Operation management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words - 2

Operation management - Essay Example However, this need not be the case if there business owners are committed to operation management. In this paper, the purpose is to give a report on the findings that were collected after visiting one of the best restaurants in the city. The second part of this paper will explain the types of process technology that were observed in the operations. Thirdly, capacity constraints that existed in the operation will be discussed. Finally, there will be recommendations offered on the best way to improve the operations at this specific restaurant. As noted above, every business would want to make profit and ensure that clients are satisfied since this is the only way to ensure long-term benefits. However, every business’ success is majorly dependent on the quality of management (Schmidle, 2011; Evans, 2004). In short, a business that overlooks the five performance objectives will seldom witness profits and its existence and seemingly, profitability will be short-lived. Having participated in the visit to the mentioned activity, this section will explain how the five performance objectives were utilised in the restaurant. Prices often act as one of the reasons customers flock or forsake a particular business, thus the right pricing ought to be practiced with careful consideration. These assertions are informed by the fact low price does not always translate into profitability. Similarly, high prices are not a clear reflection of high quality products (Heidhues and Kőszegi, 2014; Wacker, 2004). In this particular restaurant, the food prices were set as per size and quality with some costing as much as $100 while others as low as $5. Having observed the place for the at least two days, it became apparent the patrons loved the place because of this seemingly balanced pricing. While clients expect the prices to be low yet the commodities to be of high quality, this is not always tenable because of the requirements. Some of the

Mckinsey Model Essay Example for Free

Mckinsey Model Essay McKinsey 7S Model This model was developed in the 1980s by Robert Waterman, Tom Peters and Julien Philips whilst working for McKinsey and originally presented in their article Structure is not Organisation. To quote them: Intellectually all managers and consultants know that much more goes on in the process of organizing than the charts, boxes, dotted lines, position descriptions, and matrices can possibly depict. But all too often we behave as though we didn’t know it if we want change we change the structure. Diagnosing and solving organizational problems means looking not merely to structural reorganization for answers but to a framework that includes structure and several related factors. The 7S Model which they developed and presented became extensively used by mangers and consultants and is one of the cornerstones of organizational analysis. [pic] Essentially the model says that any organisation can be best described by the seven interrelated elements shown above: Strategy Plans for the allocation of a firms scarce resources, over time, to reach identified goals. Environment, competition, customers. Structure The way the organizations units relate to each other: centralized, functional divisions (top-down); decentralized (the trend in larger organizations); matrix, network, holding, etc. Systems The procedures, processes and routines that characterize how important work is to be done: financial systems; hiring, promotion and performance appraisal systems; information systems. Skills Distinctive capabilities of personnel or of the organization as a whole. Staff Numbers and types of personnel within the organization. Style  Cultural style of the organization and how key managers behave in achieving the organization’s goals. Shared Value  The interconnecting centre of McKinseys model is: Shared Values. What the organization stands for and what it believes in. Central beliefs and attitudes. However the model is more than simply a list. Key Points are: 1. The top 3, strategy , structure and systems, are the hard elements. The bottom 4, skills, staff, style, and shared values are the soft elements. 2. At that time, any organisational study focused on the top hard elements and ignored the bottom soft elements. 3. The current view is to focus on all 7, accepting that for each business or enterprise, two or three will be the VITAL ones. 4. The key point is that all the elements are all inter-dependant. Changes in one will have repercussions on the others. Thus introduction of new systems will certainly affect skills, and may well effect structure, style and staff. It could even have an impact on strategy. Similar repercussions occur with decentralization. 5. If you just try to change one element on its own, the other element may well resist the change and try to maintain the status quo. 6. In this sense, any change in organisation is best seen as a shift in the whole picture. Waterman Jr., Robert H., Peters, Thomas J., and Julien R. Phillips. 198 0. STRUCTURE IS NOT ORGANIZATION. Business Horizons 23, no. 3: 14

Marketing Problems And Issues Faced By Zara Marketing Essay

Marketing Problems And Issues Faced By Zara Marketing Essay Zara clothing is a part of Spanish based Inditex Group, launched in 1975. The sales contribution of Zara clothing is 63.8% in the groups total sales of the financial year 2009. Zara clothing has two main product divisions: mens and womens apparel. Zara is known for its innovative designs around the World; each of the clothing line consists of the following divisions: Upper Garment, Lower Garment, Shoes, Cosmetics and Complements. Kids clothing is included in Zaras catalogue as well. Zara is a vertically integrated retailer which designs, produces and distributes. The company deals mostly with the supply-chain, unlike other competitor retailers of the same market, around half of Zara clothing products are produced in Spain, one third in the rest of Europe, and some in Asian countries and the rest of the world. ZARA has 1,608 stores (including 213 ZARA kids stores) in 74 countries. So while competitors go to Asia for outsource production, Zara makes most of its fashionable items and distributes them to its own stores located in all major cities around the World. At average Zara clothing store is more than 1500 square meters of pure up-to-date fashion. Zara clothing brand is dealing with over ten thousand clothing items a year and Zara has a strategy of launching and distributing a new product to the stores in only time of two weeks. In a result, Zara stores totally change their clothing items each month. Only in the UK, Zara has more than 50 stores in different cities, making Zara the most famous global retailer in the country. Zara clothing is also taking over the American continents by opening multiple locations in The US, Canada and South American countries. Most of the US cities already have Zara clothing sales locations and there are plans to open twice as many stores. According to AT Kearney, the consultants, for the past three years India is at the top of the list of the most attractive market for retail investment. According to Tehnopak, the retail consultants, the revenues of corporate retail sector in India will grow 20-fold from  £7bn ($14.1bn, E10.3bn) to  £140bn over the coming decade. This will reduce the market share of the small family-owned stores that dominate Indian retail. Zaras entry is a test of whether its fast-fashion concept will catch on in India. Zaras trademark is its ability to design, manufacture and deliver a new clothing design to its shops within just two weeks, compared with a nine-month industry average. It takes roughly four weeks to ship a container from Spain to India. Zara already has shops in 74 countries of the World. Financial Highlights (financial year 2009): The financial year 2009 ended with a growth rate of 9% at constant exchange rates. Inditex has also maintained comparable sales over the course of the year. The gross margin, which has increased by 7% to 6,300 million Euros, meaning a 57.1% on sales, 27 basic points more than in the previous year. Operating expenses remain under strict control, with a growth of 7% mainly due to the new retail areas. The contribution of sales in stores located outside Spain has reached 68% of the total figure, and all chains have increased their sales percentages on international markets, demonstrating their desire and ability to expand at a global level. The scale of this effort is clear if we recall that during 2009 alone, we increased our overseas presence to a total of 46 countries. Zaras sales have seen a net growth from 4% to 6% at constant exchange rates, with a 5% growth in EBIT. The main indicators for the financial year 2009 of the group are as under: Net Sales: à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬11,048 Millions EBIT: à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬1,729 Millions Net Sales Zara: à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬7,077 Millions EBIT Zara: à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬1,105 Millions EBIT Margin Zara: 15.6% Problems and Issues: Marketing: Zara has adopted a different marketing strategy form beginning which is not to advertise through traditional media. There are not many businesses which are running without any marketing in this age of communication and technology. If some business is doing good without marketing it dose not mean that the business has captured maximum market and there are no more opportunities to grow. If some business is already doing well, it can do better by launching a marketing campaign and can get more market share. But in last 2 years Zara has changed its strategy slightly and started campaign through some social networking website to keep in touch with its customers. Political issues: According to Fareed Rafiq Zakaria who is a famous Indian American journalist the Indias democracy system has all ability to qualify for illiberal democracy. So that is why the political system is volatile and takes any positive or negative impact on economy on day to day basics. Major political and local political powers plays important role in major citys economy. Foreign investor Zara has very sensitive about its liberal policies due to its main origin of business in Europe is facing very illiberal policies of government in its labour law. And also media the forth pillar of political system play an important part to rock the economic system by flaring up political issues. Due to this Zara is reluctant to invest more in Indian cloth industry which is growing with a GDP of 9% annually. Product: Zara is based in Europe, so it has 3 to 4 main colours which are used by its designers most of the time. But in India there are lots of colours used in readymade cloth industry especially bright colour. Female and male clothes lot of or small embroidery work is like which is lack of Zara fashion designs. Indian consumer likes bright colour for party occasions. Social issues: Cultural differences in India and Europe has a great impact on sales in India due to its designs which are more influenced by Europe. Statistics shows that the Indian cloth market is 490000 million rupees and 30000 million rupees market is only European based apparels. Zaras limited origin designs make its global brand image of fashion industry. Zara opened two shops in Indias metro cities New Delhi and Mumbai but both have vast cloths cultural differences. In New Delhi customers like Indian dresses more than foreign designs but vice versa in Mumbai. There are also traditional cloth designs for special occasions which are lacking in Zara stores. Weather: Indias weather is totally different from Europe because of its five extreme seasons (summer, Monsoon/rainy, winter, spring, autumn) in a year. The winter is of very short duration and not too much cold as compared to Europe and summer (April, May and June) is warmer than Europe. Variation of season requires rapid fashion change according to local weather. At Zara store you will find most of the cloths for normal weather and not for extreme weather. Legal issues: In India there are some legal requirements for foreign companies to start business and the most important one is that you have to make a local partner from India. Zara has started its business with the collaboration of Tata a local Indian business company. Next, Marks Spencer, Accessories, Debenhams and Guess have all franchised their stores to India. Another problem in India is the implementation of copyright law. This is a fact that the day Zara will launch its new design in Indian market it will be pirated in couple of days and you will find the same design at very lower prices in the local shops. Economical issues: The growth rate of Indian economy is comparatively high but it does not affect the life of common people very much because of the unequal distribution of wealth. So the whole population of India should not be considered as a target market of Zara. On the other side high rate of taxes for foreign companies also results into higher prices of the products. Mango, Guess, Esprit, and French Connection are also in line with Zara prices in other markets including Singapore, Dubai and some European markets. It is surprising that the prices in Singapore and Dubai are less than India because Indian duties could add 30-40 percent on retail prices, while duties in these countries are much lower. Devangshu Dutta, managing director of Third Eyesight, a retail consultancy based in the capital, reckons that Inditex may be taking a long-term view of the Indian market and relying on strategic pricing. THE DELIVERY OF A STRATEGIC MARKETING SOLUTION Zara has a very committed and professional team consists of more than 90,000 people. In my point of view Zara should review its strategies and policies now as Zara is now entering in totally different and more competitive markets, like India, of the World. The SWOT analysis of Zara is very helpful to understand the situation which Zara is facing today. Strengths ZARA has a very strong market Image due to quality, style and availability of products. Product/ Brand Image is also very high because of very high quality, reliable products for children, women and men. Strong financial position of ZARA is also our strength which will help us to invest adequately to get favorable results. Due to strong market position there is availability of finance from other financial institutions like banks. ZARA can benefit in saving the cost from existing infrastructure of suppliers. Vast network and store on different main locations all over the UK, Europe and other regions of the World is also our strength. At this time we have availability of suppliers who can provide us required raw material on good prices and we can build good relations with them for future when the competition will be higher. Online availability of our full catalogue is also our strength and customers can see, choose and make a final decision by just sitting home. Weaknesses Due to no marketing strategy and planning the growth rate of market share is very low. High product price is a weakness but we can not compromise on quality and customer services. Proper management and implementation of the new system can take time. Opportunities Well planed customized marketing campaign according to the current requirement of the time. New market search is the next step after capturing our existing market we can go to US and central Asian markets more deeply. More innovation, improved quality and value added products for our customers. Adoption of new technology will help us to lower the cost of our products. Research and development department can be made more efficient and strong for product improvement and availability of the products. Improved and more focused customers service. Continuous training of the staff and labor for cost effective production. Strive to exceed the customers expectations through quality, innovation and customers services. Increase in promotional activities through online marketing to get maximum market share. Building relations and long term contracts with the suppliers will be beneficial for future buying. Threats Entry of new competitors is a threat for our product which can be avoided by building stronger product image in the mind of customer. Unavailability of sufficient raw material because of high number of customers for raw material in the market. In the near future there will be high price of raw material due to increased demand. Availability of raw material in future is another threat and can be managed by involving maximum number of suppliers in the beginning with small quantity orders to all the suppliers. Order quantity can be increased in future as per demand. Low buying power of the customers in existing markets is also a threat and can be managed by searching new markets. Keeping in view the SWOT analysis and our problems and issues Zara should focus on the following points and develop a strategy accordingly: Recommendations: Advertising and Marketing: Unique approach of advertising and marketing within the business model of Zara adds an additional factor to their success. A 0.3% of total income is spent on marketing and advertising. This amount is significantly less than the competitors of Zara who are spending 3-4% of their total revenues on advertising and marketing. The main competitors of Zara like next, Bhs, Debenhams, New Look, HM, John Lewis, MS, asos, peacocks and topshop are the main stores which are more focusing on marketing specially on online presence and are among the top list stores on search engines in fashion and clothing search results. Because Zara is not in putting any effort for online marketing, that is why we do not find it in search results. In this age of communication and technology it is very hard to run a business without marketing and interaction with existing or potential customers. In my point of view Zara should now develop its own IT and marketing department and should launch an online marketing campaign through search engine optimization, social networking websites like facebook, twitter, bebo etc. Email marketing is another highly reliable and reachable idea to convey the message to maximum number of customers in no time. The list of emails can also be used to keep the customers update with latest offers in the store. By using Zaras own website and these social networking website people can keep in touch with store without coming to store and this thing will increase the market share with the help of low cost solution of online marketing. Interactive websites are the main source to attract more traffic and keep in touch with customers which helps to improve and change in products according to the requirements of the customers. This is also the quickest way to get feed back from our valuable customers around the globe. At the moment Zara is more focusing on the development of its stores on the prime locations on the high streets which is also a good strategy but it can not be replaced with a well organized professional marketing campaign which can bring thousands of customers to the store in days. With the help of fully functional interactive website customers can give feed back immediately after using the product and we can improve our products quickly. In the big countries like India where the presence of physical stores is not feasible in every city because the buying power of the customer is not equal and to open a store for small number of customers can not add anything other than heavy losses. In situation like this online store is the best idea to serve the customers who do not have physical access to the store but can afford and buy from online store. Because in India we can find our customers in many cities but the number of the customers will be low, so online marketing and online store will be more helpful to satisfy that market. Additionally, because of the short product development cycles, customers can be trained to visit Zara online stores most of the time because new items are presented weekly and are not restocked often. This feeling of scarcity encourages customers to come to online stores and buy frequently. In order to keep our stores looking fresh and trendy; Zara is investing heavily in their store layouts. Each Zara store is remodeled every five years in order to update with current trends. Same strategy should be followed in India as well to maintain the international standards. Direct marketing is not the top priority of Zara, in fact its the cost advantage and maintenance of brand that adds value to company. Zaras information and communication protocols are highly differentiated from its competitors. Zaras expenditure on IT comprises of less than 0.5% of total income on Information Technology and IT employees are only 0.5% of total workforce of company. In contrast to this Zaras competitors spend around 2% of total revenue on IT and 2.5% of their workforce is involved in IT. Main tools utilized by Zara are human intelligence, from store managers and market research, and information technology such as their PDA devices which forms a hybrid model for information flow from stores to headquarters. For example, handheld devices are provided at Zara stores which are used by managers over there for sending standardized information including customer feedback and ordering needs to in-house designers. So this is the key to keep the designer updated regarding rapidly changing customer demands and trends. Zaras designers not only keep themselves informed of fast-changing trends and demands of custo mers but also participate in formation of hybrid model. Zaras competitors entirely rely on IT applications so here again Zara wins the differentiation by incorporating human intelligence in its hybrid model. Zara obtains uniqueness by adopting human intelligence assisted IT solutions leading to well-organized inventories, thoroughly linked demand and supply, and decreased costs from obsolete merchandise; but this is not the end , there is always room for improvement. IT processes need effective management of levels of inventory. The information and communication system owned by Zara leads to cost advantage to Zaras operations and adds capability of responding rapidly and up to the mark. Zaras business model demarcates its unique concept, capabilities, and value drivers and these have leaded the company to the path of success. Fully concentrated core operations and production abilities, resistance to outsourcing, pin point focus on fashion has given recognition in fashion industry and market. To sustain and maintain such sort of differentiation in the era of global expansion there is need to adapt business capabilities of product development, cost of production, marketing, information and communication technologies and strategic partnerships. Mass media Advertising It is one of the basic requirements of a company to promote the sales of its products. In addition to this, it works as a building block in the process of building of brand identity. Further more it plays important role in communicating changes or changes or new arrivals to the customers. Advertising is considered to be one of the essences of fashion industry. Advertising if properly planned would increase the buzz-value of Zara. For achievement of our objectives following branches of advertising would be utilized. When these media will come into play every member of the society would be having awareness to Zara. Print Advertising The print media remains one of the cost effective source of advertising. Advertisement of products can be carried out via newspapers and magazines. Additionally promotional brochures and fliers would serve the same purpose. The selling price of advertising space in newspapers and magazines is directly related to the position attained by advertisement and the readership of the publications. Our advertisement would be published on the most popular and glossy supplement of magazines and newspapers to catch the eye of customers. Outdoor Advertising Billboards Billboard advertising is very common in Delhi and Mumbai and this trend is going to be followed by Zara to grab the attention of the passers by. This would be supplemented by other outdoor advertising methods to capture larger portion of market. Kiosks: It is not difficult to find malls and railway stations in cities like Mumbai and Delhi. Keeping this thing in mind provision of kiosks can also provide easy outlet for the products of company. Zara would use this marketing strategy as well. Tradeshows and Events We have plans to organize trade fairs, exhibitions and events to draw attention of customers. It would be achieved in collaboration with different local companies which promote fashion industry. Covert Advertising Advertising in Movies All of us know that India is famous for its movie production. We would use this tool as covert advertising as a unique kind of advertising. Almost every weekend a new movie is released. Thousands of people come at one platform and the same platform can be sponsored by Zara to gain the advantage of grabbing customers. Celebrity Advertising We know that audience in India follows the trends adopted by celebrities over there. Celebrities like Amir Khan and John Abraham have already played their role in Zaras promotion campaign. To keep the pace with this strategy is still the part of our marketing layout. Pricing Strategy: In the beginning the competitive pricing strategy should be adopted to capture more market share in India because in most of the large cities of India international brands and stores are already available. One more thing is local shop keeper who will copy Zaras designs and sale them in the market on low prices. To avoid this problem brand image should be communicated through advertising so that customers do not only consider the design but brand and quality as well. For brining marked reduction in prices the production can be started in the host country which will decrease our operating expenses like freight, high cost labour in Europe, import taxes and duties in India. After taking these steps we will be able to compete in the market very easily and can get benefit in long run. Conclusion: Zara has a very strong financial position and growth rate in last couple of years. As Zara has already opened its stores in many developed countries and has started to enter in under developing countries like India, Zara should review and change its strategy related to marketing and production because the circumstances and situation in under developed countries is totally different from developed countries. In most of the developing countries advertisement plays a vital role to communicate the message to the target market especially highly populated countries like India. Marketing is very necessary for the growth of a product or brand and get maximum market share in short time. Traditional and non traditional media should be used to achieve the objectives. Production can be started in the countries where you are going to open new stores; this thing will help to reduce the cost of production, time form production houses to outlets and will increase the safety of the products as well. Another considerable advantage of production in India is that Zara can build good relations with local community by offering jobs to local people and can get better understanding about the market and its requirements. The above mentioned factors will contribute a lot in the long run to get more market share and keep Zara in the Indian market. Friendster, 2009, Zaras Profile http://profiles.friendster.com/97785772 [Accessed 05-08-2010] http://managementfunda.com/advertising-types/

Gods Forgiveness in Taylors Meditation 42 Essay -- Edward Taylor Poe

In Edward Taylor's "Meditation 42," the speaker employs a tone of both desire and anxiousness in order to convey the overall idea that man's sinful nature and spiritual unworthiness require God's grace and forgiveness to gain entrance to the kingdom of heaven. In the opening stanza, the speaker describes the human craving and longing for material objects. From the very first word of "Meditation 42," a sense of longing and desire infuses the poem as "apples" (ll. 1) often symbolize both temptation and desire. Because Eve allowed the lure of attaining the God's knowledge to overtake her in the book of Genesis, she bites from a fruit on the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil which is commonly depicted as an apple. In addition, because the "apples" allude to man's fall from paradise they thereby represent man's imperfection and sinful nature. Furthermore, the fact that "apples of gold in silver pictures shrined" (ll. 1) emphasizes the desire or lust for physical, material items of beauty and wealth. These items "enchant" (ll. 2) as the "gold" and "silver" appeal to mankind's covetous nature and tendency to value superficial items. Thus, the speaker conveys his longing and desire for physical riches which "enchant" him. Yet his want for treasures exist as strictly human desire, causing physical consequences as they "make mouths to water" (ll. 2). However, despite the monetary value of precious metals, attaining such superficial items does not allow man to gain any true fulfillment. For example, in the opening stanza, all the treasures "In jasper cask, when tapped, doth briskly vapor" (ll. 4). The material items mean nothing in the larger scheme of the world and therefore "briskly vapor" and disapp... ..., but still pleads for God to "take me in" (ll. 41), and promises to "pay...in happiness" for mercy. Once again, the speaker demonstrates the same desires for physical treasures that he expresses in the first stanza as he asks God to "give mine eye / A peephole there to see bright glory's chases" (ll. 39-40). Even in the God's kingdom, the speaker reveals his humanity as he focuses on ornamentation which starkly contrasts with God's divinity as He has the ability to show love even for sinners. Thus, while man shows his human nature, desiring and coveting physical riches and treasures, God demonstrates his truly divine nature as he possesses true spiritual riches, in the form of love, mercy, and forgiveness. Works Cited Taylor, Edward. â€Å"Meditation 42.† The Heath Anthology of American Literature. Ed. Paul Lautier. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004

Research paper about computer addiction Essay

Chapter 1 in Research About Computer Games Addiction EFFECTS OF INVOLVEMENT IN COMPUTER GAMES TO THE STUDY HABITS OF THE MARIAN FRESHMEN STUDENTS DURING THE FIRST SEMESTER OF SCHOOL YEAR 2012-2013 A Research Presented to Mr. Paul C. Morales Saint Mary’s University Bayombong, Nueva Viscaya In Partial Fulfilment Of the Requirements in _________________________ Submitted By: Kimberly Anne Martinez Lloyd Rico Antonio Manuel Douglas Inaldo Leigrich Salvador Herman Anthony Aseron February 2013 Chapter 1 THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND Rationale Modernization of living has a great impact to one of us, specifically in the field of technologythat introduces us to this, computer age because of its many benefits that makes our lives better and helps us do work a lot better. One evidence is the excessive of use of computers of some Marian students, it gives us a faster access to the world and is very beneficial to our studies like doing paper works and at the same time, entertainment. But as computers became more popular, some students overused it and become a bad leisure for them causing them to skip their classes, they could not concentrate, and they become irresponsible, they didn’t do their school stuffs and obliviously overspending their allowance in paying a gaming computer unit and a bet. Lessen, determine and prevent computer addiction, are in the mind of the researchers in conducting this study. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM The primary aim of this study is to obtain relevant information in the involvement of the college freshmen students towards computer games. Specifically, it sought to answer the following questions: 1. What is the profile of the respondents in terms of the following factors: 1.1 Amenability of hanging with computer 1.2 Interest in computer gaming 1.3 Awareness in the possible effects of too much exposure in computer games 1.4 Self-control 2. What are the most common factors which make involve them in computer games? 2.1 Leisure time 2.2 Hobby 2.3 Friends 3. What are the most pressing problems in their study habits as they go and play computer games in terms of the following: 3.1 Time for studying 3.2 Concentration 3.3 Motivation of learning 4. What are their ways to balance their gaming habit and study habit if there is, in terms of the following: 4.1 Time management 4.2 Self-control SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY The expected result if this research endeavour will benefit the following: Students of Saint Mary’s University and its students As vital information, results of the study will help make the students become aware of their involvement in computer games, and become develop their study habits and to concentrate more on their studies. Future researchers The results of this study can serve as a baseline data for developing topics as well as creating ideas about their topics. SCOPE OF DELIMITATIONS This study was conducted during the first semester of the school year 2012-2013 to identify the factors that affect the involvement to computer game addiction of the Marian Freshmen students and to determine how it would  affect their study habits. Respondents of the study are limited to the college freshmen students of the eight departments of the University namely: School of Accountancy, School Arts and sciences, School of Business, School of Education, School of Engineering and Architecture, School of Computing Science and Information Technology, School of Public Administration and Governance, and School of Health Sciences. There are ten randomly selected respondents of each of the eight departments. DEFINITION OF TERMS The following terms are defined to facilitate the comprehension of the study: Computers. Computer game. DEFINITION OF TERMS The following terms are defined to facilitate the comprehension of the study: Computers. Computer game.

Nuclear warfare

Introduction.John Hersey’s article entitled Hiroshima was an account of six residents in the city of the same name who survived the bombing on August 6, 1945. The six survivors consisted of a physician, a personnel clerk, three small children and their mother, a young surgeon, a pastor and a missionary priest.Compared to other accounts of the Hiroshima bombing, Hersey’s account dryly described the experiences of the survivors, beginning from the time they woke up until the time the bomb went off. While it made considerable noise within and without the publishing world, Hersey’s account was not intentionally written as a call to action, nor did it eventually give rise to a mass action. Rather, it was intended to be a mere impassive report of the impact made by the bomb on the lives of many.Ethical Theories.There are many reasons for the opinion that nuclear warfare is not morally justified, the most familiar and popular of which is the opinion that nuclear warfare involves an intention to use nuclear weapons, where such use would be immoral (McMahan, 1985).  Moral philosophy has several positions on the issue of nuclear warfare. One such position falls within the deontological position (McMahan, 1985). This position consists of three claims, the first of which is that the use of nuclear weapons is not morally justified (McMahan, 1985).  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This first argument is rationalized by the theory that use of nuclear weapons would lead to a violation of at least one criterion of the traditional â€Å"just war† theory (McMahan, 1985).The just war theory refers to justice in war or moral support for war (Moseley, 2006). This theory has two aspects, namely, the theoretical and historical traditions (Moseley, 2006). The former discusses the justifications and reasons for engaging in war; while the latter focuses attention on the body of rules and agreements entered into by international bodies that are supposed to be applied in t imes of war (Moseley, 2006).The just war theory has two criteria, namely, the criterion of proportionality and the criterion of discrimination (McMahan, 1985). The first one mandates that â€Å"the level of force employed must be proportional to the good it is intended to achieve (McMahan, 1985).† On the other hand, the latter criterion provides that â€Å"force should be used in a way which respects the distinction between combatants and noncombatants (McMahan, 1985).Applying the two criteria, one can arrive at an opinion as to whether the dropping of the bomb in both Nagasaki and Hiroshima was justified. The first criterion demands that an act be justified by the good consequences achieved by the act be able to outweigh the negative consequences it may have caused (McMahan, 1985). Moreover, there must be a direct proportion between the degree of force used and the positive consequences produced (McMahan, 1985).Considering that both bomb attacks had caused the loss of numer ous lives, mostly those of innocent citizens, there is no way that they could have been justified by any positive consequences. Whichever motivation led to the decision to set off the attacks, it could never be enough to justify the killing of countless innocent lives. The brutality of the acts involved in both bombings negate any argument that there is a direct proportion between the act committed or the degree of force used and the consequences it produced.The second criterion cannot also be used to justify the bombings, since it forbids the killing of noncombatants in war (McMahan, 1985). A distinction should be made between people who are combatants and not (McMahan, 1985). However, based on numerous accounts on the effects of the bombings, including that written by Hersey, it is apparent that many people who were noncombatants died during the attacks. This is a clear violation of the second criterion of the just war theory (McMahan, 1985).Again applying the deontological tradit ion, any future use of nuclear weapons in war cannot be justified. The use of that kind of weapons is a deliberate choice made by those who lead the war. They know that such use necessarily involves the killing of man innocent people.As argued by one study, deaths occurring in nuclear attacks are neither incidental nor unintentional results of lawful military action (McMahan, 1985). Rather, such deaths are deliberate aims made by those who chose to act using nuclear weapons (McMahan, 1985).Thus, the same argument would negate any justification that would be put forward by a country that intends to retaliate using nuclear weapons. Retaliation can be exercised in various forms and it is recognized under international law to be valid means of protecting a country’s interests and sovereignty. Nevertheless, even through a good reason exists for retaliation, doing the same through nuclear weapon still cannot be justified because of the consequences involved in such action, which wo uld cost thousands, if not millions, of lives. Indeed, nuclear warfare is no room for the ancient adage â€Å"an eye for an eye.† Other means of retaliation, like demanding reparation or using economic measures, should instead be used rather than resorting to nuclear warfare.Conclusion.Nuclear warfare cannot be justified under any circumstance. The deliberate use of nuclear weapons is equivalent to deliberate killing of numerous innocent people. Such an act cannot be considered proportionate to the aim involved; nor would such act discriminate between people who engaged in war or not. These consequences obviously violate criteria of the just war theory, which negates any morality in the acts.ReferencesHersey, J. (1946). Hiroshima. The New Yorker.McMahan, J. (1985). Deterrence and Deontology. Ethics 95(3) Special Issue: Symposium on Ethics and Nuclear Deterrence, 517-536. Moseley, A. (2006). Just War Theory. Retrieved October 31, 2007, fromhttp://www.iep.utm.edu/justwar/ Nuclear warfare Introduction.John Hersey’s article entitled Hiroshima was an account of six residents in the city of the same name who survived the bombing on August 6, 1945. The six survivors consisted of a physician, a personnel clerk, three small children and their mother, a young surgeon, a pastor and a missionary priest.Compared to other accounts of the Hiroshima bombing, Hersey’s account dryly described the experiences of the survivors, beginning from the time they woke up until the time the bomb went off. While it made considerable noise within and without the publishing world, Hersey’s account was not intentionally written as a call to action, nor did it eventually give rise to a mass action. Rather, it was intended to be a mere impassive report of the impact made by the bomb on the lives of many.Ethical Theories.There are many reasons for the opinion that nuclear warfare is not morally justified, the most familiar and popular of which is the opinion that nuclear warfare involves an intention to use nuclear weapons, where such use would be immoral (McMahan, 1985).Moral philosophy has several positions on the issue of nuclear warfare. One such position falls within the deontological position (McMahan, 1985). This position consists of three claims, the first of which is that the use of nuclear weapons is not morally justified (McMahan, 1985). This first argument is rationalized by the theory that use of nuclear weapons would lead to a violation of at least one criterion of the traditional â€Å"just war† theory (McMahan, 1985).The just war theory refers to justice in war or moral support for war (Moseley, 2006). This theory has two aspects, namely, the theoretical and historical traditions (Moseley, 2006). The former discusses the justifications and reasons for engaging in war; while the latter focuses attention on the body of rules and agreements entered into by international bodies that are supposed to be applied in times of war (Moseley, 20 06).The just war theory has two criteria, namely, the criterion of proportionality and the criterion of discrimination (McMahan, 1985). The first one mandates that â€Å"the level of force employed must be proportional to the good it is intended to achieve (McMahan, 1985).† On the other hand, the latter criterion provides that â€Å"force should be used in a way which respects the distinction between combatants and noncombatants (McMahan, 1985).Applying the two criteria, one can arrive at an opinion as to whether the dropping of the bomb in both Nagasaki and Hiroshima was justified. The first criterion demands that an act be justified by the good consequences achieved by the act be able to outweigh the negative consequences it may have caused (McMahan, 1985). Moreover, there must be a direct proportion between the degree of force used and the positive consequences produced (McMahan, 1985).Considering that both bomb attacks had caused the loss of numerous lives, mostly those of innocent citizens, there is no way that they could have been justified by any positive consequences. Whichever motivation led to the decision to set off the attacks, it could never be enough to justify the killing of countless innocent lives. The brutality of the acts involved in both bombings negate any argument that there is a direct proportion between the act committed or the degree of force used and the consequences it produced.The second criterion cannot also be used to justify the bombings, since it forbids the killing of noncombatants in war (McMahan, 1985). A distinction should be made between people who are combatants and not (McMahan, 1985). However, based on numerous accounts on the effects of the bombings, including that written by Hersey, it is apparent that many people who were noncombatants died during the attacks. This is a clear violation of the second criterion of the just war theory (McMahan, 1985).Again applying the deontological tradition, any future use of n uclear weapons in war cannot be justified. The use of that kind of weapons is a deliberate choice made by those who lead the war. They know that such use necessarily involves the killing of man innocent people.As argued by one study, deaths occurring in nuclear attacks are neither incidental nor unintentional results of lawful military action (McMahan, 1985). Rather, such deaths are deliberate aims made by those who chose to act using nuclear weapons (McMahan, 1985).Thus, the same argument would negate any justification that would be put forward by a country that intends to retaliate using nuclear weapons. Retaliation can be exercised in various forms and it is recognized under international law to be valid means of protecting a country’s interests and sovereignty. Nevertheless, even through a good reason exists for retaliation, doing the same through nuclear weapon still cannot be justified because of the consequences involved in such action, which would cost thousands, if n ot millions, of lives. Indeed, nuclear warfare is no room for the ancient adage â€Å"an eye for an eye.† Other means of retaliation, like demanding reparation or using economic measures, should instead be used rather than resorting to nuclear warfare.Conclusion.Nuclear warfare cannot be justified under any circumstance. The deliberate use of nuclear weapons is equivalent to deliberate killing of numerous innocent people. Such an act cannot be considered proportionate to the aim involved; nor would such act discriminate between people who engaged in war or not. These consequences obviously violate criteria of the just war theory, which negates any morality in the acts.ReferencesHersey, J. (1946). Hiroshima. The New Yorker.McMahan, J. (1985). Deterrence and Deontology. Ethics 95(3) Special Issue: Symposium on Ethics and Nuclear Deterrence, 517-536.Moseley, A. (2006).Just War Theory. Retrieved October 31, 2007, fromhttp://www.iep.utm.edu/j/justwar.htm

Little Red Riding transl. span essays

Little Red Riding transl. span essays A little girl lived with her mother in a small house near a great forest. The girl had neither father nor grandparents. She had a grandmother who was a widow also. Her grandmother lived in a small house on the other side of the forest. As the girl had the custom to use a red pointed hood, everybody called Little Red Riding Hood. - Daughter, your grandmother is ill. You want to take a candy basket to her? - Yes, of course, Mommy- responded Little Red Riding Hood, like she was a very amiable and likeable girl. - Good, here is the basket full of candy said the mother.- As you know, in order to arrive at the house of your grandma, you must cross the forest. In the forest there are wolves. Do not delay, and if a wolf approaches you, call to one of the numerous woodcutters who work in the forest. - I will travel with care, Mommy. I will arrive safely at grandmas house responded Little Red Riding Hood. Then the girl put the candy basket in an arm and soon she had entered the forest. Neglecting the wise advice of her mother of not delaying in the forest, Little Riding Hood was taking flowers and putting them in the basket. Suddenly a great wolf appeared, ferocious, and hungry. The favorite food of this wolf was the meat of little girls, but as it was scared of the woodcutters who worked near there, it resolved to obtain its favorite food with ma - Good morning, Little Riding Hood. Where are you going with that basket full of candies and flowers? Although the girl, since we have seen, was amiable and likeable, she had the great defect of being something disobedient and stupid. She had already disobeyed her mother when delaying in the forest to take flowers. And now she demonstrated her stupidity in answering the wolf instead of calling to the woodcutters. She said: ...

The History of Semantics Essays

The History of Semantics Essays The History of Semantics Essay The History of Semantics Essay semantics  [Gr. ,=significant] in general, the study of the relationship between words and meanings. The empirical study of word meanings and sentence meanings in existing languages is a branch of linguistics; the abstract study of meaning in relation to language or symbolic logic systems is a branch of philosophy. Both are called semantics. The field of semantics has three basic concerns: the relations of words to the objects denoted by them, the relations of words to the interpreters of them, and, in symbolic logic, the formal relations of signs to one another (syntax). In linguistics, semantics has its beginnings in France and Germany in the 1820s when the meanings of words as significant features in the growth of language was recognized. Among the foremost linguistic semanticists of the 20th cent. are Gustaf Stern, Jost Trier, B. L. Whorf, Uriel Weinreich, Stephen Ullmann, Thomas Sebeok, Noam  Chomsky, Jerrold Katz, and Charles Osgood. In the linguistics of recent years an offshoot of transformational  grammar  theory has reemphasized the role of meaning in linguistic analysis. This new theory, developed largely by George Lakoff and James McCawley, is termed generative semantics. In anthropology a new theoretical orientation related to linguistic semantics has been developed. Its leading proponents include W. H. Goodenough, F. G. Lounsbury, and Claude  Levi-Strauss. In philosophy, semantics has generally followed the lead of symbolic logic, and many philosophers do not make a distinction between logic and semantics. In this context, semantics is concerned with such issues as meaning and truth, meaning and thought, and the relation between signs and what they mean. The leading practitioners have been Gottlob  Frege, Lady Welby, Bertrand  Russell, Otto Neurath, RudolfCarnap, Alonzo Church, Alfred Tarski, C. I. Lewis, Ludwig  Wittgenstein, J. L. Austin, W. V. Quine, P. F. Strawson, Steven Schiffer, John Searle, H. P. Grice, Saul Kripke, Donald Davidson, and Gilbert Harman. Since the publication of the influential  The Meaning of Meaning  (1925) by C. K. Ogden and I. A. Richards, semantics has also become important to literary criticism and stylistics, in which the way that metaphors evoke feelings is investigated and differences between ordinary and literary language are studied. A related discipline, general semantics (so called to distinguish it from semantics in linguistics or philosophy), studies the ways in which meanings of words influence human behavior. General semantics was developed by Alfred  Korzybski. The key term in Korzybskis system is evaluation, the mental act that is performed by the hearer when a word is spoken. Among the most prominent followers of Korzybski are Stuart Chase, S. I. Hayakawa, and H. L. Weinberg. Bibliography A useful introduction to general semantics is H. L. Weinberg,  Levels of Knowing and Existence  (1959) and F. R. Palmer,  Semantics  (1981). For semantics in linguistics, see S. Ullman,  Semantics  (1962) and  The Principles of Semantics  (1957, repr. 1967); N. Chomsky,  Studies on Semantics in Generative Grammar  (1972); G. Leach,  Semantics  (1974); and J. Lyons,  Language, Meaning, and Context  (1981). For semantics in philosophy, see R. Carnap,  Meaning and Necessity  (2d ed. 1956); K. and A. Lehrer,  The Theory of Meaning  (1970); J. F. Rosenberg and C. Travis, ed. ,  Readings in the Philosophy of Language  (1971); and D. Davidson and G. Harman, ed. ,  Semantics of Natural Language  (2d ed. 1973). For semantics in literary criticism, see K. Burke,  A Rhetoric of Motives  (1950) and  A Grammar of Motives  (1955) and the works of W. Empson and P. Wheelwright. The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia ® Copyright  © 2013, Columbia University Press. Licensed from Columbia University Press. All rights reserved. www. cc. columbia. edu/cu/cup/ Ads by Google Have You Written a Book? Talk to a Publishing Advisor. Get published now. Get our Free Guide! AuthorHouse. co. uk [pic] semantics Study of meaning, one of the major areas of linguistic study (see  linguistics). Linguists have approached it in a variety of ways. Members of the school of interpretive semantics study the structures of language independent of their conditions of use. In contrast, the advocates of generative semantics insist that the meaning of sentences is a function of their use. Still another group maintains that semantics will not advance until theorists take into account the psychological questions of how people form concepts and how these relate to word meanings. For more information on  semantics, visit Britannica. com. Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. Copyright  © 1994-2008 Encyclop? dia Britannica, Inc. Ads by Google 3 50 www. sharqacademy. com [pic] semantics The study of the meaning of words. Contrast with  syntax, which governs the structure of a language. See  Semantic Web  and  Systemantics. Computer Desktop Encyclopedia copyright  ©1981-2013 by  The Computer Language Company Inc. All Right reserved. THIS DEFINITION IS FOR PERSONAL USE ONLY. All other reproduction is strictly prohibited without permission from the publisher. Ads by Google High School Online Self-paced online courses help you Finish High School your way. www. aiuhs. org [pic] semantics 1. the study of the relationships between signs and symbols and what they represent 2. Logic a. the study of interpretations of a formal theory b. he study of the relationship between the structure of a theory and its subject matter c. (of a formal theory) the principles that determine the truth or falsehood of sentences within the theory, and the references of its terms Collins Discovery Encyclopedia, 1st edition  © HarperCollins Publishers 2005 Ads by Google egypt. dubizzle. com [pic] semant ics  [si? man ·tiks] (communications) The branch of semiotics that deals with the relations between symbols and what they stand for, and defines the meaning that is prescribed for a statement by its originator. McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific Technical Terms, 6E, Copyright  © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Ads by Google www. englishforarabs. com [pic] |(theory) |semantics   The meaning of a string in some language, as opposed to  syntax  which describes how symbols may be | | | |combined independent of their meaning. | | | | | | | |The semantics of a programming language is a function from programs to answers. A program is a  closed term  and, in | | | |practical languages, an answer is a member of the syntactic category of values. The two main kinds are  denotational | | | |semantics  andoperational semantics. | | This article is provided by FOLDOC Free Online Dictionary of Computing (foldoc. org) Ads by Google StudiesInAustraliaArabic. com [pic] Warning! The following article is from The Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1979). It might be outdated or ideologically biased. Semantics the branch of linguistics that studies the meanings of linguistic units. Semantics can also be defined as an aspect of the study of signs in semiotics or as the meaning of linguistic units. [This article will discuss linguistic semantics, that is, semantics as first defined above. ] The term â€Å"semasiology† is historically a synonym for â€Å"semantics. † In linguistic semantics, the elementary object of study consists of the three elements of the linguistic sign- especially the word- considered in their unity: the signifier, the denotatum, and the signified. The signifier is the external element, the sequence of sounds or graphic signs. It is linked with the denotatum (a signified object or phenomenon of reality) and with the referent (an object or phenomenon signified by a given linguistic unit within an utterance or by an utterance as a whole). It is also linked with the signified, which is the reflection of that object or phenomenon in human consciousness. The signified is the result of the social understanding of reality and is usually identical to a concept or mental representation. The three-way link of signifier-denotatum-signified constitutes the category of meaning and the basic unit of semantics. These tripartite units enter into regular and systemic relationships with one another. One unit may be compared to another on the basis of one of the three elements: the signified (in the case of synonyms), the signifier (in the case of homonyms), and the denotatum and referent (in the case of a special form of synonymy known as transformation or periphrasis). Synonymy, homonymy, periphrasis (transformation), and polysemy form the basis of the systemic quality in semantics. The systemic quality is manifested most clearly in relatively small groups of words that are similar in one respect (in which they are synonyms) and opposed in another (in which they are antonyms). Such groupings, which differ depending on the language, constitute structural oppositions. For example, the Russian words  ekhat  (â€Å"to go [by vehicle]†),  idti  (â€Å"to go [on foot]†)  plyt’  (â€Å"to swim,† â€Å"to go [by boat]†), and  letet’ (â€Å"to fly†) have a common feature of â€Å"human locomotion† but are opposed as regards the feature of â€Å"means of locomotion. Such features within groups are studied and described as components of meaning or semantic factors. Elementary word groups may be combined in a relationship of content, forming thematic groups and semantic and lexical â€Å"fields. † For example, all the means of expressing the concept of joy in a given language constitute the lexica l-semantic field â€Å"joy. † Linguistic semantics seeks to provide a complete description of the semantic system of a given language in the form of a thesaurus. The thesaurus vividly demonstrates that semantics preserves what results from the reflection and comprehension of the objective world in human social practice. For example, the concepts â€Å"to be,† â€Å"to have,† â€Å"time,† â€Å"form,† and â€Å"content,† which were developed in European culture, may be represented differently or not at all in other cultures. In the language of the Hopi Indians, there are no nouns of the type â€Å"spring,† â€Å"winter,† â€Å"present,† and â€Å"future†; corresponding- but not identical- concepts are expressed adverbially (for example, â€Å"when warm†). Rain† is named as an object (substance) in Indo-European languages but as a process (feature) in the American Indian language of the Hupa (literally, â€Å"it comes down†). On the other hand, the opposition of substance (â€Å"object†) and feature (â€Å"process,† â€Å"action,† and so fort h) is objective and universal: every language maintains the opposition through its own means and within the framework of its own system as an opposition between noun and verb. Semantics seeks to discover and study these universal semantic categories. The polysemant is a most important object of semantic study and one of the key points in the interrelationships between system and speech (or text). It represents a complex of lexical-semantic variants, related to one another in the system as specific lexical meanings and behaving in speech as the concrete realization of these meanings. In speech or text, words also enter into elementary relationships of another type. The relationships are determined by the ability of words to combine with one another. The combinations permitted by the system of a language determine the distribution of each word relative to others. For example, the distribution will vary for the Russian words  krichat’ (vo vsiu moch’) (â€Å"to shout [with all one’s might]†),  bezhat’(vo vse lopatki) (â€Å"to run [as fast as one  can]†), pozdravliat’ (ot vsego serdtsa) (â€Å"to congratulate [with all one’s heart]†), and  naedat’sia (do otvala) (â€Å"to eat [until one can eat no more]†). The distributive analysis of meanings is a special task of semantics. The word combinations  vo vsiu moch’, vo vse lopatki, ot vsego serdtsa, and  do otvala  have the common meaning of â€Å"to the highest degree,† but the specific form used to express this meaning depends on the combining word; thus,  vo vsiu moch’  is combined with  krichat’, vo vse lopatkiwith  bezhat’, and so forth. The form of expression is therefore a function of the combination. Semantics seeks to discover and study such functions- known as lexical parameters- which allow extensive groups of words, word combinations, and sentences to be represented as systemic periphrases (transformations) of one another. The creation of a thesaurus of functions is a long-range task of semantics. When transformations are studied, the distinction between lexical semantics (the meaning of root morphemes, words, and word combinations) and grammatical semantics (the study of the meanings of grammatical forms) recedes into the background, and traditional semasiology becomes simply a part of semantics. On the other hand, the distinction between the denotatum and the referent becomes essential. Thought correspondence to the denotatum is called meaning, and thought correspondence to the referent and the reflection in consciousness of a whole situation is often called sense. Thus, the content of the term â€Å"semantics† expands and semantics acquires a new task: to study the system of such â€Å"senses. † The study is known as syntactic semantics. Semantics also studies characteristic changes in meaning that occur in the history of a language and seeks to discover semantic laws. The conceptual fund of a language is divided into that which is the common property of all members of a given society and that which is the property of science. The former includes the everyday, â€Å"naive,† or linguistic, concepts (the â€Å"immediate† meanings of words), whereas the latter includes scientific concepts and terms (the â€Å"more distant† meanings of words). An example of the difference is seen in the colloquial use of the Russian word  kapital  to mean a large sum of money and the specialized use of the term in political economy to mean capital. One general semantic law is that everyday words having features in common with scientific concepts constantly strive to merge their parameters of content with those of the scientific terms. Key cultural terms, which differ for each era, occupy a special place between everyday and scientific concepts. Such key terms include â€Å"civilization,† â€Å"revolution,† â€Å"democracy,† â€Å"science,† â€Å"technology,† â€Å"individual,† â€Å"love,† and â€Å"machine. † The meanings of a language’s everyday words and the dominant ideas of society are combined in the semantic content of these terms. In studying the development of key cultural terms and concepts of different types, the tasks of semantics coincide with those of cultural history and semiotics. Semantics emerged in the late 19th century, simultaneously in Russia (M. M. Pokrovskii) and France (M. Breal), as a historical discipline studying semantic laws. According to the aspect of the semantics of language that is taken as the basis for the discipline, various directions are distinguished. These directions include analysis of lexical-semantic variation (V. V. Vinogradov, A. I. Smirnitskii, N. N. Amosova, A. A. Ufimtseva, and D. N. Shmelev of the USSR); oppositive (componential) analysis, or semantic factoring (L. Hjelmslev of Denmark, A. Kroeber and W. Goodenough of the USA, and O. N. Seliverstova of the USSR); and the method of fields and thesauri (R. Hailing and W. Wartburg of the Federal Republic of Germany and Iu. N. Karaulov of the USSR). Among other directions are distributive analysis (R. Langacker of the USA and V. A. Zvegintsev and Iu. D. Apresian of the USSR); logical-transformational analysis based on the category of lexical parameter, or function (I. A. Mel’chuk and Iu. D. Apresian of the USSR and A. Wierzbicka of Poland); and analysis of key cultural terms (G. Matore and E. Benveniste of France and Iu. S. Sorokin and R. A. Budagov of the USSR).

Makeup economic assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Makeup economic assignment - Essay Example The following is a household budget that illustrates how the student should allocate his income. The purpose of this projected monthly household budget is to ensure that the graduate avoids the risk of unexpected expenses such as enrolling for unpredicted courses. Since the graduate lives and works in Des Moines, IA, which is among the estates with high living standards, it is logic to budget for a housing and food cost of $14,000 and $4,000 respectively. In order to improve transport efficiency and convenience, the graduate should purchase a personal vehicle at the cost of $8,000 payable in monthly installments of $500. Therefore, the graduate must budget for the vehicle monthly insurance of $150. The vehicle will be necessary since it will enable the graduate to avoid transport inconveniences due to public transport means. In addition, the graduate should adopt a budget plan that will enable him repay the education loan. The above budget plan proposes a monthly amount of $800 to settle the total loan of $10,000 in a period of 12.5 months. The budget also proposes that the graduate should allocate a total of $2,000 for entertainment and recreation. According to the above monthly budget, the graduate should set a total of $500 and $50 for clothing and medical insurance cover respectively. Making payments for the medical insurance cover will enable the graduate to avoid paying huge amount of money when he or she is going through any medication. Moreover, it will be a nice decision for the graduate to look for means of investments. This will enable the graduate to increase his total monthly income, hence improving his or her living standards. Therefore, the above Monthly budget entails that the graduate should budget for monthly investments of $12,000 as a way of attracting extra income. The graduate shou ld also allocate some money for miscellaneous. This is for purchasing other essential things such as

HIST 1400 assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

HIST 1400 - Assignment Example Enlightenment philosophies diluted the pretenses of previous strict principles (Cole, 2013). Enlightenment philosophies did not embrace the idea of liberation of mind and morality. As a result, it became hard for such ways of thinking to differentiate liberation of the mind from the idea of inevitability. I think the French revolution was more revolutionary than the American one. This because the French were against a society of social classes and the idea that aristocracy is innate. This movement practically spread the idea that all people are born as equals and that there is no elite class in a community of human beings (Cole, 2013). On the other hand, American revolutionists simply wanted to establish their own rule away from the influence of the British, the colonizers. American revolutionists were against the idea of paying taxes to the British without any representation in the government. I agree with historian Simon Schama that violence was a â€Å"source of collective energy† for the French revolution. The violence of the French Revolution was avoidable. It is possible to imagine a course of events in which violence was not so prevalent during the French Revolution. If the king adhered to the revolutionists’ demands and made an effort to establish a constitutional government, violence would not have been necessary (Cole,

The wedding banquet by Ang Lee Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The wedding banquet by Ang Lee - Movie Review Example The film’s main plot revolves around immigrant homosexual couples, named as Wai-Tung Gao (from Taiwan) and Simon. But Wai-Tung was forced to marry a bankrupt lady named as Wei-Wei. Besides, Wai-Tung agrees to marry because he does not like to dishearten his parents. Meanwhile, Wei-Wei gets impregnated from Wai-Tung. On the other side, Wai-Tung discloses his sexual interest to his mother. In the end, Wai-Tung’s father accepts his son’s sexual interest and goes back to his motherland. Besides, Wei-Wei gives birth to a child and accepts Simon to her family. In short, sexual orientation becomes acceptable within Wai-Tung’s private circle. In the film, the director makes use of the main characters as his mouthpiece to share his opinion on homosexuality. Cliff Mills opines that, â€Å"The Wedding Banquet script is based on a true story about a gay Taiwanese immigrant living in New York City with his partner† (59). One can see that the gay couple in the film tries to hide their sexual interest because they consider that the society will not accept their relationship. Besides, the problems faced by the gay couple can be generalized to the wider context of the social problems faced by gay people. Still, the female protagonist (say, Wei-Wei) shows acceptance to the gay couple. In short, the director sheds light into the problems faced by gay people. In the film, the western society does not hesitate to accept homosexual people to the core of the society. On the other side, those who represent Eastern society hesitate to accept homosexuality as a sexual interest. Fran Martin states that, â€Å"In its negotiation of the positioning of Taiwan vis-a-vis the US and hence ‘the rest of the world’, The Wedding Banquet stages a kind of postcolonial cultural clash between two regimes of sexuality: broadly a ‘Chinese-familial’ regime, and a regime of ‘American gay identity’ † (143). To be specific, the

Asign 4 mj Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Asign 4 mj - Assignment Example ional strengths and weaknesses, which together constitute the validity and applicability of the content and approach of the author, to the Indian energy sector as well as the overall wellbeing of the world’s environmental demands. Thus, the critical analysis of the aforementioned heading entails an integration of the factual aspect of the anticipated energy implementations in India, as juxtaposed with the adverse consequences that emerges forthwith. In view of the duo consideration, one feel the weight of each concerning the subject matter, thus decision-making and value judgment becomes inevitable. At the epicenter of Indian steadfast push for renewable energy, lies the promise delivered by the Modi government to ensure development of a solar power production plant that can be in a position of supplying no less than energy equivalent to that consumable by one electric bulb across every home within the Indian Territory by the year 20191. This comes amidst statistical evidence projecting an explosion of Indian demand for energy doubling over the next two decades. Thus, the construction of the 4000-megawatt solar power plant in the Thar Desert is of crucial essence concerning the critical analysis of this article2. Nevertheless, the negative criticism of this landmark project comes handy in view of the adverse effects to flamingoes and other migratory birds that spend a better part of the winter at the wetland regions in close proximity. Additionally, the Indian eagerness to fund massive wind power generating plants is as well in line with the push for renewable energy. Despite the fact that in India for instance, there is over 40% wind power installation in the state of Tamil Nadu, it remains unreliable for use by the people due to the unpredictability of the plummet and occasional augment of the winds, which cause grid destabilization. The carbon cycle represents a number of processes that together form the specific zones in which carbon IV oxide is stored. Of

The Role of Lead Users in New Product Development Essay

The Role of Lead Users in New Product Development - Essay Example This paper discusses that given the dynamic environment within which the marketing activity is carried out, there is no gain saying the fact that product innovation occupy a very prime position in the quest to maintain relevance in the market of a modern economy. As the report stresses lead users maybe defined as a sample population of a manufacturers intended market, who get to use a new product before it is actually launched in the market and name generally available to every would be user. A very important indicator of the health of a company is its customer satisfaction index. This all important indicator can be known only after a thorough market analysis, which can be achieved when the lead users approach is adopted. The ultimate aim in the mind of manufacturers is to make sales and by extensions make profit considering that more sales is a strong indicator of a company’s performance at any given time. Lead users aid market research because it results in systematic gathering, recording and analysis of every data concerning the response of the consumers to the new product. These are the potential customer base of the company and how they react is an indicator of market tendencies and effective business plans can then be created by the manufacturers. The most likely portion of the population to patronize the products are exposed via this approach to market analysis. At a very early stage product downsides are discovered and improved upon.

International finance strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

International finance strategy - Essay Example Dividend policy pertains to the practice of company’s management in providing dividend payments or taking decisions related to the pattern and size of dividend cash distributions, which are to be made by the company to its shareholders (Nissam and Ziv, 2001). This decision to distribute company profits is critical for the company as it influences the capital structure as well as the stock prices. There are three basic contradictory theories in relation to dividend policies of firms. The first view in this regard claims that increase in dividend payments help to improve firm value. This is the bird in hand argument. The second view postulates that high payouts in the form of dividends have a conflicting effect on value of firm and is known as the tax preference argument. The third view is the dividend irrelevance hypothesis, which asserts that dividend decisions are irrelevant and dividend policy decision has no significant effect on the firm. Corporate managers have been able to realize that dividend payments are necessary to satisfy expectations of the company shareholders. They have tried to smooth out dividends over a long period of time because it is believed that reducing dividends might uphold an unfavourable image of the company to its shareholders. Hence, dividends are also used to give signals to the market about company performance and stability. Dividend policies have a huge impact on a company’s stock prices. There has been an ongoing debate regarding the impact of a firm’s dividend policy over its value and capital structure decisions since 1950s. The following sections shall discuss the issue in detail. In financial terms, the capital structure is a framework based on which a company finances the assets in combination of equity, debt and hybrid form of securities. The capital structure of a company is simply the formation of a company’s liabilities. According to

Asign 4 mj Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Asign 4 mj - Assignment Example ional strengths and weaknesses, which together constitute the validity and applicability of the content and approach of the author, to the Indian energy sector as well as the overall wellbeing of the world’s environmental demands. Thus, the critical analysis of the aforementioned heading entails an integration of the factual aspect of the anticipated energy implementations in India, as juxtaposed with the adverse consequences that emerges forthwith. In view of the duo consideration, one feel the weight of each concerning the subject matter, thus decision-making and value judgment becomes inevitable. At the epicenter of Indian steadfast push for renewable energy, lies the promise delivered by the Modi government to ensure development of a solar power production plant that can be in a position of supplying no less than energy equivalent to that consumable by one electric bulb across every home within the Indian Territory by the year 20191. This comes amidst statistical evidence projecting an explosion of Indian demand for energy doubling over the next two decades. Thus, the construction of the 4000-megawatt solar power plant in the Thar Desert is of crucial essence concerning the critical analysis of this article2. Nevertheless, the negative criticism of this landmark project comes handy in view of the adverse effects to flamingoes and other migratory birds that spend a better part of the winter at the wetland regions in close proximity. Additionally, the Indian eagerness to fund massive wind power generating plants is as well in line with the push for renewable energy. Despite the fact that in India for instance, there is over 40% wind power installation in the state of Tamil Nadu, it remains unreliable for use by the people due to the unpredictability of the plummet and occasional augment of the winds, which cause grid destabilization. The carbon cycle represents a number of processes that together form the specific zones in which carbon IV oxide is stored. Of

International finance strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

International finance strategy - Essay Example Dividend policy pertains to the practice of company’s management in providing dividend payments or taking decisions related to the pattern and size of dividend cash distributions, which are to be made by the company to its shareholders (Nissam and Ziv, 2001). This decision to distribute company profits is critical for the company as it influences the capital structure as well as the stock prices. There are three basic contradictory theories in relation to dividend policies of firms. The first view in this regard claims that increase in dividend payments help to improve firm value. This is the bird in hand argument. The second view postulates that high payouts in the form of dividends have a conflicting effect on value of firm and is known as the tax preference argument. The third view is the dividend irrelevance hypothesis, which asserts that dividend decisions are irrelevant and dividend policy decision has no significant effect on the firm. Corporate managers have been able to realize that dividend payments are necessary to satisfy expectations of the company shareholders. They have tried to smooth out dividends over a long period of time because it is believed that reducing dividends might uphold an unfavourable image of the company to its shareholders. Hence, dividends are also used to give signals to the market about company performance and stability. Dividend policies have a huge impact on a company’s stock prices. There has been an ongoing debate regarding the impact of a firm’s dividend policy over its value and capital structure decisions since 1950s. The following sections shall discuss the issue in detail. In financial terms, the capital structure is a framework based on which a company finances the assets in combination of equity, debt and hybrid form of securities. The capital structure of a company is simply the formation of a company’s liabilities. According to

Fast Food in Malaysia Essay Example for Free

Fast Food in Malaysia Essay Restaurants have been around in some form for most of human civilization. But they usually catered to travelers. As far back as ancient Greece and Rome, inns and taverns generally served food to people who had a reason to be away from home. This trend continued until relatively recently. Although taverns and coffee houses were popular places to gather and share beverages in the 17th century, the idea of eating out for fun didnt take off in Western society until the late 18th century. Although McDonalds was the first restaurant to use the assembly-line system, some people think of White Castle as the first fast-food chain. White Castle was founded in 1921 in Wichita, Kansas. At the time, most people considered the burgers sold at fairs, circuses, lunch counters and carts to be low-quality. Many people thought hamburger came from slaughterhouse scraps and spoiled meat. White Castles founders decided to change the publics perception of hamburgers. They built their restaurants so that customers could see the food being prepared. They painted the buildings white and even chose a name that suggested cleanliness. White Castle was most popular in the American East and Midwest, but its success helped give hamburger meat a better reputation nationwide. So, like cars, White Castle played an important part in the development of fast food. Image courtesy Brands of the World The McDonald brothers opened their redesigned restaurant in 1948, and several fast-food chains that exist today opened soon after. Burger King and Taco Bell got their start in the 1950s, and Wendys opened in 1969. Some chains, like Carls Jr. , KFC and Jack in the Box, existed before the Speedee Service System, but modified their cooking techniques after its debut. McDonalds, which started it all, is now the worlds largest fast-food chain. According to the National Restaurant Association, American sales of fast food totaled $163. 5 billion in 2005 [ref]. The industry is growing globally as well. Total sales for McDonalds grew 5. 6 percent in 2005, and the company now has 30,000 franchised stores in more than 120 countries [ref and ref]. However, McDonalds and fast food in general does not always get a welcoming reception around the world. McDonalds restaurants have been attacked in several countries, including the United States, China, Belgium, Holland, India, Russia, Sweden and the U. K. Protestors have accused McDonalds and other chains of selling unhealthy food, marketing aggressively to children and undermining local values and culture.

Science Empiricism Rationalism

Science Empiricism Rationalism The term social science is a misnomer which masks the necessarily different epistemic methods and ontological realities consistent with natural and social realms respectively. Critically appraise this claim In this essay I intend to dispute the notion that the term social science is a misnomer. Firstly, I will define social science, and then focus on the differences between rationalism and empiricism without whose existence there would be no epistemology. Empiricism will receive more attention due to the fact that that it has become the dominant epistemic approach, systematically and rigorously expressed through its offspring, ie ,materialism, sensism, positivism and naturalism. Second, I intend to allow ontological realities to manifest themselves through Kants articulation as both an empiricist and a rationalist. This will dispel uninteresting dichotomies and allow one to stand back, as it were, from ones own analysis of the topic. EPISTEMIC APPROACHES WITHIN THE NATURAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCES:Rationalism and Empiricism. According to Marshall social science is a general label applied to the study of society and human relationships†¦The designation of an area of study as a social science usually carries the implication that it is comparable in many ways to a natural science (1994 :493). The implication here is that natural and social reality can be studied in the same way because both realities consist of relationships between facts, eg, cause and effect. Note should be taken of the fact that rationalists and empiricists, despite their different approaches in their quest for knowledge, have both contributed immensely to the birth of different academic disciplines to which even modern day intellectuals subscribe. More interesting is that each of the two epistemic approaches claims their method of enquiry gives birth to valid information or certainty. According to Hamlyn rationalism ,whose founder is Descartes is an epistemological doctrine that puts weight on reason or understanding, as distinct from the senses or sense perception(1987:134).On the other hand empiricists believe the only source of knowledge is experience. John Locke held the view that the scope of our knowledge is limited to, and by, our experience(Stumpf,1983:254). RATIONALISM (i)Descartes: This philosophical movement was initiated by Descartes and carried on with varying degrees of thoroughness by Spinoza and Leibniz†¦(Hamlyn, 1987:134). A rationalist relies on logic and principles of reasonableness in order to arrive at a conclusion. One would clarify this by giving an example popularized by Rene Descartes that it is only in relation to thinking that I am certain that I exist(Hamlyn,1987:138).Descartes continues to maintain that existence must be a property of a being who is conceived of as possessing all attributes in perfection (Hamlyn,1987:141).Kant opposed this view citing experience was not a property of a thing in the way that Descartes supposes. Leibniz went further by maintaining that existence depends on whether that conception is coherent or involves a contradiction(Hamlyn,1987:140).One can partly agree with Descartes view that existence is a property of a being, but to say that its creator is perfect is a product of human imagination. Perfection, by th e way, remains an imaginary construct when taking into account the context in which Descartes states his case. For example, in order for one to be declared perfect, one has to adhere to the standard guidelines which should be followed in order to create a particular thing or use a previous model as a yardstick or even improve on it. It is ones belief that rationalism has not been a dominant epistemic approach. Kant and Locke, for example, have imbibed both epistemic approaches. To take it further most modern day individuals employ both approaches in their daily activities. (ii)Spinoza There was also another rationalist called Spinoza in whose views rationalism received its most systematic and rigorous expression. His main work was called ethics. According to Stumpf ethics is concerned with actions that can be labeled right or wrong, good or bad, desirable or undesirable, worthy or unworthy. Also, ethics, is concerned with ones personal responsibility, duty, or obligation for his behaviour(1983:1)His concern with ethics should be understood in its proper context in that both the means and goals of social science investigation are intrinsically bound up with ethical considerations, especially when conducting research involving human subjects, eg., protection of privacy through informed consent. According to Hamlyn Spinoza provides †¦a striking contrast with Descartes ,who had little concern with things ethical(1987:149).Spinoza felt that there are three kinds of knowledge, ie, knowledge of vague experience- when we generalize from casual and confused experience. The second kind is identified with reason, and the third one is intuition(Hamlyn,1987:152).The second and third kinds of knowledge reflect a rationalist view in that they are necessarily true, and reason regards things as necessary (iii)Leibniz According to Stumpf Leibniz was dissatisfied with the way Descartes and Spinoza had described the nature of substance because he felt they had distorted our understanding of human nature(1983:246).Spinoza defines substance as that which is in itself: I mean that the conception of which does not depend on the conception of another thing from which it must be formed(Stumpf,1983:241).Leibniz on the other hand takes it that substance as a basic form of existence must be absolutely simple ,for if it were complex it would be secondary to whatever it is composed of (Hamlyn,1987:159).This means that Leibniz and Spinoza somehow agree that substance should not depend on anything other that itself to exist. But one would argue that their view has defied logic in that every entity or substance is an offspring or a product of a particular thing. It is interesting that Leibniz, despite being a rationalist, sought empirical evidence to defend his principle that no two substances can differ solo numero (Hamlyn, 1987:162-163). He pointed to considerations that tree leaves are all different, and subscribed to similar evidence which was assessed through the newly invented microscope. EMPIRICISM According to Comte, empiricism is an epistemological doctrine that all knowledge proper must be subject to canons of verification in terms of experience(Hamlyn,1987:275). Marshall (1994:149) defines empiricism as a term often used, loosely, to describe an orientation to research which emphasizes the collection of facts and observations, at the expense of conceptual reflection and theoretical enquiry. This implies that knowledge must undergo rigorous interrogation so as to be sure that it has not defied science. Empiricism presents itself in four ways: Materialism, sensism, positivism, and naturalism. (i)Materialism: According to Marshall materialism means a range of metaphysical positions (philosophical views about the fundamental nature of reality)†¦Whereas in classical times matter had been opposed to form, the dominant early modern contrast was between matter and spirit or mind(1994:315).Thinking of societies in terms of physical or material properties may be called materialism. We must also explain nature in terms of materialism. (ii)Sensism According to Knight all materialists are of course sensists†¦Locke as one the empiricists, derives all simple ideas from external experience (sensations), all compound ideas modes, substances) from internal experience (reflection) (1999:1-see bibl.12 ).One can argue that sensism is problematic in that perceptions and judgements may differ with different individuals, leading to incessant speculation. (iii)Positivism The acknowledged founder of positivism was the French philosopher and social scientist Auguste Comte. He also came up with the invention of the term Sociology.In the context of positivism, positive facts are things that can be observed or measured. Positivists argue that only that which can be observed and measured can be studied†¦(Le Roux et al,1986:174).This means that positivists regard grounding as very important in positive facts. An example would be Durkheims statement that there is a relationship between social integration and suicide(Haralambos,1980:496).This is real in that integration of people from various backgrounds, with different cultures can cause tension , alienation and personality disorganization According to Keat and Urry several conventionalist philosophers of science have been influenced by the later writings of Wittgenstein, and realist philosophy of science has partly been developed from the standpoint of scientific realism, a position which is opposed both to logical positivism and also to the movement of analytical philosophy inspired by Wittgenstein, Ryle and Austin(1980:6).It must be understood that although the realist and the positivist share amongst others a conception of science as an empirically-based, rational and objective enterprise, there is an important difference between explanation and prediction. Keat and Urry say that, for the realist, a scientific theory is a description of structures and mechanisms which causally generate the observable phenomena, a description which enables us to explain them(1980:5) It is worth mentioning how these varying accounts of positivism and realism expose knowledge as an elusive concept. After ones acceptance of positivism as irrefutable conception of the natural science, realism demands that we discover the necessary connections between phenomena, by deconstructing the observable phenomena. According to Keat and Urry†¦we must get beyond the mere appearances of things, to their natures and essences(1980:5).In a nutshell one can say that we have to peel away layers of constructed meaning to reveal the underlying layers of meaning that were suppressed or assumed in order for the phenomenon to take its actual form. Focus will be on three empiricists: (i)John Locke:(1632-1704) According to Hamlyn, the purpose of Locke is to enquire into the original, certainty, and extent of human knowledge, together with the grounds and degrees of belief, opinion and assent, without meddling with the physical consideration of the mind(1987:168-169).This implies that he is concerned with the limits of human understanding and one is bound to believe that Locke does not want any kind of social construct to be attached to this process, so as to give it independence. According to Kenny, Locke is forever talking about ideas(1994:129).This is evident in his first book entitled Of Innate Notions which contains a sharp attack on the notion of innate ideas. Hamlyn says Locke is concerned with two things: (i)whether there is innate knowledge of principles; and (ii)whether what he sometimes calls the materials of that knowledge; the ideas on which the knowledge is based, are innate. That distinction between knowledge and ideas affects the whole Essay(1987:169).One might assume that Lockes preoccupation or obsession with ideas was prompted by his intellectual rival, Descartes, who according to Kenny wrote that an infant in its mothers womb has in itself the ideas of God, itself, and all truths which are said to be self-evident, it has these ideas no less than adults have when they are not paying attention to them, and it does not acquire them afterwards when it grows up(1994:128). One can argue that innate ideas do exist, and they mature with time because exposure to externalities. The outside world will decide on their validity. Marshall says that Peter Berger and Thomas Luckman, in The Social Construction Of Reality(1966), view social processes as a dialectic of externalization and internalization(1994:167).According to Stumpf, Lockess fellow empiricists Bacon and Hobbes had urged that knowledge should be built upon observation (1983:254).This means that knowledge should be a product of scientific enquiry. Locke discarded the notion that we all came here with a standard stock of ideas built into the mind(Stumpf,1983:257).He said the origin of his ideas is experience, and experience takes two forms, sensation and reflection. What he elucidated was that we cannot have the experience of reflection (mind taking note of its operations) until we have had the experience of the sensation (ideas). (ii)George Berkeley: (1685-1752) Berkeley was influenced by Locke although according to Kenny, his importance in philosophy is largely as a critic of Locke(1994:140).His principal criticisms focus on three heads: the notion of abstract general ideas, the distinction between primary and secondary qualities, and the concept of material substance(1994:140).Because of Berkeleys criticism, Lockes empiricism is reduced into a unique form of idealism. 1.ABSTRACT IDEAS Lockes view that words represent ideas and general words correspond to abstract general ideas has come under attack from Berkeley. Locke says in his Essay, that according to the representational theory, a general idea is a particular idea which has been made general by being made for all of a kind, in the way in which a geometry teacher draws a particular triangle to represent all triangles(Kenny,1994:140).There is also what Kenny calls the eliminative theory, according to whom the general idea is a particular idea which contains only what is common to all particulars of the same kind. Berkeley is interested in how Locke combines features of the two theories. According to Kenny, Berkeley says it takes pains and skill to form the general idea of a triangle-for it must be neither oblique nor rectangle, neither equilateral, equicrural nor scalenon, but all and none of these at once(1994:140).One can say that eliminative theory and representational theory are two sides of the same coin in that in eliminative theory, the idea becomes a general idea when the unwanted group is eliminated. With regard to the representational theory, an idea becomes a general idea when all subscribe to it. Kenny accuses both Locke and Berkeley of using the word idea to mean to mean indifferently a sense-experience, an image, a secondary quality, or a concept(1994:140). IDEAS AND QUALITIES We must move from the premise that one of Berkeleys views is that distance is not something immediately perceived but something constructed from certain orderly relations of the ideas of different senses in the mind. According to Shand, the equating of ideas with sensible things, which thereby makes sensible things mind-dependent, eliminates each of the following forms of skepticism produced by materialism and Cartesianism(1993:132): (a)The existence of sensible things. The problem is solved because the skeptic cannot drive a wedge between ideas if the objects of sense are ideas. (b)The nature of sensible things. Science aspires only to map the regular correlations between ideas ,that is between phenomena. (c)The existence and nature of God. The problem is eliminated by making God indispensable. Gods existence is seen as the real cause of those ideas that are not caused by our imaginations and as the sustainer of those ideas we do not actually perceive, the supposition that God does not exist is refuted by almost every experience we have. (d)How matter and spirit can interact. This problem is eliminated by denying the existence of material substance; then the problem of interaction between spirit and matter simply does not arise(1993:132-133) The implication here is that Berkeley believes that anything that can be sensed actually exists. THE CONCEPT OF MATERIAL SUBSTANCE (i) One should also note that Berkeley is an opponent of materialism. According to Shand, Berkeley it is impossible for matter to have only primary qualities such as extension, solidity, movement. He believes that we cannot conceive of a shape which is no colour, and therefore the conception of matter required for materialism is impossible. He instead suggests that all matter should have all secondary qualities, from which primary qualities cannot be separated (1993:133).One can assume that he is referring to qualities such as weight, sound, taste and identity. To say that every matter must be able to move is not accurately correct in that not all matter is a living organism; (ii) Berkeley says that what exists has got to be a product of something. In his own words he argues that it is a logical contradiction to talk of conceiving of a thing which exists unconceived (Shand,1993:133).But Shand sees this as a fallacious argument in that it is not possible for A to be conceived of, and at the same time both exist and be a thing unconceived, but that does not mean at some other time A could not exist as an unconceived-of A, thus there is nothing contradictory in A existing unthought about (1993;133).This means that A does not necessarily have to be thought about in order to exist. (iii) Berkeley argues that if secondary qualities (colour, taste, heat, sound, etc.) are ideas in the mind, as Locke does, then the same applies to primary qualities (shape, size, motion, solidity),for these two vary with the observer (Shand, 1993:133).Colour is arguably not an idea in the mind because one can see it. It is not clear whether, according to Berkeley, secondary qualities also include things that one cannot touch. (iv) This argument pertains to pain and heat. Berkeley holds the view that when we are close to the, heat is felt as pain in the mind, and when we are a distance away the heat is merely felt as warmth (Shand,1993:133-134).The argument here is that since the pain is not in the fire, then it must be in the mind. (v) Berkeley compares the notion of matter with what Locke has to say about substance in general. Locke suggests that substance is characterized by being the support of all qualities, the qualities cannot subsist alone. But Berkeley argues that an attempt to give substance a positive characterization is impossible, since to do so would attribute qualities to it. This would render substance a qualityless something. Although Berkeley sees this as a perfectly flawless argument, he believes that no materialist would suggest that matter is qualityless (Kenny,1994:134).This would mean that substance and qualities cannot exist in the absence of the other. DAVID HUME (1711-1776) He is said to have carried empiricism to its fullest expression. He believed the scientific method could lead us to a clear understanding of human nature and in particular the workings of the human mind(Stumpf, 1983:270-271).Some commentators find it difficult the precise position of Hume. The difference with Hume was that if we used the scientific method to determine truth, we must according to Stumpf, accept the limits of knowledge(1983:272).Probably he was expressing doubt about the efficacy of scientific enquiry in clarifying pertinent issues. According to Hamlyn, the doctrine that every simple idea is derived from simple impression is the center-point of Humes empiricism, and that it is crucial for his philosophy(1987:190).Both Hume and Locke opine that impressions are of sensation but disagree on reflection because Humes account seems different from Lockes. He (Hume) holds the view that impressions are distinguishable from ideas by their superior force and vivacity(Hamlyn,1987:190).This might be the case because of the complexity of impressions. Hamlyn sees this as a very important principle, and one which Hume inherited from Berkeley which is :one cannot distinguish between impressions and ideas by reference to anything outside them, only by internal properties such as their liveliness(1987:190).One can simplify this by making reference to pain. The only person who feels the pain is the one who is hurt and nobody else. One cannot for example, merely look at the husband and confirm that the wife is feeling pain , nor can the husband know how much pain is felt by the wife. NATURALISM According to Knight, naturalism consists essentially in looking upon nature as the one original and fundamental source of all that exists, and in attempting to explain everything in terms of nature(1999:1). What this means is that all events find their satisfactory experience within nature itself. There are two traditions that claim to understand the problem of naturalism. These are the naturalist and anti-naturalist traditions. The former claims that the sciences are (actually or ideally) unified with positivist principles. For the latter the subject matter of the social sciences consists essentially of meaningful objects, and their aim is the elucidation of the meaning of these objects(Bhaskar, 1979:241). A naturalist traditions association with positivist principles means that it relies on measurement and observation in order to study a phenomenon. The anti-naturalist tradition, one would argue, looks beyond observable phenomena by enquiring as to what the object is made of. Bhaskar argues that the two disputants ironically share a common error in accepting an essentially positivist account of natural science, or at least an empiricist ontology. One would argue that there is nothing wrong in adopting a positivist approach when interrogating natural science, because essentially positivism deals with things that can be observed and measured. It must be understood that there is a fundamental contrast between social and natural science. With regard to the latter the discovery of intelligible connections in its subject matter is not equally the goal of natural scientific explanation(Bhaskar,1979:2). Instead this applies to social science. It is argued that the recent developments in the philosophy of science permit a reconsideration of the problem of naturalism(Bhaskar, 1979:3). These could be the varying views brought about by the naturalists and anti-naturalists. For example, Winchs anti-naturalism depends on empiricist theories of existence and causality. Now Bhaskar argues that if science employs a causal criterion for ascribing reality and causal laws are tendencies, his contrast collapses(1979:3). This means that if causal laws apply to science, then it applies top both natural and social science, and more important is it has become a tendency; Bhaskar defines naturalism as the thesis that there is (or can be) an essential unity of method between the natural and social services. It has two species: reductionism which asserts that there is an actual identity of subject matter as well, and scientism, which denies that there are any significant differences in the methods appropriate to studying social and natural objects, whether or not they are actually (as in reductionism) identified (1979:3).What is noteworthy is that these factions of naturalism talk in universals almost to a point of denying an opposite view the right to existence. In a nutshell, science is just whatever scientists do, and it is expected of them to differ in the way they solicit knowledge. ONTOLOGICAL REALITIES Marshall defines ontology as anyway of understanding the world, or some part of it, must make assumptions(which may be implicit or explicit) about what kinds of things do or can exist in that domain, and what might be their conditions of existence, relations of dependency, and so on(1994:367).He goes on to say the core of the philosophical project of metaphysics is to provide an ontology of the world as a whole. One will note that by focusing on the world as a whole, there will be a systematic arrangement of the relations between the social and natural sciences. Focus will be on Kant because he is both an empiricist and rationalist. KANT We must move from the premise that Kant is both an empiricist and a rationalist, in that he tried to reconcile rationalism empiricism by arguing that while knowledge itself comes from experience, the mind uses reason to structure knowledge(Prof. McLeary, see bibliography-No.11).Kant is described as a person who was more interested in science than philosophy, with the aim of making it truly scientific(Kenny, 1994:167).This shows that he really is both an empiricist and a rationalist in that he felt philosophy should also undergo the same rigorous interrogation as other academic disciplines, including the natural sciences. According to Kenny the distinction between a priori and a posteriori is central to Kants undertaking. A priori knowledge which is independent of all experience†¦In addition to a priori knowledge there is also empirical knowledge, knowledge derived from experience which Kant calls knowledge a posteriori'(1994:167).With regard to a priori knowledge, one can cite space as an example because yet one knows it exists. A posteriori refers to things we have seen, or touched or even felt. According to Shand, knowledge for Kant, as for Leibniz, had to be necessary and universally valid(1993:161).We are tempted to believe that if information was not universally accepted as fact, then it would not be regarded as knowledge. Kenny says Kant regarded all of mathematics as belonging to this realm: arithmetic and geometry were synthetic, since they extended our knowledge widely beyond pure logic, and yet they were a priori, deriving not from experience but from intuition(1994:168).This is an interesting philosophical statement in that two contradictory phenomena are combined to produce something qualitatively new, independent of experience, an understanding of which does not require one to be taught or even think hard.coeb ebr seebebw oreb ebk ineb foeb eb! Kant says there are two pure forms of sensible intuition, serving as principles of a priori knowledge, namely space and time(1994:169).It must be noted that both time and space can never be touched. After having asked himself what time and space were, he then came up with the answers. He made a distinction between a metaphysical exposition of an a priori concept and a transcendental exposition. Marshall defines metaphysics as a philosophical project which devises theory of the nature or structure of reality, or of the whole world. Transcendentalism is the belief that God stands outside and independent of the universe of which he is a creator(1994:325538). Kant says that the metaphysical exposition of space and time tells us that space and time are presupposed by, not derived from, experience; that we can imagine space and time without objects, but not objects without space and time, and that there is a single space and a single time, infinite in each case(Kenny, 1994:169).We are bound to believe that objects would not exist if space was non-existent, and that they have time within which they can exist. The transcendental exposition of the concepts of space and time shows how we can know truths about space and time which are not analytic and yet are a priori(Kenny, 1994:169). The implication here is that we do not necessarily have to experience a thing in order to know that it exists. CONCLUSION It has become apparent that social enquirers happen to tamper with the supposed objective enquiry by allowing their personal values to feed into their conclusions. Accepting that matters of value are matters of fact, their values must be correct. The mushrooming of social study over the last 100 or 150 years was partly inspired by the notion that social study was a matter of searching for general laws(Pratt, 1978:72).General laws, one would argue, are rather required by the natural sciences. With regard to social science, a particular kind of human behaviour cannot always be attributed to a particular kind of a problem. Suicide, for example, is not seen by every person as a solution to marital problems. Also, capital punishment does not necessarily deter potential murderers. Within natural science it is usually possible to use rigorous investigative techniques by bringing the objects under study into the laboratory. It is not as easy with humans, because one has to get approval from eg, the individuals themselves or the ethics committee. In a nutshell, we cannot employ the methods of the natural sciences in understanding the social world. This is evident in Winchs statement that †¦whereas the scientist investigates the nature, causes and effects of particular real things and processes, the philosopher is concerned with the nature of reality as such and in general(Hindess,1977:3).The two methods are inextricably intertwined despite their different approaches in their quest for valid knowledge and ability to predict. To declare social science a misnomer is arguably inaccurate in that both epistemic and ontological enquiries are social products employed in pursuit of knowledge for the benefit of society. BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. Bhaskar, R. 1979. 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