Thursday, September 19, 2019

Poverty in Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck :: Grapes of Wrath Essays

Throughout history, less fortunate people have been set apart or shunned from the general public. In the Grapes of Wrath, by John Steinbeck, this statement holds true. Throughout the whole book, all of the less fortunate people are treated like they aren’t even human. This is not much different than how our society is now. In the news article â€Å"Major Cities Get Tough With Homeless†, by Angie Cannon, Judy Appel said, â€Å"We are saying it is your fault that we have created a structure where there aren’t enough jobs and housing for you to lead a decent life.† (Cannon 1) Appel is saying the same thing Steinbeck was saying in his book. Many homeless people are homeless because they were forced to be that way, and the general public doesn’t realize it. In the Grapes of Wrath, and in the present time, the general public has set the less fortunate apart from themselves without even realizing it. â€Å"I’m seeing more apathy on the part of people. I think people used to feel badly. And now, I think people feel bothered. That’s a dangerous shift.† (Cannon 1) What she means is that at one point in time we used to care for the homeless. We used to try and help them out. Now we don’t care and we just want to get rid of them. This is very similar to the situation in the Grapes of Wrath. At first they wanted thousands of people to come and work, but when they actually started coming, the general public wanted to get rid of them. â€Å"And the men of the towns and of the soft suburban county gathered to defend themselves; and the reassured themselves that they were good and the invaders were bad, as a man must do before he fights. They said, these Okies are dirty and ignorant. They’re degenerate sexual man iacs. These Okies are thieves. They’ll steal anything. They’ve got no sense of property rights.† (G.O.W. 363) This was the general publics’ feeling towards the Okies, even though they asked them to come there in the first place. What the people don’t understand is that the Okies are being forced to steal and the general public is the one who is forcing them. In the Grapes of Wrath, and in the present time we, the general public have shunned the less fortunate. It isn’t that we want them to be poor, but we have a hard time fitting in with them.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Renaissance Man and Renaissance Women Essay -- essays research papers

Between the 1300s and 1500s, Europe experienced a period of cultural rebirth known as the Renaissance, marking the transition from medieval times to modern times. The Renaissance brought new importance to individual expression, self-consciousness and worldly experience. The Renaissance man and woman characterized the Renaissance ideals. A renaissance man was a well- educated gentleman who had cultural grace, courage and who understood the arts and sciences. On the other hand, a Renaissance woman was supposed to marry well, be loyal to her husband and give birth to boys. The most famous Renaissance man was Leonardo Da Vinci who was born on April 15th 1452 in Florence, Italy. Da Vinci was truly recognized by many to be a Renaissance child and later a Renaissance man because of his many talents. He revealed his artistic talents at the age of 17 when he was hired as a studio boy to Andrea Del Verrocchio, the leading Florentine painter and sculptor of his day. In Verrocchio workshop, Da Vinci was introduced to main techniques, from the painting of altarpieces and panel pictures to the creation of large sculptural projects in marble and bronze. His ‘’Last Supper’’ and ‘’Mona Lisa’’are among the most widely popular and influential paintings of the Renaissance. At the same time his scientific interests deepened: his concern with anatomy led him to perform dissections. After a period of time, Da Vinci’s scientific research began to dominate his other activities so much that his artis...

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Midterm Exam Essay

Utopian Stories After reading the short stories thought this semester, I have found that many of the Utopian stories are thematically the same. A Utopian story is a short story or novel in which someone pays the cost for perfection in society. There are three short stories that are most thematically alike those are: The Lottery by Shirley Jackson in 1948; The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas by Ursula K. Le Guin in 1975; and Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. in 1961. I have chosen these three stories because someone pays the cost in each of these stories and the results in each of them are the same. The elements of plot, characterizations, settings and symbols of each of these stories are alike. The story The Lottery by Shirley Jackson is about village who stones a villager, old or young, once a year, for good crops and harvest. This person is chosen by a draw from a box. As in the lottery, the short story entitled The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas by Ursula K Le Guin is about a community that isolates and eglects a child for a â€Å"perfect† community and in Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut Jr. he community is restrained by handicap’s so that everyone can be equally perfect. All of these stories plots have the one person that is tortured or killed for everyone else’s happiness. Someone has to die or be neglected for perfection, they become sacrifices and not willingly. They are chosen unfairly or are held back of their gi fts. The characterizations in each of these stories are simply innocent. None of the main characters had a choice and if they rebelled they were still put to death. In The Lottery Mrs. Hutchinson seems to be a normal mother and a great wife. She was doing as women in that time should have done, and she was late because she was doing the dishes. She was innocent. In The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas a young boy is neglected and frowned upon as a sacrifice. It is not said that this boy had done anything to deserve this, or that he was chosen because of his behavior. He was innocent and very young, most likely pure. In Harrison Bergeron both the mother and father were a normal family however the father had to wear a handicap to make im less intelligent and Harrison was a normal boy that was smart and talented however he disagreed and paid a cost. I believe that all the characters were treated unfairly. They all seemed to be nice and normal. The settings and Symbols of each of the stories are in a small village or community. A smaller community is easier to control and persuade. I think that the symbols are similar they are all restraints in a way or isolation. Stones were used in the lottery and when thinking of a stone I think of something cold and hard and very uncomfortable. In the Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas they used a basement to keep the boy in. When thinking of a basement I think of a dark cold place also very hard and uncomfortable. In Harrison Bergeron they used handicap’s that were probably uncomfortable and the loud sounds in their all very uncomfortable. In conclusion I believe that these three stories were all thematically alike. The Lottery, The Ones Who Walk away from Omelas, and Harrison Bergeron were all great stories and I would recommend them to anyone who would like to read a utopian story.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Preliminary Ruling under Article Essay

Question 1. EC legislation and the national legislation of the Member States were integrated by the European Community Treaties. As such the national courts act in accordance with Community law and refer cases to the European Court of Justice. National judges play a key role in implementing Community law in their Member States. The preliminary reference system thus enables the national courts to comply with Community law and maintain cooperation with the European Court of Justice. Under this system the national courts refer cases for a preliminary ruling to the ECJ, in accordance with the provisions of Article 234 EC . Article 234 EC contains the jurisdictional requirements for a preliminary reference. First, the referring institution has to be a court or tribunal of a Member State. Second, the referral should be in respect of Community law’s validity or interpretation and finally, the referring court or tribunal should determine whether at all there is a need to deliver a judgment, by the ECJ. In Bosman it was opined by the Advocate General Lenz that the ECJ can refuse to consider a preliminary ruling request, if such a request apparently bears no relation to the main action . The European Court of Justice is an autonomous body that is independent of any Member State or institution of the European Union. The major function of the ECJ is to interpret the Community Treaties and Community law in accordance with the spirit of the EU, and to implement the EC law, throughout the EU. Therefore, the ECJ shoulders the responsibility of uniformly applying the EC law in all Member States. It constitutes the judicial pillar of the EU . While hearing cases, if a conflict arises between the national legislation and the EC law, with regard to the application of the Community law; the national courts should not declare the EC law to be inapplicable. It is the duty of the ECJ to resolve such situations through its case law. Article 234 EC contains the procedure to be adopted when national courts refer cases to the ECJ for a preliminary ruling. A wide range of jurisdictional requirements have to be met by the ECJ in order to give a preliminary ruling. However, the ECJ can refuse to entertain a preliminary reference if it is satisfied that Community law is not invoked in these referred cases . In the Meilicke case, the issue was the right of shareholders to obtain information from the company management, as per the provisions of Directive 77/91/EEC. The Directive requires certain safeguards to be implemented by the Member States, so as to protect the interests of shareholders and others. The Member States have to act in accordance with the second paragraph of Article 58 of the EC Treaty. The national court referred the case to the ECJ on the compatibility of the German Aktiengesetz with the Directive with regard to the process of forming public limited liability companies, their maintenance and changes in their share capital . The national court was required to interpret these safeguards in accordance with the Second Directive. The ECJ keenly looked into the facts of the case. Its objective was to determine whether the German legislation, in the context of treating certain cash contribution preceded or followed by the company’s transactions of payment of amounts to shareholders, so as to offset the debts of the company to the shareholders or subscribers, violated Community law. The national court had held that Community law had been violated, because these amounts had been in the form of disguised contributions in kind . However, the ECJ refused to respond to the referral, as it felt that it would be exceeding the scope of its jurisdiction . The underlying principle involved is that the national courts have to refer novel and subtle questions, regarding the application and interpretation of EC law, while making a reference for a preliminary ruling. Subsequently, the ECJ would develop new case law, which would serve as a guideline to national judges and other legal professionals in the EU. National courts are expected to develop a pan European perspective and thereby contribute to the integrity of the Union. As such the ECJ does not compel the national courts to refer cases for a preliminary hearing. Though, the ECJ cannot force national courts to submit cases for preliminary reference, Article 234 EC imposes such a requirement in some cases. In some other cases it requires national courts to directly refer the cases to the ECJ by suspending the cases in the first instance itself . Article 234 EC differentiates between lower courts and national courts of last instance. The lower national courts have discretion, whether to make a reference or not. The national courts of last instance are obliged to refer cases for preliminary reference, if the interpretation of Community law was such that referral was warranted. Most of these cases originate in the lower national courts. Hence, they possess the discretion to refer the cases to the ECJ. The courts of last instance are under an obligation to make such a reference, however, they possess some discretion in this matter and this has been specified in Article 7 EC . If a national judge has to deal with cases in which the validity and applicability of the EC law is challenged, or if the application of EC law is argued to be illegal; then the national judge is under an obligation to make a referral to the ECJ for a preliminary reference. However, national judges are not competent to declare EC law invalid or unlawful. This is because, if a provision of EC law were to be declared as unlawful, then its application would have to be declared invalid in the entire EU. Therefore, it is unacceptable to declare a provision of the EC law invalid in a particular Member State; while it is valid in other Member States, without any dispute or conflict with national legislation . In the Foto – Frost case, the ECJ held that the national courts are under an obligation to refer questions regarding the applicability and validity of EC law to it. The ECJ held that national courts could only consider the applicability and legality of Community legislation. A national court cannot declare that a piece of Community legislation is invalid. Hence it only the ECJ that can invalidate Community legislation or an act of an EC institution . In Gaston Schul Douane-expediteur and International Air Transport Association the ECJ reiterated that the national courts were under an obligation to seek a preliminary reference from it. In Gaston, ECJ ignored the subject matter of the case and only considered the preliminary reference made by the national court. Afterwards, the ECJ held that the referral had been incorrect, because in an earlier decision on a similar subject, it had given the same decision, due to the fact that a specific piece of EU legislation would be declared invalid. Question 2 [a] The Employment Tribunals are competent to refer cases, under Article 234 EC, to the ECJ, whenever a clarification is needed regarding an EC Directive. This is exemplified by Coleman . In this case it was held that the ET was well within its powers to make a referral to the ECJ. This is provided for in Rule 58 of the ET Rules of Procedure 2004. Question 2[b] A disciplinary committee is neither a court nor a tribunal. Therefore, it is precluded from referring to the ECJ for a preliminary hearing. Moreover, a disciplinary committee, though a quasi – judicial body, is all the same dependent on the administrator; hence, the   ECJ will not accept a preliminary hearing referral from it. This is on the basis of the ruling in Corbiau . Question 2 [c] The Appellate Court had deemed the issue to be irrelevant and unarguable and consequently, unfit to be referred to even the House of Lords. Therefore, the issue is definitely not to be referred to the ECJ.   In the Max Mara Fashion Group case, no questions had been submitted for a reference. Further the case was so ambiguous that the ECJ refused to have anything to do with it. It was also unclear as to why the case had been sent for reference and there were no provisions of EC law that had been violated . Question 2 [d] The House of Lords need not refer to the ECJ, because it is fully convinced that it has comprehended the piece of legislation under consideration. Since, there is no breach of EC law by the national law, nor is there any difficulty in interpreting EC law, there is no necessity to approach the ECJ for a preliminary reference. Question 2 [e] In the Nolle case, the ECJ held that a referral would not be entertained, if its purpose was only restricted to fact finding . As such the ECJ requires a verification of all the facts before filing a reference with it. Moreover, the Home Office is not a judicial body. Therefore, the Home Office cannot refer to the ECJ, in order to ascertain whether the Iranian student is to be deported or not. Bibliography Case 314/85, Foto-Frost v Hauptzollamt Là ¼beck-Ost (1987) . Case C – 16/90 Nolle v. Hauptzollamp Bremen – Freihafen (1991) ECR I – 5163. Case C-83/91, Wienard Meilicke v ADV/ORGA FA Meyer AG, [1992] ECR I-4871. Case C – 24/92, Corbiau v. Administration des Contributions, (1993) ECR I – 1277. Case C-307/95 Max Mara Fashion Group (1995) ECR I-5083. C – 415/93 Bosman v UEFA (1995) ECR I – 4921. Case C-461/03, Gaston Schul Douane-expediteur BV v Minister van Landbouw, Natuur en Voedselkwaliteit, (2005). Case C-344/04, R (International Air Transport Association and European Low Fares Airline Association) v Department for Transport, (2006). C – 303/06, S. Coleman v. Attridge Law, Steve Law, (2006). The Relation Between National Courts and the European Court of Justice in the European Union Judicial System: Preliminary Ruling Regimes According to Articles 234 EC, 68 EC, and 35 EU. February 2007. 3 February 2008.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Geography Pedestrian Survey

For this survey, the whole class worked as a group. We started by being given a grided map of Halifax's Central Business District and a small area surrounding it. Our teacher kept a copy of this as the master map. Each square on the map could be identified like the one below. This made identification of points easy. On this map there were (number) points marked by dots (see above) in the Central Business District and beyond. These were then grouped together into groups of approximately seven. The class was then split into pairs, and each pair was then allocated one of the groups of dots. The reason for working in pairs is so that one person could time and one could count the people passing. It was also for safety reasons. Before we started the count, we worked out some rules or guidelines for the whole class to follow. These were to * To count all people that passed, including babies in prams. * To not count pets/ animals * To count everyone on ONE side of the road only, except in precinct locations where everyone in the precinct was counted. A time limit of 5 minutes per point was decided. Each pair then went to their separate points to start counting/ timing. My pair had 6 points to count, so for 3 points person A timed and person B counted, and for the other 3 points, person A counted and B timed. The timer was started at the same time as the other half of the pair began counting. Every person was recorded as a tally on a table like the one below. Each point was named as the grid reference of the square it was in. After 5 minutes the timer was stopped, and the tally totalled. This was repeated for all 6 points. After they had all been done, we reported back and recorded our results on the master map along with the rest of the groups' results. We were all given a copy of this map so we had records for all the points surveyed. We used a tally to count al the pedestrians as it is easy to put a dash for every person and the results could be totalled quickly. This was especially useful in busy locations, where large groups of people were passing at once. We set the time limit because then the whole groups' results would be done over that amount of time. The time limit was set as 5 minutes because this would give us a reasonable time to count for, and the results would not be too high or too low. Problems/ Anomalies Our particular pair did not encounter many problems, but many of the other groups did. The only problem we had that could have affected the results was that the point nearest the bus station could have been affected by buses coming in and out. At the time we counted there weren't many buses, so the tally could have been higher at a different time of day. Here is a list of the problems encountered, as well as some other things that could have affected the survey in any way, and how I overcame them. * The weather, day of the week, date and time were recorded because any of these may have affected the survey. For example, the weather could affect the survey as if it was dry then there would be people outside than if it were raining. The day of the week could affect the survey because there would be a different number of people in town on weekdays than at weekends. The date was important, as there may be more people who would come into town at certain times of the year, for example at Christmas or at holiday seasons. The time of day could affect numbers of people if it was half day for example. Also the closing and opening times of shops must be taken into consideration. * In Halifax's Central Business District there are changes being made, and new buildings being built which occasionally meant that all pedestrians had to walk on one side of the road. This would have affected the results. * A very similar problem was that where roads were being resurfaced or dug up, pedestrians also had to walk around these, creating a disruption in pedestrian flow. * One pair found that they were standing outside the entrance to an office at lunch- time, so large groups of workers created an unusually high pedestrian density. This was because the survey was conducted around lunch- time. If it had been carried out at a different time of day then this would not have been a problem. * There were often a lot of people on streets that were important routes (to the bus station for example) this could mean that high pedestrian densities were found in areas where the other predictions of Central Business District properties weren't necessarily true. For example there may be poor shopping quality and a high pedestrian count if the road led to the Station. In this aspect the survey is flawed, but not many surveys are perfect. As so many points were done, one or two anomalies shouldn't matter too much. * The master map that was used to share out the points and on which all our results were recorded hadn't been photocopied very well. This meant that four points were presumed to be marks on the map and weren't given to anyone to survey. These were F5, F7, F8 and F10. No results were got for these points, but a reasonable estimate can be made using the results form previous surveys carried out at similar times on the same day of the week by another class. I also looked at the points in neighbouring grid squares to try and make a reasonable estimate. When these were compared with the results from the other group, they were found to be very similar. Anomalies * At F5, there were 147 pedestrians counted. This is a very high number for an area not really close to the centre of Halifax's Central Business District, or an area without department stores. This could have been because it is near Netto's and a busy newsagents and crossroads. Other Possible Problems * Groups of school children or any other unusually large groups of people in quiet areas could be a problem. * If a pair were counting outside the theatre and a film had just finished or was just starting, then more people would be around and also on the streets leading to it, especially if it was a new or popular film. * Large sales at big shops (e.g. the ‘Next' sale) often draw large crowds, and people will often queue to get in. This would also create pedestrian anomalies. Was The Survey Successful? These problems prove that the survey was not flawless but the results I got will give me an idea of pedestrian density in Halifax and where the busiest and most quiet areas are. I have covered everywhere in Halifax, but I don't feel that this would be very reasonable. There are gaps in the survey, but it would take a very long time and a lot of people to do a more accurate survey, and I don't think that the results I have would be further improved to make this worthwhile. I have enough data to be able to display in different ways and investigate further. In the next chapter I will start to evaluate these results and look for patterns and relationships. How Could the Survey Be Improved? The survey could have been improved by any of the following methods- * Counting at more points to get a more accurate result. * Repeating the survey at different times on different days, or at the same time on the same day a week later and comparing the results. If this was done, a more accurate picture could be seen, and anomalies more easily spotted. Land Use Survey To carry out this survey, I got a map of Halifax that was on a large enough scale to have every building in it's Central Business District on it. I then thought of all the possible land uses of the buildings in the Central Business District and put them into groups of similar uses e.g. chain stores/ department stores. I then assigned a letter and colour to each of these groups. I gave each group a letter because this could be written onto the map when I was in Halifax and was easier than taking a lot of coloured pencils. I gave each a colour so that I could colour each shop when I got home to make the results clearer. I then went into Halifax to carry out the survey. To carry out this survey I took the map of Halifax ‘s Central Business District, the key and a pencil to mark the letter on each building. I started in one corner of Halifax and walked along every street, marking the buildings as I went. To do the whole of Halifax would have been unreasonable, so I decided to mark groups of similar buildings, even if there may have been the odd one which wasn't in that category. I also went into the Tourist Information to find some more maps and information on Halifax. These helped me fill in any buildings that I had missed. Problems Here is a list of some of the problems that I encountered whilst carrying out the survey. * Some buildings had more than one use on different floors. In this case I recorded the most important use. In cases such as the Piece Hall, they were both classed as one type of shop, because most of the shops there are selling craft item or food. * The main problem I had was that Halifax is undergoing a lot of changes at the moment and a new set of shops was under construction in Woolshops. As the changes are very recent, none of the maps that I have show the new shops, and I had to either draw them in or colour the area as ‘under- construction'. By the time I have finished this project, the shops are likely to be finished, so it is possible that I can update the results then. * Some of the shops were so small that I couldn't fit a letter on them. To overcome this problem, I grouped shops of similar types. Possible Problems * If the town had been any bigger, then survey would have been much more difficult to do, as it would take hours to do every single shop. Was the Survey Successful? I think that the methods I used worked well and using a map and finishing the survey at home saved time. As the point of the survey is to get a general pattern of where the different types of land use that occur in Halifax's Central Business District, I don't think that colouring every single building would have been necessary. Colouring in blocks of similar shops saved time, and though some areas may not have been strictly accurate, the general pattern will not be affected. The survey will help show patterns and groups of similar shops as well as where the main shopping areas are, and where the main business areas are. It should also be related to the Peak Land Value Intersection, but I will investigate this in the next chapter. How Could the Survey Be Improved? The survey could have been improved by any of the following measures- * I could have looked at every single shop- this would have been possible if lots of people did the survey together and put their results together. * A newer map would have created a more up-to-date result. * An even bigger scale map would let me write the names of the shops on, but this isn't really necessary. Model Central Business District To start this survey, I firstly formulated some question to compare Halifax to a model Central Business District. I then got a map of Halifax and worked out where its centre was (See finding the centre of Halifax's Central Business District) and then used a compass to draw concentric circles moving outwards from the centre of Halifax. I drew 6 circles at equal intervals to represent the zones of Halifax's Central Business District and took this map into Halifax. Once in Halifax, I walked through each of the zones and answered the questions while I was there. I also used a map if I was unsure of any of the answers and this helped me when I was back at home. Every question was either a yes or no answer, so most of the time this wasn't a problem. I started in the innermost zone and answered all the questions while I was there, before moving outwards and answering all the questions for the next zone and so on until I had covered most of the areas on my map. Problems There were some problems that I encountered whilst doing this survey. These were- * It was often quite difficult to tell exactly where the zones started and finished, and some zones included a lot of road and some didn't contain any. * Some questions, like the one about building height, are affected by the fact that Halifax's Central Business District buildings are protected. This is because they are of historical value and may mean that they aren't very tall. This would not normally be the case in a Central Business District. * Parking is actually allowed in Halifax's Central Business District but a lot of it is voucher parking. * Some questions were hard to answer; like ‘Wide range of shops?' and ‘high pedestrian counts?' because it was hard to tell where to put the boundaries between high and low pedestrian counts or high and low range of shops. * There are new shops being built at the moment, and it is likely that these will have a high shopping quality, but I can't be sure unless I see them. * It was hard to define the centre of Halifax in the first place, so if it were moved, I would possibly get very different results. * The zones were hard to define in the first place- I was unsure whether to have them as circles, or try to define them by looking at the properties of the different areas and drawing on zones to suit them. Was the Survey Successful? I think that the survey was successful and that using a questionnaire was a good idea. It gave me enough information to be able to make a reasonable comparison in the next chapter. The zones are very hard to define, but I chose to put them at regular intervals, leading out from the centre of the Central Business District. The survey will also help me find patterns, like the land- use survey, and give me a good all round view of the properties of Halifax's Central Business District. In the next chapter I will compare them to the properties of a model Central Business District and see how they relate to each other. How Could the Survey be Improved? The survey could possibly be improved by carrying out a more in-depth study of the position of the centre of the Central Business District. This would ensure that I got the positioning exactly right and zoning correct. This is the only way that I can think of to improve the survey.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Steve Jobs Leadership

Some would say that Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple Computers Inc. , was an exceptional leader. However, there are many who would disagree with that statement. Jobs could define leadership in some aspects, yet he fell short in others. Jobs’ leadership style is difficult to pin down because his position fit very many styles. Steve Jobs co-founded Apple in 1976 and in 1984 he created the Macintosh, the first small computer with a graphic interface. Unfortunately in 1985 Jobs was forced to leave after an internal power struggle with the companies CEO. Jobs later returned to a struggling Apple after 12 years and turned the company around. During the 12 years he was away, Steve Jobs created successful companies such as Pixar and NeXT. Pixar was acquired by Disney and NeXT was acquired by Apple Computers upon Jobs’ return. Jobs created such technological staples as the Ipad, Ipod, and Iphone. Steve Jobs was also known for his excellent speeches and captivating his audience. Unfortunately in 2011, Steve Jobs lost a long battle to pancreatic cancer. The characteristics of a superior leader are not hard to identify. Drive, integrity, self-confidence, and knowledge of business are characteristics of an exceptional leader. All of the above described Steve Jobs. Jobs was a very driven man, not for money, or power. Jobs believed that power is a necessity for what actually drove him: achievement itself. Jobs’ persistence was shown even more after leaving Apple. Steve could have spent his life dwelling over his loss, but instead he created two new, very successful companies. Maybe this drive is why Forbes named Jobs 2007’s most powerful person in business. Integrity was important to Jobs; his drive would push him to live up to what he promised. At times, following through with his promise would not always come out in the â€Å"nicest† way. Jobs was known to be difficult to get along with, especially in team meetings. Steve Jobs’ self-confidence was over flowing and considered arrogant by some, but he always believed in what he was trying to accomplish. Jobs’ knowledge of his business was extraordinary, revolutionizing technology at every turn. One of Jobs’ greatest quotes on leadership is â€Å"Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower† (Jobs, 2006). Steve Jobs’ leadership style is very difficult to clearly identify. Jobs’ characteristics and traits sporadically fit into different leadership styles. Jobs would be classified as an autocratic leader, he tells people what to do, asserting themselves, and serving as a model team member. Jobs was definitely not a democratic leader, it has been said that Jobs hated team meetings and was rather rude when employees spoke their mind. Steve Jobs could also be classified as entrepreneurial, despite the fact that he is a multibillionaire, his work ethic never changed. Andrew Dubrin defines an entrepreneur as â€Å"someone with a strong will for achievement and a sensible risk taking, high degree of enthusiasm, tendency to act quickly on opportunity, being impatient, visionary, amongst others† (Dubrin, 2010). Dubrin’s definition describes Steve Jobs to a tee. A transformational leader is one who â€Å"brings about major, positive change for the group, organization or society† (Dubrin, 2010). Jobs’ leadership showed many similarities to a transformational leader except one, Jobs lacked the humane qualities necessary. Jobs’ could also be considered a charismatic leader. Steve’s exceptional ability to captivate his audience during a speech is the time his charisma can be clearly seen. Jobs could fit himself into whichever scenario necessary to reach his audience. Steve Jobs is such an exceptional businessman, leader, and innovator. I have enjoyed learning more about his leadership and his career. Jobs has made me realize that there is no cookie cutter style of leadership that one person can follow. I found it helpful to relate different leadership styles to an actual person. To have a detailed explanation about how the text about leadership changes into real life is useful. He has made me open my eyes to the possibility that no one leadership position is more effective than another. Jobs was not necessarily the warmest of bosses yet he was still able to find that personal connection with his customers. Steve Jobs was able to interest and excite the consumer to have his latest â€Å"miracle. † Not every leader is great at everything, even the best struggle with certain aspects of their leadership. For me, I can see how the lessons that I have learned in my research will apply in my future. I have learned not to ever give up, always keep your eyes focused on the goal ahead. No matter how big or small the project is, the end goal is the same; success. Steve Jobs’ ability to rise above disappointment or despair and move on with such drive to succeed is extraordinary. This drive has motivated me to want to strive for the same. Steve Jobs has given me the examples of leadership that shows that how a strong leader can revolutionize the world. Think of how many homes have Iphones, Ipads, Ipods, or any other Apple product in their home. The products have become the â€Å"norm† in many homes. What a feeling of accomplishment Steve Jobs’ must have felt. All of his hard work and ingenuity is shown in the excitement his customers show with his inventions. I would consider Steve Jobs to be one of the most effective leaders that I have had the pleasure of researching. Being able to overcome being pushed out of the company that he co-founded is unbelievable. Only to later come back to that company and be able to turn around the sinking company. What a display of true leadership Steve Jobs showed the country. Steve was able to show not only his fellow Apple employees but everyone in the world how drive and perseverance can inspire anyone to reach for the stars. References Bateman, . & Snell, . (2009). Management: Leading and Collaborating in a Competitive World [University of Phoenix Custom Edition eBook]. : . Retrieved from, MGT330 website. Jobs, S. (2006, January 24). The leader-follower [Video file]. Retrieved from Subconscious Films website: http://www. subconsciousfilms. Kramer, D. (2010). david. kramer. wordpress. com. Retrieved from http://davidkramer. wordpress. com/2010/02/15/leadership-behaviours-and-attitudes-of-steve-jobs/ Steve Jobs Leadership Case Study. (2011). Retrieved from http://www. leadership-with-you. com/steve-jobs-leadership. html

Friday, September 13, 2019

Sustainable Solutions Paper. DBA strategy Essay

Sustainable Solutions Paper. DBA strategy - Essay Example As a business that deals with fashion and lifestyle products, Albani is concerned with sustainability of its customers and suppliers. Being a leading company in the perfume industry, Albani can be ranked as a successful or unsuccessful company through considerable consideration of its business environment. This will require the use of appropriate and up to date business analysis tools including porter’s five forces, general force analysis tools, SWOT analysis, and detailed value analysis. Sustainable operations will only result from strategic thinking and planning by the company’s managers. In the strategic planning, the company will require addressing both its production and supply channels. Executive Summary Sustainability of a business depends on various factors. These factors are fundamental characteristic of the business environment in which a firm operates. The sustainable solution paper analyzes the immediate environment of Albani Corporation. The paper also anal yzes the future of the company in terms of sustainability of its strategies and business structures. The sustainable solution paper begins by looking at the internal environment of the company. Internal business environment include immediate business factors controlled by the business. Such factors define the weakness and the strength of the company in relation to its competitors. Secondly, the paper analyzes the external environment of the company. Through the analysis, the paper utilizes essential industry analysis tools, which include SWOT/ SCOT analysis, landscape analysis, Boid analysis, Value Chain Analysis. Based on the above industrial and business analysis tool, the paper gives a long tern focus on the future of the market and industry in which Albani company operates (Alas, 2007). This focus or prediction is based on strategies derived from each of the analysis. General Force Analysis: the company is subject to economic forces that affects people’s purchasing power and way of life. Technology determines the production capacity and quality of the products that the company produces. Finally, consumption of Albani products is based on demographic factors such as gender ratios and dependency ratio it was established that the company targets people aged between 15- 40 years of age. Porter’s Five-Force Analysis Power of buyers: Buyers in the perfume industry have relatively low power and hence a low effect on the prices of the products Bargaining power of suppliers: The industry has few suppliers and hence they have high powers or ability to control the market and profitability of firms. Threats of substitutes: the industry has greatly differentiated products and hence minimal threats of substitutes. SWOT Analysis Strengths: Strong brand and Wide customer base are the main strengths of the company. Weakness: Using its positive values or strength the company hopes to eliminate its weakness, which includes Stretching demand and requirements for summer fragrances. Opportunity: By utilizing its strengths, the company hopes to exploits its opportunities, which include Emerging markets, winter fragrances. Threats: Finally, the company can counter its threatening factors by eliminating its weakness, which includes influx of cheap products, and Changing trends and fashion. Fitness Landscape and Analysis The perfume industry is a dynamic industry that is expanding constantly. However, the company is