Blue Beach and Like Water for Chocolate essays

Blue Beach and Like Water for Chocolate essays In both the play, Blue Beach by Victor Hugo Rascn Banda and the novel Like Water for Chocolate, by Laura Esquirel symbolism plays a vital role throughout the central ideas. In both of these pieces of literature the symbolic objects are a hotel with everything in it and the use of cooking respectively. These objects reflect the families. In the play Blue Beach, the hotel portrays the breaking down of the Garza family, while in the novel Like Water for Chocolate, the use of cooking by Tita gives the reader the idea that the Tita is being held against living her own life, and instead living the life which her mother wishes to put upon her. Throughout the play Blue Beach, the reader gets the idea that the family is very broken down and is being held by a very thin string. The members of the family seem very bitter towards each other and very resentful toward each other. Within the play the author gives numerous examples of how the family is bitter and not caring. The Garza family is anything but normal. It seems that the son, Sergio and the mother, are the most unemotional out of the whole family. One example that shows how bitter Sergio can be is when he asks Matias to bring him a coconut. Matias gives Sergio the coconut drink and instead of Sergio being satisfied with it he says, Crazy Bastard. Whats this? (65). He spits out his drink because he believes it to be sour, but when he asks the others to drink it to prove himself right they see nothing wrong with it. I believe that this is showing that no matter what Sergio touches it seems foul and disgusting. This is due to what he went through when he was you nger. The author takes it upon himself to direct many of the symbolic objects within the play toward the mother. This includes when the mother asks Matias to bring her flowers, and when he does this she is anything but satisfied. Matias asks her how the flowers are, and she says that they...

10 Easy Ways for Students to Save Money

10 Easy Ways for Students to Save Money While you are in school, and maybe even right after you graduate, you are going to be on a tight budget. Looking for little ways that you can save money will prove to be very important during your school years and beyond. Lets explore 10 easy ways for students to save money. Stop Buying on Impulse Impulse shopping can be very tempting while out and about. The problem with this is that you end up blowing money on stuff you dont really need, and sometimes on stuff you dont really want. Before making a purchase, make sure it is truly necessary.   Dont Use Credit Cards Credit card companies love giving cards to young people. Many students give into the temptation to buy now and pay later. Unfortunately, these spending habits can come back to bite you. If you find that you cant use credit cards responsibly, hide the plastic until you learn a little restraint. Give Up Your Worst Habit Everyone has at least one bad habit. Maybe you smoke, drink Cosmos like no tomorrow, or buy expensive coffee before class. Whatever it is, cut it out. Youll be surprised at how much money you save. Dont Try to Keep Up With People Who Are Richer Than You Just because your roommate or your pals down the hall have a seemingly endless allowance, it doesnt mean you do too. Try to avoid keeping up with the people you hang out with and stay true to your budget.   Bargain Hunt Every Time You Shop When shopping, look for clearance items or two-for-one bargains, buy used books instead of new, and order the special instead of something off the menu. If you can find a bargain every time you have to buy something, the savings will add up.  Ã‚   Buy Machine Washable Clothes Youre in college. You dont need a dry cleaning bill! Buy clothes that you can wash yourself.  If you must buy dry clean only clothes, try to limit how often you wear them and find ways to cut dry cleaning costs.   Take Hand-Me-Downs Whether it is a used book or previously worn clothes, there is no shame in taking hand-me-downs. If somebody offers you something and you can use it, take it gratefully. When youre making more money, you may be able to someday do the same thing for someone else who will be just as grateful. Stay Home While it can be nice to get out of the dorm every now and then, staying at home is much cheaper. Instead of going out for the night, invite a few friends over for movies, games, gossip, or snacks. You might also want to give staycations a try.   See a Matinee Movie watching is a big part of American culture, but going to the movies with a few friends can be an expensive outing. Instead of going at night, try catching a matinee. Daytime shows are usually half the price of their nighttime counterparts and can be just as much fun.   Use the Library Most libraries offer you the chance to check out DVDs, CDs, and other forms of entertainment free of charge. Taking advantage of this resource, you can eliminate the money you spend on buying CDs and renting movies. Here are 12 ways to save money at the library.

Analyse the ways in which sociologist point to the social nature of Essay

Analyse the ways in which sociologist point to the social nature of living with cancer as a teenager - Essay Example This is the moment that human beings use to plan for their future lives and school life. It is also the most vibrant stage in the human lifecycle because teenagers experience major changes in their bodies and they discover who they are i.e. their personality traits, likes and dislikes. Teenagers are also highly active and interactive thereby developing a large social network. However, this is not always the case with teenagers suffering from cancer. The diagnosis, treatment and management of cancer greatly interfere with the activities of this critical growth stage (Wawsczczyk 2005). According to sociologists this is the stage in life where teenagers learn to be independent from their parents and family members thereby focusing more on their future. However, this is not possible for teenagers suffering from cancer because they need utmost support, attention and care from their parents and family members for emotional, psychological and social support. Therefore, such teenagers are taken a step back from discovering their independence, potential, strengths and weaknesses (Kleinman1988). Also the school life, social life and employment are put on hold for an unknown period of time, which is in contrast to what should be happening in their lives. This is because they become isolated from their peers, adults and school; which is an important social setting for a child’s growth. Cancer treatment is too severe for them to concentrate in school work or find lenient jobs that are conducive to their state of health. It is also quite common for insurance companies to cancel insurance policies for such teenagers because they are not in school. Insurance companies demand that all children still living under the care of their parents should be attending school to enjoy the benefits of the life insurance policies taken by their parents (Wawsczczyk 2005). Various surveys and research conducted by sociologists

International Marketing ..Rococo Chocolates Research Paper - 3

International Marketing ..Rococo Chocolates - Research Paper Example The primary objective of this study is to find out the value of the concept of expanding the business of Rococo Chocolates in France. The other objectives are to find out the market potential of the Rococo Chocolates in France and the way of promoting the product to achieve a sustainable position in the French market. The integrated marketing communications and branding strategies are discussed to find out the optimum path of success in the new market. The international marketing aspects have become a great opportunity for many companies. The Rococo Chocolates which is originated from London is now looking for great business opportunities in France. It is always very much challenging for any business entity to go global or to setup new business in other country. However, in this case the market is very much challenging as the growth level of the chocolate sales is not too high in the projected market, but with the help of out of the box thinking process the hidden path of the success can be achieved. To have a sustainable position in the French chocolate market, Rococo has to go through many changes accordingly. The strength and weakness from the inside and the opportunity and threat from the market must be analyzed properly to put step into the new market. Rococo Chocolates was founded in March 1983 by its owner Chantal Coady (Rococo Chocolates). For the last two decades the company has grown steadily. It has the great product line of different flavors of chocolates, and it also has different accessories related to chocolates. However, after catering the London with the flagship store in Motcomb St, in the center of Belgravia in London and with other two in London the Rococo has gain a great reputation within the London for selling rich and high quality chocolates. The founder and owner Coady is also the head of the chocolate society in London (Coe & Coe, 2007). With the vast experience of

Managing a police service Area Essay Example for Free

Managing a police service Area Essay Commanders managing a police service area faced with a number of challenges. Some of these include corruption, racial profiling, and poor cooperation and relationship between the police force and the local community. All this problems have been attributed among other reasons to insufficient training of law enforcement, discriminative administration, and lack of employee engagement. Therefore, managing a police service area challenges can be mitigated by ensuring a highly motivated and trained police force as well as engaging the community to enhance their appreciation of the police. Corruption has been cited as a major problem compromising the effectiveness of the police force. According to available statistical evidence, the problem of drug dealings is increasing becoming an issue of national concern in the American nation. This is despite the fact that the law enforcement has the potential to identify, mitigate or prosecute the offenders. However, the problem of corruption has been closely attributed to poor motivation to police officers as well as lack of an effective channel for getting public feedback on the conduct of police officers. Another problem facing commanders managing a police service area is poor communication and cooperation of police officers and the community. The community is evidently identified as a crucial tool for aiding in the identification and mitigation in the community. Therefore, poor relationships between local law enforcement and the community serve only to escalate crime in the community, a negation to the sole duty of the police service area commander. Indeed, such poor relationships are a major threaten to the life of officers as they are perceived by the community as enemies rather than just and fair law enforcer. The third challenge affecting commanders managing a police service area is racial profiling. Racial discrimination in the law enforcement agencies has been a major critic from the general public. The sole duty of all police officers is to ensure sustainable peace and security in the community. This means that police officers should function to investigate on suspected crime offenders based on substantial evidence rather than based on their race, nationality, and ethnicity. It is this practices which remains a major challenge for commanders to oversee the fair and just enforcement of the rule of the law. As a police manager, there are a number of actions I would take to mitigate these problems. First, I would ensure implementation policies as a way of mitigating the problem of police corruption. Such practices would include increment of payment and service allowances for the police. Other could be engaging officers in retirement benefit schemes as well as providing job security. This is because I believe that most officers engage in corruption as a way of accumulating extra earnings for their present and future needs. On the problem of poor relationship between police and community as well as racial profiling, I would ensure the introduction of a comprehensive police training scheme. Skilled and reliable police officers should high sufficient skills on public relations. Such training will also equip the officers with the necessary skills of dealing with a diverse population, a factor that could compromise racial profiling. The biggest problem causing poor relationship between the police and the community is poor communication. To eliminate this problem, I would encourage interactive sections between the police and the community members as a way of breaking the current relational gap.

birth order Essay -- essays research papers

Birth Order   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One long controversy among behavioral scientist is the existence of a sibling position effect. Birth order research and theories can be criticized because of differences between parents, sibling positions of the parents, size of families, socioeconomic status, and culture. The conclusions drawn from research studies on sibling position are also often contradictory. However for some reason children with certain birth order roles grow into adolescents and adults with similar qualities.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In order to understand the sibling positions in a certain family the family system must be understood, since elements of structure in family systems form the context in which sibling positions develop. The family environment includes membership units, interaction patterns, boundaries, rules, roles, and alliances.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The desires, hopes, and dreams of the parents are carried by the first child. Everything the child does is being done by the first time in the eyes of the new parents. The landmarks of the first smile, tooth, steps, word, first day of school, graduation are all met with overjoyed responses from parents, grandparents, and other relatives. In most families, the responses from this large family audience are more exaggerated than they will be for any subsequent child. The first children are assigned functional roles as they enter the family system, which include: the job assignment, interpersonal responsibilities, and social interactions. (Hoopes & Harper, 1987). Parents believe that the extended family and their environment watch what the first child does to determine what they are like as a family. Therefore, the main message that first children receive is that they are on display and that the family focus is outward. Leading children to believe that they are the ce ntral focus and their actions have consequences beyond them. First children have a sense that their behavior and words are weighed by others and then adopt external validation to evaluate themselves. Despite the family’s high expectations for all of their children, the performance of the first child is emphasized more than any other child will be. For interacting this way first-born children learn that their job assignment is to produce outcomes that meet with the family’s approval. First children may wo... ...y exhibit marked independence or extreme independence. Since the child has been reared alone in an adult world, the only child is very often extremely anxious to please others, especially parents and other adults. The only child has a youth period, which is free of the puzzling problem of sibling rivalry. This makes the only child extremely confident with is comes to completing task well and receiving the approval of others as well as very critical of themselves. (Falbo, 1984). Placement in the family has a lot to do with a person’s way of thinking and relating. While many other factors help shape a child’s personality first-borns do things faster then other siblings and approach like more seriously. Second-born children tend to be more laid back in achievement since the parents are less available. Third-born children have many privileges and gains considerable social skills because of interactions with older siblings. While only children, in their own category, are self-confident and have a great sense of responsibility. Birth order, like every other factor in the development of the child, can and will differ from the norm for individual children. Each child is absolutely unique.

Kildress

We have developed food waste profiles for 25 of our most frequently purchased food products. These profiles highlight the percentage of total food production wasted at every stage of the value chain. Below is a selection of these profiles and a summary of how we are tackling the food waste hotshots.Potatoes To reduce losses in the field and processing we are: Reviewing waste alongside customer preferences when selecting different potato varieties using satellite and aerial mapping technology to identify specific trends In lied losses ‘Introducing new technology to remove stones earlier In processing to reduce damage To help customers reduce food waste in the home we are reviewing opportunities for modified atmosphere packaging which could help the potatoes to last longer.Field losses 9%, Processing losses 6%, Retail waste 1%, Consumer waste 39% Illustration of potatoes Cheese To help reduce the amount of cheese our customers waste at home we have: Introduced re-sellable packagi ng on all British cheddar standardized the on-pack shelf life Information so that customers know, for example, that all soft and blue cheeses should be used within three days of opening Added recipes on our Real Food website to provide ways for customers to use up any leftover cheese Field losses 1%, Processing losses under 1%, Retail waste under 1%, Consumer waste Illustration of a cheese board Lamb transporting lamb to improve product quality and freshness. To increase shelf life for customers we are rolling out specialized packaging. This genealogy has been successfully introduced for beef, giving customers up to an extra five days to consume the product, and we hope it will have a similar impact for lamb. Field losses 7%, Processing losses 13%, Retail waste 1%, Consumer waste 5% Illustration of lamb Within the scope of KEMP Alp's limited assurance opinion see page 42 for more details. * Since we published our first five food waste profiles in October 2013, WRAP has published rev ised household food waste data which has been incorporated into our 25 food waste profiles.

Neoclassical Economics and Grameen Bank

NEOCLASSICAL ECONOMICS Neoclassical is the most widely taught form of economics in the present world, making it to be the primary take on modern day economics. In a nutshell, neoclassical economics makes an approach to economics that relates supply and demand to an individual’s rationality and his or her ability to maximize utility or profit. Neoclassical economic has also increased the use of mathematical equations in the study of various aspects of the economy. While Economic theory tries to explain how scarce resources are allocated to given and alternative ends with an approach that considers these elements as extra-economic ones.The more conceptual framework of the main schools of economic theory is the Neoclassical economics, Austrian economics, Evolutionary economics and others are based on an insufficient understanding of anthropology and this fact limits their explanatory capacity. In the understanding of neoclassical economic theory, the basic tools are elaborated un der the following assumptions: (1) The neoclassical individual (consumer and producer) is defined as a given option structure. (2) All the â€Å"means and ends† considered have an equivalent monetary expression. 3) The only channel of communication between individuals is prices. 4) All the social relations and social ambits are considered as market exchange transaction. Concept of Microcredit and Grameen Bank Poverty is one of the vital problems of the third world countries, and to elevate poverty microcredit has become the most popular approach to address this undesirable phenomenon. According to Jonathan Murdoch, Chairman of UN Expert Group on Poverty Statistics, â€Å"Microcredit stands as one of the most promising and cost-effective tools in the fight against global poverty. Based on three C (character, capacity and capital ) this model, perceived more than a quarter century ago in Bangladesh, is now being pursued around the globe. In spite of this popularity, there is s kepticism about the model’s ability to make â€Å"major dent in the two poverty situation†. These criticisms, however, seem just as weak as the arguments supporting the model. One apparent reason is that both the claims and criticism are founded on the same theoretical perspective of neoclassical economics.The word â€Å"microcredit† did not exist before the seventies. In today’s world microcredit refers to the agricultural credit, or rural credit, or cooperative credit, or consumer credit, credit from the savings and loan associations, or from credit unions, or from money lenders. Microcredit data are compiled and published by different organizations. They are the Number of poor borrowers, and their gender composition, loan disbursed, loan outstanding, balance of savings, etc. under each of these categories, country wise, region wise, and globally.These sets of information will tell us which category of microcredit is serving how many poor borrowers, the ir gender break-up, their growth during a year or a period, loans disbursed, loans outstanding, savings, etc. simultaneously, Grameen credit is based on the premise that the poor have skills which remain unutilized or under-utilized. It is definitely not the lack of skills which make poor people poor. Grameen believes that the poverty is not created by the poor; it is created by the institutions and policies which surround them.In order to eliminate poverty all we need to do is to make appropriate changes in the institutions and policies, and/or create new ones. Grameen believes that charity is not an answer to poverty. It only helps poverty to continue. It creates dependency and takes away individual's initiative to break through the wall of poverty. Unleashing of energy and creativity in each human being is the answer to poverty. Grameen Bank brought credit to the poor, women, the illiterate, and the people who pleaded that they did not know how to invest money and earn an income. Grameen created a methodology and an institution around the financial needs of the poor, and created access to credit on reasonable term enabling the poor to build on their existing skill to earn a better income in each cycle of loans. The process of breaking up the vicious cycle of poverty through microcredit is elaborated below: At first a small group of five people is made where only two are granted with a loan. Depending on their performance in repayment the next two borrowers can then apply and, subsequently, the fifth number as well.The assumption is that if individual borrowers are given access to credit, they will be able to identify and engage in viable income-generating activities – simple processing such as paddy husking, lime-making, manufacturing such as pottery, weaving, and garment sewing, storage and marketing and transport services. Women were initially given equal access to the schemes, and proved not only reliable borrowers but astute entrepreneurs. As a re sult, they have raised their status, lessened their dependency on their husbands and improved their homes and the nutritional standards of their children.Today over 90 percent of borrowers are women. The percent of women members throughout 2002 to 2003 was within close proximity of the 95% mark, from 2004 to 2005 is 96%, in 2006 is 97% and in 2007 it remain same i. e. , 97%. Graph: Percent of Women Members in Grameen Bank. â€Å"If we can come up with a system which allows everybody access to credit while ensuring excellent repayment – I can give you a guarantee that poverty will not last long. † -Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus. Founder of the Grameen Bank- Dr.Yunus has set up a ground breaking world record and today has become known throughout the world. Grameen bank’s microcredit program has been replicated in nearly every country. Since October 2006, when Professor Yunus and Grameen Bank jointly received the Nobel Peace Prize, this in interest has gr own manifold. Muhammad Yunus’s vision is the total eradication of poverty from the world. ‘Grameen', he claims, ‘is a message of hope, a program for putting homelessness and destitution in a museum so that one day our children will visit it and ask how we could have allowed such a terrible thing to go on for so long'.This work is a fundamental rethink on the economic relationship between the rich and the poor, their rights and their obligations. The World Bank recently acknowledged that ‘this business approach to the alleviation of poverty has allowed millions of individuals to work their way out of poverty with dignity. Up to 2003, the number of members was 3. 13 million. In 2007, this figure stood at 7. 41 million. It represents an increase of 137. 25% from 2003 to 2007 and an average annual growth of 27. 45% during the year period. Graph: Growth of Membership Credit is the last hope left to those faced with absolute poverty.That is why Muhammad Yunus beli eves that the right to credit should be recognized as a fundamental human right. It is this struggle and the unique and extraordinary methods he invented to combat human despair that Muhammad Yunus recounts here with humility and conviction. It is also the view of a man familiar with both Eastern and Western cultures on the failures and potential for good of industrial countries. It is an appeal for action: we must concentrate on promoting the will to survive and the courage to build in the first and most essential element of the economic cycle – man.Initially starting on Bangladesh, microcredit system develops its helping flow to almost 43 countries, included U. S. Naming as Grameen America, the bank's entry into the US, its first in a developed market, comes as mainstream banks' credibility has been hit by the mortgage meltdown and many people are turning to fringe financial institutions offering loans at exorbitant interest rates. â€Å"It’s actually supposed to he lp those below a certain poverty line who are looking for self-employment as a route out of poverty. says Raj Desai of the Brookings Institution, U. S. ’s one of the top public policy making organizations. CRITICISM OF MICROCREDIT AND GRAMEEN BANK The microcredit system is really a blessing for the developing country. It deals directly with the poor population of the country. But the microcredit movement does have critics, who say that, some lending programs charge excessive interest rates. Also, there is concern that funding for microcredit programs will be diverted from other needed programs such as health, water projects and education.Credit programs may enable poor people to improve their situation, but they do not eliminate the need for other basic social and infrastructure services. Some other problems that have been reported with microcredit: * Turning a profit on the loan * Inability to reach the poorest of the poor * Microcredit dependency * Durability of poverty red uction Turning a profit on the loan One of the most fundamental problems with microcredit programs is the difficulty involved in actually turning a profit on the loans.In the first place, borrowers must bear not only the cost of the loan but also interest payments. Since, the interest rate is too high, they have to payback more amount than they had borrowed. Moreover, investments may not turn a profit. In this event the money to repay the loan must come from reduced consumption or borrowing from some other source, usually on worse terms. Inability to reach the poorest of the poor A second important drawback to microcredit programs is that they don’t reach the poorest members of the society.To quote, â€Å"the poorest have a number of constraints (fewer income sources, worse health and education, etc) which prevent them from investing the loan in high-return activity† The same report also writes that â€Å"there appears to be a growing consensus that moderate-poor micr o-credit borrowers benefit more than extremely poor borrowers. † The reasons for this are clear. The poorest need tiny loans which are not cost effective even for microcredit programs. The poorest also place the greatest demands on microcredit a training program, which makes the cost of lending even higher.As microcredit programs are pressured to become more self-sufficient, the incentive to lend to such desperately poor borrowers evaporates. (Mayoux, 1997)   Ã‚  Ã‚   This is a major problem for microcredit programs. Although they are raising some people out of poverty and keeping some people from further poverty, they do not appear to be reaching the people who need assistance the most. In fact, such programs may even be increasing the chasm between the poorest and the rest of society. This is clearly a failure for programs whose avowed purpose is to narrow the gap between rich and poor, and rise up the poorest members of society.Micro credit dependency Another possible fai lure of microcredit programs lies behind seemingly benign statistics. Some researchers have proposed the idea that the high repayment rates, repeated borrowing, and low drop-out rates indicate a dependency on microcredit programs rather than an attraction to successful microcredit programs on the part of poor borrowers. Many borrowers have no alternative to borrowing from microcredit programs, and consequently cannot afford to default. Neither can they afford to stop borrowing or drop-out of the programs. There is nowhere else for them to go.In order to stay in good standing with the microcredit program, borrowers may even be forced to resort to pawnbrokers or other alternate sources of funding. Furthermore, unless borrowers can increase their incomes they may become permanently dependent on microcredit lending . This a very real possibility as was noted above. Again this is a significant failure, as many microcredit programs tout themselves as more progressive alternatives to the e xisting systems of informal credit which have caused so many problems in poverty stricken areas (systems such as share cropping, debt bondage, and so on).The chances of microcredit programs’ becoming just another form of debt-based oppression is real and must be addressed before microcredit programs can progress much further. And yet it has hardly been discussed up to this point. Durability of Poverty Reduction A related problem is the durability of poverty reduction. Infusions of cash in almost any amount are bound to have some effect on the poverty stricken borrowers. But this does not necessarily mean that the effect will be permanent. The poverty reductions may be rolled back in two ways.First of all, borrowers may use loans for consumption purposes which result in a momentary increase in living standards, but which must be paid for by cuts in future consumption. Secondly, borrowers must make a net profit on their investments. Otherwise, as noted above, they may become de pendent on the creditor programs. Even if they do not become dependent on microcredit lenders, they will still have failed to improve their economic position. Again, this would be a failure of microcredit lenders to achieve their goals. Diverted from Other NeedsThere is concern that funding for microcredit programs will be diverted from other needed programs such as health, water projects and education. Credit programs may enable poor people to improve their situation, but they do not eliminate the need for other basic social and infrastructure services. CRITICISM OF GRAMEEN BANK Negative sides Many people do not appreciate Grameen Bank’s policies. They it’s a money making policy of Dr. Muhammad Yunus. Some critics strongly criticized Grameen bank’s excessive interest rates. It charges simple interest rate of 20% a year, compared with compound interest of 13-16% at Bangladesh’s commercial banks.Sudhirendar Sharma of New Delhi writes that the effect of the Grameen strategy has not been to reduce poverty but only to create a debt trap for borrowers, who are being charged very high rates of interest relative to conventional banks. Jeffrey Tucker says, â€Å"Microcredit basically bunkum and it won’t work at all without the help of massive grants, I believe Yunus has most probably been swindling money! † Even, it has attracted criticism from the present prime minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, who commented, â€Å"There is no difference between usurers [Yunus] and corrupt people. Hasina touches upon one criticism of Grameen Bank: the high rate of interest that the bank demands from those seeking credit. Similar to all microfinance institutes, the interest charged by Grameen Bank is higher compared to that of traditional banks, as Grameen's interest (reducing balance basis) on its main credit product is about 20%. Another source of criticism is that of the Grameen's Sixteen Decisions. Critics say that the bank's Sixteen Decisions force families and borrowers to abide by the rules and regulations set forth by the bank. The bank is very strict about their loan recovery.There are even allegations that they do not consider natural calamities like floods that may prevent repayment of loans quickly. Particular examples include the large number of loan defaults following the flood in 1998. Furthermore, many critics doubt the continued sustainability of the venture, citing the need for large government investment in the program. Positive sides There is no denial that Grameen Bank has changed the rural life of Bangladesh dramatically. Those people who were unable to borrow money from the Agricultural Bank, now easily get money from Grameen bank.On the other hand we can say, it has helped to improve the agriculture of Bangladesh. The poor people are taking the benefit of the small loans. It brings a vital change in the life of the Bangladeshi rural women. In Bangladesh the women were treated badly. But now, Grameen bank has changed their life significantly. Study shows that total number of borrowers’ is 4. 76 million and 96% of those are women. Grameen bank offers some exciting loans at 0% interest rates. Such as: * Higher Education Loan: Interest is 0% i. e. no interest is charged while students are studying.A 5% is charged as service charge after graduation. This scheme allows children of our members to obtain higher education in various fields like healthcare, engineering enabling them to finish their honours and masters degrees. * Struggling Member Program: This special program is designated for beggars, charging 0% interest. As of December 2006, about 90,000 beggars have received loans under this program. * Village Centre Construction Loan: Members take this loan for constructing local village centers. No interest is charged i. e. , interest rate is zero.Having some problems, although, Grameen bank is helping to improve the economic condition of Bangladesh. It’s imp ossible to eradicate poverty overnight, but so far the process of micro credit is handling the economic condition very well. CONCLUSION Thus, the question that must be raised with respect to eradicating poverty from the Third World is whether microcredit can contribute toward removing the constraints that limit individuals' liberty. In the current development discourse, this issue is discussed under the category of â€Å"good governance†.It seems obvious that microcredit promoters can hardly challenge the vested interests, which are responsible for producing poverty in the Third World. The second Microcredit Summit (a campaign led by Dr. Yunus himself) to be held next year should seriously take into consideration this point. For the exaggeration of microcredit's role and success in poverty reduction is apparently driving away society and policy makers' attention from the real factors causing pervasive poverty in the Third World. Do the activities of the Grameen Bank and other micro-lenders romanticize individual struggles to escape poverty?Yes. Do these programs help some women â€Å"pull themselves up by the bootstraps†? Yes. Will micro-enterprises in the informal sector contribute to ending world poverty? Not a chance. Bibliography 1. Hossain, Mahabub (1988): â€Å"Credit for the Alleviation of Rural Poverty: The Grameen Bank in Bangladesh. † Washington, D. C. : IFPRI, Research Report No. 65. 2. Morduch, Jonathan and Barbara Haley (2001): â€Å"Analysis of the Effects of Microfinance on Poverty Reduction. † NYU working paper. http://www. nyu. edu/wagner/public_html/cgi-bin/workingPapers/wp1014. pdf 3. â€Å"Past Five Years of Grameen Bank. 2008. Grameen Bank. 5 Aug 2009 . 4. Yunus, Muhammad. Creating a World Without Poverty. 1st. New York: Public Affairs, 2007. 5. Brue, Stanley L. The Evolution of Economic Thought. 6th. New York: Harcourt College Publisher, 2000. 6. McConnell, Campbell, Stanley Brue, and Tom Barbiero. Microeconom ics. 11th Canadian Edition. McGraw-Hill Ryerson, 2007. 7. Olivier Jean Blanchard (1987). Neoclassical Synthesis, â€Å"The New Palgrave: A Dictionary of Economics†, v. 3, pp. 634-36. . â€Å"Grameen Bank. † Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 5 Aug 2009, 20:45 UTC. 5 Aug 2009 . 9. â€Å"Neoclassical economics. † Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 31 Jul 2009, 21:21 UTC. 31 Jul 2009 10. Bouman, F. A. J. â€Å"The design of microfinance policies and programmes. † The WWW Virtual Library Microcredit and Microfinance. 1989. Web. 5 Aug 2009. .

Free Essays on The England Invasion Of 1066

The England Invasion of 1066 and the Significance In the year 1066 AD a dispute over the succession to the English throne occurred, because of a very unique situation. Edward the Confessor the King of England (1042-1066) died without any children to claim his throne. Moreover, because of this unique incident three people made claim to the English throne. This would cause a historical event, in 1066AD, the Norman Invasion and conquest of England. Earl Harold Godwinson made a claim to the throne. One reason was Harold and Edward became brothers-in-law when the king married Harold's sister. Harold's powerful position, as an earl and his relationship to Edward and his support among his peers made him an understandable successor to the throne. His claim was also, strengthened when the dying Edward supposedly expressed that he had chosen Edward as the next King. In addition; the Witan a council of royal advisors, unanimously selected Harold as King. His coronation took place the same day as Edward was buried. It is said part of the reason why the Witan quickness in choosing Harold was because of a fear that another invasion from Norway would occur. Which lead to the second rival of a second possible claim. Harold Hardrada, King of Norway ruled Norway jointly with his nephew Magnus until 1047 when Magnus died. In 1042 AD, Magnus had made a deal with Harthacut the Danish ruler of England. Since neither ruler had a male heir, both promised their kingdom to the other if either died without a child. Harthacut died but Magnus was never able to pursue his claim to the English throne because he was too busy battling for the rule of Denmark. Edward became the Anglo-Saxon King of England. After his death and since Magnus was already dead Hardrada alleging that he, as Magnus’s successor, was the rightful ruler of England. Hardrada immediately prepared to invade England and destroy the illegitimacy of Harold, when he heard of the coronation o... Free Essays on The England Invasion Of 1066 Free Essays on The England Invasion Of 1066 The England Invasion of 1066 and the Significance In the year 1066 AD a dispute over the succession to the English throne occurred, because of a very unique situation. Edward the Confessor the King of England (1042-1066) died without any children to claim his throne. Moreover, because of this unique incident three people made claim to the English throne. This would cause a historical event, in 1066AD, the Norman Invasion and conquest of England. Earl Harold Godwinson made a claim to the throne. One reason was Harold and Edward became brothers-in-law when the king married Harold's sister. Harold's powerful position, as an earl and his relationship to Edward and his support among his peers made him an understandable successor to the throne. His claim was also, strengthened when the dying Edward supposedly expressed that he had chosen Edward as the next King. In addition; the Witan a council of royal advisors, unanimously selected Harold as King. His coronation took place the same day as Edward was buried. It is said part of the reason why the Witan quickness in choosing Harold was because of a fear that another invasion from Norway would occur. Which lead to the second rival of a second possible claim. Harold Hardrada, King of Norway ruled Norway jointly with his nephew Magnus until 1047 when Magnus died. In 1042 AD, Magnus had made a deal with Harthacut the Danish ruler of England. Since neither ruler had a male heir, both promised their kingdom to the other if either died without a child. Harthacut died but Magnus was never able to pursue his claim to the English throne because he was too busy battling for the rule of Denmark. Edward became the Anglo-Saxon King of England. After his death and since Magnus was already dead Hardrada alleging that he, as Magnus’s successor, was the rightful ruler of England. Hardrada immediately prepared to invade England and destroy the illegitimacy of Harold, when he heard of the coronation o...

How sleep deprivation affects your productivity

How sleep deprivation affects your productivity Did you know sleeping can boost your powers of productivity along with refreshing your brain? Yup, a good night’s sleep can make a huge difference in your ability to be productive at work. From generating new ideas to thinking of ingenious solutions to problems, sleeping well can bring enormous changes to your life. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine emphasizes the importance of seven to eight hours of sleep for an average adult for optimum utilization of their cognitive functions and overall performance. Some of the major problems that emerge out of sleep deprivation are a decline in cognitive performance, impaired memory, lack of spatial awareness, poor decision-making and slowed reaction time. These are some of the short-term problems that emerge out of sleep deprivation. However, studies show that prolonged sleep deprivation can have adverse long-term effects like reduction in immunity and lifespan, negative impact on learning and memory and symptoms of ADHD.Hereâ€⠄¢s how a lack of sleep can affect your performance at work†¦Impaired decision makingWhen you lack sleep, you are deprived of a sound mind which fuels the abilities to evaluate scenarios and pass judgment based on those assessments. These abilities are crucial to the execution of any task that requires logical reasoning from complex cognition. Without an adequate grasp of a sound mind, you may be more prone to making mistakes at work due to an increased tendency to make impulsive and poorly thought-out decisions or merely slowing down work progress in the more difficult attempt to prevent the former.Limited learning and memory capacitiesThe process of learning, retaining and improving skills and abilities heavily rely on your working memory capacity, one which determines the performance of your cognitive online (real-time) processing. Research suggests that while you are asleep, your memory systems are still active and sleeping significantly strengthens existing memories.   D uring Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep, your brain also cuts off unnecessary neuron connections while maintaining others; meaning sleep improves your memory by selectively both strengthening and eliminating formed neural connections. In a state of sleep deprivation, your capacity for efficient memory retention is substantially disrupted, hindering productive growth.Toxicity towards physical and emotional healthHealth implications of insomnia, while never usually the priority, should never be trivialized. Sleep plays an essential role in your physical health by both reinforcing your immune system against infections via boosting protective cytokine production and lowering your risk of diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular diseases. Insufficient sleep will positively contribute to a decline in your physiological state, negatively impacting your work performance. It has been found that sleep deprivation can compromise your cognitive processing and amplify the smallest amount of emotional turmoil, making you more irritable and erratic. This impedes your executive functions, rendering you less productive.Not getting enough sleep or poor quality of sleep affects your ability to deliver in almost all facets of life. Be it work or home, insomnia or not sleeping well can make things really difficult for you. But getting a proper sleep can undoubtedly solve all your issues and can improve your ability to be productive. An abnormal sleep cycle is associated with mild depression and anxiety disorder, especially in people who are facing emotional battles. Snoring can also be a reason for abnormal sleep, different snoring solutions can ultimately save you from this serious disorder.We’ve covered what can happen with a poor night’s sleep, but all of these functions can improve with a solid 7-8 hours. Here’s how a good night’s sleep can help you become more productive†¦It makes you energeticThis seems obvious but it’s a known fact that get ting a good night’s sleep can give you lots of energy and a mood boost. It relaxes your body and mind and prepares you for the next day. From improving your job performance to helping you stay productive at home, sleeping well can also optimize your health.Boosts memoryRemember when we talked about what happens during REM sleep? The brain removes unnecessary neural connections and strengthens the cognitive bonds building your memories while you snooze. Go too many nights without REM sleep and your memories become hazy. With a consistent night’s sleep, you actually have a chance of remembering that report you’re supposed to submit at 9 AM.It makes you a faster learnerLearning new things comes naturally to a fresh mind. Your brain becomes stronger and works faster. So whether you’re at work or in class, never compromise your quality of sleep. With a strong body and sound mind, you’ll open the doors of opportunity.While we constantly focus on how we c an intensify our workload to pump up production, we often jeopardize our health to get it all done. Remember that sufficient sleep is paramount to a successful life.Sleep tight, everyone!About the Author: Katherine Dilworth is a wife, mother, and blogger on caseydilworth.com,  a blog that focuses on providing snoring solutions for everyone.

Naturalism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Naturalism - Essay Example From the report it is clear the major theme in the literature of naturalism is that people are destined to any kind of life that the environment, inheritance and social circumstances have prepared for them. Another element that was recurring was the power of emotions which are primitive so as to negate human being’s reasoning. Naturalism takes the world the way it is, for good or sickness. As the study declares a novel for literature is often distinguished by the characteristics and life experiences of the people in the novel. Ironweed is a novel discussing the life of people who were homeless in the city of Albany, discussing about their lives under poverty and depression. The novel basically discusses one major protagonist who is known as Francis. He lived a troubled life full of violence but he longed for the day he will understand himself and change his life. The novel Ironweed is a literature novel which was written by William Kennedy. The setting of the book was during the era of the great depression. The novel talks of a man by the name Francis Phelan who was a drug addict and ended up killing his own son, though it was accidental. He also killed other people who had wronged him since he was filled with anger and could act with violence when a person does something wrong to him. Francis is the main character since the novel talks about his life as an alcohol add ict and the consequences that followed him.

Competing Apple Computers Inc management of innovation Assignment

Competing Apple Computers Inc management of innovation - Assignment Example The ability of a leader to identify strategies that can disrupt rivals’ innovative strategies is critical in organizations operating in highly competitive industries. For organizations trying to compete Apple, the challenges that need to be faced are many: Apple is popular for its emphasis on innovation, a fact that limits the chances for gaps in its strategic choices. Still, the literature published in this field shows that the promotion of innovation in businesses of different characteristics can be achieved in a range of ways, not necessarily related to rivals’ strategies. The business model and the strategies proposed below aim to show that even firms that are highly successful, such as Apple, may have gaps in their strategic framework; the identification of these gaps by rivals can increase competition in the industry reducing Apple’s hegemony in the global market. Apple has highly emphasized on research and development for the identification of unique products (Apple, Organizational website 2012). In fact, the firm’s strategy in regard to innovation seems to be based on the following three issues: a) the market for Apple’s i-products has still many prospects (Zeiler 2012), b) the firm highly emphasizes on advertising (Zeiler 2012) and c) new technologies, such as the i-TV, are continuously developed for enhancing the capabilities of the firm’s products. ... cation’ (Zeiler 2012), a technology that ‘transforms the i-Phone into a digital wallet’ (Zeiler 2012), is one of Apple’s latest strategies for securing its strategic position in the global market. 2.2 Gaps in Apple’s business model and product/ service strategy The current performance of Apple, as a key competitor in the global industry is significant, if taking into consideration Graph 1 (Appendix). Still, gaps can be identified in Apple’s strategies in regard to innovation: a) the products of the firm are rather expensive, if taking into consideration the financial status of the majority of people in the global market, b) the customer services schemes provided to customers are similar to those provided by other firms operating in the same industry, with no particular schemes for securing innovation in this business sector. 3. Competing Apple’s strategies and business model 3.1 Opportunities for disrupting innovation as promoted by App le In order to understand whether there are opportunities for disrupting Apple’s innovative strategies and business model, it would be necessary to explain primarily the key context of innovation, as related to business activities. According to Schermerhorn (2009) there are three modes of innovation: a) process innovation, which refers to the identification of effective techniques for developing business operations, in all their aspects, b) product innovation is related to the identification of unique products/ services and c) business model innovation focuses on the identification of ‘new ways to achieve profits’ (Schermerhorn 2009, p.188). This means that if a firm is interested in competing one or more of its rivals in regard to innovation, it has to focus on one, at least, of the above modes of innovation.