Synthesis and analysis on Total quailty control book by Armand V Essay

Synthesis and analysis on Total quailty control book by Armand V. Feigenbaum - Essay Example According Basu (2006), quality is never â€Å"optional† for the organization but necessary that ensures the continuity of a business. They believe that through total quality management the business is able to increase the quality of their service delivery and that of products. However, Armand (2008) believes that there need for â€Å"total† approach to quality and in specific points out to total quality control as the way forward to satisfy the customer needs. According to ISO 8402 total quality management can be defined as an approach of a company, that is intended to focus on quality delivery. Farther the ISO definition states that quality should be the duty of all the members of staff and not the managers alone and this is in line to Armands believe to quality delivery. Thus total quality management involves the employees, and other members of staff in coming up with ways of satisfying the quality of a product, process quality and organizational quality. Armand thus believes that with total quality control everybody in the organizations works hard to achieve the goals of the organization and works towards customer satisfaction. Previously, research had proposed on the need of quality for the success of any business organization (Beckford, 2005). However, Armand (2008) came up with the idea of total quality control in the success of a business. He believed that through total quality management in organizations was the way forward in realizing the quality of a product during the manufacturing process and, hence satisfying the need of consumers as they are the main reasons of being in business. This idea meant that all processes and the units used in the manufacturing of a product need to be focused on the final delivery of a high quality product. The organization should therefore be the one responsible for the high quality product. The organization according to him consists of the management, the employees and all other

See the topic on the file that i send u Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

See the topic on the file that i send u - Essay Example Larmor equation originates from the classical physics and uses specific magnetic field strength. The equation aids in computation of the resonant frequency of the precession (Kamel and Merkle 2011, 102). Larmor equation is significant since it the frequency at which the underlying nucleus ought to absorb energy (Bacchieri and Giovanni Della Cioppa 2007, 56). The process of absorption of energy makes the proton change its configuration and ranges from one to one hundred MHz within the MRI. This paper illustrates the impacts and limitations of the higher B0 3T and 1.5T imaging providing imaging in regard to the Larmor formula. Numerous impacts associated with relocating from lower to higher field strength in regard to the imaging. The different normally result from the Larmor frequency, wavelength and the specific absorption ratio (Weir 2011, 69). Moreover, the primary delinquent pertains to the escalation within the excitation rate of recurrence ? of Larmor equation: ?0 = ? B0 Where ? 0 = the angular frequency of precession of protons within an external magnetic field, ? = gyromagnetic ratio=42.58 MHz/T i.e. ? = 2.67*108 radians s-1 T-1 B0 = the strength of the external magnetic field Thus, the timbre frequency escalates from roughly 63.9 MHz at the rate of 1.5T to corresponding 127.8 MHz at 3T. For computation of the wavelength within the water and the velocity of light is equivalent to 3.0?108M/s over the prevailing echo frequency. The dielectric constant of H2O into consideration: .The wavelength within liquid diminishes from fifty two centimeters at a range of 1.5T to corresponding twenty six centimeters at a range of 3T (Kamel and Merkle 2011, 115). Relative diminutive wavelengths are nearer the ordinary physique diameters and result to a gain of protective impacts. It also results to intrusions of overlaid RF surfs possessing multifaceted impacts on the RF consistency. The related complications are predominant within the front and lumbar imaging processes ( Bacchieri and Giovanni Della Cioppa 2007, 56). Rectification of an imaging problem takes place via RF shimming and advancing coil design. Absorption ratio associates to the corresponding square of excitation frequency that affects the square B0 field strength (Vittinghoff 2012, 65). The Larmor precession rate of recurrence is the degree of the precession of a swirl package within the magnetic field power. The rate of recurrence of the RF pointer stimulates alteration within the nucleus spin energy level. It also determines the gyromagnetic proportion of atoms and strength of the underlying magnetic meadow. Thus, stronger magnetic fields will result in higher precessional frequency (Kamel and Merkle 2011, 95). RF rhythm of the Larmor rate of recurrence is the applicable core atom and protons, which changes configuration of track of the principal attractive field. The rearrangement of the positive ion to the chief attractive field results in the emission of energy at the Larmor freque ncy. Attractive field variation across the magnetic field slope results in deviation of the Larmor rate of recurrence (Weir 2011, 85). Chemical shift scale is directly proportional to attractive field strength. Thus, plump and liquid resonance rate of recurrence normally contrast via the two hundred and twenty hertz at a range of one point five tesla and corresponding four hundred and forty

Analysing the communication process in McDonalds

Analysing the communication process in McDonalds I have made a document and analyze the communication process in one of the worlds successful and largest fast food chain, towards the achievement of business goal. I have chosen the organization is McDonalds situated in Manurewa. Primary data was collected by interviewing the Branch Manager, he is my relative. After the primary research, all the relevant findings were analyzed and evaluated based on the communication theories learned from secondary sources through our textbook, lecturer handouts, online resources and the organizations information resources. The research draws attention to the importance of these findings on how effective, efficient, accurate and up-to-date these communication processes that shoe great impact on the three levels of communication in the main team namely: Team Communication Interpersonal Communication Organization Communication Findings showed some communication barriers on each level that hinder the affectivity and efficiency of the communication processes towards the achievement of their Team goals affecting the organizational goals is well. Though some of the problems were being acted upon promptly, some were not; therefore, I came up with some suggestions that may be helpful to the subject organization towards the achievement of their business goals. 1. Introduction McDonalds is the one of the leading restaurant chains in the world, touching the lives of people every day. They improved their quality of products and services with the time. In the past McDonalds does not have drive through and 24 hour services. All of them are open for late nights. McDonalds primarily sells hamburgers, cheese burgers, chicken products, French fries, breakfast items, soft drinks, milk shakes, and deserts. 2. Interpersonal communication Interpersonal communication is communication between two people. Some books like to refer to it as face-to-face communication, or communication when people are physically present with each other. In the interpersonal communication, we research on communication between the manager and staff members and also research the communication between customers and staff. 2.1 Communication between managers and staff members When we research on McDonalds, it was found that all the restaurant employees are from different countries with different backgrounds. Employees are well educated and experienced. However, there are some drawbacks in the communication between managers and the staff members. This drawback is a language barrier. Because most of the employees have come from different countries, they speak different languages from each other. The meetings conducted at McDonalds involve managers and employees communicating to find out the problems being faced at the department. 2.2 Communication between staff members and customers In this McDonald, mostly women are in the front and attend the new customers. The woman who is attending customer is very friendly and has good communication. All staff members are trained well before to communicate effectively. To communicate well, it is necessary to talk politely and use gestures to convey meaning. The crew members give customer satisfaction through good customer service 2.3 Communication barriers There are some barriers in communication between employees and the manager:- ROLES: Roles are always defined in relationship to someone else and they determine the way you communicate with the other person. In any organisation, information flow depends on good relations of employees. Sometimes employees hide mistakes from manager because of personal relationship then it becomes a barrier in information flow. STATUS: Status become a barrier in motivation .Some of employees doesnt talk with other because of their status. New employees try to avoid communicate with the manager because of his status. POWER: Power becomes barrier in motivation and control. An organisation uses communication to motivate the employees. When we communicate, there is often some element of power or control being exercised by one person or the other, or by both. If power is too much used then the communication is frustrating. MIXED MESSAGES: It becomes a barrier in communication when non verbal communication not matches with verbal message. 3 Organisation communication In the interview with the manager we asked some general questions about the Mc Donald have to gain some knowledge about the Organisation with in the Mc Donalds. Organisation communication is divided into two major parts which is as follow:- †¢ Internal organisation communication †¢ External organisation communication 3.1 Internal organisation communication:- 3.1.1. Organisation goals:- Basic goal of McDonalds on the basis of yearly and they mainly consider about the customer service. It also includes the waste of the McDonalds. They also want to give the customer fast service they want to decrease their waste as much they can so. The few goals of McDonalds are as follows †¢ CSO (Customer satisfaction objective)-100 %( McDonalds main goal is to give customer full satisfaction) †¢ KVS (kitchen video system)-35% this is the time taken to make burgers and other fast food products in the kitchen area after every order and its normally 35 seconds. †¢ Labor-26% McDonalds want to save the labour up to 26% as they had given last year. †¢ Refunds- below 0.10 %( company wants to give less refund to the customer to earn more profit 3.1.2. Information flow within the organisation- In the organisation information flows from higher level to lower level as every information for instance a launch of new product or changing of rules firstly comes to restaurant manager and after that he pass on the information to the middle level manager or we can call them as shift manager and the shift manager pass on the information to the crew members by a team meeting or putting the information on the crew room so that everybody can read that information. And especially when a new product is launching They create a group training team and they trained them how to make new product and Kinds of precautions they have to consider while making those particular product 3.1.3. Organisation culture within the organisation:- In this organisation employees are from different communities. And mainly in this organisation islanders and Indians are working with very few of kiwi staff. The restaurant manager is kiwi and almost all the other middle level managers are islanders and including one manager belongs to china. And in this organisation everybody works without any racism and they are very comfortable with each other. The organisation climate of the McDonalds is very good because everybody communicates in professional way and they can understand each other way of communication very well. 3.2 External organisation communication:- 3.2.1 Dealing with customers:- This is the continuous part of the communication in the McDonalds and which is to be used 24 hours to serve the customer. And it is used to handle the problems of customers as well. In the McDonalds there is a specific pattern to deal with the customers which is described by the manager of McDonalds. In this part of communication is used to deal with every customer and this pattern is written is also written in every order taking register and this pattern is divided into part and those are as follows:- 1) First smile and greet to customer. 2) Take the order correctly by repeating the order to the customer 3) At last say enjoy your meal and good bye. 3.2.2. Communication with stakeholders:- In this organisation mainly restaurant manager and senior assistant manager communicate with the stakeholders and the organisation like McDonalds plays a vital role in communication with the stakeholders because they have to always to be ready to give the customer a better service and not to get a stock out of anything which is used within the organisation. 3.3 Communication barrier in organisation communication- 3.3.1 Barrier in internal organisation- Within the organisation there is communication barrier when in busy time of restaurant if crew and manager do not communicate with each other they cannot give better service to the customers and sometime it happens in heaps of busy time because everybody is busy in doing their task as faster as they can. So to get rid of it managers take the help of the other crew and manager which is available at that time to do a proper communication within the staff. 3.3.2. Barrier in external organisation- There is barrier which is occurs by the customers and stakeholders mainly because of there is sometime misunderstanding 3.3.2.1 Linguistic barrier- Along with this there is some linguistic barrier in the communication. as some of the employees which are from other countries they cannot speak as much good English to communicate and sometime it become barrier in communication in the organisation. 4 Team Communication 4.1. Team Goals Team goals are very simple make a plan and then follow it. In McDonalds teams are trained well to follow the pattern. Leader of the team asks the team to execute a plan and the whole team follows the plan. 4.2.Team Roles In a team each member has a role to fulfill the needs of the team. In McDonalds there is a branch manager, team leader or shift manager. Now there are three counters to serve the customers. On counter 1 there are three members working, on counter 2 there are two members and team leader working and on counter 3 again three members are working. Now cleaning team is there to do the cleanings and also to help the members of the team if anyone requires help and it consists of two members. So the information flow is from the both sides that are downward to upward and also upward to downward. Branch Manager Team Leader Counter Team 1 Counter Team 2 Counter Team 3 Cleaning Team 4.3.Branch Manager Now role of the branch manager is to give the order to the team leader and then team leader will give that order to the team and if there is any kind of problem to the member of the team he or she will let the team leader know and the team leader will let the manager know. So this way the information flows in a team that is both upward and downward. 4.4.Team Member The role of the team member is to contribute towards the goal of the organization. They just need to follow the orders and if they have any suggestions they can give it in the meetings organized by the team leader or by the head manager. 5.CONCLUSIONS 5.1. Interpersonal communication 5.1.1. Communication between manager and staff members According to the findings, we came up with the conclusion that due to the different background and culture of the stay members and managers, language becomes a barrier as far as communication is concerned. Because most employees are from different culture and they are new in this work might hesitate to talk to the manager about their problems. In the meetings, employees are always asked by the managers are they satisfied with their jobs and with the environment of Mc Donalds, which will ultimately motivate them to satisfy the needs of their customers as well. Indian and Chinese staff member hesitates a lot because English is not there first language. 5.1.1.1. Language barrier: Language becomes a barrier between manager and staff members because of employees are from different countries and hesitate when communicate with manager. 5.1.2. Communication between customers and staff members We find that the level of satisfaction depends on the quality of service a customer receives. In this restaurant, both men and women deal with the customers because they are trained well before they join the staff. While dealing with different customers of different background they have to communicate accurately to satisfy the customers needs. In this family restaurant every staff member communicates well with the customers to fulfil the customers needs. They speak well in English. 5.2. Organisation communication After going through all the aspects of McDonalds organisation communication we come to conclusion that both the internal and external communication of McDonalds is very necessary to run the business and earn profit. Without the proper communication, organisation cannot achieve the goals. In the McDonalds Manurewa, the staff got good communication skills and they are doing well in their business by communicating very well professionally in internal organisation as well as external organisation. 5.3 Internal organisation communication- In nutshell the McDonalds main aim is to earn profit and give the customer better service and for that they are achieving their aim by targeting this point of view. McDonalds Manurewa is very multicultural organisation so the employees enjoy each other occasion very happily. And along with this all the important information in this organisation flows from top to bottom level. 5.4 External organisation communication- In McDonalds external communication is mainly with the customers and stakeholders. And this communication is done by both the crew and managers .The dealing with customers is done by both the managers and crew but the communication with the stakeholders mainly done by managers of McDonalds. And on other side a better communication skills in the staff leads to profit of the organisation as if they can communicate well to the customers and as well as in the organisation they can achieve their goals easily. Now in McDonalds different ages, cultures and nationalities are working there together. So everybody is looking to give his idea which is good that shows there commitment towards the work but they all have different thinkings. So problems occurs in between the crew members just because they think that there idea is good but still not followed by the other members or by the group. 6. RECOMMENDATIONS 6.1. Interpersonal communication 6.1.1. Communication between customers and staff members Communication between staff member and customers is main part there. In this restaurant mostly women attend the customers. The staff is well trained and experienced. If the staff members are happy with their work environment, they can serve the customers better. Managers should also encourage members to deal with the customers to avoid any gender bias. 6.1.2 Create a positive climate The communication become better by creating a positive climate (Joan, 2001).The employees try to understand the roles of communication and working for win-win outcomes. They also enhance their communication by self disclosure. The employees should try to understand needs of the customers. Therefore, McDonalds good customer service is generated through employee satisfaction and a healthy work environment. Employees also try to learn more from old employees. 6.1.3. Communication between managers and staff members Communication between managers and staff members can be better if the meetings are held at least once a week in the organization. The managers should ask the staff members questions about their culture and background to get to know them better and to understand their behaviour, so their work environment could be set up according to their preference and comfort. Managers should also try to talk to the staff members as much as possible. 6.1.4. Making contacts Manager and employees try to make contacts with each other. We all need to be treated with respect and inclusion. These are basic human needs. Manager tries to give help to new employees who do not know about the work plan of the McDonald. New employees should make contacts with the experienced employees. Manager can help the employees who are best in communication but hesitate when they are speaking. 6.2. Organisation communication Organisation communication is vast area where everyone has to be including to targeting the aim and achieving that aim. In the organisation communication the important aspect is the organisation goals and the goals can only be achieved if the staff understand it and communicate about the goal by each other. In the organisation every individual employee has to contribute to the main organisation goal. Manger should do proper meeting with crew members to overcome communication gap in the organisation. They must take opinions of crew before implementing a new rule in the organisation so they can work as a team all the crew members must speak English with each other apart from any other languages. 6.2.1 Team communication 6.2.1.1 Conflict in Group If groups are to function well, there needs to be some conflict, because the value of group is that they bring people with diverse skills and ideas together. There, conflict is inevitable and necessary. If there is too much conflict, a group will cease to function, whereas too little conflict can lead to groupthink. Now in McDonalds a team needs to have a proper conflict shows in the diagram. If they discuss more than there is a problem and if they discuss less than there is a problem. If the team performance is not good enough then there will be a problem in Synergy. So they need to have proper to the point discussions rather than too short and to bigger meetings or discussions. 6.2.1.2 Group Dynamics Communication in a group is infinitely more complex than communication between two people. See Figure below. When two people communicate, there are two possible interactions. A B B A Now in McDonalds teams split in to four parts that is counter 1, counter 2, counter 3 and the cleaning team. On the bases of counter one there are three members that is A, B and C. Now A talks with B and B talks with C but there is no communication between A and C. If C does not talk with A then there is no interaction between team member A and C. They need to interact with each other to maintain a proper communication inside a group. If they interact with each they will automatically follow the group dynamics and the outcome will be good or improved.

THE CHRISTIAN CONCEPT OF GOD Essay -- essays research papers

THE CHRISTIAN CONCEPT OF GOD Christians claim that their concept of God is found in the Bible. Known as classical theism, this view of God has long been considered the orthodox theistic position of the Western world. Though there are numerous divine attributes that we could examine, for our present purposes it is sufficient to say that the God of classical theism is at least (1) personal and incorporeal (without physical parts), (2) the Creator and Sustainer of everything else that exists, (3) omnipotent (all-powerful), (4) omniscient (all-knowing), (5) omnipresent (everywhere present), (6) immutable (unchanging) and eternal, and (7) necessary and the only God. Let us now briefly look at each of these attributes. 1. Personal and Incorporeal. According to Christian theism, God is a personal being who has all the attributes that we may expect from a perfect person: self-consciousness, the ability to reason, know, love, communicate, and so forth. This is clearly how God is described in the Scriptures (e.g., Gen. 17:11; Exod. 3:14; Jer. 29:11). God is also incorporeal. Unlike humans, God is not uniquely associated with one physical entity (i.e., a body). This is why the Bible refers to God as Spirit (John 4:24). 2. The Creator and Sustainer of Everything Else that Exists. In classical theism, all reality is contingent on God — that is, all reality has come into existence and continues to exist because of Him. Unlike a god who forms the universe out of preexistent matter, the God of classical theism created the universe ex nihilo (out of nothing). Consequently, it is on God alone that everything in the universe depends for its existence (see Acts 17:25; Col. 1:16, 17; Rom. 11:36; Heb. 11:3; 2 Cor. 4:6; Rev. 4:11). 3. Omnipotent. God is also said to be omnipotent or all-powerful. This should be understood to mean that God can do anything that is (1) logically possible (see below), and (2) consistent with being a personal, incorporeal, omniscient, omnipresent, immutable, wholly perfect, and necessary Creator. Concerning the latter, these attributes are not limitations of God's power, but perfections. They are attributes at their infinitely highest level, which are essential to God's nature. For example, since God is perfect, He cannot sin; because He is personal, He is incapable of making Himself impersonal; because He is omniscient, He cannot forget. All th... ...o right action. Natural evil confers no additional benefits that moral evil cannot accomplish to the same degree and extent, and in fact natural evil is not even adequate to foster interpersonal moral virtues, such as forgiveness and tolerance. A benevolent God would allow no more evil than is absolutely necessary to achieve his ends. Because natural evil is gratuitous, its existence is incompatible with the existence of God. God, if he existed, could conceivably alter the laws of nature so that evil would only result when triggered by human action. However, manifest natural evil independent of human will, such as volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, tornadoes, and disease, undeniably exists. Since the existence of God and the existence of natural evil are incompatible and natural evil exists, the following revised argument from evil is both valid and sound, entailing a true conclusion: 1) If God exists, then there exists a being who is omniscient, omnipotent, and perfectly good. 2) If there existed a being who were omniscient, omnipotent, and perfectly good, then there would be no natural evil. 3) But there is natural evil. C) God does not exist. http://hem.passagen.se/nicb/evil.htm

Conflict between Science and Religion Essay

There have been numerous dissensions between science and religion. The central belief that the earth was the center of the universe prior to the presentation of the Copernican system was held in the primacy of man in the scheme of things, as designed by the will of God. The presentation that the earth was not the center of the universe was met with criticisms. The objections were not helped when it was found that our solar system is not even at the center of the universe but rather located in a spiral arm of the Milky Way Galaxy—one in a cluster of some two dozen galaxies, an infinitesimal part of a universe composed of millions of galaxies. One can only imagine how the religious sector reacted on the principle that our own Milky Way Galaxy is not even close to the center of the vast space of the universe. Conflict between science and religion climaxed when in 1859, Charles Darwin advanced his theory of evolution from natural selection in his work â€Å"On the Origin of Species† which was met with criticisms. The idea that God has not created man and placed him in the Garden of Eden was seen as an insult to Biblical teachings. Even today, evolution is a subject vigorously debated by those who support the theory and antievolutionists, especially those who call themselves creationists. Evidences show, however, that evolution indeed exists and continue to exist. The long evolutionary journey of species has even left its imprints upon the embryo of the individual organism. Despite conflicts between science and religion and an apparent steady movement away from religion, Arnold Toynbee held that man will turn from materialism to technology back to religion and spiritual values. For some time each religion will maintain its identity and minister to its own adherents, but as they are faced with a â€Å"shrinking† world, a positive tolerance will replace their traditional fanaticism.

Benefits of Activity Based Costing Essay

In order to make a profit on production, the firm would have to charge a price that is greater than the cost of production. Generally, the cost of production is understood to be the cost of producing a good plus the cost of transportation to the consumer. In order to stay in business, and therefore, to avoid losses at all possible costs – the firm must cover all costs related to the production of the good and include all costs to deliver the same to the consumer at a price that is higher than the cost of production. The operating or overheard expenses of an enterprise are generated by its activities to perform its business and/or manufacturing processes successfully. As its name implies, activity based costing relates the costs facing the enterprise to its various activities. By so doing, this system of costing provides pretty accurate information about costs, allowing businesses to effectively manage their overhead expenses in order to increase their revenues (Cooper, 1988). It is but commonsensical that companies may work on cutting their costs once they know what is driving these costs. By improving their processes in order to cut costs, businesses may realize greater profits than before. What is more, by identifying high costing activities needed to produce certain goods or serve certain customers, companies may decide to focus instead on low costing products or customers by reducing their production of or service to high costing products or customers. In this way, they may shift their focus to products or customers that are more profitable to produce or to serve. Thus, management experts cite the following benefits of activity based costing as opposed to traditional methods of costing: Identifying the most and least profitable customers, products and channels. Determine the true contributors to— and detractors from—financial performance. Accurately predict costs, profits and resource requirements associated with changes in production volumes, organizational structure and resource costs. Easily identify the root causes of poor financial performance. Track costs of activities and work processes. Equip managers with cost intelligence to drive improvements. Facilitate better Marketing Mix. Enhance the bargaining power with the customer. Achieve better Positioning of products. (â€Å"Activity Based Costing,† 2008). Businesses that benefit the most from activity based costing are those with high manufacturing operating expenses or overhead costs. These costs may result from a diverse range or products, intensity of capital, or vertically integrated system of manufacturing. Activity based costing may help such businesses not only to understand but also to control their operating expenses so as to increase their revenues (O’Guin, 1991, p. 76). Organizations with large marketing, sales or distribution costs may also reap great benefits from activity based costing. As mentioned previously, this method of costing identifies those customers that are most profitable from those that are least profitable. This provides insight to management on how to improve operations. With activity based costing, such businesses may be able to answer questions such as: â€Å"What discounts are appropriate for large orders? What size accounts should salespersons no longer call on? How effective is advertising to different markets? † (O’Guin, p. 76). Firms that are experiencing sluggish or low profitability on increasing sales may be suffering from growth that is unmanaged. It may very well be that these businesses are selling products at losses to a number of customers. The accounting system of accurately measuring costs, that is, activity based costing, would allow these firms to determine which of their customers and products are generating revenues and which are not (O’Guin, p. 76). O’Guin describes another benefit of the activity based costing system thus: Even with a diverse product line or customer base and very high profitability, a company lacking an ABC system is surprisingly vulnerable. Product profitability probably varies widely across the company. Highly profitable products present an irresistible target to new market entrants. Management should know which products are reaping enormous margins, so they can erect barriers to entry. (p. 76). Also according to O’Guin, the activity based costing system provides not only strategic but also tactical benefits to businesses that implement it. Whereas benefits that are strategic in nature may be realized only once in a blue moon, for the simple reason that organizations cannot be expected to change their pricing, business operations, distribution or manufacturing processes each year – tactical benefits may be realized constantly. Indeed, activity based costing could help businesses not only with reduction of overhead costs, but also just-in-time support, improvement of quality, decisions about design, and investment in capital. Thus, businesses that implement the activity based costing system may improve their profitability on an ongoing basis (O’Guin, p. 76). In the twenty first century, companies that have a competitive edge are those that maintain flexibility, a trend that has been recognized as a critical factor for success since the 1990s. Life cycles of products have been shortened and focus on the customer has become increasingly important. As economies of scale virtually disappear, manufacturing plants that are successful are those that are able to quickly introduce innovative products and economically produce small quantities. Activity based costing system can help businesses tremendously to achieve these goals. What is more, this system of costing could assist businesses of the twenty first century to achieve their goal to increase employee motivation. With the activity based costing system in place, employees increase their understanding of business activities and therefore their involvement in business operations. So, for example, whenever they see a mound of papers they would see overhead costs, leading them to the following questions: Why do we have so many bills? Why are there so many process involved in our purchase orders (O’Guin, p. 76)? Thus, the activity based costing system encourages businesses to push their rates of cost drivers down. This helps in the reduction of time to setup, streamlines buying, in addition to time taken to development a product. When costs are attached to each of these processes or activities, management may not only measure but also plan improvement (O’Guin, p. 76). As mentioned before, some of these improvements may entail reducing production of goods or service to customers that cost more to produce or service than the others. Hence, the activity based costing system may also lead the business that implements it to improve upon its marketing mix or positioning of its products. If products and customers that cost more than the others are required by the company to produce or serve in the same quantity as before, however, activity based costing system helps the organization to improve its processes in order to decrease its costs without reducing the quantity to produce or serve. After all, it is only possible to improve inefficient processes. Because activity based costing allows the company to weigh the costs of activities against their benefits, firms that use it are in a great position to increase the efficiency of all of their processes so as to gain competitive advantages. References Activity Based Costing. (2008). Value Based Management. Retrieved Jan 27, 2009, from http://www. valuebasedmanagement. net/methods_abc. html. Cooper, R. (1988, Summer). The Rise of Activity-Based Costing – Part One: What is an Activity-Based Cost System? Journal of Cost Management, pp. 45-54. O’Guin, M. C. (1991). The Complete Guide to Activity-based Costing. Chicago, IL: CCH Tax and Accounting.

Brief Biography of Sharpshooter Annie Oakley

Brief Biography of Sharpshooter Annie Oakley Blessed with a natural talent for sharp-shooting, Annie Oakley proved herself dominant in a sport that was long considered a mans domain. Oakley was a gifted entertainer as well; her performances with Buffalo Bill Codys Wild West Show brought international fame, making her one of the most celebrated female performers of her time. Annie Oakleys unique and adventurous life has inspired numerous books and films as well as a popular musical. Annie Oakley was born Phoebe Ann Moses on August 13, 1860 in rural Darke County, Ohio, the fifth daughter of Jacob and Susan Moses. The Moses family had moved to Ohio from Pennsylvania after their business- a small inn- had burned to the ground in 1855. The family lived in a one-room log cabin, surviving on game they caught and crops they grew. Another daughter and a son were born after Phoebe. Annie, as Phoebe was called, was a tomboy who preferred spending time outdoors with her father over household chores and playing with dolls. When Annie was only five, her father died of pneumonia after being caught in a blizzard. Susan Moses struggled to keep her family fed. Annie supplemented their food supply with squirrels and birds that she trapped. At the age of eight, Annie began sneaking out with her fathers old rifle to practice shooting in the woods. She quickly became skilled at killing prey with one shot. By the time Annie was ten, her mother could no longer support the children. Some were sent to neighbors farms; Annie was sent to work at the county poor house. Soon afterward, a family hired her as live-in help in exchange for wages as well as room and board. But the family, who Annie later described as wolves, treated Annie as a slave. They refused to pay her wages and beat her, leaving scars on her back for life. After nearly two years, Annie was able to escape to the nearest train station. A generous stranger paid her train fare home. Annie was reunited with her mother, but only briefly. Because of her dire financial situation, Susan Moses was forced to send Annie back to the county poor house. Making a Living Annie worked at the county poor house for three more years; she then returned to her mothers home at the age of 15. Annie could now resume her favorite pastime- hunting. Some of the game she shot was used to feed her family, but the surplus was sold to general stores and restaurants. Many customers specifically requested Annie’s game because she shot so cleanly (through the head), which eliminated the problem of having to clean buckshot out of the meat. With money coming in regularly, Annie helped her mother pay off the mortgage on their house. For the rest of her life, Annie Oakley made her living with a gun. By the 1870s, target shooting had become a popular sport in the United States. Spectators attended competitions in which shooters fired at live birds, glass balls, or clay disks. Trick shooting, also popular, was usually performed in theaters and involved the risky practice of shooting items out of a colleagues hand or off the top of their head. In rural areas such as where Annie lived, game-shooting competitions were a common form of entertainment. Annie participated in some local turkey shoots but was eventually banned because she always won. Annie entered a pigeon-shooting match in 1881 against a single opponent, unaware that soon her life would change forever. Butler and Oakley Annies opponent in the match was Frank Butler, a sharp-shooter in the circus. He made the 80-mile trek from Cincinnati to rural Greenville, Ohio in the hopes of winning the $100 prize. Frank had been told only that he would be up against a local crack shot. Assuming that his competitor would be a farm boy, Frank was shocked to see the petite, attractive 20-year old Annie Moses. He was even more surprised that she beat him in the match. Frank, ten years older than Annie, was captivated by the quiet young woman. He returned to his tour and the two corresponded by mail for several months. They were married sometime in 1882, but the exact date has never been verified. Once married, Annie traveled with Frank on tour. One evening, Franks partner became ill and Annie took over for him at an indoor theater shoot. The audience loved watching the five-foot-tall woman who easily and expertly handled a heavy rifle. Annie and Frank became partners on the touring circuit, billed as Butler and Oakley. It is not known why Annie picked the name Oakley; possibly it came from the name of a neighborhood in Cincinnati. Annie Meets Sitting Bull Following a performance in St. Paul, Minnesota in March 1894, Annie met Sitting Bull who had been in the audience. The Lakota Sioux Indian chief was infamous as the warrior who had led his men into battle at Little Bighorn at Custers Last Stand in 1876. Although officially a prisoner of the U.S. government, Sitting Bull was allowed to travel and make appearances for money. Once reviled as a savage, he had become the object of fascination. Sitting Bull was impressed by Annies shooting skills, which included shooting the cork off a bottle and hitting the cigar her husband held in his mouth. When the chief met Annie, he reportedly asked if he could adopt her as his daughter. The adoption was not official, but the two became lifelong friends. It was Sitting Bull who bestowed upon Annie the Lakota name Watanya Cicilia, or Little Sure Shot. Buffalo Bill Cody and The Wild West Show In December 1884, Annie and Frank traveled with the circus to New Orleans. An unusually rainy winter forced the circus to close down until summer, leaving Annie and Frank in need of jobs. They approached Buffalo Bill Cody, whose Wild West Show (a combination of rodeo acts and western skits) was also in town. At first, Cody turned them down because he already had several shooting acts and most of them were more famous than Oakley and Butler. In March of 1885, Cody decided to give Annie a chance after his star shooter, world champion Adam Bogardus, quit the show. Cody would hire Annie on a trial basis following an audition in Louisville, Kentucky. Codys business manager arrived early at the park where Annie was practicing prior to the audition. He watched her from afar and was so impressed, he signed her on even before Cody showed up. Annie soon became a featured performer in a solo act. Frank, well aware that Annie was the star in the family, stepped aside and took on a managerial role in her career. Annie dazzled the audience, shooting with speed and precision at moving targets, often while riding a horse. For one of her most impressive stunts, Annie fired backward over her shoulder, using only a table knife to view the reflection of her target. In what became a trademark move, Annie skipped offstage at the end of each performance, ending with a little kick in the air. In 1885, Annies friend Sitting Bull joined the Wild West Show. He would stay one year. The Wild West Tours England In spring of 1887, the Wild West performers- along with horses, buffalo, and elk- set sail for London, England to participate in the celebration of Queen Victorias Golden Jubilee (the fiftieth anniversary of her coronation). The show was immensely popular, prompting even the reclusive queen to attend a special performance. Over a six-month period, the Wild West Show drew more than 2.5 million people to the London appearance alone; thousands more attended in cities outside of London. Annie was adored by the British public, who found her modest demeanor charming. She was showered with gifts- and even proposals- and was the guest of honor at parties and balls. True to her homespun values, Annie refused to wear ball gowns, preferring instead her homemade dresses. Leaving the Show In the meantime, Annies relationship with Cody was becoming increasingly strained, in part because Cody had hired Lillian Smith, a teenaged female sharpshooter. Without giving any explanation, Frank and Annie quit the Wild West Show and returned to New York in December 1887. Annie made a living by competing in shooting competitions, then later joined a newly-formed wild west show, the Pawnee Bill Show. The show was a scaled-down version of Codys show, but Frank and Annie werent happy there. They negotiated a deal with Cody to return to the Wild West Show, which no longer included Annies rival Lillian Smith. Cody’s show returned to Europe in 1889, this time for a three-year tour of France, Germany, Italy, and Spain. During this trip, Annie was troubled by the poverty she saw in each country. It was the beginning of her lifelong commitment to donating money to charities and orphanages. Settling Down After years of living out of trunks, Frank and Annie were ready to settle down in a real home during the shows off-season (November through mid-March). They built a house in Nutley, New Jersey and moved into it in December 1893. The couple never had children, but it is unknown whether or not this was by choice. During the winter months, Frank and Annie took vacations in the southern states, where they usually did a lot of hunting. In 1894 Annie was invited by inventor Thomas Edison of nearby West Orange, New Jersey, to be filmed on his new invention, the kinetoscope (a forerunner of the movie camera). The brief film shows Annie Oakley expertly shooting out glass balls mounted on a board, then hitting coins thrown up in the air by her husband. In October 1901, as the Wild West train cars traveled through rural Virginia, troupe members were awakened by a sudden, violent crash. Their train had been hit head-on by another train. Miraculously, none of the people were killed, but about 100 of the shows horses died on impact. Annies hair turned white following the accident, reportedly from the shock. Annie and Frank decided it was time to leave the show. Scandal for Annie Oakley Annie and Frank found work after leaving the Wild West show. Annie, sporting a brown wig to cover her white hair, starred in a play written just for her. The Western Girl played in New Jersey and was well-received but never made it to Broadway. Frank became a salesman for an ammunition company. They were content in their new lives. Everything changed on August 11, 1903, when the Chicago Examiner printed a scandalous story about Annie. According to the story, Annie Oakley had been arrested for stealing to support a cocaine habit. Within days, the story had spread to other newspapers around the country. It was, in fact, a case of mistaken identity. The woman arrested was a performer who had gone by the stage name Any Oakley in a burlesque Wild West show. Anyone familiar with the real Annie Oakley knew that the stories were false, but Annie couldnt let it go. Her reputation had been tarnished. Annie demanded that each and every newspaper print a retraction; some of them did. But that wasnt enough. For the next six years, Annie testified at one trial after another as she sued 55 newspapers for libel. In the end, she won about $800,000, less than she had paid in legal expenses. The entire experience aged Annie greatly, but she felt vindicated. Final Years Annie and Frank kept busy, traveling together to advertise for Franks employer, a cartridge company. Annie participated in exhibitions and shooting tournaments and received offers to join several western shows. She re-entered show business in 1911, joining the Young Buffalo Wild West Show. Even in her 50s, Annie could still draw a crowd. She finally retired from show business for good in 1913. Annie and Frank bought a house in Maryland and spent winters in Pinehurst, North Carolina, where Annie gave free shooting lessons to local women. She also donated her time to raising funds for various charities and hospitals. In November 1922, Annie and Frank were involved in a car accident in which the car flipped over, landing on Annie and fracturing her hip and ankle. She never fully recovered from her injuries, which compelled her to use a cane and a leg brace. In 1924, Annie was diagnosed with pernicious anemia and became increasingly weak and frail. She died on November 3, 1926, at the age of 66. Some have suggested that Annie died from lead poisoning after years of handling lead bullets. Frank Butler, who had also been in poor health, died 18 days later.

Divorce causes problems for all family members involved

Divorce causes problems for all family members involved. The film The Parenthood illustrates a divorce in which this is exceptionally true. Helens divorce instigates something to be lost in each of the family members lives. The divorce triggers Helen to lose a companion, Julie loses a disciplinarian, and Gary loses a male role model. Divorce causes something to be lost in the lives of all the family members involved. These losses in turn caused problems that hindered healthy development. The divorce for Helen meant the loss of a companion. To cope with this she tried to find companionship in her children. This made parenting and discipline difficult. Helen had a lot of stress and issues herself, and had no one to really share it with or help her through it. Its not easy for parents to lay down the law after divorce. Not only are they emotionally exhausted, theyre reluctant to come down too hard on a child who has been through the breakup (Fredericks 1). There are reports that show that single parents show lower levels of monitoring and discipline than married parents do. Single parents also seem to make fewer demands on the children and utilize less effective disciplinary strategies (Simons et al. 1). Helens daughter Julie does not listen to her. She continues to have a relationship with Todd disregarding her mothers advice. Helen also has relatively no jurisdiction over Gary he never listens to her or talk to her about troubles he is having. ! Research has shown that males have a greater tendency to have behavioral problems than females. It may be that males understand the danger of low parental control and interpret it as an absence of parental concern and caring (Simon et al. 10). Helens lack of discipline and effective parenting was caused by her want of companionship in her children. This effected Helen and her children in a negative manner. ...

John Paul Jones in the American Revolution

John Paul Jones in the American Revolution Scottish by birth, Commodore John Paul Jones became the new United States first naval hero during the  American Revolution (1775-1783). Beginning his career as a merchant sailor and, later, captain, he was forced to flee to the North American colonies after killing a member of his crew in self defense. In 1775, shortly after the war began, Jones was able to secure a commission as lieutenant in the fledgling Continental Navy. Taking part in its early campaigns, he excelled as a commerce raider when given independent commands. Given command of the sloop-of-war Ranger (18 guns) in 1777, Jones received the first foreign salute of the American flag and became the first Continental Navy officer to capture a British warship. In 1779, he repeated the feat when a squadron under his command captured HMS Serapis (44) and HMS Countess of Scarborough (22) at the Battle of Flamborough Head. With the end of the conflict, Jones later served as a rear admiral in the Imperial Russian Navy. Fast Facts: John Paul Jones Rank: Captain (US), Rear Admiral (Russia)Service: Continental Navy, Imperial Russian NavyBirth Name: John PaulBorn: July 6, 1747 at Kirkcudbright, ScotlandDied: July 18, 1792, Paris, FranceParents: John Paul, Sr. and Jean (McDuff) PaulConflicts: American RevolutionKnown For: Battle of Flamborough Head (1777) Early Life Born John Paul on July 6, 1747, at Kirkcudbright, Scotland, John Paul Jones was the son of a gardener. Going to sea at age 13, he first served aboard the merchant ship Friendship which operated out of Whitehaven. Progressing through the merchant ranks, he sailed on both trading vessels and slavers. A skilled sailor, he was made first mate of the slaver Two Friends in 1766. Though the slave trade was lucrative, Jones became disgusted with it and departed the vessel two years later. In 1768, while sailing as a mate aboard the brig John, Jones suddenly ascended to command after yellow fever killed the captain. Safely bringing the vessel back to port, the ships owners made him the permanent captain. In this role, Jones made several profitable voyages to the West Indies. Two years after taking command, Jones was forced to severely flog a disobedient sailor. His reputation suffered when the sailor died a few weeks later. Leaving John, Jones became captain of the London-based Betsey. While lying off Tobago in December 1773, trouble began with his crew and he was forced to kill one of them in self-defense. In the wake of this incident, he was advised to flee until an admiralty commission could be formed to hear his case. North America Traveling north to Fredericksburg, VA, Jones hoped to obtain aid from his brother who had settled in the area. Finding that his brother had died, he took over his affairs and estate. It was during this period that he added Jones to his name, possibly in an effort to distance himself from his past. Sources are unclear regarding his activities in Virginia, however it is known that he traveled to Philadelphia in the summer of 1775, to offer his services to the new Continental Navy after the start of the American Revolution. Endorsed by Richard Henry Lee, Jones was commissioned as the first lieutenant of the frigate Alfred (30) Continental Navy Fitting out in Philadelphia, Alfred was commanded by Commodore Esek Hopkins. On December 3, 1775, Jones became the first to hoist the US flag over an American warship. The following February, Alfred served as Hopkins flagship during the expedition against New Providence in the Bahamas. Landing marines on March 2, 1776, Hopkins force succeeded in capturing weapons and supplies which were badly needed by General George Washingtons army at Boston. Returning to New London, Jones was given command of the sloop Providence (12), with the temporary rank of captain, on May 10, 1776. While aboard Providence, Jones displayed his skill as a commerce raider capturing sixteen British ships during one six-week cruise and received his permanent promotion to captain. Arriving at Narragansett Bay on October 8, Hopkins appointed Jones to command Alfred. Through the fall, Jones cruised off Nova Scotia capturing several additional British vessels and securing winter uniforms and coal for the army. Putting into Boston on December 15, he began a major refit on the vessel. While in port, Jones, a poor politician, began feuding with Hopkins. As result, Jones was next assigned to command the new 18-gun sloop-of-war Ranger rather than one of the new frigates being built for the Continental Navy. Departing Portsmouth, NH on November 1, 1777, Jones was ordered to proceed to France to assist the American cause in any way possible. Arriving at Nantes on December 2, Jones met with Benjamin Franklin and informed the American commissioners of the victory at the Battle of Saratoga. On February 14, 1778, while in Quiberon Bay, Ranger received the first recognition of the American flag by a foreign government when it was saluted by the French fleet. Cruise of Ranger Sailing from Brest on April 11, Jones sought to bring the war home to the British people with the goal of forcing the Royal Navy to withdraw forces from American waters. Boldly sailing into the Irish Sea, he landed his men at Whitehaven on April 22 and spiked the guns in the towns fort as well as burned shipping in the harbor. Crossing Solway Firth, he landed at St. Marys Isle to kidnap the Earl of Selkirk whom he believed could be exchanged for American prisoners of war. Coming ashore, he found that the Earl was away. To placate the desires of his crew, he seized the familys set of silver plate. Crossing the Irish Sea, Ranger encountered the sloop-of-war HMS Drake (20) on April 24. Attacking, Ranger captured the ship after an hour-long battle. Drake became the first British warship to be captured by the Continental Navy. Returning to Brest, Jones was greeted as a hero. Promised a new, larger ship, Jones soon encountered problems with the American commissioners as well as the French admiralty. After some struggle, he obtained a former East Indiaman which he converted into a warship. Mounting 42 guns, Jones named the ship Bonhomme Richard in tribute to Benjamin Franklin. Battle of Flamborough Head Sailing on August 14, 1779, Jones commanded a five-ship squadron. Proceeding northwest, Jones moved up the west coast of Ireland and turned to circle the British Isles. While the squadron captured several merchant ships, Jones experienced persistent problems with insubordination from his captains. On September 23, Jones encountered a large British convoy off Flamborough Head escorted by HMS Serapis (44) and HMS Countess of Scarborough (22). Jones maneuvered Bonhomme Richard to engage Serapis while his other ships intercepted Countess of Scarborough. Though Bonhomme Richard was pounded by Serapis, Jones was able to close and lash the two ships together. In a prolonged and brutal fight, his men were able to overcome the British resistance and succeeded in capturing Serapis. It was during this fight that Jones reputedly replied to a British demand for surrender with Surrender? I have not yet begun to fight! As his men were achieving their victory, his consorts captured Countess of Scarborough. Turning for Texel, Jones was forced to abandon the battered Bonhomme Richard on September 25. America Again hailed as a hero in France, Jones was awarded the rank of Chevalier by King Louis XVI. On June 26, 1781, Jones was appointed to command America (74) which was then under construction at Portsmouth. Returning to America, Jones threw himself into the project. Much to his disappointment, the Continental Congress elected to give the ship to France in September 1782, to replace Magnifique which had run aground entering Boston harbor. Completing the ship, Jones turned it over to its new French officers. Foreign Service With the end of the war, Jones, like many Continental Navy officers, was discharged. Left idle, and feeling that he was not given enough credit for his actions during the war, Jones willingly accepted an offer to serve in the navy of Catherine the Great. Arriving in Russia in 1788, he served in that years campaign on the Black Sea under the name Pavel Dzhones. Though he fought well, he bickered with the other Russian officers and was soon politically outmaneuvered by them. Recalled to St. Petersburg, he was left without a command and soon departed for Paris. Returning to Paris in May 1790, he lived there in retirement, though he did make attempts to re-enter Russian service. He died alone on July 18, 1792. Buried in St. Louis Cemetery, Jones remains were returned to the United States in 1905. Carried aboard the armored cruiser USS Brooklyn, they were interred in an elaborate crypt within the United States Naval Academy Chapel at Annapolis, MD.

Leadership diary Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Leadership diary - Assignment Example The children stopped playing and ran for shelter as the noisy crows flew low, away from the nest bumping into each other. As the chaos cleared up and the gardener shook the bush in order to check if all the crows had left, all but one crow stood close to the nest. The constant shaking was only able to budge him a little but he was back at the nest almost instantly. He kept on screaming as if calling out to the scattered flock of crows which had left. To my surprise, the scattered crows responded to his calling and started to come back towards the nest which held the crow’s young. They began to sit at the top of the bush and when the gardener shook the bush once again, the resilient crow flew towards the gardener with all the crows behind him as if they were all charging at him. The gardener ran for his life at this sight and refused to come back for quite a while until all the noise had died down. He did not touch the bush again even once. The crows are collectively called a flock or poetically a ‘murder’ (Word Detective). Now I know why. Today, I saw for myself that a brave leader can lead the smallest of armies against the largest of enemies and yet

Ethical guidelines of an accountant Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Ethical guidelines of an accountant - Essay Example The globalization of most industries means new standards of financial reporting have to be followed.In many instances,new standards had indeed been adopted by accounting bodies eager to be of help in contributing to the promotion of the interest of various stakeholders such as varied investors,government regulatory bodies and the employees who also have a stake. Because of their confusing and complex nature, one has to be a detective of sorts to be able to sort out all the information contained in financial statements.Analysis of these statements require a certain degree of skill to be able to make fair comparisons between firms operating in various countries. Admittedly, there had been several efforts to standardize all the accounting rules and practices beginning in 1973 and took more concrete form by 1998 with a creation of the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB).My paper deals with the ethical issues confronting most chartered accountants today. It is because the prof ession of accounting is often a murky environment with various rules and regulations subject to different interpretations. In other words, most of the rules were formed from mere opinions of authoritative bodies. As such, opinions can be subjected to challenges. Despite all the efforts at standardization, there is still a long way to go before all accountants follow the same rules and procedures. Chartered accountants can be subjected to all various pressures for them to fudge the numbers if necessary. This puts them in awkward positions of conflicts of interest.

Pursing Criminal Justice - Law Enforcement Essay - 1

Pursing Criminal Justice - Law Enforcement - Essay Example Several strict regulations in law enforcement were introduced because of which similar terrorist attacks could be avoided after 2001. Though law enforcement brought numerous positive changes, it also resulted in inconvenience to public in terms of free movement and employment and government could successfully handled the public resistance. In future, the big challenges for law enforcement would be in the form of terrorism, regionalism and drug trafficking. The coordination of US Police department with the law enforcement agencies of other nations like Mexico and Columbia would certainly help in reducing the crime rate including drug trafficking. It is predicted that the law enforcement would be highly flexible and dynamic in nature for successfully handing these challenges. Key words : law enforcement, criminal justice, terrorism, drug trafficking a. What is your definition of justice as it relates to the law enforcement? Explain the origins of law enforcement. Discuss how you intend to promote your definition of justice in your intended criminal justice career. Equal treatment of persons in the circumstances of unfair means is most important for any welfare society. Justice is needed to be provided to the people when they are subjected to ill treatment in the society. Hence, justice can be defined as any type of practice which helps the people to get reasonable compensation or treatment so that fair means of utilities and services would be guaranteed. In other words, justice means the process of facilitating and doing right things (Sandel, 2009). This holds more relevance when criminal acts are committed in the society. We regularly come across different incidents in the world related to forceful killings, rape, sabotage and drug trafficking etc. and the persons who are affected due to this must be provided with the sufficient justice and at he same time, the other people in the society should be provided with right and safe environment for dignified way of li fe. The justice can be provided by various measures like framing rules in the form of legislation, enforcing the same through police or any other parallel law control system and through thorough judicial review and through corrections in the form jail reforms (Mays and Ruddell, 2007). In other words, the justice can be ensured only by establishing these three different components of criminal justice system i.e. law enforcement through police, law adjudication through courts and corrections in the form of jails and parole (Siegel and Senna, 2007). Since time immemorial, the people were subjected through various criminal justice procedures and irrespective of the region, the Kings used to appoint some specific experienced noble persons for providing the justice based on case to case. One common principle in all these types of criminal justice procedures is to apply the element of truth finding and analysis after going through all the related parties of the incident and delivering judg ment in favor of the affected persons or victims. While delivering the judgment, the emphasis was always given to create an element of fear among other people that they would be punished strictly if indulged in illegal activities and this helped the society to find less criminal rate. This has given foundation for the modern courts and their legal principles through out the world. At the same time, in some of the cases based on the merit, the opportunity was

Investigate the available technologies and benefits of Environmentally Research Paper

Investigate the available technologies and benefits of Environmentally Friendly Offices - Research Paper Example Facing this dilemma we have to find a green source of energy that can help to reduce the usage of the gas turbines without affecting the operations of the factories (Pacific Controls, 2013). UAE being highly populated and with the emergence of a large number of businesses, the region is looking seriously towards alternate energy plans. Industries, factories and offices all are heading up with efficient ways of acquiring and producing electricity. The trend is towards alternate energy systems because of the rising prices of oil and petroleum constraining businesses to adapt the alternate plans of energy production (Pacific Controls, 2013). UAE upholds outstanding trend in alternate energy production and acquisition. The high rise building systems, the factories, the inventory lots and the massively spread production houses all are allocating alternate energy systems. The trend is actually inviting international allocators to bring direct energy solutions. To make power a green resourc e for businesses, with high efficiency and productivity the allocators are working on the alternate energy systems to come out responsive to the current market trend (Bachellerie, 2012). ... Aim To study the Viewed technology that can provide a green source of energy and investigate the feasibility of applying the Green offices that operate with a source of energy that is environmental friendly. Objectives To analyze the trend of the UAE market in construction of the environmental friendly offices applying the concepts of alternate energy. To identify the Viewed and the possible alternate energy solutions for green office construction. To identify the most feasible and economic energy solution for green office construction Research Methodology In order to find more information a research of the latest technology will be conducted to find the most effective and suitable ways of turning the offices to be environmental friendly. There are many organizations and companies specialized in providing green solutions, which can be contacted to provide advices and help to implement their ideas. Taking the suggestions of the specialists can hand out to the most effective energy sol ution. This is the initial phase of the research in which understanding of the UAE market with respect to environmental friendly office will be made. Offices, which are on allocating alternate or renewable energy plans, will be brought to assessment. The analysis of the market will identify the possible alternate energy solutions, out of which the best solution with respect to green offices will be proposed and recommended. On further, will explicate the experiences of the companies and organizations have implemented similar projects. Their experience can give a clear idea of how to install and what are the problems that can appear while and after finishing the

Competitive Markets and Marketing Strategies Essay

Competitive Markets and Marketing Strategies - Essay Example This positioning strategy helps the customers to have product within their minds. To address the target market Scion creates customers' trust to make them willingly follow the company. The goal of the company "is to provide distinctive products, the opportunity to personalize, and an innovative, consumer-driven process at the retail level" (Breaking, Fully Integrated Scion, 2005). Another peculiarity of Scion is that the product design is its own form of positioning. Scion design identifies the brand and a model as a symbol of a youth hippie culture (). This method is an effective strategy for communicating with the audience who consider themselves members of a particular group, "generation Y". Finding that today's youth are different, the new product is designed for those young people who love speed and luxury. Even "if they can't afford luxury, they'll take luxury touches" (Woodyard, n.d.). The car combines the features of "tasteful design and exemplary fit make tC almost seem Lexus-like" (Healey, 2004). Positioning based on design represents an act of personal pleasure, reflect the owner's actual or ideal image. For instance, xA has "the 1.5-liter, four cylinder engine is rated at 108 hp @ 6,000 rpm and 105 lb-ft of torque @ 4,200 rpm.

History Of Britain's Constitution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

History Of Britain's Constitution - Essay Example The biggest powers are held by the prime minister and the cabinet. The queen holds the power to choose the prime minister and has the final say on any laws being introduced. The prime minister heads ceremonial functions and the Commonwealth. Due to the absence of a constitution in Britain, the British people are subjects as opposed to being citizens. Ceremonial dutiesThe prime minister, an appointee of the queen, and the cabinet have a lot of power. The Queen of England performs various ceremonial duties. Being the head of all Commonwealth countries, she opens all meeting she attends. Another ceremonial duty of the monarch is the opening of parliament. The Queen heads the opening of the parliament ceremony that attracts a lot of revenue from tourism.Sovereign GrantThe sovereign grant is a civil list that was developed and passed into law in 2012. The list contains money that the Queen and some of her close relatives are assigned in order to carry out public duties. The sovereign gran t costs each UK citizen up to 56 pounds annually.Royal assentThe royal equality act was given a royal assent in 2010. Previously, daughters did not have equal rights to sons. However, the royal assent to the act ended the old practice of the eldest son taking after the queen and not the eldest sister. ScandalThe royal family has been involved in various scandals. Three of the queen’s children have gotten married and divorced. Their weddings have cost the British people a lot of money in taxes.

Competitive Markets and Marketing Strategies Essay

Competitive Markets and Marketing Strategies - Essay Example This positioning strategy helps the customers to have product within their minds. To address the target market Scion creates customers' trust to make them willingly follow the company. The goal of the company "is to provide distinctive products, the opportunity to personalize, and an innovative, consumer-driven process at the retail level" (Breaking, Fully Integrated Scion, 2005). Another peculiarity of Scion is that the product design is its own form of positioning. Scion design identifies the brand and a model as a symbol of a youth hippie culture (). This method is an effective strategy for communicating with the audience who consider themselves members of a particular group, "generation Y". Finding that today's youth are different, the new product is designed for those young people who love speed and luxury. Even "if they can't afford luxury, they'll take luxury touches" (Woodyard, n.d.). The car combines the features of "tasteful design and exemplary fit make tC almost seem Lexus-like" (Healey, 2004). Positioning based on design represents an act of personal pleasure, reflect the owner's actual or ideal image. For instance, xA has "the 1.5-liter, four cylinder engine is rated at 108 hp @ 6,000 rpm and 105 lb-ft of torque @ 4,200 rpm.

Sample Research Paper for English Essay Example for Free

Sample Research Paper for English Essay The struggle now being waged in the professoriate over which writers deserve canonical status is not just a struggle over the relative merits of literary geniuses; it is a struggle among contending factions for the right to be represented in the picture America draws of itself. (Tompkins 201) In 1850, with the help of her well-known father, James Fenimore Cooper, Susan Fenimore Cooper published Rural Hours, a natural historical account of one year in the Otsego Lake area of New York state. I mention her fathers name in order to situate Susan Fenimore Cooper in literary history, or, more accurately, to position her book in relation to our understandings of literary history. For truthfully, if literary history were faithful to the developments of, and reactions to, literature of the past, Susan Fenimore Coopers name would be well-known to all scholars of nineteenth-century American literature. Her book was immensely popular both in America and abroad; it went through six printings by 1854, the publication year of Thoreaus Walden. Rural Hours was reissued with a new chapter in 1868, reprinted again in 1876, and then abridged by 199 pages and reissued in 1887. When critics praised Rural Hours1 and the volume sold well, Susan Fenimore Cooper achieved literary fame as a writer of natural history. However, while many of her contemporaries knew her name, most scholars in the 1990s know only of her father. Why this oversight in the construction of literary history?2 In 1968, David Jones, a visitor to the Otsego Lake region in New York, reissued the 1887 edition of Coopers book. In his introduction he compares Rural Hours to the canonically established Walden and claims, Rural Hours is not, like Walden, a multi-level book (xxxvii). Instead Coopers text, Jones asserts, tells us as [well] as a book canhow a representative part of the rural northeastern United States looked, sounded, smelled, and even felt in the middle of the nineteenth century (xxxvii-viii). Admittedly, portraying a location so fully is no small task, and although Jones intimates that Rural Hours provides enjoyable light reading, he clearly believes that Thoreaus text far surpasses Coopers in its complexity and depth. I want to suggest that Joness evaluation of Rural Hours overlooks subtle but important textual intricacies, that Coopers text is  multi-levelled, and is, in fact, concerned with much more than the local flora and fauna of the Otsego Lake region. One problem in determining the literary value of Rural Hours lies in our inability to classify its genre. The book takes the form of a nonfictional journal, but Rural Hours cannot be classified as autobiography in the traditional sense of one writer imparting the story of his or her life experiences. Cooper portrays her outside world as much as her personal experiences, and she relates her writings to her community more than to her own life. One is tempted to call Rural Hours nature writing and, in fact, her contemporary supporters do classify her text as such, but Coopers text does not meet the typical criteria for this genre, either. This is in part because of the imprecision of definitions of nature writing itself. Critics generally agree that nature writing is non-fictional prose in which the writer functions as an observer of the outside world, attempts to represent that outside world in language, and typically, reflects on the process of giving language to the natural world. It is commonly agreed that nature writing also evinces the authors reflections of his or her individual spiritual growth. Sharon Cameron, in writing about Thoreau, suggests that to write about nature is to write about how the mind sees nature, and sometimes about how the mind sees itself (44). In his recent study of several nature writers, Scott Slovic echoes and expands Camerons definition: [Nature writers] are not merely, or even primarily, analysts of nature or appreciators of naturerather, they are students of the human mind (3). We find, then, that according to our current definitions, nature writers write about their environment, but they also consider their personal relationship to it. Therefore, a writer like Coo per, who concerns herself more directly with her surroundings and less with her personal reactions to them, somehow does not quite fit the criteria for the genre. How can a book such as Rural Hours, rich with observations on the botany, ornithology, and natural history of an area, not be considered nature writing? I submit that we have been trained to read books about the natural world and  the human relationship to it in ways that affect our abilities to find value in texts that deviate from the canonical Thoreauvian forma form based on personal reflections regarding ones relationship with nature, ones connection to the community, the difficulties of conveying perceptions through language, and, most importantly, perhaps, the process of forming identity. When contemporary readers realize and examine the expectations that they bring to Rural Hours, and willingly suspend those expectations, thereby allowing the text to reveal its own agenda and voice its own concerns, they will discover that Coopers work is rich with insights regarding nineteenth-century Americas social, natural, and historical politics. Rural Hours is not so directly involved in exploring how the mind sees nature or how the mind sees itself. Instead, Cooper concerns herself with the ominous task of giving words to each aspect of her natural surroundings and to exploring the implications of this environment not for herself as an individual, but for her larger community, and ultimately, for the entire nation. We must ask, then, not only if Rural Hours has literary value, but also if we as critics can consider expanding our current conceptions of nature writing to accommodate a book such as Rural Hours. In his attempt to summarize what he considers to be the weaknesses of Coopers book, Jones quotes a description of autumn in Rural Hours and uses Coopers words to create an analogy concerning her prose: autumn, like Coopers prose, is variable, changeable, not alike twice in succession, gay and brilliant yesterday, more languid and pale today (xxxvii). As literature, Jones further explains, Rural Hours varies from brilliant in one passage to languid and pale in another (xxxvii). Jones offers very little support for this critical assessment of the book and, therefore, I cannot help but wonder why he truly found the narrative to be languid and pale. As we will see, Joness explanation for the weakness of Miss Coopers work is circular and underdeveloped, and supports the conventional notion that quality nature writing portrays less of nature, and more of the authors engagement with the natural world. Further examination of his criticisms will help to explain the exclusion of Rural Hours fr om most records of literary history. Jones explains, [Cooper] brought realism and vitality to her portrait of rural life by revealing its variable and changeable nature, to be sure, but the very act produced a major flaw in the book (xxxvii). Jones here suggests that Coopers realistic portrayal of the natural world is the very downfall of her book. However, her narrative dedication to the natural world, to its vitality and constancy, necessitates that portions of the text be purely descriptive. Jones thus seems to contradict himself: the one level at which Coopers text is unsurpassed, he asserts, is in its ability to so accurately and faithfully describe the natural world. This strength, however, is also the weakness of the book. Finally, Jones does not define this flaw at all; instead, he proceeds to discuss Thoreaus Walden. Jones assumes throughout his introduction that Thoreaus book is far superior to Coopers, that readers of Rural Hours will agree with this assessment, and that, therefore, his assessment requires no justification. This method of reasoning also presupposes that Walden and Rural Hours afford the same criteria for judgement, or, that they exhibit similar attempts at representing nature.3 If Cooper and Thoreau actually engage similar projects, this assessment is valid. If, however, these writers differ in their purposes, or representand react tothe natural world in distinct ways, then we need to examine these criteria of evaluation. How do we approach a text that attempts to represent the natural world on its own terms? Have we been taught to read texts whose straightforward depiction of the natural world is, seemingly, their main goal?4 If, as Jones suggests, Coopers prose remains so loyal to her subject that it is too realistic, and therefore borders on boring, we need to ask how we expect Cooper to represent nature so as to hold our attentions and why her contemporaries were not also bored by her book. Many questions arise: what are contemporary readers expectations of writing that engages the natural world? How do our expectations differ from those of readers in the nineteenth century? Assuming that readers bought and consumed Coopers text because they found interest in both its subject matter and its perspective, how does Coopers direct conveyance of the natural world reflect her  cultures interests and concerns?5 What is the role of nature in such a text, as opposed to the role of people? How often do we require that a realistic portrayal of nature be replaced by metaphor or symbolism, thereby preventing languid and pale prose? How often do we want to read specifically about nature, and how often are we more interested in exploring the human presence in nature? Finally, is Rural Hours actually poorly written, or boring? Such questions, originating from an attempt to understand the immense success and warm reception of Rural Hours in the mid- to late-nineteenth century, cause us to examine our conceptions of how writers should relate to nature, how their relations should be represented through language, and how weas readersshould read such texts. Read within our common understandings of nature writing, a conception that stresses writings influenced by the Romantics, Coopers prose may seem languid and pale, but if we approach Coopers text in other ways, as I will demonstrate, we will discern the richness of Rural Hours. Interest in writing that depicts the environment has increased in recent years. Clearly, texts such as Emersons Nature and Thoreaus Walden have dominated our reading lists, but studies such as Cecelia Tichis New World, New Earth and Annette Kolodnys The Lay of the Land and The Land Before Her investigate the history of American interest in the environment and invite us to consider a variety of literary forms as important in understanding how Americans have related to their natural environment through the centuries. Tichi states, Consistently since the seventeenth century [environmental reform] has formed an integral and important part of our cultural and literary history (x). American interest in the land infiltrates our earliest documents, as Tichi proves in her study. In early America, the American spirit and the American continent were bonded ideologically, and arguably continue to be bonded ideologically, albeit in different ways (Tichi ix). Another important study of Americans conceptions of the wilderness as reflected in literature is Bernard Rosenthals City of Nature. Rosenthals  study focuses on Coopers predecessors and contemporaries, and concludes that two ideas of nature emerge in the writings of the American Romantics. He locates one idea of nature in the conception of wilderness as the space to be assumed by the emerging American city. The second idea of nature concerns the new religious myth, an individual journey into nature for the purpose of establishing what Rosenthal terms the city of the self (27). Put another way, two irreconcilable connotations emerged as the most important definitions of the word nature: one in which nature represented commodity being transformed into civilization, and one in which nature became the metaphor for a new spiritual mythology for the nineteenth-century individual (Rosenthal 31).6 Rosenthal suggests that, during the nineteenth century, the majority of Americans conceived o f nature in this first way, and that most of the American Romantic writers worked within the second understanding of nature (71).7 These two conceptions of nature largely inform our readings of nineteenth-century texts that center, in some way, around the natural world. We have been taught not only to conceive of the natural world as a metaphor for our own society, but also to read texts that depict the natural world in terms of what they impart regarding the individual human spirit.8 We therefore approach texts that describe the natural world and that share personal reflections regarding the landscape with the expectation that they will either consider the transformation of nature into its purest form, civilization, or that they will explore nature as spiritual place, as the site of an interior journey to a private place in the spirit (Rosenthal 18), or that the author will attempt both visions of nature.9 As readers we are taught that while purely descriptive prose may be poetically beautiful, it is boring, contains no metaphor or symbolism, and therefore lacks importance because it does not pertain to individ ual spiritual growth. In the words of a colleague, We skim over the flowers and birds and pretty things and look for what really happens. However, what really happens often happens within the descriptive prose that we overlook. In relying on metaphor for our readings of such texts either the metaphor of nature as civilization or nature as self we fail to investigate the implications of capturing nature in language or the process by which a writer envisions  elements of nature and transforms that vision into linguistic representation. We fail, finally, to ask how this investigation into the natural world functions not only for the individual or for society, but for the natural world itself. At this point, some may accuse me of oversimplifying nature writing; some may argue that metaphor and symbolism are the more complicated ways in which authors employ language, and that to dismiss these linguistic forms is to reduce nature writing to the parroting of knowledge of natural history, or the meaningless naming of colors, sounds, and sights. I am not, however, suggesting that nature writing texts not be considered for their metaphorical value, only that we consider the implications of only considering them in this way. Susan K. Harris makes a similar point in her study of nineteenth-century womens sentimental novels written between 1840 and 1870: There appears to be an unspoken agreement not to submit nineteenth-century American womens novels to extended analytical evaluation, largely because the evaluative modes most of us were taught devalue this literature a priori. (44) While Harriss study focuses on fictional writings, the implications of her study for the study of nature writing and Susan Fenimore Coopers text are multiple and deserving of some attention. Harris finds that the criteria upon which scholars often scrutinize texts in order to determine their literary merit and the methods they employ in analyzing texts disregard important alternative aspects of texts. Harris suggests reading texts through a method she calls process analysis, a method of reading and interpreting a text that foregrounds the relationship of the literary critical task to the critics stance in her own time (145) and that considers the public, political and social context from which the text emerged. 10 Harris explains her belief that it is important to establish the terms of the debate(s) in which the text participates the positions it takes, and how these positions are embodied in its textual structure  (46).11 Thus, as the language of the text is foregrounded, we look at the text as both reactive and creative, and disregard the traditional concern that the text self-consciously embody timeless truths' (45). A text such as Coopers Rural Hours faces many of the obstacles in contemporary criticism that the sentimental novels that interest Harris face, especially when considered as part of the category of writing that has come to be called nature writing. Not only does Coopers book adopt a prosaic style that is contrary to those of canonized texts, but her book also forms part of a genre that itself is not very well established in the canon. She is, finally, a woman writing in a denigrated style within in a genre largely ignored by traditional scholarship. As critics have only recently begun to realize, historical and contemporary writers who represent their relationships to their surrounding environments exemplify differing ways of using language, and the linguistic methods these writers employ to represent and conceive of the natural world reflect, in complicated ways, the ideological implications of our cultural conceptions of nature. An understanding of the content of such writings, the issues they raise, and the methods of linguistic construction they employ will enable us, as literary scholars and historians, to realize how our language reflects our attitudes toward the earth, and more pointedly, how such attitudes have determined, prevented, or justified our actions against, and reactions to, the earth. The traditional approaches to such texts consider timeless truths in the forms of metaphors concerning nature as civilization or journeys to nature as journeys to the self. But these views often neglect to consider the authors in terest in the political and social opinions of the time concerning the proper relationship of society and the earth, and how writers in our society throughout history have coded such opinions in language.12 Studies such as Harriss often center on cultural conceptions of gender in womens fiction.13 The recent critical focus on issues of gender differentiation has lead contemporary critics to ask if women naturally relate to the outside world differently than men. In keeping with this  interest, Annette Kolodny suggested in her 1975 study, The Lay of the Land, that womens writings and linguistic usages have all along been offering us alternate means of expression and perception (ix) and that an examination of womens writings on the subject of nature could yield better understandings of American conceptions of the wilderness. Kolodny also states that a conscious and determined struggle to formulate for themselves the meaning of their landscape characterizes the writings of nineteenth-century Americans (Lay of the Land 71). Certainly both Cooper and Thoreaus texts engage in this struggle, although their engagements take different forms. Although I am not aware of any critical investigations as to whether Coopers and Thoreaus alternative narrative styles are based in gender differences,14 most recent critics of Cooper (of which there are few) do seize on the issue of gender when exploring her text. Unlike Jones, they quickly dismiss Thoreau from their studies, and instead suggest that Coopers text presents a representative depiction of womans relationship to the natural world in nineteenth-century America.15 The most recent study of Rural Hours appears in Vera Norwoods Made from This Earth, in which the author devotes a chapter to Susan Fenimore Cooper and her arguable influence on the women nature writers subsequent to her.16 Norwood argues that Cooper represented a literary domestic,17 a woman writer who wrote to deliver the scenes and values of middle-class homes to a wide readership (27). Thus, Norwood suggests, Cooper used the occasion of her book not only to describe her natural surroundings, but also to impart valuable lessons to her readers in a non-threatening manner. Norwood asserts that Cooper turned to nature to discover what nature teaches about the roles of women in the domestic realm. 18 For example, Cooper describes robins and praises the mother robins dedication to her young, implicitly suggesting that human mothers should emulate the robins self-sacrificing nature (Cooper 39-40/Norwood 37-8). Thus, Norwood sees a conversation in Rural Hours, a dialogue that Cooper creates in her text between the natural and human worlds in which gender roles in nature inform and enlighten gender roles in human society. Finally, Norwood claims that Cooper was consumed with understanding what nature suggests about female roles and family responsibilities, and how gender definitions and familial arrangements help  people comprehend what they see in nature (37). Cooper does occasionally focus on gender roles and responsibilities in Rural Hours, but to state that she is consumed with such issues greatly exaggerates her narrative interests. As Norwood points out, Cooper ruminates on the devoted mother robin, but she also, interestingly, refers to the voluntary imprisonment of the mother, and to her generous, enduring patience (Cooper 40). While this patience is clearly a noble attribute of parental affection for Cooper, the scene leaves her somewhat incredulous and stunned by the mothers consistent, uncomplaining waiting: Cooper admits this is a striking instance of parental devotion (40). While she may advocate human parental devotion, she also recognizes that the natural world is more willingly generous than the human world,19 and that whereas humans can learn from nature, there are also aspects of the natural world beyond human comprehension.20 Interestingly, and perhaps even provocatively, Norwood does not point out that the voluntarily imprisoned mothering robin is accompanied by the male of the little family, who occasionally relieves his mate by taking her place awhile and exerts himself to bring her food, and to sing for her amusement (40). Cooper includes his participation in her description of voluntary imprisonment; his is also a striking instance of parental affection. If Cooper invokes the mother robin as a testament to giving mothering, her invocation of the father bird suggests his necessary assistance around the nest. Ultimately, then, to read Coopers text in terms of its interest in gender affords some intriguing insights: Cooper clearly remains within her position as a middle- to upper-class lady throughout her narrative and, just as clearly, seeks confirmation of gender divisions and domestic roles from the natural world.21 These instances, though, are rare in Coopers text. The themes and issues that arise more often in Rural Hours concern the establishment of a national identity and history, and while Cooper does not divorce her gender from the concerns that inform her larger agenda, she also does not encompass her interest in nationalism within explorations of  domesticity. Certainly one aspect of Coopers desire to explore the natural world in order to formulate a national identity concerns the place of women in society, but to read Rural Hours solely in terms of its attempt to explore the implications of gender roles as exemplified in the natural environment greatly simplifies the complexi ties and layers of Coopers book. I do not wish to suggest that traditional feminist readings of Coopers text are unwarranted or unnecessary, nor that such readings will prove unproductive. I do believe, however, that reading Coopers book through too narrow a focus is hazardous not only in seeking to establish her in the canon of serious and teachable writers, but also in that such a reading sidesteps many larger cultural issues that her text engages. A critical reading of Coopers text should investigate her representations and explorations of gender roles in mid-nineteenth century America as well as her other complex and overt concerns, such as the creation of an American history, the treatment of American Indians, the problems of deforestation, and the religious connotations of the natural world, all of which fall under the rubric, in Coopers text, of the establishment of a national identity.22 As Jones points out, the majority of Coopers text contains descriptions of her surroundings. Her reflections are not always couched in metaphor, as Jones also suggests, but this does not detract from the value of Coopers text, nor does it indicate that Cooper does not entertain significant issues in her writing. Coopers descriptions of her surroundings reflect and embody her larger concern for the development of a national identity based in the land. In her view, the establishment of a national identity is linked to individual conceptions of the land, its flora and fauna, its people, and the relationship of the countrys peoples to the land. Cooper depicts the landscape of Otsego Lake, relates the history of the land and its peoples, and describes the indigenous plants, animals, and waters of the area in an attempt to create an identity of place. The landscape, and the life the land supports, create the identity of this place. Coopers literature of place23 serves not only to create a natural identity for the Otsego Lake region, but also to assert the need for a similarly  constructed national identity. The creation of a national identity, then, is the cultural work of Coopers text; she seeks to locate the natural identity of her new nation. Coopers development of this theme a national identity rooted in the landscape is subtle and calculated, but a scrupulous reading of Rural Hours reveals the careful construction of Coopers text. The opening pages of Rural Hours share observations that reflect the intentions of the book as stated in Coopers 1850 preface: The following notes contain, in a journal form, the simple record of those little events which make up the course of the seasons in rural life. In wandering about the fields, . . . one naturally gleans many trifling observations. . . The following pages were written in perfect good faith, all the trifling incidents alluded to having occurred as they are recorded. (Preface) In her first chapter, we read of the coming of spring: snow thaws, buds appear, robins return to the area. These are seemingly little events, trifling in their lack of worldly significance. One almost immediately notices, however, the pride Cooper takes in plants and animals peculiar to her native land, those that are uniquely Americas own. In contrast to the European robin, our robin never builds [a nest] on the ground (21), and the pretty white-bellied swallow, which has been confounded with the European martin is, Cooper assures, peculiar to America (56). Cooper also explains the uniqueness of American plants, complaining that the wild natives of the woods are often crowded out by European plants that were introduced by the colonists and that [drive] away the prettier natives (81).24 In her discussion of autumn in America, Cooper ruminates, Had the woods of England been as rich as our own English writers would have praised the season in their writings long ago (336). Instead, one is led to believe that the American autumn has helped to set the fashions for the sister season of the Old World (335). American writers reflections on the landscape have encouraged English writers to do the same, Cooper  suggests. These trifling observations begin to speak together, and we find Cooper asserting the importance of knowing the natural forms indigenous to ones place. Thus, for Cooper, determining which birds, animals, and plants are native to America, as well as which of these are unknown to Europeans, helps to define the American landscape, and therefore helps to establish a national identity. She takes pride in her land and in its natural wealth. Cooper also mourns the losses that her land incurs, suggesting that any depletion of the natural aspects of a place drastically alter its identity. Like her seemingly innocent cataloging of natural plants and animals indigenous to America, which emerges as a plea for national pride and definition based on the natural world, her repeated lamentings of disappearing or decreasing portions of the natural world emerge as a plea for the preservation of the wilderness. Like Coopers gently emerging concern for identifying indigenous plants and animals, Cooper gradually develops this theme of loss throughout her text. Little events, when taken cumulatively, have large implications. Cooper observes wild pigeons in early March, for instance, and recalls a previous season when they passed over the valley in large unbroken flocks several miles in extent succeeding each other. Then she remarks, There have not been so many here since that season (18). The reader might dismiss this observation due to its early position in her book, but as one progresses through the text and continually comes across this motif of longing for previous times whensomehownature was more complete, one realizes that Cooper is truly concerned about the changes taking place in her surroundings. Her concern becomes much more overt, but not until much later in the book.25 Coopers seemingly minor concern for the losses of groups of birds or plants culminates in her consideration of the rapid deforestation occurring in the country.26 She returns to the subject many times throughout the course of Rural Hours and, further along in the book, strongly criticizes people for their careless use of timber: One would think that by this time, when the forest has fallen in all the valleys when the hills are becoming more bare every daywhen timber and fuel are rising in prices, and new uses are found for even indifferent woodssome forethought and care in this respect would be natural in people laying claim to common sense. (213-14) Clearly, Cooper is warning her contemporaries by suggesting that they discontinue the destruction of trees for purposes of fueling their homes. The continual destruction of the forests so radically alters the landscape that Cooper cannot conceive of continued deforestation. She not only seeks to educate her audience regarding the benefits of preservation; she also makes the preservation of the American landscape a moral imperative. This moral duty for national preservation becomes linked to Coopers feelings regarding the red man, or Native Americans (93). Again, Cooper subtly portrays this sense of the loss of the indigenous peoples early in Rural Hours. When standing beside a clear running spring, she states, one seems naturally to remember the red man; recollections of his vanished race linger there in a more definite form than elsewhere (93). The rolling, clear water somehow evokes the vanished race: yesterday they were here, to-day scarce a vestige of their existence can be pointed out among us (94). However, later in Rural Hours, Cooper more overtly conveys her feelings regarding the colonists treatment of the indigenous peoples, which she finds integral to the colonists treatment of the landscape. While viewing a forest grove, she laments: It needs but a few short minutes to bring one of these trees to the ground (193). She reminds her readers that entire generations will come and go in the time that it takes for one of these mature trees to reach such magnificent heights: The stout arm so ready to raise the axe to-day, must grow weak with age, it must drop into the grave; its bone and sinew must crumble into dust long before another tree, tall and great as those, shall have grown from the cone in our hand (193-94). In the same paragraph, Cooper calls for a reinstitution of wilderness, claiming that the wild deer, the wolf and the bear must return from beyond the great lakes, and then, significantly, that the bones of the savage men buried under our feet must arise and move again. . . ere trees like those ever appear again, so large, so wild (194).27 The mistreatment of Native Americans emerges as a large theme in Coopers text. She advocates retaining the names they gave to places and portions of the natural world, partly because of the beauty in Indian words, which [unite] both sound and meaning (484). In the creation of a national identity, Cooper intimates, the power of names is very suggestive: names reveal history and meaning, and the Indians words capture both elements. She argues against re-naming places not only due to the beauty of the Native Americans languages, however, but also because she believes that somehow European-Americans owe the indigenous peoples something. The refrain of loss that resonates throughout Coopers text reaches its climax in the following passage. I quote at length to impart Coopers passion: There are many reasons for preserving every Indian name which can be accurately placed; generally, they are recommended by their beauty; but even when harsh in sound, they still have a claim to be kept up on account of their historical interest, and their connection with the dialects of the different tribes. A name is all we leave them, let us at least preserve that monument to their memory; as we travel through the country, and pass river after river, lake after lake, we may thus learn how many were the tribes who have melted away before us, whose very existence would have been utterly forgotten but for the word which recalls the name they once bore. (485) As these words suggest, Coopers concerns in Rural Hours are far-reaching. Cooper finds little distinction between the establishment of a national identity based in the uniqueness of the land, the preservation of the wilderness, and the maintenance of the influence of indigenous cultures.28 The natural history of this place and its people provide its meaning. These enmeshed issues resonate even more strongly when Cooper places them in accordance with her religious ideals. Although her Christianity by no means permeates the text, its presence offers a cohesion between her many areas of interest. Cooper envisions each and every aspect of the natural world as belonging to part of Gods plan for Americans. For example, while admiring a particularly beautiful sky, Cooper says, At hours like these, the immeasurable goodness, the infinite wisdom of our Heavenly Father, are displayed in so great a degree of condescending tenderness to unworthy, sinful man, as must appear quite incomprehensible- entirely incredible to reason alonewere it not for the recollection of the mercies of past years, the positive proofs of experience.What have the best of us done to merit one such day in a lifetime of follies and failings and sins? (73-74) I do want to stress that these moments are rare in Coopers text, that her homilies are short and few, but that they clearly convey her sense of wonder about the natural world.29 She finds value in each aspect of the natural world, and seeks to preserve the world as a testament of her faith in God. While maintaining the Puritan notion that the new world was intended for the colonists to cultivate, and that their duties included imparting Christianity to the Native Americans,30 Cooper also stresses the need to balance the human presence on, and cultivation of, the land with careful preservation of it. She envisions a society that works with the land, not against it, and that creates a national identity based on its intimate knowledge of, and respect for, the natural world. She suggests this balance between humans and nature lightheartedly, saying Many birds like a village life; they seem to think man is a very good-natured animal, building chimneys and roofs, planting groves, and digging gardens for their especial benefit (63). But she also asserts the seriousness of her belief in admiring her village, rural and unambitious, and quite in proportion with surrounding objects (114). Cooper further explains her belief in a rural ideal,31 a sustainable  balance between civilization and nature, in an essay collected in The Home Book of the Picturesque, which was published in 1851: The hand of man generally improves a landscape. The earth has been given to him, and his presence in Eden is natural; he gives life and spirit to the garden. It is only when he endeavors to rise above his true part of laborer and husbandman, when he assumes the character of creator, and piles you up hills, pumps you a river, scatters stones, or sprinkles cascades, that he is apt to fail. Generally the grassy meadow in the valley, the winding road climbing the hill-side, the cheerful village on the bank of the stream, give a higher additional interest to the view; or where there is something amiss in the scene, it is when there is some evident want of judgement, or good sense, or perhaps some proof of selfish avarice, or wastefulness, as when a country is stripped of its wood to fill the pockets or feed the fires of one generation. (82) This interest in creating a national identity based upon a balance of civilization, nature, and the preservation of religious ideologies forms the basic underlying motif in Coopers text. While her words often convey seemingly simple observations about her surroundings, Coopers linking of the natural world and the human treatment of it with the necessity of establishing a national conception of the proper human relationship to nature forms a complex, intricate portrayal of the myriad concerns of nineteenth-century life. Rural Hours also reveals how issues surrounding the formation of national concepts of environmental treatment were intertwined with the establishment of pride in a new country. Additional readings of Rural Hours will undoubtedly uncover themes and tropes unexplored in the present essay. In order for this to occur, however, we must continually ask ourselves how our preconceptions may prohibit finding value in texts that do not meet established, too often unchallenged, criteria for judgements. One can approach Rural Hours, finally, as a natural history engaged in creating the story of a region and as an attempt to appreciate nature on its own terms: not as a commodity for human use, but as beautiful, powerful, and suggestive of Gods greatness. In writing a  balance between humans and nature, Cooper sets an agenda not only for her region, but for the country as a whole. Her text is filled with natural history, but it also expounds upon the concerns of an age in Americas history. As such, it greatly contributes to our understandings of the human presence on the land.