Apple’s Supply Chain Management Essay

Abstract The paper explores Apple and its past, background, brand loyalty, problems, decline of product, and suggested solutions. Apple was started on April 1, 1976. It was established by three men; Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne. On January 10, 2006, Apple released the MacBook Pro and iMac which was the first Apple computer to use Intel’s Core Duo CPU. Apple’s customers fly in from all over the world to see the opening of products and stores. They even propose outside the stores. Their fan base is because they have a good product. Not so much the price because you can basically get the same product at a lower price form one of Apple’s competitors. The problems that Apple is having is getting their product to the customer on time. Which many say is the result of bad supply chain management. The paper goes over how they got to the problems that they are having and some solutions to those problems. Keywords: Monopsony, Brand Loyalty Apple’s Supply Chain Management Background Apple is a very big company, and is a company that everyone knows. Apple was started on April 1, 1976. It was established by three men; Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne. On January 3, 1977, Apple was incorporated without Wayne; he sold his shares back to Jobs and Wozniak for $800. A multimillionaire delivered the essential business knowledge and funding for the incorporation of Apple. By the end of the 1970’s Apple have a good sized staff of bother computer designers and a production line. The Macintosh was made well-known by the 1.5 million dollar commercial â€Å"1984† released on the third quarter of Super Bowl XVIII on January 22, 1984. The Macintosh at first sold well, but it soon withered off because of the high prices and limited choice of software titles. The Macintosh Portable was presented in 1989 and was designed like a desktop and weighed 17 pounds. In 1998, Apple’s iMac was introduced by a design team that was led by Jonathan Ive and he was also the man who designed the iPod and the iPhone. Apple’s sales improved from that moment. On January 10, 2006, Apple released the MacBook Pro and iMac which was the first Apple computer to use Intel’s Core Duo CPU (Lashinsky, 2011.) On January 17, 2011 Jobs announced in a memo that he would take a medical leave for an indefinite period. It has been said that because of Apple’s effective supply chain the company operates as a monopsony, which where one buyer has many sellers. Brand Loyalty Apple’s brand loyalty from customers runs deep in its consumers. It is very unusual for any product to have the kind of brand loyalty that Apple does. Apple Store opening can draw crowds of thousands with people waiting in line as much as a day before the event. People also fly in from all over the world to see the opening of products and stores. Some people say that it is the marketing and advertising is the reason that draws the kind of loyalty that Apple has. The loyalty of the customers goes as far as when people are waiting in line some of the fans use the opportunity to propose marriage. Problems After Jobs announced his medical leave, he appointed Tim Cook to his job. Tim Cook was the chief operating officer. He was the person who over saw the supply chain. When he assumed Jobs position he took on more work than he was used to. Therefore his work started to decline, he stopped focusing on the supply chain and started working on the advances of technology (Spence, 2012.) Decline of Product After the death of Steve Jobs, the company stock declined because of the products. There was problems with the shipping of the iPhone 5 because there was not enough made. When the iPad Minies reached the customers, they sold out in time for the press released. But when more orders came in for the iPad Minis the customers experienced longer wait time. This might have been due to the supply chain not working properly. Also the iPad Minis release date has been pushed pack. When Apple made the promises of an October event and missed the date. The other things that has been un-Apple-like was Siri, it was not the way that Steve Jobs would have liked it to be. He wanted it to be consistently amazing and it is not it had to be concern with an update. The Maps app in iOS6 lead to the discharge of two Apple employees and a public apology from Cook (Maisto, 2012.) Conclusion The conclusion to most of the Apple consumers would be to work more on their supply chain. Working closer with their suppliers will help with the overall product. It might be a faster shipping or faster assembly. But one thing is certain about working closer with their suppliers, it can never be a bad thing. The better relationships that you have with the people supplying you the product the better the product will be (Maisto, 2012.) Suggested Solutions Apple needs to fix a few things to get back on the money making wagon, so to say. They have a good product but it needs to be texted more. If Apple feels the need to release an iPhone every three months the customers will think why I should buy this one when it will be obsolete in about another three months. Another thing that Apple needs to work on is their supply chain. Since Tim Cook moved up in the in the corporation he has not been looking over the supply chain as well as he should be. I believe that he should be hiring more people to manage the supply chain and less people to engineer Apple’s products. They might come to realize that they will save money in the long run if they have better relationship with their suppliers and treat their workers better (Spence, 2012.) Future The future of Apple is not clear. Cook wants to bring more jobs to the United States. He says that more parts of the Mac will be brought over to the United States so that it will bring more jobs to the United States, an estimate of 600,000 jobs. Cook also wants to get in to the television market. He says that, â€Å"it is an area of intense interest to us (Maisto, 2012.)† References Spence, E. (2012, November 18). Apple’s supply chain issues reflected in stock pricing. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/ewanspence/2012/11/18/apples-supply-chain-issues-reflected-in-stock-pricing/ Maisto, M. (2012, December 7). Ceo tim cook on apple’s future: Don’t bet against us. Retrieved from http://www.eweek.com/mobile/ceo-tim-cook-on-apples-future-dont-bet-against-us/ Lashinsky, A. (2011, August 25). How apple works: Inside the world’s biggest startup. Retrieved from http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2011/08/25/how-apple-works-inside-the-worlds-biggest-startup/

Sample Charter

The various costs include: building materials, landscaping and safety equipment, shipping, labor, temporary housing, and office facilities, travel, administrative expenses, staffing, training, and stocking of inventory. Project Manager: John Tare, 011-52-444-123-1234,john. [email  protected] Com Project Sponsor: Alex R. Fitzgerald, CEO Acme Home Improvements, [email  protected] Com Project Objectives: Deploy Acme's capabilities to meet the commercial and private construction market demands in the Mexico City area.Expand into international markets to meet the competition head-on and eat them, not only at home, but also abroad. To meet this goal and compete effectively Acme must open its first store in this major metropolitan area inside 12 months. To open this store within a year, Acme will build a project team that communicates effectively, operates efficiently, and is experienced in international ventures. The project team will construct a KICK sq Ft structure, with an additiona l ask sq Ft of exterior space for garden products.The store's design must excel in supporting each of Acme's five core business areas: plumbing/electrical supplies, building materials, hardware and tools, seasonal/garden/yard, and paint/wall coverings. The project team will construct a comprehensive plan upon which they will base execution. This plan encompasses all details from site preparation through hiring and training. The project team will carry the company up to opening day. It is critical that the team stay on task and on time. Approach: ; Establish a cross-cultural team of Acme corporate personnel from the U.S. And local Acme De Mexico staff to coordinate the project. Conduct competitive analysis of home improvement stores in Mexico City. ; Develop store design. ; Develop detailed construction schedule. ; Construct and finish store. ; Plan hiring requirements. ; Prepare hiring and training plan. ; Establish supply chain plans. ; Develop advertising, promotion, and merchandi sing plan. ; Train employees in compliance with Acme corporate policies, standards, procedures, and provide specific job activity training. ; Plan and execute store grand opening.

The Financial and sovereign debt crisis In Europe Essay

The Financial and sovereign debt crisis In Europe - Essay Example However, the sovereign debt crisis particularly worsened in 2010 raising many concerns over the effectiveness of the fiscal policy adopted by the European Monetary Union, which appeared to have failed totally in abating the crisis. Greece and Ireland were among the worst hit countries while Spain and Portugal experienced its impact to a lesser extent. Nevertheless, other European countries have raised concerns that the crisis needs to be controlled amicably lest it spreads to other European countries a scenario, which may become difficult to solve. As a result, the European Union has proposed a raft of measures, which it aims to use in solving such crises in Europe. This paper will analyze some of the new policy initiatives that the European member states has proposed for tackling the financial and sovereign-debt crisis in the region. ... This is in spite of the fact that the policy has put a lot of emphasis on keeping the debts of the public sectors low, as well as strengthening a forward-looking budgetary planning. Furthermore, even after the occurrence of the crisis of 2010 that resulted in the agitation of the financial markets, it became apparent that the EMU did not have what it takes to manage and solve the crisis as noted by Cottarelli et al. (Par.4). Such a failure has prompted the European Union to respond to the crisis in more appropriate manner that will prevent any financial and foreign debt crisis in the future. The first proposed policy for solving Europe’s financial and sovereign-debt crisis in the region was the stabilization of Greece followed by the establishment of the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF) that has proved effective in stabilizing markets (Honohan par.2). Nevertheless, Swartz reveals that these crisis responses were established in an ad-hoc manner and on a provisional basis and fails to provide an adequate basis for dealing with any probable future debts and financial crisis (6). There are also several other policies which have been proposed as a means of tackling the financial and sovereign debt crisis in the Euro zone. The paper will examine the new policies that have been proposed to solve the financial and sovereign debt crisis in Europe. Becker argues that Europe is one of the regions that suffered most from the effects of financial and sovereign debt crisis that affected several countries in this region following the debt and financial crisis of the 2010 spring (Par.1). This crisis is said to have affected many financial markets in the region including banking institutions, which suffered

Resource Creation and Evaluation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Resource Creation and Evaluation - Essay Example Increased use of internet provides an opportunity for interactive learning environment. In this vein, innovations such as Blackboard, Angel and WebCT have been found to support interactive learning environment (Samaras et al., 2006). Such innovations are used when chatting between students and their instructors, to receive assignments, view grades and remain connected to the learning institution. In addition, they have allowed teachers an opportunity to teach in an interactive learning environment. The development of such new technologies and increased research has transformed the way people think. Further, emergence of interactive teaching platforms has led educators to transform the ways in which they teach their students. This study will focuses on the use of online Blackboard to teach Physics to second year high school students. Needs Assessment With recent technological advances, the educational systems continue to adjust in order to meet the present societal needs. The fact tha t knowledge users are required to incorporate technology to befit present societal demands has brought additional responsibilities to producers of such knowledge. A decade ago, a glance at the Australian curricula revealed an inward looking system of education that was limited to classroom environment where a teacher and a group of students held discussions (Wieman & Perkins, 2005).. However, this mode of learning has proved ineffective particularly for science subjects that involve concepts. This notion has affirmed the traditional system of education inadequate and the existing educational materials hardly enough to meet the present education demands. To fill the existing gap, curriculum developers have come up with various online platforms that allow students to use the search engine to access diverse learning materials interact with instructors’ online, book and sit their examinations, make enquiries through chatting with fellow students and instructors among many others. Interactive learning via online Blackboard Evidently, use of online blackboard has greatly enhanced teaching Physics in high school. This is because it creates an opportunity of having visual illustrations that are critical for mastering the subject. Such online illustrations not only enables students to understand, but also allows them visual identification of diagrams hence ability to preserve them than they could have done in verbal descriptions. Further, such demonstrations highlight physics concepts leaving students to give physical explanations. Interestingly, this mode of learning commands attentiveness from the audience. In teaching Physics, the online Blackboard can be used in numerous ways. For instance, it has been used in Physics laboratory curricula since it provides real-time access to data required for the experiment. Unlike the traditional methods, a student can watch a real event as it is performed experimentally. Further, the Blackboard has also proved helpful dur ing interactive lectures. The online Blackboard enables teachers to plan and teach Physics as well as instructing students using integrated technology. On

Diamond theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Diamond theory - Essay Example But heavy sustained investments lead to competitive advantage thru expansion or improved service facilities. Porter argues that a lack of resources often actually helps countries to become competitive. Abundance generates waste while scarcity generates an innovative mindset. Such countries innovate to overcome their problem of scarce resources. Examples: a) Switzerland was the first country to experience labour shortages. They abandoned labour-intensive watches and concentrated on innovative/high-end watches. b) Japan has high priced land and so its factory space is at a premium. This lead to just-in-time inventory techniques (Japanese firms can’t have a lot of stock taking up space, so to cope with the potential of not have goods around when they need it, they innovated traditional inventory techniques). c) Sweden has a short building season and high construction costs. These two things combined created a need for pre-fabricated houses. b. Demand Conditions - Porter argues th at a sophisticated domestic market is an important element to producing competitiveness. Firms that face a sophisticated domestic market are likely to sell superior products because the customers demand higher quality and after sales services and a close proximity to such markets consumers enables the firm to better understand the needs and desires of the customers. If the nation’s discriminating values spread to other countries, then the local firms will have to be competitive in the global market to survive.

Summary of an article Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Summary of an article - Essay Example Students use their computer systems to copy music files and download movies and similarly they think that copying and pasting other writers’ work is the same non-serious task. Gabriel mentions a survey which shows that 40% of students admit plagiarizing, and the number of students who consider plagiarism as a serious act is declining with every passing year. Students going to libraries for research work are very few today and since everything is virtual online, thus they do not think that there is any harm in using words that do not belong to them. Students get motivated to use other works through TV shows that copy other shows and music that contains others’ lyrics. They just need a grade to pass the exam and do not mind plagiarizing for this purpose which makes their work unoriginal and unauthentic. Students mix their work with others which keeps them from bringing up new and innovative ideas. However, Gabriel quotes Ms. Wilensky who states that still there are many s cholars who are producing original pieces of work. She asserts that students should be taught to reproduce ideas in their own words right from the start so that they do not plagiarize when they go to

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

France - Essay Example The river basins in the country are the Rhone, the Seine, the Loire and the Garonne (Encyclopedia.com). All of them played a significant role in the history as they were used as the main transportation routes before the railway replaced them. The population of the country is about 64 million of people with 20 percent of them living in the Parisian region (OECD). The French people have the highest female life expectancy in the EU; at the same time, they are the biggest consumers of medicine in Europe and the second biggest consumers of alcohol on the continent (after Luxembourg) (â€Å"Interesting Facts About France†). Andre Gide, the famous French Nobel Prize winner in literature, once said about the French people, â€Å"French people are Italian people in bad mood† (â€Å"Interesting Quotes†). About 85 percent of the population are Roman Catholics; about 2 percent are Lutherans and Calvinists; Muslims comprise about 8 percent. At the same time, more than 40 percent claim they are atheists (Encyclopedia.com). The official language is French; there are also several regional languages spoken in the country, such as Alsatian, Basque, Catalan, Breton, Corsican, Occitan, Franco-Provencal etc. French was the language of diplomacy and aristocracy throughout the entire Europe and the Ottoman Empire. In addition to this, it was the official language in England for more than three centuries (â€Å"Interesting Facts About France†). France is famous by its well-developed food-and-drink industry. In particular, France is one of the greatest producers of wine and liquors in the world. In fact, wine has been produced in the country since the Roman times. In total, there are more than 450 wine appellations in the entire country. Also, cheese production is flourishing in the country: more than 300 types of cheese, including Camembert, Livarot, Brie de Meaux, Roquefort, Reblochon etc., are made there. What is more, France is the

Virtual Norms To Live By Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Virtual Norms To Live By - Case Study Example The virtual world makes it possible to interact with each other without being physically present. The availability of email, chat rooms, video conferencing, texting and calling on mobile and landline phones makes virtual collaboration more convenient. As it is with groups working face-to face, virtual teams also need norms to live by. Karten (2003) explains that team norms should be formed in order for team members to be guided accordingly as to how they interact, communicate and conduct themselves as members of the team. It follows that such norms should be agreed upon and clearly understood and interpreted by all the members of the group. Norms are not really set in stone. Should some norms prove to be ineffective or unsuitable already to the group, then they may be amended. I have enumerated ten norms that I believe will work with virtual teams and help them work together better. Communication Norms 1. Be open to each other’s ideas. Give each other the chance to communicate them and listen well without judgment. Objectively listening to other people’s ideas can actually be an enriching experience. Richmond & McCroskey (2005) defines organizational communication as â€Å"the process by which individuals stimulate meaning in the minds of other individuals by means of verbal or nonverbal messages in the context of a formal organization.† (P. 20). ... When one sends a message to another team member, it may be possible that the recipient is not online to receive the message at that particular moment, so the sender needs to give allowance of time before his message is received and acknowledged. It must be considered that members are not online on a round-the-clock basis and is also living a life offline that is has no relation to the project. This should be clearly understood so that disappointments are avoided. If there is an urgent message to be expected, one should be informed by mobile phone right away so he can check his email. 3. Acknowledge receipt of messages. In relation to the previous communication norm, it is but polite to acknowledge the receipt of a message so that the sender is aware. If there is a question in the message, it needs to be answered by the recipient as soon as he can so there is less time wasted on waiting. 4. Ask questions if things are not clear. This is a very basic practice. Members should not be int imidated to ask questions because it is crucial that they are clear on what they should do. If one is unsure of what to do and just goes by what he just feels is right without clarifying with the others, he might end up doing it wrong, hence, repeating the whole process. Asking questions and getting the right answers for it saves the team a lot of time and effort. 5. Always be motivating to others. Members of a team should be constantly motivated and encouraged to go on with the tasks in order to achieve the set goals. Motivation may come in many forms - intrinsic motivation or the inner drive to learn which leads to personal fulfillment; extrinsic motivation, which consists of rewards or a prize for

SWOT Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

SWOT Analysis - Essay Example It advances chess in the American culture through the hosting of the United States Championships. The performance of children and their character are improving. This is considered as strength. According to the mission states of the association, it aims at strengthening the character and the mind of the young scholars. This result is a clear indication that the foundation is realizing its mission statement. This strength is distinctive as the change can be felt in the entire nation. Strengthening the mind of children improves their academic performance. Also, the children affected will impact others and this guarantees the future of a nation. This shows that the organization is beneficial to the nation (Allison et al., 2005). Since the organization is a nonprofit organization which is still achieving its goals, then its volunteers feel motivated. With motivated volunteers, there is the assurance of quality delivery from them. This will also attract more volunteers who will want to work for the organization. With a large number of volunteers, it means that the organization is saving quite an amount of money that could be utilized to meet its goals. Thus the organization will continue being a success, as good work force is vital for success (Allison et al., 2005). The nonprofit organization faces deficit of funds to cover its expenses. It cannot match the salaries of its for-profit competitors. The staff therefore, may not be motivated by the amount of money they earn and the founders, by the profits that they make. This lowers their compensation and diverts their focus on the satisfaction they get from their work. Since the foundation is realizing its goals and making an impact in the entire nation, this should motivate the founders and the staff. The organization’s stakeholders should try to involve donors who provide funds and engage in activities that can raise funds for

An aspect of Caribbean Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

An aspect of Caribbean Culture - Essay Example Barbados which is a former British Colony can be called â€Å"little England† as its name suggests that is greatly reflects the British culture. Jamaica mostly relies on pre-colonial heritage and is well developed .it maintains a very peaceful environment of the Caribbean. Aruba, another part of the Caribbean reflects a little bit Dutch culture. Dominican Republic which is underdeveloped. Puerto Rico is one of the most modern island of the Caribbean and is greatly influenced by the American and Spanish cultures. The official symbols of the Caribbean include parrot, palm and the shell. The literature of the Caribbean is divided into Spanish, French, and English literature. The music of the Caribbean is a combination of Spanish, French and English people who have added to the music heritage of the Caribbean culture. After the first permanent establishment of Columbus in the Caribbean, the islands have produced their own musicians, composers etc. The main sport of the Caribbean i s very unique which includes football and cricket. Here the football refers to the British football which is known as soccer. Other sport include rugby, softball etc. at present cricket the most important sport of the Caribbean. The theatre of the Caribbean is mind blowing as it attracts the tourists from far off places.

Nuclear Weapons & Cold War Essay Example for Free

Nuclear Weapons Cold War Essay 1) How did nuclear weapons affect the course of the cold war? The Cold War period of much conflict and tension was between the United States and the Soviet Union, along with their respective allies, was from the middle of the1940s until the early part of the 1990s. The building up of nuclear weapons was maybe, the most important of the many arenas that the rivaling countries played in. It became known as the nuclear arms race or the â€Å"competition for supremacy† The discovery that uranium was a plenty around the world shortly after the second world ar, helped to solidify the nuclear monopoly held by both the United States and USSR. While the United States had their own resources for uranium, they soon discovered that Eastern Europe was providing a steady supply to the Soviets, until they could develop a source of their own. The United States, who had predicted that the USSR would not have any nuclear weapons until the mid-1950s, was massively surprised when the Soviets detonated their first bomb â€Å"Joe One† on August 29, 1949. It was much like the bomb that the US had dropped on Japan in 1945 nown as the â€Å"Fat Man†. From that point on both governments devoted massive amounts of money, time and resources to increasing their nuclear arsenals. First off, it was the hydrogen bombs and then next came the Intercontinental ballistic missile or â€Å"ICBMs† as they are known. And on Oct. 4, 1957 the Soviet Union launched the â€Å"Sputnik†, the US followed with their own on Oct. 31, 1959. During this period of innovation, the world became nervous and scared; they discovered just how vulnerable they were. Large underground bunkers were built to save the presidents and he leadership of the nations, individuals were encouraged to construct fallout shelters and they were often taught how to react in the case of a nuclear attack. When both sides realized that any attack upon the other would be suicide for themselves as well, a new policy know as the â€Å"Mutually Assured Destruction† was adapted, and this would, in theory restrain both sides from attacking one another. â€Å"The number of nuclear weapons held by the two superpowers during the Cold War increased drastically because of the need for a first strike and later a second strike force. The highest numbers of nuclear warheads held by these powers was approximately 12,000 for the USSR and 10,000 by the US. This many nuclear weapons has the potential to destroy life on earth more than 1,500 times over† http://www. pwc. k12. nf. ca/coldwar/plain/armsrace. html. And yet, both sides kept exploring and spending large amounts of money and resources on developing nuclear weapons. In many respects, the stockpiling of these weapons was by far the most important contribution made to the world during the cold war period, than any other resource added by any other country. 2) Why has the European Union found it so difficult to achieve political, social and economic integration amongst the member states?  Shortly after the Second World War at the University of Zurich, Winston Churchill gave a speech that called for a â€Å"United States of Europe† and the creation of a â€Å"Council of Europe†. This council became the oldest organization in favor of European integration since 1949. But, in spite all the enthusiasm of the European citizens, the Council’s idea of integration has struggled for many reasons. One of the main reasons is because at the same time as the evelopment of the council another â€Å"European Union† was being formed. This Union was made up of twenty-seven European countries. It was established as the European Economic Community in 1957 under the Treaty of Rome and has undergone many changes since, most notably in 1992 by the Maastricht Treaty†. At first this Union was a welcome relief, growth and restructure was happening over night. The European Union was founded upon a number of treaties, and their laws cover a wide range of topics. Both, a legislative branch and the Parliament govern them. And the politics of he European Union primarily covered the economy. However, there is still a disagreement on how far the Union should expand. Because of the disagreement, the integration and expansion of the European Union has been slow since the end of the cold war period. Enlargement or expansion, together with the signing of new treaties, are seen by some as parallel processes, vital to the Union’s welfare. To many this is known as the bicycle theory. â€Å"The European Union is often compared to a bicycle: if it stops moving forwards it will fall over. The bicycle theory also applies to multilateral trade talks†. Bounds, Andrew (2007). Brussels blog: Bicycle wobbles on the way to Doha, Financial Times. And like most trade talks, both parties want to come out ahead in the end. Thus, the ongoing integration of the European Union and its member states are becoming contested on the grounds that it reduces it’s members national sovereignty too much. Politically, the Union struggles because neither they’re laws or their political theory offer the concept of a democracy. Their attitudes remain fixed by the idea of a nation state organization and its people. Socially, this makes them still behind the times. Economically, They struggle with the different economic and resource levels of each of the member states. All these along with the concept of Euroscepticism, or better known as the opposition to the process of European integration, the Union continues to move forward and yet has been forced to make changes to its policies. Amid the post war trauma, the European Union has become a beacon for organized political growth and upbringing. And today, in spite all the worldwide turmoil and confusion, The Union still spreads forth it’s hand in every effort to encourage global peace and umanitarian aid to its member states.  There is no set standard in the process of integration, but today there is a new focus on the complex policy making of the European Union. 3) What was `containment` and how did it influence US cold war thinking? The word containment means to isolate or to make stagnate. In the terms of the cold war, it refers to the foreign policies adapted by the United States under the direction of George Kennan. In the beginning, their policy was to stop all of the outside nations from moving politically towards Soviet Union communism and to ensure that the United States continued to ave, what they thought would be, the upper hand. For ideology as we have seen taught them that the outside world was hostile and that it was their duty to overthrow the political forces beyond their borders. (X[Kennan], Foreign Affairs, 1947). They hoped that ultimately in the end thecontainment policies would cause the fall of the Soviet Union and its ally nations. Back in the early days of history, containment was accomplished with the use of brute force or tactics much like an army taking over a castle and then came the use of treaties and political policies, thus being the cold war period. Today this is often accomplished by politically using severe sanctions, as in the United States’ dealings with Iraq and Iran. Espionage and sabotage are other ways of creating a containment among a group of people or nations. During the United States’ cold war containment period the policies adapted by President Truman experienced some major setbacks through the opposition of the Soviet Union, and by the Time the United States pulled out of the Vietnam war and the Koran conflict, there wasn’t mush credit given to the containment policies and ideas, anymore. So the United States started a new heory of â€Å"detente† or peaceful co-existence. Until the election of Ronald Reagan this was a believable concept. President Regan believed that the containment policies did not expand far enough, He felt uneasy about the weapons being held by the foreign nations. He wanted new missiles, placed in Europe to help the United States to become immune to the first strike concept. His new policies become highly controversial and very unpopular in many of the surrounding foreign countries. In 1991, the Soviet Union collapsed under the direction of Gorbachev and the wanted nd result of the original containment policy had been achieved, this marked the official close of that policy. All though, the US still keeps its military and missile bases in the areas around the former Soviet Union, â€Å"just to be on the safe side they say†, many events have effected the world and the current containment policies. As of 2005, the United States are listed as having at least 700 military bases around the world, like the ones in Iceland and Germany. Some up to date estimates suggest that the real number is much higher.

The Maori people in New Zealand

The Maori people in New Zealand This essay will critically analyze Kevin Glynn and A.F. Tysons article, Indigeneity, media and cultural globalization. In this article Glynn and Tyson speak on behalf of the Maori people in New Zealand and discuss factors surrounding globalization of western media and its influences on the indigenous people. This critical essay will focus primarily on Glynns and Tysons positive and negative issues surrounding globalization, funding concerns for indigenous media and benefits surrounding glocalization. Globalization, which is the reduction of differences between nations whether cultural or ideological (Straubhaar et al 2009, 503), as a negative issue is expressed quite well within this article. Among these issues discussed within the article, two primary issues that were of greater interest and more detail were the deconstruction of the indigenous culture and the lack of funds for media related indigenous projects.(Glynn and Tyson 2007, 208) The reason why globalization has such a massive effect on these cultures is that the media (i.e. television, magazines, radio) is barraged with foreign, in this case western, cultural media which overflows and almost completely obliterates any trace of the old culture that once was there. This idea revolves around the hypodermic needle theory, where ideas and beliefs from outside media are metaphorically injected into the minds of these indigenous cultures to the point where their former culture is clouded by this new influence and sometimes lo st forever.(Straubhaar et al 2009, 414-415) In the case of the Maori they were granted funding for a television station and a dramatic television show (Glynn and Tyson 2007, 207), but compared to the ever-growing western populous and media those indigenous populations will find it very difficult to sustain some essence of their culture within the society. Glynn and Tyson refer to the lack of funding for major media projects for indigenous people (Glynn and Tyson 2007, 208), which may have been an issue in 2007 but as of 2009-2010 the funding for these media projects have actually increased to an extra $20.1 million (Maori Television 2009) which allows for a much richer variety of television and film and will assist in stabilizing the Maori culture. A broad claim is also made ending the funding portion of the article which refers to a worldwide lack of funding for dramatic indigenous television which in fact is not quite the case (Glynn and Tyson 2007, 208). Countries such as Austral ia provide major funding for indigenous media ranging in the $30 million mark (Australian Government 2009), there are also a vast amount of indigenous films that have been made and released to the public for instance the film Smoke Signals (The Internet Movie Database 1999), which grant a rich experience of indigenous cultures and these too would have to be funded by the country in some way. A prime example in Canada would be the dramatic television series North of 60 which still airs today (although in re-runs) on CBC was granted 6 seasons (90 episodes, each 60 minutes long) and 5 made for TV movies and had lasted a total of 6 years (1999 2005) (The Internet Movie Database 1999) which is close to, if not more than, many shows that are brought forth by western cultures such as Corner Gas (6 seasons, 107 episodes) and even the original Star Trek series (3 seasons, 80 episodes) (The Internet Movie Database 1999). Therefore this claim made by Glynn and Tyson, although appropriate for some countries and New Zealand itself at that time, is not the soundest claim to make as it is, as shown, not the case for other countries in the world. This funding issue in indigenous media leads to a very interesting aspect of the article where Glynn and Tyson make note of both glocalization and globalization as also having a positive effect on the culture instead of a purely destabilizing effect.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Glocalization, which is the combination of global ideologies with that of more local ones, (Straubhaar et al 2009, 113) as a positive reinforcement of indigenous culture is an interesting factor in this article. The authors introduce an efficient example of glocalizations benefits with a Maori television drama called Mataku. (Glynn and Tyson 2007, 207) With the creation of this television drama the indigenes are able to present their culture and beliefs not only to their own people, in order for preservation, but with the addition of English subtitles and a supernatural theme (which are present and popular in many western programs such as X-files), (Glynn and Tyson 2007, 206) the indigenes are able to incorporate a more global population and allow their culture to be better understood and be preserved through all populations. The reference to this television show shows without a doubt that by mixing together popular ideolog ies from different cultures into one main idea creates common ground for both cultures to share which not only benefits the indigenous of the land but also all other populations who share in the common interests that these programs present. To refer back to Glynn and Tysons issues surrounding funding for indigenous media, this idea of glocalization also plays against their negative outlook on globalizations effect. By creating this common or middle ground of media it would make sense that by drawing in more of an audience outside of the intended group with popular and mystifying themes such as the supernatural (in Matakus case) these shows would link up with similar westernized media and the demand would hopefully grow. With the growth of demand comes more funding as more people will want to see new episodes. This point is brought forth exceptionally by Glynn and Tyson when referring to the Maori co-creators of the series Mataku, Bradford Haami and Carey Carter (2007, 207). This is done by pointing to Ginsburgs coined term border-crossers, which is the ability to cross between two different cultures (in this case western and Maori cultures) and present their messages to them both effectively. (Glynn and Tyson 2007, 207) By using this ability and accomplishing the task of border crossing more efficiently and on a more frequent basis, the Maori people may have a greater chance of preserving their culture. As for globalization as a more positive effect, Glynn and Tyson touch upon the term cultural hybridity, which means the mixture of two cultures to create a seemingly local culture (2007, 211), and use it efficiently to show that the effects of these mixtures of cultures do in fact lead to more beneficial means for indigenous societies to preserve their culture and language. This can be seen in the article where Glynn and Tyson make note of Lisa Parks examination of cultural hybridity where post-colonial technology is used as a means to transmit pre-colonial cul tural media to the globe (2007, 212). This is a really interesting fact because no matter how much pre-colonial populations feel that their cultures are wasting away, they still take part in post-colonial activities in order to keep their culture afloat. Therefore globalization may in fact present negative effects on cultures but they also help preserve the culture by allowing a larger reach of cultural media to a more global population and the authors of this article, Glynn and Tyson, make this point very clear and use sufficient evidence to prove this claim.

The Usefulness Of An Interview

The Usefulness Of An Interview If we cast a glance at any company which has gained success in any business area and begin to explore the reasons of this success we can see that there are many factors that cause this success: a successful business strategy, high quality organizational management, and of course, well selected employees who cope with their tasks properly. Choosing the right candidate, evaluating their performance and managing the high quality work are very important factors that play a great role for the successful activity of any company. The main purpose of this assignment is to answer the questions regarding the selection process of employees, the factors that undermine the usefulness of an interview, the background investigation of employees as part of the job selection process, and the performance appraisal method compare with the Total Quality Management (TQM). a. THE FACTORS AND PROBLEMS THAT CAN UNDERMINE THE USEFULNESS OF AN INTERVIEW. To select employees is a very important management process that requires responsibility and professionalism. Although there are many ways of managing this process, the main method is taking job interviews. It is very difficult to find a company that hires employees without interviewing them. In spite of the fact that there are many types and many ways of taking an interview, the main aim of this assignment is to analysis the problems and the factors that can undermine the usefulness of an interview. As I noticed above, selecting candidates is a very essential management task, and without knowing how to interview, it is impossible to manage this it. Several factors can undermine the usefulness of an interview First impression (Snap judgment) A study has shown that we make favorable or unfavorable judgments about someone we meet within 14 seconds. (CMR international. How to select best candidate. October 2004, p.35) Another research shows that in 85% of the cases interviewers had made up their minds before the interview even began (Dessler G., Human Resource Management, 11th edition, (2008), p.262) We can say that 50% of what an interviewers think about a candidate, 50% of their decision is made in the first 30-60 seconds. 25 percent of what the interviewer thinks about a candidate made in the first 15 minutes. This psychological factor undermines the interviews usefulness a lot. First impression becomes more harmful when the information about the candidate is unfavorable. Often the finding of even a small amount of negative information can lead to the rejection of a candidate. Generally, human psychology is affected more by negative information than the positive one. If the interview begins with negative mood, it is usually difficult to change its posture. For example, many try-outs for orchestras are now held with the applicant musicians playing behind a screen. All sexual, racial, and physical characteristics are eliminated so selectors can concentrate on listening for the best musician (http://humanresources.about.com/od/workrelationships/a/blink_effect.htm Access date 30 Sep 2009) Paying attention all these, it can be said that interviewers must not say their opinion about the candidate before an interview. Because in many cases the first impression can be deceptive. And the candidates must always remember that there is nothing like a good first impression. Body language is very important for the first impression. The candidate must sell him/herself through the unverbal communication, through the behavior. Candidate Order error This is one of the factors that can undermine the usefulness of an interview. The physiological incentive plays a great role here. Interviewers are influenced for or against a candidate by the interview of a previous candidate. For example, if a qualified applicant follows an exceptional applicant his or her qualifications tend to pale in comparison. To avoid this mistake it can be useful for the interviewers to take a little break after interviewing several candidates. Misunderstanding the Job Interviewers without clear understanding of the job sometimes ask irrelevant questions and make incorrect assumption about the qualifications of the successful job candidate. (http://ftdconsulting.com/docs/CommonInterviewMistakes Accessed date 30 Sep 2009) With incorrect stereotypes or impressions, it is very difficult to choose a right candidate. To avoid this, interviewers must get enough information about the vacant job which they want to fill and they musk ask relevant questions to the job. Nonverbal Behavior This is a very important factor during an interview both for interviewers and candidates. Nonverbal behavior is as important as verbal behavior. Psychological studies also affirm that nonverbal behavior can tell us many things about the persons nature and character. Elements, such as physique, height, weight, skin color, gender, and clothing send nonverbal messages during interaction. For example, a research into height has generally found that taller people are perceived as being more impressive (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nonverbal_communication Access date 30 Sep 2009) Candidates can be affected of interviewers body language- facial expressions, eye contact and psychical reactions. If the candidates start to see negative nonverbal behavior from their interviewers they can not adjust their answers. The candidates nonverbal behavior can also have an impact on his or her rating, because interviewers infer the interviewees personality from the way he or she acts in the interview (Dessler G., Human Resource Management, 11th edition, (2008), p.264) Impression Management This is a widely spreaded factor that undermines an interviews usefulness. Candidates persuade interviewers to like them by using ingratiation and praising. Applicants attempt to create a favorable impression. Some typical examples of impression management during interviews include verbal self-promotion (I am very hard worker), adjustment of nonverbal behaviors (Smiling, welcoming, body posture), and looking the part (wearing professional clothing). (Journal of Management, 33(5),752-773). Therefore, interviewers must be very careful about not being affected by these impressions Effects of Personal Characteristics Sometimes interviewers rely on applicants psychical appearance or attractiveness for making judgments about their suitability. For example, interviewers give more attention to people with favorable traits than people with unfavorable traits. The interviewers are affected by candidates gender, attractiveness and race. Besides these factors, which we have noticed above, there are some more factors that can undermine the usefulness of an interview. These factors are poorly worded questions, illegal questions (the legislation prohibits to ask private questions), and similar-to-me factor (interviewers tend to give a higher ratings to a candidate who has similar characteristics as themselves). Hiring and keeping good workers begins with the job interview. Interviews are one of the most important and extensively used hiring tools available to employers to identify the best candidate for a company. It is a great opportunity to meet several candidates and screen them to find the ones most suitable for the organization. Therefore, the interviewers must get as much benefit as they can from this opportunity. b. IS IT IMPORTANT TO CONDUCT PRE-EMPLOYMENT BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION? Forming a successful interview is not enough to choose a right candidate. It is just a part of the job selection process. There are some more methods that employers use to hire people. The next method of job selection process is to conduct pre-employment background investigation. Many employers use this method before hiring people. A pre-employment background investigation is frequently performed to help companies learn about a potential employees background. The main aim is to check the information provided by the applicant and to discover the information that can be harmful for the company (criminal records, for example) Before a background investigation performed the employer must get a written and signed authorization from the employee. This informs the employee what type of background investigation of employment will be done. If the employer wants access to candidates medical records or wants to talk to his or her friends, co-workers, then two additional consent forms are required. According to the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, areas of scrutiny consist of: Criminal records Sex offender lists State licensing records Character references Education records Property ownership Court records Credit records Social security number Past employers Neighbor interviews Medical records Vehicle records Military records Incarceration records Driving records Bankruptcy Personal references Workers compensation Drug test records Source: http://www.you-can-learn-basic-employee-rights.com/employee-background-check.html (Accessed 25 Sep 2009) Sometimes people find themselves in a situation where they wonder if it would be appropriate to do a background investigation about someone. It is not always easy to decide what the appropriate might be to do such a check. More often an emotional process takes place which prevents a person from doing that investigation. But nobody wants to choose the wrong candidate. To avoid this, usually it is necessary to do this investigation. In the following example we can see the importance of doing pre-employment background investigation Joe Smith hired by ABC Inc. as a cable TV installer assaults and a rapes a female customer while installing cable service in her home. The employee had a criminal record of assault and drug abuse. A court could rule that the cable company was negligent because it should have found out about Joe through a pre-employment background investigation or an employee criminal background check. The family of the female customer beaten and raped by Joe of ABC Inc. sues his former employer 123 Inc. for only providing ABC Inc. with whats called a standard reference. This means 123 Inc. only gave basic information to ABC Inc. No detailed data involving Joes physical fights with co-workers while at 123 Inc. and his on the job drug abuse. Why? A lot of businessman and organizations are reluctant to share offensive and sensitive information because they are worried about being sued for defamation of character by former employees (http://www.you-can-learn-basic-employee-rights.com/pre-employment-background-investigation.html Accessed date 25 Sep 2009) From this example we can say that, doing pre-employment background investigation is not causeless. Researches has shown that up to 20 percent of job applicants give false or misleading information on their applications for employment (http://www.you-can-learn-basic-employee-rights.com/pre-employment-background-investigation.html Accessed date 25 Sep 2009) One more example, Bell Souths security director estimates that 15% to 20% of applicants conceal a secret in their application forms (Dessler G., Human Resource Management, 11th edition, (2008), p.280) Some of common areas of misleading involve: False dates of employment Criminal history Untrue reasons for leaving previous employment Domestic violence or abuse Problems with credit history and etc. Hiring wrong person by not doing pre-employment background investigation could destroy everything a business owner or manager has built. Background investigation is a very important search tool todays business climate. Hiring without an accurate pre-employment check could result in serious problems. It is the employers responsibility to know the employee. So every employer should approach this process with a great responsibility to avoid further unpleasant events. c. TAKING A TQM-BASED APPROACH TO THE PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL Nowadays competitive market requires a high quality from the companies. Therefore, companies always try to raise the quality in all steps of an organizational process. The main aim of the quality movement is to get the best performance and effort from the employees of the organization. There are some ways to realize the quality movement. The most widely used methods are Total Quality Management (TQM) and performance appraisal methods. But there is an opinion difference about the applying of these methods. Some experts suggest that taking a TQM is an approach to the performance appraisal, but some of them have a contrary opinion. In this paragraph of an assignment the contrary among the experts will be discussed. But before this, it needs to be explained what TQM and appraisal methods are. TQM is a method to raise a quality throughout the organizational process. It is not a programme but a systematic style of work. The main aim is to raise the quality of goods, service and all organizational process. Performance appraisal method is used to evaluate the job performance of an employee. The aim is to facilitate communications between employees and administration and to identify employees training needs. But both TQM and performance appraisal methods are focused of increasing the productivity of the organization. They both help the systematic management of all the process in the organization. Some of the benefits of both the performance appraisal and TQM are: Improvement of the performance of the employees Brings quality consciousness Better utilization of resources Commitment of higher technology (http://appraisals.naukrihub.com/tqm-and-performance-appraisal.html Accessed date 26 Sep 2009) As it is noticed above, there is an argument among the experts about the usefulness of appraisal methods as a part of TQM. Many defenders of TQM criticize performance appraisals. For example, Peter Scholtes say there is no data, no research to demonstrate that performance appraisal does any good. There is nothing to indicate that a company which uses performance appraisals does any better than it would if it did not use performance appraisals. (http://www.baldrigeplus.com/Exhibits/Exhibit%20-%20Performance%20appraisal.pdf Accessed date 26 Sep 2009) They insist on performance appraisals undermines teamwork. Some experts refute the compatibility of the TQM and performance appraisals. According to them both TQM and Performance appraisals differ in their fundamental nature, characteristics and requirements making it impossible to combine them. Some fundamental differences between the two are: TQM is team based whereas performance appraisals are designed for individuals. It undermines teamwork TQM focuses on customer whereas performance appraisal method focuses on individuals. In TQM the main aim is to reach the standards but in appraisal method standards are sometimes imposed on the employee Performance appraisals generally results in some awards, like increased pay, promotions and etc. but TQM may or may not yield visible results. Nevertheless, other TQM experts defend Performance appraisals saying that this is a very important part of management programme including quality movement. They say that performance appraisals are very necessary for every organization and it must be approached in the frames of TQM. Because, as a result, the performance appraisals method is an important step to raise a work quality. Although there is a contrariety among the experts about the applying of performance appraisal methods, the benefits of these method is obvious. Of course there are some factors that can undermine the usefulness of performance appraisals (luck of preparation, unclear performance standards, and ect.).But for my opinion if it is applied faultless many problems can be eliminated in an organization. In every company there can be some insufficiencies, employees may need motivation and to eliminate these insufficiencies it is very useful to use performance appraisal methods. I want to give an example about my school. Few days ago we had been given appraisal papers to identify our needs and insufficiencies, and as a result I saw its benefit. It was a like a communication between the students and the administrators. I dont agree with the experts who say performance appraisals are useless. Maybe in some cases this method is useless but it does not mean that performance appraisals are always us eless. CONCLUSION As a result, it can be said that the interviews are very important job selection process for the both employers and employees. Interviewers must be very careful and they must avoid the problems that can undermine the usefulness of an interview. It was also shown that the good interview is not enough to choose the right candidate, therefore it is very important to do pre-employment background investigation. By doing this investigation the future unpleasant events can be avoided. In the last part of an assignment we looked through the performance appraisal methods in the frames of TQM and it can be said that although there is no common opinion about the usefulness of the appraisal methods, for my opinion performance appraisal methods are very useful. REFERENCES: Dessler G.(2004) Human Resource Management 11th edition Journal of Management (2007) 33(5) CMR international. (2004 October) How to select best candidate. p.35 http://appraisals.naukrihub.com/tqm-and-performance-appraisal.html http://www.you-can-learn-basic-employee-rights.com/employee-background-check.html http://www.you-can-learn-basic-employee-rights.com/pre-employment-background-investigation.html http://www.baldrigeplus.com/Exhibits/Exhibit%20-%20Performance%20appraisal. http://humanresources.about.com/od/workrelationships/a/blink_effect.htm http://ftdconsulting.com/docs/CommonInterviewMistakes http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nonverbal_communication

To What Extent Does Salinger Make You Sympathize With Holden Caulfield

To What Extent Does Salinger Make You Sympathize With Holden Caulfield The Catcher In The Rye By J.D.Salinger J.D Salinger has made the main character and narrator, Holden Caulfield, very complex. He has many good qualities that help the reader to sympathize with him. However throughout the novel the reader comes to realize that Holden’s behaviour around other characters often contradicts the opinions he has expressed to t he reader. This makes us see that, at times, Holden is no better than the characters he dislikes. It makes him seem â€Å"phoney.† However his use of colloquial language helps the reader to realize that Holden is still quite young and has a childish and immature view of life. You can see how immature he is because even though he is sixteen he still made a snowball and tried to get on a bus without realizing that the bus driver would make him throw it out. â€Å"The snow was very good for packing. I didn’t throw it at anything,† Holden then complains, â€Å"But he wouldn’t believe me. People never believe you.† This is a very childish thing to say, if he doesn’t get his own way then Holden believes that it’s the other person’s fault. He never considers that the bus driver is just doing his job or that eventually the snowball would melt on the bus creating more work for the bus driver who would probably have to clean it up. He instead immediately assumes that everyone is biased against him instead of maturely just accepting that you have to follow the rules and you can’t just create your own. Holden is disillusioned and sees everyone as being cynical and believes that everything is either black or white; Holden Caulfield sees childhood as being ideal and he thinks adulthood is filled with corrupt p... ...the windows on the station wagon.† Stradlater seems to make these repressed emotions resurface by insulting Holden through his lack of respect for Jane and the hard work Holden had just put into writing that essay for him. I think that Salinger is mainly successful in his attempt to make the reader sympathize with Holden. Although at the beginning of the book Holden appears to be fake and uncaring towards several of the other characters, as the book progresses the reader is shown how he has been through the tragic loss of his brother and suppresses any emotions he had about him, and how Holden really wants to fit in with the â€Å"Adult world† even if some of the things he is doing he disagrees with. Holden is just a normal person with flaws like anyone else, the difference is that Holden can admit his faults and doesn’t judge others immediately by theirs.

Parental Involvement Fosters Student Success Essay -- Education

Educators today, recognize positive influence of parental involvement fosters higher student academic achievement levels (Danielson, 2006; Jacobs & Kritsonis, 2007). One crucial element of parental involvement is effective communication between parents and teachers. Research show parents prefer to establish informal relationships with frequent open and non-judgmental exchanges with their children's teachers (Eberly, Joshi, & Konzal, 2005). Accordingly, this article is to explore key research-based recommendations for school administrators and teacher leaders to identify and overcome communication barriers with parents. Parental Involvement Fosters Student Success Parental involvement as defined by Greene and Tichenor (2003) is participation â€Å"in the educational process by enhancing their parenting skills, developing positive communication skills between home and school, volunteering, providing learning opportunities at home, contribute to decisions that affect schooling, and collaborating with the community in support of the school† (p. 242). Research findings by Henderson (1981; 1987) and Henderson and Berla (1994) identify the following benefits from parental involvement: 1) higher student achievement; 2) increase in student graduation rates; 4) improvement in student behavior and motivation; 5) better school image among parents and students; and 6) increase in parent satisfaction with teachers (as cited in Greene & Tichenor, 2003). Although, participation can vary from parent to parent, Greene and Tichenor (2003), and researchers alike found it to be always beneficial to the student and teacher. In fact, Davern’s 2004 study argues â€Å"positive connections with families are fundamental to providing high-quality e... ...iverse backgrounds as a means to improve student achievement levels in the United States: A National focus. Retrieved May 21, 2012 from, ERIC database. (ED499648). Lasley, M. (2005). Difficult conversations: Authentic communication leads to greater understanding and teamwork. Group Facilitation: A Research and Applications Journal, 7. Retrieved March 9, 2008, from http://www.iaf-world.org/files/members/v7%2013-20%20lasley.pd Richard, H.V., Brown, A.F., & Forde, T.B. (2006). Addressing diversity in schools: Cultural responsive pedagogy. Culturally Responsive Teaching Resources. Retrieved May 23, 2012, from http://www.culturallyresponsiveteachingresources.org/ Robinson, S., Kennedy, S. (2009, July). Standards in practice: an instructional gap analysis. Paper presented at the National Staff Development Council Summer Conference, Boston. Parental Involvement Fosters Student Success Essay -- Education Educators today, recognize positive influence of parental involvement fosters higher student academic achievement levels (Danielson, 2006; Jacobs & Kritsonis, 2007). One crucial element of parental involvement is effective communication between parents and teachers. Research show parents prefer to establish informal relationships with frequent open and non-judgmental exchanges with their children's teachers (Eberly, Joshi, & Konzal, 2005). Accordingly, this article is to explore key research-based recommendations for school administrators and teacher leaders to identify and overcome communication barriers with parents. Parental Involvement Fosters Student Success Parental involvement as defined by Greene and Tichenor (2003) is participation â€Å"in the educational process by enhancing their parenting skills, developing positive communication skills between home and school, volunteering, providing learning opportunities at home, contribute to decisions that affect schooling, and collaborating with the community in support of the school† (p. 242). Research findings by Henderson (1981; 1987) and Henderson and Berla (1994) identify the following benefits from parental involvement: 1) higher student achievement; 2) increase in student graduation rates; 4) improvement in student behavior and motivation; 5) better school image among parents and students; and 6) increase in parent satisfaction with teachers (as cited in Greene & Tichenor, 2003). Although, participation can vary from parent to parent, Greene and Tichenor (2003), and researchers alike found it to be always beneficial to the student and teacher. In fact, Davern’s 2004 study argues â€Å"positive connections with families are fundamental to providing high-quality e... ...iverse backgrounds as a means to improve student achievement levels in the United States: A National focus. Retrieved May 21, 2012 from, ERIC database. (ED499648). Lasley, M. (2005). Difficult conversations: Authentic communication leads to greater understanding and teamwork. Group Facilitation: A Research and Applications Journal, 7. Retrieved March 9, 2008, from http://www.iaf-world.org/files/members/v7%2013-20%20lasley.pd Richard, H.V., Brown, A.F., & Forde, T.B. (2006). Addressing diversity in schools: Cultural responsive pedagogy. Culturally Responsive Teaching Resources. Retrieved May 23, 2012, from http://www.culturallyresponsiveteachingresources.org/ Robinson, S., Kennedy, S. (2009, July). Standards in practice: an instructional gap analysis. Paper presented at the National Staff Development Council Summer Conference, Boston.

Book Review Wild Swans Essay

1. Main Thesis In Wild Swans, Jung Chang describes the life of three generations of woman in her family. Beginning in the year 1909 and ending in present time, it gives an insight into almost eighty years of the cultural history of China. Jung Chang has said in a interview that her intention in writing Wild Swans was to show how the Chinese people, and in particular the women in her family, â€Å"fought tenaciously and courageously against impossible odds.† The book is a testimony to the strength and determination of her grandmother, her mother, and herself and their resourcefulness in recreating themselves during suffering, humiliation and disillusionment. She interweaves personal and historical stories fluently and the stories of these women and their families act as a lens through which you gain insight into the turbulent history of twentieth century China. The most important themes in this book are: love of family, loyalty and self-sacrifice 2. Chapter Summaries The book starts by relating the biography of Chang’s grandmother, Yu-fang. After the birth of Chang’s mother, De-hong, the book moves to her story. After the birth of the Jung Chang, the focus of the book now shifts again to cover Jung’s own autobiography. Chapter 1: The father of Yu-fang, was Yang Ru-shan, born in 1894 as the only son. It was his duty to produce heirs to continue the family name. One a year after he married he got a daughter, Yu-fang. Political unrest caused problems for many in China over the next years. He arranges that a powerful warlord general, Xue Zhi-heng takes Yu-Fang as his concubine at age fifteen. The general stays only a few days after the traditional marriage and then leaves, not returning for six years. During his next brief visit, Yu-Fang becomes pregnant. The general’s household is run by his legal wife and the head concubines. The wife immediately lays claim to Yu-Fang’s daughter, who the general named Bao Qin. Yu-Fang kidnaps her daughter and escapes from the household. She lies, saying that the child died during their trip. When the general dies, Yu-Fang discovers that one of his final actions was to release her from her duties as his concubine. Chapter 2: Soon after, Dr. Xia, a matured doctor of Manchurian ancestry, falls in love with Jung’s grandmother and the feelings could be felt the same from Jung Chang’s grandmother as well. The doctor proposes and grandmother says yes. Although not thrilled with the marriage, Jung Chang’s grandmother’s father agrees to the marriage and sends her daughter off with a traditional wedding. When Dr. Xia’s three sons, their wives, and grandchildren hear about the marriage, they’re extremely angry. The grandmother receives quite a bit of harassment from the family and the eldest son even commits suicide, nevertheless the wedding still continues. He accepts Yu-Fang’s daughter, who he renames â€Å"De-hong†, meaning â€Å"virtue† and â€Å"wild swan†. Chapter 3: China is living under Japanese rule. After moving to a new province of Manchuria, Jung Chang’s grandmother, now living with Dr. Xia, begins to realize how terrible life is under the Japanese. The Japanese rulers are very cruel. The people are only allowed to eat acorn meal and sorghum, as the Second World War drags on, fewer rations and supplies are given to the people in Manchuria as Japan is losing the war. Finally, an American B-52 bomber flies overhead and she realizes that Japan had indeed lost the war. As Japan’s last officers commit suicide or run away, the town is in chaos just like the rest of Manchuria. Chapter 4: The Japanese are replaced by Soviets who were almost as bad. They pillaged and raped, taking what they wanted and dismantling entire factories. However, they soon leave and the Kuomintang arrives in shining uniforms and rifles. The Kuomintang turns out to be oppressive and ineffective at keeping justice and peace. The remaining Japanese are systematically murdered by the Russians and the Kuomintang. After a while the country is in a civil war between the Kuomintang and the Communists. De-hong sees communism becoming increasingly important to many people but has yet to make up her own mind about the situation. She continues to watch those in power, including those over the teaching school where she now resides. When she learns that a favorite teacher and then her best friend, Cousin Hu, had been Communists and had been either chased from the city or executed for their political beliefs, she makes up her mind that she, too, will become a Communist. Chapter 5: De-hong asks to be a part of the communist movement but she’s found too young. A short time later, she begins distributing Communist literature. The economic situation is so bad that the family has no savings and Dr. Xia, now nearly eighty, is worried about what will happen when he dies. Extortion is rampant, food is scarce, and the money that does exist has almost no value. De-hong becomes friendly with a Kuomintang general. Using his military freedom, they travel outside the walled city occasionally and De-hong leaves messages for her Communist counterparts.. The Communists then start regular bombardment of the city, including one dud shell that crashes into the home of De-hong’s family. Chapter 6: De-Hong helps clean up the carnage cause by all the civil war. When the communists take over the town, they do not pillage, rape, or extort as all the other groups of people had done before them. Many are courteous and kind and seem to be the fit kind of soldiers who destroyed the Kuomintang. When De-Hong reports to receive her first assignment for the communists, she instantly falls in love with a dreamy man, named Wang Yu, who was a high ranking communist official. He had been on many dangerous missions with the communists and rose through the ranks by being extremely loyal to the party and its ideals of sever equality. The two and several other teachers and students travel by train to another communist held town for fear that the town may be retaken by the Kuomintang and there, the two fall in love. Wang Yu eventually submits a request to â€Å"talk about marriage† to the party leaders and the two are engaged and finally married. Chapter 7: Chang’s parents join a group of people traveling south. The trip is dangerous as civil war is still raging. The walk is long and hard, walking forty days to reach their destination, Nanjing. Her mother is forced to walk but her father is allowed to ride in a jeep, a privilege he accepts. De-hong is soon pregnant though she doesn’t realize it until she’s in the process of miscarrying because of the ordeal. She’s very heartbroken and angry at her husband. After the miscarriage, her parents are separated because of his transfer to Yibin. It takes her four months to recover and then make the trip to him. During that time, her anger has cooled and they are happy to see each other. Chapter 8: When Chang’s parents arrive in Yibin, her father is appointed leader and returns to a form of his former name, Chang Shou-yu. He and her mother live together in a mansion confiscated by the Communists. Chang’s grandmother, Fang-Yu, despite her bound feet and difficulty walking, makes the long trek from Jinzhou to Yibin to see De-hong. De-hong gives birth to her first daughter, Xiao-hong. Chapter 9: This chapter tells of her mom’s life as being in the Public Affairs Department in Yibin. She tells of living with a denouncing of her grandmother, the birth of herself and the strictness of her father. Being part of the Communist was hard and had many of its hardships. Having a husband was harder for her mother than anything else. Chapter 10: Chang’s mother goes under suspicion during the course of this chapter. Being that she had some relations with Kuomintang participants she went under suspicion. But, after all that she had to go through, she was able to be free of any charges. Chapter 11: During this chapter, Mao decides to purge the Communist party again. This time devises that most people are â€Å"rightists† and need to leave the party, which ruin their lives forever. However, he got help this time and made all of his officials get rid of 5 % of their total participants. In the end, Chang’s mother was able to get to this quota after many different approaches of convicting people of being a â€Å"rightist.† Chapter 12: A famine strikes the land of China during this chapter. Many people die and starve from this famine all because Mao decides to make this situation look like their wasn’t a famine at all. Mao wanted to produce steel which led to a drop in production of food which leads to the famine. But, the famine gets cleared after Mao lets others to take charge of the situation. Chapter 13: Chang describes life in a compound during this chapter. Moving into a compound was for Chang and her siblings to go to a very nice and prestigious school. Living in a compound was very contained with its many entertainment locations. There was no need to go outside the compound for any reason. She also tells of how nice her life was as a child, living in a home where she was a good kid and her family noticed that. Chapter 14: This chapter describes the event that occurred with the cult of Mao. Many youths were forced into living like Lei Fang, a man who had a huge fondness for â€Å"Chairman Mao† and living his entire life revolving around him. Education included studying the words of Lei Fang and viewing the beatings of â€Å"class-enemies.† Chapter 15: After hearing about the collapse of Stalin’s Russia, Mao realized that he represented a Stalin figure waiting to be overthrown by his own people. In order to stop this from happening, Mao endorse’s books called â€Å"The Quotations of Chairman Mao†. This book contained his quotes and would be used to strengthen his popularity with the Chinese. In short, Mao’s control over China tightened throughout this chapter. Chapter 16: Not until, chapter 16 did Mao’s rule become apparent. Mao issued the use of Red Guard’s who he said protected and fought for Mao (in other words his own police force). Most of these Red Guards came from the families of high officials and came as teenagers. These Red Guards reinforced Mao’s word and rule and when someone was â€Å"betraying† Mao, he or she would be beaten, raided, tortured, or executed. Chapter 17: Jung Chang’s father starts to question Mao’s actions and asks whether if the actions of the Chinese are justified. Eventually Jung Chang’s father writes a letter to Mao explaining the wrongs of Mao’s actions (which in the words of Mao, was considered â€Å"against Mao† and could face charges such as death). He soon serves time in detention. Also he starts to oppose Mao’s thoughts and expresses them out loud which can lead to very harsh outcomes. Chapter 18: To summarize this chapter, Jung Chang and her friends make a pilgrimage to Peking. The goal of this pilgrimage: to see the Great Chairman Mao. Chapter 19: The control of Mao switches into high gear. Because her parent’s become branded as â€Å"capitalist-roaders† they suffer from many brutal denunciation meetings, beatings, harassment, and embarrassment. They are hurt for their crime of being â€Å"capitalist roaders† and bitterness starts to arise because they were only ever loyal to Mao. Chapter 20: Jung Chang’s father soon serves time in detention (due to sending another letter to Mao) and his wife makes a trip to Peking in order to speak to Premier Zhou Enlai, who she believes could help in their situation. On her way to Peking she meets two lovers Yan and Yong who join her. Finally with the help of Premier Zhou Enlai, Jung Chang’s father no longer served in detention. However, this does not end well. While in detention the guard watching over Jung Chan’s father plays mind games with him and convinces him that his wife created a conspiracy against him. Things got out of hand causing them to sleep in seperate areas and forces Jung Chang’s father’s mental and physical health to deteriorate (which later, his health imporved). Next more denunciation meetings hold misery for the parents. Chapter 21: Chapter 21 discusses some of the events that occured within her family. (her siblings) For example, Xiao-hei’s becomes a member of a gang and Jin-ming’s â€Å"black market† book experience. Along with these events being told, she tells of people drawing lines between their enemies and friends, sometimes causing friends to betray each other. Luckily her friends did not tell on Jung Chang which relates back to the title of the chapter, â€Å"Giving Charcoal in the Snow†, that refers to helping out others when needed. Also in this chapter, Jung Chang experiences her first time in a university. Chapter 22: Within this chapter, Mao institutes the idea of â€Å"thought reform through labor†. The intentions of this quote made Communists all around China to go to the countryside and work alongside the peasants (Jung Chang was sent to Ningnan). Mao said that it would make the Communists closer to China. Sadly, at the end of the chapter, the friend’s of Jung Chang pronounced her grandmother dead. Chapter 23: To summarize this chapter, Jung Chang pursues her career as a â€Å"barefoot doctor†. Mao defined barefoot doctor’s as doctors that could be turned out en masse. However, before she became a barefoot doctor she was relocated to another peasant village, Deyang, where she learns of what happened to China before the Cultural Revolution. Chapter 24: With her entire family on the mission of completing â€Å"thought reform through labor†, Jung Chang decides to visit her parents who can be found in separate locations. Her mother in Buffalo Boy Flatland and her father in a labor camp. While visiting her father, she tries to cheer him up by keeping him company. Eventually other family members come visit which allowed her father to not suffer from suicidal thoughts and whatnot. In the end, Jung Chang’s father apologizes to Jin-ming, her brother, about their current situation and past events. Chapter 25: In this chapter, Jung Chang takes her career in being an electrician. In her factory, she meets Day and eventually they both fall in love. However, it becomes shortlived because of their different social status’. In the end, Jung Chang’s father dies and she enrolls into an english university. Chapter 26: Education in China becomes less stressed, however those who had connections with officials became legible to enter universities, through the process which later became known as using the †back door†. Teachings elements became based on Mao as well as military tactics and defending the country. Chapter 27: This chapter gives rise to the death of Jung Chang’s father. Her father died due to a heart attack which a doctor refused to see immediately. In his honor, an elaborate funeral was held for Jung Chang’s father. After the funeral, Jung Chang’s school decides to go on a field trip to the Chinese port, Zhanjiang, where the students could practice their English with the incoming and outgoing sailors. At the end of the chapter, Jung Chang’s Party secretary announces the death of Chairman Mao. Chapter 28: After the death of Mao, the Chinese become a bit confused on what they should do. The idea of studying in the West became very prominent, as the government handed out scholarships for those wanting to go to the West. The story ends as Jung Chang traveled to the West in search of broadening her horizons and experiencing more freedom.

Analysis of Two Sonata-Form Piano Movements

Beethoven and Haydn provide several examples of sonatas. Two piano sonatas in particular are Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No. 5 in C minor, and Haydn’s Piano Sonata No. 49 in C-sharp minor. Haydn wrote primarily in the mid to late 1700’s, while Beethoven wrote about a hundred years later.For that reason, it is likely (and, in fact, true in these examples) that Haydn’s style would be more typical of ‘normal’ sonata form. The Beethoven sonata begins with a short A theme (which crashes staccato style between piano and forte), followed by a softer, more lyrical B theme.There is no transitional material between the A and B themes; the A theme simply ends and the B theme begins in the next measure. There is only a brief pause between them. The exposition repeats, and lasts unusually long before the transition and development begin. The transition is very brief, only a few measures, and the development is also fairly brief. The recapitulation begins shor tly afterwards. The sonata form is rather unclear throughout the piece – it is not a standard example by any means. The A theme is solidly in C minor, but the B theme is major.It is not the dominant, which is extremely unusual; it is probably in V/iv. It is difficult to tell what key it is in during the B theme as there is no transition, which is traditional, and it is not in the dominant. The recapitulation of this movement is two simple chords that are struck in staccato fashion, similar to the A theme material. The chords sound like V-I, which is a standard ending. The tonic-dominant relationship in this movement isn’t as strong as it would ordinarily be in a sonata; transitions are unclear or unused; keys are unusual.This is an odd example of sonata form. The Haydn sonata is a much more typical example of sonata form. It begins with an A theme in the exposition in C# minor, and moves, with a brief transition, into a B theme in the dominant. The A theme is a contras t between a forte staccato section, and a piano lyrical section, very similar to the Beethoven piece. The B theme is in general more lyrical and flowing than the A theme although it has staccato moments as well. The motives are very obvious, so it is easy to tell when the themes return, which they do throughout the movement.The exposition repeats. Afterwards, a development begins, with a very brief â€Å"x† section at the beginning as transitional material. The development contains a sequence in the middle of it, and the piece goes through several key changes there, landing on a V7 – I to finish the sequence. This sequence repeats later in the movement as well, just before the beginning of the recapitulation. The sequence is characterized by the emphasis of the bass in half notes with sixteenth notes playing over the top. It moves primarily in major seconds, but not exclusively.The A section repeats most often, more so than the B section. The A theme repeats very defin itely again at the start of the closing. The transitional material is brief and remains in the tonic, and the B theme is in the tonic. There is a short section at the end that is a bit different from the A or B theme that may be considered a coda. All in all, this is a very predictable, typical sonata form movement. These two movements are similar in that they are both sonata form movements, that they both have two distinctive themes, and that these themes vary between legato and staccato styles.However, Haydn, who composed during the classical period, adhered much more strictly to traditional sonata form, including proper transitions and key changes. The sections of the form are extremely easy to pick out and are in typical proportion to one another, with the development lasting the longest. Beethoven, who composed during the Romantic era, obscured the form more than Haydn did, so that it bore resemblance to sonata theme but was unique in several ways. The examples together show a progression in the compositional styles through the musical periods.

Eastern religion Essay

Transcendentalism denotes an abstract thought composed of several layers of meaning. The Oxford Companion to Philosophy states, â€Å"Transcendentalism is belief in the existence of things that transcend sense-experience, or more reflectively, belief in the possibility of transcendent metaphysics† (pp-878).   In the religious sense, it can be defined as the quest for reality through spiritual intuition and/or those qualities unique to the creator of all natural things (God). There are many transcendental traits of available in the Upanishads, the Vedas, the Gita and remarkable contribution of great persons like Maharishi ji, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.   Lord Krishna reveals transcendental knowledge in Bhagwat Gita as under. Transcendental knowledge – the spiritual knowledge of the soul, of God, and of their relationship is both purifying and liberating. Such knowledge is the fruit of selfless devotional action (karma-yoga) (Bhagawat Gita, chapter 13 to 15). 1) Lord Chaitanya instructed the mass of people in the Sankhya philosophy of acintya-bhedabheda-tattva, which maintains that the Supreme Lord is simultaneously one with and different from His creation. Lord Chaitanya taught this philosophy through the chanting of the holy name of the Lord. He taught that the holy name of the Lord is the sound incarnation of the Lord and that since he Lord is the absolute whole, there is no difference between His holy name and His transcendental form. Thus by chanting the holy name of the Lord one can directly associate with the Supreme Lord by sound vibration. As one practices this sound vibration, he passes through three stages of development: the offensive stage, the clearing stage and the transcendental stage. In the offensive stage one may desire all kinds of material happiness, but in the second stage one becomes clear of all material contamination. When one is situated on the transcendental stage, he attains the most coveted position – the stage of loving God. Lord Chaitanya taught that this is the highest stage of perfection for human beings. 2) Maharishiji contributed a great Transdental meditation tequenique. The Transcendental Meditation (TM) technique is a simple, natural, effortless procedure whereby the mind easily and naturally arrives at the source of thought, the settled state of the mind — Transcendental Consciousness — pure consciousness, self-referral consciousness, which is the source of all creative processes. Transcendental meditation technique, the individual’s awareness settles down and experiences a unique state of restful alertness. As the body becomes deeply relaxed, the mind transcends all mental activity to experience the simplest form of awareness, Transcendental Consciousness, where consciousness is open to itself. This is the self-referral state of consciousness. The experience of Transcendental Consciousness develops the individual’s latent creative potential while dissolving accumulated stress and fatigue through the deep rest gained during the practice. Reference: Bhagawat Gita; Chapter 13 – 15 Gyan; Maharishi Sanwatsar-51; 2006

How Does the Benedictine Value of Community Relate?

Eitzen How does the Benedictine value of Community relate to individual isolation? And/or how does the Benedictine value of Respect for Persons relate to poverty and inequality? According to the Benedictine Rule 4-Respect for Persons you are to â€Å"Honor everyone and never do to another you do not want done to yourself. † Recognizing the image of God in each person and honoring each one in their giftedness and limitations.If, in fact, we are practicing excessive individualism then this is directly related to poverty and inequality today. Poverty in the United States â€Å"officially† refers to people who fall below the â€Å"official poverty line. †Ã‚   In general, however, poverty is a complex subject that depends not only on official definitions but on the perspectives of people as well. For example, if we were to look at the actual numbers of poor people, we may find that whites have a lower proportion of people in poverty than other racial groups.But if we looked at poverty solely by age we would find that children under the age of 18 are the most likely to be poor and that many of the elderly live only slightly above the poverty line. By practicing excessive individualism we are promoting inequality. We are keeping one group of people at a particular level by having those who have the most power and money make the rules for those in a less favorable position. Individualism also keeps us from feeling obligated to others and when we feel no obligation we are less likely to help someone in need.In addition when we feel no obligation we also feel no sense of community and this will eventually lead to isolation. We need to realize that we cannot survive on our own, we need others in order to survive and thrive. If we were to follow the Benedicitine rule of Respect for Persons there would be no poverty because you would not want to be in poverty yourself and there would be no inequality, as you would not want to be unequal.

David Carson: Renowned for His Inventive Graphics

He was born September 8, 1952 in Corpus Christi, Texas. Carson and his family moved to New York City four years later. Since then he has traveled all around the world but has maintained New York as his base of operations. Carson now owns two studios; one in New York and another in Charleston, South Carolina. Because of his father, Carson traveled all over America, Puerto Rico, and the West Indies. These journeys affected him profoundly and the first signs of his talent were shown at a very young age; however, his first actual contact with graphic design was made in 1980 at the University of Arizona on a two week graphics course. He attended San Diego St. University as well as Oregon College of Commercial Art. Later on in 1983, Carson was working towards a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology when he went to Switzerland, where he attended a three-week workshop in graphic design as part of his degree. This is where he met his first great influence, who also happened to be the teacher of this course, Hans-Rudolph Lutz. He became renowned for his inventive graphics in the 1990s. Having worked as a sociology teacher and professional surfer in the late 1970s, he art directed various music, skateboarding and surfing magazines through the 1980s. As art director of surfing magazines and more famously style magazine Ray Gun (1992-5), Carson came to worldwide attention. His layouts featured distortions or mixes of ‘vernacular' typefaces and fractured imagery, rendering them almost illegible. Indeed, his maxim of the ‘end of print' questioned the role of type in the emergent age of digital design, following on from California New Wave and coinciding with experiments at the Cranbrook Academy of Art. In the later 1990s he shifted from ‘surf subculture' to corporate work for Nike, Levis, and Citibank. During the period of 1982–1987, Carson worked as a teacher in Torrey Pines High School in San Diego, California. In 1983, Carson started to experiment with graphic design and found himself immersed in the artistic and bohemian culture of Southern California. By the late eighties he had developed his signature style, using â€Å"dirty† type and non-mainstream photography. He would later be dubbed the â€Å"father of grunge. † Carson went on to become the art director of Transworld Skateboarding magazine. Among other things, he was also a professional surfer and in 1989 Carson was qualified as the 9th best surfer in the world. [1] His career as a surfer helped him to direct a surfing magazine, called Beach Culture. This magazine lasted for three years but, through the pages of Beach Culture, Carson made his first significant impact on the world of graphic design and typography with ideas that were called innovative even by those that were not fond of his work. Not afraid to break convention in one issue he used Dingbat as the font for what he considered a rather dull interview with Bryan Ferry. 2] (However, the whole text was published in a legible font at the back of the same issue of RayGun, complete with a repeat of the asterisk motif). From 1991-1992, Carson worked for Surfer magazine. A stint at How magazine (a trade magazine aimed at designers) followed, and soon Carson launched Ray Gun, a magazine of international standards which had music and lifestyle as its subject. Ray Gun made Carson very well-known and attracted new admirers to his work. In this period, journals such as the New York Times (May 1994) and Newsweek (1996) featured Carson and increased his publicity greatly. In 1995, Carson founded his own studio, David Carson Design in New York City, and started to attract major clients from all over the United States. During the next three years (1995-1998), Carson was doing work for Pepsi Cola, Ray Ban (orbs project), Nike, Microsoft, Budweiser, Giorgio Armani, NBC, American Airlines and Levi Strauss Jeans, and later worked for a variety of new clients, including AT&T, British Airways, Kodak, Lycra, Packard Bell, Sony, Suzuki, Toyota, Warner Bros. CNN, Cuervo Gold, Johnson AIDS Foundation, MTV Global, Princo, Lotus Software, Fox TV, Nissan, quiksilver, Intel, Mercedes-Benz, MGM Studios and Nine Inch Nails. He acted as the original design consultant for the tourism magazine Blue in 1997. In 2000, Carson opened a new personal studio in Charleston, South Carolina. In 2004, Carson became the Creative Director of Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston and designed the special â€Å"Exploration† edition of Surfing Magazine and directed a television comme rcial for UMPQUA Bank in Seattle, Washington. Carson became interested in a new school of typography and photography-based graphic design and is largely responsible for popularizing the style; he inspired many young designers of the 1990s. His work does not follow â€Å"traditional† graphic design standards. Carson is emotionally attached to his creations. Carson's work is considered explorative of thoughts and ideas that become â€Å"lost† in the subconscious. Every piece is saturated, but Carson still manages to communicate both the idea and the feeling behind his design. His extensive use of combinations of typographic elements and photography led many designers to completely change their work methods and graphic designers from all around the world base their style on the new â€Å"standards† that have distinguished Carson's work. Carson's work is familiar among the generation that grew up with Raygun Magazine and its progeny such as huH and xceler8, and in general, the visually savvy MTV generation, but his work still receives criticism from a generation that refuses to engage with his connotative excesses. Carson has been one of the greatest influences on modern graphic design in the last twenty five years. He took photography and type and manipulated and twisted them together and on some level confusing the message but in reality he was drawing the eyes of the viewer deeper within the composition itself. In November 1995, Carson published his first book the End of Print. It sold over 200,000 copies in five different languages and soon became the best-selling graphic design book worldwide. His second book, 2nd Sight, followed in 1997. It is said that this book simply changed the public face of graphic design (Newsweek). In 1998, Carson worked with Professor John Kao of the Harvard Business School on a documentary entitled â€Å"The Art and Discipline of Creativity. † The third book that Carson published was Fotografiks (1999) which earned Carson the Award of Best Use of Photography in Graphic Design. Carson’s fourth book, Trek, was released in 2000. Carson has also helped in the development of The History of Graphic Design by Philip Meggs and The Encyclopedia of Surfing by Matt Warsaw.