Revitalizing dell free essay sample

Dell Computer Corporation was founded in 1984 by Michael Dell. From the early 1990s until the mid-2000s, Dell was ranked as a PC market leader relying on their distinctive marketing pattern â€Å"Direct Model† which undertook direct communication with customers and provided customized products. Recently, the PC industry is facing inconceivable worldwide competition, and Dell is gradually losing their competitive advantages by using its direct model in critical business segments. The company is facing shrinkage of growth, increasing competition, declining quality of customer service, and limitation of expansion. These issues have an enormous impact on Dell’s position as a technological giant in the PC industry. Problem Definition Generally, in order to consolidate its top market position, Dell Computer Corporation has to keep its competitive advantage and figure out the issues which come from the internal and external environment. First, as globalization continues to develop, it is bringing both opportunities and threats to companies worldwide. We will write a custom essay sample on Revitalizing dell or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The PC market is experiencing constant renewal and replacement and this results in the reducing of differentiation and the increase in price wars among competitors. In the early 1990, Dell was positioned as â€Å"focused differentiation† in the PC market and attracted a lot of customers by using their superior customer service. However, Dell’s competitive differentiation from its competitors, which is based on its â€Å"customized product†, is not its core competence anymore in 2007 since Dell’s remarkable direct model has been imitated by other companies. Second, although the PC market is a highly competitive and rivalrous market, the profitability is still attracting the attention of companies to squeeze into this market. Therefore, Dell is facing the challenging threat of new entries into the market. Additionally, due to the diversified products, customers have more options on computer brands, styles, and functions in the current market. This also forces Dell’s position to move from supplier power towards buyer power. In brief, when an industry is growing, more rivalry is likely to enter the market. Third, internal erroneous decisions will negatively impact Dell’s long-term operations as well. In 2001, Dell decided to move its support center to India, and this directly resulted in a declining perception of the company’s customer service. Although the company is providing its â€Å"superior customized product†, the quality of customer service is another key element for keeping customer loyalty. Finally, the traditional direct model strategy is not appropriate in the current PC market. The direct model mainly focuses on operational efficiency and organizational restrictions on individual customers, but this limits the company to step into new business segments for long-term operation. This model has restricted Dell from gaining market share in the â€Å"single consumer† segment, and has resulted in an inability to offer more customized products to diverse customer segments. Furthermore, globalization is creating additional opportunities for the PC market. The United States is Dell’s primary market and yet the company is competing in the global computer market. Therefore, Dell will need to consider expanding its market globally in order to develop its differentiation advantage outside of the U. S. Diagnosis Dell’s accomplishments through the mid-2000s caused its rivals to take notice and action. IBM and Lenovo launched a direct distributive initiative and created the Authorized Assembly Program which improved their inventory turnover rate. Compaq also optimized its distribution model by building orders only after they were received which declined their inventory holding. HP began selling PCs directly to business customers online and initiated a toolkit to increase consulting and sales training. Gateway focused on individual customers rather than large corporations. Acer eventually bought Gateway and differentiated itself as â€Å"100% indirect† company that specialized in producing inexpensive notebooks. Dell positioned itself as a successful differentiator; however, its competitive differentiation is no longer an advantage for it due to the ease of their Direct Model imitation. Home and corporate users dominate the five categories of buyers on PC consumption. There are large amounts of these buyers in the market that are price sensitive and have low switching costs on their products which raises overall buyers’ power. However, in the case of Dell, many customers became frustrated with Dell. For example, Dell’s call centers received manyf discouraged clients’ comments. One reason: many service representatives were trained to solve only one category of a problem, so almost 45% of calls had to be transferred from the agent who answered the call to someone with the knowledge needed to help the customer. Richard L. Hunter, who was brought in to improve Dell’s customer service, called the situation â€Å"terrible†, explaining that it was comparable to â€Å"delivering materials to the wrong factory 45 percent of the time. † Worse, to slow the tide of calls from customers, Dell tried removing its toll-free service number from its website. Customers’ reactions showed up in Dell’s declining market share and slumping customer satisfaction ratings (Certo, 2013). Moreover, when Dell went on to expand its tech support outsourcing with other call centres in India, customers began complaining. Consequently, Dell stopped being perceived as an American role model (Munarriz, 2012). Overall, in recent years, Dell has started to experience problems with its direct sales model and has steadily been losing ground to HP, who now occupies the number one spot in the PC sales market. Analysts had felt that the innovative sales model developed by Dell had made it the industry favourite and also a high indicator of good sales growth. However, industry insiders have now observed that those upbeat days appeared to be over for Dell as the companys profits and share prices had dropped considerably. The diagnosis, then, is that Dell’s traditional direct model is failing because the market, the competitors and the consumers have changed and yet Dell still uses the same model which Michael Dell invented in the early 1990s. Cause-Effect Analysis As companies such as Compaq, HP, Lenovo and Acer imitated Dell’s direct model for sales of their PCs, this quickly began to cut away at Dell’s competitive advantage. Dell’s direct model brought in large profits for the company and gave them â€Å"the title of worlds biggest computer maker† (Sorensen, 2013). However with the other computer makers vying for the top spot in the competitive PC manufacturing space, the direct model â€Å"spawned a host of imitators—several who proved to be better equipped to take advantage of the business model Dell thought it had perfected. †(Sorensen, 2013) The adoption by other PC makers of cutting out the wholesaler and selling directly to the consumer caused Dell to â€Å"relinquish the title of world’s biggest computer maker to HP in 2006. † (Sorensen, 2013) In the below graph representing more recent years of the top 5 PC makers shows that Lenovo has also now surpassed Dell in market share. (Peitsch, 2012)

Blog Writing on Bani Bani Bani Re Bani

Question: Blog writing on Bani Bani Bani Re Bani from Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon. Answer: Bani Bani song is taken from Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon. This song is a dance performance by Kareena Kapoor. Chitra, the singer of Bani Bani voice was high-pitched as ever. Her dandiyal or tribal tune happens as courtesy of her effervescence. Bani Bani is the most passionate song of the year. Music of main prem ki Diwani hoon is beautiful song and new feel in the particular song. Anu Malik proves as genius musician for the movie ("Bani Bani - Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon _ HD"). Kareena Kapoor is delight to watch in this song. She is wearing red legenga dress in the song and dances in every beat of the song. Kareena Kapoor was remarkable throughout the film. Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon is worth successor of one of the Sooraj R Barjatya previous hits. Bani Bani is one good picturised song. This is a peppy Bollywood Song that is sung by Chitra released in the year 2003. It is from Rajshri Productions starring Kareena Kapoor, Hrithik Roshan and Abhishek Bachchan. This song was beautifully choreo graphed and Kareena Kapoor provides justice in following the steps in nice way. As far as review is concerned, it has diverse opinion from viewers who have watched the movie. Some feels Sooraj; the Director had successfully won heart of audience the fourth time. Some felt that the movie was worst movie in Bollywood. According to few viewers, the song could have been made better with much better steps. I feel that Kareena Kapoor has the potential in giving more edge to the dancing steps of Bani Bani. She has done justice in following the steps of the choreographer and putting her best to entertain her fans and audience. I felt this was one of the best songs from Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon. This dance was performed by Sanjana (Kareena Kapoor) at one of her college fest. She was happy and refrained in the song with bit of sadness as Prem (Hrithik) was not present in the show for watching it. As Kareena was in love with Prem, she was imagining him in each of the steps and becoming happy by his presence. However, in actual, Prem (Abhishek Bachchan) was watching Sanjana dance and enjoying her beautiful presence on stage. Abhishek Bachchan visualizes his life with Sanjana and gets mesmerized by her dancing skills and expression. He was constantly staring at Kareenas performance without blinking his eyes for a second. Sanjanas dad was frustrated of the fact that her daughter was imagining Hrithik as her life partner, which is not the real motive of her mother. On the other hand, her mother was happy, as Sanjana will get married to rich businessperson like her elder sister. There was great confusion in the mo vie that was revealed at the end with a happy ending. This song was set with vibrant colours and ravishing background. It gave the feel of that bollywood magical- romantic song which every happy go lucky girl would love to hum and dance. Reference List "Bani Bani - Main Prem Ki Diwani Hoon _ HD".YouTube. N.p., 2016. Web. 13 June 2016.

The Ironies of Social Standards in Sister Carrie Essay Example For Students

The Ironies of Social Standards in Sister Carrie Essay To this day, Sister Carrie remains one of the most controversial novels of its time. The remarkably realistic characters and contentious situations created by Theodore Dreiser illustrate the double standards within a growing American society at the turn of the twentieth century. Naturalism plays a large part in the development of each character and their pathetic inability to evade their trivial fates Theodore. The perverse fascination and distaste surrounding this incapability mirrors a societys hypocrisy of its own social standards. For his first novel, Dreiser opted to paint a realistic portrait of America for what it really was- materialistic Gerber 52. The money ideal would be exposed as the great motivating purpose of life in the United States: ones relative affluence at any level of society determining the degree creature comfort one might enjoy, the measure of prestige one might own, and the extent of social power one might command Gerber 52-53. Sister Carrie completely reiterates Americas obsession with money because there is not one character whose own status symbol isnt determined economically Gerber 53. We will write a custom essay on The Ironies of Social Standards in Sister Carrie specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now At the end of the Civil War, big business boomed and there was now a preoccupation with conspicuous consumption Ward. Capitalism roared and consumers began to see each other for what they thought they really were: money. Dreiser first describes his Caroline Meeber not by her opinions or actions, but by what she owns: a small trunk, a cheap imitation alligator-skin satchel, and a small yellow snap purse Dreiser Sister 3. Although Carrie cannot afford a real alligator-skin satchel, she owns an imitation so that she appears to be something she is not Ward. False appearances are a reiterated theme throughout Sister Carrie. Schafer 2 Upon entering Chicago and meeting Drouet, the reader becomes attentive to Carries fascination with the upper class. In addition to representing consumerism, Carrie also serves as a symbol of the American middle class. Carrie is `ambitious to gain material things Ward. Entering a department store to find a job, Carrie leaves with an unsatisfied desire to own things that she cannot. Carrie sees how much the city has to offer her. She longs for the luxury and wealth of the other shop dwellers Balling 23. All of the fancy items tempt Carrie although she cannot manage to pay for any of them; thus a capitalist economy manipulates the desire of the consumer without ever completely satisfying it Ward. This unfulfilled yearning compels the consumer to work long hours just to struggle to buy more items Ward. With each purchase, the need for material things grows while never completely satisfying the consumer. Carries dream of satisfaction is hastily broken when she realizes she must work in an unpleasant job to get what she wants. In Sister Carrie, money is a main objective at the beginning of many relationships. Carries fascination in Drouet is instigated by his money. Handing her the money gives him the opportunity to touch her hand, the first step of physical intimacy with her Ward.  In a society in which wealth is associated with individual merit, Drouet begins to stir up yet another person into materialism. Through this, he can conduct his life on a splendid basis because Carrie looks to him with desire Balling 25. A world of possibilities is opened to Carrie through Drouet. She has now become an insider to the world of prosperity, excitement, and satisfaction Balling 29. Schafer 3 In meeting Hurstwood, Carrie can only look further upward. He is the symbol of the enlightened, capitalist man Ward. His life with Julia is one greater than Drouets. Unlike Hurstwood, Drouet is awkward and imitative in his dress and actions. This flashy lifestyle screams that he is performing a role Ward. Hurstwood spends just as noticeably, but he does it with a great deal of taste. Overall, while Hurstwood looks like the legitimate article, Drouet just comes off as a fake Ward. Carrie soon takes notice. Although they live a far more affluent lifestyle than Drouet and Carrie, Hurstwoods family is not satisfied. As Carrie craves nice clothing and trinkets, Julia and Jessica are saddened that they cannot afford a European summer vacation Ward. Again, the reader is introduced to the reoccurring theme of the compelling influence behind consumer society: unfulfilled desire Ward. .u63ce4743558b3809bb8eb5d72cf2326f , .u63ce4743558b3809bb8eb5d72cf2326f .postImageUrl , .u63ce4743558b3809bb8eb5d72cf2326f .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u63ce4743558b3809bb8eb5d72cf2326f , .u63ce4743558b3809bb8eb5d72cf2326f:hover , .u63ce4743558b3809bb8eb5d72cf2326f:visited , .u63ce4743558b3809bb8eb5d72cf2326f:active { border:0!important; } .u63ce4743558b3809bb8eb5d72cf2326f .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u63ce4743558b3809bb8eb5d72cf2326f { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u63ce4743558b3809bb8eb5d72cf2326f:active , .u63ce4743558b3809bb8eb5d72cf2326f:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u63ce4743558b3809bb8eb5d72cf2326f .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u63ce4743558b3809bb8eb5d72cf2326f .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u63ce4743558b3809bb8eb5d72cf2326f .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u63ce4743558b3809bb8eb5d72cf2326f .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u63ce4743558b3809bb8eb5d72cf2326f:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u63ce4743558b3809bb8eb5d72cf2326f .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u63ce4743558b3809bb8eb5d72cf2326f .u63ce4743558b3809bb8eb5d72cf2326f-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u63ce4743558b3809bb8eb5d72cf2326f:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Charles Dickens greatest novel EssayAfter Hurstwood and Carries affair and escape to New York, Hurstwood soon finds himself having to think carefully about small disbursements like rent and cab fare. Although he has sufficient money to invest in new businesses, he turns down many prospects because they are too low-class for him Ward. Not only is his money very important to him now, but so is his respectability. Having to live so frugally as he searches for a job humiliates him Balling 61. The importance of Hurstwoods reputation to himself underscores the materialism in America. Being who you are to yourself is not as important as being someone to others Gerber 60-61. Once Carrie meets Mrs. Vance, she reenters the world of conspicuous consumption Ward. As soon as she finds someone wealthier than she, Carrie again becomes displeased with her life. It seems as if Carrie then sets new goals for herself as she is exposed to new socio-economic levels Ward. Hurstwoods decline pushes Carrie further away from him. Mrs. Vances decision to cut off her connection with Carrie because of Hurstwoods appearance exposes the dehumanizing nature of consumer society Ward. While Hurstwood gradually sinks toward deprivation and suicide, Carrie once again moves foreword and appears on stage Thorp 472. Carries constant drag to something better was not to be denied Thorp 472. Her choice to leave him is almost completely motivated by finances, as was her decision to marry him Ward. The richer Carrie gets, again, the farther up she looks. Despite hardly knowing what to do with all of her money, however, she still suffers from unsatisfied desires Ward. Carries newfound theatrical success does not bring her happiness as she expected, just more urges. Although she has  now gained an identity that is independent of Hurstwoods and Drouets desire for her, she is still dependent on the desire of the public Ward. Even after Carrie has come so far, she still looks towards others opinions of her to make her happy. By the end of the novel, Carrie is still dissatisfied. She still experiences the unceasing discontent that is the major force behind consumerism Ward. A consumer-based society can only survive if there is always something more to want. With eyes so fixed on mountaintops yet to be attained, they never stop to wonder this way madness lies Gerber 53. As Carrie reaches the top, she and the reader no longer know what she desires. The brutal forces governing life dictate that any achievement permitted a human creature be diluted by dissatisfaction Gerber 56. At this time in America life had much to do with `chemisms and `magnetisms; it was dominated by invincible material forces; and of these the drives for power, money, and sex were primary Gerber. Sex and the relationships between men and women were solely based on finances, just as were Carries relationships with Drouet and Hurstwood. Even Dreiser himself expects Carrie to do nothing more than rely on a man. When a girl leaves her home at eighteen, she does one of two things. Either she falls into saving hands and becomes better, or she rapidly assumes the cosmopolitan standard of virtue and becomes worse Dreiser Sister 3. This statement also implies that Carrie or women in general uses seduction to get what she wants Thorp 472. Dreiser makes of her a symbolic figure who must sacrifice a certain amount of innocence in order to make progress of any kind. Thus Carries dream is the American Dream as well; it is a dream of rich finery, financial success and power Balling 30. When Drouet offers Carrie the twenty dollars, he is essentially buying the prospect for sex Ward. Because she owes him money, she feels tied to return his kindness with the only material object she owns- her body. Exposed of all its trimmings, Drouet and Carries relationship is no more than a form of prostitution. Because Carrie is paid more for her body than she is for her employment, she realizes that a womans most marketable product is sex Ward. .uc5b11c29873868d88a1fcefa2093902e , .uc5b11c29873868d88a1fcefa2093902e .postImageUrl , .uc5b11c29873868d88a1fcefa2093902e .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uc5b11c29873868d88a1fcefa2093902e , .uc5b11c29873868d88a1fcefa2093902e:hover , .uc5b11c29873868d88a1fcefa2093902e:visited , .uc5b11c29873868d88a1fcefa2093902e:active { border:0!important; } .uc5b11c29873868d88a1fcefa2093902e .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uc5b11c29873868d88a1fcefa2093902e { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uc5b11c29873868d88a1fcefa2093902e:active , .uc5b11c29873868d88a1fcefa2093902e:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uc5b11c29873868d88a1fcefa2093902e .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uc5b11c29873868d88a1fcefa2093902e .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uc5b11c29873868d88a1fcefa2093902e .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uc5b11c29873868d88a1fcefa2093902e .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uc5b11c29873868d88a1fcefa2093902e:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uc5b11c29873868d88a1fcefa2093902e .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uc5b11c29873868d88a1fcefa2093902e .uc5b11c29873868d88a1fcefa2093902e-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uc5b11c29873868d88a1fcefa2093902e:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: AP by John Updike EssayWhile Carrie illustrates the life of a modern single woman, Julia demonstrates the typical, unhappy married women. Hurstwood attributes his wife as an ornament of his success by regarding her as one of his possessions Ward. Again the marriage serves as a contract to declare her job as a wife: to give Hurstwood sex in exchange for his money Ward. The pragmatic morality and hypocrisy of a males role in a marriage is apparent through Hurstwoods actions. While he keeps a close eye on Julia and all of her interactions, he does not condemn mens extramarital affairs; he only approves if they are carried out discreetly Ward. This disjunction between peoples  conduct and the figure they stage is maintained by a web of lies Ward. Paying close attention to Drouet as he compliments other women, Carrie takes note and tries to develop her identity largely based on what he craves. Through this imitation, she becomes simply a manifestation of masculine desire; Carrie substantiates the conventional idea that women are nothing more than role players Ward. Sister Carrie presents womens identity as virtually non-existent: men can be genuine, but women can only try to imitate Ward. Carrie, again, knows no identity without conceding to a man Markels 533. As a reflection of masculine desire, Carrie cannot express any desires of her own- except for her need for conspicuous consumption. Rather than feeling happiness from her own desires, Carrie is pleased only when others desire her Ward. Carries need for attention again upholds the conventional standard that a woman only has social standing when a man desires her Phillips 553. Dreisers approach of retelling life how it really has created a great deal of unexpected controversy. The sum and substance of literary as well as social morality may be expressed in three words- tell the truth Dreiser True 473. This statement made by Dreiser himself was in response to critics against the publication of Sister Carrie. The depiction of a fallen woman in a success story was considered completely immoral Riggio. As Dreiser entered the literary scene in the early 1900s, a conventional style of writing had already been set into tradition. The function of literature was to appeal to mans `higher nature, to inspire him through the depiction of mans capacity to achieve the ethical life to seek such a life for himself Pizer Dreisers. Basically, the didactic method of literature was there to create an ideal society. When Sister Carrie came along, most reviewers held upon the fundamental circumstances of the novel- a young woman has two forbidden sexual affairs without experiencing either material loss or moral degeneration Pizer Dreisers. Also, since God was not mentioned once in the novel, Sister Carrie was considered immediate grounds for dismissal Pizer Dreisers. Such debate surrounding a novel can really only prove one point: it is a story of real life, of their lives Notman 474. All of these situations- materialism, seduction, adultery, bigamy, and theft- were actually occurring in real life Thorp 469. This denial of Americans own lives further reiterates the hypocrisy in a growing capitalist society. In a brief essay entitled True Art Speaks Plainly, Dreiser concluded a true picture of life, honestly and reverentially set down, is both moral and artistic whether it offends the conventions or not Dreiser True 474. Dreisers Sister Carrie deals with the sordid side of everyday life. Although his characters are mixtures of moral and corrupt, unable to assert their will against natural and economic forces, he rarely passes judgment on them Theodore. These extraordinarily convincing individuals and the litigious circumstances created by Theodore Dreiser demonstrate the ironies within an  emergent American culture after the Civil War. Materialism and capitalism in a booming economy, conventional standards of men and womens roles, and the denial of the American public in response to the novel all prove that Sister Carrie was ahead of its time in portraying the authentic and pessimistic view of real existence.

The History of Black Women in the 1950s

The History of Black Women in the 1950s African-American women are an essential part of our collective history. The following is a chronology of events and birthdates for women involved in African-American history, from 1950-1959. 1950 Gwendolyn Brooks became the first African-American to win a Pulitzer Prize (for Annie Allen). Althea Gibson became the first African-American to play at Wimbledon. Juanita Hall became the first African-American to win a Tony Award, for playing Bloody Mary in South Pacific. January 16: Debbie Allen born (choreographer, actor, director, producer). February 2: Natalie Cole born (singer; daughter of Nat King Cole). 1951 July 15: Mary White Ovington died (social worker, reformer, NAACP founder).   Linda Browns father sued the Topeka, Kansas, school board because she had to travel by bus to a school for African-American children when she could walk to the segregated school for white children only.  This would become the  Brown v. Board of Education  landmark civil rights case. 1952 September:  Autherine Juanita Lucy and Pollie Myers applied to the University of Alabama and were accepted. Their acceptances were rescinded when the university discovered they were not white. They took the case to court, and it took three years to resolve the case. 1954 Norma Sklarek became the first African-American woman licensed as an architect. Dorothy Dandridge was the first African-Amerian woman nominated for a Best Actress Oscar, for playing the lead role in Carmen Jones. January 29: Oprah Winfrey born (first African-American woman billionaire, first African-American woman to host a nationally syndicated talk show). September 22: Shari Belafonte-Harper born (actress). May 17: In Brown v. Board of Education, Supreme Court ordered schools to desegregate with all deliberate speed - finds separate but equal public facilities to be unconstitutional. July 24: Mary Church Terrell died (activist, clubwoman). 1955 May 18: Mary McLeod Bethune died. July: Rosa Parks attended a workshop at the Highlander Folk School in Tennessee, learning effective tools for civil rights organizing. August 28: Emmett Till, 14 years old, was killed by a white mob in Mississippi after he was accused of whistling at a white woman. December 1: Rosa Parks was arrested when she refused to give up a seat and move to the rear of the bus, triggering the Montgomery bus boycott. Marian Anderson became the first African-American member of the Metropolitan Opera company. 1956 Mae Jemison born (astronaut, physician). Hundreds of women and men in Montgomery walked for miles to work rather than use the buses as part of the Montgomery Bus Boycott. A court ordered the University of Alabama to admit Autherine Juanita Lucy, who filed a lawsuit in 1952 (see above). She was admitted but was barred from dormitories and dining halls.  She enrolled on February 3 as a graduate student in library science, the first black student admitted to a white public school or university in Alabama. The university expelled her in March, claiming she had slandered the school, after riots broke out and the courts ordered the university to protect her. In 1988, the university annulled the expulsion and she returned to school, earning her M.A. degree in education in 1992. The school even named a clock tower for her, and featured her portrait in the student union honoring her initiative and courage. December 21: The Supreme Court ruled bus segregation in Montgomery, Alabama was unconstitutional. 1957 African-American students, advised by NAACP activist Daisy Bates, desegregated a Little Rock, Arkansas, school under the protection of military troops ordered in by the federal government. April 15: Evelyn Ashford was born (athlete, track and field; four Olympic gold medals, Track and Field Womens Hall of Fame). Althea Gibson became the first African-American tennis player to win at Wimbledon and the first African-American to win the U.S. Open. The Associated Press named Althea Gibson their Woman Athlete of the Year. 1958 August 16: Angela Bassett born (actress). 1959 March 11: Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry became the first Broadway play written by an African-American woman - Sidney Poitier and Claudia McNeil starred. January 12: Motown Records founded in Detroit after Berry Gordy deferred working for Billy Davis and Gordys sisters Gwen and Anna at Anna Records; female stars from Motown included Diane Ross and the Supremes, Gladys Knight, Queen Latifah. December 21: Florence Griffith-Joyner born (athlete, track and field; first African-American to win four medals in one Olympics; sister-in-law of Jackie Joyner-Kersee).

Criminal Justice Systems Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Criminal Justice Systems - Research Paper Example Upon determination of probable cause, the court may conduct search and seizure of specific properties based on alleged proofs or facts indicating that crime indeed happens in specific places (Smith, 2012); b. Arrest done by police authorities of suspected persons for custodial investigation based on probable cause determine by court of jurisdiction to reasonably ascertain the relation of the arrested person to the alleged commission of crimes; (Smith, 2012); c. Conduct of prosecution of a criminal defendant at the district attorney’s office based on evidences and factors in consonance to the gravity and seriousness of crime allegedly committed (Smith, 2012); d. Indictment which is judicially executed by the grand jury upon filing of sufficient information to the office of the prosecutor based on the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedures. Based on the Miranda doctrine, the defendant can choose to have a lawyer of his choice or be afforded by the state for legal representation du ring hearing (Smith, 2012); e. Arraignment by judge before trial to know whether accused enters a plea of guilty or not guilty (Smith, 2012); f. Pre-trial detention and availing of bail (Smith, 2012); g. Plea bargaining between defense lawyer and prosecutor (Smith, 2012); h. Conduct of trial and rendition of decision based on adjudicatory function of the court. Guilt is determined by judge or jury with the participation of prosecutor and defense lawyers. In criminal court, the judge will render conviction based on evidences and determination of guilt beyond reasonable doubt (Smith, 2012); i. The judge convict by rendering its sentence when guilt is determined (Smith, 2012); j. Depending on the result of the trial and the satisfaction of parties involved, an appeal may be filed to appellate court. When the latter reverse decisions, the case will be remanded to lower court for retrial (Smith, 2012); Following the September 9/11 incident, United States broadened the function of the cri minal justice system to make the system as tool of national power for anti-terrorism – inclusive of military intelligence operation (Russo, 2012; Bureau of Justice Assistance, 2000; Cohn, 1978). Authorities believed that this is an effective tool in reducing the capacity of the terrorist group operating within and external of United States. The state has proved that the criminal justice system is good for generating accurate and reliable information to crack the network of terror groups (Russo, 2012; Bureau of Justice Assistance, 2000). 2. Examine the three components of the American Criminal Justice System. Find an issue for each component that you think needs to be addressed to make the system more effective. Devise a solution for each issue and explain your solutions. The three categories of the American Criminal Justice System are federal, state and military (Smith, 2012). Added to these are subcategories which include adult and juvenile cases. Each of these has three maj or components. The first component is law enforcement. This is perceived as the most important part because this cover enforcement of laws and application of investigations and arrest of persons who are culpable under the laws of the state, the federal and the military (Smith, 2012). Law enforcements include filing of charges and putting the convict under reformation to change its behaviour before it’

Lightning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Lightning - Essay Example To begin with, lightning contains a massive amount of energy. If it strikes a tree or a house it can destroy it due to the massive transfer of heat. Lightning can heat the air around it to almost 20,000 degrees Celsius which is about three times the temperature of the sun. So much energy travels so quickly in a lightning strike that it creates a supersonic wave which normal people call thunder. Because light travels faster than the speed of sound you usually see the lightning before you hear the thunder on a stormy day.1 It is often said that electricity was discovered by Benjamin Franklin when he went to go fly a kite in a big storm. It is true that the idea of harnessing the power of electricity came to him at that time, though others had carried out similar observations and experiments in the past.2 Even though this helped our understanding of static electricity, not a lot of new information has been learnt about lightning in recent years, how to harness it or use it for human purposes. This is unfortunate. Because of global warming we need new ideas about how to generate energy without harming the environment. If scientists can learn more, we may be able to use lightning to save the planet. Rakov, Vladimir A. Lightning: Physics and Effects. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2007.

Gender Issues in the Workplace

Gender Issues in the Workplace Introduction This paper seeks to define what is meant by gender issues in the workplace in relation to underlying tensions, indirect prejudice and unfair practices which often are perceived but continue without full recognition or sufficient direct management of the problem. It proposes to question pre conceived notions of success based on qualities such as ability and skill and rather seeks to uncover the more tacit business environment; known but never fully appreciated in relation to career advancement and company progression. A number of conflicting theories proposed by both feminist scholars and male business analysts exist on this subject which makes it both a complicated and contentious discussion. It is also one that can justify the way in which workplace failings and successes can be interpreted from a number of angles where gender bias is concerned; politically, psychologically, socially and academically. Typically gender inequality is a much deeper perception involving social hierarchys and preconceived notions of what men and women are capable of in terms of leadership and management. It is important to distinguish what is traditionally meant by advantage and disadvantage in an organizational setting and in the context of gender. Some examples might include; an employer may not hire, promote or wrongfully terminate an employee based on his or her gender, or that an employers pay is unequally based on gender, some employers show discrimination towards pregnant female workers, female employees are passed over for promotion in favour of more junior, less-qualified male co-workers. (Sahu, 2009) However looking at discrimination in its broader sense there is a widely held argument that as white and male it is easy to become invisible in society; to go unacknowledged and unrecognized, but once visible as a consequence of being labeled as say black, homosexual, a woman†¦individuals ca n adopt a greater empowerment just by being different (Robinson, 2000, Phelan, 2008, Haraway, 1999) In 1994 a popular American journal, Business Week published an article which stipulated; White, male and worried: White men still dominate corporate America. But in companies with aggressive diversity programs they are beginning to feel angry and resentful. What should companies do? (Burke and Black, 1997: 933-942) From such theorizing it is possible to engage with the notion that perhaps by being ‘invisible this can perpetuate both political and social exclusion. World Modern History since the 1960s has witnessed the rise of Civil Rights, womens liberation, gay liberation and a more growing acceptance of diversity has resulted in the decentralization of the white male (Robinson,2000 :2) and a culmination of all these things could be attributed to a crisis in masculinity of sorts. In contrast Virginia Schein et al propose that men and women do not lead or manage any differently in the work environment, but that they are perceived in different ways and that effectiveness as a male in a leadership role is something which is automatically attributed to them. Whereas women who exhibit the same behaviours as men are not judged as being as authoritative or having the same skills, because this is what we traditionally perceive inherently about men and women. (Sinclair, 2005:25) And just as peopl e can make themselves invisible in the work environment, so too can they make themselves visible. Being ‘visible represents a tangible ‘surface state, one in which someone can be seen to be visibly being excluded or different. At a deeper more conceptual level then there is a power to become ‘invisible, often as a consequence of trying to attain the male norm. (Simpson and Lewis, 2005:1253-1275) Caution however must be exacted when considering these theories which could also be used as a means to essentially make excuses for racist or prejudice practices in the workplace. (Pierce, 2003:53-70) Other theorists of invisibility consider this to be a covert way of preventing either women or black co-workers to progress. That the ‘backlash felt by white male men is actually a means to subjugate ‘minorities in the work place even further. Scholars such as Nicholson conform to theories such as the Patriarchal culture which is instilled in men and women through a process of socialization from a very early age. For example that men are better than women in sport, or that men make better surgeons etc. (Nicolson, 1996:108) There is a definite counter-argument where some previous traditional theories of invisibility have evolved. For example some research determines that men have become to think of themselves as being without gender, largely because they are oblivious to, or choose to ignore that invisibility generates inequality. Thus the invisibility of gender experienced by men generates the inequalities that are constrained by gender. That essentially many men are in possession; for whatever reason, of a number of structural privileges and power within the organizations that they work in and that by confronting their participation in maintaining inequality between themselves and women, that they should take responsibility for liberating themselves rather than blaming their problems on women. (McKay, 1997:11) Many men continue to disregard the notion of male privilege creating an invisibility of the problem itself. The more this invisibility is encouraged the more gender problems will continue to esc alate. (Johnson, 2005:157) Basically there is a strong argument to suggest the very fact that men in the workplace are perpetuating patriarchy and gender inequality, is because they are in denial of it and therefore the problem itself becomes invisible. Issues remain across all ‘minority workplace discriminations. Barriers continue to exist despite western laws on equal opportunities and fair working practices. Essentially there should be no barriers to succeeding. And yet for black, disabled, gay, women or other traditionally marginalized workers there continues to be a significant problem where acquiring progressive job positions exists, indicating that there are a number of unseen issues and opinions being made below the surface and continue to remain invisible. (Hesse-Biber and Carter, 2005:75-78) A recent research study of female engineers in the work environment was conducted in an attempt to illuminate this complex ‘in/visibility paradox. The women engineers could be seen to be at once both ‘visible as women but ‘invisible as engineers. This contradiction then adds yet another element to the discussion, but also helps to explain why it is difficult to retain women in engineering roles. Their ‘invisibility as engineers can be attributed to the fact that they require considerable effort to be taken seriously in this particular job, thus undermining their overall confidence. As ‘visible women they face enormous contradictory pressures to ‘become one of the lads, whilst maintaining their femininity and these in/visibility dynamics get taken for granted at the same time as building a cumulative and problematic outcome, not least because they are subtle and taken for granted. (Faulkner, 2009:169-189) Similarly another recent relevant journal article relays the findings of a small-scale project which involved a study of men who moved over into what has traditionally been considered ‘womens work. One immediate outcome apparent in all ten men was experiencing the challenges of feeling emasculated and having their masculinity queried in a number of ways and in a variety of situations. The way in which the men managed these challenges is particularly interesting as they all attempted to maintain their masculinity and their traditional persona associated with masculinity by distancing themselves from their female co-workers. (Cross and Bagilhole, 2002:204-226) Thus potentially making themselves ‘invisible to the situation. This provides some further interesting light on the notion of visibility and invisibility in organizational structures. That men resolutely continue to re-enforce their gender and identity regardless of whether it is challenged or not, but in such a way that they make themselves invisible in the process. Might this then suggest that men will go to any lengths to maintain their dominant gender, even when they are performing those roles traditionally considered ‘womens work? Whilst it may also represent juxtaposition for the behaviour of women, often criticized in the work place for their defensiveness or ruthless behaviour. Perhaps women in turn are masking their femininity in a bid to be taken seriously or remain ‘invisible as they feel threatened by the challenges men pose. Conclusion What can be concluded from this complicated analysis is that it still remains difficult to determine whether invisibility exists, or whether it is a means of simply not seeing or acknowledging gender differentiation. Are male workers unaware of the fact that they are inherently patriarchal, or is it women who continue to see them in this way as they traditionally remain challenged and psychologically subjugated by their male co-workers? This might then suggest that there is no real suppression of gender taking place in organizations, but rather most women and men are defensive about their jobs and careers. This is a highly problematic area that continues to demand further research and a ‘rethinking of gender stereotypes for both management and workers generally. (Mavin et al, 2004:293-303) What is apparent from this study is the degree with which both men and women ‘play out their insecurities whilst both hiding and exposing elements of visibility and invisibility depending on the circumstances. Invisibility, as has also been outlined in this document poses a much wider conceptual problem. The problem of barriers that exist not just with individuals but with whole organizations, those that choose to promote the types of people they consider suitable to the organization itself and therefore creating their own invisible discriminatory practices. A complex system of psychological interactions can impact on the way in which people generally make themselves visible or invisible within an organization. There are many contributing factors, some of which have been explored throughout this document and many of which require considerable future research. It is clear that gender based priviledge exists. This is a reality in terms of the statistics which reflect the number of men in positions of power in contrast with the often lower salaried lesser roles adopted by women. But as to whether who is putting who at a disadvantage may be dependent on a whole series of contributory factors such as the culture and size of the organization itself, the way in which the individuals working in that organisation have been socialized and what values and expectations they have been encouraged to appreciate from birth. Bibliography Burke, R, J, Black, S (1997) Save the Males: Backlash in Organisations, Journal of Business Ethics, Volume 16 Cross, S. and Bagilhole, B. (2002) Girls Jobs for the Boys? Men, Masculinity and Non-Traditional Occupations, Gender Work and Organization, Volume 9, Issue 2 Faulkner (2009) Doing gender in engineering workplace cultures. II. Gender in/authority and the in/visibility paradox, Engineering Studies, Volume 1, Issue 3 Haraway, D (1999) Gender, Race and nature in the World of Modern science: Routledge and Kegan Paul Hesse-Biber, S, N, Carter, G, L (2005) Working Women in America: Oxford University Press. Johnson, A, G (2005) The Gender Knot: unraveling our patriarchal legacy: Temple University Press Lewis and Simpson, (2010) Revealing and Concealing Gender: Visibility in Gender and Organization Research: Palgrave Macmillan Mavin, S, Bryans, P, Waring, T (2004) Gender on the agenda 2: unlearning gender blindness in management education, Women in management Review, Volume 19, Issue 6 McKay (1997) Managing gender: affirmative action and organizational power in Australian, Canadian and New Zealand Sport: SUNY Press Nicolson, (1996) Gender, power and organization: a psychological perspective: Routledge Phelan, P (1993) Unmarked: The Politics of Performance: Routledge Pierce, J.L. (2003) Racing for Innocence: Whiteness, Corporate Culture and the Backlash Against Affirmative Action, Qualitative Sociology, Volume 26, Issue 1 Robinson, S. (2000) Introduction: Visibility, Crisis and the Wounded White Male Body in Marked Men: White Masculinity in Crisis: Columbia University Press Sahu, R, K (2009) Gender Discrimination in the Work Place, Internet article available from: http://www.scribd.com/doc/22571816/Gender-Discrimination-in-Work-Place, date accessed, 13/01/10 Simpson, R. and Lewis, P. (2005) An investigation of silence and a scrutiny of transparency: Re-examining gender in organization literature through the Concepts of Voice and Visibility, Human Relations, Volume 58, Issue 10 Sinclair, A (2005) Doing leadership differently; gender, power and sexuality in a changing business culture: Melbourne University Press