by the host nation. These policies are essential in determining the relationship that will exist between the corporation, the host nation and the native population. The presence of well-defined policies is thus essential to ensure that the roles of each stakeholder are as well as the goals and objectives of the initiative have been clearly defined. Poor policies on the other hand might reduce the profitability of FDIs. The balance of payments might also be affected. Consequently, conflicts might arise between the host nation and investing corporations. At the same time, the native community might have negative attitudes and perceptions towards FDIs especially if they do not benefit either directly or indirectly from them. Therefore, to ensure that FDIs are successful in the short run and in the long run, a balance needs to be achieved between the benefits and shortcomings that can be accrued. It is as a result of this fact that several models have been developed to ensure that a virtuous circle of economic development is achieved. These models will not only guarantee that the goals and objectives of that have been set up through FDIs are achieved but also the economy of the host nation grows and develops at a remarkable rate. FDI and Economic Growth It has always been asserted that FDIs play a critical role in increasing the level of productivity and income in the host nation. However, it is difficult to ascertain precisely how FDIs achieve these goals (OECD, 2002). From studies that have been conducted, it is evident that FDIs have a huge economic impact as compared to loc al investments within the host nation. Thus, for FDIs to be successful, they have to venture into the market and the economy of the host nation as Multinational Enterprises (MNEs) (OECD, 2002). However, the effect that MNEs have on the economy of developing nations is somehow different. As Easterly (2003) asserted, the level of economic growth in developing nations is relatively low in terms of the impacts arising from MNEs as compared to the economies of developed nations. This trend has been attributed to the fact that fact that the level of education, technology, and infrastructural development in developing nations have not reached an optimum level to enable their economies to benefit fully from FDIs.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Foreign Direct Investment Impacts on the Economic Development specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More At the same time, the impaired financial markets of developing nations act as a barrier to economic development. Therefore, to achieve a virtuous circle of economic development, it has always been advised that either MNEs should initiate and be involved directly or indirectly in processes that will result in the development of infrastructure and improvement in the financial sector in host countries. FDI and Trade The goal of any nation is to achieve economic sustainability in the short run and in the long run. Industrialization is one of the avenues that play a critical role in achieving this goal. The level of industrialization in developing countries is very low. These nations import more than what they export. Such nations will therefore benefit from inward FDI contributions. Inward FDI is essential as it integrates the economy of developing nations by enhancing their level of foreign trade. Through MNEs, developing nations tend to develop strong international networks in different industrial segments. Ultimately, these networks will boost the manner and level in w hich developing nations distribute, market, and sell their products at local and international levels. However, for all this to be realized, host nations need to have sound policies that will attract MNEs into their countries and support import and export processes (OECD, 2002). To support the trading activities of host nations, host nations need to improve their level of exports to ensure that a desirable balance of payments is achieved. Through inwards investments, FDIs can overcome the financial constrain of host nations through resource endowments (OECD, 2002). Here, MNEs explore and utilize the natural resources present in the host nation in a sustainable, effective and efficient manner hence increasing exports. The establishment of export processing zones (EPZ) has also enhanced the level of trade between host nations and the international community by increasing the level of imports and exports. From this analysis, therefore, it is evident that FDIs play a critical role in en hancing the trade within host nations. FDI and Technology Transfers Technology transfer has always been regarded as the most important contribution of FDIs to host nations (OECD, 2002). In most cases, MNEs have superior technology as compared the domestic industries. Therefore, with the presence of modern technology, the processes of producing, distributing and salling of goods and services within and outside the host nation will be enhanced. Vertical integration is one of the channels through which technology spillovers from MNEs can become beneficial within the host nation. Here, MNEs impart the knowledge regarding new technologies to suppliers and purchases within the host nation through training, and provision of technical assistance that will ultimately modernize and upgrade the production process.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In the process, the quality of goods and services produced within the nation are improved. Horizontal spillover is also another channel through which MNEs can introduce new technologies within the host nation where other firms within the same industry will benefit. However, due to competition, the rates of horizontal spillovers are usually low. However, for the host nation to benefit from technology transfer, the new technologies that have been introduced by the MNEs need to be in line with its business operations (OECD, 2002). Consequently, the difference in the level of technology between MNEs and domestic industries needs to be low. In the case where this difference is wide, firms within the host nation may fail to fully absorb the newly introduced technologies. FDI and Human Capital Enhancement Unlike the other FDI benefits that have a direct impact on the economy of the host nation, the impact that FDIs have on human capital investment is indirect. Consequently, it has been ide ntified that MNEs play a minimal role in enhancing human capital within the host nation (Tulug, 2004). It is thus the responsibility of the government of the host nation to ensure that its population is highly qualified and skilled to provide the established MNEs with the human capital that they require to support their operations. Therefore, scholars regard this practice as a strategy for host nations to attract FDI in their countries. However, once MNEs have been established, they usually offer training and extension services to their employees. This is essential as it improves the skills and knowledge of the local population. As Borensztein and Gregorio (1997) asserted, there are individuals who use the skills, knowledge, and experience that they have acquired from MNEs to start up their own enterprises. However, just like in the case of technology, the education gap between MNEs and the host nation should be minimal to ensure the spillover process is effective and successful in the short run and in the long run. To achieve this, it is advised that the host nation should educate its people to meet the skills and requirements that might arise as a result of setting up MNEs. FDI and Competition Through FDI, MNEs exert a lot of pressure on the host nations’ markets. Competition always exerts pressure on the firms that are currently operating in a given market. Therefore, the entrance of MNEs in a given industry will greatly enhance the level of competition the respective industry. However, it has always been stated that due to the influence that they have, MNEs outcompete domestic firms. This eventually leads to their exit of domestic firms from the market (OECD, 2002). However, recent results from empirical studies that have been conducted by several scholars reveal that increased competition has positive impacts on the economy of host nations since it increases the level of productivity, reduces the selling price, and supports the equitable distributi on of resources within the industry. All these factors play a critical role in establishing a stable and sustainable economy in the short run and in the long run. Therefore, host nations need to come up with policies that will increase the ease at which MNEs can enter into their markets. Conclusion In the modern economy, FDIs play a critical role in the development and growth the global economy. However, developing nations have not fully benefited from the presence of FDIs within their economies. Therefore, with proper policies in place, FDIs will play a critical role in enhancing trade in developing nations at national and international levels, improve their level of technology, enhance their human capital, and increase the level of competition. As a result, their production levels will be increased and firms will operate in an effective and efficient manner hence supporting economic growth and development through maximization of profits, improved balance of payments, stability of domestic industries as well as MNEs and an increased support from the local community. This will ensure the sustainability of the host nation’s economy in the short run and in the long run. References Borensztein, E and Gregorio, J 1997, How does foreign direct investment affect economic growth. Web. Easterly, W 2003, ‘How much do distortions affect growth’, Journal of Monetary Economics, vol. 32 no. 1, pp. 187–212 Graham, E 1991, Foreign direct investment in the United States, Institute for International Economics, Washington DC OECD 2002, Foreign direct investment for development: Maximizing benefits, minimizing costs, viewed on oecd.org/investment/investmentfordevelopment/1959815.pdf Tulug, O 2004, ‘What drives foreign direct investment into emerging markets’, Emerging Markets Finance and Trade, vol. 40 no. 4, pp. 101-114.

Stem Cell Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Stem Cell Research - Essay Example Scientists and researchers have continually been trying to develop ways in order for society to have healthier lives. The use of stem cells may be one of the best answers yet. â€Å"Stem cells hold a lot of promise to cure many nasty diseases.†(Cline) There should be no debate on its application. Indeed, there is an ethical issue to be resolved. Nevertheless, if the stem cells were to be used to further life, I think the ethical issue surrounding this side of stem cell research should easily be resolved. If not, then other scientific approaches to furthering life that are being practiced now such as organ transplant should be paused as well until a decision is made on stem cell research. When a person is in a coma, doctors and family depend on brain activity to determine progress. This goes to show how important the brain is for a person to function well. As such, cures for neurological diseases should be of utmost concern. If stem cell research appears to be the answer, why not

Data Analysis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Data Analysis - Research Paper Example Central tendency of the number of new cases every year is measured using the mean value. The mean of new cases among all 19 age groups are 6288 new case per year. The range of new cases is 19,477 with minimum number of case equal to 60 and maximum value equal to 19,537 for the ages between 70 and 74. Dispersion is measured by value of standard deviation of the data. Standard deviation is 6621 new case per year. Skewness measures the degree and direction of asymmetry of the data. The value of skewness is .628 indicating the data is positively skewed. The following histogram shows the number of new cases for male and females for the different age groups. It is evident from the graph that 18 age groups for male or female has less than 2500 new cases of cancer every year. The mean and standard deviation are considered the best measure of central tendency and dispersion of the data. Most of the data is included in the range around the mean by the value of the standard deviation.

Evaluation Measures Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Evaluation Measures - Research Paper Example These groups constitute a major part in this Association, and it is through their help and support that the Association is able to carry out its activities. The Association is keen on implementing its goals in order to meet the 7 Measures of success. Professional practice standards are high to ensure trust from the customer Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP). (2012). This shows that customer service is well catered for by the association. Members follow certain guidelines and principles to ensure the services they give out are in line with the mission. The Association also has member discounts for those joining the association. The Association also has a fundraising executive (CEO), who presides over the meetings and other programs to ensure mission achievement. The members engage in discussion and dialogue every once in a while to ensure that the association does not part from its mission. They offer research, education and certification programs to ensure growth. They also have national discussion groups and offer career guidance and management. The AFP mission statement is; â€Å"The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Greater Cleveland Chapter is the recognized leader for advancing philanthropy by empowering fundraisers to serve throughout the region† (Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), 2012). Alliance building in the Association is strategized in order for it to accomplish its targets. AFP teams up with other groups, known and unknown, and use that opportunity to pass the philanthropic message. The Alliance building starts with the coming together of individuals and groups having different ideas and perceptions about the work being done (Asae, 2012). With time, all the parties involved come to understand and share the Association vision and values. With this, a powerful association is built, one with both political power to influence others and a need to show social justice. Alliance

Organisation structure of the bakhresa group of companies

Organisation structure of the bakhresa group of companies Identify the strand of organisation structure and innovation approach used by the Bakhresa Group. Is it organic or mechanistic structure followed by the Bakhresa Group? Among the two which one is more suitable to innovation and why? How can Bakhresa Group manage the tension between the need for creativity and efficiency? Discuss the main organisational characteristics that facilitate the innovation process in the Bakhresa Group. Explain the key individual roles within the innovation process and the activities they perform in the Bakhresa Group. How did Bakhresa Group establish innovative environment that propagates the virtuous circle of innovation? Explain its features. This is a case study analysis report of the Bakhresa Group of companies of Tanzania, with special focus of its innovation management that led it to achieve a remarkable growth and market leadership in the country and beyond. Bakhresa Group is one of the leading Industrial Houses in Tanzania, East Africa. Started in a humble manner with a small restaurant in the Port City of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, in mid-seventies, it has now emerged as a respected business group in the Region. The Group has its operations spread in Tanzania, Zanzibar, Uganda, Kenya, Malawi, and Zambia and most recently in Mozambique. Plans are in place to spread its wings to other countries. The group now boasts of a turnover of more than Three Hundred Million United Sates Dollars and is a proud employer of more than two thousand employees associated directly. There are several companies under its umbrella and have investments mainly in Food and Beverage Sector, Packaging, Logistics and Real Estate. The study will analyse the role of organisation structure, the organisational characteristics in general and individual roles that propagate and facilitate innovative environment within the Bakhresa group and how successfully they have managed it. The analysis is based on the hand-out information about the group prepared for this purpose, as well as the Bakhresa Group website (2010). Most of the concepts and theories that precedes each item of analysis are based on the textbook by Paul Trott-Innovation Management and New product Development -4th Edition (2008); others textbooks and websites have been used to complement the mentioned references. This report starts by providing background information about the group, regarding its organisations; products and services in section one. To be followed by five sections one for each analysis item, that is; organisation structure and innovation, managing the tension between the need for efficiency and creativity, organisational characteristics that facilitate innovation, the key individual roles within the innovation process and establishing an innovative environment that propagate virtuous circle. BACKGROUND BAKHRESA GROUP OF COMPANIES TANZANIA Bakhresa Group is composed of Said Salim Bakhresa Co.s, Bakhresa Food Products ltd and large collection of other companies of various industries such as transport and logistics and real-estate. The group started in 1980s and ever since it has steadily been expanding its borders from Tanzania to the neighbouring countries and has been gaining a lot of market force over time. The group currently operates in the Tanzania, Malawi, Uganda, Mozambique, Zambia and Zanzibar Mission To increase and sustain the living standards of Africans by providing them with essential products and services of global quality at affordable prices. To exceed customers expectations through innovation and harnessing technology. Vision To be one of the internationally respected and professionally managed companies in the African Continent. To spread our wings to the other parts of the globe. Their values include passion for success, commitment to stakeholders and employees as well as mutual trust and social responsibility. Figure 1. Subsidiaries companies under Bakhresa Group Source (Bakhresa.com 2010) In the Bakhresa Group, the organization is treated as an instrument for achieving established goals, in which the members of the organization are made to serve these goals and rewards are given to motivate them. The organization structure contributes to the dominance of the technology-push model of innovation. On the one hand Bakhresa Group requires stability and static routines to accomplish the daily tasks efficiently and quickly and on the other hand, Bakhresa Group also needs to develop new ideas and new products to be competitive in future and it needs to nurture a creative environment where ideas can be tested and developed. The channel of communication is highly structured, there is restricted information flow, and operating styles are uniform and restricted. Authority for decision is based on formal line management position and the management is reluctant to adapt to changing circumstances. The management of the Bakhresa Group is committed to long-term growth rather than short-term profit and the organization is willing to invest in the long-term development of technology and is aware of its threats and opportunities. The Bakhresa Group engages commercial scanner, gatekeeper and project leader and sponsor to facilitate the innovation process. The Bakhresa Group, given the importance of innovation, has spent enormous sums of money trying to develop an environment that fosters innovation. The Bakhresa Group is aware of developing a reputation for innovation which helps propagate a virtuous circle that reinforces Groups abilities. The Bakhresa Group has established companies dealing with variety of products from manufacturing of Food and Beverage Sector, Packaging, Logistics and Real Estate and has become a market leader because of innovation and entrepreneurship. Figure 2 below shows a variety of products/ services offered by the Bakhresa group. Source (Bakhresa.com 2010) The new and different product added to the list of achievements marks the creativeness abilities and adds to value, and enhance the competitive edge of the company. For example, the launching of state of the art packaging industries for food and beverage products as well as the technological advancement on the telecommunication via satellites. 1. ORGANIZATION STRUCTURES AND INNOVATION Identify the strand of organisation structure and innovation approach used by the Bakhresa Group. Is it organic or mechanistic structure followed by the Bakhresa Group? Among the two which one is more suitable to innovation and why? Organizational Structures Organizational structure refers to the way that an organization arranges people and jobs so that its work can be performed and its goals can be met. When a work group is very small and face-to-face communication is frequent, formal structure may be unnecessary, but in a larger organization decisions have to be made about the delegation of various tasks. Thus, procedures are established that assign responsibilities for various functions. It is these decisions that determine the organizational structure. In an organization of any size or complexity, employees responsibilities typically are defined by what they do, who they report to, and for managers, who reports to them. (Referenceforbusiness 2010) Innovation Innovation is the act of developing a new process or product and introducing it to the market. It is essentially an entrepreneurial act, whether it takes place in a start-up firm, a large organization, a not-for-profit, or a public-sector agency. Innovation means change: sometimes radical change, such as the development of the computer, and sometimes incremental change, such as the modification of existing computer software (Referenceforbusiness 2010) Innovation is the act of introducing something new or doing something in a different way. Innovation in business differs from creativity in that the latter is generally associated with the generation of new ideas. In contrast, innovation refers to taking those new ideas and actually implementing them in the marketplace. Thus, creativity is simply one element of the innovation process through which new ideas lead to new products, procedures, or services. Business scholars often attribute company success to innovation. Because of growing  international competition,  innovation became even more vital for companies toward the end of the 20th century (Referenceforbusiness 2010) Organizational Structures and Innovation The structure of an organization is the sum total of ways in which it divides its labour into distinct tasks and then achieves coordination among them. One of the problems is recognizing that different groups within an organization behave differently and interact with different parts of the wider external environment. None the less, there have been numerous useful studies exploring the link between the organizational structure and innovative performance. (Trott 2008) Organizational structures can be sorted between organic and mechanistic. Organizational cultural also plays a big role when implementing change. Some resistance forces we are likely to encounter are within our organization. Once the organizational structure and cultural attribute is determined then the designing process can begin. Organic and mechanistic are on different ends of the spectrum. In contingency theory, the term organic structure is used to describe an organizational structure that is designed to promote flexibility so that employees can initiate change and adapt quickly to changing conditions (George Jones, 2005, p. 508). This flexible structure is more like a team environment in which all the employees are able to handle any of the tasks. In contingency theory, the term mechanistic structure is used to describe an organizational structure that is designed to induce employees to behave in predictable, accountable ways (George Jones, 2005, p. 508). All of the employees working in a mechanistic structure have assigned duties that they must perform and are prohibited to take on additional duties unless they are told so by management.(associated content 2010) Through their Theory of Mechanistic and Organic Systems, Tom Burns and G.M. Stalker (1961) have provided a way to understand which organization forms fit to specific circumstances of change or stability. In their highly influential work The Management of Innovation, they provide the following characteristics of Mechanic vs. Organic Systems: Mechanistic vs Organic Organization Structure Mechanistic Organization Form   / Management System Organic Organization Form   / Management System Appropriate Conditions Stable Changing Distribution of tasks Specialized differentiation of functional tasks into which the problems and tasks facing a concern as a whole are broken down Contributive nature of special knowledge and experience to the common task of the concern Nature of Individual task The abstract nature of each individual task, which is pursued with techniques and purposes more or less distinct from those of the concern as a whole: i.e., the functionaries tend to pursue the technical improvements of means, rather than the accomplishment of the ends of the concern The realistic nature of the individual task, which is seen as set by the total situation of the concern Who (re)defines tasks The reconciliation, for each level in the hierarchy, of these distinct performances by the immediate superiors, who are also, in turn, responsible for seeing that each is relevant in his own special part of the main task The adjustment and continual redefinition of individual tasks through interaction with others Task scope The precise definition of rights and obligations and technical methods attached to each functional role The shedding of responsibility as a limited field of rights, obligations and methods (problems may not be posted upwards, downwards or sideways as being someone elses responsibility) How is task conformance ensured The translation of rights and obligations and methods into the responsibilities of a functional position The spread of commitment to the concern beyond any technical definition Structure of control, authority and communication Hierarchic, Contractual Network, Presumed Community of Interest Locating of knowledge Reinforcement of the hierarchic structure by the location of knowledge of actualities exclusively at the top of the hierarchy, where the final reconciliation of distinct tasks and assessment of relevance is made Omniscience no longer imputed to the head of the concern; knowledge about the technical or commercial nature of the here and now may be located anywhere in the network Communication between members of concern Vertical; i.e., between superior and subordinate Lateral; i.e., between people of different rank, resembling consultation rather than command Governance for operations and working behavior Instructions and decisions issued by superiors Information and advice rather than instructions and decisions Values Insistence on loyalty to the concern and obedience to superiors as a condition of membership Commitment to the concerns task and to the technological ethos of material progress and expansion is more highly valued than loyalty and obedience Prestige Greater importance and prestige attaching to internal (local) than to general (cosmopolitan) knowledge, experience, and skill Importance and prestige attach to affiliations and expertise valid in the industrial and technical and commercial milieux external to the firm It is evident that among the two organisation structures, the Organic one is more suitable for promoting and fostering innovation within an organization as it encourages creativity; has values of Commitment to the concerns task and to the technological ethos of material progress and expansion that mostly requires creativeness and new innovations; allow free flow of communication and flexibility and adaptation to changing circumstances; The Bakhresa group seems to follow the Mechanistic organization structure, because their channel of communication is highly structured, there is restricted information flow, and operating styles are uniform and restricted. Authority for decision is based on formal line management position and the management is reluctant to adapt to changing circumstances. Mechanistic organization structure tends to offer a less suitable environment for managing the creativity and the innovation process. Because of its degree of formalisation, centralisation, Size and complexity of its organisation, Formalisation There is some evidence of an inverse relationship between formalization and innovation. That is an increase in formalization of procedures will result in a disease in innovative activity. Complexity Where these are several different type of professional groups are working in an organization, it would represent a complex organization Centralisation It refers to the decision making activity and the location of power within an organization. In a decentralized organization fewer levels of hierarchy are usually required: This tends to lead to more responsive decision making closer to the action. Organisational Size A small business with fewer employees differs significantly on terms of resources from an organization which is big size is a proxy variable for more meaningful dimensions such as economic and organization resources, including number of employees. (Trott 2010) MANAGEMENT TEAM BOARD OF DIRECTORS STRUCTURE Chairman, Bakhresa Group of Companies SAID SALIM AWADH BAKHRESA is the founding father and the Chairman of the Bakhresa Group Of Companies. He is a well-known industrialist in the mainland of Tanzania and island of Zanzibar. With a humble beginning as a small restaurateur in seventies, he created the business empire within a span of three decades. He is the mastermind behind the success of all the businesses within the group. His vision and excellent managerial skills contributed to the growth of this group to great heights. Executive Director of SS Bakhresa Co. ltd MOHAMED SAID BAKHRESA is the Managing Director of Bakhresa Grain Milling (Uganda) Limited and is the Executive Director Of Said Salim Bakhresa Company Limited. He is also holding Director-Ship in most of the Group Companies. Mr Mohamed is a graduate in finance, law and accounting from Southbank University, United Kingdom. He is a well-known industrialist in Uganda and Tanzania and is successfully managing Bakhresa Grain Milling (Uganda) Limited, which is the largest wheat milling industry in Uganda. Mr Mohamed is also actively involved in the policy decision making process of the Bakhresa Group Of Companies. Managing Director of Bakhresa Grain Milling ltd ABUBAKAR SAID SALIM BAKHRESA is the Managing Director of Bakhresa Grain Milling (Malawi) Limited and Bakhresa Grain Milling (Mozambique) Limitada. He also acts as Executive Director of Said Salim Bakhresa Co. Ltd. Mr. Abubakar has done his B.Sc in Business Administration, majoring in Finance from Georgetown University, Washington D.C., USA. He is primarily involved in the wheat milling businesses of the Group and looks after the wheat procurement for the Group. Executive Director of Logistic Division of Bakhressa Group OMAR SAID SALIM BAKHRESA, a Mechanical Engineer, is the Executive Director in charge of the Logisitic Division of Said Salim Bakhresa Co Ltd. He has over a decade of experience in logistics transportation industry. Managing Director of Bakhresa Food Products Ltd YUSUF SAID SALIM BAKHRESA is the Managing Director of Bakhresa Food Products Limited and is holding Director-Ship in other Group Companies. He is actively involved in the day to day operations of Bakhresa Food Products, which is based in Tanzania and is successfully managing its operations. Senior Management Each Group Company/Division is professionally managed by a full complement of local/expatriate managers having expertise in their respective fields. Regardless of the mechanistic structure in use by the Bakhresa Group, its great achievements are obviously due to its continuous innovation in new products and new markets. One can conclude that due to the large size and complexity organisation of the Group as a whole, it is necessary to apply the centralisation and formalisation. But the style of operations and management at the subsidiary companies level may be allowing certain flexibility that is promoting creativity and innovation. 2. MANAGING THE TENSION BETWEEN THE NEED FOR CREATIVITY AND EFFICIENCY How can Bakhresa Group manage the tension between the need for creativity and efficiency? The Dilemma of Innovation Management Within virtually all organizations there is a fundamental tension between the need for stability and the need for creativity. On the one hand, companies require stability and static routines to accomplish daily tasks efficiently and quickly. This enables the organization to compete today. For example processing of millions of cheques by banks every day or delivery of food and beverage products by multiples to their retail outlets all over the country by the Bakhresa Food Products Ltd, demands high levels of efficiency and control. On the other hand, companies also need to develop new ideas and new products to be competitive in the future. Hence they need to nurture a creative environment where ideas can be tested and developed. This poses one of the most fundamental problems for management today. That is managing the tension between the need for creativity and efficiency. Efficiency gains The efficient day to day operations within an organization require stable routines which can be achieved in stable and controlled environments The development of new products/services requires creativity and room to try out new ideas this is achieved in a loose and flexible environment Creativity gains Take any medium to large company and examine its operations and activities. Every company has to ensure that their products are carefully manufactured to precise specifications and that they are delivered for customers on time day after day. In this hectic, repetitive and highly organized environment, the need to squeeze out any slack or inefficiencies is crucial to ensure a firms costs are lower than their competitors. However the long-term economic growth is dependent on the ability of firms to make improvements to products and manufacturing processes. This means that the firms need to make room for creativity and innovation, that is, allow slack in the system. Here then is the dilemma: how do firms try to reduce costs and slack to improve competitiveness on the one hand and then try to provide slack for innovation on the other? The firm has to do balancing: The firm needs to ensure there is a constant pressure to drive down costs and improve efficiency in its operations. At the sa me time it needs to provide room for new product development and improvements to be made the most obvious way forward is to separate production from R D. However there are many improvements and innovations that arise out of the operations of the firm. On the one hand Bakhresa Group requires stability and static routines to accomplish the daily tasks efficiently and quickly and on the other hand, Bakhresa Group also needs to develop new ideas and new products to be competitive in future and it needs to nurture a creative environment where ideas can be tested and developed. The Bakhresa group has shown that it can effectively manage this tension by the way it has been producing new and innovative products, while also managing to efficiently distribute its food products throughout the region. The diversification of the industry by entering into new businesses that support or complement existing businesses, such as manufacturing of packaging products by the Omar Packaging industries, as well as diversification of product range in the juice factories; at the same time the Group timely deliveries through its wide distribution network and logistic system shows that the Bakhresa Group well manages the tension between the need for need for creativity and efficiency. The group can do better management of this tension by ensuring that there is just enough slack at the subsidiaries or functional organisational level to foster creativity, but have stringent control at the higher management level of the Group to maintain its efficiency. Because this higher management which is the board of director of the group is the one that oversees the cross functional collaboration and integration of the various units that collaborate or complement each other in achieving its missions. For example the need to have frequent ferries to Zanzibar, so that fresh breads and ice-cream could be delivered on time. 3. ORGANISATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS THAT FACILITATE THE INNOVATION PROCESS Discuss the main organisational characteristics that facilitate the innovation process in the Bakhresa Group Organizational Characteristics that Facilitate the Innovation Process The innovation process is complex in nature as it involves the relationship between the stimulus, capacity and performance of such innovation. This complex relationship need to be nurtured by favourable characteristics of the organisation such as growth orientation, vigilance, commitment to technology, acceptance of risk, cross functional cooperation, receptivity, slack, adaptability and diverse range of skills. Growth Orientation This is characterized by a commitment to long-term growth rather than short-term profit. Not all companies first and foremost objective is growth. Some companies are established merely to exploit a short-term opportunity, other companies would like to maintain the company at its existing size: the objective of innovative companies is to grow the business the actively plan for the long-term. Vigilance It is characterized by the ability of the organization to be aware of its threats and opportunities. Vigilance requires continual external scanning e.g. within the marketing function the activity would form part of market research and competitor analysis. Collecting valuable information is one thing, but relaying it to the necessary individuals and acting on it are two necessary associated requirements. An open communication system will help facilitate this Commitment to Technology It is characterized by the willingness to invest in the long-term development of technology. Most innovative firms exhibit patience in permitting ideas to geminate and develop overtime. These needs to be accompanied by a commitment to resources in terms of intellectual input without a long-term approach it would be extremely difficult for the company to attract good scientists. Acceptance of risk Acceptance of risk is characterized by the willingness to include risky opportunities in a balanced portfolio. It means the willingness to consider carefully risky opportunities. Ability to take calculated risks and include them in a balanced portfolio of projects. Cross-functional Cooperation It is characterized by mutual respect among individuals and a willingness to work together across functions. Inter-departmental conflict is a well-documented barrier to innovation. Often conflict has been observed between marketing and RD functions as the two groups often have very different interests. Receptivity: It is characterized by the ability to be aware of, to identify and take effective advantage of externally developed technology. Most technology based innovations involve a combination of several different technologies. It would be unusual for all the technology to be developed in house. That is why business are witnessing an increasing number of joint ventures and alliances. Slack It is characterized by an ability to manage the innovation dilemma and provide room for creativity while organizations place a great emphasis on the need for efficiency, there is also a need for a certain amount of slack to allow individuals room to think, experiment, discuss ideas and be creative. Adaptability: It is characterized by a readiness to accept change. The development of new product innovations will invariably lead to disruptions to established organizational activities. Major or radical innovations may result in significant changes, although the two are not necessarily linked. The organization must be ready to accept change in the way it manages its internal activities. Otherwise proposed innovations would be stifled due to a reluctance to alter existing ways of working or to learn new techniques. Diverse Range of Skills: It is characterized by a combination of specialization and diversity of knowledge and skills organizations require individuals of a hybrid nature who are able to understand a variety of technical subjects and facilitate the transfer of knowledge within the company. It is the ability of the organization to manage this diversity of knowledge skills effectively that lies at the heart of the innovation process. The management of the Bakhresa Group is committed to long-term growth rather than short-term profit and the organization is willing to invest in the long-term development of technology and is aware of its threats and opportunities. The Bakhresa group is heavily investing in its profitable companies such as those of grain mills, by purchasing newer and higher capacity plants, as well as by expanding into new markets abroad. They have bought and renovated grain mills in Malawi, and build a new one in Uganda and Rwanda. Bakhresa group is vigilant on its environment, and has been able to capture emerging opportunities of privatisation programmes in Tanzania and elsewhere (Malawi) to start businesses. Has been able to capture the interest of International financing partners to start a business at the port of Nacala in Mozambique. The group is investing in latest technologies across all the industries its operating, it has purchased new plants and mills from Italy and Sweden, it has ordered brand new ferry boats from Australia. Its communication company SatAfrik ltd is utilising latest satellite, GPS and GSM technologies; and it effectively support its transport and logistics companies. The group has strong Cross-functional Cooperation; because most of the companies were established with a view to integrate with the existing companies and businesses. Packaging company was established to support grain mills and food products, transport and logistics companies to run efficient distribution and supplies Bakhresa group has good receptivity of technologies developed in other areas such as Europe and Australia. It provides some amount of slack for creativity behaviour although it does not easily adapt to changing environment. The group shows the diverse range of skills from its top management to the other members of functional areas. It has business management experts, engineers, logistics, marketing and great sales force. 4. KEY INDIVIDUAL ROLES WITHIN THE INNOVATION PROCESS Explain the key individual roles within the innovation process and the activities they perform in the Bakhresa Group The Role of the individual in the innovation Process Innovation process is essentially a people process and that organizational structure, formal decision making processes, delegation of authority and other formal aspects of a so-called well-run company are not necessary conditions for successful technological innovation. The study of Rubenstein has revealed that certain individuals had fulfilled a variety of roles that had contributed to successful technological innovation. (Trott 2010) GATEKEEPERS These people collect and channel information about changes in the technical environment. They stay current with events and ideas through personal contacts, professional meetings, and news media. When gatekeepers find relevant information, they send it to the appropriate person or unit for follow up. IDEA GENERATORS This role involves analysis of information about new technologies, products, or procedures in order to yield a new idea for the company. The fresh idea may be innovative solution to an existing problem in product or business development or the identification of a new marketplace opportunity. CHAMPIONS Champions advocate and push for the new idea. This role involves obtaining and applying the resources and staff to demonstrate the ideas feasibility. Champions are concerned about results, not risk, and do not spend time studying the consequences of failure. Their mission is to remove obstacles. PROJECT MANAGERS Someone has to draw up schedules and budgets; arrange periodic information session and status reports; coordinate labour,

Denial in A Separate Peace Essay

In A Separate Peace, John Knowles enlightens readers on human existence by displaying how denial allows a person to stray from reality. Numerous cases of denial overwhelm and test characters’ assurances of their own presence. Characters such as Gene Forrester and Phineas (Finny) fail to acknowledge denial, so that their naivetà © prohibits them from identifying the truth. Eventually, fate causes each to face his own guilt, embarrassment, and disbelief. As the novel progresses Gene Forrester, the main character, continuously rejects the idea of being a â€Å"savage underneath†. Gene has a somewhat dark streak in his nature, which triggers him to lash out at innocent people. He intentionally jounces the limb of a tree while Finny, his â€Å"best† friend, is standing at the edge; causing Finny to plummet and break his leg. This vicious act permanently damages Finny, yet Gene refuses the contemplation of being malicious. You always were a savage underneath. I always knew that only I never  admitted it. But in the last few weeks†¦I admitted a hell of a lot to myself†¦ It’s you we happen to be talking about now. Like a savage underneath†¦Ã‚  like that time you knocked Finny out of the tree†¦Like that time you  crippled him for life. pg. 137 Elwin â€Å"Leper† Lepellier, another main character, attempts to inform Gene of his inner malevolence, however, he never is able to come to terms with this, not even fifteen years later. A controversy between mind and compassion prevents Gene from confessing his hatred, guilt, and envy towards Phineas. His mind could not comprehend how his heart could ruin such an important, yet remarkable companionship. It wasn’t my neck, but my understanding which was menaced. [Finny] had  Never been jealous of me for a second. Now I knew that there never was  and never could have been any rivalry between us. I was not of the same  quality as he. pg. 51 Gene considers that he is â€Å"not of the same quality as he [Finny]’. He feels he cannot live up to the supremeness of Phineas. Finny never attempts to hurt Gene; instead bears in mind how to assist Gene. He somewhat regrets his previous actions, causing him to begin denying such wickedness. Gene finally comes to terms with his resentment at the trial. He confesses to Finny that his prior negations where false. Although not completely, Gene Forrester at last concedes his denial and works attentively to discover and repair his unwanted characteristic. The benevolent Phineas experiences a great deal of denial as the novel proceeds. He refuses to believe two facts: Gene, his â€Å"best† friend, causing his accident and the presence of the war. Finny is a loyal, trustworthy, caring companion and considers to be the same; he feels all people are innately good. He cannot believe that Gene caused him to fall from the tree. All the events surrounding his accident lead Finny into denial. He does not want to perceive this issue as being true so he ignores it until Brinker’s Trial prohibits him to deny the matter any longer. Once Brinker begins to question Finny about that day of his accident, he scuttles from the room instead of acknowledging the truth. The other manifestation of denial of reality is Finny’s inability to admit that the war exists. Finny infers a fabrication of fat old men that keeps young people from enjoying themselves. This assertion provides a convenient excuse since he is incapable to participate in the controversy of the world. Phineas, unfortunately, could not face the truth after being in denial for so long, he dies attempting to run away from the truth. Phineas, reluctantly confronts his own denial. Incapable to withstand such trauma, he flees only to undertake his catastrophic demise. After avoiding such principles as denial, Gene and Phineas endure a rude awakening to life transitions. These demonstrations of denial prove how both exploit denial to construct their own fantasy-world, which prevents each from notifying the truth.

Tragedy in Waco Texas

Many people in this world tend to belong to a religious group. People feel that religion is a way to fill an emptiness they may be feeling inside. It is a way to comfort those who may have lost loved ones knowing that they are now in a â€Å"better place† and we too will join them there once it is our time. However, some people belong to either a religious sect or cult. These groups are not considered meet the standards of what it means to be a religion or they simply do not have enough people following them. In the early 90s, many people had a narrow-minded vision of what exactly the Branch Davidians were in Waco Texas.Stuart A. Wright presented an unbiased opinion in his book Armageddon in Waco so everyone could question what really happened and whether or not the government was justified in their actions. There are several differences between a religion, a sect, and a cult. According to our notes worldly religions meet a certain criteria to be known mainstream. Each religio n has a long history of existence and ancient texts. The religion has many people who follow it and elites that adhere and accept it (i. e. Emperor Constantine).The religion is normalized an influential; no one questions the faith. Finally, there is a cultural/social integration of the religion; for example, when someone new is being initiated into the presidency they must swear on the Bible. Some major religions are Christianity containing 2. 1 billion followers, Islam containing 1. 5 billion followers, and Judaism containing 14 million followers (class slide show dated 11/18). A religious sect has similar qualities of a religion, but they feel they have made improvements to older established religious.According to our notes, sects are a branch of previously existing religions; the group uses old ancient texts (like the Bible or the Qur’an) and mix new interpretations of that text. An example of this would be the book of Mormon. These sects are not fully accepted in mainstre am society and are considered to be â€Å"weird† by major religions. The sect usually contained a small number of followers who have a disdain for mainstream religions. Elites are not usually members of religious sects, but rather choose to attack them claiming they are blasphemers. Finally, many sects started to reform a much larger church.Some examples of religious sects would be the Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and Scientologists (class slide show dated 11/18). Although, I would argue that Scientology has more cult like qualities than sect like qualities; it is only labeled a sect because its members are people like Tom Cruise and John Travolta. A group that is considered a cult usually does not have many members all of which are not dependent on orthodox religious beliefs. According to our notes, cults usually have many different ideas, a lot of which are about the end of the world.These groups are often hostile, but at the same time provide members with everythin g the group needs. Outsiders often view these groups as threats; this is why they are labeled a cult. Cults have deviant beliefs about sex, drug use, and other acceptable behavior (class slide show dated 11/18). Myths are also associated with cults and the media plays on these myths to present these cults as a threat to society. According to our notes from the slideshow, some cult myths are that members are brainwashed, they are sexual deviants, there is abuse among members, and there are strange acts like sacrificing animals etc.An example of a cult would be Jim Jones and the People’s Temple mass suicide. Jim Jones managed to create one of the largest mass suicides in history convincing 900 people to kill themselves by drinking poisonous Kool-Aid. In my opinion, the Branch Davidians in Waco Texas could be classified as a sect with cult-like characteristics. According to the documentary, â€Å"The Final Report: Waco Tragedy,† the Branch Davidian group is a branch of th e Seven Day Adventist Church. Their leader, David Koresh, taught his follows of many end time prophecies.Koresh was following the teachings of the founding Davidian named Victor Tasho Houteff. According to Stuart A. Wright, who edited the book Armageddon in Waco, â€Å"Houteff interpreted the Bible in terms of prophecy fulfillment†¦he reconstructed a history on the basis of mysterious and arcane passages recorded in Daniel, and interpreted signs in current events which suggested fulfillment of end times† (pg. 23). Many myths circling cults are about end times and the end of the world itself. Since that is the basis of the Branch Davidian group it is obvious why they were view as â€Å"different† or â€Å"crazy† when thinking the world will end.During the early 1990’s, the Davidians were a very closed off group living in their compound called Mt. Carmel; this played right into cult like myths presented by the media. It brought about questions like â⠂¬Å"What are they doing it there? † or â€Å"Why is everything secretive? It must be illegal. † It didn’t help that the Davidians had their own money system and educational system in order to design the culture for future generations (Wright pg. 27). According to the documentary â€Å"Waco: Rules of Engagement,† David Koresh had several children with various different â€Å"wives. All of said â€Å"wives† were in actuality the legal wives of his followers. This played right into another cult myth; the myth that the Branch Davidians had deviant beliefs toward sex. Although the Davidians have many cult-like myths circling them, the fact remains they are just myths not proof. The group did not meet any other of the criteria for being considered a cult. It was obvious that the government wanted to pose this little branch of the Seven Day Adventist Church as a threat because they did not meet social norms.Cults are said to be their own group entirely wi th new thoughts, beliefs, and ideas. The Branch Davidians share the beliefs of the Seven Day Adventists since that is the religion they stem from. This makes the groups more of a sect with some cult-like characteristics. David Koresh was also look upon as a threat because he was housing illegal firearms. According to the documentary â€Å"Waco: The Rules of Engagement,† Koresh was presented to the people as an insane cult leader who was in possession of illegal weapons.The media, BTAF, and FBI construed people into believing Koresh would use these weapons on people thus making Koresh a threat to the public. The ATF warrants against Koresh accused him of holding these illegal weapons as well as sexually abusing children (which still cannot be proven). To make the Waco group more of a threat to the public the media, former Davidians, and the government all make certain claims about the group and play into people’s fears. â€Å"Claims-making is more effective if the part icular issues target problems that reflect pre-existing or widespread social fears and apprehensions† (Wright 79).Claims making allows a small window for what they consider to be outside of the social norm; in other words you can be â€Å"weird,† but not â€Å"too weird. † The media presented David Koresh with the nickname â€Å"The Sinful Messiah. † The name itself sends out an alert in people’s minds; anyone who hears this derogatory name is now well aware this man must be a â€Å"weirdo. † On March 3, 1993, Mark England and Darlene McCormick released an article in the Waco Tribune-Herald Series called â€Å"The Sinful Messiah,† calling David Koresh by his birth name (Vernon Howell) and spreading rumors about various things he was accused of in the Mt.Carmel compound. England and McCormick claim they have interviewed several former Davidian members who said Koresh was guilty of abusing children physically and psychologically, having sex with underage girls, and had at least 15 â€Å"wives. † England and McCormick also make claims that Koresh (or Howell as they refer to him) fathered many children from his various â€Å"wives† while living in the compound. It says in the article, â€Å"County records show no birth certificates for many children whom former cult members said have been born to Branch Davidian women since the late 1980's.A former cult member once registered as a midwife in McLennan County said she delivered twin girls in 1991 to a young Branch Davidian woman living at Mount Carmel. The midwife said Howell ordered her not to register the babies with local officials, a violation of state law. † The problem with these accusations however, is that they are all from â€Å"anonymous† sources. It is almost like reading a tabloid magazine. If a tabloid is trying to make it seem like two people in Hollywood are dating they will write in the article quotes from these â€Å"anonym ous† sources that are proven false majority of the time.When I read this article I had the same feeling as if I were reading a bogus article in Star Magazine. I also feel the way England and McCormick refused to call him David Koresh seemed derogatory. The fact that the writers purposely called him Vernon Howell gave the article an air of sarcasm. It was as if they were saying, â€Å"Look at this crazy guy who thinks he’s the messiah; his name is Vernon Howell. † However, the article fails to mention Vernon Howell did in fact change his name legally to David Koresh. I do not think by any means that David Koresh was the messiah, but I think it was wrong to mock the fact that he changed his name.The media wanted to present him as some crazy man from Texas; the writers were clearly mocking him and wanted to let the public know it was allowed and encouraged to look at David Koresh as if he were insane. The only real source in the article seemed to be from a girl by t he name of Kiri Jewell. Kiri’s father and mother were divorced and had joint custody of her. However, her father rarely saw her when Kiri and her mother went to live in the compound. However, the child abuse thing was blown completely out of proportion.After the massacre occurred and the hearings were going on in congress in 1995, Kiri Jewell testified against David Koresh claiming he sexually abused her. According to footage shown in the documentary â€Å"Waco: Rules of Engagement,† Kiri went on record saying that when she was just 10 years old she was sexually assaulted by Koresh. However, Kiri Jewell is not a reliable source as well. In the documentary, after Kiri makes her statement, the Davidians defense attorneys show that Jewell has made several contradictory statements in the past. The documentary then flashes to an interview with the Sherriff of Waco.He explains that they are yet to charge Koresh of any form of abuse, but if there was anything like that going on with girls that were at least fourteen and had parental consent then it is not illegal. It may be morally wrong to outsiders looking in, but to them it was perfectly natural and acceptable (not saying I agree with that, but I’m not a Branch Davidian). However, I do think the media took one girl’s accusations and made a mountain out of a molehill. They knew people would respond poorly after hearing any form of abuse toward children, thus justifying the military actions towards the Waco group.In class we watched two documentaries; one was titled â€Å"The Final Report: Tragedy at Waco† the other titled â€Å"Waco: Rules of Engagement. † Both documentaries gave viewers extremely different feelings toward them same event in Waco, Texas. When watching â€Å"The Final Report: Tragedy at Waco,† the producers of the documentary purposely make the Branch Davidian group seem alien and obviously cannot be trusted since they were so closed off from everyone else. The documentary starts off by asking a series of questions like â€Å"Who are the Branch Davidians? and â€Å"Who is David Koresh? † There is music playing in the background almost comparable to that someone would hear in a horror movie. It is clear from the start the purpose of this documentary is to make the Branch Davidians seem like a menacing crazy cult from the Boondocks of Texas. This documentary also only seemed to present one side of the story. The made it seem like it was the most obvious thing in the world that the Davidians wanted to kill themselves in a mass suicide and therefore, when under attack by the FBI, started a fire.This documentary was shorter and did not present a fair amount of details from both sides of the story. This documentary even has the world â€Å"tragedy† in the title; right away people will play into the idea that the fire was just another mass suicide by some insane religious â€Å"cult† in the middle of no where Texa s. It played right into what the media stereotyped the group to look like. The second documentary we watched was titled â€Å"Waco: Rules of Engagement. † In my opinion this documentary was much more fair and presented both sides as best as it could.This documentary was done with a more unbiased eye, unlike the first one. However, this documentary did do a successful job of making the FBI look like screw-ups and this whole thing was just a big government cover-up. Maybe it just showed the incident at Mount Carmel for exactly what it was. Technically in the documentary the FBI did a good job of making themselves look like screw-ups because the documentary simply showed footage of thing various agents said. On some level this documentary did manipulate viewers; for example when they showed the dead bodies that were burned it gave the Davidians a sympathy vote.However, this documentary did not alter anything, but rather presented it as it was. I felt it allowed the people to get a clearer look at what happen and maybe see the media altered people’s perception of what really happened. It is difficult to say who started the fire. In my opinion this whole raid was a complete screw up. In the book Armageddon in Waco it says, â€Å"The BATF raid was a monumental failure. Subsequently, the April 19, 1993, FBI CS gas assault on the compound and the ensuing fire (whatever its cause) fulfilled only one stated objective—that of suppressing an armed group.The children who were to be saved from abuse died instead† (Wright pg. 229). There is no accurate cause of what started the fire. However, according to the documentary â€Å"Waco: Rules of Engagement† I have reason to believe it was started by accident from the FBI tanks. After the FBI released the gas that was supposed to be harmless and â€Å"nonflammable† into the compound it was shown by the person who invented infrared cameras and readings that several shots were fired from FB I tanks even though they went on record saying no shots were fired that day.During the trials they tried to present it like those flashes were light being reflected, however, these cameras only pick up heat so it would be virtually impossible to pick up a reflection; needless to say Congress and everyone in the courtroom were obviously stunned. In my own personal opinion I feel the shots from the FBI tanks mixed with the gas released into the compound were the cause of the fire. After seeing interviews with various Branch Davidian members who died on that day it was obvious they had no intention of this mass suicide.It doesn’t even coincide with their beliefs; they believed that there would be a final battle, which they would come out victorious. Although on some levels this was a battle I do not believe they would have given up and killed themselves. If there who belief system was based on this battle wouldn’t they fight back? When the fire started it looked like seve ral explosions were going off. That could only have occurred when the shots mixed with the gas that was spread throughout the building. The FBI did not want to admit they messed up big time so they formed an alliance with the media presenting a completely different story.If someone were to see a headline about the Branch Davidians they would see words like â€Å"cult† and â€Å"mass suicide. † The media presented the story as if the group started the fire themselves. Media groups claimed to have phone conversations indicating they had planned these actions; however, the phone conversations so no indication that the Branch Davidians had any intention of starting a fire to kill all its members. Most people even tried to escape the compound when it was in flames. If a mass suicide were really the planned course of action why would people be trying to escape?Although the media presents that the fire was entirely the Branch Davidians’ fault, other evidence can prove otherwise. We discussed in class that this incident at Waco was indirectly to the Oklahoma City bombing. Timothy McVeigh felt it would send a clear message to attack the groups involved in the trials of the Branch Davidians because of their greatest mistake and cover-up. McVeigh was so angered by this government cover up that he felt he should bomb the federal buildings where people like FBI and ATF agents worked.He realized after it was wrong to kill innocent people and said he should have only gone after those involved in the incident at Waco. Although very different, religions, sects, cults have lots in common. They each have a group of lost souls who are looking beyond this life in hopes of a better afterlife. The Davidian’s beliefs may have been questionable, but it is what they believed. This is America where in our first amendment we have freedom of religion. The Davidians were nice people and did not deserve they fate they were delt.

Conflict In The Middle East Essays - ArabIsraeli Conflict

Conflict In The Middle East Essays - ArabIsraeli Conflict Conflict In The Middle East Conflict In the Middle East Since the United Nations partition of Palestine in 1947 and the establishment of the modern state of Israel in 1948, there have been four major Arab-Israeli wars (1947- 49, 1956, 1967, and 1973) and numerous intermittent battles. Although Egypt and Israel signed a peace treaty in 1979, hostility between Israel and the rest of its Arab neighbors, especially with Palestinian Arabs, has continued because of the lack of co-operation by the Arabs. The first war began as a civil conflict between Palestinian Jews and Arabs following the United Nations recommendation of November 29, 1947, to partition Palestine, then still under British mandate, into an Arab state and a Jewish state. Fighting quickly spread as Arab guerrillas attacked Jewish settlements and communication links to prevent implementation of the UN plan. Jewish forces prevented seizure of most settlements, but Arab guerrillas, supported by the Transjordanian Arab Legion under the command of British officers, besieged Jerusalem. By April, Haganah, the principal Jewish military group, seized the offensive, scoring victories against the Arab Liberation Army in northern Palestine, Jaffa, and Jerusalem. British military forces withdrew to Haifa; although officially neutral, some commanders assisted one side or the other. After the British had departed and the state of Israel had been established on May 15, 1948, under the premiership of David Ben-Gurion, the Palestine Arab forces and foreign volunteers were joined by regular armies of Transjordan (now the kingdom of Jordan), Iraq, Lebanon, and Syria, with token support from Saudi Arabia. Efforts by the UN to halt the fighting were unsuccessful until June 1, when a 4-week truce was declared. When the Arab states refused to renew the truce, ten more days fighting erupted. In that time Israel greatly extended the area under its control and broke the siege of Jerusalem. Fighting on a smaller scale continued during the second UN truce beginning in mid-July, and Israel acquired more territory, especially in Galilee and the Negev. By January 1949, when the last battles ended, Israel has extended its frontiers by about 5,000 sq. km (1930 sq mi.) beyond the 15,500 sq. km (4983 sq mi.) allocated to the Jewish state in the UN partition resolution. It had also secured its independence. During 1949, armistice agreements were signed under UN auspices between Israel and Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon. The armistice frontiers were unofficial boundaries until 1967. Border conflicts between Israel and the Arabs continued despite provisions in the 1949 armistice agreements for peace negotiations. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinian Arabs who had left Israeli-held territory during the first war concentrated in refugee camps along Israels frontiers and became a major source of friction when they infiltrated back to their homes or attacked Israeli border settlements. A major tension point was the Egyptian-controlled Gaza Strip, which was used by arab guerrillas for raids into southern Israel. Egypts blockade of Israeli shipping in the Suez Canal and Gulf of Aqaba intensified the hostilities. These escalating tensions converged with the Suez Crisis caused by the nationalization of the Suez Canal by Egyptian president Gamal Nasser. Great Britain and France strenuously objected to Nassers policies, and a joint military campaign was planned against Egypt with the understanding that Israel would take the initiative by seizing the Sinai Peninsula. The war began on October 29, 1956, after an announcement that the armies of Egypt, Syria, and Jordan were to be integrated under the Egyptian commander in chief. Israels Operation Kadesh, commanded by Moshe Dayan, lasted less than a week; its forces reached the eastern bank of the Suez Canal in about 100 hours , seizing the Gaza Strip and nearly all the Sinai Peninsula. The Sinai operations were supplemented by an Anglo-French invasion of Egypt on November 5, giving the allies control of the northern sector of the Suez Canal. The war was halted by a UN General Assembly resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire and withdrawal of all occupying forces from Egyptian territory. The General Assembly also established a United Nations Emergency Force (UNEF) to replace the allied troops on the Egyptian side of the borders in Suez, Sinai, and Gaza. By December 22 the last British and French Troops had left Egypt, Israel, however, delayed withdrawal, insisting

Walker Surname Meaning and Origin

Walker Surname Meaning and Origin Walker is an occupational surname for a fuller, or one who originally walked on raw, damp cloth in order to shrink and thicken it. Derived from the Middle English walkcere, meaning a fuller of cloth, and the Old English wealcan, to walk or tread. Walker is the 28th most popular surname in the United States and the 15th most common in England. Surname Origin:   English, Scottish Alternate Surname Spellings:   WALLKER, WALKAR, WALKERE   Where in the World is the WALKER  Surname Found? The Walker surname is mainly characteristic of the midlands and of the north of England, according to  surname distribution data from  Forebears, especially in Yorkshire, where it ranks 5th, as well as Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Staffordshire, Durham and Lancashire. Based on their data, Walker ranks as the 18th most common surname in England, 14th in Australia, 12th in New Zealand, 21st in Scotland and 25th in the United States. WorldNames PublicProfiler  identifies  the Walker surname as most common in East Riding of Yorkshire, England, followed by the regions of middle and northern England and southern Scotland.   Famous People with the Surname WALKER: George F. Walker - Canadian playwrightCharles D. Walker - American astronautDorothy Walker Bush - mother of the 41st U.S. President George H. W. Bush, and grandmother of the 43rd U.S. President George W. BushHerschel Walker - American football playerMary Edwards Walker - American activistWilliam Walker - American adventurer, filibuster and soldier; President of Nicaragua (1856-1857).Alice Walker - African American novelist and author of The Color Purple.Craven Walker - Inventor of the lava lamp. Genealogy Resources for the Surname WALKER: 100 Most Common U.S. Surnames Their MeaningsSmith, Johnson, Williams, Jones, Brown... Are you one of the millions of Americans sporting one of these top 100 common last names from the 2000 census? Common English Surnames Their MeaningsExplore the meanings and origins of the 100 most common English surnames. Walker Family History ProjectThis site is dedicated to collecting and recording genealogical information about Walker ancestors worldwide, and includes a number of online databases. John Walker Family OrganizationFamily history of the descendants of Robert Walker and Sarah Leager who came from England to Boston via the Winthrop Fleet of 1630. Walker Surname DNA ProjectOver 500 Walkers from around the world have joined together to establish a database of Walker DNA haplotypes to determine which Walker lineages share a common ancestor. FamilySearch - WALKER GenealogyExplore over 10 million historical records and lineage-linked family trees posted for the Walker surname and its variations on the free FamilySearch website, hosted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. WALKER Surname Family Mailing ListsRootsWeb hosts several free mailing lists for researchers of the Walker surname. DistantCousin.com - WALKER Genealogy Family HistoryFree databases and genealogy links for the last name Walker. Walker Genealogy ForumSearch the archives for posts about Walker ancestors, or post your own Walker query. - References: Surname Meanings Origins Cottle, Basil.  Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967. Dorward, David.  Scottish Surnames. Collins Celtic (Pocket edition), 1998. Fucilla, Joseph.  Our Italian Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 2003. Hanks, Patrick and Flavia Hodges.  A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989. Hanks, Patrick.  Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003. Reaney, P.H.  A Dictionary of English Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1997. Smith, Elsdon C.  American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997.    Back to  Glossary of Surname Meanings Origins

MY LIGHT AND SHADOWS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

MY LIGHT AND SHADOWS - Essay Example t business ethics are guided by law while others are just basic framework through which a firm may choose to follow as a strategy to gain public acceptance. It therefore means that business ethics are implemented by companies in order to a certain level of trust or acceptance between clients and different market stakeholders. A number of biblical scholars have tried to summarize what the Bible has to say about business ethics and so does scholars in business word (Schneider et al. 2003) . A good example is Frederic Phillips, former president of Philips Electronics and Jerry White, a biblical scholar (Richard, 2010). The two individuals provide Caux round table and biblical review of business ethics respectively. Caux Round Table and White’s Biblical principles share a number of similarities in their bid to explain business ethics. The two versions of business ethics for instance believe that the world business community should be actively involved in improving economic and social conditions that can ensure world peace and stability. Caux Round Table affirms this by arguing that business behaviors or practices the relationship among nations and the prosperity and well-being of us all. In its first principle, Caux Round table concludes that business has a role to play in improving the lives of their employees, customers and shareholders through the wealth they create. In explaining the principle of the economic and social impact of business Caux Round table stipulates that business should contribute to economic and social development not only countries in which they are established but also the community as a whole (Spohn 2009). White’s Biblical principles share on the other hand through the third guideline, being a servant, explains how business impact live of not only their customers but also the community at large. The guidelines also advocate for reasonable profits as any other high charges are likely to exploit the public. Both the two approaches to

Financial Project Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Financial Project - Research Paper Example Identify the highest interest rate you could refinance at in order to pay the current balance in 20 years. Determine the interest rate that would require a monthly total payment that is less than your current total payment. In addition, refinancing costs you $2000 up-front in closing costs. Therefore, the highest interest rate that would result in less than the current loan repayments would be 4.50%, where the monthly total will amount paid towards the loan, and the principal will be $695.08, which is less than the current $706.12. However, the closing costs of $2,000 upfront may weigh on the ability to get into a refinancing agreement deal. In order to answer this, you need to look at different interest rates. Know that if you refinance, your minimum monthly payments will be based on a 30-year loan (though you still want to be done in 20 years). Also, refinancing costs you a couple of thousand dollars up front in closing costs. Refinancing this loan has two obvious downsides: the repayment period will increase, and extra expenses will be incurred in terms of closing costs. However, the refinancing will lower the monthly repayment amounts by at least $68.79. For a person in a poor credit position due to the demands of the current loan repayments, the refinancing would be a welcome relief to boost this credit