Saturday, November 30, 2019

Logistics and Supply Chain Management

Introduction This paper is based on the topic of globalization of logistics and supply chain management. It explores the topic using Wales as a case study. The paper is divided into two parts namely part one and part two. Part one is an overview of the current rail system in Wales.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Logistics and Supply Chain Management specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Part two is a comparison of the proposed high-speed rail and an integrated transport system. At the end is a conclusion which provides a definite solution to the client. The main issue in the paper is that the Welsh government wants to improve its transport infrastructure for transporting people and freight. It is, however, not decided on whether to build the proposed high-speed rail or set up an integrated transport infrastructure. On the one hand, the high-speed rail is expected to reduce the time used to transport people and freigh t between various cities in the United Kingdom, which would attract new investors. It is also expected to enhance efficiency of the supply chains. On the other hand, focusing on the high-speed rail at the expense of the other modes of transport would be counterproductive because trains are not the only means of transportation in Wales. As the consultant, I have addressed these issues in my analysis of the situation and the implications of the various options which are available to the client (the Welsh government). In the review, I have used different theoretical frameworks such as gap analysis and the theory of absolute advantage to illustrate the arguments. I have argued that the proposed high-speed rail is not adequate to deal with the challenge of poor transport infrastructure in Wales and as a result, there is need for an integrated transport system which would link the entire transport infrastructure in Wales.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The reason is that an integrated transport system would have more benefits than the proposed high-speed rail. Discussion Part one Gap analysis is a situation in which organizations ask themselves the questions of ‘where are we’ and ‘where do we want to be.’ It is very useful for managers because it helps them to focus on the real issues which affect their organizations. It also enables the managers to come up with the proper means of realizing their desired outcomes (Franklin 2006). In an effort to fill the gaps in organizations, managers use differentiation and positioning (McLoughlin Aaker 2010). According to Thompson and Martins, differentiation has to do with enhancing the popularity of products or services among the customers. For an organization to claim that it has differentiated its products and services, it has to ensure that it provides extensive details about the uniquene ss of its products or services. Many organizations engage in differentiation of their products and services for various reasons. However, economic analysts have argued that the whole idea of differentiation is to increase the competitiveness of organizations. Differentiation has the potential of influencing consumer behavior by ensuring that consumers understand what is unique about different products or services (Thompson Martin 2010). According to Armstrong and Kotler positioning is a strategy which complements differentiation. It has to do with using various strategies like product distribution and production of unique products with low prices to build an identity of a particular Company in the minds of consumers (Armstrong Kotler 2009).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Logistics and Supply Chain Management specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In many cases, positioning is done after differentiation so as to sta bilize and retain the positions of the differentiated products or services. It also ensures that organizations retain their competitive advantage in any given market. The current rail system in Wales is outdated since it was established many years back when the population of Wales was relatively small. At the time when the rail system was established, globalization had not taken effect and as a result, the demand for transport services was very low (Kendall Cole 2006). However, with the advent of globalization, there has emerged the need for people to move frequently from one point to another in different parts of the globe. Due to globalization, the business environment has become more competitive than ever. According to Scholte, the drivers of globalization include advancement in information and communication technology, improvement of transport infrastructure, and liberalization of trade and immigration policies (Scholte 2005). Due to globalization, people from different countri es are able to work anywhere in the world, irrespective of their cultural orientation. Through globalization also, people are able to study, marry, and stay in any part of the world (Cole 2005). Globalization has also enabled different cultures to coexist peacefully without cultural prejudice. The interaction of people in different spheres of life has made them to appreciate their cultural differences, a situation which has greatly reduced instances of racism and ethnicity (Chrysanthopoulos 2010). Due to its outdated status, the current rail system lacks the capacity to handle huge volumes of freight. It is also not suitable for transporting people because it is too slow compared to other modes of transport such as road and air.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In some cases, the current rail system makes firms to miss business opportunities due to the inability of the rail system to deliver goods on time. It also makes the supply chains of many firms to be inefficient, which increases the cost of production (Lan Unhelkar 2006). This situation is threatening the stability of the economy of Wales because many firms have threatened to relocate their businesses in other countries or cities which have efficient and reliable rail transport. As a result, there is need to upgrade the current rail system so as to restore the confidence of investors and attract others. That is why the high-speed rail has been proposed. Once in place, the high-speed rail would not only attract new investors to Wales, but it would also enable the existing firms to expand their businesses due to increased efficiency. It is essential to mention that the objective of multinational firms is to get access to cheap factors of production, such as raw materials, capital, la nd, and labor. The reason is that the cost of these factors of production varies from one country to another (Johnson, Scholes Whittington 2010). Consequently, the high-speed rail would enable the firms in Wales to get access to these factors of production. The interest of the Welsh government is to ensure that there are no barriers which restrict investors from getting opportunities to invest in Wales. However, the outdated rail system is a hindering factor to the growth of the economy of Wales. As a result, the high-speed rail would expand the economy of Wales and enhance growth. It would also have a multiplier effect in form of enhanced social and economic well-being of the citizens of Wales. For instance, many firms would be able to make huge profits due to reduced cost of transport. As a result, they would increase funding to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs. Different scholars have written about the concept of CSR. According to Carroll, CSR is generally used to explain the relationship between businesses and their environments. The reason is that almost all organizations operate in dynamic social, political, economic, and natural environments. CSR, therefore, looks into how businesses interact with these environments, either positively or negatively. Different scholars have come up with various components of CSR. However, the elements which are mentioned by many scholars include the ethical, regulatory, philanthropic, and legal components. When an organization establishes a business in any given society, the people in that society usually have different expectations from the business. While some expect to purchase goods and services at low prices, others expect to be employed by the organization. There also those who expect the organization to operate in manner which does not raise questions as far as quality of products and services are concerned. These concerns comprise the ethical component of CSR (Carroll, 1979). Due to the reduced cos t of transport, the firms in Wales would make huge profits. As a result, the tendency of the firms to engage in unethical behavior would be minimized. According to Aras and Crowther, the regulatory component has to do with abiding by all regulations which are established to protect shareholders, investors, and customers from unethical business practices. It also has to do with ensuring that organizations maximize their profits and minimize their operation costs with the aim of making more profits. Once organizations generate more profits, they are expected to increase the salary of employees because employees are essential stakeholders in the success of organizations (Aras Crowther 2010). The reduced cost of transport would enable the firms in Wales to generate more profits than before, which would enable them to take care of the interests of shareholders and customers. The legal component has to do with compliance to various laws and regulations which have been established in diff erent jurisdictions to govern all businesses and ensure that they operate legally. For example, there are laws and regulations which touch on protection of the environment, respect of employees’ rights, and production of quality products. The philanthropic component has to do with charity work. It is based on the argument that businesses must give back to the communities where they operate. There are many ways of giving back to the community. Some of them include initiating programs which directly benefit the community through provision of health and education services to the less fortunate in the community (Carroll 2008). The high-speed rail would enable the firms in Wales to generate more profits than before and as a result, they would be able to pay the various taxes to government authorities. Rail transport has been successful in many countries. In China, for example, there are modernized rails which are used by electric trains. These trains have made transport in China n ot only reliable but also cheaper than in other countries which do not have electric trains. Since the trains are powered using electricity, they move fast and are able to reach their destinations within a short time. Wales should, therefore, borrow the example of China and boost its economy and social well-being of its people through the high-speed rail. Part two Rail transport is a very reliable mode of transporting heavy goods. The reason is that the cost of transporting heavy goods using rail transport is usually less than the cost of transporting them using road transport. Transporting heavy goods using road transport also makes the roads to wear out too fast. When that happens, governments incur a lot of expenses in repairing the roads, which negatively affects the economy of countries. As a result, rail transport is not only cheap, but it is also durable because it does not require frequent repair like roads (Lysons Farrington 2012). In terms of conservation of the environme nt, rail transport is better than road transport because trains do not emit a lot of carbon dioxide like vehicles. Carbon dioxide is associated with greenhouse gases which lead to global warming. Rail transport is not affected by adverse weather conditions like road transport. For instance, when it rains heavily, vehicles may be unable to move due to flooding or poor visibility. Rail transport is also better than road transport when it comes to connecting with different countries. The reason is that there are more railway lines which connect countries than roads and as a result, firms are able to import goods in bulk from other countries and transport them using rail transport. Rail transport is also more secure for transporting containers carrying valuable goods than road transport. Even though the high-speed rail would have various benefits to various stakeholders, it might not provide long-term solutions to the problem of poor transport infrastructure in Wales. As mentioned earli er, rail transport is just a part of a wider transport network and as a result, the high-speed rail would need to be complemented by other modes of transportation such as air, sea, and road. An integrated transport system would have a higher economic value than the high-speed rail. It would also be more sustainable than the high-speed rail because it would provide various options for firms to transport their goods, labor, and raw materials. Using an integrated transport system lowers the cost of transport in a given sector or country. The reason is that in an integrated transport system, each mode of transport transports what it is capable of transporting. In other words, the transport infrastructure is not strained. Allowing each mode of transport to transport what it is capable of transporting enables firms to avoid the risks which are associated with transporting goods using the wrong mode of transport. For example, rail and sea are suitable for transporting heavy goods while roa d and air are suitable for transporting light goods and people. An integrated transport system also increases the competitiveness of a country. According to the theory of absolute advantage, competitiveness refers to the ability of a country to take a share of foreign markets. For countries to become competitive, they aim at exporting more than what they import. In fact, the theory of absolute advantage states that the objective of any country is to export almost everything and import nothing. However, it is almost impossible for any country to achieve this objective. Using an integrated transport system produces higher returns than using one type of transport such as rail. The reason is that an integrated transport system relies on public and private infrastructure. For example, a government of a country may authorize private companies to operate commuter services. It may also authorize them to operate cross-border transportation of commercial goods. At the same time, the governmen t may operate air and sea transport services. This combination enhances efficiency and maximizes productivity of different sectors of the economy. In addition, an integrated transport system has the benefit of enabling people of different social and economic status to get access to transport. For example, the elderly, the sick, and the disabled may be uncomfortable when they travel in a train. However, they may be comfortable when they travel in a vehicle because it enables them to reach their destinations within a short time. In any country, there are people of different economic status. Some are low-income earners, while others are high-income earners. The low-income earners may not be able to afford air transport, but they may be able to afford road transport. As a result, having an integrated transport system makes life comfortable for everybody because people use the type of transport which they are able to afford. Further to that, an integrated transport system is associated w ith minimal energy consumption. The reason is that each mode of transport uses a different type of energy. For example, some trains use electricity while vehicles use fuel. Relying on one type of transport may put pressure on a particular type of energy. For example, if a country relies on road transport alone, it means that the consumption of fuel in that country is higher than in a country which relies on several modes of transport. As a result, there is minimal pollution of the environment in a country with an integrated transport system (Mangan, Lalwani Butcher 2008). From the above discussion, it can be argued that the transport industry plays a vital role in enhancing the economic and social well-being of people in any country. It is therefore essential for governments to ensure that they have integrated transport systems which are reliable and sustainable. Sustainability addresses the issue of how resources are utilized. Economic analysts have argued that there is need for c ountries to utilize their resources in a sustainable manner so that the future generations would not face shortages of crucial resources. Utilisation of resources in a sustainable manner is the basis of sustainable development. The concept of sustainable development has gained popularity in recent years (Rugman Collinson 2006). In the transport industry, the reliance on high-speed rails is not sustainable as reliance on integrated transport systems. According to Elkington, sustainable development must emphasize on economic and social development as well as protection of the environment (Elkington 1994). As a result, it is unethical for corporations to be driven by utilitarianism. According to Sher, utilitarianism focuses on maximizing profits irrespective of the effects of the maximization. According to utilitarians such as Jeremy Bentham, any outcome which is desirable is also justifiable. It means that the means of arriving at a particular end are not as important as the end itse lf. An outcome is, therefore considered as good if it makes many people to be happy (Sher 2012). For example, if an organization is able to increase its profits by exploiting its employees by overworking them, then the act of exploitation is justifiable as long as the employees do not complain. If a legal action produces outcomes which do not make many people to be happy, then the action is not ethical. On the other hand, if an illegal action makes many people to be satisfied, then the action is not only ethical but also morally acceptable. Utilitarianism has the danger of destroying the values in a society. There is, therefore, the need of governments to enforce regulations which govern ethics in the society as well as in business. Utilitarianism makes many firms to use unethical means to generate profits. For example, some firms have been accused of giving false information to shareholders regarding the number of profits generated in a year with the aim of denying them their divid ends. Other firms have been accused of failing to pay taxes to the relevant government authorities. These practices are not only unethical, but they also compromise the ability of any country to realize sustainable development. Conclusion Based on the above discussion and analysis, I would advise the Welsh government to set up an integrated transport system comprising of road, rail, air, and sea transport. The reason is that for the proposed high-speed rail to be effective, it needs to be complemented by the other modes of transport. The integrated transport system would also be more sustainable than the high-speed rail. The Welsh government, therefore, needs to set aside resources for upgrading all the other modes of transport in Wales. For instance, it needs to expand the existing roads and build new ones. It also needs to expand the ports and the airports. The integrated system would not only boost the confidence of multinational corporations, but it would also attract other inve stors to invest in Wales. As a result, the economy of Wales would realize an exponential growth. The growth would have multiplier effects such as creation of employment opportunities, reduction of pressure on various energy resources, and increased competitiveness of Wales in international trade. Reference List Aras, G Crowther, D. 2010, A handbook of corporate governance and corporate social responsibility series, Gower Publishing Ltd, Farnham. Armstrong, G Kotler, P 2009, Marketing. An introduction, Pearson Education Company, Prentice Hall. Carroll, A.B 1979, ‘Three-dimensional conceptual model of corporate social performance’, Academy of Management Review, vol.4, pp.497-505. Carroll, A.B 2008, A history of corporate social responsibility, Oxford university press, Oxford. Cole, S 2005, Applied transport economics, Kogan Page, London. Chrysanthopoulos, M 2010, Cultural diversity and education, Lap Lambert Academic Publishing, New York, NY. Elkington, J 1994, ‘T owards the sustainable corporation: Win-win-win business strategies for sustainable development’, California Management Review, vol. 36, no. 2, pp. 90-100. Franklin, M 2006, Performance gap analysis: human performance improvement, ASTD Press, Alexandria, VA: Johnson, G, Scholes, K Whittington, R 2010, Exploring corporate strategy: text and cases, Prentice Hall, FT. Kendall, S Cole, S 2006, Wales and the Atlantic arc: developing ports, wales transport research centre, Kogan Page, London. Lan, Y Unhelkar, B 2006, Global integrated supply chain systems, Idea Group Publ, cop, Hershey, PA. Lysons, K Farrington, B 2012, Purchasing and supply chain management, Pearson Education Limited, Prentice Hall. Mangan, J, Lalwani, C Butcher, T 2008, Global logistics and supply chain management, Wiley, Malden, MA. McLoughlin, D Aaker, D 2010, Strategic market management: global perspectives, Wiley, Hoboken, N.J. Rugman, A.M Collinson, S 2006, International business, Prentice Hall, FT. S cholte, J.A 2005, Globalisation: A critical introduction, Palgrave Macmillan, Great Yarmouth. Sher, G 2012, Ethics: essential readings in moral theory, Routledge, New York, NY. Thompson, J Martin, F 2010, Strategic management: awareness and change, Cengage Learning, South Western. This essay on Logistics and Supply Chain Management was written and submitted by user Haley Pennington to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here. Logistics and Supply Chain Management

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Winston Churchill essays

Winston Churchill essays Perhaps one of the most colorful and intelligent figures of his day, Winston Churchill was a master negotiator and superb leader. Drawing from his vast experience and wit, he successfully led Great Britain through many troubled times and hardships. His skill as a leader was unsurpassed and was only out done by his wry sense of humor. Winston Churchills exploits will forever be a part of history as he truly was one of the greatest leaders of his time. Winston Churchill was born on the 30th of November in 1874 and was the eldest son of aristocrat Lord Randolph Churchill. He graduated from the Royal Military College in 1895 and was soon commissioned as an officer in the Fourth Hussars. While acting as a war correspondent during the Boers War, he was captured by the enemy and held in less the humane conditions as a prisoner of war. He later escaped his captors and was recognized as a national hero upon his return to Great Britain. This newfound fame and heroism led him to the public spotlight and into what was to eventually become a historical political career. Shortly after his triumphant return, Winston Churchill was elected as a member of the Conservative Party. Later, in 1904, he was elected as president of the Board of Trade. Stepping through several other positions of power, he eventually became the Lord of the Admiralty. Unfortunately, after an unsuccessful campaign, he was forced to resign. Thus began a period of learning and self-reflection that eventually led into his transition as a great leader. In 1917, Churchills political career again flourished as he was elected the Minister of Munition and was a member of the coalition party until it collapsed in 1922. After several ups and downs in his political career, Churchill became the Prime Minister in 1940 as Nazi Germany and Hitler were knocking on Great Britains doorstep. Through his expert leadership and negotiations, he won the support of the Unit...

Friday, November 22, 2019

Income Elasticity of Demand

Income Elasticity of Demand A Beginners Guide to Elasticity: Price Elasticity of Demand  introduced the basic concept and illustrated it with a few examples of price elasticity of demand.   A Brief Review of Price Elasticity of Demand The formula for price elasticity of demand is:   Price Elasticity of Demand (PEoD) (% Change in Quantity Demanded) à ·Ã‚  (% Change in Price) The formula quantifies the demand for a given as the percentage change in the quantity of the good demanded divided by the percentage change in its price.   If the product, for example, is aspirin, which is widely available from many different manufacturers, a small change in one manufacturers price, lets say a 5 percent increase, might make a big difference in the demand for the product. Lets suppose that the decreased demand was a minus 20 percent, or -20%. Dividing the decreased demand (-20%) by the increased price (5 percent) gives a result of -4. The price elasticity of demand for aspirin is high a small difference in price produces a significant decrease in demand.   Generalizing the Formula You can generalize the formula by observing that it expresses the relationship between two variables, demand and price. A similar formula expresses another relationship, that between the demand for a given product  and consumer income Income Elasticity of Demand (% Change in Quantity Demanded)/(% Change in Income) In an economic recession, for example, U.S. household income might drop by 7 percent, but the household money spent on eating out might drop by 12 percent. In this case, the income elasticity of demand is calculated as 12 à · 7 or about 1.7. In other words, a moderate drop in income produces a greater drop in demand. In the same recession, on the other hand, we might discover that the 7 percent drop in household income produced only a 3 percent drop in baby formula sales. The calculation in this instance is 3 à · 7 or about 0.43.   what you can conclude from this is that eating out in restaurants is not an essential economic activity for U.S. households the elasticity of demand is 1.7, considerably great than 1.0 but that buying baby formula, with an income elasticity of demand of 0.43, is relatively essential and that demand will persist even when income drops.    Generalizing Income Elasticity of Demand Income elasticity of demand is used to see how sensitive the demand for a good is to an income change. The higher the income elasticity, the more sensitive demand for a good is to income changes. A very high-income elasticity suggests that when a consumers income goes up, consumers will buy a great deal more of that good and, conversely, that when income goes down consumers will cut back their purchases of that good to an even greater degree.   A very low price elasticity implies just the opposite, that changes in a consumers income have  little influence on demand. Often an assignment or a test will ask you the follow-up question Is the good a luxury good, a normal good, or an inferior good between the income range of $40,000 and $50,000? To answer that use the following rule of thumb: If IEoD 1 then the good is a Luxury Good and Income ElasticIf IEoD 1 and IEOD 0 then the good is a Normal Good and Income InelasticIf IEoD 0 then the good is an Inferior Good and Negative Income Inelastic The other side of the coin, of course, is supply.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Describe and evaluate a large-scale planned organisational change that Essay

Describe and evaluate a large-scale planned organisational change that had major implications for an organisation, branch, division, department, office or agenc - Essay Example management does not click with the existing workforce or does not hold any value to the employees as the existing environment is comfortable for them, they believe in the existing values and see any change as a threat. There are many times when firms give out changed or revised mission statements that look dramatic and appealing but as it is taken as threat and creates so much confusion, that the purpose of the change does not materialize, eventually the hype and excitement of such a change disappears. Bringing about a structural change is extremely time consuming, stressful and most of the times difficult to change once implemented. Once an organization changes the structure or the system new processes are made in exchange of the old ones, it is extremely difficult to the way things were. This is because of the huge amount of investments that are made to change to the workforce, the environment and the way people think in the firm. If in such a situation a firm makes a wrong decision, it will have to suffer the consequences for a long time. for example with the change in time people have started to shift from written records to completely computerized systems, if now they are asked to go back to doing manual work it will be extremely difficult for them. Corwin Corporation, previously known as Vaughn Machine Company started in American in Peabody Massachusetts during the early 1900’s. It is a company that initially dealt in automobile parts and was a huge part of the American brass automobile parts industry. After its formation, the company added many other products to its business and with time, the company’s reputation boomed due to it product quality and dedication toward customer satisfaction. Its growth has been significant and has shown results in terms of profits. By the year 1983, Corwin Corporation’s net earning was about one hundred and fifty million dollars per year. It was known internationally for its low cost rubber components of excellent

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

History Today Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

History Today - Essay Example The causal ordering follows to provide modal categories for the factual propositions. In this system the logical contradiction is resolved by ordering the factual propositions. These will be according to the causal categories. 1 The counterfactual cause involves the unconventional views from the point of Niall Ferguson a Scottish Historian. These views are regarding the imperialism and the origins of conflict in the twentieth century. He is a specialist in financial and economic history. His recent publication is ‘The War of the World† in 2006. He has become historian inspired by AJP Taylor. Ferguson’s significance lies in his well versed nature in economic matters as he was in history matters. He wrote a book named cash nexus arguing that the money makes the world go around is wrong and proved that the human actins are more important for history to go around. He feels that the US is not sufficiently in the affairs of the world. In his books Colossus and Empire, he shows potential virtues of US when compared to British Empire. He also analyzed the World War I that generated much controversy. In that he suggested that it could have been more beneficial to Europe if Britain has stayed out o f the war by Germany making a win. 2 2.1Fergusson’s Significance: He is considered as a leading champion of counterfactual history that involves the counterfactual cause. It is because he likes to imagine alternative outcomes as a way of stressing the contingency aspects in the history. According to his counterfactual causal analysis of history, the great forces are not only responsible for the history and in fact the individual’s doings pre determine the course of history. He argues that the world is neither progressing nor regressing. His view is that the actions of individuals will determine the better or worse world. His book the war of the world explains the violent 20th century. According to his argument the economic volatility, ethnic

Saturday, November 16, 2019

How is childhood presented in Games at Twilight Essay Example for Free

How is childhood presented in Games at Twilight Essay There are many similarities between the ways that childhood is presented in these two short stories. When acting as a group, the children are frequently portrayed as cruel and aggressive. In The Red Ball the young boy is given a variety of cruel names by other children due to his thin frame, for example Thinny Boney and Match-stick foot. This shows the brutal honesty of children of a young age. In Games at Twilight the children are rough and belligerent, shown by the shoves became harder and the frequent quarrelling of the children over who will be It in their game of hide and seek. In Games at Twilight the children are frequently shown in an animalistic light. The authors use of vocabulary reveals this, for example wild, maniacal, and snarling. Words such as prey, stalked and pounded relate to hunting in the animal kingdom, and therefore reinforce the authors portrayal of children as animalistic. In The Red Ball Bolan is said to have waited like a small animal, so children are again compared to animals. The fact that the children in both stories play their games in large groups could represent the packs that animals exist in in the wild. By using animalistic images the authors are able to reinforce their portrayal of children as cruel and aggressive. Childish games seem to hold great significance to the children in both stories. In Games at Twilight the author says that the children are desperate to start their business the business of the childrens day which is play. By making the children in the story so dependent on games the author suggests that the children have basic, immature values, since play is not an adult business. In The Red Ball games also hold a great significance for the children it is Bolans ability to play cricket well that gains him acceptance amongst the other children. It is obvious that friendships are built when games are participated in, as Bolan steals money from his parents to buy a red cricket ball in order to be more highly thought of by his friends. It is interesting to see that the games in both of the stories are carried out outdoors. In The Red Ball the author writes the boys played cricket until the fireflies came out. In Games at Twilight Raghu is described as crashing and storming in the hedge wilder. Thus the children in both stories are more closely linked to nature, reinforcing the authors portrayal of them as animals. In both stories the main characters are portrayed as outcasts. In The Red Ball the young boy watches other children play cricket from the outskirts of the park, and in Games at Twilight young Ravi hides alone, only to find that the other children have quite forgotten him. The difference between the stories is that the young boy in The Red Ball is eventually accepted by his peers and revered by them he becomes their star bowler and therefore essential for their game. In Games at Twilight we are led to believe that Ravi will eventually be accepted by the other children for winning the game of hide and seek he smiled to himself at the thought of so much victory. However Ravi never achieves such victory as the other children forget about him having disappeared from the scene, he had disappeared from their minds. Clean. By using such a short sentence, clean, the author is stressing the fact that Ravi was forgotten by his peers, and therefore emphasises his insignificance to the other children; he is bottom of the pecking order. In Games at Twilight young Ravi is portrayed as rather unintelligent and cowardly. He is frequently described as fearful Ravi shook with fear. His desperation to be accepted by his siblings shows that he is not highly thought of, and is also somewhat pathetic. Thinking that he will win the childish game of hide and seek he thinks that nothing more wonderful had ever happened to him. His unimportance is confirmed in the final sentence of the story he lay down full length on the damp grass silenced by a terrible sense of his insignificance. In The Red Ball Bolan is portrayed as a somewhat more intelligent, wise individual. He is capable enough to understand that by replying when he is called offensive names by the other children, he will be labelled with those names. He is also able to comprehend more difficult family situations, and shows perception and intelligence when the author writes it was one of those moments when he felt as if he had held his mother in front of him as a sort of shield to save himself from a rain of blows. In conclusion, the presentation of childhood in the two short stories, Games at Twilight and The Red Ball varies. The main characters, when alone, are portrayed as more innocent individuals, whereas when in larger groups, the children seem to be more cruel and hostile. Games at Twilight offers the less favourable impression of children overall, frequently incorporating animalistic images into the story to describe the children.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

Difference Between General Perspectives :: essays research papers

What is the difference between the general perspectives? How does the work of Ritzer attempt to overcome this problem? Micro theories examine the processes of face-to-face contact among individuals and personal points-of-view in society; whereas, the macro theories deal with large-scale social events of society - meaning things that have public concern. The theories that are apart of the micro-level are symbolic interactionism, dramaturgy, ethnomethodology, and exchange theory. Symbolic interaction is an individual-based theory that uses constructed symbols, such as language and gestures, to which people give meaning in their everyday interactions. Dramaturgy, best stated by Goffman (1959), is what actors portray on a the theatrical stage is similar to the way people act in society. Ethnomethodology is basic common-sense used in for general situations in everyday life (Ritzer, 77). Exchange theory is a given relationship is found to be attractive whereas the rewards tend to outweigh punishment (Blau, 1964). Structural functionalism and conflict theory are two types of macro-theories. Structural functionalism (Perrucci, 1983) has three main ideas: 1) society is a system containing interdependent and interacting parts bound together in time and space, 2) shared values among members of the system are social â€Å"glue† that helps hold it together, 3) and systems have a need for stability and therefor attempt the parts working together harmoniously. Conflict theory is the belief that society contains basic inequalities in wealth, power, and prestige (Coser, 1967; Dahrendorf, 1959). Ritzer, like many other sociologists, wants to disintegrate the split between the micro and macro sociology. Ritzer attempts to do this by â€Å"adding on† to Gurvitch’s insights . Ritzer views the micro-macro issue, not by subjective-objective continuum, but the phenomena as subjective or objective; therefore, concluding that there are four major levels of analysis (See Table I) that are a product of dialectical interrelationships (Ritzer, 1996). Table I - Ritzer’s Major Levels of Social Analysis MACROSCOPIC I. Macro-objective Examples - society, law, bureaucracy, architecture, technology, and language  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   II. Macro-subjective Examples- culture, norms, and values III. Micro-objective Examples - patterns of behavior, action, and interaction  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   IV. Micro-subjective Examples - perceptions, beliefs; the various facets of the social construction of reality MICROSCOPIC In row 1, the macro-objective, involves the large-scale basic standards and â€Å"material realities† (Ritzer, 359) by which the general populous abides by; whereas as the macro-subjective is the large-scale intangible ideals such as norms and values which shape our everyday lives. In row 2, the micro theories also have the objective and subjective consistencies but on a smaller scale.