Is Music a Luxury or Necessity Essay Example

Is Music a Luxury or Necessity? Essay Music Is Indeed a luxury but also an importance of survival. Many people who will go through tough times will listen music to keep them calm or even take them away to a fantasy world. I believe music is necessary to survival considering the amount of musicians in the world,if music was suddenly gone the world would seem very bleak and boring with no seeming light. Music can convey every single emotion and other topics such as ,Sadness, angry, happy, curious, funny. As someone who constantly is plugged in to my ipod, Cd player, or constantly playing music whenever i can it would appear to be a necessity to me. If you do the math, I would say I spend upwards of 18% of my time reading, writing, playing, or listening to music. Thats a huge number considering we spend 30% of our time sleeping. Those numbers, however, are misleading: We often multi-task while listening to music. It makes chores like homework and cleaning almost enjoyable. In fact, music makes my life in general much more tolerable, which in itself is an argument supporting it being a necessity. But do we really need music to survive? Its obvious it doesnt provide food or shelter. There are people out there who never listen to music, either because they dont have the chance or because they get no enjoyment from it. I dont think I could go a day without listening to music. Even as im writing this im listening right now. The key word is think. I get stressed if I havent listened to music in a couple days. It calms and soothes, stirs and inspires. It is intensely personal, yet can unite large groups of diverse people. Music offers an escape from reality, taking me back to precise moments in my life or forward to moments I hope to experience. We will write a custom essay sample on Is Music a Luxury or Necessity? specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Is Music a Luxury or Necessity? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Is Music a Luxury or Necessity? specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The Album The Razors Edge By AC/DC was the first album I ever owned. I still remember buying it and listening to it non-stop I often dream about making music my profession. Whether critiquing or creating, I seem to have a passion for it that most people dont understand. At the same time, however, I want to be a productive member of society. And if music isnt necessary, how can I justify working in the industry? If music would be my profession then it would be a necessity for me to survive. Maybe one justification can be found in people like me. Music has profoundly shaped and altered my life, and for that reason it is valuable. Maybe not necessary, but important nonetheless. its an experience that is different for everyone. I dont believe I could live without music. Certain people say they could drop music all together. But music is part of us. Everything in life has rhythm, from heartbeat to breathing to walking. We all have an innate need for rhythm and music. The part of the brain concerned with music is early to develop and the last to go as we get old. Even elderly people with dementia can appreciate music after they no longer talk. I believe music is a part of all of us, no matter what we do it plays an enormous part in our lives. Music is an expression of our thoughts and emotions. Some people make music, which others can enjoy. Some can only enjoy it. I dont know anyone who doesnt like some kind of music, even if its just tapping a pen on a table. There are so many kinds of music and ways to make music out there to express ourselves; it is almost like a 7th Sense to experience music. We know good music when we hear it. We hear it, and then we feel it. Music connects with our body, our souls, and our lives.

5 Festive Ways to Avoid the Holiday Office Party

5 Festive Ways to Avoid the Holiday Office Party Here at TheJobNetwork, we strive to give the best career and professional advice to everyone so they can be one step closer to reaching success. But every now and then, you have to step back and face reality. Let’s be honest, sometimes laying on your couch and watching Netflix is infinitely more interesting than watching Carl from accounting get smashed and butcher your favorite songs over karaoke.   That being said, here are 5 festive ways to avoid the holiday office party, coming from someone who will not be going to his (I have an exam, I swear). 1. â€Å"Grandma got run over by a reindeer.†Based on  the hilarious song, create an elaborate excuse no one is going to take seriously, but hey, you’ll get an A+ for effort. Inform everyone in the office that your grandma was just hit by a reindeer, and you can’t attend the holiday party because you’re going to be too busy visiting her in the hospital- and then looking to give Rudolph some well-dese rved justice.2.   Ã¢â‚¬Å"My son needs the new turbo man doll.†Jingle All the Way wasn’t Schwarzenegger’s best film, but it sure does give you a valid excuse for missing the holiday office party. Tell the entire office that your son, daughter, brother, or sister wants the hottest selling toy on the market and you have to run out of the office to go join the bloodbath at  the mall. Extra points if you have the guts to give your excuse while doing  the Schwarzenegger accent.3.   Ã¢â‚¬Å"I killed Santa Claus so I have to take his place.†Based off of Tim Allen’s classic 1994 film The Santa Clause, you’ve got more important things to do than watching David from finance ruin his career by getting too drunk, like delivering presents to every boy and girl in the world†¦ because you accidentally killed Santa Claus. Hey, your boss might not believe, but guess what: his kid is getting a lump of coal for Christmas anyway, hah!4. â€Å"I left m y 8 year old at home†¦.alone.†Sure, this one makes you look super irresponsible and your boss might actually view you as incompetent, but this is probably the most realistic excuse you’ll be able to give from this list. Let’s hope this is just an excuse and your kid isn’t actually home alone messing around with criminals.5.   Ã¢â‚¬Å"I just found out I have a son from the North Pole†Gotta run, apparently I had a son 30 years ago who grew up as an elf in the North Pole, and now he’s back and needs my love. I’ll be in the gum drop forest if you need me, aka the Lincoln Tunnel. What do you mean you don’t believe me? You know what? Go elf yourself!

Germany Classes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 59

Germany Classes - Essay Example This study highlights that from this classroom discussions, it seems that the Germans are very proud of their autobahns. They seem to be a source of national pride in some ways. The reporter has never been to Germany, but he hopes to see the country some day. He would like to experience driving on the autobahn so he can better understand how this highway system fits into the national character of Germans. According to the study the most important thing that he learned in this class was about Germany’s role in World War II. The reporter knows that this is a favorite topic of many historians because the conflict was so big and has so many different aspects that can be studied. He thinks it is important to see the role that Germany played in this global conflict by looking at the issues from a western point of view as well as from a German point of view. Learning how the outcome of World War I and the treaty that was signed there actually contributed to the start of World War II and the rise of the National Socialist party is an important lesson. He thinks it is easy to just look at Germany as the bad guy in World War II and then leave it at that. An important lesson that this class has taught him is that there are always two sides to a conflict. The Germans viewed everyone else as the bad guy. Understanding why this was is an important less on modern politics. I think the lesson from German history needs to be that a nation or a culture will do horrible things if they feel as though they are going to be ruined or exterminated.  

Business Law case Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Business Law case - Essay Example He was walking on a commonly used footpath adjacent to the rail road belonging to Erie railroad company, a company registered in the state of New York, and an object protruding outwards from what looked liked the railcar’s door struck him, knocking him down. His arms were crashed beneath the car’s doors (Erie 33). The ground for diversity of citizenship allowed the plaintiff to invoke ‘Jurisdiction’ on the New York federal court. At the lower court, the issues were whether the plaintiff’s negligence contributed to the proximity course of the injury. The plaintiffs claim was that the defendant violated his right by hauling the car’s doors at him. The defendant on his part argued that, he had not in any way violated any of the plaintiff’s rights and that the injury to the plaintiff was caused by his own negligence (Erie 34). The defendants denied liability arguing that the duty owed to Tompkins was not greater than that owed to a trespasser. According to them, the Liability borne by Tompkins should be determined according to Pennsylvanian law as allowed by Section 34 of the United States’ Federal Judiciary Act. On his part, Tompkins argument was that, ordinary negligence standards should be applied as required by Federal common law (Erie 34). The lower court decided in favor of Tompkins, where he was awarded $ 30000 by the jury. On appeal, the decision was upheld. The defendants petitioned the court for a stay of Certiorari. The stay was granted to the railway company until the court could come up with a decision. Long before this case was brought forth, there had been an exceptionally clear law regarding the matter at hand. Section 34 of the Federal Judiciary Act provided that; the several state’s law shall only be applicable in a common law trial in making the decision, except where it is otherwise required or provided by the United States Constitution, treaties or statutes, United States courts or in applicable cases. Justice Story

Annotating Photos Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Annotating Photos - Essay Example The second photograph shows a refining zone with cloud emissions. The area is de-forested and there is no sign of life in the neighborhood. This photo clearly depicts the effects of consumption on the environment and the people since there are no residential houses in the neighborhood. The third photograph shows the shore line which has being lowed with a sub-marine at a distance. The sea shore also appears to be deforested and lifeless and it is quite eminent that the harbor is not well developed due to pollution in the neighborhood. The forth photograph was selected because it clearly depicts a well established and developed oil refinery in the given region. In refining non-renewable sources of energy like fossil fuels, the refinery emits smog which pollutes the environment by forming acid rain. The fifth photograph clearly shows smog being produced from the emission of the production of fossil fuels i.e. oil in oil cylinders. The smog leads to the formation of acid rain which leads to increased temperatures since heat collects in air thus making it thick and intense. The six photographs show automobiles collecting raw materials like sand from the sea shore. Two other private cars are also seen in the region. Automobiles consume non-renewable sources of energy i.e. oil which pollutes the environment consequently leading to global warming. The seventh photograph shows deforested land with ... The eighth photograph shows a raised sea level. Two automobiles i.e. a private van and a ferrying lorry are at work. Consumption of fossil fuels by automobiles and other forms of production and processing leads to raised levels of the atmospheric temperatures makes sea waters to evaporate. The ninth photograph shows a deforested coastal area with heaps of collected raw materials i.e. sand from the sea shore. This sand is to be ferried away for consumption which leads to lowered sea levels consequently leading to de-forestation which increases atmospheric temperatures. The tenth photograph depicts a town dwelling/a city with sky scrappers, monuments, artifacts, trains and other forms of public and private transport. These consume fossil fuels especially oil which lead to pollution thus affecting visibility in the region. The eleventh photograph shows a manufacturing factory at the background with the foreground being left deforested and without any form of life or human dwelling. Use of non-renewable sources of energy lead to emission of smoke which affects visibility and leads to formation of acid rain. Finally, the last photograph shows a production factory i.e. steel works. The environment is deforested and there is no form of life or residential dwelling in the region. The production factory emits smoke which leads to increased temperatures thus global warming which affects the environment adversely. Taking photographs in Alba was not such an easy and pleasant task. The photographer had to withstand adverse heat, smog, poor visibility and unwelcoming sceneries. Most of the land was deserted thus the photographer could seek help or ask any guidance. The photographer realized that the land in Alba was in such a dismal state and the temperatures

Challenges That Women Entrepreneurs Face Commerce Essay

Challenges That Women Entrepreneurs Face Commerce 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 the researchers attended 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 (Morgan and Ojo, 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 (Morgan and Ojo, 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 numbe rs are lower than 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. Wi lliams (1997) commented 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. Figure 1 Peach Fruit Concept of entrepreneurship: Adapted from Richardson and Howarth (2002a) 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 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 (Global Entrepreneurship Monitor [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 promo tion 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 (Das, 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). Ulusay 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 ( Ulusay 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 (Ulusay De Groot, 2001). In many African countries, w omen spend most of their 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, 2000) 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 (Tan, 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 1 Geographical Location of the Women Entrepreneurs RESEARCH AREA LOCATION Urban LOCATION Rural Masvingo 3 7 Victoria Falls 9 6 According to.1 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 2 Age of Women Entrepreneurs AGE GROUP NUMBER Below 25 years 2 26-30 years 4 30-45 years 15 46-50 4 Table 2 shows the relationship between a womans age and entrepreneurship. 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 (Ulusay 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, Ulusay 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 o

Wiliiam Shockley-Autobiography :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   William Shockley was born on February 13, 1910 in London, England. He is most famously noted for winning the Nobel Prize in physics in 1956. He won this for being the co-inventor of the transistor with John Bardeen and Walter Houser Brattain. Shockley’s parents were both Americans. His father, William Hillman Shockley, was a mining engineer born in Massachusetts. His mother, Mary Bradford, was a federal deputy surveyor of mineral lands. They returned to America when William was just a baby. They both were very encouraging for his love and passion for science, as well as his neighbor who was a professor of physics at Stanford. He got his B. Sc. Degree at the California Institute of Technology in 1932. Four years later he got his PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). He wrote his doctoral thesis on the energy band structure of sodium chloride. The title of this thesis was â€Å"Calculation of Electron Wave Functions in Sodium Chloride Crystals.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   After graduating from MIT, he went straight into work at Bell Laboratory. He did most of his research in solid state physics, especially vacuum tubes. Most of his theoretical advances led the company to conquer their goal of using electronic switches for telephone exchanges instead of the mechanical switches there were using at the time. Some of the other research he did was on energy bands in solids, order and disorder in alloys, self-diffusion of copper, experiments on photoelectrons in silver chloride, experiment and theory on ferromagnetic domains, and different topics in transistor physics. He also did operations research on individual productivity and the statistics of salary in research laboratories.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   From 1940-1945 Shockley worked on military projects from World War II. He was Research Director of the Anti-submarine Warfare Operations Research Group. After this he served as Expert Consultant in the office of the Secretary for War. He was particularly working on refining radar systems. As soon as the war was over, he went back doing solid-state research, investigating semiconductors.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Once Shockley returned to Bell Labs in New Jersey, he immediately joined a research group headed by Dr. C. J. Davisson. His group consisted of Bardeen and Brattain. Most of the time, he left them and worked alone. He would drop in on them occasionally to check up on their work. With Shockley’s idea of using field effects and applying the quantum theory to the development of semiconductors, Bardeen and Brattain succeeded in creating a point-contact transistor.

American Government Oversight

The government of the United States involves the concept in political science known as separation of powers. This concept means that the different branches of government share power amongst themselves. Intricately connected with this concept is the system of checks and balances, which provides that all com/relationship-between-the-three-arms-of-government/">branches of government may challenge the exercise of power by the other branch. More accurately, this concept ensures that one branch would not encroach upon the power of another branch since each branch is given the power to make sure that the others remain acting within their bounds.The system of checks and balances was conceptualized by the Framers to ensure that no branch would overstep its boundaries in the exercise of its powers. For Congress, the system of checks and balances is made effective through its power of oversight (USConstitution. net). One example of congressional oversight relates to interceding with agencies on behalf of the interests of their constituents. Through oversight, Congressmen could look into the operations of agencies and determine whether the interests of their constituents are taken into account.The oversight power of Congress likewise involves the authority to monitor, supervise, and review the activities of the executive branch. The exercise of this power allowed Congress to look out for the interests and benefit of the American people. Examples in history include the opposition to the Vietnam War in the 1960s, and the investigation of the Watergate scandal that unearthed anomalies involving partisan gain (Kaiser, 1988).Another example of congressional oversight involves other channels, such as meetings with the staffs of legislative and executive officials. Through these meetings and consultations with the executive department, Congress is able to propose changes and suggest policies to the executive branch (Kaiser, 1988). It is clear that congressional oversight is very useful in ensuring that the other branches of government, such as the executive branch, do not overstep their boundaries.As representatives of the people, Congress occupies a special role in ensuring that the people’s will and interests are protected, and this duty is accomplished through Congress’ power of oversight. References Kaiser, F. M. (1988). Congressional Oversight of the Presidency. Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science 499(Congress and the Presidency: Invitation to Struggle), 75-89. USConstitution. net. Constitutional Topic: Checks and Balances. Retrieved March 11, 2008, from http://www. usconstitution. net/consttop_cnb. html

Free Essays on Anthropology

Anthropology proves to be satisfying and intellectually fulfilling to many in the field. However, there are also many challenges and bumps in the road along the way. Napolean A. Chagnon and Claire Sterk faced many of these challenges themselves. During his fieldwork with the Yanomamo, Chagnon faced many challenges interacting with the natives. Chagnon could not practically communicate with the people until about six months after he arrived. He notes ? the hardest thing to live with was the incessant, passioned, and often aggressive demands they would make.? An example of this is the natives threatening with a shout such as; ?If you don?t take me with you on your next boat trip to Widokalyateri, I?ll chop a hole in your canoe!? While trying to collect genealogies, Chagnon found it very frustrating and commented ? I could not have deliberately picked a more difficult people to work with in this regard.? This was because he first tried to use the names they called each other, not knowing that the names they called each other were completely ambiguous and didn?t mean anything. He then later found out , after collecting all the genealogical information, that only the living members were accurate and the deceased listed were mostly fake. He had to start all over. ( Chagnon 5) Sterk did a different type of study on prostitution and how it went on during a time when AIDS was a major problem. This type of fieldwork is ethnographic fieldwork. Sterk had to get established in rough neighborhoods, crack houses, and sidewalks of busy streets. She first and foremost had to locate her samples by asking local taxi-drivers, bartenders , and AIDS clinics. Developing a relationship and trust with women who had never had any trustworthy people in their lives was quite challenging as well. Sterk was once followed home by one of the woman?s pimps and his friends, and was jumped. The woman admitted to Sterk ... Free Essays on Anthropology Free Essays on Anthropology Anthropology proves to be satisfying and intellectually fulfilling to many in the field. However, there are also many challenges and bumps in the road along the way. Napolean A. Chagnon and Claire Sterk faced many of these challenges themselves. During his fieldwork with the Yanomamo, Chagnon faced many challenges interacting with the natives. Chagnon could not practically communicate with the people until about six months after he arrived. He notes ? the hardest thing to live with was the incessant, passioned, and often aggressive demands they would make.? An example of this is the natives threatening with a shout such as; ?If you don?t take me with you on your next boat trip to Widokalyateri, I?ll chop a hole in your canoe!? While trying to collect genealogies, Chagnon found it very frustrating and commented ? I could not have deliberately picked a more difficult people to work with in this regard.? This was because he first tried to use the names they called each other, not knowing that the names they called each other were completely ambiguous and didn?t mean anything. He then later found out , after collecting all the genealogical information, that only the living members were accurate and the deceased listed were mostly fake. He had to start all over. ( Chagnon 5) Sterk did a different type of study on prostitution and how it went on during a time when AIDS was a major problem. This type of fieldwork is ethnographic fieldwork. Sterk had to get established in rough neighborhoods, crack houses, and sidewalks of busy streets. She first and foremost had to locate her samples by asking local taxi-drivers, bartenders , and AIDS clinics. Developing a relationship and trust with women who had never had any trustworthy people in their lives was quite challenging as well. Sterk was once followed home by one of the woman?s pimps and his friends, and was jumped. The woman admitted to Sterk ... Free Essays on Anthropology Anthropology concerns itself with humans as complex social beings with a capacity for language, thought and culture. The study of anthropology is about understanding biological and cultural aspects of life among peoples throughout the world. All humans are born with the same basic physical characteristics but, depending on where they grow up, each individual is exposed to different climates, food, languages, religious beliefs, and so on. However human beings are not simply shaped by their environment, they also actively shape the world in which they love. A key aim of anthology is to understand the common constraints within which human beings operate as well as the differences which are evident between particular societies and cultures. Given such concerns, the potential subject matter of anthropology is truly vast. Researchers nowadays tend to specialise on in or another branch of the discipline. Some, called physical or biological anthropologists, investigate such topics as how humans or human-like creatures evolved over thousands or millions or years, as well as our genetic and behavioural relationships with non-human primates. Others, called social or cultural anthropologists, study such things as the very varied ways in which different peoples organise themselves to ensure stable agricultural production or community life. They might study different assumptions people hold about how the world works as revealed in their religious beliefs and practices. They might study the many material forms that people produce such as their houses, dress, crafts and art. In this Guide we discuss both of these kinds of anthology, although we say more about the social and cultural side of the discipline. Where can I study anthropology? Social anthropology is currently taught to degree level in about 27 UK universities or their constituent colleges. It may be studies as part of a wider degree in so other universities; it may also be studied part-t... Free Essays on Anthropology Hunting and Gathering VS Agriculture From the early prehistoric society until now, we often heard the word â€Å"adaptation†, which means the process of changing something or changing our behavior to deal with new situations. The ways people adjust their natural environment varies according to time, place, and tribe. Foraging is common way of adaptation that people uses for most of human history; however because of the population pressure, some people adopt agriculture to fulfill their need. This essay, will discuss the positive and negative aspects of life in hunting and gathering societies compared to the agricultural societies based on Martin Harris’ article â€Å"Murders in Eden† and Jared Diamond’s article â€Å"The Worst Mistake in the History of Human Race.† Hunting and gathering is the longest-lasting lifestyle for most of human history. In addition to their way of life, hunter-gatherers are often regarded as â€Å"nasty, brutish, and short † (Diamond 114). Progressivists also suggested our hunter-gatherer ancestors adopt agriculture because of â€Å"its efficient way to get more food for less work†(Diamond 114). However, as archaeologists observe in some aspects of their lives, hunter-gatherers societies are not necessarily â€Å"nasty, brutish, and short.† Some issues that we need to compare between hunting and gathering and agricultural societies include workloads, nutrition, production, starvation, infanticide, health and disease, and differences in wealth. From the work loads, it shows that in the barren environment of the Kalahari dessert, the present day Bushmen need only 12 to 19 hours per week to obtaining a diet rich in protein and a high nutritional standard, while their farmer neighbors, the Hadza nomads of Tanzania, need 14 hours per week and get less protein. It also takes more additional hours of food preparation to make it is suitable for consumption. It appears that hunter-gatherers have more leisure time than farm...

The Rise of the Networks essays

The Rise of the Networks essays Information economy or the other words, knowledge economy is vey hot in the last two years in China though a lot of people still have no clear idear about this conception. American economic structure's change gives us a good example. In my personal opinion that the most part in the world still keep in the production economy, however they also make a change to adapt new information economy. When we talk about the information economy, we couldn't pass the information technology revolution. It is the material basis for the information economy. Through the advance technology,the capital ,the information, the market and the lad can be connected making a global one. Also we shall realize that old society's attemp to retool itself by using the power of technology to derve the technology of power. The main charcterof the information economy is that the productivity is based on the capacity to generate,process, and apply efficiently knowledge-based information. The information itself to become the product of the production process. First the pure manufacturing is slowing dwn in the whole economy. It will not be vanished, but is increasing throughpartly hidden avenues, in expanding circles. Technology,and management of technology involving organizational change, could be diffusing from information technologymanufacturing ,telecommunications,and finanical services into manufacturing ,then to business service. Obviousely, the services industry in U.S or other G-7 cuntries, such as telecommunications, air transportantion, increase very fast The dynamics of the economy growth is not the engery but the information and knowledge based technology. In this process, the state act as an important role. Since the mid-1980s states all over the world have also engaged in deregulating markets and privatizing public companies. At the same time, states make technological and educational policies in order to improving the power of country's competiti...

Communication project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Communication project - Essay Example Besides communication, this research also focused on employee relationships within the organization, and required the respondents to state their expectations from both management and colleagues. This paper therefore, will access the exposure level of intercommunication in the business community, and identify with the real impact of the business communication attitudes in 2 Sisters Food Group. Based on the literature review and groups, a self-constructed five-item structured questionnaire became imperative. The questionnaire was prepared to use 5- point Likert scale. Employees and employers expressed a broad range of opinions in the focus groups on the key issues, in discussion. The use of the structured questionnaire was inspired by cost effectiveness and relative convince of the method. Qualitative and quantitative methods were used to increase the quality of date and findings, and the respondents were required to show to what measure or extent they agreed with the statements in the scale. The responses ranged from: agreeing strongly, disagreeing strongly. In addition, respondents had to respond to items such as; internal organizational politics can escalate communication barriers within the organization. This was followed by; inadequate skills in English language hinder effective communication in 2 sisters Food Group. The last section dealt much of the demographic fact ors and information of the employees and employers. The questionnaire was subjected to a pilot test to increase its reliability and appropriateness. To minimize the on the above weakness, the questionnaire design should; use a simple language that is easily understood by both parties. In addition, time for completion should be reasonable and one should identify the target population so as to yield useful data for the research (Gillham, 2004). Thank you

The Role of a Modern Industrial Manager Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Role of a Modern Industrial Manager - Essay Example The paper tells that managers are pivotal in performing leadership functions in the organization. By definition, management refers to the activities and people involved in the four general functions of management -planning, organizing, leading and the coordination of resources. However, increasing number of literature today has tended to emphasize the difference between management and leadership. Modern management and modern management thinkers assert that management has to focus on leadership if managerial functions must be achieved. Zhong-Ming &, Takao argue that, most modern management thinkers assert that leadership must be more facilitative, participative and empowering in how visions and goals of the organizations are carried out. Industrial management is concerned with the design, improvement, and implementation of integrated systems of people, material, information, equipment, and energy. According to McGregor & Cutcher, industrial management draws upon specialized knowledge and skills in the mathematical, physical and the social sciences not leaving out the principles and methods of engineering analysis. Today, industrial management is also known as industrial engineering, operations management now encompasses services though initially applied to manufacturing. Management involves the process of directing, planning, controlling, and coordinating the activities of an organization so that predefined goals are met. However, prominent writers in the field of management see coordination as the main objective of management rather than one of its functions. In managerial terms, leadership is the way people relate themselves to an organization. Leadership is at the center of coordinating and executing management functions. The activities of an organization must be properly carried out and executed if the goals must be achieved. Managerial functions are performed by managers and leaders assigned to each of the functional areas. Acknowledged by all to be the fat her of scientific management, Frederick W. Taylor equated leadership with effective management, with focus on productivity, improvement, and efficiency, he thought of management as being generic and universal. As for Mullins, leadership is a relationship through which one person influences the behavior or actions of other people And he suggested that leadership is a dynamic process, which can be altered to suit a particular management philosophy.