Change the World by Changing Poverty

Poverty affects many people â€Å"with over three billion living on less than two dollars and fifty cents a day† (Shah). The majority of the parents living in poverty are unable to provide for themselves and let alone able to feed their children, send them to school, get them the medical attention they need, or even provide them with shelter (â€Å"What is Poverty? †). Since parents can not properly provide for their kids, it causes â€Å"twenty-two thousand children to die each day due to poverty†. South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa are the areas most affected by poverty even though it is in every continent, country, and city around the world (Shah).This large poverty problem is a global issue that could be changed into a much smaller one, or even an inexistent problem, by implementing a few different solutions. One way to end poverty is by investing in children. This means to mainly focus on their education, especially when they’re young. Boteach talks ab out how President Obama has an idea to create a â€Å"universal pre-K that would provide millions of parents with a quality, reliable place for their children to thrive, enabling them to work more or steadier hours to bring additional income into the family, as well as create greater economic opportunity for their children in the long term†.In doing this, it would help these children obtain a proper education that can lower poverty at a high rate since children are the ones most affected by it. With the correct education they can grow up and learn to live a life of non-poverty unlike their parents who may have not of had the chance to obtain a proper education (Boteach). Children living in poverty are unable to control their life. They’re vulnerable because they’re at the will of others and they sometimes demean themselves to make ends meet (â€Å"Invest in Services†). So they deserve to be invested in for their future and their well being.Investing in ch ildren can reduce the poverty rate in tomorrow’s world. Another way to end poverty would be to make a world-wide minimum wage law. Why? People live in poverty mostly because they can not make enough money to support themselves or their family. Very rarely is it because people are lazy or don’t have a job (Shah). Why is there still so many people living in poverty if they have jobs? Poverty is mainly caused by too low of minimum wages because â€Å"the leading cause of hunger and homelessness is low-paying jobs† (â€Å"Universal Living Wage†).Most countries do already have a minimum wage, but they are usually not high enough to support a family in today’s world. The United States is a good example of this because â€Å"under current law, a full-time worker with two children earning the minimum wage will still raise his or her family in poverty† (Boteach). This is unacceptable because most employers will pay their workers minimum wage if they can get away with it. And anyone working deserves to not have to live in poverty no matter where they live or what job they do. So there needs to be a world-wide, minimum wage law made.It needs to state that every country has to make a high enough minimum wage that would not allow anyone to live in poverty if they worked a normal forty-hour week. They need to be able to afford essential clothing, nutrition, utilities, medical care, and shelter (â€Å"Universal Living Wage†). So making a world-wide minimum wage law would help reduce poverty. Making sure everyone has access to the proper energy is another solution to end poverty. The people living in third-world countries that are poverty stricken, is mainly due to not having access to energy needed to live day in and day out.Without them having access to the proper electricity they have to work much harder in their lives because they do not have access to running water, lights, heat, refrigeration, air-conditioning, plumbing, stoves, and many other things that most people take for granted. They also struggle not having the proper energy because it affects their ability to get a decent education or earn a nice living or even just trying to keep themselves healthy is an everyday struggle for them.It is physically impossible and too expensive to make sure every square inch of this earth and everyone has access to electricity though. So the solution would be to work with communities to develop renewable energy technologies. These technologies would use natural resources such as water, wind, sun and wastes so they could work in even the smallest or most remote communities and not cost very much to build or maintain (â€Å"Powerful Solutions to Poverty†). Making sure everyone has access to the proper energy needed to live life easily would really help reduce poverty.Investing in children would help end poverty in tomorrow’s world. If children were given the chance to get a proper education it wou ld create a greater economic opportunity for everyone in the long term. For example, â€Å"every year that we keep children in poverty, it costs our nation, United States, half a trillion dollars in lost productivity, poorer health and increased crime,† so if children got a proper education, it would boost the economy, raise health, end a lot of crime and reduce the costs by trillions (â€Å"Ending Child Poverty†).It would also lead to outcomes such as better high school graduation rates, higher worker productivity, and lower rates of violent crime that revenue seven dollars in savings for every one dollar invested upfront in children’s early education (Boteach). This is a realistic solution because The Early Learning Challenge Fund is investing one billion dollars per year in challenge grants to build high-quality early learning systems for children from birth through age five (â€Å"Investing in Early Childhood to Reduce Child Poverty†).Investing in chi ldren’s education from an early age can help reduce poverty to a lower rate. Making a world-wide minimum wage law would reduce poverty drastically. If they raised the minimum wages and indexed them to the cost of living, it would increase the wages of millions of low-wage workers, and create demand in the economy for goods and services as workers spend their increased wages in local businesses (Boteach). For example, if the United States were to raise â€Å"the minimum wage to fifteen dollars an hour† then that â€Å"would inject about four hundred and fifty billion dollars into the economy each year†.It would give more purchasing power to many poor and lower/middle class Americans, so therefore stimulate buying, producing, and hiring. Also, the Economic Policy Institute has done studies that prove raising the minimum wage to fifteen dollars would benefit sixty-four percent of the workforce, eighty-one million people, and therefore their families would no longer have to live in poverty and then they would be able to buy more clothing, new cars, and food from the nation’s businesses (Hanauer). Imagine if every country made a minimum wage and made it high enough to do the same as if it would for the United States.Every country’s economy would be booming and many people could live a better life therefore benefiting the countries in several ways. People would no longer need to use tax payer programs such as food stamps or Medicaid, and then the countries could use that tax money to get out of debt or for other reasons. The United States alone could save a lot of money and get out of some debt since â€Å"according to the Congressional Budget Office, the federal government spent three hundred sixteen billion dollars on programs designed to help the poor in 2012† (Hanauer).This is a realistic solution to poverty. Many minimum wage paying jobs are employed by franchises that make billions of dollars a year and still pay their workers nothing. These franchises and companies can and should have to pay their workers a higher minimum wage. Businesses would be responsible to pay the increase to their workers but it is their responsibility to employ and pay them fairly. Making a high, world-wide minimum wage law would help end poverty. Making sure everyone has access to the proper energy is a good solution to end poverty.Having the proper energy resources is important to any area because a â€Å"modern energy supply is foundational for economic development† (Pielke). This is a very realistic solution. In most poverty stricken areas it is impossible to get electricity. So the solution is to work with communities to develop renewable energy technologies. The organization Practical Action is a charity that does just this. They are funded completely by donations and have worked with poor women, men, and children all over the world helping make their lives better.So if they got enough donations, they could end poverty in many third world countries that don’t have the access to electricity. They could do this because of their renewable energy technologies that they invent, build, and distribute. They are always looking for ways to better their inventions and ways to help out the people more (â€Å"Powerful Solutions to Poverty†). Giving everyone access to the proper energy they need can reduce poverty rates. Poverty is a sad thing because it affects every part of these people’s life.It affects their health, learning, jobs, raising their families, and just everyday activities that should be simple. That is why there is a great need to do something to end poverty. Whether the world works together to invest in children and their education, or to make a high, world-wide minimum wage, or to make sure everyone has access to proper energy, the world will have less poverty. Everyone needs to stand and work together to make these solutions work. If everyone acts on them all , we could end poverty completely, so take a stand today and end the suffering for millions of adults and children all over the globe.

Fast Food Nation Summary and Reaction Essay

Eric Schlosser wrote the book â€Å"Fast Food Nation† to prove that the fast food industry is solely responsible for many problems that affect today’s society. He begins his argument by explaining how the fast food industry came to be and who made it happen. Carl Karcher was the biggest starting pioneer of this new industry. After his marriage in 1939, he bought his first hot dog cart and â€Å"by the end of 1994, [he] owned 4 hot dog carts in Los Angeles. † His next fast food venture was his Drive-In Barbeque, but the competition was soon on. â€Å"Dozens of people were standing in line to buy bags of ‘McDonald’s Famous Hamburgers’ (Schlosser 18, 19). Richard and â€Å"Mac† McDonald had their own business, but were tired of having to find new carhops and cooks. So they began to use today’s way of how fast food chains do business, assembly line style. This was the beginning of the rising power of the fast food industry. Schlosser then briefly describes the lives of many other fast food pioneers such as William Rosenberg who opened his first â€Å"doughnut shop in 1948, later calling it Dunkin’ Donuts. † Glen Bell founded the restaurant chain Taco Bell, Keith Cramer founded Insta-Burger-King, Dave Thomas founded Wendy’s, and Thomas Monaghan opened the first Domino’s. And Harland Sanders was the famous man of them all with his opening of the world’s first Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant (Schlosser 22-23). Thanks to these men, America has her fast food. In order to explain how fast food became so popular in American culture, Schlosser continues his book with the complicated relationship between Ray Kroc and Walt Disney and their rise to fame. â€Å"Ray Kroc took the McDonald brothers’ Speedee Service System and spread it nationwide, creating a fast food empire (Schlosser 34). † Walt Disney created a fantasy world that fulfilled the American child’s dreams. Their great success was their uncanny ability of marketing their products to children. Even though Walt Disney’s success arrived sooner, Kroc’s company was most successful with the invention of the character Ronald McDonald in enticing America’s children. â€Å"Indeed, market research has found that children often recognize a brand logo before they can recognize their own name (Schlosser 43). † Playgrounds and even public school systems have fell victim to advertising. Playlands in McDonald’s stores attract whole families with young, hungry, and noisy children. Believe it or not, children are the ones who made McDonald’s Corporation as rich as it is today. Schlosser continues with stories and facts about what happens behind the counter. The mass number of fast food stores across America shows growing problems surrounding those who work at them. Crew members are only paid minimum wage and sometimes even less. They are prevented from being paid overtime, forming labor unions, and are forced to work only when they are needed. Workers going overtime are being paid for the extra time in food, not money. Robberies have been known to occur by current of former employees, not just third parties. McDonald’s sees it only necessary to add security to its stores rather than increasing its employee wages to incentivize workers to try and prevent theft. McDonald’s uses a combination of teenagers and illegal immigrants as its workforce supply. These workers are not concerned about being paid little since most do not have to support a family. With such a tremendous supply of labor, there is no incentive for McDonald’s Corporation to increase employee wages. Franchisees of many fast food chains are increasingly upset about encroachment, multiple stores of the same chain within short distances of each other. It is terrible that corporations are not thinking too highly of their franchisees. But there is no incentive for these corporations to change since they own the land that their franchises sit on. Franchisees periodically sue their franchisors â€Å"about inflated price charged by suppliers, [and] about bankruptcies and terminations that seemed unfair (Schlosser 100). † The meat packing industry is by far the most dangerous industry in America. Countless injuries occur without being reported and all that seems to matter to the industry is meeting the daily schedules. The faster the employees are made to work, the more dangerous the work becomes. Workers are usually fired after they are severely injured and are sent to specific doctors who do not document these injuries and convince the workers that they are fine. Any defiance against the company and those workers are either fired or given harder and more dangerous tasks. The only thought that comes across meat packing company executives is profit margins. There is relatively no social justice for the employees of the fast food and meat packing industries. Their wages are minimal, they receive no benefits, and no bonuses are given. There is no excuse that can justify falsified reports and time clocks. This is one of the few points where private interests go too far. Minimized costs is a must have in the private sector, but not to the point where the lives and welfare of workers are at stake and laws are being violated. There is simply too much private interest alive in Congress which prevents any further prohibition of such behavior. These industries are technically victimizing their workers by using them as cheap labor. Fast food chains use advertising which targets children who are the most vulnerable and exploit that weakness to maximize profits. In addition to Schlosser’s arguments, fast food is the worst possible food that people can eat. The sad thing is children at such young ages are eating it and the parents either do not even know any better or they simply do not care just because it is good to their wallets. Eric Schlosser’s critical views towards the fast food and meat packing industries, I dear say, are very informative. In sharing his views, I believe things must be done to address these issues. If the end result means higher prices for fast food, I, unlike most of Americans, simply would not mind paying it because then at least the employees of both industries would be earning better wages, learning real life skills, and working in a safer environment especially for those who do the meat packing. The facts about the fast food industry in this book definitely prove to me what I have been supporting, working at a McDonald’s for the past two years. I may actually consider finding a new job this summer with a company that pays me better, a company that does not have the kind of nasty reputation that the fast food chains have.

Finding the audience ( media audience) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Finding the audience ( media audience) - Essay Example While newspapers and radio have suffered though little, they have made their user groups intact due to their low cost and local news coverage network. Television media has undergone various changes after the advent of satellite technology. The fragmentation of audiences that has already occurred means that Public Service Broadcasting TV channels can no longer command large audiences unless there is some national event that interests everyone and the huge audiences of the past, for example, for the Christmas Morecambe and Wise Shows or the final series of Only Fools and Horses, will be impossible in the future and only on the great state occasions of national interest, where coverage is exclusive or shared by one or two channels, will large audiences be achievable (Media Watch U.K.). The active users of video recorders in the cities and the internet live coverage of many of the social programs in the recent times have made the television industry under pressure. Hence The audience generation to television programs during the last decade has become a very difficult task. In these prevailing conditions, the success of Channel 5, the recent analogue of terrestrial channel, reaching nearly 80% of the population in Britain, have made to understand the common man and the business marketing community, that what works in the entertainment market, when promotional strategies and the branding specifics are properly selected, continuously changed and improved. The history of television media started in U.K. since the launching of British Broadcasting Corporation in 1922 and passed through the second television network, Independent Television Network (ITV), which started in 1955. While BBC has maintained through the license fees and ITV generated funding through marketing. The

How have the culture and mentality of the Chinese contributed to their Research Paper

How have the culture and mentality of the Chinese contributed to their success as entrepreneurs - Research Paper Example This unusual success is based on the Chinese culture and customs. Chinese school of thought Confucianism has deep roots with the entrepreneurship. Confucianism evokes qualities like hard work and constant struggle and also suggests that people should do such actions which become a source of pride for not only their family but for the state also. The Chinese custom of saving money and not using more than their needs, help them to investment in their business. Confucianism allows its followers to lead a loyal and modest life, and not using corruption as a tool to progress. Along with other qualities like interpersonal relation, self discipline and risk taking, the importance given by Chinese government on education has helped them to come up with latest and innovational solutions in the field of science and technology. The state is now taken extra steps to motivate young individuals to enter in the world of entrepreneurs and try to facilitate them in every way. Loans, coaching and help are offered to the interesting candidates. Thus their culture and the policies offered by the country helps the Chinese entrepreneurs to succeed beyond others. ..

Essay on the biochemical assessment of a named disease

On the biochemical assessment of a named disease - Essay Example When the body uses these hormones, the thyroid creates more to replace them. The pituitary gland monitors the amount of the thyroid hormones in the bloodstream and adjusts the production of its own hormone accordingly. The pituitary gland also sends this information to the thyroid gland so the latter knows how much hormone it needs to produce (Endocrine Web, 2006a) Thyroid diseases occur when the thyroid gland produces more hormones, which prompts the body to consume more energy. This disorder is called hyperthyroidism. When the thyroid gland produces fewer hormones, the body is prompted to lessen its energy consumption. This condition is called hypothyroidism (American Academy of Otolaryngology, 2006) Thyroiditis, a disease which can either be painless or painful, can trigger the thyroid gland to produce more hormones, thus, causing hyperthyroidism to occur in short periods of time. The painless type usually happens to women who have just given birth. The symptoms of hyperthyroidism include severe irritability and nervousness, muscle tremors, unpredictable and infrequent menstrual periods in women, sudden weight loss, inability to sleep, enlarged thyroid, eye irritation, and sensitivity to heat. The symptoms of hypothyroidism are fatigue, heavy and frequent menstrual periods in women, severe forgetfulness, sudden weight gain, dry hair and skin, raspy voice, and sensitivity to cold (The Cleveland Clinic, 2006) Doctors perform various thyroid diagnostic tests to determine if the thyroid gland is functioning well. These tests include the T3 and T4 tests, the TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) test, and ultrasound of the thyroid gland. The TSH test is usually done first, as it is the best measure of how well the thyroid gland functions. When the blood levels of TSH is high, the thyroid glad is under active; and when it is low, the thyroid

The Importance of Cultural Web to HR Strategy Research Proposal - 1

The Importance of Cultural Web to HR Strategy - Research Proposal Example Organizational culture is â€Å"The collective programming of the mind which distinguishes the members of one organization from another† (Hofstede 1991). Organizational culture plays a very important role in the growth, performance, and success of the organizations. Its importance today has increased manifold as compared to the past. Traditional sources of success or competitive advantage such as product, technology, economies of scale etc are becoming less important in today’s world. Organizational culture and human resource management capabilities are becoming more vital for sustained growth these days (Alvesson, 2002). Culture is a dynamic phenomenon constantly in the process of evolution with our interactions and it is shaped by leadership, structures, rules and regulations and principles that guide our behavior. When culture is brought into the organizations one can observe not only its creation, evolution and embodiment in daily routine and practices within the organization but also as a guiding force that stabilizes, constraints and provide organizational structure and meaning to the employees. Although culture is an abstract term the forces that create this culture in the society and organization are very important. Hence culture should not only be understood but given the deserved importance as well.

Formal Proposal on Pensions for Public Employees Research

Formal on Pensions for Public Employees - Research Proposal Example There are different types of pension plans and this report suggests the public organizations to use and implement ‘Defined benefit pension plan’ as this would be beneficial for most of the employees working in public sector. Pension plans are of many types. Retirement plan, state and social pension plan, and disability pension are some of the types. It is mandatory for permanent employees that they should be given payment after their retirement in the form of pension. If it is not paid then it should be mentioned in the contract of the employees. Pension is defined the amount that an employee gets on his retirement through the contribution of employees and investment returns. This amount is received on a regular basis by the employee. Members’ contribution is deducted from their payroll throughout their duration of service (Davis, 1998). Generally, the amount of pension is predetermined and based on a defined formula. This formula may vary from one organization to another however the formula is based on employee’s history of earnings. In America, Public employee pension plan is suffering and the employees at the public organizations are not satisfied with the existing plan. One of the reas ons for this is that government is exploring more unusual investments in order to feed the Public employee pension plan. OCER has invested 10.9 billion dollars in funds. Out of these funds, only 4% is from assets (Reicher, 2014). According to figure 1 presented in the appendix section, all public plans are funded in a well-mannered way and contributions from the employers are found lower in pension plans (Basich, 2011). This report presents a proposal for the pension of public employees. Pension is an important aspect of the workplace as it provides funds at a stage when the person does not have the ability or energy to work appropriately for 40 hours in a week. Senior management has an important role and they have to take part

The Palm Beach County Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan Assignment

The Palm Beach County Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan - Assignment Example The National Incident Management System provides a template for the CEMP to follow since it is federally mandated for agencies at all levels of government, based on the Homeland Security Presidential Directive 5 (HSPD-5). The NIMS has been fully incorporated into all the response and recovery initiatives. The NIMS basically acts as a guideline for the CEMP since new frameworks do not have to be developed (Wilkinson, Lewis and Dennis, 2010). The CEMP developers only need to customize the structure of the NIMS to fit the needs of whatever geographical area they are working on (Chou and Chen, 2013). In this case, the guidelines of the NIMS can be adapted to fit Palm Beach County’s CEMP and work on original plans will be minimal. The CEMP has four essential elements, which are the Basic Plan, Standard Operating Guidelines (SOGs), Emergency Management (EM) Coordinating Procedures, and the Hazard Specific Plans (HSPs). The basic plan provides information on the concept of operations, coordination, control and organizational structure, general purpose, scope and methodology of the plan, and identifies responsibilities of all entities and resources harnessed by the County to help in disaster recovery (Nagar, 2010). SOGs are agency or section-specific and are used by organizations to actualize the purposes, missions, or operations outlined by the complimentary HSPs or Coordinating Procedures (Wilkinson, Lewis and Dennis, 2010). HSPs serve as the foundation for effective response to known hazards and support the incorporation of mitigation into response and recovery operations (Penuel, 2013). The Coordinating Procedures explain by Section, the primary, auxiliary, and coordinating entities, and their roles and responsibilities in the four stages of emergency management. The CEMP covers the following events: vi) Assigning specific and detailed functional duties to

In class essay2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

In class essay2 - Essay Example It is highly necessary for the authorities to take action to bury the power lines underground, as this will avoid the chances of vulnerability of the power lines to natural disaster like storm and hurricane. The hurricane sandy has caused millions of people in Northeast to live without power for days. The Connecticut city had 90% living in darkness as hurricane sandy swept fiercely through the city damaging all the power lines. Considering this dangerous fact, it is strongly recommendable to the electricity providers to take action to bury power lines underground to avoid further mishaps. Being a super power, America need to be more thoughtful regarding their infrastructure and power providing system. If the power lines are laid outside then, any natural disaster can harm the electricity supply of the nation. But the government is not considering building power line underground as the cost for the same is high. Because the power lines where constructed above the ground, there was explosion of power station in the North east during sandy’s arrival. In recent times, America has been encountering numerous natural disasters like hurricane, typhoon, storms and wild fires. So the government keeping in mind of these disasters must make immediate strategy to combat catastrophe. Any government must priorities the citizen’s security and quality of life, as the government is by the people, for the people and of the people. North east America being a cold region needs power and electricity more than other areas of US. The government being cost conscious understood their mistake only when disastrous sandy affected the region. Now that the sandy has destroyed the power lines of North east America, the cost incurred by the government is more than imagined. Government’s ignorance and lack of alertness has caused much hassles and disruption in the life of millions of people. If the power lines of these region

Lim Goh Tong Essay Example for Free

Lim Goh Tong Essay Successful business are ofter managed by what type of leaders? Successful business are ofter managed by leaders who know how to mobilize their human resources (HR) to produce better products and service compared to their competitors. b) How can a change of mindset can be the pre-requisite step for building and existing entrepreneurs to stay in the business? A change of mindset can be the pre-requisite step for building and existing entrepreneurs to stay in the business because it having a positive mindset and to step up efforts to deal with constant changes and challenges in a highly competities market place. c) What are the key factors to be considered in the exercise? The key factors to be considered in the exercise are entrepreneur must be smart and resilient in mobilizing all its resources, including HR to move towards common goals and to deal with challenges that affect the business. It requires the creation the creation of a more robust and knowledge business culture with people that deeply understand the business environment. d) What are the key factors to be considered in the exercise? The key factors to be considered in the exercise are considering knowledge as a factor that can make a distint difference and identifying emerging key and new method of conducting business and making it more competitive. e) What the factors to achieve entrepreneurial success to sharpen a company’s competitive adge? The factors to achieve entrepreneurial success to sharpen a company’s competitive adge depends on the ability to attract, retain and develop competent people continuously. f) Why is having leadership ability is important? Having leadership ability is important because it stand in good stead for the entrepreneur to help worker in problem-solving as well as to provide guidance on the right work ethics and maximize the employee’ performance. g) How to be a successful entrepreneur? To be a successful entrepreneur , one should have the ability to plan, arrange and control the business in every aspect. . Based on your understanding, give one example of successful entrepreneur in Malaysia. That constributes a lot in Malaysia economy. Give the strength of his (her) product/service. Lim Goh Tong is classic story of a rag-to-riches story. He migrated from China mainland in his youth. And as fate would have it, the two later became friends when he was on his way to build Genting. From the day he was born until his death, Lim Goh Tong did not speak English, he only communicated in Chinese and Malay language. But his language barrier did not prevent him from negotiating one of the largest contracts around. Financial. His strength could be seen from his early age involved in petty trade. He always keeps some of his revenue for future used and increases his capital. 2. Intellectual . Lim Goh Tong always did a survey and made a feasibility study whether to project to be taken really produce profit or loss. He will not close the deals unless money back guaranteed. 3. Location . Choice of location is gave him ahead of others. Genting Resort was built to encourage local people to enjoy breezy environment near Kuala Lumpur. 4. Diversification on Product Offered. Genting Group has diversified from its initial hotel and resort activities to plantations, properties, paper manufacturing, power generation, oil and gas, electronic commerce and information technology development under Genting Group. 5. Government Rule and Regulation. Genting was extremely advantage after government announced in October 2002 to restrict development of highlands. It will create no competition for Genting Group on their resort business. 6. Product Diversification . Lim Goh Tong knows to play his card. He is not dependent on his Casino business. He has Conglomerate Company dealing in Star Cruise, Property Development, Education, Construction, Oil and Gas, Investment, Plantation, Independent Power Industry and Hospitality. He has well diversified revenue and will not worry on economic trend if collapse in certain industry. 6. Favorable access to distribution net works. Lim Goh Tong relationship with all the Prime Minister of Malaysia make his job easy. He received a pioneer status from Tun Abdul Razak on his Genting business. In 1976 the status was extended another year by Tun Hussin Onn through Tan Sri Mohd Noah who is in-law to Razak and Hussin Onn. 7. Market Trend. Lim Goh Tong always follow the trend from his early involvement in construction industry. After WW2 he bought all unused heavy machinery and reconditioned it before it was sold to tin miner and rubber Estate Company for their rehabilitation work.

Foreign Exchange Risk Exposure on Toyota Motors

Foreign Exchange Risk Exposure on Toyota Motors The globalization phenomenon allows companies to internationally expand their sales and production activities. A consequence of this phenomenon, however, is the existence of foreign exchange rate exposure which can impact the companys profitability, net cash flow and market values. In the past years, several academic researches have been developed in order to explain and analyze how foreign exchange risk exposure fluctuations affect a multinational company or a purely domestic company value, and how this risk is influenced by the companys risk management strategy. Consequently, this dissertation aims to find some knowledge on these subjects for a specific company, Toyota Motor Corporation. By applying the capital market approach and analyzing three different periods, it is possible to conclude that Toyota Motor Corporation, in a crisis situation, was able to protect itself against some of the primary exchange rates fluctuations it is exposed to. Thus, the predictability of higher fluctuations allows the company to apply effective risk management strategies. Considering a ten year period, bilateral exchange rate fluctuations are more significant to the company stock returns than for other periods. However, being an exporting company, its coefficient for exposure is not consistent with the competitive advantage an exporter holds when its company home currency depreciates. It is consistent, however, when the broad currency index is considered. Additionally, the impact of foreign exchange risk fluctuations is small for company stock returns. This can thus indicate that exchange rate fluctuations dont have a significant impact on company stock price returns. INTRODUCTION The globalization phenomenon has allowed the integration of national economies into the international economy, giving them easier access to information, goods and services through trade and foreign direct investment around the world. This process has been encouraging an increasing number of companies to start operating on a global scale, expanding their networks worldwide. In recent years, the number of multinational companies has grown in order to respond to the competitiveness experienced in the domestic market and explore new markets to produce or sell new products and services. Multinational companies, or purely domestic companies with a broad network, are exposed to several risks. An important risk that has a significant impact on the management of a company is the foreign exchange risk, due to the fact that it may affect the companys cash flows, value and performance. Nevertheless, besides the foreign exchange risk, many other risks affect companies, such as the interest rate r isk. Several financial and operating instruments and techniques are being used and developed by multinational companies to handle these risks. However, in order to manage these risks, companies must know exactly what their risks are and how to measure them. With regard to foreign exchange rate exposure, several studies conducted in recent years have presented various risk management approaches in order to understand to what extent its fluctuations affect the companys value and performance. However, there is little consensus among the different studies, which indicates that exchange rates are complex and can affect and be affected by different factors. The most traditional approaches are the cash flow approach and the capital market approach. In this study, the capital market approach is used to assess, through quantitative methods, to what extent foreign exchange rate fluctuations affect the companys value. It is important to note that several studies using quantitative methods found no statistical significance when trying to understand the impacts of foreign exchange fluctuations on the companys value. Thus, an explanation given for this fact was that the company was able to protect itself against foreign exchange rate fluctuations by means of hedging instruments and techniques. The main purpose of this study is to analyze the foreign exchange risk exposure of a multinational company using the capital market approach, and also to what extent the various assumptions underlying this approach produce different results. The choice of the multinational company was based on the following requirements: it had to be a public company operating in a competitive industry and could not be the subject of any other study in the same area. Accordingly, the Toyota Motor Corporation was chosen. Its main plants are located in Japan; it operates in the Automotive Industry and was the worlds largest manufacturer in 2009. Furthermore, 61.4% of total sales to external costumers are overseas, which indicates that the company is likely to face considerable impacts from foreign exchange risk exposure. In order to achieve the main purpose of this study, Toyotas foreign operations are analyzed in a first phase to understand to what extent the company is internationalized. Moreover, this initial analysis also envisages the foreign exchange rate fluctuations against the companys stock price returns and their direct impact on its report accounts, as well as the hedging instruments used to handle the foreign exchange risk. In a second phase, the capital market approach is used to suggest that foreign exchange risk exposure could be measured as the sensitivity of stock price returns to exchange rate movements. This approach requires the implementation of statistical regressions. For this purpose, market, stock price and foreign exchange rate data were collected from 1999 to 2009. Considering the studies developed by different authors, regressions involve several hypotheses for the exchange rate variables, such as a Nominal Broad Index that is like a basket of currencies and several bilateral exchange rates, in order to understand which variables affect stock price returns. In this second phase, the quantitative method is applied to three different periods in order to compare how the company handles the foreign exchange risk. As this dissertation takes into account the investors point of view, it can help to understand how investors determine and quantify the exposure of their portfolio to the foreign ex change risk. Moreover, this approach allows comparing the companys exposure to foreign exchange rate fluctuations with that of competitors in order to understand the effectiveness of the hedging activities. To complement this study, this dissertation is organized under the following sections: The first section is a thorough review of the literature on this subject. It explains why it is important that companies know how to handle the foreign exchange risk and presents the findings of past research. In the second section, the traditional categories of foreign exchange risk exposure are described, the effects of hedging the foreign exchange risks are shown and the most used analysis methods are discussed. The third section provides an overview of Toyota and an analysis of its foreign operations. The main purpose of this section is to support the interpretations that emerge from the regression results and this information is used as the basis for selecting the variables for the regression model. In the fourth section, relevant analyses are provided about the variables that may be a source of risk for Toyota and which were chosen for the regression model. In addition to this, it presents the hedging programs undertaken, the designated and undesignated financial instruments used and the reasons why the company does not need to have financial instruments to hedge translation and economic exposure. The fifth section describes the methodology used. The reasoning, as well as the issues of each variable included in the model, is expressed in this section. It also presents the study time periods and data sources. In addition to this, it provides an analysis of the descriptive statistics for the data and different periods used in the model. The sixth section contains the regression results and provides an analysis and explanation of the findings. It also presents the limitations of the software used for the regressions and a brief analysis of the foreign exchange risk exposure of Honda and Nissan Motor Corporation. The seventh and last section summarizes the main conclusions of this study and presents some suggestions for further research. LITERATURE REVIEW The goal of creating a global business has, in the past years, been the fundamental reason behind the growth of multinational companies. Such an example is the registered growth in Japanese companies exports. In 2000 and 2009, exports from Japanese companies amounted to 0.8%  [1]  and 10.8%1 of the GDP, respectively. An annual growth of 32.9% in foreign activity, for a nine year period, is one of many advantages that companies can obtain by opening themselves in many ways. Other advantages include the opportunity to diversify labor force, to enter new markets and sell more, to reduce transport costs and to benefit from economies of scale. This, however, also creates new problems, challenges and demands. A multinational company is either a company with operating subsidiaries, branches or affiliates in more than one country, or a purely domestic company engaged in international activities (imports and exports). Some of the new problems and challenges these companies face include an increased exposure to foreign risks, such as exchange rates, interest rates and commodity prices [Miller, 1998]. Moreover, the risks associated to exchange rates appear do to the contact with new currencies  [2]  . Exchange rates constitute one of the most important macroeconomic risks, which can potentially impact, positively or negatively, the companies profitability, cash-flows and market value, due to exchange rate fluctuations. Consequently, in order to handle exchange risk exposure, companies can adopt several hedging tools. In the past decades, thanks to the increasing number of international trade activities and multinational enterprises, as well as the large currency fluctuations registered, the volume of research that tries to measure and analyze the impact of exchange rate fluctuations in multinational companies and their vulnerability to it has grown. However, produced results/conclusions have a mixed nature due to the complexity of this subject. The main goal in this section is to understand, through previous researches, what types of companies are most affected by exchange risk exposure, the importance of hedging, several types of foreign exchange risk exposure, types of hedging activities depending on the foreign exchange risk exposure the company is facing and traditional approaches to measure exchange risk exposure. Exchange Risk Exposure of Multinational Companies vs. Domestic Companies Thanks to the phenomenon of globalization, as well as the increase in companies foreign activities, several researches have been developed in order to give some input on what type of companies show a higher exchange risk exposure: multinational or domestic companies. The results of previous empirical studies suggest that only certain industries and/or companies are exposed to foreign exchange risk  [5]  . In the other hand, even a purely domestic company with importing or exporting activities is impacted by fluctuations in exchange rates. This idea is connected with competitive advantage; for instance, the products an exporting company sells abroad can still affect the companys value due to the effect of exchange rate fluctuations in competitors, suppliers and in customers demands. Muller and Verschoor (2006) concluded in their study that a companys size is also an indicator of its foreign exposure. They found that a companys lower dividend payout ratio results in a stronger short-term liquidity position and, consequently, a smaller hedging motivation and a higher exchange risk exposure. Other authors however, such as Choi and Jiang (2009), defend that multinationality is important for a companys exchange exposure, but not in the popular notion that was mentioned. Some authors found evidences that foreign exchange risk exposure is actually higher and more significant in absolute magnitude for domestic companies, when compared to multinational companies. The existing explanation for this finding is the fact that multinational enterprises are more capable to effectively and easily use financial hedging and operational hedging in order to reduce their position against foreign exchange risk, and also to increase their stock returns. Additionally, these companies are more aware of foreign exchange risks. Dominguez and Tesar (2006) agree with this finding and they also found that small companies, rather than large and medium-sized companies, show a higher exposure due to the same reasons. As a result, companies that dont engage directly in international business but compet e against foreign companies can be affected by exchange rate fluctuations [Dominguez, Tesar, 2006]. Dominguez and Tesar (2006) also found that the industry level may influence exposure. They suggest that exposure increases in highly competitive industries. In more competitive industries, however, an almost perfect pass-through can be expected since they are more aware of their vulnerability and are consequently better motivated to hedge foreign exchange risks, when compared with less competitive industries  [6]  . Regarding purely domestic companies, Pritamani, Some and Singal (2005) found that importing companies are more affected by fluctuations in exchange rates than exporting companies. Therefore, companies with importing activities should have more reasons to hedge exchange risk exposure. The Importance of Hedging Exchange Risk Exposure Hedging means taking a position when acquiring a cash-flow, an asset or a contract in order to protect the owner from losses and to eliminate any gain in the position hedged. Several researches indicate that currency risk management is very important to manage earnings and unexpected losses. Consequently, this should be done in order to reduce any impacts on the stockholders equity and to prevent value declines for the equity holder due to cash flow changes and unfavorable exchange rate fluctuations, respectively. Hedging currency exposure can therefore reduce some of the expected fluctuations in future cash flows and increase their predictability [Smith and Stulz, 1985]. It is believed that foreign exchange rate fluctuations impact financial decision-making in production, marketing, planning and strategy [Moffett and Karlsen, 1994]. It is therefore necessary to make contingent investments or develop long-term strategic plans and management perspectives in order to understand the volatility of foreign exchange. Companies can implement hedging tools based on policies that define when and how to hedge against foreign exchange risks. Hedging tools are not static mechanisms, companies are able to dynamically adjust their behavior in response to foreign exchange risks; for instance, a company can decide to hedge only part of their foreign transactions. To undertake these policies, the company needs to determine its risk tolerance and needs to understand the direction that the currency to which it is exposed is likely to take. A value maximization corporation that hedges its exposure to exchange risks can reduce the costs connected to financial distresses and taxes, as well as agency problems existing between shareholders and bondholders [Martin and Mauer, 2005]  [7]  . A possible reduction of financial distress costs allows investors to require lower risk premiums. Consequently, the company value increases [Smith and Stulz, 1985]. Therefore, as mentioned by Smith and Stulz (1985), hedging is part of the overall corporate financing policy. Moreover, Dumas and Solnik (1995) concluded that part of the return rate of an assets price is influenced by the foreign exchange risk premium. Thus, when a company implements risk management activities that decrease its foreign exchange risk exposure, the cost of capital is reduced. Some authors sustain that exposure management may not reduce total risk. Copeland and Joshi (1996) argued that anticipating hedging strategies is difficult given that so many other economic factors change when foreign exchange rates fluctuate. This is confirmed by Moffett and Karlsen (1994), who argue that the uncertain nature of future cash-flows hinders the implementation of long-term strategic plans and better investment decisions. It is also argued that risks connected to an inefficient hedging activity can increase exposure [Hagelin and Pramborg, 2004]. Additionally, currency risk management usually consumes some of the companys resources, consequently lowering its expected cash-flow [Eitman, Stonehil and Moffett, 2010]. Therefore, companies need to know whether their hedging strategies are successful or not, and if they are relevant to shareholders [Hagelin and Pramborg, 2004]. Findings regarding the Vulnerability of Multinational Companies to Foreign Exchange Risk Exposure Hedging tools that handle exposure to foreign exchange risks are not simple and they dont hold only a few complexities, since the companys exchange risk exposure correlates with its size, multinational status, foreign sales, international assets and competitiveness and trade at the industry [Dominguez, Tesar, 2006]. Adler and Dumas (1984) suggested that a companys foreign exchange risk exposure can be measured by the stock prices sensitivity to unexpected foreign exchange rate fluctuations. On the other hand, it could also be measured as the companys cash flows sensitivity to foreign exchange rate fluctuations. Considering that the main goal of this dissertation is to analyze economic exposure, it is important to note that several authors have developed researches that try to measure and analyze unexpected impacts of exchange rate fluctuations on companies performances, portfolios and Industries. Nevertheless, these researches have produced mixed empirical results. Jorion (1990) found that only 15 of 287 US multinational companies were statistically significant concerning the impacts of exchange rate fluctuations in companies stock returns. Additionally, the author detected that higher company foreign operations reflected higher exposure to exchange risks. Nevertheless, Bartov and Bodnar (1994) found that 208 of the companies with foreign operations that composed their sample were not statistically significant to the effect of US exchange rate fluctuations on companies stock price returns. Additionally, other researchers have reached mixed conclusions using different methodologies, samples and alternatives for the main variables. The inconsistency in these results, therefore, doesnt allow a sustainable conclusion on this subject. Recent studies, however, found evidences that exchange rate fluctuations do have an impact in companies performances. Such an example is the research developed by Dominguez and Teaser (2006), who found exposure to be statistically significant due to the effect of exchange rate movements on stock returns at Industry and country level. Some explanations have been pointed out by several authors for these mixed results. The registered contradiction can be explained by limitations concerning data, variables and methodologies used. Different researches develop different alternatives in order to determine foreign exchange risk factors and company values, which include different samples, the use of companies with less opened economies (USA) or more opened economies and different periods; all of these affect research. Bartram (2008) also explains that the use of stock returns to measure company value reflects the hedging position of companies, and the analysis is thus considering a lower level of risk exposure. Crabb (2002) also suggests that these mixed results can reflect different financial hedging strategies on data or simply reflect noisy data. Additionally, Bartram and Bodnar (2007) found that operational hedging activities help companies reduce their exposure and, consequently, have no statistical significance over the impact of foreign exchange rate fluctuations on companies returns. Therefore, as suggested by Crabb (2002), a statistically non significant exposure to exchange rates can result from an efficient hedging strategy set in place by the company. Types of Foreign Exchange Risk Exposure The hedging decision depends essentially on the level of risk exposure, its magnitude and the magnitude of hedging that companies deem necessary. Companies should essentially hedge activities that put them in a position with a high level of uncertainty, i.e., risk exposure in the strategy field (competitive, input supply, market demand and technological risk) and fields of interest to finance and international business scholars (foreign exchange risk), [Miller, 1998]. Before initiating the hedging process, the company has to decide what exchange risk exposure to hedge and how. There are three traditional foreign exchange rate exposure categories  [8]  that impact companies and that have a specific managing method: the transaction exposure, the operating exposure and the translation exposure. Generally, these exchange risk exposures can be hedged through the use of derivatives and financial instruments, such as commodities, futures and forward contracts, options and swaps [Miller, 1998]. The main goal of this dissertation is to measure and to analyze how unexpected foreign exchange rate fluctuations affect a multinational company. Notwithstanding it is also important to understand how the other two types of exposure impact companies and the types of hedging mechanisms available to handle exposure, in order to reach a deeper analysis and optimal conclusions. Economic Exposure Economic exposure, also known as operating exposure, is an unexpected change in exchange rates that affects the present value of the company by changing future operating cash flows, arising from inter-company and intra-company activities [Eitman, Stonehil and Moffett, 2010]. The unexpected exchange rate fluctuations affect the expected future operating cash-flows changing the volume, price and/or costs of future sales [Moffett and Karlsen, 1994]. Economic exposure approaches the impact of long-term currency exposure and analyzes the health of a companys business in the long run. The changes registered in the expected future cash flows depend of the change in the position the company holds in international competition  [10]  . Managing economic exposure involves all aspects of a company. Before establishing hedging policies, a company needs to measure its economic exposure. In order to do that a company should invest some resources in assessing its exposure, i.e., identifying the set of environmental contingencies affecting and relevant to the creation of shareholder value [Miller, 1998]. This identification allows the assessment of alternative environmental scenarios and consequent adoption of improved strategic decisions by the company. This is the reason why identifying and measuring economic exposure can be complex and difficult, bearing in mind that environmental contingencies vary across industries and across companies within those industries. Moreover, some authors mention economic exposure as being subjective, since it is based in estimates of future cash flows. Hedging Strategies The main goal of economic exposure management is to anticipate and influence unexpected and unpredictable effects in exchange rates. This can be accomplished if a company diversifies and changes its international operating and/or financing policies. This diversity allows the company to react in an active or passive way. The company can diversify operations through sales, location of production facilities and raw material sources or inputs [Eitman, Stonehil and Moffett, 2010]. A company can expand its sales through subsidiaries distributed across different countries, bringing its products or services to new markets and taking advantage of economies of scale, being also capable of diversifying its exposure to foreign exchange risks. Flexible management policies allowing a faster sourcing of raw materials and components can easily mitigate this exposure if this adaptation considers the impact of exchange rate fluctuations in the company costs and revenues. Additionally, RD can also mitigate this exposure, allowing the cutting back of costs and enhancing productivity as well as product differentiation. Choi (1989)  [11]  pointed out that international investment is one of the major instruments in managing economic exposure. In the same line, Miller and Reuer (1998) developed a study that showed this exposure is considerably reduced with a higher and direct foreign investment by the company (foreign market entry mode). Additionally, Smith and Stulz (1985) found that mergers achieve results that are similar to hedging results. Consequently, a company may wish to diversify the location of its production facilities internationally in order to mitigate the effect of exchange rate movements. This mitigation is possible because the company measures its cash flows in different currencies. Thus, exchange rate fluctuations in all currencies the company is exposed to can be naturally offset as can, consequently, the gains or losses while the company still reacts competitively. Diversification in financing is achieved by raising funds in more than one capital market and in more than one currency  [12]  . This method allows the company to reduce future cash-flow variability, to increase capital availability and to reduce costs, as well several risks, such as political risks. Allayannis et. al. (2001) observed that companies with geographical dispersion are more likely to use financial hedging strategies to lower their foreign exchange risk exposure. Accordingly, the use of exclusively operational hedging does not increase the companys value. However, if companies combine operational and financial hedging they will improve their value and, consequently, reduce exposure to foreign exchange risks. Companies can also adopt proactive policies (including operating and financing policies) to offset anticipated foreign exchange risk exposures. These policies allow a partial management of this exposure. The most generally employed are  [13]  : matching currency cash flows, risk-sharing agreements, back-to-back loans, currency swaps, leads and lags and reinvoicing centers. [Eitman, Stonehil and Moffett (2010)]. Transaction Exposure Transaction exposure measures gains or losses resulting from unexpected changes in future cash flows already contracted in a currency-denominated transaction [Martin and Mauer, 2005]. The uncertainty stems from the impact of exchange rate changes on the consolidated financial reports [Friberg and Ganslandt, 2007] and the fact that it is not anticipated in any line item of a financial statement [Eitman, Stonehil and Moffett, 2010]. Thus, the uncertainty can be the specific quantity of foreign currency or the timing of cash-flow [Moffet and Karlsen, 1994]. Transaction exposure approaches foreign exchange risk exposure in the short-term. It is therefore easier to identify and to measure, allowing a greater effectiveness of hedging strategies to be expected. Hedging Strategies The exposure to foreign exchange transactions can be hedged by contractual, natural, operating and financial hedges. The company, however, needs to determine its own risk tolerance and its expectations concerning the direction the exchange rates will assume. Contractual techniques include hedges in forward  [17]  , policies that imply proportional hedging. A natural hedge is basically an unhedged position where the transaction is left uncovered. Crabb (2004) suggests that this is not a very good hedge because it doesnt control variation over time and, consequently, companies cannot perfectly hedge their exchange rate exposure. An operating hedge means that the company will simply create an off-setting operating cash-flow (account payables, for instance). This hedge can also be implemented through several techniques, such as invoice currency, leads and lags in payment terms and exposure netting [Eun and Resnick, 2004]. Hedging through invoice currency allows the company to shift its foreign exchange risk exposure, invoicing foreign sales in home currency, or share foreign exchange risk exposure  [18]  , pro-rating the invoice currency between foreign and home currencies. Additionally, a company can also diversify its exposure to foreign exchange risks by invoicing sales in a market basket index [Eun and Resnick, 2004]. By hedging with leads and lags companies can accelerate or decelerate the timing of payments (receipts) made (received) in foreign currencies. This hedging strategy is efficient if a currency is expected to appreciate or depreciate against another [Eun and Resnick, 2004]. Finally, the technique of exposure netting suggests that a multinational company should not consider its deals in isolation, focusing rather on hedging the company in a portfolio of currency positions. This means that companies should consider overall payments (receipts) that must be done (received) after taking in account the opposite operations that naturally hedge each other. To use this technique some companies have re-invoicing centers, separate corporate subsidiaries that serve the parent or related unit in one location and all foreign subsidiaries. The reinvoicing center receives the invoice between the subsidiaries, taking legal title of the good that manufacturing plants sells to distribution subsidiaries of the same company, managing all foreign exchange transaction exposure for intracompany sales [Eun and Resnick, 2004]. Additionally, the reinvoicing centers can guarantee the exchange rate for future orders  and also manage intra-subsidiary cash flows [Eitman, Stone hil and Moffett (2010)]. Financial hedging refers to the creation of an off-setting financial cash flow by either borrowing or lending in the currency the company is exposed to. The company can use some type of proactive policies such as back-to-back loans and currency swaps. A back-to-back loan occurs when two companies in different countries coordinate themselves to borrow each others currency for a specific period of time. They then return the borrowed currencies at an agreed terminal date. By hedging via currency swap, the company and a swap dealer agree to exchange an equivalent amount in two different currencies (for instance, a company enters a swap paying yens and receiving dollars) for a specified period of time. The swap dealer assumes the role of a middleman. A matching currency cash flow proactive policy can act like a financial hedge or an operational hedge. The first alternative to offset a long-anticipated and continuous exposure to a particular currency (i.e., the Japanese Yen) is to acquire debt in that currency (in Yens). Suppose the following exposure: A US Corporation exports goods to a Japanese corporation. The inflow of the Japanese Yen creates a foreign currency exposure. An hedging technique requires that the debt payments in Japanese Yens, which consist of the principal and the interests paid by the US Corporation

Teacher Education Students at the State University of New York Cortland :: Essays Papers

Teacher Education Students at the State University of New York Cortland A multicultural education incorporates not only culture, but race, social class, gender and disability. "Through guided classroom interaction students’ interracial attitudes may become more positive and accepting" (Chesler, 1971, p.613). Multicultural education has many goals (Kendall, 1996, p. 10). By providing this type of classroom experience children will learn to respect other cultures and to work with others of difference. By using resources that are in the community (parents, library, field trips..) teachers can incorporate this type of education into all subject areas. For example, a science teacher could combine multiculturalism by teaching about achievements made by people of different cultures and also of achievements by women. A multicultural education helps children develop a positive self-concept. By providing a multicultural curriculum students will learn to value other cultures as well as their own. A multicultural education means acceptance and the willingness to learn about others, which will help to make students’ successful members of society. Positive early experiences of multiculturalism in the classroom should be integrated in all aspects of a childs schooling, especially in science. Science is where hands on learning should occur. Teachers must take the time to understand that all children bring their prior experiences with them into the classroom. Children may have misconceptions about science based on their experiences or lack of experiences outside the class. For example, children who live in the city may have less knowledge about farm animals and their environment other than the concrete. Teachers must realize that children in different cultures may have different learning styles. "Culture and ethnicity have deep impact on our learning styles" (Kendall, 1996, p. 33). For example some Navajo children learn better through demonstration. A teacher must be careful not to stereotype children. Just because they are from a cer tain culture does not mean that they must be taught a certain way. Teachers must be aware that a child from a certain culture may learn in a certain way and it is up to the teacher to observe the child to find out what teaching approach is best. Exposing children at an early age to a learning environment with a rich variety of cultural and ethnic materials is essential for them to respect and appreciate others of a different race, gender, or cultural background. By incorporating multiculturalism into science, this gives children an opportunity to learn about people who may be unique from them.

Comparing Gravitys Rainbow and Vineland :: Gravitys Rainbow Essays

Comparing Gravity's Rainbow and Vineland  Ã‚   From the author of Gravity's Rainbow (1973), the famous apocalyptic novel of World War II, comes Vineland (1990), a trip into the California of 1984: a Reagan-era wasteland of yuppies, malls, food-preservatives and, above all, the Tube: the Cathode-Ray Tube. The opening line of Gravity's Rainbow, "A screaming comes across the sky," which describes a V-2 rocket on its lethal mission, finds a way into Pynchon's latest work, albeit transformed: "Desmond was out on the porch, hanging around his dish, which was always empty because of the blue jays who came screaming down out of the redwoods and carried off the food in it piece by piece." One passage describes war. Another tells of birds stealing dog food. The change in scope is huge, but misleading. Some readers may scoff at first at Pynchon's subject matter-hippie holdovers running from narcs-but there is no mistaking Vineland's connection to Gravity's Rainbow. The newer work acts as a corollary to the older one. The book begins with Zoyd Wheeler waking up one summer morning with some Froot Loops with Nestle's Quick on top. He lives in Vineland County, a foggy, fictional expanse of Northern California which makes a great refuge for wilting flower children. Zoyd is one of them-a part-time keyboard player, handyman and marijuana cultivator who acts publicly crazy (he jumps through glass windows once a year on television) to qualify for mental disability benefits. He and his teenage daughter Prairie both mourn the disappearance of Frenesi Gates, who was mother to one and wife to the other. Frenesi was a radical filmmaker during the 60's until she was seduced by Brock Vond, a federal prosecutor and overall bad-guy/nutcase who turns her from hippie radical to FBI informant. With her help he manages to destroy the People's Republic of Rock and Roll. Fast-forward two decades. Frenesi is about to be kicked out of the Witness Protection Program because the government is tired of subsidizing her. Zoyd wants to find her, for obvious reasons. Vond, still the charismatic little psychopath, wants Frenesi back too, and decides to kidnap Prairie to get her. Prairie, the only sane and sober person in the book, also wants to meet Frenesi, the mother she never knew. But there's more, like in any Pynchon novel: Vond is apparently the ultimate law-enforcement spoilsport and he's not done hounding guys like Zoyd. Comparing Gravity's Rainbow and Vineland :: Gravity's Rainbow Essays Comparing Gravity's Rainbow and Vineland  Ã‚   From the author of Gravity's Rainbow (1973), the famous apocalyptic novel of World War II, comes Vineland (1990), a trip into the California of 1984: a Reagan-era wasteland of yuppies, malls, food-preservatives and, above all, the Tube: the Cathode-Ray Tube. The opening line of Gravity's Rainbow, "A screaming comes across the sky," which describes a V-2 rocket on its lethal mission, finds a way into Pynchon's latest work, albeit transformed: "Desmond was out on the porch, hanging around his dish, which was always empty because of the blue jays who came screaming down out of the redwoods and carried off the food in it piece by piece." One passage describes war. Another tells of birds stealing dog food. The change in scope is huge, but misleading. Some readers may scoff at first at Pynchon's subject matter-hippie holdovers running from narcs-but there is no mistaking Vineland's connection to Gravity's Rainbow. The newer work acts as a corollary to the older one. The book begins with Zoyd Wheeler waking up one summer morning with some Froot Loops with Nestle's Quick on top. He lives in Vineland County, a foggy, fictional expanse of Northern California which makes a great refuge for wilting flower children. Zoyd is one of them-a part-time keyboard player, handyman and marijuana cultivator who acts publicly crazy (he jumps through glass windows once a year on television) to qualify for mental disability benefits. He and his teenage daughter Prairie both mourn the disappearance of Frenesi Gates, who was mother to one and wife to the other. Frenesi was a radical filmmaker during the 60's until she was seduced by Brock Vond, a federal prosecutor and overall bad-guy/nutcase who turns her from hippie radical to FBI informant. With her help he manages to destroy the People's Republic of Rock and Roll. Fast-forward two decades. Frenesi is about to be kicked out of the Witness Protection Program because the government is tired of subsidizing her. Zoyd wants to find her, for obvious reasons. Vond, still the charismatic little psychopath, wants Frenesi back too, and decides to kidnap Prairie to get her. Prairie, the only sane and sober person in the book, also wants to meet Frenesi, the mother she never knew. But there's more, like in any Pynchon novel: Vond is apparently the ultimate law-enforcement spoilsport and he's not done hounding guys like Zoyd.

Comparing Everyman and The Second Shepherds Play :: comparison compare contrast essays

Everyman and The Second Shepherds' Play remind the audience that good deeds are necessary for redemption, however, they reinforce the idea that we must shun material concerns to be redeemed. Both plays seek to reinforce these aspects of redemption to insure that all may be redeemed. The world is imperfect, and the only way we can make ourselves perfect and worthy of redemption is by not worrying about our material well being and performing good deeds. It is by disregarding our material concerns that allow us to perform good deeds. Everyman places his faith in material things, his friends, relatives and goods. These material things do him no good. Fellowship claims he "will not forsake thee to my life's end" (Everyman 213), yet when Everyman asks Fellowship to accompany him on his journey for redemption and ultimately death he "will not go that loath journey- / Not for the father that begat me!" (Everyman 268-269). By placing his faith in man rather than God, he does not receive "any more comfort" (Everyman 304). The same discouragement greets Everyman after his talks with Cousin and Kindred. Kindred claims that they "will live and die togither" (Everyman 324), but abandons him soon after making this statement. After Kindred and Cousin leave him, Everyman realizes that "fair promises men to me make, / but when I have most need they me forsake" (Everyman 370-371). Since man will not help him, he turns to goods. Everyman realizes that the goods he has loved his whole life "to thy soul is a thief" (Everyman 447), they do nothing but hinder his eternal happiness. His reliance on people and goods has left Everyman's soul in a precarious condition. The shepherd's lives are similar to Everyman's, because they too devote their time to worldly concerns. By fixating on their material well being, they follow the same path as Everyman, the path away from salvation. At the beginning of The Second Shepherds' Play all three shepherds, Coll, Gib, and Daw, seek to relieve their pain by complaining. Their complaints are many, and justified, yet they accomplish nothing. Although Coll thinks that It does me good, as I walk Thus by mine one, Of this world for to talk In manner of moan. ( Shepherds' Lines 66-69) He really does not get any closer to redemption by doing this, although it may ease part of his emotional burden, his spiritual failings remain.

Coursework on multicultural management

Cross cultural training as one of the greatest managerial challenges of globalization is the heart of human resources management in the public sector. The author’s main advocacy is that of encouraging the public leaders to â€Å"assume the responsibility for creating new models of management systems† (Hill, Charles 2004). As an effective answer to the challenges of globalization, the author believes that the world is in need of training and educating globally competitive Human Resources professionals and that the government must do its part by financially supporting such immediate needs. It is the global competition that gave way to the increasing cultural diversity in companies and in the public sector. The focus of modern and globally competitive management strategy should then focus on its culturally diversified human resources.In this article, the author raised several vital questions in relation to human resources management in the global and multicultural environm ent. First the author asked how executives can develop a multicultural management group. Secondly the author wanted to explore the role of human resources in the management of negotiations and international collaboration. Lastly, the author dug on the ways of developing cross-cultural competencies.According to the author, a globally competitive agency must seriously consider the concept of trans-nationalism by creating and maintaining â€Å"multifaceted organizational cultures† (Bartlet and Ghoshal 1992 cited in Hill 2004). Global leaders are required to cope with cultural relativity and part of that step is to carry out cultural awareness training (Bochner, 1992 cited in Hill 2004). That awareness training must include an understanding of the country’s national culture and how its people think. A management specialist asserts that â€Å"Cultural differences significantly influence management approaches and the performance of employees within organizations† (Hof stede, 1989).A globally competitive leader must first learn the techniques of global negotiations which requires an awareness and understanding of the multicultural facets of the negotiation process. This skill however according to the author needs to be learned and practiced overtime. In the case of a globally competitive public manager, one has to develop the essential characteristics of a global leader. These characteristics according to Hill involve a global mindset, global leadership skills, and ability to lead cross-cultural teams, energy and talent to participate in global networking, and skills as a global change agent.In the context of public administration in education, the author recommends that a global leader must incorporate faculty development and exchange and team building for its members. A globally competitive public administration should also develop and maintain cultural exposure and a public-centered, multi-lingual work environment in addition to textbook and ca se study development.The concept of the globalization of human resources management is a vital aspect of any organization that must be placed immediate attention. Since globalization require the interaction of organizations in the international arena, it is important that its leaders and members should be able to develop cultural sensitivity. Global competition opens opportunity for people of different cultures to come together to negotiate, build business relationships and maintain a culturally diversified working environment. Human resources management therefore plays vital role in securing that each organization is recruiting and training globally competitive and culturally sensitive leaders.ARTICLE II. Multinational enterprises, employment relations and ethicsApart from cultural sensitivity, globalization also poses challenges to employment relations and ethical perspectives of globally competitive organizations. This article specifically addresses the issues concerning business ethics like child labor, work environment safety and work pay rates. Ethics, although seen in different perspectives and in some relations with values, is a concept that is still considered a relative term in the business arena. In this article ethics has been discussed in comparison and in contrast with the concept of law.The author questions how can business leader gauge if business rules, practices and values can considered ethical? The author also explored the concept of universal approval as a benchmark in drafting an organization’s statement of values and ethical standards. Because values are relative, the acceptability of practices depends on the existing cultural norms in a certain society. â€Å"Values are always matters of taste or whim, and cannot be proved to be true, or valid for all time in all places, their nature and consequences can be identified† (Donaldson, John 2001). On this ground, ethical standards are always debatable.Still human resources are the main concern of this article since all organizations are composed and run by people. Globally competitive enterprises must therefore focus on critical analysis of the values and ethical standards they attempt to implement especially with the presence of cultural diversity. The author in this regard assessed that judgment of business ethics cannot be based upon legal structures rather on the culturally acceptable standards of the country on which an enterprise operates.In the author’s view, ethical standards of each enterprise must look into some principles of employment conditions that would generally be considered acceptable for at the European community. First, an ethical work environment must give its members the freedom to move around the working community, provide equal opportunities for men and women, training and a high standard of health and safety protection at work. The author’s main point is that ethical standards of different work environments, especial ly that relates to cultural diversity, differ on situations and not on principles upon which such ethical standards are based upon. The bottom line of the author’s argument is that business codes of ethics do not suffice for an organization to become successful in its operation but still they are held important as they serve to inform its members of the values that the company is expected of them.At the least business ethics are vital elements of the organization’s operations in matters of decision-making and of forecasting and shaping its future. â€Å"The key to managerial ethics is the development of individuals so that, ideally, they will possess the moral attributes required for the apprehension, appreciation and handling of ethical issues and dilemmas† (Donaldson, 2001). Business ethics should not therefore serve as borderline for each member rather it must be drafted in a way that independent moral judgment of each member can still be practiced. The autho r’s question is that apart from the existing organizational ethical standards, what more should each globally-operating enterprise should need?Apart from addressing the issues of working environment safety, child labor and gender sensitivity, global organizations must balanced such principles with the value of strong self-belief. What the author therefore recommends is adapt economic and business pluralism. A personal opinion on this matter would lead to a conclusion that respect for each person’s identity and preferences should always be an important consideration. Although it has been established as some form of business rule that a company must operate according to the existing laws in the country where it operates, cultural diversity poses a great challenge for each organization to balance cultural norms, ethical standards and laws with human respect especially those who are operating with people of different colors.ARTICLE III. Diversity Management and Cultural Co mpetenceDreachslin is concerned about the importance of cultural diversity awareness and recognition of managers in a globally competitive organization. An awareness of one’s group identities according to the author â€Å"helps shape our world view and influence our cultural style, including what we value, how we behave, and what we believe† (Dreachslin, Janice 2007,p.79). It is one’s awareness of a cultural identity and preferences that help him define his way of interacting with such culture in reference to human respect. The author also finds the issue important because of the presence of human biases and preferences that create possible disagreements and thus conflicts in an organization which caters to the needs of people from different cultures and beliefs.Because globally operating organizations necessitates the employment of culturally diversified people, it is not surprising that disparities in the workforce arise evidently. This trend had been viewed b y two opposing advocates. On one side, some believe that cultural competence is as important as celebrating our differences. On the other hand, some believe that placing importance of such issue would only contribute to cultural conflicts. The question raised in the middle of the author’s discussion is on what is the better approach to diversity management- homogenization or customization?On the basis of healthcare industry, the two approaches were compared. In the author’s perspective, â€Å"homogenization is necessary to build common ground and unity of purpose in the context of diversity, without which strong performance is not possible† (ibid.). It is stressed in the article that identities, being an inevitable part of cultural diversity, maybe chosen individually and socially. In that sense, one’s actions towards his relationship or interaction with people of the same culture or that of the other culture are seriously affected because expectations or at least impressions are created from the start. Such impressions or expectations therefore define our ways of communicating with others. Homogenization tells us that a common ground can possibly be created on which both parties can meet or agree with.The other side of the coin, the concept of customization, necessitates the satisfaction of one’s need to express his uniqueness by expressing the values and characteristics we share with those of the same affiliations. Customization therefore advocates and encourages the display of individual cultural differences not for cultural identification but for the sake of human need and satisfaction. Both concepts have their own benefits and costs like all other concepts and ideas but management specialists like Donaldson recommend the employment of both but stressed that this be done in balance. Communication has been highly regarded as a vital tool in managing one’s own leadership style.In reducing cultural conflicts, leaders are required to utilize the communication tool efficiently and effectively. Donaldson suggests that leaders must ask themselves if their communication styles are required by their jobs or their styles were purely their personal preference. The answer would definitely go for the former proposition. Experts suggest that serious attention must be put on managing diversity in order to have a positive impact on employee performance. It is to be stressed that diversity in this context encompasses gender disparities or gender gaps. Kochan stressed that â€Å"diversity is both a labor-market imperative and social expectation/ value† (Kochan, et al. 2003, p.18).In the practice of managing diversity, it is important that leaders must not focus on pointing out cultural and gender differences. Globally competitive leaders are rather required to employ balanced management styles through efficient communication strategies. These can be his powerful tool in building an organizational cultur e and human resources practices that would generally be practical and applicable to its culturally diversified people. Despite the presence of obvious cultural and gender differences, global leaders must be able to develop the skills of training its employees to professionally practice respect by simply treating its people based on what is just and rightful and without prejudice to any party involved.REFERENCESC. A. Barlett, and S. Ghoshal (1992). What is a Global Manager? Harvard Business Review 70 (1992): 124-132.John Donaldson (2001). Multinational enterprises, employment relations and ethics. Employee Relations. Bradford: 2001. Vol. 23, Iss. 6; pg. 627, 16 pgsJanice L Dreachslin (2007). Diversity Management and Cultural Competence: Research, Practice, and the Business Case.Journal of Healthcare Management. Chicago: Mar/Apr 2007. Vol. 52, Iss. 2; pg. 79Geert Hofstede (1980). Cultures Consequences: International Differences in Work-related Values (Beverley Hills, CA: Sage, 1980, 1 984).Pan Suk Kim (1999). Globalization of human resource management: A cross-cultural perspective for the public sector. Public Personnel Management. Washington: Summer 1999. Vol. 28, Iss. 2; pg. 227Michael Porter (1990). The Competitive Advantage of Nations (London: Macmillan, 1990). 2 Oded Shenkar

Pest Analysis of Coca Cola

PEST Analysis The PEST Analysis identifies changes in the market caused by: Political , Economical, Social and Technological factors. Political Analysis and Factors: Those Non- Alcoholic Beverages like; Coca-Cola, are within the food category, under the FDA (Food and Drug Administration). The government has control over the manufacturing procedure of these products in terms of regulations. Companies who fail to meet the standards of law, are fined by the government. Following are provided some of the factors that are influencing Coca-Cola's Operations. 1.Changes in Laws and Regulations like; changes in Accounting Standards, taxation requirements (tax rate changes, modified tax law interpretations, entrance of new tax laws), and environmental laws either in domestic or foreign authorities. 2. Changes in Non-Alcoholic business era. These are; competitive product and pricing policy pressures, ability to maintain or earn share of sales in worldwide market compared to rivals. 3. Political Conditions, specifically in international markets, like; civil conflict, governmental changes and restrictions concerning the ability to relocate capital across borders. 4.Ability to penetrate emerging and developing markets, that also relies on economic and political conditions, and also their ability to form effectively strategic business alliances with local bottlers, and to enhance their production amenities, distribution networks, sales equipment, and technology. Economic: In 2001, the recession influenced the companies operations, but because of aggressive actions the US Economy estimated to have returned in positive growth in 2002. Currently, because of global recession, Coca-Cola can borrow capital and invest in other products, because the interest rates are lowered.Also, it can borrow to advance its research of new products and technology. By researching for new products is cost effective, the company could sell its products at a lower price, so its cutomers would purchase more Coca-Cola products at a lower price. Social: The majority of US citizens are excersizing healthier lifestyles. That has strongly influenced the sales of non-alcoholic beverage sector, because many customers are switching to bottled water and diet colas like; Coca-Cola Light or Zero, instead of drinking beer or other beverages.Additionally, time management is quite 43 % of all households, and it has increased. Customers aged from 37 to 55, are concerned with their nutrition. Also, large portion of the population is within the range of baby boomers age. While many cutomers are getting at older ages in life, they are more concerned in long term increasing their permanence. That will continue to affect the non-alcoholic beverage sector, by increasing the demand, in healthier and other beverages. Technological: Some factors that affect the company's actual results to vary essentially from the expected results, are the following: 1.The efficiency of company's advertising, marketing and promotional programs, The new technology advances of television and internet that use incomparable effects for advertising through the use of media. Those advances make the products seem attractive. This supports the selling promotion of the products. Coca-Cola in media tends to use this technology so, to sell effectively its products. 2. Entrance of cans and plastic bottles in the past, have increased sales volume for the company because they are easier to carry and customers can bin them once they have been used. . Since the technology is advancing continuously there has been entrance of new machineries' equipment all the time. Because of that, Coca-Cola's production volume has increased sharply compared to few years ago. 4. CCE-Coca-Cola Enterprises have six factories in Britain by using modern technology equipment so to ensure top product quality and quick delivery. In Wakefield,Yorkshire in 1990, CCE opened one of the Europe's largest soft drinks factory. That factory has t he ability to produce faster the cans of Coca-Cola even faster than bullets of a machine gun.

Aging Literature

This literature review addresses several issues related to the study of aging. Theoretical perspectives, research methods, and current controversies are reviewed. One issue that has beset the development of research on aging is a definition of old age (Scanzoni & Scanzoni, 1988, p. 549). Research in the United Kingdom and the United States has found that the older a person is in a chronological sense, the later is the chronological age at which that person tends to think old age begins. The concept of old age also is affected by social stratum: lower-status persons, as an example tend to think that old age begins in the fifties, while higher-status persons tend to think that old age begins around age 65. Advances in medical science and technology have led to increased life spans for an increasing proportion of the population; however, social development has not kept pace (Scanzoni & Scanzoni, 1988, p. 549). Thus, many among the growing numbers of older people lead increasingly less rewarding lives. Further, the increasing numbers of persons in the population aged 65 or older demand that research into aging develop methods that address the differences among age groupings within the 65 and over classification. There also is a subjective context to aging (Scanzoni & Scanzoni, 1988, p. 550). Younger people tend to perceiving old age differently from older people, at a general level, and at a specific level all persons do not age . . . ehavior will be evaluated in the context of one's basic beliefs. If these basic beliefs are unrealistic or irrational, one's expectancies will likely also tend to be unrealistic and irrational. Adaptation enables an individual to understand the surrounding environment (McDougall, 1995, pp. 26-27). Adaptation occurs through the functioning of the mental processes of assimilation and accommodation. Assimilation involves the perception and interpretation of new information within the context of existing knowledge and understanding. Accommodation is a more advanced process that involves the restructuring of mental organization in order to include new nformation. The ecological approach to psychology is a functional approach. In this approach, psychological problems are construed as instances of adaptation. Ecological science defines perception as an awareness of one's environment. The focus in on a being's vertical experience. Vertical experience implies that an environment permits a being to both live and reproduce. The environment is integral to thi s definition of perception, because varieties of meaningful experience cannot be studied as instances of perception unless an environmental component is integral to the being

Of mice and men †dreams and hope Essay

Hopes and dreams help people survive even if they never become real. How true is this for the characters in ‘Of Mice and Men’? The novel ‘Of mice and Men’ was written by John Steinbeck and is set in Salinas and Soledad California in the 1930s when life was hard for so many people because of the great depression. A major theme of John Steinbeck’s novel ‘of mice and men’ is the American dream and the drive to attain it. There are two major themes in ‘of mice and men’ novel that is foreshadowed by the reference to Robert Burns’ poem called â€Å"To a mouse† the word mouse within the title means loneliness and dreams. (BBC Bitesize, 2014:2) This poem contains the lines, â€Å"The best laid plans of mice and men/ often go awry† Most of the main characters in â€Å"Of Mice and Men† harbour dreams and have plans that never come true. George, Lennie, and Candy all share a doomed dream of buying their own f arm and living off the land. George often thinks about how his life he could have had as an unrestricted bachelor and free of the burden of caring for Lennie. â€Å"If I was alone I could live so easy,† he says. (Steinbeck, 1965:12) However, Lennie has his own private dream of living in a cave with his own rabbits but Curley’s wife regrets the missed chance to become a movie star. The main theme throughout this novel is that people must learn to reconcile their dreams with the reality to accept that everyone’s best laid plans often die. Each of the characters plans go askew not because they give up on them but because the forces beyond their control destroyed each one of them. Due to the bleak economic outlook of the Great Depression coming to terms with your broken dreams was the reality nearly everyone in America faced. The American Dream is written into the Declaration of Independence: â€Å"life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.† â€Å"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.† With these protections, any American, regardless of class, religion, gender, and eventually race, could always strive—and even sometimes succeed—at improving himself via wealth, education, or labour. (SparkNotes, 2014). George and Lennie’s dream about owning a farm and living off the â€Å"fatta the lan† (Steinbeck, 1965:16) symbolises this dream. In the novel â€Å"Of Mice and Men† shows that the American Dream became an illusion and a trap for the poor migrant workers during the Great Depression. Every single one of the ranch  workers in the novel dream of life, liberty and happiness but not one of them ever gets is. When Crooks hears of George and Lennie’s dream of owning their farm he says â€Å"Nobody ever gets to heaven, and nobody gets no land.† (Steinbeck, 1965:84). Although the ranch workers dreams may not be realised, the novel suggest that in order for a person’s life to be full and meaningful it has to contain some sort of dream. At the end of the novel George and Lennie never achieved their dream but it did hold their remarkable friendship together throughout the story, for them this dream was real even if it was just there imagination because kept Lennie happy and it stopped George from becoming a mean and lonely guy like the other ranch workers. The dream gives them life, even if life never allows them to achieve their dreams. This novel explores the changing aspects of male friendship during this period this is shown when Lennie asks George to tell him why they are not like the other ranchers; George tells him â€Å"we got a future Guys like us, that work on ranches, are the loneliest guys in the world. They got no family. They don’t belong no place†¦.With us it ain’t like that. We got a future†¦. An’ why? Because†¦because I got you to look after me, and you got me to look after you, and that’s why.† (Steinbeck, 1965:15) this is George’s way of sayi ng he and Lennie are different to the other workers. It could also be suggested that the word ‘future’ could be a metaphor for something bright and so much greater then what they have got now, which could be linked to their version of the American Dream and to ‘live off the fatta the lan’. (Steinbeck, 1965:16) this could almost suggest a biblical meaning like a promised land where all their dreams could come true. This dream helps George and Lennie to endure the hardship they face each day and to help them not to give in to despair. Usually the men who worked on these ranches would have no family, friends so therefore no future. Their friendship strikes the other ranch workers as odd due to their dependency on each other. This makes the boss and Curley suspicious and Slim observes that ranch workers rarely travel together because they’re scared of each other. Although most of the men in the novel are completely alone they still all crave true friendship. As Crooks, perhaps the novel’s most solitary character because of his black skin puts it, â€Å"A guy needs somebody—to be near him.† (Steinbeck, 1965:82) All the characters in the novel long for friendship and kindness but yet they all live in fear of one  another. This is shown with the tough shooting of Candy’s dog which makes it clear that during the Great Depression if you are useless, old or weak you will certainly be destroyed because the strong and the useful will fight for survival. All the workers on the ranch would constantly try to make themselves look strong especially if they feeling weak. The fear of the weak being overrun by the strong could explain why Curley likes to fight a larger men then he is â€Å"Curley’s pretty handy. He done quite a bit in the ring. He’s a light weight and he’s handy† (Steinbeck, 1965:29) and it could also be why Crooks tells Lennie that George is going to abandon him. Then Curleyâ₠¬â„¢s wife threatens to have Crooks lynched. Each of these characters tries to appear strong by asserting power over one another. This fear of being the strongest explains why the other characters in novel find it hard to understand George and Lennie’s friendship because they see being the strongest as a fight for survival. In ‘Of Mice and Men’ it has two different visions of women in it the first is the male character view and the second is the novel’s view of women. The male characters view on women which is they tend to view the women with fear and negatively labelling them as dangerous sexual temptresses. The male workers often referred to Curley’s wife with insulting words like a â€Å"tart† (Steinbeck, 1965:31) and â€Å"jail bait† (Steinbeck, 1965:36). George and Lennie have a friend in prison â€Å"on account of a tart† (Steinbeck, 1965:63) plus they have had their own troubles twice as a result from a woman. The first the women from Weeds and the second is Curley’s wife. Although she plays into her role as sexy temptress throughout the novel until the last part of it where is a victim. Curley’s wife craves the attention of the men on the ranch because she’s desperately lonely so she flaunts her power over the men because she h erself feels weak. There are a number of symbols within the novel that have different meanings these are George and Lennie’s farm, the rabbits that Lennie keeps talking about, Candy’s old dog and also Lennie’s puppy. The dream of owning a farm for George and Lennie is a symbol of the American Dream. This fantasy of owning their own farm leads George, Lennie and the other ranch workers such as Candy and Crooks to indulge in the dream of living â€Å"off the fatta the lan† (Steinbeck, 1965:16). George’s rich description of the farm’s lavish plants and animals also makes it seem like a symbol of paradise. While Lennie dreams of tending to the rabbits on the farm that he and George hope to own  one day. This dream forms Lennie’s complete innocence. Lennie enjoys touching anything that has a soft fur such as rabbits and mice due to this love of touching soft things leads to his fate. This symbolise not just innocence but also Lennie’s downfall of innocence in the harsh world that he lives. The next symbol is Candy’s old but once powerful sheepdog. For Carlson killing Candy’s dog makes it clear that during the Great Depression those who was strong would only survive. The way that Carlson kills Candy’s dog in the back of the head with just a single gunshot is foreshadowing how George will kill Lennie in the end. The link between Lennie and Candy’s dog is that they are powerless, innocent and doomed from the start. The symbol of Lennie’s puppy shows how dependent Lennie is on George, just as the puppy is dependent on Lennie. The puppy symbolise the fate of the weak in the face of the strong.