Thursday, December 26, 2019

Teenage Immigrants and problems they face - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 6 Words: 1681 Downloads: 7 Date added: 2017/09/24 Category Education Essay Type Argumentative essay Tags: Problems Essay Teenager Essay Did you like this example? America was founded as a nation of immigrants. With the exception of Native Americans, who predate recorded history, Americans are descendants of people born elsewhere. Over the past 500 years, millions of people from different countries have come to the United States seeking freedom, peace, and the opportunity promised by the American Dream. Between the fifteenth and eighteenth centuries people came to America seeking everything from greater physical space to freedom from political or religious persecution. During this era there were also thousands of Africans arriving to America in chains. They were sold as slaves to plantation owners. In the twentieth century millions of Europeans sailed to America seeking better opportunities. Although many laws have been implemented throughout the years to regulate entrance to this country, people continue to come in great numbers seeking similar dreams. In fact, over one million immigrants enter the United States each year (PBS, 2009 ). Passig describes the four main difficulties experienced by immigrants upon entrance to the U. S. as the language barrier, social difficulties, emotional imbalance, and mental difficulties. Most immigrants are not fluent in the English language. This heightens their feelings of loneliness and alienation. The added pressures of learning a new language and deciphering Americas behavioral patterns and social norms can pose many emotional and mental difficulties for immigrants. Passigs research suggests that the ages between 11 and 22 years are not optimal for coping with these difficulties. It is believed that teen immigrants have more difficulty coping with immigration than adults because they are simultaneously coping with the physiological and psychological changes resulting from age-related development (Passig, Eden, Heled, 2007). According to the U. S. Census Bureau, around 400,000 people try to enter the United States illegally each year. Of this group, about 10 percent are minors. Many endure hardships Teen Immigrants 1 coming to America. A 19-year-old high school student who emigrated from Mexico described his illegal journey to the U. S. in an interview published in The Grady Journal: â€Å"I walked a ton and we suffered because there was no water and it was very hot†, â€Å"A man who came with the group died on the way, but when we crossed the border I was happy. My American dream had become reality. † (2009). A 16-year-old student also interviewed in The Grady Journal shared her family’s experience working with coyotes to come to America from Mexico when she was eleven years old. Coyotes are American citizens that charge money to bring foreigners into the U. S. Coyotes have been known to drop immigrants off in the middle of nowhere, keeping their money and leaving them to die. The student described walking through the desert four days. She also said the coyotes were bad to her family and did not even provide them wit h water to drink. She recalled feeling sad, scared and worthless during her. However, she considered herself and her family members to be lucky to have survived the journey since thousands of immigrants have died while trying to enter the country illegally. Teens such as these suffer to make it safely to the U. S. nd later struggle to fit in to a new culture (2009). Regardless of their method of journey to the U. S. , teen immigrants face a wide range of acceptance, rejection and disregard. They leave behind friends, family and all aspects of life in their native countries in the hopes of making better lives for themselves in America. For many immigrant youths, the transition to high school is the most challenging of their obstacles. Besides learning a new language, immigrant teenagers have to make friends, and adjust to the different technology that is used in American schools. Many immigrant teens also struggle with conflicts posed by their parents’ desire for them to re main faithful to native cultural traditions and their individual desires to acclimate to the cultural traditions of American teens (Sridhar, 2008). For many teenage immigrants, American schools are their first experience with formal education. In most developing countries poverty and cultural tradition limit the opportunities of female youths to obtain a formal education. Many families, especially those with many children, can not afford the incidental expenses associated with educating their children. The cost of voluntary contributions, uniforms, books, and bus fares can make even free education expensive. When the costs are weighed against the limited opportunities for educated females to obtain paying jobs, most families choose to keep daughters at home. There she is able to contribute to the household by cleaning, cooking, collecting wood and water, and looking after younger children. According to the UNICEF League Table of Girls Out of School, the percentage of primary scho ol age girls out of school in the region of Sub-Saharan Africa is as high as ninety- four percent, with a regional average of fifty percent. The regional average of Middle East and North Africa, as well as, Asia and Pacific is twenty-two percent. When these numbers are compared to the seven percent regional averages of the Americas rand Europe, it is clear to see the disparity amongst nations (UNICEF, nd). In a January New York Times article, Jennifer Medina discusses the educational impacts of teenage immigrants in New York City schools. Medina estimates that of the 150,000 non- English speaking students in the city, more than 15,000 have had little or no formal schooling, and are often illiterate in their native languages. Stephanie Grasso, an English teacher in the South Bronx, explained to Medina that many immigrant teens have not learned do not have a notion of what it means to be a student. In addition to the expected challenges immigrants face, these children have the a dded disadvantage of having to learn how to be a student how to ask questions and understand things for themselves (Medina, 2009). The State of New York has established a formal classification for teenage immigrants new to the educational experience Students with Interrupted Formal Education. Statistics from New York City’s Department of Education show a fifty percent increase in the number of Students with Interrupted Formal Education over the past ten years. In 2007, the graduation rate of these students was a mere twenty-nine percent against the city’s overall sixty-two percent average. A study was performed during this same timeframe, through which Elaine Klein, a linguistics professor at City University of New York, followed ninety-eight Students with Interrupted Formal Education. Within twelve months, Professor Klein reported that only forty- eight of the students had remained in school. The other fifty students had either returned to their home countries , left school for unskilled jobs, or disappeared. The State of New York does not offer any additional financing for Students with Interrupted Formal Education. In 2008 New York City provided $2. 5 million to fifty-three schools with a large population of these students; however, this only equated to $165 dollars extra per student. As a result of these limited resources and the negative impact these children have on school ratings, many school administrators are allowing these children to fall through the cracks. A principal at a Queens high school was quoted as saying â€Å"Look, you have to understand my position: what this group does for my school is bring down my numbers† (Medina, 2009). With many administrators adopting a similar attitude to that expressed by the Queens principal, many are left to ponder the question of who is going to serve these children. To address this issue, Norma Vega, a New York City social worker and former principal, established Ellis Prep Sch ool. Ellis is an acronym for English Language Learners and International Support. In addition to the State’s standard per-pupil funding, Ms. Vega was able to secure a four year, $200,000 grant from the Institute for Student Achievement, and $76,000 from New York City. In addition to teachers, Ms. Vega’s staff includes academic coaches to sit at students’ sides in class to walk them through lessons. Ellis students are organized into small groups, compiled in such a way as to provide newer students the benefit of working with more experienced students on which they can rely for explanations and translations. The Ellis curriculum includes English, math, history, science, and electives including violin and dance. Ellis has the same graduation requirements as other high schools. Although it is too soon to report on the success of Ellis’ academic program, Ms. Vega is confident that it will better serve Students with Interrupted Formal Education than the t raditional public school system. Ms. Vega has said, â€Å"If they were all sent to regular high schools, they would simply be lost† (Medina, 2009). Interviews with teenage immigrants prove that aside from all the obstacles they face, teen immigrants find plenty to be happy about. One freshman immigrant from Mexico joked that what he liked most about this country are the cute girls. Many others appreciate the better schools and jobs. One student summarized his American experience simply: â€Å"I like freedom. † (The Grady Journal, 2009). References Barnard, A. (2009). Voicing pain through performance. (2009, Apr 13). New York Times. Retrieved October 23, 2009 from https://www. nytimes. com/2009/04/13/nyregion/ 13websloan. html Blasingame, J. , Lipski, L. (2004). [Review of First crossing: stories about teen immigrants]. Journal of Adolescent Adult Literacy, 48, 2, 74-175. Retrieved October 23, 2009 from https://mylibrary. wilmu. du:2053/ehost/pdfvid=4hid=102sid=3df 20c5c-59de-43ac- a978-c24333faeb49%40sessionmgr104 Medina, J. (2009). In school for the first time, teenage immigrants struggle. (2009, Jan 24). New York Times. Retrieved October 23, 2009 from https://www. nytimes. com/2009/01/25/ education/25ellis. html Passig, D. , Eden, S. , Heled, M. (2007). The impact of Virtual Reality on the awareness of teenagers to social and emotional experiences of immigrant classmates. Springer Science + Business Media, LLC. Retrieved October 23, 2009 from https://mylibrary. wilmu. edu:2053/ehost/pdf? id=5hid=102sid=3df20c5c-59de -43ac-a978-c24333faeb49%40sessionmgr104 Sridhar, P. (2008). Teen immigrants face unique challenges. Medill Reports, Northwestern University. Retrieved October 23, 2009 from https://news. medill. northwestern. edu/ washington/news. aspx? id=90033 The Grady Journal. (2009). Immigrants struggle to fit in at U. S. high schools. Retrieved October 23, 2009 from https://www. gradyjournal. com/? p=3176 UNICEF. (nd). League Table of Gir ls Out of School. Retrieved October 25, 2009 from https://www. unicef. org/pon96/leag1edu. htm Teen Immigrants 7 Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Teenage Immigrants and problems they face" essay for you Create order

Wednesday, December 18, 2019

Japan, South Korean, And America Management Practices

Japan, China, South Korean, and America Management Practices Every country has different management practices. They all have unique approaches that have been found to be the most adequate or efficient way in accomplishing specific objectives. We have heard the English terms culture, management terms, and business culture, which are commonly used business terms in America. Nonetheless, we don’t have much knowledge about international business terms. International business terms such as â€Å"wa†, â€Å"quanxi†, and â€Å" inhwa†, which are essential management terms in Japan, China, and South Korea. In this paper I will be analyzing my findings on the words culture, management terms, business culture, â€Å"wa†, â€Å"quanxi†, â€Å"inhwa†, what would be similar terms to describe American management practices, and if these terms sufficiently capture American management practices. Culture is a very broad word with multiple definitions. It can be defined as the knowledge, experience, beliefs, attitude and values passed from one generation to another. Culture can also be interpreted as a certain way of thinking and behavior that prevail in a place or organization. On the other hand, management is the act of controlling and most importantly making business decisions. Whereas term, is an expression used to indicate a concept in a specific kind of language or branch of study. If we combine the two words, management and terms, from the definition provided, the term refers to certain terminology used in theShow MoreRelatedHuman Management Practices At Japan, China, And South Korea1218 Words   |  5 Pagesdifferent management practices. They all have unique approaches that have been found to be the most adequate or efficient way in accomplishing specific objectives. We have heard the English terms culture, management terms, and business culture, which are commonly u sed business terms in America. Nonetheless, we don’t have much knowledge about international business terms. International business terms such as â€Å"wa†, â€Å"quanxi†, and â€Å" inhwa†, which are essential management terms in Japan, China, and South KoreaRead MoreUnderstanding The Words Culture, Management Terms, And Business Culture1192 Words   |  5 Pagesdifferent management practices. They all have unique approaches that have been found to be the most adequate or efficient way in accomplishing specific objectives. At some point we have heard the English terms culture, management terms, and business culture, yet we don’t have much knowledge about these terms definitions. On the other hand, some of us are not familiar with terms such as â€Å"wa†, â€Å"quanxi†, and â€Å" inhwa†, Which these terms are essential management terms in Japan, China, and South Korea. InRead MoreTerm Paper-Lowes Bd 10-Year3567 Words   |  15 Pagesideal situation of opening up stores before their competitors. Based on research I conducted, this assessment considers the potential of expanding Lowe’s into the Korean market. With any major investment, it is important to consider the monetary and non-monetary aspects including gaining an understanding of the culture, the ideal management approach, past and future trends, along with political roadblocks. In this paper, the following information provides a roadmap to the decision-making processRead MoreThe Meaning Of Culture. â€Å"The Set Of Norms, Behaviors, Beliefs1488 Words   |  6 PagesThe meaning of culture â€Å"The set of norms, behaviors, beliefs and customs that exist within the population of a sovereign nation. International companies develop management and other practices in accordance with the national culture they are operating in† (BusinessDictionary.com, 2017) The essentials of a specific culture places emphasis on what is socially acceptable to that specific demographic with regard to its heritage and can be best summed as the complexities of the whole society. Five majorRead MoreSocio-Cultural Analysis Of North Korea. 13F Alc Class 003-17.1565 Words   |  7 Pagestheir impact on the society 6 Weather analysis 7 Civil considerations 7 â€Æ' The meaning of culture â€Å"The set of norms, behaviors, beliefs and customs that exist within the population of a sovereign nation. 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MedicalRead MoreHyundai Case Study8390 Words   |  34 PagesAsia Paciï ¬ c Business Review Vol. 12, No. 2, 131–147, April 2006 Globalization and Employment Relations in the Korean Auto Industry: The Case of the Hyundai Motor Company in Korea, Canada and India RUSSELL D. LANSBURY*, SEUNG-HO KWON** CHUNGSOK SUH†  *University of Sydney, **School of International Business, University of New South Wales, †  University of New South Wales ABSTRACT Examination is made of the complex interactions between globalization and employment relations as reï ¬â€šectedRead MoreWa, Guanxi and Inhwa: Managerial Principles of Japan, China and Korea4587 Words   |  19 PagesWa, Guanxi, and Inhwa: Managerial Principle in Japan, China, and Korea I. Introduction: MANAGERIAL is an act of management in all business and organization to get the desired goals and objectives by inserting PRINCIPLES depends on the philosophies, behavior and culture of an organization. According to Jon P. Alston article, each society has its separate, distinctive philosophy which leads to specific behavior appropriate to the setting and having knowledge of their principles is not only helpfulRead MoreSouth Korea4993 Words   |  20 PagesCountry report South Korea – Electronic Yu Ming Lin Country Profile In February 1945 the end of World War II, Korean Peninsula divided into North and South Korea. South Korea also name Republic of Korea, 99,392 sq. km, has a population of almost 50 million, and has its capital at Seoul, the largest city in Korea. The second largest city is Busan, which is the country’s main port, has wonderful nature harbor beside the delta of Nakdong River. The major industrial prior 1948 was agriculture inRead MoreWal-Mart International Failure1896 Words   |  8 PagesWal-Mart in a strip mall in this western German city. Multimedia {draw:a} Related Retail Chains Scramble to Enter Indian Market (August 2, 2006) ) {draw:a} Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images In South Korea, Wal-Mart had only 16 stores — a small presence that contributed to its decision in May to sell out to a Korean discount chain. {text:bookmark-start} {text:bookmark-end} â€Å"Why are they giving up now?† he asked. â€Å"They have good prices and a good variety of products.† Yet Mr. Kà ¶gel, 54, confessed that

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Organizational Theory Attainments and Experience

Question: Discuss how organizational theory can be used effectively to manage people in projects, identifying cases as examples and project management approach. Answer: Introduction Project managementis the diligence of works on, formulation, knowledge, attainments and experience to accomplish theprojecttargets. Generally, aprojectis an unequaled, ephemeral strive, contracted to attain designed objectives, which could bedelimitatedin terms of production and results or gains. PMP theory Organizational theoryanalyzes establishments to determine the forms and structures they apply to resolve problems, increase skillfulness and output, a relationship of the managers and experts in the organization and meet the desires of investors. It also explains strategies in which an establishment can header with rapid change. Examples Theory X AND Y Google gives its employees freedom and makes sure they love their work. Google enables their employees to work flexibly. It also ensures that the workplace is comfortable, with everything from therapists to cereal bars. It also allows its employees to be creative. Employees are encouraged to stay and be productive. This business look at their employees as independent, and assume that they enjoy their work. Work is self-fulfilling, and self-actualizing. These businesses do not micromanage their employees, because they prefer them to be creative and take ownership of their work. Genencor Company-which is a biotechnological company was also ranked as the best place to work by the human resource management in 2005. This company uses theory y mode of management. It allows its employees to reward their fellow colleagues with on the spot rewards for their outstanding work. The company is a model of innovation, teamwork and productivity. Motivation- Hygiene Theory Good policies and administration within the work organization will enable increased productivity. Workers will also be motivated by a good salary, achievement in production through increased sales and recognition by their seniors for their good work. A study was carried out in Hong Kong hotel employees to determine the job related motivators that were important to them. The study used Kovach 1980 motivators as a reference list. The results of the study were in line with those of Herzberg et. al 1959. They found out that factors that motivated the employees included: the work being interesting, the opportunity for them to advance and develop and the feeling of being involved in the workplace. This lead to increased productivity and job satisfaction. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs This theory depicts that there are basic needs an individual needs to meet first before they can move to other needs. This needs start with peace of mind-psychological. The worker should also be content with the security so as to be comfortable. The working environment should also be free to enable socialization. The management should then improve their workers esteem through complementation. This will lead to self-actualization leading to increased productivity. The theory is implemented in all elementary schools. Before a student's cognitive demands have to be met they first must fulfil their basic physiological needs. For instance a tired and hungry student will find difficulties in focusing and learning. Students should to feel emotionally and physically safe and consented within the classroom to build up and achieve their full potential. Maslow theory also depicts that students must be shown that they are appraised and respected in the classroom and the instructors should also create an appurtenant environment. Students with low self-esteem should be guided to enable them realize their potential. Vrooms Theory Vroom explains that an individual is motivated at the workstation knowing that their effort will result in the desired outcome. Employees are motivated by knowing that if they increase their effort will enable them being rewarded. In many banks, individuals are encouraged to do their savings. This will attract an interest that they will be paid at the end of the year. For financial bonuses, it signifies that individuals need to understand that their increased effort will enable them to get the bonus. Or, if no added effort is added, the individual will receive a low bonus. This entails creating a balance by making it achievable. Project Management Approach The project manager should act as a servant leader since he is the voice of the team. He/she should clarify issues and guide the team appropriately. This includes listening to their opinions. Proper scheduling of work, ensuring validation and verification of the project and continuous improvement of the process. The manager should ensure accountability, based on trust, ability to have productive conflict, commitment and encouraging the team. The ability to solve conflicts is also crucial. Enabling a conducive working environment and encourage team building in order to have a highly performing team.

Monday, December 2, 2019

Women At War Essays - Women In The United States Navy,

Women At War Women at War Since the creation of human's, women have never had the opportunity to be that a contributing factor in the starting or stopping of a war. Not even until recently, was it even convincing to hear of women working in a career field in the military that had the slightest chance of going into a combat zone. When you think about an image of war, what do you see? If you are like most, you see a battlefield that is filled with men fighting each other and in the distant background are the women. In centuries past, men and women have had different responsibilities. It was up to the men to get the food and to protect the family while women were in charge of taking care of the household. Over time this old adage held true, but at the outbreak of World War I, there was a need for more manpower so women were being allowed into the military to serve in certain career fields. During the buildup for the start of America's involvement in World War I, the military was trying to solve an emerging manpower crisis. In 1917, Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels found a small loophole in the Naval recruiting regulations. He brought up the question of Is there any regulation which specifies that a Navy yeoman be a man? In no time at all, the Navy was enlisting women into such fields as clerks, radio electricians, chemists, accountants, telephone operators, and nurses. This move also got the Army to look at their own recruiting openings. When the Army began to recruit women, they decided to take a more conservative approach by allowing just nurses as well as a small number of occupational therapists and dieticians (Women were vital to military success in war). Many other firsts came about as a result of World War I. This was the first time that both the Army and Navy nurse corps were activated. Physicals were being performed on all soldiers. So before they could be inducted, they had to be cleared as fit for Service. Because of this, women could no longer disguise themselves as soldiers as many had done in wars in the past. And this was also the first time that women served in the Navy, the Marine Corps, and the Army Surgical Corps openly. Laura Frost Smith, a nurse during WW I, is the oldest known American veteran still living. World War I is a war that marked the first time that women were officially allowed to serve in the military. Mrs. Smith, unlike most of her colleagues, was able to survive and tell her story of her experience through the letters that she had wrote during the war and in a family memoir that she had written while in her 90's. Many of these stories tell a tale that is fearful to say the least. Do I look bad? the soldier pleads. Half his face is gone. Laura Frost hurriedly dresses the raw shreds that remain. There are still men moaning on gurneys in the rain outside the operating tent. Her hands shake from the chilling damp that seeps through the canvas walls. Her thin leather boots are coated with mud. Blood is smeared across her nurse's uniform. She tries to block out the sound of limbs dropping into enamel pails as surgeons saw through mangled flesh and bones. For a moment she presses her hand against her eyes. Sometimes the men in their misery make her cry (WW I left its enduring mark). Eventhough eighty years went by, she still feels emotional and begins to cry whenever she recalls that sight. Laura Frost Smith was just one of over 25,000 women that had served overseas during World War I. Another 15,000 worked as civilians through individual drive or with numerous volunteer agencies. Many of these were American nurses who went to serve in British, French, Serbian, Russian, and even German organizations during the war. Another 13,000 had joined the Navy with over 300 enlisting in the Marine Corps. These women did not go overseas, but they supported the cause of the war just as enthusiastically as those who did. These women worked in primarily clerical work. Some

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Free Essays on Sweat

Sweat by Zora Neale Hurston Women Overcoming Domestic Violence Zora Neale Hurston’s â€Å"Sweat† is a short story about the struggles and hardships in the life of an African American woman living in the south. The short story talked about the treatment of women in these times. Many women of present times can identify with the hardships that Delia encountered in her marriage. The story also deals with adultery in relationships and the dishonesty and heartache it brings to a relationship. The story gives many women of domestic violence the strength and the courage to stand up for themselves and against their husbands. In these times it was hard for African American women to stand up to their abusive husbands. Getting a divorce was not a very common thing to do. Most women endured the pain and troubles of being physically and mentally abused everyday. A number of women were too poor to get a divorce or even runaway from their husbands. Husbands of these times supported the family and were the only ones who had a job in the family. In â€Å"Sweat† Delia was the supporter of the family she worked every day supporting herself and Sykes. This was not very common in these times. Most women stayed home and watched the children while the men supported the family. With women not working this made it hard for them to get enough money to leave their husbands and support themselves and their children without their husbands. The story gives women of domestic violence courage and strength to get out of an abusive relationship. In one part of the story Delia is in kitchen and sykes comes in starts verbally abusing her she finally stands up to him she says â€Å"Looka heah, Sykes, you done gone too fur. Ah been married to you fur fifteen years, and Ah been takin’ in washin’ fur fifteen years. Sweat, sweat, sweat! Work sweat, cry and sweat, pray and sweat!† She then picks up an iron skillet to defend herself from him. This move takes Sykes by sur... Free Essays on Sweat Free Essays on Sweat Sweat by Zora Neale Hurston Women Overcoming Domestic Violence Zora Neale Hurston’s â€Å"Sweat† is a short story about the struggles and hardships in the life of an African American woman living in the south. The short story talked about the treatment of women in these times. Many women of present times can identify with the hardships that Delia encountered in her marriage. The story also deals with adultery in relationships and the dishonesty and heartache it brings to a relationship. The story gives many women of domestic violence the strength and the courage to stand up for themselves and against their husbands. In these times it was hard for African American women to stand up to their abusive husbands. Getting a divorce was not a very common thing to do. Most women endured the pain and troubles of being physically and mentally abused everyday. A number of women were too poor to get a divorce or even runaway from their husbands. Husbands of these times supported the family and were the only ones who had a job in the family. In â€Å"Sweat† Delia was the supporter of the family she worked every day supporting herself and Sykes. This was not very common in these times. Most women stayed home and watched the children while the men supported the family. With women not working this made it hard for them to get enough money to leave their husbands and support themselves and their children without their husbands. The story gives women of domestic violence courage and strength to get out of an abusive relationship. In one part of the story Delia is in kitchen and sykes comes in starts verbally abusing her she finally stands up to him she says â€Å"Looka heah, Sykes, you done gone too fur. Ah been married to you fur fifteen years, and Ah been takin’ in washin’ fur fifteen years. Sweat, sweat, sweat! Work sweat, cry and sweat, pray and sweat!† She then picks up an iron skillet to defend herself from him. This move takes Sykes by sur...

Saturday, November 23, 2019

5 Facts About PZEVs, Partial Zero Emissions Vehicles

5 Facts About PZEVs, Partial Zero Emissions Vehicles Partial Zero Emissions Vehicles, or PZEVs, are vehicles with engines that have been equipped with advanced emissions controls. This results in zero evaporative emissions. You may have heard about vehicles with the PZEV designation. For example, the 2012 Honda Civic Natural Gas, also known as the 2012 Honda Civic PZEV, has a natural gas engine with almost zero pollution-forming emissions. Its been identified as one of the cleanest internal-combustion vehicles to receive certification through the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The state of California has recognized this special Honda Civic model with Advanced Technology Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle, or AT-PZEV, designation because it meets that states stringent emissions control standards. It also has a warranty to maintain its emissions for at least 150,000 miles or 15 years. PZEVs Are Rooted in California PZEV is an administrative category for low emission vehicles in the state of California and other states that have adopted Californias more stringent pollution control standards. The PZEV category began in California as a bargain with the California Air Resources Board to allow automakers the ability to postpone mandated zero emission vehicles, due to the cost and time necessary for electric or hydrogen fuel cell vehicle production. Vehicles that have been manufactured to meet PZEV requirements outside the state of California are usually referred to as super ultra-low emission vehicles, sometimes abbreviated as SULEVs. They Must Meet Specific Standards Certified vehicles must meet tight emission test requirements for volatile organic compounds and oxides of nitrogen, as well as carbon monoxide. Emissions-related components must be warranted for 10 years or 150,000 miles, including electrical components of hybrid and electric cars. Evaporative emissions must be zero. When the California standards were being formulated, it was anticipated that battery-powered cars would be much more readily available soon after the new standards were adopted. Because cost and other factors kept the number of electric cars dotting the highway to a lower number than expected, a modification of the original mandate gave birth to the PZEV. This allowed car manufacturers to meet requirements through partial zero credits. The Name Refers to Emissions, Not Fuel Efficiency Dont confuse PZEVs with vehicles that rate above-average for fuel efficiency. PZEV refers to vehicles with advanced emission controls, but that does not equate with improved fuel efficiency. Most PZEVs come in at about average for their class in fuel efficiency. Hybrid or electric vehicles that meet PZEV standards are sometimes classified as AT-PZEV for Advanced Technology PZEV because emissions are just as clean, but they get much better fuel efficiency. The Standards Demand Compliance Under the Clean Air Act, California was able to set more stringent vehicle emissions standards, including tailpipe emissions. In 2009, car makers were charged with reducing greenhouse gas emissions for new passenger cars and light trucks. Automakers were given eight years to bring new vehicle manufacturing in line to cut pollutants by approximately 30 percent once fully phased in by the end of 2016. Expect to See More While PZEVs and the low emissions movement got its start in California, other states have since followed in the Golden States footsteps. The stricter standards aimed at cutting emissions by approximately 30 percent by 2016 were adopted by multiple states, as well as the District of Columbia. Similar standards are also part of an agreement Canada signed with automakers.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

SAS case, on vertical integration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

SAS case, on vertical integration - Essay Example Previous study in the area of airline alliances was carried out in 1944 by Gellman Research Associate. This study was conducted under the request of the United States Department of Transport to measure the impact of code sharing agreements on the market share in the first quarter of 1994, between British Airways/USAir and KLM/North West. SAS Company is one of the leaders in the aviation industry, thanks to the restricting efforts that were brought by Jan Carlzon. Having been in the market for quite some time now, SAS is in the maturity level of the PLC curve and now focuses on provision of high quality services to the passengers. SAS also takes pride in having the largest market share of full-fare paying passengers in the airline industry. Company Operating Profits (US $million) 1. American 392 2. Federal Express 365 3. SAS 260 4. Delta 225 5. Cathy Pacific 206 6. Swiss air 200 7. Northwest 167 8. USAir 164 9. continental 143 10. KLM 131 Comparison of Major World Airlines, Statistics 1986: (Air Transport World, 1987). Currently, the firm has established itself as the third most profitable airline firm in terms of operating profits. By 1986, SAS made a total of Skr 1.5 billion in operating profits. ... le, SAS international hotel that provides full-paying passengers with facilities such as tickets, transport, and hotel packages has strategically positioned the company in the market. Other milestones have involved the introduction of the â€Å"euro class†. The external and internal and internal capabilities of the firm are the two factors that determine the strategies, which a firm takes to compete effectively in the external business environment. Despite operating in the same environment, different firms bear different internal and external capabilities that often determine the profits or losses that they make. It is for this reason that the profitability of a firm is determined by the industrial structure within which the firm competes, and how best it establishes it’s self in it (Porter 1980, p. 65). On the flip side, the proponents of the resource based school offer that the profitability of the firm is determined by the unique variety of resources and capabilities of the firm (Collis & Montgomery, 1995, p. 118). Kay (1993, p. 103) offers that to have a competitive advantage, a firm must differentiate its product and services from those of the competitors, through the introduction of distinctive features. This was the case of SAS in the replacement of the small 40-passenger airlines with the 110-passenger DC-9S aircrafts which had double capacity. To attract more passengers, SAS maintained the low costs and frequency which were synonymous with the 40-passenger airlines. Differentiation of the business travelers through the introduction of the â€Å"Scanoroma† lounges in SAS affiliated airports was also one of the ways of establishing distinctive resource capabilities. Organization architecture is also the other factor that determines the profits and losses that a

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Cinematic Arts Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Cinematic Arts - Personal Statement Example A critical analysis of my resume indicates an extremely disciplined, focused and organized mind, firstly as an operational specialist in the U.S. Navy and later as an administrative assistant to Arnold Schwarzenegger. In the U.S. Navy, I was responsible for the computer-assisted authorizations and instructions upon which the lives of Navy pilots depended. This was a high degree of responsibility and required great attention to detail and precision of communication. It also required me to quickly comprehend complex situations under stress and to explain clearly and quickly the logic of my decisions to aircraft personnel. In addition in instances where weather conditions could suddenly alter flight plans, I had to demonstrate the flexibility of thinking. My interest in media was nurtured within the political sphere both before and after working for the U.S. Navy. In the Department of Labor, I was most interested to conduct research on media outlets and to understand how the flow of information works between a government office and the broadcast media. I gained an insight into what is categorized as confidential information and what information is freely available, giving me a feel for information that might be "missing" when I read political articles in the newspapers. Working closely to briefs from Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, I created publicity materials within a marketing plan, giving me greater confidence and understanding in the critical assessment of written documents and the message they convey. I provided the background information for press conferences from newspaper cuttings and in so doing had to understand the views of many different journalists and to have sensitivity for how subjects might be reported.2) Career Objectives All of the experience I have had win political offices has given me a great interest in understanding fields related to politics and business and how they interact with the media. I can see myself working in fields related to broadcast and film coverage, so one possibility, for example, would be public relations within military organizations e.g. the public affairs office of the U.S. Navy.One of my greatest ambitions is to be able to produce broadcast political shows on national T.V. that give people insight into the political issues of our time. In this I feel a PhD in Critical Studies at the School of Cinematic Arts will assist me greatly.My favorite media reading is the Washington Post and Hollywood Reporter, and I enjoy watching both Western and Chinese films from political blockbusters and thrillers (e.g. Oliver Stone's JFK) to martial art movies (e.g. John Woo) and those based on Chinese literature such as Red Cliff (dir: John Woo) and Crouching Tiger , Hidden Dragon (dir: Ang Lee). I feel my background to date is very solid in demonstrating critical analysis skills during my time as a U.S. Navy Operational Specialist, political communication skills through my time liaising with the media in the offices of Gov. Schwarzenegger, and business analysis and organizational skills learnt through my current Masters in Business administration and management.

Sunday, November 17, 2019

The Impact of ‘Scientific Ideal’ on the Development of Political Science Essay Example for Free

The Impact of ‘Scientific Ideal’ on the Development of Political Science Essay Introduction The philosophy of history is a study on how the human history is supposed to be laid down in papers. There are several studies that are interconnected with the process of knowing how and what should history contain about the human past. Along with this, an important focus on how wide the philosophies on historical set up directly affect the developments in the present systems of political science is also being observed. Political Science as defined mainly refers to the study of political behavior of people making up the government of certain specific countries. These behaviors also include the scientific examination of the acquisition and the application of power in different forms of government practiced by respectively different countries as well. According to authors Dickerson and Flanagan in their book â€Å"An Introduction to Government and Politics (2001), â€Å"Political Science is a process of conflict resolution in which support is mobilized and maintained for collective projects†. This naturally means that it is a way in which countries are able to formulate public projects de to the existence of authorities who have the power to give permission for such public projects. Other known writers and philosophers have different views towards the real meaning of the said study. As for Mao Zedong, Political Science is the study of politics wherein politics is defined as â€Å"war without bloodshed while war is politics with bloodshed† (As cited by Slann, 2004). Another writer, Otto Van Bismarck says that Political Science is the art of politics, which is referred to as the art of the possible (As cited by Slann, 2004). To him, the said study makes impossible things to occur within the existence of the human government. Indeed, as many writers have different and at times even contrasting views regarding the study of politics which is Political Science, debates and other social issues behind the controversies of political philosophies. Among the issues concerned within the topic is the fact that the Philosophies of History sets clear points showing the connection of the ‘scientific ideal† studies and observations to the developments of Political Science itself. With the use of several literature readings and observation, an issue regarding the emergence of power within the history of human civilization shall be discussed in this paper. Along with this, some points of concern regarding the relationship between the scientific processes mostly called the ‘scientific ideal’ in putting down the historical past of the human civilization and the development of Political Science up until the present time shall also be tackled herein. Philosophy of History The philosophy of history is referred to as the branch of the study of philosophy focused on the eventual significance of human history to the present development of several aspects of living within the human society. Thus, this study includes political science within its scope. In the process of knowing the specific details of human history and its connection to the present existing systems in the human society, several questions are considered in performing the said study. First is the determination of the specific and proper unit used for the study of the human past. It mainly asks â€Å"what possible unit should be mainly considered when history is presented to the readers of the present generation, the individual points, the cities or the sovereign territories, the development of civilization or culture, or everything else comprised within the details of the human past?† Another question is concerning the broad patterns used in posting the human past in historical write-ups and literatures. The main question is â€Å"are there any patterns of progress followed in the posting of history? The last point of concern of this study is the direction passed by historical accounts. The question on this matter of concern is â€Å"what is the driving force of the progress in history?† The questions mentioned above are mainly used to observe the different aspects of human society. Moreover, among the aspects to be considered as mentioned earlier is the connection of this process to the developments of Political Science. Consequently, many debates arise because of the fact that there are many theories concerning this matter. Some of the theories of power and politics shall be discussed in the paragraphs to follow. The Introduction of ‘Power’ in the Human Society With the records written in the pages of history, it has been made clear that ever since the human civilization started to thrive in the face of the earth, leadership and power had already been a part of the human’s everyday living. There had always been a need for people to have somebody stand up as their leader to instruct them of what they are supposed to do. Simple forms of governments have been formed in the earlier years of human existence to support the said need for leadership. On the other hand, many people too wanted to have the privilege of ruling their respective small communities. With this, there came to be the birth of simple politics. According to the analysis of Michel Foucault (1977) in the journal â€Å"Politico-Historical† discourse on â€Å"Race Struggle†, politics began to thrive due to the fact that people wanted to become a part of the authoritative power who rules other people. Because of this, Foucault claims that social conflict based on ethnic groups, class struggle as well as social elements contributing to power began in the earlier human generations. Then, as years passed, the simple political set up in the human communities began to change. Some tribes or even certain individuals wanting power, already wanted the position of an official in a certain society already came up with different propagandas to get what they want. Indeed, the politics as defined by Mao Zedong earlier as ‘war without bloodshed’ began to be given birth during these times of political progression in the human civilization. Another analysis on Philosophical History by Foucault (1976) entitled â€Å"Society Must be Defended† says that politics all began with the race struggle. People began to take territories as well as claim their people’s race when the beginning of politics had been introduced to the human society. This has been proven when the said analysis of human society and politics by Foucault had been used in Great Britain for study. It has been proven that people used to struggle against monarchy thus having the motives of gaining considerable social class from not much different from that of the monarchial rulers. Indeed, as clearly pointed out on the different literatures regarding philosophy of history and how the human past accounts had been laid down into writing, politics had been proven as a developing social factor which directly affects the whole society’s life and dealings with their own communities. Today, as history makes it clear, political science has been continuously developing through the years of human civilization. From the simple forms of government and creation of simple laws to the birth of a more organized human rulership and more complex creation of laws, the ‘scientific ideal’ had helped the people understand the developments of politics in the society as well as its study. Along the pages of human history, it could be tracked down how much politics as well as political science had been developing through the passing on of generations. The accounts on the years of imperialism and colonization have also been a factor, which contributed to the present political systems applied in many countries around the world. In this regard, the introduction of democratic government around the world had been very successful because of the fact that history shows the need for such kind of rulership basing from the past occurrences that happened due to the existence of other forms of government. Although not all the nations around the world applies the said form of government, many people still began to realize that this form of government gives so much benefit to people due to the effects of many analytical literatures written to support the said idea on freedom and democracy. Developments of Political Science As mentioned earlier, political science had been continuously developing through the years. Indeed, the fact that through the scientific formulas of historical presentation of different political accounts through the years of human civilization, politics and its study had been able to aim for better ways of governing people and helping the human civilization progress further for human advancement. In the face of history, it is clearly shown how the political aspect of the society had affected so much of human activities through the years of progress. Other social aspects such as religion and social classes as well as the different ideologies regarding life had been directly affected by the development of politics in the whole world. Along with this, the analysis of the said factor in human society also continuously developed helping in further progress of politics itself. As often said by writers who endeavor in the reports of both social and political progress, â€Å"the society is constantly developing and this is all because of the impact of history to the human civilization† (Rousseau, 2005). Conclusion True, as clearly pointed out in the entire theme of this paper, ‘scientific ideal’ in the placement of history of the human civilization on paper makes it possible for political science to develop in the way it analyzes the present political situations in the world. The creation of laws and other national rules are also directly affected by the said state of development in political science. Yes, indeed, the way history is carefully written for the benefit of the present generation is truly an important factor contributing to the progress of the study conducted by political science in the development of world politics and governance. Bibliography Martin Slann. (2004). Introduction to Politics: Governments and Nations in the Twenty- First Century. Atomic Dog Publishing. Pp 14,15. Jean-Jacques Rousseau. (2005). The Plan for Perpetual Peace, On the Government of Poland, and Other Writings on History and Politics (Collected Writings of Rousseau). Dartmouth College Press. P 122. Dickerson, M. and Flanagan, E. (2001). An Introdustion to Government and Politics. Atomic Dog Publishing. 12. Foucault, M. (1976). Philosophical History. The Society Must Be Defended. Verso Publishing Company. 14. Foucault, M. (1977). Politico-Historico. Race Struggle. Verso Publishing Company. 21. Louis Althusser. (2001). Politics and History: Montesquieu, Rousseau, Marx (Radical Thinkers). Verso Publishing Company. 23. Iain Hampsher-Monk. (1993). A History of Modern Political Thought: Major Political Thinkers from Hobbes to Marx. Blackwell Publishing, Incorporated. 121. John Milton, Martin Dzelzainis. (1991). Milton: Political Writings (Cambridge Texts in the History of Political Thought). Cambridge University Press. 145. Blackwell Publishing. (2003). History and Theory Studies in the Philosophy of History. http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/journal.asp?ref=0018-2656. (September 6, 2006). Blackwell Publishing. (2006). History On-Line. http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/journal.asp?ref=0018-2656. (September 6, 2006).

Friday, November 15, 2019

revelation Essay -- essays research papers

Waiting room is a place where most of story is developed. With Mrs. Turpin’s appearance, this room is turned to one small society which has variety of social class, genders, ages, and skin colors. People are classified by the view of rich white woman. Her view of human is very simple; ‘niggers’ who are divided into bottom group, ‘white-trash’, sometimes even worse than niggers, and home and land owners like herself. All kind of people can be assessed by two criteria – Color and wealth. This was common view to assess people after the civil war, the period when racism still remained and material things began to be important with industrialization. In terms of racism, after the civil war, African-Americans were not slavers and should not be treated as slavers anymore. However, both white peo...

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Operations Management Zellers Essay

What competitive priority is important for a discount store, such as Zellers? Cost is the most important competitive priority for a discount store, such as Zellers. In order to perform competitively as a discount store, the organization must emphasize low operating costs. With this priority, Zellers can produce at low costs in comparison to competitors and offer products at low prices in order to meet consumer needs and become an order winner. 2. Three generic strategies are low cost, niche market, and product differentiation. What one of these strategies was Zellers using before 1998? After 1998? Prior to 1998, Zellers was using a low cost strategy. The company targeted budget-minded consumers with the slogan â€Å"Where the Lowest Price is the Law.† In the face of fierce rivalry from WalMart entering the competitive landscape and various operational shortcomings, Zellers made several strategic decisions and changes. After 1998, Zellers was using a niche market strategy, by adjusting its mission to become a â€Å"mom’s store.† Zellers focused on offering fair value to consumers, as opposed to the lowest price. The company moved away from the low cost dynamic of its self-service policy by investing in labour, having several customer service assistants on the floor. It also focused on investing in more famous brands and private label products. To the company’s detriment, it appears that Zellers made these strategic changes in order to compete more directly with WalMart, as they moved away from discounts towards offering everyday low prices on 95% of its merchandise.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Homework Assignment Essay

1) How could an organization benefit from attending one of the courses offered at the Intense School? By attending of the course offered at the school an organization would gain valuable knowledge on how to protect their system from hackers. If the organization were heavily dependent on the smooth operation of their IT system this would be essentially important. The amount of knowledge that would be gained from the courses, they can facilitate the creation of a better security system. 2) What are the two primary lines of security defense and how can organizational employees use the information taught by the Intense School when drafting an information security plan? The two primary lines of security defense are through people first and technology second. The courses will enlighten the employees how easy it is for hackers to deploy social engineering to gain private information from them. Employees can use the information taught at the school to draft an information security plan that details how an organization will implement the information security policies. The school will most likely teach many of the tricks to social engineering and hacking, which the employees can use to create the detailed information security policies. 3) Determine the differences between the two primary courses offered at the Intense School, â€Å"Professional Hacking Boot Camp† and â€Å"Social Engineering in Two Days.† Which course is more important for organizational employees to attend? The two main differences is that one covers the Technology of the security defense line and the other covers issues with the People. The course Social Engineering in Two Days is more important for organizational employees to attend because it would be easiest for hackers to gain access through employees giving away passwords, leaving password lying around, etc.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Experiencing Discourse in Different Situations Essay Example

Experiencing Discourse in Different Situations Essay Example Experiencing Discourse in Different Situations Paper Experiencing Discourse in Different Situations Paper The main points of Gee’s piece Literacy, Discourse, and Linguistics, Villanueva’s piece Excerpts from Bootstraps: From an Academic of Color, and Priors piece Tracing Process: How Tests Come into Being are discourse. In the first reading Gee describes the main discourses, which are primary discourse, and secondary discourse. Primary discourse was explained more as the influence of your language and writing from your house hold, and family. Then secondary discourse would be the influence from your teachers and school. In Villanueva’s piece he talks about his journey through college, and how it was more challenging for him because his primary discourse was not the same as everyone else’s. As for Prior he explains the process of writing, and all the drafts you must have, along with switching your discourse depending on who you’re writing for. At the beginning of Gee’s piece he talks about the two ladies that are doing interviews for jobs that they want. He states, â€Å" This woman hasn’t got a real problem with her grammar, nor is there any real problem with the use to which she puts that grammar, but she is expressing the wrong values†(Gee pg. 2). He was discussing that what they were saying in their interviews, was probably not the best things to be saying. This is relating to Prior’s piece because he talks about how you change discourses depending on your audience. If you are having an interview you want to be very professional, and make your self sound proper, but you also need to make yourself sound qualified for the job. It’s also states discourse isn’t all about grammar, and speaking proper like school always taught us is not always appropriate or necessary. The most important part of communication is the content. In the interviews the girls were asked if they have ever sh own initiative in a previous job. One of the girls responds with, â€Å"I was left alone to handle the office, I didn’t really have a lot of e

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

Barbourofelis - Facts and Figures

Barbourofelis - Facts and Figures Name: Barbourofelis (Greek for Barbours cat); pronounced BAR-bore-oh-FEE-liss Habitat: Plains of North America Historical Epoch: Late Miocene (10-8 million years ago) Size and Weight: Up to six feet long and 250 pounds Diet: Meat Distinguishing Characteristics: Large size; long canine teeth; plantigrade posture About Barbourofelis The most notable of the barbourofelidsa family of prehistoric cats perched midway between the nimravids, or false saber-toothed cats, and the true saber-tooths of the felidae familyBarbourofelis was the only member of its breed to colonize late Miocene North America. This sleek, muscular predator possessed some of the largest canines of any saber-toothed cat, true or false, and it was correspondingly hefty, the largest species weighing in at about the size of a modern lion (though more heavily muscled). Intriguingly, Barbourofelis seems to have walked in a plantigrade fashion (that is, with its feet flat on the ground) rather than in a digitigrade fashion (on its toes), in this respect making it seem more like a bear than a cat! (Oddly enough, one of the contemporary animals that competed with Barbourofelis for prey was Amphicyon, the bear dog). Given its odd gait and enormous canines, how did Barbourofelis hunt? As far as we can tell, its strategy was similar to that of its later, heavier cousin Smilodon, aka the Saber-Toothed Tiger, which lived in Pleistocene North America. Like Smilodon, Barbourofelis whiled away its time in the low branches of trees, pouncing suddenly when a tasty bit of prey (like the prehistoric rhino Teleoceras and the prehistoric elephant Gomphotherium) approached. As it landed, it dug its sabers deep into the hide of its unfortunate victim, which (if it didnt die immediately) gradually bled to death as its assassin stalked close behind. (As with Smilodon, the sabers of Barbourfelis may occasionally have broken off in combat, which would have deadly consequences for both predator and prey.) Although there are four separate species of Barbourofelis, two are better known than the others. The slightly smaller B. loveorum (about 150 pounds) has been discovered as far afield as California, Oklahoma and especially Florida, while B. fricki, discovered in Nebraska and Nevada, was about 100 pounds heavier. One odd thing about B. loveorum, which is especially well represented in the fossil record, is that the juveniles apparently lacked fully functional saber teeth, which may (or may not) imply that newborns received a few years of tender parental care before venturing out alone into the wild. Telling against this parental-care hypothesis, though, is that Barbourofelis had a much smaller brain, relative to its body size, than modern big cats, and so may not have been capable of this kind of sophisticated social behavior.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

420 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

420 - Essay Example In particular, almost 600 sea turtles, 100 dolphins, more than 6000 birds, and lots of other mammals were found dead. Besides, the oil spill increased mortality among whales. As ecologists report, the mortality rate among dolphins increased by 50 times. According to recent researches, however, the Gulf of Mexico is gradually recovering after the catastrophe. American oceanologists claim that reef-building corals, which cannot survive in contaminated water, are currently in quite good condition. They are reproducing and growing in the ordinary course. At the same time, biologists report insufficient increase in average water temperature. Some researchers, however, voice fears concerning the impact of the  BP oil spill over the Gulf Stream, which is known to be a powerful climate forcing factor. There is an opinion that its temperature has lowered by 10 °C. What is more, the stream tends to separate into several underflows. This may be one of the prime causes of certain weather anomalies which could be observed in Europe. Heavy winter frosts may be one of these examples. However, this is just one of the theories which needs to be proven. It is hard to say how much time nature will need in order to recover after the catastrophe. There is a hope that future generations will not feel its consequences, though there is no guarantee that similar incidents will not

Friday, November 1, 2019

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY - Essay Example Therefore, like the social, economic, and political elements, which countries borrow from one another, design forms are considered part of a country’s culture, and countries borrow these or elements of these when they come into contact through the process of globalization. This has therefore, resulted in the globalization of designs today (Eldemery 2009). Nonetheless, the globalization or internationalization of designs is not wrong, neither is it disadvantageous to any country in major ways. However, various concerns have been raised today with regard to the globalization of designs. Primarily, some designs are distinct, and only identified with specific countries. These therefore, act as a kind of cultural identity of the countries. Therefore, when such designs are globalized, the country loses a part of its cultural identity, since the design will also be identified with other countries (Eldemery 2009). Therefore, despite the globalization of design forms, it is important f or countries to uphold the cultural, regional, national, and local aspects, as these remain of great importance. This essay will, therefore argue the case for these factors being included as influences on design processes and outcomes. According to Kim (2010), the processes of globalization and internationalization have influenced different forms of designs in different countries, including the architectural designs. However, this was witnessed since the eighteenth century, especially among the East Asian design forms, which were highly adopted by most European countries. The various designs from East Asian countries that were adopted in Europe included fashion designs, architectural designs, and art designs, among others. For instance, the popular American architect Lloyd Wright is known to have adopted various elements from Lao –Tzu, including other design elements of the Japanese architecture. Nonetheless, only the outstanding designs by a country are most likely to be ado pted by different countries. For instance, although Korea belongs in the same region with China and Japan, its designs, including architectural designs, have not attracted interest from outside countries, and this therefore reveals something about Korean designs, which might be unattractive to (Kim 2010). Nonetheless, the first factor, which is considered important to a country and its design amid the high level of globalization today, is mainly the cultural factor, which also includes the historical element. Culture is specific, as each community or society has its own culture, which is distinct, and might not compare to culture from other communities. On the other hand, culture of any community dates back to the historic times, although several components might show great changes today. Furthermore, the culture of a community is responsible for the identification of its people. Members of a community are identified by their cultures, including the various components therein. Archi tectural designs are components of the culture of any community, since each community has its distinct way of designing their buildings. Since this is crucial, countries need to preserve their historical designs, as these give meaning to their cultures, and help countries to restore their originality. An illustration of the cultural aspect might focus on Korea. The architectural designs of the Korea highly borrowed from the country’s philosophy, which is a cultural element. Kim (2010) notes that the Korean, â€Å"pungsu,† which was the Korean philosophy, contributed to the traditional architectural

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Nus 170 assignment 1 zhong Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Nus 170 1 zhong - Assignment Example Jack does not consume any whole grains contrary to the requirements of the dietary table at > 5 OZ while he is over consuming on refined grains at 8 OZ. On vegetables, jack doesn’t consume any contrary to the dietary requirements of 3.5 cups while he consumes  ¼ cup dairy which is below the bar set by the dietary table of 3 cups. Fruit consumption is insignificant as he does not consume any in contrary to dietary requirements of 2  ½ cups. Generally, jack’s consumption does not conform to the dietary table requirements as most food groups are under consumed as compared to is required to be consumed. Jack under consumes 73.63% of all the foods groups. He is not keen in keeping the dietary requirements and this is hazardous to the body health. He efficiently utilizes 21.05% of the food groups while he over utilizes 5.32% of the food groups. It is alarming in the case that jack does not put into consideration health issues arising from food consumption as the report shows some instances where food group consumption is close to zero and indication of not taking serious his set targets. (5pts) Jack has been experiencing symptoms of GERD lately. He would like to try some dietary solutions. In addition to the above, using your textbook as a reference, write a brief dietary recommendation for Jack that may alleviate his GERD symptoms. Use your textbook for guidance, write at least 200 words and be specific. Gastro esophageal reflux disease is as a result of a defect in the relaxation of lower esophageal sphincter that allows contents of the stomach to jump back to the lining of the esophagus that is unprotected. This is brought about by the consumption of oily and spicy foods, onions, chocolate, caffeine and carbonated beverages. Jack should opt to taking tea instead of coffee to reduce the caffeine content in the body and at the same time avoid carbonated beverages

Monday, October 28, 2019

History of the Concept of Hegemony and Power

History of the Concept of Hegemony and Power The concept of hegemony is notoriously difficult to quantify both in concrete political terms and in a less tangible philosophical manner. Moreover, in a world increasingly divided upon religious as opposed to ideological lines, the concept of hegemony has suffered from a certain crisis of relevance whereby it would seem that the preponderance of resources has indeed become the central precept for the paradigm per se; whereby, furthermore, economic and cultural imperialism have united to ensure the dominance of one geo political system within the international order in the vacuum created by the dissolution of ideology and the triumph of multi national capitalism. Yet all is not quite as it seems in the modern international sphere. Current events have a distinctly repetitive feel but, at the same time, the international relations landscape is changing and re configuring its boundaries with such rapidity and vigour that definitions and sweeping statements are deemed, correctly, to be o ut of place concerning any particular sphere of international relations. Certainly, the broader subject of hegemony and inter state communication is of utmost importance in the comprehension of the new world order, though keeping track of new theories is an essentially difficult, contradictory experience, particularly at the dawn of the twenty first century. As Benno Teschke (2003:1) explains in the opening chapter of his book, The Myth of 1648, the entire subject of contemporary international relations theory is in a constant state of flux, inspired by the death of the nation state and the advent of post modernity. â€Å"The classical Westphalian system, rooted in the primacy of the modern, territorially bounded sovereign state, is being replaced by a post territorial, post modern global order. The old logic of geopolitical security is being subordinated to geo economics, multi level global governance, or the demands of a multi actor international civil society. A fundamental transformation in the structure of the international system and its rules of conflict and co operation is unfolding before our eyes.† For the purposes of the essay, it will be necessary to analyse the concept of hegemony from its origins to see how it has evolved over time and where its relevance might lie within todays post structuralist society, taking a chronological view so as to see how its conceptual meaning has altered along the way. It will likewise be necessary to examine international economic realities and histories as well as political instances of hegemony to highlight the essential duality between continuity and change – in other words, how the past might help us to better understand the present and the future, yet also how the current world order presents unique problems that were of no relevance in the past, which necessarily makes an overall academic judgement more problematic. First a definition of hegemony must be attempted. Within the context of this essay, it is extremely important to comprehend the inherently different strands of hegemony: political, military, economic and cultural. Even more noteworthy is the general interchange that is apparent between the above factors – politics merges with economics and military helps to define any given national culture, which, in turn, means that hegemony is very difficult to quantify in the essentially narrow conceptual terms of simply a preponderance of resources. It will be shown that, throughout recorded history, nations and states have used a combination of factors to control other states, all designed to increase the security of the region and underwrite the strength of the dominant geo political power. Each nation and state that has enjoyed a period of relative dominance has chosen, either through external circumstances that have been thrust upon the rulers or via a conscious, calculated ideologica l choice, to use one of the above themes of hegemony to perpetuate its power base. When a group of people takes control over the fate of another it is never via only one of the above strands – political, military, economic or cultural. Rather, there always exists a concoction of more than one of the dominant conceptual themes to achieve the sum of hegemony and though much has changed throughout the course of history, this central precept remains difficult to ignore. The key player in any discussion pertaining to hegemony and the preponderance of resources has to be the state. Certainly, as far as G. John Ikenberry (1986:53) is concerned, the interaction between any given domestic and international political economy has always been at the epicentre of international relations theory and the comprehension of the rule of empire and state elites lies in understanding the ultimate power that the state has always possessed. â€Å"As administrative and coercive organisations, states are embedded in complex political and economic environments and have a monopoly on the legitimate use of violence. Although they vary considerably, they have several elements in common. All states make exclusive claims to the coercive and juridical control of particular territories, and they also make special claims to the definition and representation of broad national interests.† In conceptual terms, hegemony is best understood as the expression of societys ruling classes over the majority of the nation or state over whom they propose to rule. Gramsci (1971:328), the interwar international relations academic and political prisoner who spent his final years behind bars in Mussolinis Italy, describes hegemony as, â€Å"a conception of the world that is implicitly manifest in art, in law, in economic activity and in all manifestations of individual and collective life.† Gramsci here describes cultural hegemony, which was of particular relevance when he was writing in the 1930s, in a world that was dominated by ideological concerns. This type of hegemony and cultural control is a constant political reality that has been a feature of culture and society since the first recorded migrations of man. Never has hegemony as an ideal simply been confined to the realms of natural resources and economic might; it has always been an intangible equation of political power expressed through the elite of any particular nation, state or empire. The much celebrated Athenians, for example, made hegemony an everyday feature of the ancient world, whereby people were defined via their status within the broader Greek political and cultural hierarchy. The Greeks underscored their cultural ideal of hegemony with language and politics, especially the concept of citizenship, which remains a key feature in the study of political and cultural hegemony today. The United States today uses its visa system, for example, to differentiate between alien visitors from within the wider plates of the hegemony that it has created. In the ancient world, Plato and Aristotle grouped the various bands of hegemony together to form what they saw as civilisation. Therefore, to be an Athenian Greek was to be a civilised member of the hegemony of the nascent nation state; to be a barbarian was to be an uncivilised member of the outposts of society, the parts where hegemony had hitherto failed to penetrate as a paradigm and as a cultural and economic force. This phenomenon has since been mirrored in the twenty first century with President Bushs with us or against us stance to global terrorism, where hegemony is once again used as the primary force in the perpetuation of the dominant military, political and economic power of the epoch. Ancient cultures used the acquisition of foreign resources to underline their superior military and cultural power, although it should be noted that the technology and logistics did not then exist to ensure the movement of goods and services across inter state borders so that the preponderance of resources could not become the only outlet of hegemony as a concept. The Middle East trade route, for instance, remained a largely autonomous cultural, political and economic region in spite of the combined power of the Greek and Roman Empires, curtailing efforts at building an Empire from the sole premise of a sound economic base. Therefore, in the ancient world, hegemony meant much more than a preponderance of resources. It implied tangible political and citizenry rights and access to a pre defined status quo that was welded by the elite members of the state and continually updated and re defined by the men and women who had access to power within the machinations of the state. Indeed, the central role of the human actors within the state system remain as relevant today as they were in the ancient world and to dismiss their relevance as secondary to the preponderance of resources would be to misinterpret the dynamics of inter state governance. Individual diplomats, ministers, parties and politics will always have a bearing on the future of both international relations as well as the concept of hegemony where economic resources are only one factor in a much larger pyramid of political and economic concerns. It thus becomes apparent that hegemony must co exist with the broader notion of empire, which is itself constructed upon the solid foundations of economic dynamism garnered through the procurement of resources. The notion of empire altered irrevocably during the dawn of modern history where industrialisation proved to be the catalyst for the significant, seismic shift in the view of hegemony as cultural, economic and political benchmark. The nineteenth century was indeed a watershed in terms of the re drawing of the conceptual parameters of hegemony. The Victorian era saw the traditional European empires of France, Belgium, Britain and Germany use their vast military and economic superiority to carve up the undeveloped world amongst each other with the procurement of raw materials and economic resources utilised as the main motivation for extra territorial action. Without doubt, it is at this juncture in world history that the preponderance of resources becomes the pre eminent factor in the power of hegemony and cultural imperialism. The Scramble for Africa, for instance, constituted a devouring of the worlds finest natural resources and raw materials; resources that were unavailable in Europe were discovered in seemingly endless abundance in Africa and the poor political and social infrastructure of the indigenous tribes meant that, militarily, it was a case of simply buying off the key local decision makers and men of influence to ensure European preponderance of locally based economic wealth. Furthermore, unlike the false promise of El Dorado that hampered the conquistadores in Latin America, the lure of previously unimaginable wealth in Africa was the determining factor behind the unprecedented and swift carving up of the African continent. The impulse for hegemony, in this instance, was therefore the possibility of individual accumulation of economic empire as well as the broader national acquisition of another nations indigenous wealth. Charles Tilly (1985:172) explains how the extraction of resources from local producers and traders in Africa was the most important development for the edification of European hegemony in the undeveloped world and for the structure of the contemporary world order today. â€Å"The quest inevitably involved them in establishing regular access to capitalists who could supply and arrange credit, and to imposing one form of regular taxation or another on the people and activities within their sphere of control.† Industrialisation was therefore the central difference between nineteenth century views of imperial hegemony and that which was witnessed in the ancient and medieval worlds. Resources became, for the first time, the main concern of empire builders. This period in world history is also important for what it implies about the motives of the European leaders and rulers who embarked upon their scramble for Africas resources. What is immediately noticeable when reading the primary sources of these explorers was the way in which they attempted to hide their true (economic) motive from view. The first British travellers to the dark continent promulgated the view that the Europeans were on a civilising mission to save the Africans from a life of pagan sin. Moreover, they said, their religious and missionary zeal would inevitably rub off on the political and economic mood of the continent so that, in effect, the Africans would wish to copy their European partners in order to better help thems elves in the long term; politically, economically and socially. To achieve this end, the Europeans thus tied the notion of political territorial acquisition to the preponderance of resources by controlling the mechanisms of the fledgling states as well as the production of raw materials and natural resources. The nineteenth century partition of the undeveloped world by the most powerful industrial states of the age thus left a legacy that is of the utmost relevance for the topic of hegemony in todays twenty first century society. As economic resources become increasingly scarce in the contemporary world, the major Western powers must find ways of securing the holding of resources while covering up the raw economic reasons for doing so. One can see, as Chomsky and Vidal attest, a certain similarity between the contemporary US symptom of national security and the war on terror and the Victorian ideal of a missionary zeal. Significantly, both propaganda spins fail to recognise that the preponderance of resources is the real reason why these states have found themselves fighting foreign wars and stationing troops so very far from their own national borders in the recent past. Of added significance was the fact that the Victorian experimentation with imperialism showed, for the first time, how a state might achieve supreme power with resources and capital based outside of the national territorial borders. Susan Strange (1988:2) sees this as the most important step in the development of true imperial hegemony in the West; the point where a modern nation has the ability to dictate key economic policy far beyond its own national, geo political borders. â€Å"The location of productive capacity is far less important than the location of the people who maker the decisions on what is to be produced, where and how, and who design, direct and manage to sell successfully on a world market.† At this point it makes sense to shift the focus of our investigation from a broader viewpoint of historical instances of hegemony to a dissection of the most important contemporary topic within the confines of the essay title. The key contemporary actor within the study, without a doubt, must be the United States, the source of the preponderance of twenty first century economic resources and the still the most potent post modern military force on the planet. As the eminent British historian, E.H. Carr (1992:292), writing on the eve of the Second World War, testified, hegemony is a by product of realism; an essentially Darwinist view of politics that suggests a discernibly detectable survival of the fittest in international affairs. The unassailable American hegemony of the post modern age is best understood within this wholly realist context. â€Å"To attempt to ignore power as a decisive factor in every political situation is purely utopian. It is scarcely less utopian to imagine an international order built on a coalition of states, each striving to defend and assert its own interests.† Since 1945 the USA has built its empire upon the twin pillars of the military and its insatiable consumer economy, even going so far as to re model the state to the tune of the desires of the political economy. The National Security Act (1947), for example, which oversaw the formation of the CIA, was the first in a long history of decrees and acts designed to ensure the longevity of the republican model and the destruction of all of its ideological enemies in the process. Gore Vidal (2004:95 96) explains the dynamic nature of American national security policy, post 1945, a policy that deemed aggression as the best form of political and economic defence. â€Å"When Japan surrendered, the United States was faced with a choice: either disarm, as we had done in the past and enjoy the prosperity that comes from releasing so much wealth and energy into the private sector, or maintain ourselves on a fully military basis, which would mean a tight control over our allies and such conquered provinces as West Germany, Italy and Japan.† It is important to understand that Washington wishes its control of the globe not to be limited to its dominance of world economic resources; rather, hegemony, as it is understood in 2005, is a varied political, economic and cultural phenomenon that wishes to export the very ethos of the United States as well as importing the wealth generated by the nations pre eminent economic position. To date, the United States has used language, technology and the military to acquire its vast array of economic resources and likewise uses its dynamic corporate ethic to underpin the strategies of the imperial national government. Therefore, to see the preponderance of resources as the only specific aim of American hegemony in the twenty first century is to miss the point entirely. As previously outlined, the American government understands the essential interplay between the various features of hegemony. Certainly, the USA has used economics as its basis for the extension of power witnessed since 1 945 but the ideology of the most awesome capitalist country on the planet has been held in place via the spread of its symbolic features to every corner of the globe (except, of course, for large swathes of the Middle East, which is a source of much of the antagonism between the two diametrically opposed sections of the new global economy). Various international relations commentators have noted the way in which imperial America uses brand names such as MacDonalds and Nike to increase the economic and cultural hegemony of the US Empire, leaving fast food restaurants and designer clothes chains as castles by proxy. As Chomsky (2003:13) succinctly puts it: â€Å"The goal of the imperial grand strategy is to prevent any challenge to the power, position and prestige of the United States.† Theories have abounded concerning the so called decline of American hegemony, largely circulating since the oil crisis in the 1970s, which first highlighted the fragility of the preponderance of key natural resources in the post modern world. Susan Strange disagrees fundamentally with international relations commentators such as Nye, who see Americas decline as an inevitable by product of the notion of both hegemony and Empire, essentially dictating that from Rome to Byzantium to Britain any attempt to secure global pre eminence must end in the destruction of that political and economic model. She argues that the USA is a unique case that shows no signs of the fragmentation that beset its historical precedents. Essentially, this means that US notions of hegemony are not solely tied to economic factors pertaining to the preponderance of resources; its survival and indeed growth rests upon the fact that the USA ideal of hegemony is far more flexible than many critics give it credit f or. As Cox (2005:21) underscores, the issue of American hegemony entails far more than a swelling of the national treasury at the expense of extra territorial economic resources. â€Å"One of the more obvious objections to the idea of a specific American empire is that, unlike the real empires in the past, the United States has not acquired, and does not seek to acquire the territory of others. This in turn has been allied to another obvious objection: that the United States has often championed the cause of political freedom in the world. How then can one talk of empire when one of the United States obvious impulses abroad has been to advance the cause of national democracy and self determination?† The issue of hegemony in contemporary times is further hampered by the ambiguity and uncertainty that surrounds the ultra contentious geo political and economic topic of globalisation. Not only have scholars found globalisation extremely difficult to define but it also poses unique problems of conceptual bracketing. It is supposedly an economic question (intrinsically tied to the preponderance of resources) yet in practice, globalisation appears to be little more than an extension of American political hegemony, namely the spread of democracy to every reach of the globe as the initial platform on which to launch a visionary global hegemony. Whereas the nineteenth century European empires formulated the concept of the preponderance of natural resources as the most vital step on the way to the establishment of their brand of hegemony, the Americans in the twenty first century have used technology, particularly their corporate dominance of new media and the Internet to strengthen their dominant position in the world economy. Globalisation therefore is tantamount to Westernisation, which is itself a direct descendent of Americanisation. According to Sinclair et al (2004:297), â€Å"world patterns of communication flow, both in density and direction, mirror the system of domination in the economic and political order,† and in this way it can be shown how US hegemony is built upon sterner raw materials than the mere preponderance of economic resources. Indeed, logic dictates that if the USAs global hegemony was only standing upon the prevalence of resources, then its position would be nothing like as contentious as it is in the broader world order, constituting the front line of the new global disorder, as Robert Harvey describes it. Indeed, Harvey (2003:455) already views the concept of global hegemony as outdated, requiring five separate but interconnecting strands of economic and politic pro action to keep the status quo alive in the future. â€Å"These then are the five great areas of change necessary to avoid a state of global political economic anarchy: the establishment of superpower policing to combat terrorism and to prevent conflicts breaking out all over the world, through an efficient system of regional alliances and deterrents, backed up by the threat of major superpower intervention; the widening and deepening of global democracy; the regulation of the global economy through co operation between the three economic super states of the next few decades – America, Europe and Japan – in co operation with regional groupings of the rest of the world; a gigantic government primed stimulus for demand and development in the three quarters of the developing world untouched by globalisation; and reform from within of the capitalist corporation.† Conclusion The analysis of hegemony and power bases throughout history shows that the prevalence of resources is but one factor in a multi faceted chain of command that requires a strong military and political infrastructure as well as a flourishing economic base to prevail. The upsurge in interest that the topic of hegemony has generated in recent years has been due to the power of the worlds one remaining superpower alone. Hegemony has become synonymous with Americas quest for global dominance and various commentators have cited the contemporary â€Å"war on terror† as nothing but a smokescreen for the increasing garnering of resources, particularly oil in the Middle East. Indeed, Vidal (2004:7) compares the â€Å"war on terror† to a â€Å"war on dandruff†; such is his confusion over what the notion actually means. There is no doubt that it is this perceived neo imperialism that is at the heart of the current negativity surrounding the concept of hegemony and its continued association with solely (Western) economic motives. However, it should be noted that a significant change in the global order is currently under way, one in which the Americans will have to broker what Strange (1988:17) refers to as a series of â€Å"New Deals† with autonomous international states in order to remain a leading economic force. The advent of China, in particular, as the twenty first centurys most potent consumer and industrial society will undoubtedly challenge the very ideal of American and Western hegemony and will necessarily require a re drafting of the USAs preponderance of resources. Hegemony must, in effect, adapt to a discernible duality and spirit of inter state co operation that the concept has not known in the past. The concept of hegemony therefore has value far beyond the preponderance of res ources as the evolving concept of globalisation is in the process of emphasising. As globalisation begins to take hold as an economic, cultural and political reality, the effects of hegemony will be felt in all areas of the world that wish to be part of the dissolution of the concept of the nation state and the embracement of a new political and economic world order. History of the Concept of Hegemony and Power History of the Concept of Hegemony and Power The concept of hegemony is notoriously difficult to quantify both in concrete political terms and in a less tangible philosophical manner. Moreover, in a world increasingly divided upon religious as opposed to ideological lines, the concept of hegemony has suffered from a certain crisis of relevance whereby it would seem that the preponderance of resources has indeed become the central precept for the paradigm per se; whereby, furthermore, economic and cultural imperialism have united to ensure the dominance of one geo political system within the international order in the vacuum created by the dissolution of ideology and the triumph of multi national capitalism. Yet all is not quite as it seems in the modern international sphere. Current events have a distinctly repetitive feel but, at the same time, the international relations landscape is changing and re configuring its boundaries with such rapidity and vigour that definitions and sweeping statements are deemed, correctly, to be o ut of place concerning any particular sphere of international relations. Certainly, the broader subject of hegemony and inter state communication is of utmost importance in the comprehension of the new world order, though keeping track of new theories is an essentially difficult, contradictory experience, particularly at the dawn of the twenty first century. As Benno Teschke (2003:1) explains in the opening chapter of his book, The Myth of 1648, the entire subject of contemporary international relations theory is in a constant state of flux, inspired by the death of the nation state and the advent of post modernity. â€Å"The classical Westphalian system, rooted in the primacy of the modern, territorially bounded sovereign state, is being replaced by a post territorial, post modern global order. The old logic of geopolitical security is being subordinated to geo economics, multi level global governance, or the demands of a multi actor international civil society. A fundamental transformation in the structure of the international system and its rules of conflict and co operation is unfolding before our eyes.† For the purposes of the essay, it will be necessary to analyse the concept of hegemony from its origins to see how it has evolved over time and where its relevance might lie within todays post structuralist society, taking a chronological view so as to see how its conceptual meaning has altered along the way. It will likewise be necessary to examine international economic realities and histories as well as political instances of hegemony to highlight the essential duality between continuity and change – in other words, how the past might help us to better understand the present and the future, yet also how the current world order presents unique problems that were of no relevance in the past, which necessarily makes an overall academic judgement more problematic. First a definition of hegemony must be attempted. Within the context of this essay, it is extremely important to comprehend the inherently different strands of hegemony: political, military, economic and cultural. Even more noteworthy is the general interchange that is apparent between the above factors – politics merges with economics and military helps to define any given national culture, which, in turn, means that hegemony is very difficult to quantify in the essentially narrow conceptual terms of simply a preponderance of resources. It will be shown that, throughout recorded history, nations and states have used a combination of factors to control other states, all designed to increase the security of the region and underwrite the strength of the dominant geo political power. Each nation and state that has enjoyed a period of relative dominance has chosen, either through external circumstances that have been thrust upon the rulers or via a conscious, calculated ideologica l choice, to use one of the above themes of hegemony to perpetuate its power base. When a group of people takes control over the fate of another it is never via only one of the above strands – political, military, economic or cultural. Rather, there always exists a concoction of more than one of the dominant conceptual themes to achieve the sum of hegemony and though much has changed throughout the course of history, this central precept remains difficult to ignore. The key player in any discussion pertaining to hegemony and the preponderance of resources has to be the state. Certainly, as far as G. John Ikenberry (1986:53) is concerned, the interaction between any given domestic and international political economy has always been at the epicentre of international relations theory and the comprehension of the rule of empire and state elites lies in understanding the ultimate power that the state has always possessed. â€Å"As administrative and coercive organisations, states are embedded in complex political and economic environments and have a monopoly on the legitimate use of violence. Although they vary considerably, they have several elements in common. All states make exclusive claims to the coercive and juridical control of particular territories, and they also make special claims to the definition and representation of broad national interests.† In conceptual terms, hegemony is best understood as the expression of societys ruling classes over the majority of the nation or state over whom they propose to rule. Gramsci (1971:328), the interwar international relations academic and political prisoner who spent his final years behind bars in Mussolinis Italy, describes hegemony as, â€Å"a conception of the world that is implicitly manifest in art, in law, in economic activity and in all manifestations of individual and collective life.† Gramsci here describes cultural hegemony, which was of particular relevance when he was writing in the 1930s, in a world that was dominated by ideological concerns. This type of hegemony and cultural control is a constant political reality that has been a feature of culture and society since the first recorded migrations of man. Never has hegemony as an ideal simply been confined to the realms of natural resources and economic might; it has always been an intangible equation of political power expressed through the elite of any particular nation, state or empire. The much celebrated Athenians, for example, made hegemony an everyday feature of the ancient world, whereby people were defined via their status within the broader Greek political and cultural hierarchy. The Greeks underscored their cultural ideal of hegemony with language and politics, especially the concept of citizenship, which remains a key feature in the study of political and cultural hegemony today. The United States today uses its visa system, for example, to differentiate between alien visitors from within the wider plates of the hegemony that it has created. In the ancient world, Plato and Aristotle grouped the various bands of hegemony together to form what they saw as civilisation. Therefore, to be an Athenian Greek was to be a civilised member of the hegemony of the nascent nation state; to be a barbarian was to be an uncivilised member of the outposts of society, the parts where hegemony had hitherto failed to penetrate as a paradigm and as a cultural and economic force. This phenomenon has since been mirrored in the twenty first century with President Bushs with us or against us stance to global terrorism, where hegemony is once again used as the primary force in the perpetuation of the dominant military, political and economic power of the epoch. Ancient cultures used the acquisition of foreign resources to underline their superior military and cultural power, although it should be noted that the technology and logistics did not then exist to ensure the movement of goods and services across inter state borders so that the preponderance of resources could not become the only outlet of hegemony as a concept. The Middle East trade route, for instance, remained a largely autonomous cultural, political and economic region in spite of the combined power of the Greek and Roman Empires, curtailing efforts at building an Empire from the sole premise of a sound economic base. Therefore, in the ancient world, hegemony meant much more than a preponderance of resources. It implied tangible political and citizenry rights and access to a pre defined status quo that was welded by the elite members of the state and continually updated and re defined by the men and women who had access to power within the machinations of the state. Indeed, the central role of the human actors within the state system remain as relevant today as they were in the ancient world and to dismiss their relevance as secondary to the preponderance of resources would be to misinterpret the dynamics of inter state governance. Individual diplomats, ministers, parties and politics will always have a bearing on the future of both international relations as well as the concept of hegemony where economic resources are only one factor in a much larger pyramid of political and economic concerns. It thus becomes apparent that hegemony must co exist with the broader notion of empire, which is itself constructed upon the solid foundations of economic dynamism garnered through the procurement of resources. The notion of empire altered irrevocably during the dawn of modern history where industrialisation proved to be the catalyst for the significant, seismic shift in the view of hegemony as cultural, economic and political benchmark. The nineteenth century was indeed a watershed in terms of the re drawing of the conceptual parameters of hegemony. The Victorian era saw the traditional European empires of France, Belgium, Britain and Germany use their vast military and economic superiority to carve up the undeveloped world amongst each other with the procurement of raw materials and economic resources utilised as the main motivation for extra territorial action. Without doubt, it is at this juncture in world history that the preponderance of resources becomes the pre eminent factor in the power of hegemony and cultural imperialism. The Scramble for Africa, for instance, constituted a devouring of the worlds finest natural resources and raw materials; resources that were unavailable in Europe were discovered in seemingly endless abundance in Africa and the poor political and social infrastructure of the indigenous tribes meant that, militarily, it was a case of simply buying off the key local decision makers and men of influence to ensure European preponderance of locally based economic wealth. Furthermore, unlike the false promise of El Dorado that hampered the conquistadores in Latin America, the lure of previously unimaginable wealth in Africa was the determining factor behind the unprecedented and swift carving up of the African continent. The impulse for hegemony, in this instance, was therefore the possibility of individual accumulation of economic empire as well as the broader national acquisition of another nations indigenous wealth. Charles Tilly (1985:172) explains how the extraction of resources from local producers and traders in Africa was the most important development for the edification of European hegemony in the undeveloped world and for the structure of the contemporary world order today. â€Å"The quest inevitably involved them in establishing regular access to capitalists who could supply and arrange credit, and to imposing one form of regular taxation or another on the people and activities within their sphere of control.† Industrialisation was therefore the central difference between nineteenth century views of imperial hegemony and that which was witnessed in the ancient and medieval worlds. Resources became, for the first time, the main concern of empire builders. This period in world history is also important for what it implies about the motives of the European leaders and rulers who embarked upon their scramble for Africas resources. What is immediately noticeable when reading the primary sources of these explorers was the way in which they attempted to hide their true (economic) motive from view. The first British travellers to the dark continent promulgated the view that the Europeans were on a civilising mission to save the Africans from a life of pagan sin. Moreover, they said, their religious and missionary zeal would inevitably rub off on the political and economic mood of the continent so that, in effect, the Africans would wish to copy their European partners in order to better help thems elves in the long term; politically, economically and socially. To achieve this end, the Europeans thus tied the notion of political territorial acquisition to the preponderance of resources by controlling the mechanisms of the fledgling states as well as the production of raw materials and natural resources. The nineteenth century partition of the undeveloped world by the most powerful industrial states of the age thus left a legacy that is of the utmost relevance for the topic of hegemony in todays twenty first century society. As economic resources become increasingly scarce in the contemporary world, the major Western powers must find ways of securing the holding of resources while covering up the raw economic reasons for doing so. One can see, as Chomsky and Vidal attest, a certain similarity between the contemporary US symptom of national security and the war on terror and the Victorian ideal of a missionary zeal. Significantly, both propaganda spins fail to recognise that the preponderance of resources is the real reason why these states have found themselves fighting foreign wars and stationing troops so very far from their own national borders in the recent past. Of added significance was the fact that the Victorian experimentation with imperialism showed, for the first time, how a state might achieve supreme power with resources and capital based outside of the national territorial borders. Susan Strange (1988:2) sees this as the most important step in the development of true imperial hegemony in the West; the point where a modern nation has the ability to dictate key economic policy far beyond its own national, geo political borders. â€Å"The location of productive capacity is far less important than the location of the people who maker the decisions on what is to be produced, where and how, and who design, direct and manage to sell successfully on a world market.† At this point it makes sense to shift the focus of our investigation from a broader viewpoint of historical instances of hegemony to a dissection of the most important contemporary topic within the confines of the essay title. The key contemporary actor within the study, without a doubt, must be the United States, the source of the preponderance of twenty first century economic resources and the still the most potent post modern military force on the planet. As the eminent British historian, E.H. Carr (1992:292), writing on the eve of the Second World War, testified, hegemony is a by product of realism; an essentially Darwinist view of politics that suggests a discernibly detectable survival of the fittest in international affairs. The unassailable American hegemony of the post modern age is best understood within this wholly realist context. â€Å"To attempt to ignore power as a decisive factor in every political situation is purely utopian. It is scarcely less utopian to imagine an international order built on a coalition of states, each striving to defend and assert its own interests.† Since 1945 the USA has built its empire upon the twin pillars of the military and its insatiable consumer economy, even going so far as to re model the state to the tune of the desires of the political economy. The National Security Act (1947), for example, which oversaw the formation of the CIA, was the first in a long history of decrees and acts designed to ensure the longevity of the republican model and the destruction of all of its ideological enemies in the process. Gore Vidal (2004:95 96) explains the dynamic nature of American national security policy, post 1945, a policy that deemed aggression as the best form of political and economic defence. â€Å"When Japan surrendered, the United States was faced with a choice: either disarm, as we had done in the past and enjoy the prosperity that comes from releasing so much wealth and energy into the private sector, or maintain ourselves on a fully military basis, which would mean a tight control over our allies and such conquered provinces as West Germany, Italy and Japan.† It is important to understand that Washington wishes its control of the globe not to be limited to its dominance of world economic resources; rather, hegemony, as it is understood in 2005, is a varied political, economic and cultural phenomenon that wishes to export the very ethos of the United States as well as importing the wealth generated by the nations pre eminent economic position. To date, the United States has used language, technology and the military to acquire its vast array of economic resources and likewise uses its dynamic corporate ethic to underpin the strategies of the imperial national government. Therefore, to see the preponderance of resources as the only specific aim of American hegemony in the twenty first century is to miss the point entirely. As previously outlined, the American government understands the essential interplay between the various features of hegemony. Certainly, the USA has used economics as its basis for the extension of power witnessed since 1 945 but the ideology of the most awesome capitalist country on the planet has been held in place via the spread of its symbolic features to every corner of the globe (except, of course, for large swathes of the Middle East, which is a source of much of the antagonism between the two diametrically opposed sections of the new global economy). Various international relations commentators have noted the way in which imperial America uses brand names such as MacDonalds and Nike to increase the economic and cultural hegemony of the US Empire, leaving fast food restaurants and designer clothes chains as castles by proxy. As Chomsky (2003:13) succinctly puts it: â€Å"The goal of the imperial grand strategy is to prevent any challenge to the power, position and prestige of the United States.† Theories have abounded concerning the so called decline of American hegemony, largely circulating since the oil crisis in the 1970s, which first highlighted the fragility of the preponderance of key natural resources in the post modern world. Susan Strange disagrees fundamentally with international relations commentators such as Nye, who see Americas decline as an inevitable by product of the notion of both hegemony and Empire, essentially dictating that from Rome to Byzantium to Britain any attempt to secure global pre eminence must end in the destruction of that political and economic model. She argues that the USA is a unique case that shows no signs of the fragmentation that beset its historical precedents. Essentially, this means that US notions of hegemony are not solely tied to economic factors pertaining to the preponderance of resources; its survival and indeed growth rests upon the fact that the USA ideal of hegemony is far more flexible than many critics give it credit f or. As Cox (2005:21) underscores, the issue of American hegemony entails far more than a swelling of the national treasury at the expense of extra territorial economic resources. â€Å"One of the more obvious objections to the idea of a specific American empire is that, unlike the real empires in the past, the United States has not acquired, and does not seek to acquire the territory of others. This in turn has been allied to another obvious objection: that the United States has often championed the cause of political freedom in the world. How then can one talk of empire when one of the United States obvious impulses abroad has been to advance the cause of national democracy and self determination?† The issue of hegemony in contemporary times is further hampered by the ambiguity and uncertainty that surrounds the ultra contentious geo political and economic topic of globalisation. Not only have scholars found globalisation extremely difficult to define but it also poses unique problems of conceptual bracketing. It is supposedly an economic question (intrinsically tied to the preponderance of resources) yet in practice, globalisation appears to be little more than an extension of American political hegemony, namely the spread of democracy to every reach of the globe as the initial platform on which to launch a visionary global hegemony. Whereas the nineteenth century European empires formulated the concept of the preponderance of natural resources as the most vital step on the way to the establishment of their brand of hegemony, the Americans in the twenty first century have used technology, particularly their corporate dominance of new media and the Internet to strengthen their dominant position in the world economy. Globalisation therefore is tantamount to Westernisation, which is itself a direct descendent of Americanisation. According to Sinclair et al (2004:297), â€Å"world patterns of communication flow, both in density and direction, mirror the system of domination in the economic and political order,† and in this way it can be shown how US hegemony is built upon sterner raw materials than the mere preponderance of economic resources. Indeed, logic dictates that if the USAs global hegemony was only standing upon the prevalence of resources, then its position would be nothing like as contentious as it is in the broader world order, constituting the front line of the new global disorder, as Robert Harvey describes it. Indeed, Harvey (2003:455) already views the concept of global hegemony as outdated, requiring five separate but interconnecting strands of economic and politic pro action to keep the status quo alive in the future. â€Å"These then are the five great areas of change necessary to avoid a state of global political economic anarchy: the establishment of superpower policing to combat terrorism and to prevent conflicts breaking out all over the world, through an efficient system of regional alliances and deterrents, backed up by the threat of major superpower intervention; the widening and deepening of global democracy; the regulation of the global economy through co operation between the three economic super states of the next few decades – America, Europe and Japan – in co operation with regional groupings of the rest of the world; a gigantic government primed stimulus for demand and development in the three quarters of the developing world untouched by globalisation; and reform from within of the capitalist corporation.† Conclusion The analysis of hegemony and power bases throughout history shows that the prevalence of resources is but one factor in a multi faceted chain of command that requires a strong military and political infrastructure as well as a flourishing economic base to prevail. The upsurge in interest that the topic of hegemony has generated in recent years has been due to the power of the worlds one remaining superpower alone. Hegemony has become synonymous with Americas quest for global dominance and various commentators have cited the contemporary â€Å"war on terror† as nothing but a smokescreen for the increasing garnering of resources, particularly oil in the Middle East. Indeed, Vidal (2004:7) compares the â€Å"war on terror† to a â€Å"war on dandruff†; such is his confusion over what the notion actually means. There is no doubt that it is this perceived neo imperialism that is at the heart of the current negativity surrounding the concept of hegemony and its continued association with solely (Western) economic motives. However, it should be noted that a significant change in the global order is currently under way, one in which the Americans will have to broker what Strange (1988:17) refers to as a series of â€Å"New Deals† with autonomous international states in order to remain a leading economic force. The advent of China, in particular, as the twenty first centurys most potent consumer and industrial society will undoubtedly challenge the very ideal of American and Western hegemony and will necessarily require a re drafting of the USAs preponderance of resources. Hegemony must, in effect, adapt to a discernible duality and spirit of inter state co operation that the concept has not known in the past. The concept of hegemony therefore has value far beyond the preponderance of res ources as the evolving concept of globalisation is in the process of emphasising. As globalisation begins to take hold as an economic, cultural and political reality, the effects of hegemony will be felt in all areas of the world that wish to be part of the dissolution of the concept of the nation state and the embracement of a new political and economic world order.