The Enigma Machine and How It Worked free essay sample

These substitutions occur because of the positions of the rotors on the inside of the machine. The rotors are first situated at any random letter in the alphabet and when the button is pressed, the letter that is at the beginning of the rotor is put onto the paper. Then if the same letter were to be pressed again, a different letter would appear because the rotor will have changed position. The fully typed and encoded message would be printed out and mailed to the person it was designated to and then that person would put in that code into their enigma machine and that machine would decipher the encoded message. Why did the Enigma machine work? : The enigma machine worked so well because there were so many different combinations of rotors that could have been used because each rotor had a different arbitrary sorting of letters. There were so many combinations for the enigma machine and its rotors. We will write a custom essay sample on The Enigma Machine and How It Worked or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Things became much more complicated when German scientists began to use 5 different rotors which could fit into only 3 slots, which increased the amount of combinations that could be used in the enigma machine. With all these rotors and so few slots that were used in the enigma machine, there were countless possibilities of combinations to choose from. When people were decrypting the codes they were sent, they had to make sure they put the rotors in the exact same position as the person who sent it. This would increase the amount of possibilities that the enigma machine possessed which made it a lot harder to crack because of all the possible combinations. My Goal: My goal in this paper is to answer several questions and provide my roof for these questions. I will be asking: 1. How many different ways can we fit 3 different rotors into 3 different slots? 2. How many combinations can we find if we have 4 different rotors that will fit into four slots? 3. How many combinations can I find if I have 5 rotors that can go into five slots? 4. How many combinations are there if I have 5 rotors but only three slots? 5. And finally, if I have 26 different starting places for each dial, how many start ing places would I have in total? Note: I will also be attempting to show many patterns that arise while searching for the answers to these questions and I will try to explain these patterns. List of Symbols: Before I begin, I feel it is important to list all the symbols that I will be using. I will be using the numbers: 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 to represent a rotor, with 1 representing the first rotor, 2 representing the second rotor, and so on. Rotors that I will be using Rotors that I will be using Amount of Rotors, slots, and combos Amount of Rotors, slots, and combos How will I proceed with this: I will first write out the amount of rotors, slots and combinations in a format like this: â€Å"X rotors: Y Slots: Z combinations†. Then underneath this general information I will write which rotors I will be using i. e. Rotors: 1/2/3. Then, I will show how I came up with the number of combinations. By looking at the amount of rotors and by representing each rotor with a number, i. e. 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5, I will be able to display all the possible combinations of the rotors. And then, underneath my combinations, I will write my explanation and, if there is one, the equation. A way we can visualize why this works is that if we were to take a rock that had 2 scratches on it, then take another scratch that had 2 scratches on it, and placed them next to each other, then in total there would be 4 scratches when the rocks were in that certain position. But if we were to arrange the rocks so that the rock that was in front of the other rock was now in the back, and the rock that was in the back was now in the front, we have a whole new position for the rocks that still have 4 scratches on them. They are the same scratches. Changing the position of the rock is like putting each rotor into a different slot every time, the rotors will not always be in the same slot every single time, they are in different positions every time, by taking into account the amount of slots, one can calculate how many positions several rotors can take. The idea of putting the rotors into different positions is the same idea of changing the position of the rock. By looking at how many rocks we have, we can figure out how many positions we can put them in. this is combinations. If we have 3 rocks, we can arrange them into 6 different positions. If we have 4 rocks, we can arrange each of them into 24 positions. This is why we use the amount of combinations of the rotors to figure out how many combinations are there for the dials in total. If we can multiply the amount of combinations by the amount of dials, we will figure out all the combinations for the dials. Equation: (Amount of combinations for rotors)(amount of dials on rotor)=Amount of total amount of combinations for dials.

Culture on performance Essay Example

Culture on performance Essay Example Culture on performance Essay Culture on performance Essay Gordon and DiTomaso (1992) also investigated culture strength as well as adaptability and stability and measured the growth of assets and premiums in eleven insurance companies over six years. This study suggests that culture strength and adaptability are positively related to profitability. Kotter and Heskett (1992) present various studies that support a link between culture and performance. In the first they examine the hypothesis that strong cultures are associated with performance and conclude that culture strength has a moderate positive relationship with long-term, economic performance. Their second study exploring the effect of a strategy-culture fit on performance suggests that culture contributes to performance on the condition that the culture fits the environment. Their third study compares twelve companies with performance enhancing cultures to twenty companies without such cultures. The results imply that companies with a performance-enhancing culture outperform companies lacking a performance enhancing culture by a wide margin. Marcoulides and Heck (1993) also provide convincing support for a link between culture and performance in their study of twenty-six American firms. Dimensions of organisational structure, values, task organisation, organisational climate and employee attitudes were measured along with gross revenue, product value ratios, market share, profit and investment returns. All the cultural dimensions were found to have an effect on performance. Denison and Mishra additionally report a link between organisational culture and performance and from their research conclude that profitability in large firms is best predicted by stability dimensions such as mission and consistency; that sales can be predicted by flexibility dimensions such as adaptability and involvement and that all cultural traits are positively related to return on assets, particularly mission. Despite the improvements in developing and testing the concept of the C-P link, the empirical studies presented in the 1990s nonetheless possess serious methodological and conceptual shortcomings. The major issues include the lack of agreed upon definition of culture; the questionable construct validity in operationalising the two variables in question, culture and performance; the relatively small number of organisations participating in each study; problems with respondents that are not representative of entire organisational cultures; and the direction of the relationship between culture and performance being ambiguous. Furthermore, the studies lack a relationship with each other and thus do not cumulatively build on one another. What is organisational culture? Ogbonna (1990 1996) suggests that there are as many definitions of culture as there are experts on the subject (see for example Jaques, 1952; Eldridge Crombie, 1974; Louis, 1980; Schwartz Davis, 1981; Gold, 1982; Pacanowsky ODonnell-Trujillo, 1982; Schein, 1985; Morgan, 1986; Lorrsch, 1986; Scholz, 1987; Denison, 1990; Kotter Heskott, 1992; Drennan, 1992; Williams, Dobson Walters, 1993; Brown, 1995- all of which provide varying definitions of culture) and that the definition adopted by each researcher is bound up in their view of the world and the methodology utilised. Ogbonna identifies two extreme arguments based in the conception of the subject. The two stances seem mutually exclusive- one viewing culture as something that an organisation is and the other as something an organisation has. If we view culture as something that an organisation has, culture can be seen as a powerful tool that can shape behaviour and establish premises for decision-making. When culture is viewed as something an organisation is, it cannot be controlled, as it is inseparable from organisation (Ogbonna, 1990 1996). Brown (1995) draws attention to the fundamental distinction between those who think of culture as a metaphor to be developed for understanding how organisations work and those who view culture as an objective entity. Most commentators on the subject of culture tend to regard culture as an objective entity, where an organisation including all systems and processes are elements of its cultural life. However if everything is considered part of the culture, it is impossible to use the concept to frame causal explanations of other aspects of organisational activity. Another approach to defining organisational culture views the concept as a set of basic assumptions (Schein, 1985). Members of an organisation possess these predispositions and are consequently led to work and think in certain manners. It is clear that there is a lack of agreed upon definition of organisational culture and since the manner in which we examine and research it is contingent upon the definition this has far-reaching implications. Definitions of concepts employed to help understand organisations are important in that they influence how we approach the phenomena they refer to, and determine operationalisation and measurement. Culture: cannot define it, how do we operationalise it? The operationalisation of organisational culture (the independent variable) is as problematic as its definition and considerably different in each study presented. Every quantitative study appears to operationalise culture in a different manner, questioning whether culture can be operationalised at all. The variety in the operationalisation of culture is evident in the empirical literature not only when considering characterisations of culture, but also when examining the plethora of questionnaire items utilised. The only dimension that repeatedly surfaces is adaptability and the variation in its opertationalisation and the lack of information in studies prevents an adequate comparison (Wilderum et al 2000). Clearly, the validity of a link between culture and performance is greatly undermined by the wide array of operationalisms of organisational culture and this in turn questions the constructs validity and prevents cumulation of a body of knowledge supporting the C-P link. Operationalising performance: The measurement of performance of organisations is also controversial and there is much academic discourse debating the issue (Christenson Gordon, 1999) In many cases publicly available performance data is not readily available and performance data are not consistent across industries. For instance Christenson and Gordon (1999) found in their exploration of industry moderated relationships between organizational culture that mutual insurance companies report no clear measure of profit and, therefore, no returns on equity and assets. Given the difficulties of equating variables across industries, and because they wished to include as many industries and firms as possible in the analyses, they focused on revenue growth as a single and narrow indicator of performance. Thus, some studies are forced to limit the relationship between culture and revenue growth and not to wider aspects of performance such as profitability, adaptability or efficiency Further issues also arise out of the operationalisation of performance. Many organisational performance researchers focus on the rational goal (profit maximisation) when studying profit-seeking firms. The performance is typically assessed using counting based indicators such as returns on assets, sales or equity. These measures are easily accessible and are generally considered comparable across industries. However, according to some commentators such measures are prone to manipulation, lack of consistency in accounting methods, and they have an orientation which is backward (Brown and Laverick, 1994; Kaplan Norton, 1992). Of the studies discussed in the C-P link section of this paper, most applied a pure financial performance approach (Calori Sarnin 1991; Denison, 1990; Gordon DiTomaso, 1992; Kotter Heskett, 1992; Marcoulides Heck, 1993). Rousseau (1990) utilised a unidimensional approach and four used multi-dimensional approach that Wilderom, Glunk and Maslowski (2000) suggest is good practice. However, the studies that did use multi-dimensional methods did not typically provide a sound theoretical basis for the decision on performance dimensions as required (Denison Mishra, 1995; Koene, 1996; Petty et al and Wilderom Van den Berg, 1998). Therefore of the empirical literature supporting a link between organisational culture and performance, the operationalisation of performance is inadequate and lacking in validity, once again questioning the C-P concept. What Theory? The concept of culture continues to be considered by managers and commentators as a key variable in the success or failure of organisational improvement. However several academics point out that although the concept is entering its third decade, debates about epistemology, manifestations of the concept and appropriate methodology persist, jeopardising the maturity of the concept (DiMaggio, 1997; Martin Frost, 1996; OReilly Chatman, 1996; Detert, Schroeder Mauriel, 2000). Detert, Schroeder and Mauriel (2000) claim there is a lack of consolidation followed by systematic empirical investigation concerning organisational culture and upon reviewing the literature it appears to me this is the case. It is even proposed that unless this hole in the research is addressed, the concept of culture as a driver of organisational performance will cease to exist (Firestone Lewis, 1998; Pettigrew, 1990; Reichers Schneider, 1990; Smart St. John, 1996). The literature provides several different approaches to theorising the link between culture and performance, although none appear to provide an adequate or valid explanation. Consequently, research investigating the link between culture and organisational performance lacks a clear theoretical conception of the phenomenon. One approach views that an organisations culture effects performance and success when culture is based on consensus or culture strength. This serves as a control system and leads to enhancement of the functioning of the organisation. The strong organisational culture is argued to facilitate goal alignment, lead to high levels of employee motivation and is able to learn from its past (Brown, 1995). However, the so-called strong culture theory is rife with flaws. For example, a strong culture may facilitate goal alignment, but this is not useful if the goals are not positive. It also cannot be assumed that all strong cultures are related to high levels of employee motivation. Brown (1995), for example points out that many UK public services have strong cultures, with less than motivated employees. Additionally, even though the literature presents examples of organisations with both strong cultures and superior performance, the evidence is circumstantial and not adequate to support the culture strength hypothesis. Furthermore, a relationship between two variables is not synonomous with causation or indicative of the direction of the realtionship. It is possible for example that performance effects culture. The strong culture theory also does not account for the fact that most organisations do not possess one single, unilateral culture. Another theoretical hypothesis postulated to explain the relationship between culture and performance suggests that high economic performance is associated with a strategically appropriate culture. In this case, varying cultures would be appropriate in different competitive environments and for different strategies. Unfortunately testing this theory objectively is difficult and Kotter and Hesketts attempt at doing so contains the methodological flaws discussed earlier. Additionally, there are conceptual issues such as accounting for changes in the environment, which would require organisations to also be culturally adaptive. The concept of adaptiveness relates to Denisons (1990) framework that includes an adaptability hypothesis, stating that a culture that allows an organisation to adapt to changing demands will promote effectiveness. Dennisons presents an explanatory framework encompassing involvement, consistency, adaptability and mission. However Denisons theory like, Kotter and Heskotts general features of the culture of organisations associated with economic success, is a one best culture framework, which is problematic (see Brown, 1995 for further explanation). Other researchers have postulated that the culture-performance link may be moderated or contingent upon some other variable such as the industry of the organisation. For example Christenson Gordon, (1999), report the existence of cultural practices that are industry specific, suggesting that the C-P link is not universal. It is clear from a brief discussion of C-P theory that there is an absence of a solid conceptual framework. Lim (1995), based on an analysis examining organisational culture and performance via a discussion of models of culture and empirical research conducted to investigate causal relationships between them reiterates that the culture-performance link remains unclear. There is a desperate need to improve on the application of the concepts involved and focus of methodological issues. Cumulative empirical research, based on a theoretical framework is required to validate the culture- performance concept. Can all managers create and use an organisations culture to improve organisational performance? If subsequent research shows that culture does affect performance, it is likely that creating, changing or using culture will be a difficult task. Depending on the conceptual viewpoint adopted, it could be considered impossible. For example, Krefting and Frost (1985 In Ogbonna, 1996) argue that culture simply exists and cannot be managed or created, because by definition assumptions exist without the individual being aware. Even commentators who believe that culture can be managed point to the difficulties in doing so (for example Uttal, 1983 Fombrun, 1983. In Ogbonna, 1996). Morgan (1997) also argues that managers can never control culture, but can influence others by being aware of their actions and fostering desired values. It is also important to note that not all managers have the expertise or leadership qualities to exercise adequate influence on others to create change. In conclusion, the contention that an organisations culture is a powerful tool that all managers can create and use to improve organisational performance is not supported by the literature. Although empirical studies appear to support a link between organisational culture and performance there are several issues which question the validity of such research. There is a lack of solid definition of organisational culture, there is no clear operationalisation of culture, the operationalisation of performance has been typically questionable and there is a lack of a conceptually sound framework. It is only when these challenges are tackled, and studies are more methodologically sound that research investigating the culture performance link can more effectively establish the predictive effect of organisational culture on performance. Following this, the challenge will be to determine if culture can actually be managed and to make the tool available to all managers to utilise optimally.

What does it take to get into the University at Buffaloâ€SUNY?

With an acceptance rate of 57%, the University at Buffalo is moderately selective. What does it take to get in? The largest campus in the SUNY system, the University at Buffalo is comprised of eight schools, including the only schools of architecture and law among SUNY universities. While it is particularly well-known for its School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences and School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, UB students can take advantage of a wide range of stellar academic programs. UB also boasts notable alumni including Wolf Blitzer, Terry Gross, and Jeremy Jacobs. Applicants may apply to UB using the Common Application, Coalition Application, or the SUNY Application. If you use the SUNY Application, you must also complete a supplement . If you plan to apply using the Common Application, be aware that two SUNY Buffalo institutions are listed. You should select â€Å"University at Buffalo (SUNY).† On the SUNY Application, UB is listed as â€Å"Buffalo, University at.† Along with your application, you will submit your SAT or ACT scores. UB does not require but does recommend submitting the writing or essay portions of the SAT or ACT. In order to increase your chances of admission, advises submitting this section of your choice exam. You will also need to submit your high school transcript and a letter of recommendation from a teacher or counselor. Applicants may apply by the nonbinding Early Action (EA) deadline of November 15 or by the Regular Decision deadline of February 1. While prospective students should aim to apply by one of these deadlines, UB notes that students may continue to apply for consideration until the university reaches full capacity for its freshman class. If you wish to be considered for scholarships, however, you must apply by December 15. Keep in mind that some scholarships require separate applications. UB is moderately selective, with an acceptance rate of 57%. Its EA acceptance rate is considerably higher at 83.6%. While many EA applicants apply to UB as their first choice and are therefore more likely to be strong candidates, applying early can give any competitive applicant an advantage, and considering that the plan is nonbinding, it is helpful to apply under this plan if you are able to meet the early deadline regardless of whether or not UB is your first choice. For the class of 2022, the middle 50% range for the combined critical reading and math sections on the SAT was 1190-1350 and 25-30 for the ACT. On a scale of 100, the middle 50% range for high school GPA was 91-96. To be a competitive applicant, you should aim to have scores and a GPA closer to the upper end of this range. UB performs a holistic review of applicants, evaluating your academic record as well as other factors such as your personal essay, recommendations, activities and special talents, leadership, life circumstances, and more. While UB does not require any specific coursework as prerequisites for admission, the university does suggest that prospective students complete the following by their high school graduation: Students who have not completed this coursework may still be admitted but will likely need to take additional courses after matriculating. To be a strong candidate for admission, you should aim to complete this coursework during high school.   Estimating your chance of getting into a college is not easy in today’s competitive environment. Thankfully, with our state-of-the-art software and data, we can analyze your academic and extracurricular profile and estimate your chances. Our profile analysis tool can also help you identify the improvement you need to make to enter your dream school. Emphasize your strengths and choose the most suitable program. UB does accept applicants who have not stated an anticipated major; however, you should still demonstrate strengths in certain areas to ensure that you are admitted into the correct school for you, as evidenced by your extracurricular participation and coursework. For example, if you are considering pursuing a major in the humanities in the College of Arts and Sciences, even if you’re undeclared, you should demonstrate proficiency and interest by challenging yourself and performing well in your English, history, and foreign language courses and by participating in corresponding extracurricular activities, such as a foreign language club. Keep in mind that some programs have additional requirements or are limited enrollment. For example, the Department of Music and the Department of Theatre and Dance require applicants to complete an audition as part of the admissions process. Additionally, engineering applicants will receive a more rigorous review to assess their â€Å"readiness† in key science and math disciplines. Some majors, including architecture, art, biological sciences, business administration, engineering, exercise science, and nuclear medicine technology, admit freshmen directly, while the others admit students in their sophomore year. Your coursework and extracurriculars should demonstrate a strong interest and aptitude in your specific discipline if you choose to apply to these programs directly. Identify special programs. UB offers special programs to some qualifying students. These programs can help you gain admission, as well as give you opportunities you may not have had otherwise. For example, the Educational Opportunity Program offers a path for talented students who have not been able to reach their full academic potential due to educational, economical, or personal circumstances. If you qualify for this program you will receive benefits such as mentoring, scholarships, and more. This means that even if you haven’t excelled due to circumstances beyond your control, you may still have the opportunity to attend UB. Learning about these programs and demonstrating your strengths in other ways can mean the difference between acceptance and rejection. Because UB thrives on its diversity and celebrates student from all backgrounds, it also offers guidance to international applicants. Check out the International Undergraduate Admission Office website for details on applying, including additional requirements and the steps for applying for a student visa. Additional special programs include the Honors College . Among seminars and other courses, Honors students will complete a course on teamwork and service learning. To apply for the Honors College, you will select it as an option in the Academics section on your application. Keep in mind that is is much more selective than general university admissions, with a class size of 350 students. Successful applicants are generally within the top 10% of incoming freshman and have demonstrated civic engagement, intellectual curiosity, resilience, and other qualities. Being denied admission to any college, particularly one of your top choices, is disappointing. Still, it’s important to take a step back and regroup. If you get rejected from UB, here’s what you can do: Take a gap year or transfer in. If you had your heart set on UB but received bad news, one option is to take a gap year and reapply next admissions cycle. If you do decide to go this route, make sure you have a productive plan for the upcoming year. You might undertake a research project, volunteer, study to improve your SAT scores, or take classes at a local college. Do know, however, that this path is risky, as taking a gap year won’t ensure your acceptance the second time around. You could also begin your studies at another institution with the hopes of transferring. Approximately 2,300 students transfer to UB annually. Note that there are certain minimum admission criteria for transfer students and some programs have additional transfer admission requirements; for example, Biochemistry requires a departmental application and a GPA of 3.0 in prerequisite courses, along with a 2.0 GPA overall. Keep it in perspective. Even if UB was your top choice, chances are, you’ll find a way to make the best of your experience at another college. College really is what you make of it, and if you put effort into adjusting to another school by joining clubs, working hard in your classes, and cultivating a healthy social life, you’ll likely find that you can make a fulfilling college experience for yourself, even if you end up at your second or third choice college. When you sign up for our program, we carefully pair you with the perfect admissions specialist based on your current academic and extracurricular profile and the schools in which you’re interested. Your personal application specialist will help you with branding, essays, and interviews, and provide you with support and guidance in all other aspects of the application process.

Operation Fine Girl Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Operation Fine Girl - Essay Example lt my stomach turn, I wanted to throw up as I sat listening to the accounts of how parents were killed or made to watch as their daughters were raped. As the video stated, Sierra Leone is classified as the poorest country in the world and it shows in the way that they treat their women and the way that a majority of the country obviously lives in abject poverty. I feel that the United Nations Human Rights Commission should step into this situation and put an end to the atrocities and sexual abuse against women. The women of Sierra Leone need to be saved and shown that they actually have a future even though they are rape victims. They need to be taught that the rape was not the end of they are. Rather, it is only the beginning of their lives. They are not the enemy of their country but its backbone. They are not sex slaves, but women who deserve all the respect that should be accorded to them as the givers of life. They do not deserve to be raped, held hostage for years on end, and then discarded like a piece of

TMA01 Prometheus Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

TMA01 Prometheus - Essay Example There is no poetry, no artistic liberty, and certainly nothing to spark a discussion of his exploits thousands of years later. However, in most accounts, he is a Titan, a giant man or god who attempted to overthrow Zeus, and is the brother of the equally unfortunate Atlas. His personal lasting mark is strangely a side-effect of both his compassion for mankind and his contempt for the gods: bringing fire to the human race. This single act would solidify his martyr status, as he would spend an eternity at the bottom of the pecking order. Zeus sentenced him to survival. Zeus was not known for his mercy; this survival entailed being chained to a rock and eaten by an eagle, which is an animal widely acknowledged to symbolize justice and, ironically, equality. Beyond that, he shares a semi-divine status with Hercules, the demigod who would later release him from his torturous sentence. After this escape, his name was selected to grace the sky as one of the moons of Saturn (Dictionary.com, LLC, 2010). Hesiod’s account of Prometheus fits neatly into the tale of Thegonia, the birth of the gods. Hesiod sought to accommodate the many tales of the development of the gods and of Greek mythology through the production of one cohesive narrative. In particular, there is a constant war between the perspectives of the gods, men (who are represented as having a characteristic kinship with animals), and of the multitudes of characters in between the two extremes. Unlike many writers before him, Hesiod also cast off the ulterior motives of establishing a divine role in human authority. By his reasoning, the gods had a hierarchy as headed by Zeus and granted little importance to the affairs of men- unless they defied godly commands or desires (Vickery 1966, pp. 86-87). As an embodiment of the human spirit of defiance, brothers Atlas and Prometheus would defy the gods and be made martyrs. What makes them iconic is their status as a party between men

Discuss the role of John Proctor Essay Example for Free

Discuss the role of John Proctor Essay Discuss the role of John Proctor in The Crucible. Why does he choose to die at the end of the play? John Proctor is the protagonist of the play The Crucible, written by Arthur Miller. This is because Miller uses Proctor as a character to help the audience understand the characters experience. He does this by either making sympathetic expressions or the actions that Proctor makes, whether they are violent or confusing. Miller makes us feel sympathetic for Proctor when Proctors wife, Elizabeth gets taken away to court for being accused of doing the devils work. Proctor knows she is innocent but nobody will believe him. In Act I, John Proctors role is to introduce himself and show his character: Be you deaf? I forbid you leave the house did I not? (Proctor, Act I) This comment suggests he likes to be powerful and in control, in this case, by being forceful. He feels strong about hypocricy, but is even-tempered. Miller tells us that in the presence of Proctor a fool felt his foolishness instantly. He also tells us that proctor is a sinner against his own vision of decent conduct, of which he is talking about the affair with Abigail Williams. This is dramatic irony as, only three characters (including Proctor) are aware of this. When we first meet Proctor he is with Abigail, Mary and Mercy Lewis. Abigails first words are: Gah, Id almost forgotten how strong you are John Proctor! (Abigail, Act I) John Proctor quickly realises what she is implying and replies: Whats this mischief then? (Proctor, Act I) This shows he doesnt want anything to happen between him and Abigail. No, no Abby. Thats done with. (Proctor, Act I) Later on he replies with this to Abigail, and this shows he is strong-willed, recognises what is happening and the mistake. However Abigail thinks that John is just playing around with her and speaks of how he clutched her back behind his house and sweated like a stallion. I may have looked up. (Proctor, Act I) This quotation suggests that Proctor is still interested and this brings across a message that people dont change, in this case Proctor a sinner, but then the strong, powerful part of his character comes across and he threatens to whip her, to which the stage directions say shaking her. This suggests he regrets the affair and wants no more to do with Abigail. As an affair is more likely to have happened in the 20th century, the audience sympathise with him as the play is set in the late 17th century, so Proctor is a man ahead of his time. When Proctor meets Hale, he wants him to make Salem more realistic. He shows his sensible character, but could also be seen that Proctor is trying to be in charge and think he knows too much: He dont believe in witches. (Giles, Act I) I never speak of witches one-way or the other. Will you come Giles? (Proctor, Act I) Ive heard you to be a sensible man Mr Hales. I hope youll leave some of it in Salem. (Proctor, Act I) Act II shows Proctors house, and Proctor is tense, which brings tension upon the audience. He carries a gun, which suggests insecurity among Salem, and himself. He places it leaning on the wall, which is an accessible point, again showing insecurity. It makes the audience feel inferior. AS Elizabeth walks down the stairs he goes to a basin washing his hands and face. This is symbolic as he is trying to forget the affair, because he feels so guilty. This builds more tension: What keeps you so late? Its almost dark. (Elizabeth, Act II) This comment of Elizabeths shows she is anxious and suspicious of his whereabouts. He replies that he was planting far out the forest edge. Then goes on to say: Pray now for a fair summer. (Proctor, Act II) He is trying to please his wife, still feeling guilt. He says with a grin: I mean to please you, Elizabeth. (Proctor, Act II) Elizabeth replies, although hard to say, which suggests denial or disbelief: I know it, John. (Elizabeth, Act II) Proctor and Elizabeth fear each other, and this illustrates the feature of the play-fear. Their short sentences and being silent suggests this, and also brings tension upon their marriage, and the audience. Act II is mostly to do with John Proctor, the visiting of Hale to which he is questioned about his religious efforts, his arguments with his wife, his suspicions of the witchcraft in Salem and Abigail, and the arrest of his wife. He grabs the search warrant off Cheever: Proctor, you dare not touch the warrant. (Cheever, Act II) Ripping the warrant. (Stage directions, Act II) This is Proctors angry side. He knows what Abigail is up to, yet no one will believe him. They go on what Abigail says. As he rips up the warrant, he puts a reputation to his name at the courts of the Witch trials. Act III shows Danforth, a deputy governor, talking to Proctor about witchcraft. He is questioning about the pretence that Mary Warren has confessed. He wants a second view from John Proctor: We burn a hot fire her; it melts down all concealment. (Danforth, Act III) This relates to the title of the play The Crucible. It is a metaphor of a crucible, which points out the message of the play. As a crucible is a container in which metals are heated to extract the pure elements. In the play, witches are to be purified and to come back to God. When Mary is in court, Proctor is determined to get the judges to see what is really happening. He goes into the courts and confesses his sin of adultery with Abigail to try and make the judges see how much of a whore she really is. He risks his well-preserved name to save his wife from being hanged. The judges have no proof: In her life, sir, she have never lied. (Proctor, Act III) Here he talks of Elizabeth, and he thinks she will tell the courts the truth of the affair, but instead she thinks the courts dont know. She worries that she is risking her husbands well-dignified name, and lies: Answer the question! Is your husband a lecher! (Danforth, Act III) No, sir. (Elizabeth, Act III) Proctor gets taken into jail for perverting the course of justice: Marshal! Take him and Corey with him to the jail! (Danforth, Act III) Hale realises what is happening and quits the courts. Act IV is tragic, bringing the death of the hero of the play. Danforth is doing almost anything he can to get a confession from Proctor. For example he gets Elizabeth, his wife that he tries so hard to please, to go and talk to him. They understand what Proctor meant by all the lies. Abigail ran off the Barbados. When Proctor sees Elizabeth again, it creates a tragic atmosphere. To them it seems almost unreal, like they didnt think they would see each other again. The short, quick sentences that they exchange give us a sense of tension: You are a marvel, Elizabeth. (Proctor, Act IV) You have been tortured? (Elizabeth, Act IV) As she asks Proctor this it proves that she wants to forgive him, and that she wants to love him again. He decides to confess about witchery, for Elizabeths sake. Once the confession has been written down he grabs it, saying: You have all witnessed it it is enough. (Proctor, Act IV) He refuses to sign his confession. He doesnt want to blacken his name anymore: God knows how black my sins are! It is enough! (Proctor, Act IV) If he doesnt give it back, or sign the confession, he will be hanged, he will be killed. Instead he rips it like, just like he did the warrant/ He decides to die. The atmosphere turns tragic and goes still. The audiences reaction is also tragic, but also understandable after all, that was the role of John Proctor. He chooses to die because he would blacken his name, and his childrens name Proctor. He realises he has ruined his reputation from the affair, and that the courts in Salem were finished. He couldnt lie anymore. He chose his own death rather than betrayal of his conscience. This shows us that he too has come through the fire to be purified, just like the pure elements extracted from the metals in a crucible.

Dulce et Decorum Es :: essays research papers

An Analysis of â€Å"Dulce et Decorum Est† Dolce et Decorum Est is the product of Wilfred Owen’s frustration, not only against those who repeat the old lie â€Å"Dulce et Decorum Est†, in other words, it is sweet and right to die for your country, but also against a certain kind of poetry. Through his poem, Owen who himself took part in World War 1, has no difficulty to convince us that the horrors that took place at this moment far outweighs the idea of those who encourage war. In this essay, I will approach the symbolic significance of the poem by analysing each stanza. In the first stanza, Owen sets the scene. This stanza contains a lot of simile and metaphors that shows us how crushed these men are, physically and mentally. Soldiers are turning their back to the lights of the battle field â€Å"Till on the haunting flares we turned ours backs†. Exhausted, their knees are touching â€Å"knock-kneed†, tired of supporting their heavy backpack â€Å"like old beggars under sacks†. The condition of the poor soldiers is so miserable that the author compare them to â€Å"old beggars† and â€Å"hags† (ugly old woman). Some men had lost their boots and the only shoes they have is the blood on their feet â€Å"blood-shod†. They are walking painfully, not even hearing the noise made by the shells rushing through the air â€Å"deaf even to the hoots†. Then, little bye little, soldiers struggle away from the battle field, shells now falling behind â€Å"Of tired, outstripped Five-Nines that dropped behind† . In the second stanza, the author is focusing on one man who, because of stress and fatigue was not able to put his gas mask in time. The author describe the pain of this poor man throughout a big underwater metaphor: â€Å"flound’ring†, â€Å"green sea†, â€Å"drowning† and â€Å"plunges†, in the third stanza. Plugged by the glass in the eyepieces of the gas masks and the green light (chlorine gas) â€Å"Dim, through the misty panes and thick green light†, Owen can see his comrade succumbing to the poison gas. In the third stanza, our speaker compare the scene to a nightmare. Owen will never forget the images of his friend, dying: â€Å"plunges at me†, â€Å"my helpless sight†. Dismayed, Owen can’t do anything to help his friend. In line 16, by guttering, the speaker was probably referring to the sound in the throat of the man, that was gurgling like water draining down a gutter.

Confucianism’s similarities to virtue ethics Essay

Confucianism, the ancient social philosophy of China, would have had no ethical parallel in the West as little as 30 years ago. There are some small similarities that it holds with utilitarian ethics and deontology. There is very little in ethical egoism or relativism that lines up with Confucianism. I believe that virtue ethics, however, as laid out in Alasdair MacIntyre’s book After Virtue bears a striking resemblance to Confucianism. One important feature of Confucianism, according to John Koller, is that it is an essentially humanist philosophy; in other words, human beings are the ultimate source of values. This is in apposition to Supernaturalism—which claims that values ultimately come from God, and naturalism—which believes that values come from nature. Thus, Confucianism, answers the question of â€Å"How can goodness and harmony be achieved? † by looking for exemplars and principles in humanity itself. This is strikingly similar to the picture that Alasdair MacIntyre paints of the world. According to MacIntyre, most of the ethical language and arguments that are thrown around between ethicists and even everyday people is fundamentally incomprehensible or incoherent. Ethical prescriptions used to be based on a common belief in God and the ways in which He has ordered the universe. In today’s world, however, we no longer share that common belief, but we have kept the structures and language of our old ethical systems without the foundation stones on which they were originally built. To remedy this ailment, MacIntyre proposes going back to a kind of virtue ethics, an essentially humanist philosophy that defines virtuous behavior as what a good man would do. Like Confucianism, virtue ethics looks to neither God nor nature, but rather humanity to find the principles by which to live. Furthermore, both Confucianism and virtue ethics focus less on the rightness of actions themselves, but rather on the development of virtuous people. Koller, notes â€Å"The Confucian idea that virtue, rather than law, should be the basis of government†¦ †. Similarly, virtue ethics sees ethical behavior as ultimately driven by character, not by rules (deontology) or consequences (utilitarianism). Both Confucianism and virtue ethics are interested in cultivating people â€Å"skillful† in doing good as the basis of a stable society.

Television, a Waste of Time And Money Essay

Television has become progressively more popular through the old ages since it was foremost invented. In fact it is so popular that about every place in America has one or more telecasting sets. Television started when Edwin Belin. an English adult male. held the patent for the transmittal of exposure by wire every bit good as fibre optics and radio detection and ranging. which demonstrated a mechanical scanning device that was an early ascendant to modern telecasting. With Television sets about everyplace in sight. a job with non merely the young person of America but besides affecting teens and grownups has erupted. As the popularity of Television increased so did the hours watched and hence. the rate of force sky rocketed. If the hours of telecasting exceed three hours a twenty-four hours the rate of force both seen and committed additions dramatically. In 1993. the mean kid was watching 8. 000 slayings and 10. 000 Acts of the Apostless of force before go forthing simple school ( Hepburn 244-249 ) . With all the picks of premium overseas telegram. HBO and many others. it’s non surprising that Television is lifting in monetary value excessively. Television has caused legion Acts of the Apostless of force and the statistics are still lifting. If the hours of telecasting are slimmed to less than an hr a twenty-four hours the violent Acts of the Apostless. will diminish. Many people watch telecasting as a everyday and mundane at about the same clip they will watch their favourite show or shows. Blending telecasting into your day-to-day modus operandi is non merely bad for you but sets aside precedences that are more of import like school work. Television draws in Families every dark About every household in the USA tickers premier clip telecasting ( 5-9 o’clock ) on hebdomad darks and with 99 % of families that own at least one telecasting. there are non many households that don’t watch Television on hebdomad yearss ( â€Å"Television† ) . In fact. surveies show that 66 % of U. S. places have three or more Television sets ( â€Å"Mediascope† ) . It is really dearly-won non to advert if you are in hunt to purchase the newest or biggest telecastings out at that place. Televisions non merely can set a strain on a household financially but with some households that watch up to or more than three hours of Television it can side track a household from its aims. During the 90’s each household averaged approximately 50 hours of telecasting weekly ( â€Å"Teen-agers† ) . Now come ining the new decennary the statistics have grown with the new types of telecasting since the 90’s. Once households start watching Television. it becomes a everyday that is non easy to interrupt. Many households are drawn to competition shows. where the whole household can take part and play along. The Steady Increase of Violence on Television Shows Television shows have become more violent in clip and it targets the young person and manipulates the kids to believe it is acceptable to perpetrate Acts of the Apostless of force. 59 % of force is shown on basic overseas telegram which is what most kids watch ( â€Å"Mediascope† ) . Children are really easy swayed to happening person to look up to. Many childs are into the â€Å"bad guys† and the strongest or most evil Television characters out at that place. When kids idolize characters on telecasting they are more likely to move the manner they do. 67 % of plans depict force in a humourous manner ( â€Å"Mediascope† ) . Showing the Acts of the Apostless of force in a humourous manner makes it look harmless to the kids. Childs who have premium channels on their telecastings are even more prone to perpetrating a violent act. Shows like HBO’s Oz. averaged 76 violent Acts of the Apostless per episode ( Hepburn 244-249 ) . Cartoons frequently depict at that place secret plans in a violent manner. Cartoons are a perfect illustration that shows how the young person of America is targeted at an early age. The major Television webs like Fox. CBS. and ABC play a large function in the rise of force across the state. Television webs like these. feel that force brings in the viewing audiences and the more viewing audiences the more money that the web makes. When Television was merely turning in popularity. the shows so were a batch different. Of class. there was still some force but really limited and no swear words or realistic particular effects. For illustration â€Å"Leave it to Beaver† and â€Å"Dike Van Dyke† which started in the 50’s. was non-violent and still popular plenty to draw in the viewing audiences get downing whole new tendencies. Today on the other manus. realistic effects to do horror scenes seem about existent have corrupted the populace. Shows like â€Å"CSI† and â€Å"Space Troopers† have legion violent Acts of the Apostless that are really in writing particularly to childs. The alteration through the decennaries has been great and more become more violent than of all time. What is to come in the hereafter? Will the force become even more vi olent? Or will at that place be a halt to the up rise in violent Acts of the Apostless all together? Television Effectss In the long tally. telecasting will impact non merely kids but teens and grownups excessively. With all the violent Acts of the Apostless seen on about every Television show the kids become frightened of the universe around them. â€Å"Eventually after watching all these offenses and violent Acts of the Apostless. the kids will be less sensitive to trouble and agony of others† ( Zuckerman ) . As most parents know. kids will make what they see. Many kids. non cognizant of what’s incorrect and right yet. will â€Å"mimic what they hear and see on TV† ( Zuckerman ) . It’s a parents occupation to watch over his or hers child and make certain they are non witnessing an inordinate sum of refuse or telecasting. presuming the parents are stable and non already addicted to Television. Statisticss show that teens ticker more telecasting than anything else that includes listening to music and reading ( â€Å"Mediascope† ) . Teenss are now in the old ages of re bellion against their parents and want to watch more mature shows that they can associate to. â€Å"Most adolescent prefer grownup scheduling that trades with turning up. drugs. sex and alcohol† ( Zuckerman ) . Teens that are stressed out by mundane things like school. classs and parents are more likely to watch Television every free minute they get. Television gives them a opportunity to loosen up and bury about day-to-day jobs and problems. Adults are besides portion of the rebellion in violent Acts of the Apostless committed due to the effects of telecasting. 76 % of typical violent culprits are grownups ( â€Å"Mediascope† ) . As we look around the violent universe we live in. it’s non flooring that all kids turn out as a deranged felon or liquidator particularly when kids look up to grownups for counsel. With the offense rates steadily increasing and telecasting in the hot place for the incrimination possibly a forbiddance of telecastings is in order. TV’s influence on the population Television affects everybody including childs. teens and grownups when they watch inordinate sum of Television each twenty-four hours. Parents should restrict there childs while they are immature so it’s non difficult to draw them away when they’re in their adolescent old ages. Today shots and slayings are more common than 20 old ages ago and no happenstance that the mean hours of telecasting a twenty-four hours have been lifting of all time since. Television makes existent slayings seem like nil to childs because they don’t yet understand the world from their Television universe. If the childs watch inordinate sums of Television when they are truly immature. they will respond to what they saw on Television when they are in a crisis or job in there life. when they grow up. Television is one of the negative effects of engineering and detecting new things. â€Å"Our findings suggest that responsible parents should avoid allowing their kids to watch more than an hr of Television a twenty-four hours. † ( Hepburn 244-249 ) . Hepburn besides stated â€Å"I was surprised to see a five fold addition in aggressive behaviour from less than one hr to three or more hours† ( Hepburn 244-249 ) . The universe with telecasting does non travel manus in manus any more. With force quickly increasing. the offense rates rocketing. it’s lone clip before there’s no more Television or people left. Television. in the terminal These big doses of telecasting are shown by the offense rate of today. Children who watch more than three hours of Television a twenty-four hours are really likely to perpetrate a violent act with in their life. Television will likely be about for a really long clip and it is the parents that are responsible for how much clip their childs ticker. Parents are non to be blamed wholly but there is a good portion that does rely on them to steer their childs the right manner and restrict the hours of Television they watch mundane. Jennifer Zuckerman claims â€Å"parents are responsible on how much Television is allowed and what stairss should be taken† . If you watch your kids and bound there hours of Television a twenty-four hours there is a good opportunity that the child will be less likely to be involved in a violent act. Television is normally a consequence of ennui. a clip to loosen up and non make any physical work. 73. 5 % of people watch Television when they are non making any thing ( â€Å"Television† ) . Television is a major cause of the bulk of violent Acts of the Apostless committed in the last few old ages. The lone manner for a lessening in the nation’s force is to restrict the sum of telecasting we watch and to restrict the kids from big sums of telecasting. If the rise of force still increases at a steady velocity. the lone manner to halt it is to either travel to the manufacturers or convert the people to turn on telecastings and take them from their places. Plants Cited Hepburn. Mary A. â€Å"TV Violence! A Medium’s Effectss Under Scrutiny. † Social Education. Sept. 1997: 244-249. SIRS Researcher CD-ROM. CD-ROM. SIRS Mandarin. Fall 2002. â€Å"Mediascope. National Television Violence Study. † Executive Summary. 1994-1995: N. P. SIRS Researcher CD-ROM. CD-ROM. SIRS Mandarin. Fall 2002. â€Å"Teen-agers Who Watch More Television are Prone to Violence† . The Seattle Times. March 28. 2002: N. P. SIRS Researcher CD-ROM. CD-ROM. SIRS Mandarin. Fall 2002. â€Å"Television Violence: A Review of the Effectss on Children of Different Ages† . Science 1995 ; N. P. Zuckerman. D. â€Å"What is to Blame for Youth Violence? † 21. March. 2003. World Wide Web. surgeongeneral. gov/library/youthviolence

Outline and Evaluate the Use of One Qualitative Method in the Academic Study of Sport Essay Example

Outline and Evaluate the Use of One Qualitative Method in the Academic Study of Sport Essay Example Outline and Evaluate the Use of One Qualitative Method in the Academic Study of Sport Essay Outline and Evaluate the Use of One Qualitative Method in the Academic Study of Sport Essay Outline and evaluate the use of one qualitative method in the academic study of sport Denzin and Lincoln (2000a) believe that qualitative research is guided by 3 principles: assumptions, values and beliefs. These work against, alongside or within positivist and post-positivist models. Quantitative research is the use of numerical measurements and analysis that involves measurable ‘quantities’ by Gratton and Jones (2004). Quantitative data is collected through closed questions as it is in place to provide facts. While qualitative data, on the other hand, predominantly uses open styled questions to gain more information through follow up questions, extensive answers and debates. There are many differences between the two paradigms with the researcher being objective, and ‘detached’ from the subject under investigation within quantitative data said by Gratton and Jones (2004). Moreover, qualitative research is rather the opposite, with the researcher being in place to gather more information from the participants in question. In addition to the previous, Morse, Swanson and Kuezel (2001) believe a quantitative research requires the researcher to carefully define variables that may be quantified with numbers. On the other hand, qualitative research is a more holistic perspective rather than a hypothesis confirmation. Berg and Latin (2008) believe qualitative research allows an open-ended and flexible approach to assessment. Within the qualitative paradigm there are several different data collection methods such as open questionnaires, interviews, observation, visual and textual analysis. I will be outlining and evaluating the use of interviews within the academic study of sport; this will be focused mainly on focus groups. Culver (2003) states that interviews are undoubtedly the most common method for collecting qualitative data within the study of sport. Pettigrew (1990) and Pettus (2001) also state ‘interviews offer a depth of information that permits the detailed exploration of particular issues in a way not possible with other forms of data collection’. Within this type of research method there are 4 different types of interviews; structured, semi-structured, unstructured and focus group. Structured interviews are face-to-face (researcher participant), consist of closed and pre-determined questions in addition to the structure being formal. Semi-structured interviews can be altered so that the participant(s) in question can ether clarify or elaborate on a particular topic/statement. The approach to data collection is flexible, with probes being used to gather additional information. Unstructured interviews have a set theme with the respondent leading the interview. The questions are developed throughout, as they are not pre-determined. These questions are open and flexible. A negative point to this interview structure is that there’s a chance the interview will lack focus. Focus groups lean towards being semi-structured with a discussion thesis being used within an open environment; focus groups consist of more than one person. John Amis (2005) believes ‘focus groups allow members to challenge each other, develop positions of consensus, and build on each other’s ideas’. In addition to this previous statement, Gratton and Jones (2004) believe that this can become a negative point if the researcher doesn’t keep the participants on topic, stating that ‘participants may be tempted to provide false data to make an impression upon others in the group’. This can be potentially avoided if you use either a random, or stratified random sample which has a divided population. Furthermore these participants won’t know one another. Within focus groups there is a large quantity of strengths; participants are able to elaborate on the particular subject(s) especially when the researcher uses probes. In conjunction to this Yin (1994) notes that the interviewer ‘provides perceived casual inferences’ from the actor’s, rather than the researcher’s point of view. As a focus group is generally unstructured or semi-structured it enables participants to reveal certain insight into their attitudes and behaviours in addition to important themes and unexpected data to emerge, Gratton and Jones (2010). Focus groups are more flexible as you can also gain visual and vocal information; for example body language, laughter, silence or careful consideration, their tone of voice, or even simply what particular participants are saying. This can lead to the researcher probing as certain participants will be more passionate about certain themes/topics. Moreover you are able to gain a relationship with your participants, which can lead to them being more open and true to the information they give within the group. In conjunction with this, participants are informed that everything discussed is kept confidential, therefore this will relax and ease participants so they’re able to engage fully within the discussions. Interviews require more resources in comparison to questionnaires. This could be in terms of time consumption or travelling, as a consequence resulting samples can be small, Gratton and Jones (2010). Particular participants could take control of the interview therefore becoming dominant; researchers must then put particular probes into practice ensuring other group members get involved to gain a more diverse collection of data. On the other hand, participants could find focus group environments intimidating and/or off-putting; which can lead to the participant(s) in question feeling under pressure to agree with the dominant participant. Evalued[online]) Analysing data can also be difficult in addition to recording the interview. John Amis (2005) states that it is irrespective of the type of interview, that the way data is recorded should be established prior and it is standard procedure to record the interview on audio tape. The researcher must also ensure that the data gathered is reliable. Gratton and Jones (2004) believe that this can be represen ted with the equation; ‘reliability = number of agreements/(number of agreements + disagreements)’. Psychological Qualities of Elite Adolescent Rugby Players is a research study extension on Holland and colleagues’ (2010) study into required psychological qualities of young talented rugby players, Woodcock et al (2011). Focus groups were completed following Kruger and Casey’s (2000) recommended size of 6 to 8 participants, ensuring that you don’t exceed 10. One group broke this guideline with 2 participants participating within SAS (Sports Administration Staff), which could hinder studied data with the chance of agreement being likely and information being limited. Stewart, Shamdasani, and Rook (2007) warn that fewer than eight participants can lead to a narrow discussion biased toward the views of a few individuals. Focus groups were held in familiar and comforting environments in addition to neutral locations for parents, which was in place to make participants feel more at ease. The focus group was semi-structured with the moderator using probes to gain a more in-depth insight into their views and beliefs. Furthermore the moderator gained a relationship with the participants on entry so that they’d feel comfortable along with this method aiding them to participate within group discussions. Through using focus groups Woodcock et al (2011) founded 5 new subgroups within the 11 higher order themes identified by young players in Holland et al, (2010). These 5 subthemes were: off pitch communication, reflection on their abilities in an objective manner, taking information and reproducing it as a physical action, dealing with injuries as well as attitude towards injuries and that players need to be problem solvers, able to adapt and overcome challenges. Parents and coaches supported development of individuals, not just in their rugby involvement but within other areas of life. Furthermore they discussed interactions that reinforced development within professional and performance environments. SAS highlighted within the study that the under-16 rugby programme was designed specifically to gradually challenge players and foster development of certain psychological qualities Woodcock et al (2011). This focus group helped gain further knowledge and insight within the psychological side of elite adolescent rugby players. Furthermore the ways in which parents, coaches and the SAS develop these players’ psychological in general day to day environments. A large majority of the research gathered corresponds Holland and colleagues (2010) study. Gender perception of Wrestling is a case study in place to gain research on whether or not wrestling is a sport primarily for male athletes. This focus group consist of eight participants from both genders (stratified random sample), which was also semi-structured. Sports managers and administrators for wrestling are presented with the opportunity to encourage women to take part. For this to take place sports managers and/or administrators need to understand how women perceive the sport. Pfister, (2010) and Ward, (2010) state that there is a growing number of women participating in sports with some women competing successfully in traditionally masculine sports. Data collected from the focus group was substantial, with views from each gender being different; this therefore made the study stand out more due to its hypothesis. The focus group underlined that they perceived wrestling to be more violent than other sports such as judo and taekwondo as self-defence wasn’t an explicit objective, Leng (2012). Participants also reviewed the physical attributes of a wrestler, as of this they clearly stated wrestling was a sport for athletes who possess more physical attributes. Moreover, participants didn’t regard wrestling as a sport favouring the participation of a particular gender. To conclude this case study qualitative data collected via participants within the focus group were views which outlined gender beliefs. It is clear to see that focus groups are irreplaceable when accumulating qualitative research data within the academic study of sport. Gibbs (1997) states that the purpose of focus group research is to draw upon respondents’ attitudes, feelings, beliefs, experiences and reactions. Focus groups gather a whole source of information that cannot be obtained without debates and different views. When structured correctly the researcher is able to gain rich data that he can then press forward to ether make changes or put different methods in practice. Focus groups are best used when gaining data on something meaningful to the participants and/or collecting data for something that affects a large majority of people. Something else gathered from this is that when the moderator/research gains a relationship with the participant it is easier to gain more in-depth information. Bibliography Andrews, D. L. , Mason, D. S. and Silk, M. L. (2005) Qualitative Data in Sports Studies. New York: Berg. Berg, K. E and Latin, R. W. (2008) Research Methods in Health, Physical Education, Exercise Science, and Research (3rd Edition). Baltimore, MD: Lippincott Williams Wilkins. Gratton, C. and Jones, I. (2004) Research Methods of Sports Studies (1st Edition). London: Routledge. Gratton, C. and Jones, I (2006) Research Methods of Sports Studies (2nd Edition). Oxon: Routledge. Woodcock, C. , Holland, M. J. G. , Duda, J. L, and Cumming, J. 2011) Psychological Qualities of Elite Adolescent Rugby Players: Parents, Coaches, and Sport Administration Staff Perceptions and Supporting Roles. The Sport Psychologist, 25, 411-433. Leng, H. K. ; Kang, S. Y. ; Lim, C. ; Lit, J. J. ; Suhaimi, N. I. ; Umar, Y. (2012) Only For Males: Gendered Perception of Wrestling. Choregia, Vol. 8 Issue 1, p43. Gibbs, A. (1997) Social Research Update, Issue 19 [online]. Available: http://sru. soc. surrey. ac. uk/SRU19. html [8th Novemb er 2012] Evalued (2006) Focus Groups [online]. Available: evalued. bcu. ac. uk/tutorial/4b. htm [ 8th November 2012]

Benefits of Monopoly for the Stakeholders Essay

Benefits of Monopoly for the Stakeholders - Essay Example Monopoly is a market structure where a firm controls the industry in regards to output and prices and there are no close substitutes to the products. Monopolistic competition is a market structure where there are many buyers and sellers who trade in a range of prices. This is because the sellers can differentiate their offers to different customers (Orbanes, 2007). Monopoly is not the best market structure to be considered in the current world of business.A monopoly has different benefits to the stakeholders such as the government, consumers, producers and businesses as a whole. Monopoly benefits to the producers and businesses are that it increases normal profits to abnormal profits. A monopoly produces at a lower output and sells at high prices. This reduces the marginal cost of the producer which increases the profits to supernormal profits. The businesses also benefit from a monopoly in that they produce at large scale which leads to economies of scale. The economies of scale wil l lead to a reduction in average cost, which will lead to, increase in profits. The economies of scale have potential gain in welfare to the producer. The large scale production will reduce the firm’s costs, which will result, to benefits in the long run. The shareholders also benefit from monopoly through receiving dividends, which result from, supernormal profits. The firm benefit in terms of control meaning the firm controls the entire market which means it is the sole decision maker in the industry. The firm benefit for being the dominant one in the industry in that it decides on the prices of the products. The firms in the industry are price takers (Robinson, 1943).

Managing and Leading Strategic Change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Managing and Leading Strategic Change - Essay Example to the company (and later taking on the post of COO and President whereas Bethune would remain the CEO and Chairman), introduced a â€Å"Go Forward Plan† which had four parts, aimed at putting the company back on track in 1995. The four pats were the market plan: â€Å"Fly to Win, The Financial Plan: Fund the Future, The Product Plan: Make Reliability a Reality, The People Plan: Working Together.† The plan was to implement all these changes simultaneously, since they would create a multiplier effect (Hartley, pp. 78-84, 2010). Implementation and Leading this Strategic Change (Go Forward Plan) Bethune knew that despite this plan was approved by board of directors with all the trust, confidence and enthusiasm, employees would view this plan with all possible suspicion and mistrust. Therefore, the first thing, which Bethune did, was to open the doors of the executive lounge of Continental, which had been protected from any visitors since many years like some castle. Employ ees now need only to show their IDs and gain entrance into Bethune’s office. After opening the doors for employees, Bethune initiated a new ritual of arranging open houses at the end of each month at the Houston headquarters. Just to ensure that employees feel comfortable around executive, the concept of causal Fridays came into being, except for the employees who had direct dealings with customers (Palmer, Dunford & Akin, pp. 284-285, 2008). One of the previous managements of Continental had tried to repaint all the planes but failed to complete the same due to limited financing and immense pressure for cost cutting. As of late 1994, the planes were in the same condition, not painted uniformly. Bethune felt that repainting the planes would send a message of revival, newness, and better operations to the... Managing and Leading Strategic Change Since 1983, nine different CEOs who came in with the slogan of change, tried their luck and as the figures show, they were not very successful. Not only the company was in trouble from the financial side but as it has been mentioned above, that the company was surrounded by trouble from all directions. High turnover, infighting between employees and departments, employee absences, use of sick time, customer complaints, and highest number of mishandled baggage reports, ranking last in terms of on time arrival and others would just be a glance at the terrible conditions in which â€Å"Continental Airlines† was still somehow surviving. It was in February 1994, when Gordon Bethune took the charge of the company as the Chief Operating Officer and President and later in that year as the CEO as well, he knew that the company needed a hardcore strategic change and strong implementation of that change as well. Quite understandably, it was his responsibility to do the same. Important here to note is that the whole change process that Bethune implemented at Continental was in line with eight steps of change presented by John Kotter, professor of leadership at Harvard Business Review in Boston. This is one those strategic change implementation models, which has been praised and acclaimed by many different authors in their writings and analysis. Let us a have a brief analysis of the same. Kotter’s first step is about creating urgency for change.