Reverse Brain Drain

However, around 60,000 Indian professionals returned In 2010 and reverse rain drain seems to be the silver long on the cloud. It Is because though the global economic meltdown caused an upheaval In the western countries, India withstood the trauma and Is still growing at 6 per cent GAP growth rate. Abound with challenging Jobs, attractive pay packages and an equally good lifestyle, India Is succeeding In bringing back the great minds. The US economy had been reaping huge benefits from the migration of tens of thousands of talented Indians who have settled in the country.However, with a reverse brain drain in recent times, India is gaining and will continue to gain in the Eng term by leveraging this pool of highly educated and skilled workers who also have the western experience. It's been noted that almost half of the start ups in the Silicon Valley are headed by immigrants. Intellectual capital in the form of knowledge of western markets and management techniques has been flowing in . These returnees also possess the essence of the country culture and some experience about the prevalent mindsets.They either Join corporate or make their own start ups thus making the economy more competitive. The foreign experience that they earned also helps them to capitalize on the untapped market and earn better remuneration. The play ground will be level as hundreds of companies are started which provide equal or better opportunities than that available in the western companies. The growth of domestic industries and foreign investments has helped the country to resist the meltdown that has badly affected most of the developed countries.Like everyone else, Mahayana Seriatim left India for US to get a broader world view. He left a job at Google to return and start his own company Greenish Planet which manufactures solar power lamps for rural India. Evades Imitate, after studying at the London Business School, is now a partner at the Iambi branch of Hollered & Struggles. Kanji Shah, studied Design In Atlanta, worked In New York, now owns her company Big Red Tent with his husband which Is trying to broaden the appeal of weekend camping in India.All such ventures create thousands of employment opportunities and compete effectively In World market. With Indian's economic might rolling, expatriates are coming back In Increasing number and In the process It seems that the pastures for them are greener In India now. Reverse Brain Drain By semiquavers chime India is on the brink of an economic upturn as the phenomenon of brain drain has many as 100,000 professionals were heading to the US every year in search of a great career.However, around 60,000 Indian professionals returned in 2010 and reverse brain drain seems to be the silver lining on the cloud. It is because though the global economic meltdown caused an upheaval in the western countries, India withstood the trauma and is still growing at 6 per cent GAP growth rate. Abound with challenging Jobs, attracti ve pay packages and an equally good lifestyle, India is succeeding in bringing back the great minds. Job at Google to return and start his own company Greenish Planet which London Business School, is now a partner at the Iambi branch of Headrace & Struggles. Kanji Shah, studied Design in Atlanta, worked in New York, now owns her company Big Red Tent with his husband which is trying to broaden the appeal of opportunities and compete effectively in World market. With Indian's economic might rising, expatriates are coming back in increasing number and in the process it seems that the pastures for them are greener in India now.

Okonkwo Character Analysis

To help you, my dear clan, learn the importance of not letting your personal flaws be the reason for your downfall, I must tell you about our former clansman, Okonkwo. I watched as his weaknesses and pride brought him down to the point of suicide, which is the escape of cowards. He killed himself because he felt like he had nothing left to live for. Instead of facing a new, changed life in Umuofia, he escaped by taking his own. Before his downward spiral, Okonkwo was known as a self-determined and hard-working man who worked hard to earn many titles amongst our clan.Listen as I explain Okonkwo’s character. Okonkwo’s father was Unoka, who was loved by all amongst the clan. â€Å"He was tall but very thin and had a slight stoop. He wore a haggard and mournful look except when he was drinking or playing on his flute† (4). Unoka was lazy and had many debts that he didn’t pay off yet he was loved. Okonkwo grew up observing his dad mettle through life by living off others. â€Å"But Unoka was such a man that he always succeeded in borrowing more, and piling up debts† (5).Okonkwo watched his father be pitied because he couldn’t feed his wives or children. At his death, Unoka had no titles and he was still greatly in debt. â€Å"Any wonder then that his son Okonkwo was ashamed of him? † (7) Due to his father’s example, Okonkwo knew he wanted to achieve great things and he was determined he would become the opposite of his father. This aspect of Okonkwo’s character leads him to success. Okonkwo succeeded materially in our clan. One particular point of recognition happened when he fought Amanlize the Cat.Amanlize the Cat had not been defeated in seven years, and so when Okonkwo defeated him at the young age of eighteen he became well known throughout our nine villages. Okonkwo continued to grow into a great man. â€Å"He was tall and huge, and his bushy eyebrows and wide nose gave him a very severe look†¦. When he walked his heels hardly touched the ground and he seemed to walk on springs† (3). With his hard work he earned three wives, found financial security, ran a successful yam farm, produced multiple children, built several huts, and received many titles.Unfortunately, as sometimes happens with great men, Okonkwo had flaws. He had a temper, no self-control, he was over confidant, and he beat his poor wives. His most serious flaw was his pride. Just as he’d hoped, Okonkwo became the total opposite of his dad who had been a lazy debtor. His dad had also been a peace loving and kind man who was loved by all in our villages and Okonkwo could not say the same. An instance where Okonkwo let his pride cloud his judgment is when he participated in the killing of Ikemefuna, a boy he was raising as his own son. Okonkwo thought of Ikemefuna as the perfect son.Okonkwo liked that his biological son Nwoye and Ikemefuna were getting along because he was afraid of Nwoye’s lack of manliness. Okonkwo felt that Nwoye hanging around Ikemefuna would make him more of a man. Trouble arose when the Oracle in his village decided that Ikemefuna had to die because he was interfering with Okonkwo and his oldest son, Nwoye’s, relationship. Okonkwo was warned in advanced not to participate in the killing of Ikemefuna, but he did anyway because he was afraid of what the other men in the tribe would think of him if he didn’t participate.Okonkwo was too worried that he would be viewed as weak. His pride drove him to help kill a boy he loved as a son and this greatly harmed his relationship with Nwoye. Okonkwo was also too worried about Nwoye becoming â€Å"womanly† like his father, Unoka, and he didn’t realize how he was hurting his family with his violent and stubborn nature. Later on there was an instance when Okonkwo’s carelessness leads him to accidently kill a woman from our village.The custom in our village is to exile a man for seven years for such a crime and therefore Okonkwo went to his mother’s village, Mbanta. As the elders said, if one finger brought oil it soiled the others† (106). After seven long years of exile in his mother’s village, Okonkwo returned to his village eager to start his life by building more huts and showing his wealth. When Okonkwo came back to Umuofia he expected his wealth to place him in the same circumstances as before his exile. â€Å"The clan had undergone such profound change during his exile that it was barley recognizable† (150). You see, the missionaries had come into the church and attracted many of our people to it.This changed our clan remarkable with all the new people. â€Å"He knew that he had lost his place among the nine masked spirits who administered justice in the clan† (140). In addition to the new religion that is to this day so different and odd to us, they built a government. In his pride, Okonkwo figured that he could go to war with the new white people, but this turned out to be harder than he expected. Once he went to war he kept being defeated and eventually Okonkwo’s anger got the best of him and he actually killed another man. It was useless.Okonkwo’s machete descended twice and the man’s head lay beside his uniformed body† (168). Okonkwo felt worthless, like his life meant nothing any more. Instead of facing the new changes in his clan, he went the cowardly way out through suicide. This man of our clan who had worked hard to become great in order to overcome the shame from his childhood and who had built wealth in our village allowed his pride to be his ruin. What Okonkwo did to end his own life was incredibly selfish and he took the coward’s way out.He killed others in his violent temper, he killed a boy who was like a son to him, and in the end, he killed himself. The only last noble thing Okonkwo did was try and stand up to fight and save our clan from being taken over by the white people. Okonkwo was a fighter and a warrior, but in the end everything he worked for was meaningless. Heed my warnings. Learn from your past to improve your future, but don’t allow your past to cloud your judgment and make you too prideful about your own negative qualities.

BA (Hons) Accounting Essay

Abstract In â€Å"Cost Transparency in Supply Chains: Demystification of the Cooperation Tenet† article, the authors would like to deliver the message about studies on open-book accounting to rivet on mainly on the functions and difficulties, determinants and consequences, and of interorganizational cost management. To offer a new direction, authors seek to detect and systematize applications of open-book accounting. They follow a qualitative approach to analyze why and how open-book accounting is being used in practice. Data were obtained from 59 interviews conducted with purchasing experts and analyzed through content analysis. Authors find that being used for interorganizational cost management, open-book accounting is used in price management. This includes increasing negotiation pressure on a supplier. Based on this finding, we develop a framework to systematize different open-book accounting uses according to both underlying motives for cost transparency and purchasing strategies. The research finding the following to show that cost transparency can be used to achieve to support price management and that it does not necessarily require a trusting and cooperative customer supplier relationship. The background of cost transparency A qualitative research design supplemented by quantitative analysis. Set up a three-tiered design that allows us to evaluate all of the aspects indicated above. Using an online questionnaire that was designed to either affirm or contradict the results obtained from the interviews and to allow for certain quantitative analyses. From a total of 59 interviewees, and received 46 completed questionnaires. Take into account the reverse perspective. To support the results, especially for data manipulation, authors conducted 18 interviews with sales experts. Use the data retrieved from the three step to analysis and explanation on Open-book accounting uses and the article â€Å"Cost Transparency in Supply Chains: Demystification of the Cooperation Tenet† Introduction Cost transparency in the supply chain is the ability to discover how much a particular stock costs, treatment costs or service costs, preferably before receiving the stock, treatment or service. The cost of suppliers is mostly unknown to buyer. We have no way to price in an any services or the cost of a stock, nor do we find pricing published anywhere that helps us compare prices to make better consumer decisions. Cost transparency uses are difference methods in many difference area reform efforts to understand if supplier price increases are justified. We don’t want to pay too much, but you don’t want to knock him down either Literature Review In the world, India is the fourth largest economy and expected to become the fastest growing greater economic in the next few decades. To achieve its economic and development goals, the Indian government targeted the economic growth rates of about 8-10 percent a year for the next few decades. (Rastogi, 2011) The balanced scorecard is a strategic planning and management tool that helps an organization understand and work towards, and allows monitoring the indicators. A completed scorecard system aligns the organization’s picture, with business strategy and daily operation, the fulfillment of the strategy developed by the direction. Strategic performance measures are the better way to notify the decision-making and show progress toward the desired  results. The organization can focus on the most important areas that they are needed to achieve its vision, at the same time it helps an organization make effectiveness objective. (Sharma, 2009) At present, the balanced scorecard is used as strategic analysis system, which indispensable within the strategic management field for future organizations and the competitive business environment. Although balanced scorecard is widely used, but the model has some issues are unable to supply the quantitative indicators and measure the relative important weights for each perspective contribution. The problems associated with the operations using long term strategy has difficult to found by a good number of firms. Firms as well as knowledge of its picture in the future requires more information, compared to financial operational standards that evaluates the strategies and long term view of the firm as well as strategies in operational achievement. Balance scorecard has used for designing and determining strategic operation. The model of balanced scorecard provides the artifice for comparison to obtain many kind of perspective on the strategic decisions taking into consideration for the impact on customers, employee learning, finances and customers. (Sorooshian, 2014) Research Methodology The balance scorecard approach is to improve the firm performance. From previous research, Kaplan and Norton (1992) developed an innovative corporate performance scorecard that provides a framework for selecting multiple key performance indicators that supplement traditional financial measure short term operational controls to the long term strategy of the business. The research suggested mixed results, however, the results confined only to Europe and North America. (Kothari C.R., 2004) To provide evidences to support the balance scorecard is a widely accepted tool for management to achieve different kinds of balance between short and long run operational purposes, Anand et al. conducted a questionnaire on performance scorecard and sent out to chief financial officer (CFO) in India for response. The questionnaire sent to all 579 companies included multinational corporations from a major constituent of Indian corporate  sector, however, only 9% response rate from CFOs. Based on the responses, about half of the responses using balance scorecard. (Kothari C.R., 2004) Anand et al. used field research that they mail questionnaire to each company’s chief financial officer for response. They identified the social and economic background of respondents; however, there are limitations for the methodology. According to the response rate, the survey was likely that the firm does not respond on time and may have non-response bias, which occurs in statistical surveys if the answers of respondents differ from the potential answers of those who did not answer. For example, the chief financial officer with a high workload may not answer the survey because they do not have enough time to answer it, and/or those with a low workload may decline to respond for perceive them as unnecessary. If they found is not necessary or not favorable to the firm, they will definitely ignore the survey. Therefore, non-response bias may make the measured value for the different effects of the above biases happen to offset each other. . (Kothari C.R., 2004) Data Collection The balance scorecard approach is an attempt to arrive different kinds of balance between short run and long run, different perspectives of the of the scorecard, between measuring change and the present position, and between market image and internal focus. It is useful for both strategic and operational purposes. To implement it successfully, it must enjoy widespread support from the company. The questionnaire sent to all 579 companies included multinational corporations from a major constituent of Indian corporate sector, however, only 9% response rate from Chief financial officers. It does not directly reflect those companies actual status. Chief financial officers are the most understanding to the financial situation of a company. If the questionnaire replies from an assistant, clerk or other non-important staff, it would be no more truthfulness. The data impact this research authenticity. It would be more truthful if the questionnaire replies form an important person of company. Table 7 on the research show that only 54.2 per cent of the respondents agree the initial choice of key performance indicators at the design stage of the balance scorecard has been substantially validated. Almost a half of the respondents just validates partly or validates to a limited extent. The validated of the research design stage was too low. Actually, in design stage can be change the visitor more validate to balance scorecard. It can let the research more to fit in with the purpose. Table 1 on the research show that the visitor is major in 3 types of industry(15.09 per cent on other, 13.21 per cent on consumer durable, personal care and food product, and 11.32 per cent on engineering and capital goods). The distributed of industry was not average to Indian companies. It cannot impact the situation of balance scorecard in Indian companies. Conclusion The balanced scorecard is a set of measuring and managing the performance tool. It is focus on the processes and achieving the result. The purpose of the balanced scorecard is to manage and ensure the organizations strategy will be fulfill and achieve the objective. Based on the above article, we have some of the strength, weakness and limitation of using balanced scorecard in the organization. Benefits include align the action to strategy effectively. Balanced scorecard is a powerful system through strategy map, less strategy will align with the financial perspective. By using the balanced scorecard which helps the organization achieves the target and improves the level of management. Also, balanced scorecard maybe causes business unit gain the competitive advantages leading to the benefit to the financial performance. Balanced scorecard has unable to supply the quantitative indicators and measure the relative important weights for each perspective contribution. But the method of quantitative may produce too much performance measures. It is quite difficulties in generating non-financial indicators, but the financial indicators not a certain problem. Sometimes, less highlight on  human resource maybe the greatest weakness of balanced scorecard. There have competitive factors with innovation and knowledge which is the big challenge in current organization. When the organization’s key drivers change, the balanced scorecard must be update such changed. At the same time, resources and organizational capabilities should act as limitation for small organization. Compare with specific industry, there have some limitation or maybe use the balanced scorecard frequently. Any changes in environment, customers and competitors to be more highlight the effect of using the adequate balanced scorecard. If you want to accomplish more easily, should be coordinate with four perspectives, customer, financial, internal business and learning and growth. Nowadays, balanced scorecard is commonly used in the organization. Adopt a good balanced scorecard should be state your strategies with the objective and measure which you have choose. In the organization, everyone must understand each specific strategy, help organizations to acquire full successes. The most important point is the business must maintain updated balanced scorecard and aligned with needs of today. Bibliography: 1. Rastogi, N. P. (2011) Winds of Change: India’s Emerging Climate Strategy, The International Spectator, Vol. 46, No. 2, June 2011, pp. 127–141 2. Sharma, A. (2009) Implementing Balance Scorecard for Performance Measurement, The Icfai University 10 Journal of Business Strategy, Vol. VI, No. 1, p. 11 3. Sorooshian, S (2014) Study on Unbalanceness of the Balanced Scorecard, Faculty of Industrial Management, University Malaysia Pahang, Malaysia, Applied Mathematical Sciences, Vol. 8, 2014, no. 84, 4163 – 4169

Answering the questions Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Answering the questions - Assignment Example Interviews entail a lot and it is necessary to transcribe everything beforehand such that during data preparation I would have everything down. This include, answers to all interview questions, body language of the interviewee and all the word classes used(Gall, Gall, & Borg, 2003). The coding of messages before an analysis is vital to qualitative content analysis. This is because slight differences in unit defining can lead to inaccurate decisions during coding(Gall, Gall, & Borg, 2003). Therefore, unit of analysis can be defined as the element of writing that is confidential during content analysis. An example is that during aninterview, an interviewee can use a word to describe his or her entire feeling. This is noted and not necessarily told to the interviewee but used during coding. In order to develop categories they have to be sourced. Sources of categories can be found in stipulated theories, related works or data taken during data preparation. In this phase inductive reasoning is used to generate theories while reasoning, inductive and deductive, are used to code schemes(Gall, Gall, & Borg, 2003). The coding scheme must be accurate as any mistake will lead to a different decision which will make all data wrong thus wrong findings and conclusions. Therefore, a test on the coding scheme must be done to test its authenticity(Creswell, 2007). This must be done very quickly to certify and develop the scheme for use on the data preparation. Consistency must be emphasized lest a mistake is done to ruin the whole data. After checking everything like coding authenticity and consistency and coding the whole text from the interview it is time to conclude. Write down findings which will have been developed through reconstructions of coded data. Implications will be made to rule out assumptions. Finally, after concluding the findings and writing the down the

Finance For Managers Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words - 1

Finance For Managers - Assignment Example The management of any firm is faced with the task of dealing not only with the short term challenges faced by the business, but they must also have a long term vision for the company. Each company has its own internal advantages called Strengths that enable it to do better than some others in the industry. Likewise, each company also has its own internal deficiencies called Weaknesses that prevent it from making full use of its resources and abilities. Like it or not, all firms operating within a particular industry are similarly faced with uniform challenges from the external environment like the legal, social, economic and technological changes that may emerge as Opportunities for the industry if they give it an advantage, or Threats for an industry if they challenge its well being and continuity in the business environment. Jools Furniture Industries Ltd. likewise has its own set of strengths and weaknesses, and is also faced with opportunities and threats from the external enviro nment. It is clear that it must take some action to offset these internal and external challenges if it is to survive and prosper as a continuing business enterprise. This paper is divided into three parts. ... In Part III, we shall assess the proposal for an ?1.8 million loan to be taken by the Kitchens Division of the business, based on the current gearing and ROI criteria as traditionally maintained by the company, and also suggest two other alternatives in this regard. PART I Brief Analysis of the Present Position of the Furniture Business Looking at the industry scenario given in the case, it appears that the furniture industry in the UK is highly specialized and moving towards maturity. In this stage of the product life cycle, there are a whole lot of producers and manufacturers of a product and the competition is intense, hence every firm is looking at ways to enlarge its business and increase its capacity in different areas. Jools Furniture Industries Ltd. has also done the same over the years and has managed to create four different divisions, each dealing in a different type of product or delivering to a different market. We have the Kitchens Division, the Quality Division, the Be drooms Division and the Office Division. The marketplace can also be classified into the Domestic, the Office and the Contract market. The domestic market is geared towards serving the public, mainly through retail outlets and making products for household use. The domestic market constitutes 58 percent or the major chunk of the market demand. On the other hand, the office market deals mainly with products concerning desking, seating, tables, cabinets and other items for the office environment. The office market consists of 13 percent of the total market demand. The contract market caters to the needs of furniture for public areas such as hotels, schools, residential accommodation and airports. The contract market constitutes 29 percent or little less

Three imediments to small businesses in America Research Paper

Three imediments to small businesses in America - Research Paper Example Small businesses in America face many difficulties, but three that are documented in current literature are financing, race, and having a solid business strategy. The literature researched shows three reasons small businesses in America can have difficulty. Part of the discussion around small business difficulty is the definition of what it means to have a small business success. There are several factors affecting survival of small businesses in the United States, but the most dominant are racism, ineffective strategic planning and poor management. In the United States the race factor plays an important role in most of the operations and functioning in the country. Small businesses require loans to boost their performance and increase income. This is because most if the small businesses have limited financial supply. However, racism has greatly affected availability of loans to most of entrepreneurs with small businesses. Most small business owners are African American and the race factor has hindered them access to loans and hence affected development of small businesses. On the other hand, whites are accessing loans. However, not most of the whites are engaged in small businesses. This has affected growth if the small business industry to the expense of large scales businesses (Weinzimmer and Manmadhan, 2009, p 171). For the survival of an organization, it has to posses an effective marketing department. The marketing department is charged with ensuring public awareness of the services and the products of the organization. The department works in conjunction with the public relation department hence inform the public while maintaining a good relation and image with the public. For proper and effective marketing, an organization has to strategically plan the marketing process. For instance, before a company commences it has to determine the kinds of services or products to offer to the public. For established companies, they use marketing as a tool of determi ning the changes they ought to make to their products or services so as to enhance sales. Generally, companies use marketing to determining appropriate strategies to use in sales, development and communication with an aim of increased sales and containing competition (Cavalluzzo, & Wolken, 2005, p 2158). Due to the limitation of resources, small businesses ought to strategically plan. Therefore, small businesses strategically plans the marketing process hence concentrate their limited resources to the greater opportunities available. When the process is effective, the company may realize sales increase and hence achieve competitive advantage in the market. The strategy may enable a company to fill the needs of the market and hence reach the objectives of the market. A good strategy has to effectively scan both the external and internal environments. This can be achieved via appropriate Strength, Weakness, Opportunity and Threats (SWOT) analysis. After the analysis then a company may set a strategic plan for market, establish goals, identify alternatives in the market, determine market mix and implement them (Bergen, 2001, p 460). Strategic marketing plan An effective, efficient and adaptable marketing plan has several components. These components help in the implementation and achieving

Precis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Precis - Essay Example Enhancement of human assisted migration gives the best solution for preventing the extinction of surviving species in our ecosystem. If the climate change report predictions of 2 to 6 degrees Celsius of warming rate for the twenty century were true, then there would be minimal time for the stranded species to shift to better habitats unless there is human intervention. Many consider it scary and risky to carry and bring these outside species into the communities that they can flourish. While others consider it being a much more risk when the species do not adapt to the new habitats they are taken and also claim the impossibility of moving all the species together to their new ecosystem. If the species were to be left to try and adapt the harsh climates it would lead to more of the species getting to extinction which is a more risk than taking them to better places. Townsend Peterson lead a team at the university of Kansas which created a model which predicts that species turnover due to local die offs and new arrivals will exceed 40 percent in many places due to the harsh climate change. The team took a population of 1870 species of insects, birds, and mammals across Mexico and based their arguments on the projections of the climate changes in the year 2055. This team published their model in Nature in order to give people a clear view of the predictions that have already begun in several areas and take the precautions so as to protect the existing species from die offs for instance, the die offs that have withered juniper-pinon woodlands across the American Southwest. The region suffered from drought in 1950s and again starting several years ago (Douglas ,6). Future predictions can be made by the use of models and since the climate models predict increasingly frequent drought in the Southwest, the species there will either die off or migrate. Harsh climatic conditions

The Resurrection of Jesus Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Resurrection of Jesus - Assignment Example Mathew only mentions Mary Magdalene and does not indicate the existence of the other women (The Gospel according to Matthew, Chapter 28). They did not find the stone that was covering instead, two angels appeared to them in shining garments and asked them why they were seeking Jesus among the dead. In the book of Mathew, Jesus appeared to the disciples on their way to telling the disciples about the risen Christ. The other three books do not account for this. He told them to remind the disciples that they were to meet him in Galilee. According to Luke, Peter, who did not believe left for the empty tomb to confirm what the women had said to them (The Gospel according to Luke, Chapter 24). The other books do not portray these happenings. While on their way to Emaus with a colleague, Cleopas, Jesus appeared to them but they did not recognize him until the time he broke bread. Jesus was not human he was fully of heavenly glory because he vanished from them. They left immediately for Jerusalem where they met the eleven disciples and informed them of the risen Christ and how he had appeared to Simon. As they narrated what happened to them on the way, Jesus appeared amidst them and informed them to remain in peace. They were so terrified thinking he was a spirit. He showed them of the scars on his feet and hands, but the disciples did not believe him yet Jesus ate a broiled fish t before them narrating how a spirit has neither flesh nor bones (Bible, 2000). All the other three books cover these happenings except the book of John. The books of Mark, John and Luke cover how Jesus revealed to the disciples His fathers blessings to them. He explained how they were to be witnesses of the remission of sins and they were to preach his name to all the nations. As he blessed them, he was parted into the sky up to the heavens. The different authors portrayed the resurrection of Jesus as they did because there

Poverty and the World Food Security Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Poverty and the World Food Security - Essay Example This essay discusses the fundamental human rights, such as the right to sufficient quality and quantity of food. In the subject, of assessing the conditions of poverty and food security, this essay is exceptionally extensive, and it also assesses the relation between the two factors. The researcher of this essay focuses on the obligations of the international and states human rights to poverty alleviation and food security. It exhibits the social and policy aspects that coherently reduce the chances of people attaining sufficient food and living standards at the household level. There is proper examination of the requirements of the nations to include and implement policies to increase food availability consequently alleviating poverty. It also addresses the various aspects that can be employed to alleviate poverty through attaining stable food security such as addressing income sufficiency, fulfillment of state responsibilities to human rights, application of antipoverty strategies, and the application of research recommendations on food security. This essay mainly intends to capture the attention of policy makers and institutions dealing with food security. It is also aims to address the general public and inform them about their rights and responsibilities of the state towards their food requirements. In conclusion, the researcher presents this essay as broadly expressive of the issue of food security in alleviating poverty, and it is in a clear and straight forward language that is easy to understand.

Decoding Apples Balance Sheet Apa Format Essay Example for Free

Decoding Apples Balance Sheet Apa Format Essay Decoding Apples Balance Sheet In March of 2009, Apple had its best March quarter revenue and earnings in Apple history (Apple). In order to see how this occurred, it is important to look over the financial statements of Apple. There is a lot of information available to investors who are interested in investing in a company. By looking specifically at the balance sheet of Apple I am going to determine if investing in Apple is a good idea or a bad idea. Some things I am going to consider are Apple’s assets, liabilities, and shareholder’s equity. These areas should give me insight to how the best quarter in Apple history came to be. Looking at the current assets of Apple, cash and cash equivalents went down from 11. 8 billion dollars to 4. 4 billion dollars. This may look bad at first, but all of the other assets must be added to this in order to get an overall picture of the assets. Short-term marketable securities went up from 10. 2 billion dollars to 20. 5 billion dollars. This helped Apple’s assets grow tremendously. Accounts receivable fell to 1. 9 billion dollars from 2. 4 billion dollars. With the rest of the current assets figured in, inventories, deferred tax assets, and other current assets, the total current assets rose to 33. billion dollars from 32. 3 billion dollars. That was a rise of 1. 5 billion dollars (Apple). It is important to take into account the rest of the assets. For example, long-term marketable securities rose 1. 5 billion dollars, property, plant and equipment rose 0. 91 billion dollars, goodwill stayed the same, acquired intangible assets fell 0. 017 billion dollars, and othe r assets rose 0. 56 billion dollars. Now that we know how each asset was affected during this quarter, we come to the final numbers, which are total assets rose 3. 6 billion dollars. Apple grew its assets substantially during this quarter. I would think Apple would be a good company to invest in. Before I made any decisions I would investigate the balance sheet further in order to compare liabilities and shareholder’s equity with the previous quarter. This will give me a better understanding of the financial situation of the company (Apple). Current liabilities are in the first section of liabilities and shareholder’s equity. The following accounts are current liabilities and how they fared. Accounts payable went down from 5. 5 billion dollars to 3. 9 billion dollars. Accrued expenses went down 1 billion dollars. Deferred revenue went up from 4. 8 billion dollars to 7 billion dollars. The total change in current liabilities was a decrease of 0. 4 billion dollars. The other two liabilities categories, deferred revenue (non-current) and other non-current liabilities, rose collectively 0. 7 billion dollars. This gives the total liabilities a rise of 0. 3 billion dollars. This amount compared to current assets is not as significant. So far Apple is still looking like a good investment because the assets of Apple rose 1. 5 billion dollars whereas their liabilities only rose 0. 4 billion dollars. It is now time to take a look at the final category of the balance sheet, the shareholder’s equity (Apple). The value of shareholders equity, common stock, rose from 7. 1 billion dollars to 7. 6 billion dollars. Retained earnings also rose; it rose from 13. 8 billion dollars to 16. 6 billion dollars. Accumulated other comprehensive income rose . 07 billion dollars. Total shareholder’s equity rose 3. 3 billion dollars. So adding together the rise of 0. 4 billion dollars in liabilities with the 3. 3 billion dollar rise of the shareholder’s equity, we get the same amount, 3. 7 billion dollars, as we got for the rise in total assets.

Women Entrepreneurs In The Tourism Sector In Zimbabwe Economics Essay

Women Entrepreneurs In The Tourism Sector In Zimbabwe Economics Essay This paper examines the challenges that women entrepreneurs face in the tourism sector in Zimbabwe. The research targeted female entrepreneurs selling curios in Masvingo and Victoria Falls which are the prime tourist destinations in Zimbabwe. Women entrepreneurship has been under spotlight in Zimbabwe because it is a source of economic growth. Despite the potential that lies in women entrepreneurs they face additional or at least different social, cultural, educational and technological challenges than men in establishing and developing their own enterprises, and accessing economic resources. From the interviews conducted women entrepreneurs in the tourism sector have difficulties in securing funding, inadequate business related education as well as social, cultural and religious impediments. This paper engenders to understand the gender biases embedded in society which constrain womens mobility, interactions, active economic participation and access to business development services. Lastly, appropriate interventions are recommended within the discourse of entrepreneurship. Key words: Entrepreneurship, Tourism, Gender, Enterprise development, Women Entrepreneurship Introduction Entrepreneurship is a key driver of capacity building and national development in any country. As such, this paper focuses on challenges faced by women in the tourism sector. On 21 May 2012 there was a forum on Womens Engagement in Africas Tourism Industry in Victoria Falls held during the African Travel Association conference. The presenters included the former Deputy Secretary General of United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) who alluded to the fact that tourism constitutes 30% of the worlds economy and offers 78% of workforce in the world. He further reiterated that research has explicitly shown the gender inequalities that exist in the tourism sector as mostly women and children as compared to the male counterparts are exploited. He further mentioned that in 2008, the UNWTO came up with a policy for gender equality which is envisaged under the United Nations Platform. In 2010, the Global report on Women in Tourism by World Tourism Organization and United Nations women encouraged women to participate in leadership roles in the tourism industry. The report held that although women constitute a high percentage of the workforce in the tourism industry, most of them occupy lower levels where they are subsequently lowly paid. Because of this report, UNWTO suggested that vocational training be offered to empower women in the industry. Tanzania and Gambia were the first two countries chosen to start the vocational training for women entrepreneurs in the tourism industry. Other countries to benefit from the training are from Latin America and Africa. Another presenter a Managing Director of Affluent Hospitality Group in America said that women make up 80% of Travel Agency in America and 80% of travel decisions are made by women in North America. This justifies the fact that women have an active role to play in the tourism industry. In addition the Marketing Director of Amalinda Collection in Zimbabwe gave a testimony of her experience in the Tourism industry. She admitted that as a mother she has a lot of family responsibilities that apart from being a working woman such that she faces the dilemma of choosing between family and business. At one time when her son fell sick at 4 months old she had to quit the job in favour of the family. Family roles represent one of the challenges that women entrepreneurs face in comparison with their male counterparts. The Governor and Resident Minister of Matabeleland North Province of Zimbabwe reported that, 60% of arts and crafts in Zimbabwe are produced by women from Binga who largely produce reed mats and baskets while the Gwaai women produce pottery artifacts. The interesting revelations made at the conference prompted the researchers to consider conducting a research on the challenges that women entrepreneurs face in the tourism industry in Zimbabwe. In current years women-owned businesses have become increasingly popular but entrepreneurship remains a deeply gendered institution (Anderson, 2008). Bushell (2012) considered entrepreneurship as expedition out of paucity and gravitation towards equity but this has not been the case because women remain marginalized globally. Given the constraints facing African women entrepreneurs their full economic potential is not actualized and they do not feature on the mainstream of the economic agenda (Ozigbo and Ezeaku, 2009). There is therefore need for countries to address gender disparities between men and women to achieve significant milestones in economic growth. In addition to those problems faced by all small-scale entrepreneurs, women face additional or at least different social, cultural, educational and technological challenges than men in establishing and developing their own enterprises, and accessing economic resources (Mayoux, 2001). It is important that such challenges be addr essed so as to enable women to prosper in their businesses. Chitsike (2000) and United Nations Industrial Development Organization (2003) mentioned that womens businesses in Zimbabwe tend to be small and are discriminated by the legal system which backs male ideologies. Literature Review In many countries entrepreneurship has been considered a means of generating meaningful and sustainable employment opportunities, particularly for those at the margins of the economy women, the poor and people with disabilities (ILO, 1998; Rajani and Sarada, 2008). However, very little literature exists on the role of women entrepreneurs in a global economy especially in Africa (Dudley, 2008) and this is one of the reasons why women continue to be marginalized in entrepreneurship development. In addition, in cases where the role of women entrepreneurship is articulated there still remains a gap in gender analysis (Dudley, 2008). Research factors affecting performance of women entrepreneurs of their businesses are limited in scope, as any existing research most often focuses on individual characteristics and motives as performance predictors (Teoh and Chong, 2007) at the expense of gender disparities. Despite the economic importance of female entrepreneurs their numbers are lower tha n those for men (Verheul, Van Stel and Thurik, 2006; Carter, 2000; Minniti et al., 2005) and therefore it is of importance to address the barriers to female entrepreneurship. This paper deviates from the former approach by focusing on challenges that women face in entrepreneurial development. Furthermore, the research applies an entrepreneurial development model adapted from Richardson and Howarth (2002a) to analyse the challenges faced by women entrepreneurs in the tourism sector in Zimbabwe as shown in figure 1 below. The model is based on the cross sectional biological structure of a peach fruit. At centre of the model is the seed which represents the entrepreneurial opportunity identified. The inner part adjacent to the seed represents the mesopreneurial (fruit mesorcarp) factors based on the MAIR model by (Gibb and Ritchie, 1982) which include motivation or commitment, skills, abilities and experiences, idea in relation to the market as well as the resources. Williams (1997) co mmented that commitment and dedication of the entrepreneur is critical if they are to prosper whilst Zimmer and Scarborough (1996) attribute failure of small businesses to managerial incompetence and lack of experience among other factors and therefore women entrepreneurs need relevant skills and experience to fully exploit entrepreneurial opportunities. The mesopreneurial factors represent the basic ingredients of business success. The final structural component is the exopreneurial (fruit exocarp) factors which represent the macro environment in which the enterprises operate and it entails the following aspects: The enabling environment which focuses on policy issues, institutions and initiatives which impact on enterprise development in particular the tourism industry in Zimbabwe The socio-cultural and economic context which the social, cultural and religious factors that affect enterprise development. Enterprise Support Sector made up of initiatives and organizations developed to propel enterprise development and how these impact on enterprise development. The Economic/Market Environment which deals with opportunities and threats in the environment. Women entrepreneurs hardly have specialized support institutions to cater for their specific needs (United Nations International Development Organization, 2003). In most cases entrepreneurial and technical training, advisory and information programmes often have to be carried out within a non-conventional set-up (United Nations International Development Organization, 2003). Women entrepreneurs need to have a more supportive environment that is more favourable (Stevenson and St-Onge, 2005) if they are to gain similar recognition that of men. Training programmes developed must take into account their society, culture, community and empowerment (Agbà ©nyiga and Ahmedani, 2008). If significant milestones are to be achieved in female entrepreneurship support systems need to take into account the needs, challenges and unique situation of women to promote women entrepreneurship and avoid failure and lower levels of female entrepreneurship (Drine and Grach, 2010). It is vital to note that c ountries that have developed policies and legislation tailored for women entrepreneurship have witnessed tremendous growth and increase in the numbers of women in business. Enteprise support sector: Government, NGOs, Private Sector, Membership Organizations, donors Endopreneurial factor Seed Entrepreneurial Opportunity The Economic/Market Environment: Opportunities and Threats Enabling Environment for Enterprise: regulations, policies, institutions, institutions and processes Figure 1 Peach Fruit Concept of entrepreneurship: Adapted from Richardson and Howarth (2002a) Mesopreneurial Factors Exopreneurial factors Resources Socio/cultural context: Attitudes, aspirations, confidence and permission idea with market Skills, abilities and experience Motivation and determination Female Entrepreneurship Women Entrepreneurs refer to women or a group of women who initiate organize and operate a business enterprise (Jahanshahi, Pitamber and Nawaser, 2010). McClelland et al. (2005) define a woman-owned business as one which is at least 51% owned by one or more women or in the case of any publicly-owned business, at least 51% of the stock of which is owned by one or more women. In 2010 187 million women were involved in entrepreneurship ranging from 1.5-45.4% of the adult female population in 59 economies (GEM, 2010). It should also be noted that Ghana has 55% of women being involved in entrepreneurship and it is the only economy where there are more women than men entrepreneurs (GEM, 2010). One of the United Nations Millennium Development goals is to promote gender equity and empower women as agents of poverty eradication, hunger, disease and to stimulate sustainable development (United Nations Industrial Development Organization, 2004). Therefore promotion of women entrepreneurship is vital for the achievement of broader objectives including poverty reduction and economic development. A positive indicator to women entrepreneurship is that African leaders have pledged to take joint responsibility for promoting the role of women in social and economic development by reinforcing their capacity in education and training, facilitating access to credit and assuring their participation in the political and economic life (NEPAD, 2001). The increased role of women in economic development has forced many governments to take an active role in developing policies on women development and gender related issues. Mueller and Dato-on (2010) stipulated that women play a significant role in entrepreneurship but their role remains suppressed in comparison to that of their male counterparts across the globe because of family roles, traditions , cultural and structural constraints which diminish their abilities to lead business (Bushell, 2012). Women bear the responsibility for childcare and homecare and as a result this leads to work-family conflicts (Des, 2001 and Jahanshashi, Pitamber and Nawaser, 2010; Winn, 2005). Chitsike (2000) also stated that men view womens role as that of being at home and not engaging in any business activities that are reserved for men. One of the challenges that women face is unequal access to productive resources and services, including finance and skill upgrading opportunities (United Nations International Development Organization [UNIDO], 2003; Tumbunan, 2009; Sorokhaibam and Laishram, 2003). In many African countries, women inequality lies in economic rights and access to resources as men persist thus preventing women from taking full advantage of the economic opportunities (Ozigbo and Ezeaku, 2009). Degroot (2001) mentions that womens participation as owners of small medium sized business has been constrained due to poor access to market information, technology and finance, poor linkages with support service and unfavourable policy and support mechanisms ( De Groot, 2001). In Zimbabwe domestic chores and agricultural activities do not allow women time to travel to support institutions such as finance houses for advice and information on credit (De Groot, 2001). In many African countries, women spend most of th eir income on the household and fear investing their funds in business ventures for fear of business failure (Ozigbo and Ezeaku, 2009), particularly on food and education for their children. Many of them are afraid to invest their limited funds into a business for fear of failure. Many women entrepreneurs are seldom taken seriously in spheres of credibility and capability, competing and succeeding in a male dominated environment (Ozigbo and Ezeaku, 2009) and this is one of the factors that explain their relatively obscure role in economic development. Despite the fact that many women entrepreneurship is a source of job creation, economic growth and social development many women owned businesses remain stunted by lack of appropriate managerial skills, access to business resources, networking opportunities and access to new markets (Ozigbo and Ezeaku, 2009). The current institutional environment purposes to achieve gender equity but the traditional powers are tilted towards the patriarchal system and therefore maintains the status quo of gender inequity (Goheer, 2003). In Zimbabwe women have largely been marginalized from mainstream economic activities because of the predominant partriarchal system which confines women to domestic roles. 53% of all economic activities in Zimbabwe are performed by women but, this figure remains invisible because it is not accounted for in national statistics and most of the activities are characterized by poor working conditions. It is also worth mentioning at this stage that religion, culture and the socialization process are some of the major factors perpetuating gender inequity in Zimbabwe. This is evidenced by the fact that under the current customary law, women cannot own/inherit land (Chitsike, 2009) and land is one of the resources that are important for entrepreneurial development. Research Methodology Baines and Wheelock (2000) mention that many women have ventured into entrepreneurship but little research has been done on gender and female entrepreneurship. The reasons behind increase of entrepreneurial variances arising out of gender remains unresolved is because women feel that by exposing these issues they deepen their entrepreneurial differences (Calas et.al. 2007 as cited in Peris-Ortiz, Rueda-Armengot and Benito Osorio, 2011). Studying women entrepreneurship is critical because it is an important source of economic prosperity and presently research efforts, policies and programs tend to be skewed towards men and neglect the needs of women entrepreneurs and potential women entrepreneurs (OECD, 2004). In the African context there are very few studies that have focused on female entrepreneurship particularly in the tourism sector and therefore this research seeks to close this gap. In addition, Gelb (2001) states that this is due to lack of indigenous research, inadequate info rmation and methodological constraints (Ozigbo and Ezeaku, 2009). Despite the increasing role, women entrepreneurship theory development and empirical evidence only offer a very blurry picture of women entrepreneurs (Tann, 2008). Subsequently, improved understanding of women entrepreneurs challenges is essential in order to assess their needs, and provide solutions to teething problems they encounter. Although there have been some studies of small businesses in Zimbabwe, none has provided rich qualitative data of female entrepreneurs (Mboko and Smith-Hunter, 2008) and this study endeavors to contribute towards addressing this deficiency. This study is based on the small and medium business entrepreneurs in Zimbabwes Arts and Crafts industry in Masvingo and Victoria Falls. 10 women in Masvingo from Dzimbahwe Crafts and Art Center and 15 from various Crafts Centers in Victoria Falls who were trading at Elephant Hills Hotel during the 37th ATA Conference between from 18-22 May 2012 were interviewed for this research. These towns are top tourism destinations in Zimbabwe and are home to reputable attractions which are The Great Zimbabwe and the Victoria Falls respectively. Interviews were conducted at Dzimbahwe Craft Center situated along the highway to Masvingo Town. For the effectiveness of the conversations, we had to talk to the women while viewing the different artefacts they make. The conversations included negotiations over the products prices that made the interviewers buy some of the items to encourage the women to talk freely. The interview started with more general introductions, some business questions that included who makes the products, how (i.e. whether there is use of machines or just ordinary hands), where, when and why the people do this business. The interviews also covered issues to do with any support the women received in terms of finance, human and material resources, marketing and other business operational areas. In the process, we had to go to the extent of observing the women doing the work like crocheting and weaving the mats, bed and table covers, polishing and decorating the wooden plates, basins and bowls while some were even carving the different items according to their area of specialization. This one day session took us about one and a half hours and we spent $30 to buy some items from the different women who added up to a total of 10 entrepreneurs. In Victoria Falls, we took the advantage of the 37th African Travel Association conference (ATA) that we attended from the 18th to the 22nd of May 2012 at Elephant Hills Hotel. Some selected male and female arts and crafts entrepreneurs from various selling centres of Victoria Falls were given the opportunity by the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) to come and sell their wares free of charge at the venue during the conference days. To promote the entrepreneurs, the ZTA had in their conference program a session for Meeting the African Culture when both mid-morning and afternoon teas were being served at the grounds where the entrepreneurs were selling their products. This was a good opportunity for the conference delegates to meet and discuss with the sellers while at the same time viewing and buying the handicrafts. As researchers, we took advantage of this to carry out our study for 3 consecutive days. On the first day we toured the various stands just to view the items on display and we asked some few general questions like what we did in Masvingo. Some of the questions were about how they come to be part of the ATA conference and the benefits they were expecting from the conference. On the second day we got into in-depth interviews to get details of their operations, marketing, any support and assistance from any institutions towards the success of their businesses. To probe for more information we were appreciating their achievements and sympathizing with their challenges as we were discussing with them during the tea breaks. For the other two days we had to share a table with some women during lunch time so that we could talk more. At times we had to sit together in the conference venue, commenting on what the presenters were saying about tourism entrepreneurship. One good example was a debate on the presentation done by a representative from the Zimbabwe Ministry of Youth, Dev elopment, Indigenization and Empowerment. On the final and third day, we selected some of the artefacts to buy that included the bowls, the big five, basins, Zimbabwe bird (Shiri Hungwe) for Blessing, one of the researchers totem and other items. We spent $50 for the items and we left the women in a very happy mood. As a way of appreciating our concern for them some women gave us some of the items at very low prices and in return we influenced some of our colleagues to buy from them. The total of the interviewees was 25 women. Analysis and Discussion The demographic Profile of Interviewed Women Entrepreneurs Table 4.1 Geographical Location of the Women Entrepreneurs RESEARCH AREA LOCATION Urban LOCATION Rural Masvingo 3 7 Victoria Falls 9 6 Out of the 10 women who were interviewed in Masvingo, 7 were residing in the rural areas and only 3 were from the urban area. From the 15 interviewees in Victoria Falls, 9 were urban residents and only 6 were from the rural area. This data reflects that the handicraft business is done in both rural and urban settings provided there is favourable environment. In Masvingo the majority of entrepreneurs come from their rural homes that surround Nemanwa Arts and Craft center because operating from home reduces any rental costs that can be incurred. The few who stay in the urban area have their husbands working in the town and this business supplements their spouses income. In Victoria Falls the majority of women who are urban dwellers reported that they own houses in the town from the cooperative that was formulated by the Arts and Crafts business operators sometime in 1990. The remaining percentage constitutes those women who own homes in the peri-urban area of the town and are permanent residents of the area. Table 4.2 Age of Women Entrepreneurs AGE GROUP NUMBER Below 25 years 2 26-30 years 4 30-45 years 15 46-50 4 The survey results suggest the relationship between a womans age and entrepreneurs. The likelihood of a woman venturing into business positively increases with the 30 to 45 years age range have the greatest number of women entrepreneurs. Very few women below the age of 25 years want to get into this business probably because they are unable to do the job or have better things to do. Motivations Women who are in art and craft business in Victoria Falls and Masvingo said that they are into this business because they grew up doing the weaving, knitting and pottery activities and to them they see it as a way of their living. In the yester years when tourism was still vibrant in Zimbabwe they could earn more than other people in some professions but as from 2004 to date the business has slowed down due to the economic crisis. These women admitted that they cannot go out of this business because they have no alternative means of survival since their environments are basically in the dry regions of the country. Therefore what is evident in what the women are saying is the fact that tourism fits very well in their livelihood strategies as a source of income. From the findings it emerged that the women are motivated into employment by push factors such as unemployment, inadequate family income and the need to accommodate work and home roles as in the Zimbabwean scenario the womans p lace is the home. The same sentiments were echoed by Vijaya and Kamalanabhan (2009) and Drine and Grach (2010) who reiterated that women are motivated by the desire to provide security for the family and flexibility that entrepreneurship offer between home and family roles. Access to Financial Resources The women entrepreneurs in the arts and crafts industry revealed that their major challenge is their inaccessibility to both investment and operational capital since they have no personal assets to use as collateral which is a prerequisite at the financial institutions. If they happen to get the starting capital they may even face more challenges of getting adequate operational capital to meet their daily supplies of raw materials such as reeds, steel wires, finishing oils, threads, wood, polishes and others to use for their business. At times they may need transport to take their products to and from their homes for security reasons. If these people are operating from the designated sites the local councils would need the rentals every month for the upkeep of the places. The problem of lack of capital usually arises from the fact that the enterprises are the major contributors to the survival of the family, and this puts a brake on efforts for improvement of womens enterprises in Zi mbabwe (Degroot, 2001). On the accessibility to capital, one woman at the ATA conference for Young Professionals in Victoria Falls narrated her ordeal of trying to get financial assistance from the Ministry of Indigenization and Youth Development that promotes indigenous entrepreneurs in the country. Grace said, When I went to the offices I was told to bring a project proposal. I prepared that at my own expense. After that they gave me a pile of forms to fill in whose other requirements i could not understand. As if that was not enough, I was told to wait for a response that never came to my attention and these people lie that they are supporting us financially. Another woman, Nyaradzo narrated that, The Ministry of Indigenization and Youth Development, asked for a list of all entrepreneurs who needed financial assistance and the specific amounts requested and were handed to the ministry but nothing materialized. The ministry later on asked the women entrepreneurs to pay $20 per person for a weeks training in financial management. After paying the money nothing has been done since November 2011. She said Vanhu ava matsotsi anodakubira varombo, havana basa nesu, (These people are conmen, who steal from the poor and they do not care about us). This is a major challenge for the women who are vulnerable to all sorts of financial risks in business. Most women also revealed that most financial institutions were not keen to finance their business initiatives. This negative attitude towards financing of women entrepreneurs is explained by the traditional patriarchal system division which spells out the differences of male-female roles in society as supported by Ozigbo and Ezeaku (2009). Protection of intellectual property rights A number of women entrepreneurs fall prey to political promises and business intermediaries. One woman who failed to get funding from the Ministry of Indigenization and Youth Development later discovered that her project was being implemented by one of the government officials in Victoria Falls. She had no voice over it. Because of this, many women in the sector feel betrayed and humiliated because of such practices. This rhymes the Shona proverbs that murombo haarovi chine nguwo (This literally means the poor will never challenge the rich). It is important for women entrepreneurs to be well versed with their intellectual property rights so that they can challenge those who prey on their ideas in judiciary. Production and space-related challenges The study has revealed that a number of Zimbabwean women who are arts and crafts entrepreneurs have no fixed place for their business operations as they are dotted from their homes, forest and some few designated arts and craft centres. The designated centres have no permanent structures put in place but there are some temporary shades which are brought by the individuals from their homes. These offer no security at all as they are just open spaces for business and in addition one is exposed to the harsh forces of the natural environment. Those who operate from the forests (source of raw materials) cite transportation problems as one of the challenges. For example, if a wood carver finds a good tree in the forest which is too big to carry home or at the designated area she has to work on it from there and then carry the finished products. These pose a lot of risks to the females since there are a lot of dangers associated with forestry environments. Storage space for the finished products is another problem for most women entrepreneurs. Most leave the products covered by some cloths or tents during the night in the presence of either a guard or unattended at owners risk. Lack of storage space puts the products at risk of theft. The most special wares are taken back home daily which is a tiresome task for the females since most of them walk a distance of about 5 kilometres every day from their homes to the designated centres. Family roles At home there is usually a challenge of divided concentration between home chores and work and at home the working space is limited and not conducive for business operations. One woman (Maria) even expressed that, handingazosiyi mumba mune tsvina nekuda kwebasa (I cannot leave my house dirty because of work). Already this indicates how busy women entrepreneurs are with household and business responsibilities at any given time of their lives and this is a hindrance to effective business operations. In support, De Groot (2001) posits that household roles deprive women of time to travel to enterprise support institutions or to attend training sessions to acquire skills in various fields. As long as womens responsibilities remain divided between work and domestic roles their contributions to economic development will remain obscure. Marketing operations There is a general belief that Zimbabwe arts and crafts are unique worldwide and they are found in many countries these days in China besides the Americas which used to be the countrys chief tourism source market. These products have made Zimbabwe boast of its rich and unique culture The majority of women sell their products to the foreign tourists. Financial constraints make it difficult for the women to access regional and international markets despite the high demand for the Zimbabwe art and craft in these markets. It was reported that in the past years when tourism was at peak (i.e. between 1990 and 1999) business was lucrative and there was no worry of exporting the products as buyers could come to the country and buy the products. During the period business was very lucrative. Masundire (2011) identified the need to assist arts and crafts producers to access foreign markets as 90% of their wares are in demand in Europe, America, Australia and South Africa. As a result of inaccessibility to foreign markets, there is now the emergence of market intermediaries popularly known as the cross boarder traders who buy and sell the products from arts and crafts producers in foreign markets. The major problem these intermediaries pose is that they bid to buy the wares at a very low price at the expense of the producers because of the low local demand. In fact, the women entrepreneurs end up with no fix

hydrogen economy :: essays research papers

The first and foremost element on the periodic chart is well known throughout the world. It makes up the greater portion of the earths atmosphere. It was discovered by Cavendish in seventeen seventy-six. It all started with his discovery which has led to future events. I am referring to the substance we all know as hydrogen. In nineteen thirty-seven, the Germans had used hydrogen in the Hindenburg, which in turn after the disaster has scared many into thinking that hydrogen is a very dangerous substance. However, little radiant heat is emitted when hydrogen burns and will not cause danger to anyone unless they actually touch the fire, which is the reason why so many survived. In nineteen fifty-eight, when NASA was created, hydrogen was chosen to be the fuel for the rocket program. The choice of hydrogen was due to its clean emissions and the abundance of hydrogen on earth. The demand from NASA for hydrogen has inspired the question throughout the world; why not use hydrogen as an al ternative source of energy? As this question has remained in the minds of many, one such question was asked: Why not use hydrogen for the vehicles that we have become so dependent upon for transportation? The two thousand Olympics, which were held in Sydney, allowed the general public to see the advancement and the future potential of the hydrogen car which made a huge exposure throughout the world through mass media. If hydrogen became the number one fuel source for the automobiles of the future, the United States will be able to avoid oil spills, avoid harmful pollutants, and end the dependence on foreign sources for oil. However, many troubles arise in the area of using it as fuel for a car, being able to store it so it is safe for the everyday use and producing enough Hydrogen to make it economically efficient.

Ronald Reagan, Reagan by Lou Cannon Essay -- essays research papers

Cannon, Lou. Reagan. New York: Putnam, 1982. Lou Cannon has covered Ronald Reagan for thirty-six years, first as a reporter for the San Jose Mercury News, later as the White House correspondent for the Washington Post. He began with covering Reagan's first campaign for governor of California in 1966 and continued until Reagan's recent death in 2004. His other books on Reagan include Ronnie and Jesse: A Political Odyssey, Ronald Reagan: The Presidential Portfolio, President Reagan: The Role of a Lifetime, Governor Reagan: His Rise to Power, and several others. After following and working closely with Reagan, Cannon forms an obvious relationship and opinion of him. Cannon admits that he "like(s) and respect(s) Ronald Reagan while remaining skeptical that his actions will achieve the results he intends," (Cannon, 1981, 15). Cannon writes that he was at first skeptical of Reagan's abilities to perform as president; specifically with foreign policy and his economic theories. However, Cannon argues that Reagan's presidency may mirror his governorship, "he started ineptly but soon evolved into a competent governor who was willing to sacrifice ideology for political achievement," (Cannon, 1981, 15). Because this book was written during Regan's first year as president, Cannon is unable to record complete evidence to support his own theory, although he accomplishes this in his following books about President Reagan. Cannon, an obvious conservative supporter of Reagan, includes criticisms and shortcomings of Reagan as well a s praise. Cannon does not let his personal relationship skew his writings and has thus become known as Reagan's definitive biographer. Cannon's mission to provide an in depth biography of the nation's fortieth president and his ability to lead, begins by tracing Reagan's origins, his hopes and dreams, fears, achievements and failures. Cannon provides the reader with insight to Reagan's childhood and adolescent years and attempts to explain the beginnings of Reagan's motivations, optimism and determination. Cannon argues that much of Reagan's optimism, determination and political motivation spur from living through the Depression. Reagan sees the Depression as a national tragedy, not a personal one, and forever becomes enthralled with Presi... ...f Reagan's life including those listed previously. Reagan offers an insight into the former president's life and presidency prior to 1982. It is well written, providing colorful anecdotes which keep the reader's interest. The personal stories give vivid insight into Reagan's childhood, young adult life and early political career. Although intended to support the idea that Reagan was prepared and qualified for the presidency, Reagan is comprised of over four hundred pages describing Reagan as ill-equipped for the job. Cannon's overcompensation for detachment contradicts his argument that," He (Reagan) belonged in the White House. He had every right to dream heroic dreams," (Cannon, 1981, 411). Though the book is well researched and organized its evidence overwhelms its conclusion. Reference: Cannon, Lou. Reagan. New York: Putnam, 1982. Cooke, Allistair, "Reagan." Review of Reagan, by Lou Cannon. New Yorker, March 14, 1983, 148. Wilkie, Curtis, "Reagan," Review of Reagan, by Lou Cannon. New York Times Book Review, October 3, 1982.

The P-51 Mustang: The Best Fighter Ever Essay -- plane, D model, aircra

The P-51 Mustang: The Best Fighter Ever The P-51 Mustang is regarded by many sources as the greatest fighter plane ever created. With the technological advancements this plane achieved, to it’s service record, to it’s importance in winning World War Two, the Mustang is truly one of the greats. The Mustang played a key role in long range bomber support and saved countless bomber crew’s lives, and pilots loved to fly it. The P-51 had the most aerial victories of any American fighter in World War Two and it was flown by some of America’s top aces. The P-51 was a beast of a fighter plane The most recognizable of the Mustangs was the D model. This is the model with the famous â€Å"bubble† canopy. It had a V12 Packard Merlin-built Rolls Royce model V-1650 engine that generated over 1,650 horsepower. The engine along with a sleek aerodynamic body, and laminar flow wings (which produce less drag than conventional wings because of their shape), gave the Mustang a top speed of about 440 miles per hour, making it one of the fastest fighter aircraft in World War Two. The laminar flow wing along with external fuel tanks gave it a range of over 1,000 miles making it the only fighter capable of escorting bombers for their entire mission. It was a very agile and maneuverable aircraft and could do moves most planes could only dream about. It had a wingspan of 37 ft., was 32 ft. 3 in. long, 13 ft. 8 in. tall, and fully loaded could weigh up to 12,100 lbs.It was armed with six Browning .50 caliber machine guns, and could carry six five inch rockets, or up to two thousand pounds of bombs on the underwing racks. The P-51 was also one of the first aircraft to have an electric gyro gun sight; its sight was designated the K14. The sight could calculate ... ...p against any other fighter out there. The P-51 Mustang truly is the greatest fighter aircraft in history. WORK CITED 1. Sherman, Stephen E. "Aces of the Eighth Air Force in World War Two." US 8th Air Force Aces, Mustang and Thunderbolt Fighter Pilots in WW2. Acepilots.com, June 1999. Web. 05 May 2014. "North American P-51D Mustang." Factsheets : North American P-51D Mustang. The Official Web Site of National Museum of the USAF, 2 Apr. 2011. Web. 05 May 2014. Jackson, David D. "Warbirds and Airshows- WWII US Aircraft Victories."Warbirds and Airshows- WWII US Aircraft Victories. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 May 2014. . Clarke, R. Wallace. British Aircraft Armament. Vol. 2. Sparkford: Stephens, 1994. Print.

Reality Television Stereotypes Essay

James A. Forbes once said, â€Å"When people rely on surface appearances and false racial stereotypes, rather than in-depth knowledge of others at the heart, mind and spirit, their ability to assess and understand people accurately is compromised. † Over time, our generation has watched reality television develop into one of the most sumptuous prodigies of our time. From â€Å"Bad Girls Club† to â€Å"Basketball Wives† reality television has maneuvered itself into our everyday infrastructures. Reality television has had a catastrophic effect on reasoning, education, and society. To start with, reality television depicts its cast as â€Å"real people†, or a group of people archetypally found in the real world as they take on roles that delineate parts of the population dealing in race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, etc. As reality television characterizes misrepresentations, this becomes important for educational and societal ameliorations. Secondly, reality television was found to be main stream and refines stable images after some of its own. Many heavy viewers of television believe the world to be more ungovernable than it is in truth. This is known as the â€Å"cultivation theory† and what is does is test trends in the culture of our society. It broadens the capacity of enrichment by studying the apprehension of stereotypes in reality television. Explained better, the popularity and upheavals correlated with reality television make it an affluent source of education exploration, but in light of what reality television claims to be it makes such educational examinations rather imperative. Moreover, reality television in relation with the aforementioned cultivation theory, the stereotypes presented on reality television of associations (racial, ethnic) may harm the overall mannerly intellection of these associations. Because these shows are shows that are supposed to be a representation of the real world, they have a greater impact on society, and while they emphasize cliched effigies, they therefore give the audience a viewpoint saying that what they see is real. Taking â€Å"Jersey Shore† into examination, the Italian-Americans are seen as loud, pornographic, fractious, obnoxious and overall atrocious quadrupeds, well, to their Italian brethren. In America, one can think that they would be seen as party idols, but shortly after arriving to Italy, they were publically shamed and disowned but the society that surrounded them. Some people might say that these types of shows address the issues the famous face off of the red carpet and on the red carpet. While this may be true, many reality television stars have found the intrusion into their most private matters disheartening and it is not uncommon to see them slowly fade away from the beaming spotlight. Stereotypes are a very touchy subject and can lead into many forms of bigotry and illiberality. Although stereotypes can be used in positive ways to appeal to the certain and right audiences in commercials and advertisements, we must wonder if the conspicuous aggrandizement and affirmation of them should be acceptable in the things we let our kids and ourselves watch. We must also consider the factors that the dangerous stereotypes can affect when looking at this subject, the education factors, the societal factors and lastly, the logical/reasoning factors.

The Problem And Proposed Solutions

The Digital Divide debate encompasses issues that are of social, economic and political import. Meaning to say, the issues regarding the digital divide, as a phenomenon and as a current concern that needs to be addressed, is not merely limited to the issue of the existing disparity in terms of access to technology which transverses different sectors of society. This paper attempts to explicate the digital divide, the debate and the foundational issues concerning the phenomenon/problem.In line with the main task of this paper is the identification of the two most important obstacles that need to be overcome and the two important things that the government needs to create in dealing with the digital divide. In meeting the demands of a global economy, technological advancements especially in the field of telecommunications and information technology are key factors in making possible various transactions faster, cheaper, more reliable and convenient. Needless to say, these technological advances are important tools if companies and other business ventures are to survive in the digital economy.These technological advancements however, are evolving far too fast which consequently generate pressing problems that ought to be considered. On a preliminary note, the aforementioned rapid technological evolution poses serious questions if our societal structures can rapidly adapt to these changes and more importantly, if we, ourselves can rapidly adapt and be able to integrate for ourselves these changes. A good example is the Internet and the online community and it is to this topic that we shall now turn.A fuller understanding of the digital divide phenomenon necessitates an understanding of its underpinnings. As Pippa Norris contends, â€Å"the digital divide is understood as a multidimensional phenomenon encompassing three distinct aspects† (Norris). These three distinct aspects according to Norris are the global divide, social divide and democratic divide, resp ectively. Norris elucidates further, â€Å"The global divide refers to divergence of Internet access between industrialized and developing societies.The social divide concerns the gap between the information rich and poor in each nation. And lastly, within the online community, the democratic divide signifies the difference between those who do, and do not, use the panoply of digital resources to engage, mobilize and participate in public life† (Norris). One may thus infer that these three aspects related to the issue of ‘access’ to the Internet involve not mere social, but also economic and political considerations.In an article entitled, What is the Digital Divide, Harouna Ba makes a similar point as Norris. Ba writes, â€Å"lack of access to networked technology will result in a substantial segment of society having neither the skills nor the means to participate in the progressively more knowledge-based U. S. economy† (Ba). As Ba contends, there is a f elt need to address the issue of access along with the social, economic and political considerations that it entails. At this point, the emphasis is on what Norris calls disadvantaged communities.As mentioned earlier, these communities lack not merely access but also and more importantly, the necessary skills and the means to participate in the digital world. Ba identifies a number of obstacles in dealing with the digital divide phenomenon/problem. But, as I reckon it, in relation to the issue of access, the two most important obstacles in dealing with the digital divide are the issues of the disadvantaged communities’ not having the skills that are necessary and their lack of the means that are necessary.These two are barriers to technological access. One may thus infer that the issue of access only becomes a legitimate issue because of these two obstacles. Again, it is not merely a matter of providing the communities with a greater access to computers and the Internet by lo wering the cost of the hardware and software that hardware and software companies manufacture and sell in the market nor is it merely a matter of increasing the ratio of computers to students in our schools and other institutions of learning.This will not solve the digital divide. The solution to the problem lies on our capability to the address the needs of the disadvantaged communities. There is a need for intervention, so to speak. The government has a significant role in addressing these needs. However, the government’s intervention will not suffice. There is a need for a multi-sectoral cooperation in addressing the needs of disadvantaged communities. A crucial question comes into the scenario. What needs to be done?As Ba sees it, what is needed is to develop community-based technology programs that will support the needs of disadvantaged communities. Ba writes, â€Å"Community technology access models are often grounded on community needs and encompass multiple goals to strengthen neighborhoods, educate youth, promote economic development, connect individuals to the social and economic life of the community, and increase participation in civil society† (Ba). It is of utmost importance that we first assess the needs of the community so that we may provide the appropriate solutions.Furthermore, it is important that technology programs be based on the needs of disadvantaged communities so that these communities themselves may have the opportunity to identify and thereby, integrate what the vital functions of technology are to them and the opportunities that it can provide for them. Such an integration entails that a disadvantaged community sees the relevance of technology in their lives. It may thus be inferred that for Ba, the digital divide may be addressed by people empowerment.Our concerted efforts must be directed to empowering the disadvantaged sectors of society. How can this be done? People empowerment is made possible through community education. As Ba contends, there is a lot of work to be done especially in â€Å"the areas of learning and teaching with and/or about advanced technologies in informal settings for under-served communities† (Ba). This is one of the main reason why government initiatives and interventions in the past only had a limited success in dealing with the digital divide phenomenon.There indeed are initiatives and interventions but they do not address the problem. They miss the point, so to speak. As Ba notes, state governments attempt to address the digital divide via two government agencies; the Public Utility Commission (PUC) and the Department of Education. The PUC by appealing to telecommunication companies and the likes for universal service and the Department of Education by making provisions for computers in school for those students that do not have access to a computer and the Internet at home.These attempts miss the point because they have been made on the unfounded assumpti on that the digital divide issue is merely an issue of ‘access’ and thus, can be solved by making computers and the Internet more accessible to individuals. But what can these initiatives and interventions accomplish if in the first place, the problem is that individuals from disadvantaged sectors of society lack the necessary skills and the means to be able to access and thereby, utilize technology? The plain truth of the matter is that technology evolves much faster than society can adapt to it.Furthermore, why limit the provisions with the students? Why not youth in general? Why exclude out-of-school youth? This merely shows that the limited success of state initiatives and interventions may be explained by the fact that their assumption is unfounded and that their digital divide programs are not grounded on community needs and thus, ineffective. The digital divide phenomenon/problem is not merely a problem of access. The preceding discussion makes it clear that it i s not a mere matter of identifying â€Å"the have from the have not†.Even this distinction is grounded on further distinctions in terms of the social, economic and the political. These further distinctions albeit different from each other, are very closely interrelated that they all affect changes in the others. Human society is complex. It is not simply a social system. It is also a political system and every political system is also an economic system. The human mind too is complex. There are countless possibilities in terms of scientific and technological advancements. Science and technology evolves too fast.In contrast to science and technology, our societal structures and institutions do not. They do not because there are many other significant things to consider. Perhaps, this is the predicament of our time. Works Cited Ba, Harouna. â€Å"What Is Digital Divide†. August 20 2007. . Norris, Pippa. Digital Divide: Civic Engagement, Information Poverty, and the Inter net Worldwide (Communication, Society and Politics). Cambridge Cambridge University Press, 2001.

Bioplastics

BIOPLASTICS Bioplastics are a form of plastics derived from renewable biomass sources, such as vegetable fats and oils, corn starch, pea starch or microbiota. There are a variety of materials bioplastics that can be composed of, including: starches, cellulose, or other biopolymers. APPLICATIONS OF BIOPLASTICS Biodegradable bioplastics are used for disposable items, such as packaging and catering items (crockery, cutlery, pots, bowls and straws). They are also often used for bags, trays, containers for fruit, vegetables, eggs and meat, bottles for soft drinks and dairy products, and blister foils for fruit and vegetables.Nondisposable applications include mobile phone casings, carpet fibres, and car interiors, fuel line and plastic pipe applications, and new electro active bioplastics are being developed that can be used to carry electrical current. In these areas, the goal is not biodegradability, but to create items from sustainable resources. Medical implants made of PLA, which dis solve in the body, save patients a second operation. Compostable mulch films for agriculture, already often produced from starch polymers, do not have to be collected after use and can be left on the fields.TYPES OF BIOPLASTICS Starch-based plastics: Constituting about 50 percent of the bioplastics market, thermoplastic starch, currently represents the most widely used bioplastic. Pure starch possesses the characteristic of being able to absorb humidity, and is thus being used for the production of drug capsules in the pharmaceutical sector. Flexibiliser and plasticiser such as sorbitol and glycerine are added so the starch can also be processed thermo-plastically.By varying the amounts of these additives, the characteristic of the material can be tailored to specific needs. Simple starch plastic can be made at home. Industrially, starch based bioplastics are often blended with biodegradable polyesters. These blends are no longer biodegradables, but display a lower carbon footprint compared to the corresponding petroleum based plastics. Cellulose-based plastics: Cellulose bioplastics are mainly the cellulose esters, (including cellulose acetate and nitrocellulose) and their derivatives, including celluloid.Polylactic acid (PLA) plastics: Polylactic acid (PLA) is a transparent plastic produced from cane sugar or glucose. It not only resembles conventional petrochemical mass plastics (like PE or PP) in its characteristics, but it can also be processed easily, albeit more expensively, on standard equipment that already exists for the production of conventional plastics. PLA and PLA blends generally come in the form of granulates with various properties, and are used in the plastic processing industry for the production of foil, moulds, cups and bottles.Poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB): The biopolymer poly-3-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) is polyester produced by certain bacteria processing glucose, corn starch or wastewater. Its characteristics are similar to those of the pet roplastic polypropylene. PHB is distinguished primarily by its physical characteristics. It produces transparent film at a melting point higher than 130 degrees Celsius, and is biodegradable without residue. Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA): Polyhydroxyalkanoates are linear polyesters produced in nature by bacterial fermentation of sugar or lipids.They are produced by the bacteria to store carbon and energy. In industrial production, the polyester is extracted and purified from the bacteria by optimizing the conditions for the fermentation of sugar. More than 150 different monomers can be combined within this family to give materials with extremely different properties. PHA is more ductile and less elastic than other plastics, and it is also biodegradable. These plastics are being widely used in the medical industry. Polyamide 11 (PA 11): PA 11 is a biopolymer derived from natural oil.PA 11 belongs to the technical polymers family and is not biodegradable. The emissions of greenhouse gas es and consumption of nonrenewable resources are reduced during its production. Its thermal resistance is also superior to that of PA 12. It is used in high-performance applications like automotive fuel lines, pneumatic airbrake tubing, electrical cable antitermite sheathing, flexible oil and gas pipes, control fluid umbilicals, sports shoes, electronic device components, and catheters. IMPACT ON ENVIRONMENT Sustainability:Sustainability is improving the quality of human life while living within the carrying capacity of supporting eco-systems. The production and use of bioplastics is generally regarded as a more sustainable activity when compared with plastic production from petroleum (petroplastic), because it relies less on fossil fuel as a carbon source and also introduces fewer, net-new greenhouse emissions if it biodegrades. They significantly reduce hazardous waste caused by oil-derived plastics, which remain solid for hundreds of years, and open a new era in packing technolog y and industry. Biodegradable:All (bio- and petroleum-based) plastics are technically biodegradable, meaning they can be degraded by microbes under suitable conditions. However many degrade at such slow rates as to be considered non-biodegradable. Some petrochemical-based plastics are considered biodegradable, and may be used as an additive to improve the performance of many commercial bioplastics. The degree of biodegradation varies with temperature, polymer stability, and available oxygen content. Consequently, most bioplastics will only degrade in the tightly controlled conditions of industrial composting units.In compost piles or simply in the soil/water, most bioplastics will not degrade, starch-based bioplastics will, however. A distinction must be made for the term â€Å"compostable†. While â€Å"biodegradable† simply means that an object will biologically disintegrate, compostable specifically demands that the end product has to be humus. So, while a plastic ma y â€Å"biodegrade in a compost site† this does not mean that it will compost in a compost site. ADVANTAGES Bioplastics can be sustainable, carbon neutral and are always renewable, because they are made from plant materials which can be grown indefinitely.These plant materials come from agricultural nonfood crops. Therefore, the use of biopolymers would create a sustainable industry. In contrast, the feedstocks for polymers derived from petrochemicals will eventually deplete. In addition, biopolymers have the potential to cut carbon emissions and reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) quantities in the atmosphere: this is because the CO2 released when they degrade can be reabsorbed by crops grown to replace them: this makes them close to carbon neutral.Some biopolymers are biodegradable: they are broken down into CO2 and water by microorganisms. Some of these biodegradable biopolymers are compostable: they can be put into an industrial composting process and will break down by 90% withi n six months. DISADVANTAGES Bioplastics could have a damaging effect on soil, water usage and quality, and result in higher food prices. Bioplastics are designed to be composted, not recycled. The plant-based material will actually contaminate the recycling process if not separated from conventional plastics such as soda bottles and milk jugs.Home composting may not be an option. Some bioplastics cannot be broken down by the bacteria in our backyards. Polyethylene (PE) made from cane sugar is one example of this. Only bioplastics that are fully biodegradable will break down in a home compost pile, and it could still take up to two years for certain items. The rest require the high heat and humidity of an industrial composting facility. Plants grown for bioplastics have negative impacts of their own.Bioplastics are often produced from genetically modified food crops such as corn, potatoes, and soybeans, a practice that carries a high risk of contaminating our food supply. Also, corn and soybean producers typically apply large amounts of chemical pesticides and fertilizers that pollute our air and water. To compound matters, the growth of the bioplastics and biofuels industries (both of which currently rely on food crops as their raw material) increases the demand for crops, puts pressure on food prices, and increases the impact of agriculture worldwide.

What Cause People to Have Shame

According to the New International Webster s Pocket Dictionary of the English Language shame means, a painful feeling caused by a sense of guilt, unworthiness, impropriety, etc. Another definition is a person or thing causing disgrace or humiliation. I m going to use the first definition in this paper. There are a lot of thing that causes people to be ashamed. When shame shows up in people s lives it causes people to be unhappy, hide things from others, and to feel guilty about things. Shame causes people to be unhappy. In the story The Necklace Mathilde was a poor woman and she married and poor man. Mathilde was unhappy with her life because she wasn t living the life that she wanted to live. She wanted expensive things like large, silent anterooms, decorated with oriental tapestries and lighted by high bronze floor lamps, with two elegant valets in short culottes dozing in large armchairs under the effects of forced-air heaters (Manupassant 4). She also wanted large drawing rooms draped in the most expensive silks, with fine end tables on which were placed knickknacks of inestimable value (Manupassant 4). The last thing she wanted was the perfume of dainty private rooms, which were designed only for intimate tete-a-tetes with the closest friends, which make her the envy of all the other women. Like we discussed in class, if she was so unhappy with the way she was living then why come she didn t marry a rich man and then she would have the things that she dreamed of. Her shame over material things that she wanted made her unhappy. Also In The House on Mango Street there was this little girl and her parents they lived in a apartment that wasn t worth living in. The girl was unhappy with the place she had to live. She wanted to live in a house with a back yard and a house that wasn t tore up but in perfect condition. She wanted what we call the ideal house. In tell she will have her ideal house it s just takes time. Shame cause people to feel guilty. Guilt is a feeling of blameworthiness for having committed a crime or wrong (Webster 223). In The Necklace Mathilde was a shame of the clothes that she had. Her husband and herself were invited to a dinner party, but she refused to go because she wanted a new dress. He finally gave in and got her a new dress. After she got that she still refused to go because she didn t have any jewelry to wear so she borrowed from her friend. She went to the dance and had a good time. On the way back home she lost the necklace. Shame made here feel guilty because she had lost something that didn t belong to here. In The House on Mango Street the girl felt guilty to tell people where she stayed because of the condition of the house. The girl was ashamed of were she stayed that it made her unhappy to even have to go there everyday. In First Confession Jackie felt guilty having gone to confession to confess his sins. He thought that he was a really bad person. He told the priest that he didn t like his grandmother and her wanted her dead and that he had tried to kill his sister with a bread-knife under the table. Shame causes people to hide things from others. In The Necklace Mathilde borrowed a necklace from one of her friends and on the way home from the dinner party she loses it. Instead of telling her friend that she lost she hid it from here. So she had to borrow money from people to go buy another necklace. At the end of the story she runs into her friend that she borrowed the necklace from and to come to find out the necklace wasn t even real. When you hide things from others you re not hurting them you re hurting yourself. If she had told her friend that she lost her necklace then she wouldn t have had to go through the turmoil that she went through. In other words she should have been honest with her friend. She was so shame that she had lost her friend s necklace that she wanted to hide it from here so that she wouldn t think that she was a careless person In conclusion, shame can affect us in many ways. In this paper I talked about how shame causes people to be unhappy, to feel guilty, and to hide things from others.