Bram Stoker Essays (659 words) - Dracula, Golders Green Crematorium

Bram Stoker Abraham (Bram) Stoker was born November 8, 1847 at 15 The Crescent, Clontarf, North of Dublin, the third of seven children. For the first 7 years of his life Stoker was bedridden with a myriad of childhood diseases which afforded him much time to reading. By the time he went to college, Stoker had somehow overcome his childhood maladies and while at Trinity College, Dublin, the honor student was involved in soccer and was a marathon running champion. He was also involved in various literary and dramatic activities, a precursor to his later interests in the theater and his involvement with the rising action Henry Irving, whose performance he had critiqued as a student at Trinity. After graduation from college, and in his father's footsteps, he became a civil servant, holding the position of junior clerk in the Dublin Castle. His literary career began as early as 1871 and in that year he took up a post as the unpaid drama critic for the Evening Mail, while at the same time writing short stories. His first literary success came a year later when, in 1872, The London Society published his short story The Crystal Cup. As early as 1875 Stoker's unique brand of fiction had come to the forefront. In a four part serial called the Chain of Destiny, were themes that would become Stoker's trademark: horror mixed with romance, nightmares and curses. Stoker encountered Henry Irving again, this time in the role of Hamlet, 10 years after Stoker's Trinity days. Stoker, still very much the critic (and still holding his civil service position), gave Irving's performance a favorable review. Impressed with Stoker's review, Irving invited Stoker back stage and the resultant friendship lasted until Irving's death in 1905. The Stoker/Irving partnership solidified around the year 1878. During this time Henry Irving had taken ov er his own theater company called the London Lyceum, but he didn't like the management, and therefore approached Stoker to handle business, at which point Stoker gave up his government job and became the acting manager of the theater. A short time after Stoker began his new career, the publishing house of Sampson, Lowe contacted him expressing interest in a collection of Stoker's stories. Under the Sunset was published in 1891 and was well received by some of the critics, but others thought the book too terrifying for children. Stoker was already fascinated with the notion of the boundaries of life and death (Leatherdale, p.63) which made this book too terrifying for children at least in some of the reviewer's minds. By the time Stoker had received favorable reviews for his romance novel The Snake's Pass (1890), he was already making notes for a novel with a vampire theme, and by 1894 he was back to macabre themes. It seemed only a natural consequence that Dracula would follow and was published in June 1897. Reviews on Dracula were mixed, and the book never yielded much money for Stoker. In a favorable review the Daily Mail compared it with Frankenstein and Poe's The Fall of the House of Usher. The Bookman found it likeable in spots but commented that the descriptions were hideous and repulsive. (Leatherdale, p.68) For the next few years after Dracula's publication, events took a downward spiral for both Irving and Stoker. There were troubles with Irving's establishment and a fire destroyed part of the theater (including some important scenery) and Irving eventually sold it. Stoker did manage however to publish The Jewel of the 7 Stars in 1903, and it was a novel based on the information given to Stoker by an Egyptologist. In 1905 Henry Irving died, leaving the aging Stoker without a steady jot for the first time in his life. A year after Irving's death Stoker wrote Personal Reminiscences of Henry Irving. Stoker managed to write other novels after this point until the time of his death in 1912 at the age of 64. English Essays

Corporate merger between Volkswagen and Porsche

Corporate merger between Volkswagen and Porsche Introduction There are different ways in which a company can stimulate growth either internally or internally. External growth as defined by Block, Hirst and Danielson is the growth of firms through amalgamation, mergers or takeovers/acquisitions. The authors define a merger as being ‘the agreed amalgamation between two firms.’ There are different types of mergers namely vertical, horizontal and conglomerate merger (Block et al, 2008).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Corporate merger between Volkswagen and Porsche specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More History of the relationships of the two companies leading up to the final merger in 2009 Volkswagen and Porsche are two firms that are well recognized and established in the automotive industry. Based in Germany, both companies were founded by Ferdinand Porsche in the 1930s and have remained in the Porsche and Piech families to date. There has been contention an d rivalry, some fuelled by family differences between the two firms; in 2005, Porsche, the smaller of the two companies, began a takeover bid that included buying Volkswagen stock. This plan might have worked had Porsche not fallen into financial constraint (Anon, 2009). Volkswagen had to step in with a merger proposal which Porsche fought off fiercely but finally had to give in to because it would mean an infusion of much needed cash into the latter firm’s fried up coffers. The merger between the two companies, which hit a couple of snags, was finally ironed out in late 2009 (Kingsbury Dauer, 2009). A brief description of the firms Volkswagen and Porsche and the automobile industry The automotive industry is feeling the pinch of the global economic recession. The two auto makers are not the only companies to go the way of the merger. There are other acquisitions that have taken place recently and by all appearances it looks like there are many more on the way. Fiat, the Ita lian car making firm, has plans to acquire Chrysler as well as Europe’s branch of General Motors. VW is the biggest carmaker in Europe having annual sales in the excess of US $151 billion and selling up to 6.7 million units a year. Porsche has lower revenue of US $9.3 billion selling about one hundred thousand units annually (Kingsbury Dauer, 2009). Porsche and Volkswagen have a long history that goes way before the issue of a merger arose. Ferdinand Piech and Wolfgang Porsche, the respective chairpersons of the two firms, are the grandchildren of Ferdinand Porsche who foundered both companies in the 1930s.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Members of the Porsche and Piech families own between them 50% of Porsche Automobil SE stock. The two firms have even collaborated in the past to put on the market vehicles such as the Porsche Cayene SUV and the Touareg wh ose parts are manufactured in the same plant (Anon, 2009). Competition within the automobile industry The automobile industry is very competitive, more so in the face of the global financial crisis that has shaken even the strongest of giants. The top ten brands on the global market are Toyota, General Motors, Volkswagen, Hyundai, Ford Motor, Company, Peugeot, Honda, Suzuki and Renault. In the biting recession, the motor industry has been hard hit with major companies such as GM and Chrysler seeking bankruptcy protection from their governments or opting for mergers. The units of sales have declined sharply and profit margins have narrowed. Being in the automobile industry is simply not as lucrative as it was before the recession (carazoo.com, 2009). Why the Volkswagen-Porsche merger is a vertical merger There are three different types of mergers namely horizontal, vertical and conglomerate mergers. A conglomerate merger is one between two firms that are in two totally unrelated fiel ds of business while a vertical merger is one that takes place between two firms in a related business but with one being the buyer and the other the seller. A vertical merger takes place between two firms in the same line of business and who are competitors of each other (Block et al, 2008). Thus, the merger between Porsche and VW is a vertical merger because both firms are in the automotive industry. Why the Volkswagen-Porsche merger is a ‘friendly’ acquisition and the concerns regarding the acquisition The merger between VW and Porsche can be termed as a friendly merger because the terms of the merger have been negotiated by directors of the two firms until they have worked out an agreement which both parties find satisfactory. There was a three and a half year tag of war between Volkswagen and Porsche before the two companies finally hammered out a deal that was satisfactory to both. Porsche initially wanted total acquisition of VW, going as far as buying up 75% of VW stock, but had to settle for a merger (Boston, 2009). What VW plans to do is to take the brand names, along with other brands already under VW, and consolidate them into a holding company which Porsche terms as being an ‘integrated leading company’ (Boston, 2009). Synergy gains, portfolio effects, taxes, risk and the Volkswagen-Porsche mergerAdvertising We will write a custom essay sample on Corporate merger between Volkswagen and Porsche specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Firms create mergers for a varied number of reasons; these can either be financial or non-financial (Block et al, 2008). The reasons behind the merger between Volkswagen and Porsche fall into both of these categories. One of the motives that can drive firms to form mergers is on a bid cost savings; this is to the cut down on the cost of growth as compared to gearing internal growth. Taking over from a destabilized firm is more cost effective than tryi ng to generate growth using the resources that are already at the firm’s disposal. Acquisition means that the resources that were available to the acquired firm are now at the disposal of the firm conducting the acquisition (Block et al, 2008). A non-financial reason for carrying out a merger is for its managerial rewards. A firm may have the aspiration to expand its management and marketing capabilities while at the same time acquire new products to add to its brand. While this can be done through internal growth, it would be more expensive and take a greater deal of innovativeness and the dedication of a more company resources. Through acquisition, the firm can achieve all of the above in a way that is actually beneficial to itself. Those on the management team of the acquiring firm might be presented with the opportunity to get lucrative management positions that result from the merger (Block et al, 2008). For a firm like Volkswagen, there is also power play involved. Pors che and VW have been waging a power struggle for years now, with either company trying to outdo the other. Porsche incurred a debt of US $2 billion while covertly buying VW stock in a secret takeover bid. The thrill and prestige of whoever was to get the last laugh has shaped the way the two firms are going about their merger with VW seemingly turning the tables on Porsche at the last moment (Anon, 2009). The former CEO of Porsche, Wendelin Wiedeking saw the merger between the two firms as a way of making them into a single holding so that there would be created an economy of scale. Wiedeking’s reasoning was that if Porsche became a part of the VW group, then the former would not face the stiff penalties governing carbon emissions by automobiles that have been put in place in Europe since VW has automobiles that are considered fuel efficient and low-emission. Porsche’s automobiles would then segue in with the VW ones without attracting too much attention (Boston, 2009) .Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More But why would the stockholders be willing for a merger to take place? Stockholders can be motivated to back a merger because for them it means that if the merger transaction is to be conducted in shares, then they will have the chance to acquire stock in the new company (Block et al, 2008). Stockholders can also get a chance to branch out into new and varied investments if the merger transaction is performed in cash. Taking the example of VW and Porsche, stockholders in the VW firm will be presented with the opportunity to acquire Porsche shares and stock. Mergers can be good for shareholders because it will mean more value on the shares. Mergers have the potential of raising the earnings per share because of greater confidence of their value on the stock market (Block et al, 2008). When a large firm acquires a smaller one, the acquiring firm can make a quick profit by asset stripping. For the acquiring firm, a profit can be made by selling off assets brought in by the acquired busi ness (Block et al, 2008). A firm can be financially inclined to form a merger because of the resulting ‘portfolio effect’. This results when a firm can reap the benefits of economies of scale, cutting down on production costs as output increases on fewer resources, having a more extensive market reach and a broader market segment, as well as building up its tying and bundling techniques (Block et al, 2008). A merger can also make a firm more attractive to investment bankers who show an interest in financing projects that the firm might run in the future. Mergers may make a firm appear more financially sound and make it more viable to lending institutions. This is probably, another portfolio effect, because of the diversification of risk, without compromising the firm’s rate of returns (Block et al, 2008). Another non-financial reason for conducting mergers is to create synergy so as to cut down on production costs while at the same time increasing output. It is m ore profitable to apply a larger production unit to achieve a given task as compared to having smaller units performing the same tasks independently (Block et al, 2008). Conclusion As has been illustrated above, mergers can be beneficial to the acquiring firm because it creates room for growth. Mergers also have a portfolio effect in that the acquiring firms can access a larger market segment, spread their risk, capitalize on synergy and add to the value of their stock. The merger between Volkswagen and Porsche has taken nearly three years to work out. In the end, it will be beneficial to both firms since, being powerhouses on their own, their combined name will be an even more marketable brand. Again, Volkswagen can infuse the cash needed into Porsche to get the ailing firm out of its financial doldrums. Despite the initial hefty taxation costs that Volkswagen will have to pay in its acquisition of Porsche and the added risk of possible suits from hedge funds, the acquisition of Po rsche can be considered a feather in VW’s cap. Bibliography Anon. (2009, July 20). The World from Berlin: New Hurdles for VW-Porsche Merger. Spiegel Online International. Web. Block, S., Hirt, G., Danielsen, B. (2008). Foundations of Financial Management (13th ed.). New York: McGraw HIll. Boston, W. (2009, May 7). Porsche and VW Agree to a Merger. Time Magazine. Web. carazoo.com. (2009, October 7). Top 10 Car Makers of the World of 2009, Page 2 of 2 Associated Content associatedcontent.com. Automotive. Kingsbury, K., Dauer, U. (2009, August 14). VW Seals Deal for Porsche in Reversal of Fortune. WSJ.com. Wall Street Journal. New York. Web.

MIS In The Construction Industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

MIS In The Construction Industry - Essay Example For this purpose organizations implement information systems. This paper is going to assess the implementation of management information systems in the construction companies and business. In this paper I will define the management information systems, its uses, implementation areas and main benefits taken from these new implementations in construction industry. Data are collection of unrefined facts representing events taking place in organizations or the physical setting prior to they have been formed and managed into a structure that people can recognize and utilize. On the other hand, information refers to data that have been shaped into a structure that is significant and helpful or functional to human beings (Norton 4) and (Laudon and Laudon 7). â€Å"The term information system can be described technically as a collection of interrelated components that bring together, process, store, and distribute information to carry decision making and control in an organization† Information systems keep and maintain information about important people, places, and things inside the corporation or in the set up surrounding it (Laudon and Laudon 7) and (Hoffer, Prescott and McFadden 429). According to (Shelly, Cashman and Vermaat 620), â€Å"an information system consists of hardware, software, data, workers, and methods that work in collab oration to turn out functional and valuable information†. An information system helps out in every day, short-range, temporary, and long range activities of users. Various examples of users consist of store clerks, sales representatives, accountants, supervisors, managers of construction projects, executives, and customers (Shelly, Cashman and Vermaat 620). Management information system (MIS) is an information system that produces correct, on time, and structured information, so managers (construction managers) and other users can make decisions, supervise

The Bill of Rights Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Bill of Rights - Research Paper Example Origins of Bill of Rights Delegates from thirteen new American states drafted the Constitution in 1787 (U.S. Department of State). It provided the â€Å"blueprint† on the structure and functions of the government, but lacked a specific outline of human rights (Department of State). Virginia delegate George Mason stressed in one of his writings: â€Å"The Eyes of the United States are turned upon this Assembly and their Expectations raised to a very anxious Degree† (U.S. National Archives and Records Administration [NARA]). Mason wrote the Virginia Declaration of Rights that inspired Thomas Jefferson in preparing the Declaration of Independence. Mason left the convention very dissatisfied, because it lacked a declaration of rights (NARA). Soon, George Mason's opinions affected the assembly and a heated discussion on the Bill of Rights began. When James Madison first wrote the amendments to the Constitution, which constituted the Bill of Rights, he depended a great deal o n the Virginia Declaration of Rights. The Bill of Rights represents the authoritative statement of many American of values: â€Å"the idea that the individual is prior to and takes precedence over any government† (NARA; Zinn).

Globalization. Globalization In Economic Research Paper

Globalization. Globalization In Economic - Research Paper Example Although globalization is largely viewed as an economic process, it is has been known to have numerous political and social effects as well (Pew Research Center). With regards to the political and economic aspects, globalization is described as the process of decentralization of markets and legal systems (Lynch 6). In relation to businesses, it can be explained as a process in which companies venture into the emerging global markets. Furthermore, entities are taking advantage of the internet to launch their virtual presence in the worldwide marketplace. In most cases globalization is linked to modernization whereby there is transformation of developing nations into developed ones. Internationally, globalization is analyzed in terms of the challenges to the global economy and economic issues in general. There have heated discussions of globalization and its advantages and disadvantages. There have been numerous benefits accruing from the process such as increased trade among nations a nd dissemination of information world over (Knickerbocker 45). On the flip side there have been drawbacks associated with the process including exploitation of the poor nations, erosion of traditional cultures through modernization and the rising levels of global terrorism. In a nutshell, the process has positive and negative implications on countries world over. This essay addresses the complex concept of globalization and focuses on its economic aspect. It can be noted that global economic activities have become more integrated and economically oriented over the recent past. It takes the form of increased trade among nations, an increase in imports and exports, an overall growth of foreign investments and foreign loans. This is due to the existence of better policies and a friendlier economic environment (Knickerbocker 76). In fact, most modern economies argue that it is meaningless to form one’s thinking on national economies as international trade has become the backbone of most domestic economies in most countries. This has been the trend in most countries that have adopted uniform business environments and legal systems that govern the operations of global markets. This has had both negative and positive implications on the global economy. The first advantage linked to globalization development of the industrial economies that are under the Organization of Cooperation and Development (OECD). It is clear that international trading activities contribute to a significant proportion of the economic production or GDP in most countries (Knickerbocker 77). This is because economies tend to specialize in the areas where they have the highest comparative advantage. For example, if a country is best suited to produce steel, it concentrates on its production and outsources other products that may be expensive to produce in the country. Through specialization, countries are able to make optimum profits from their production activities. Globalization has resul ted to intensified trade in the national economies. This is due to the increased flow of goods, services and capital in the global market. This is due to the abolition of trade barriers among nations and uniform regulations on importation and exportation. This simplifies trading among nations and there increasing trading activities in the global economy (Lynch 10). This is facilitated by international trading organizations such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Trade Organization (WTO) that make laws and regulations concerning the operations in the global economy. Regionally, bodies such as the European Union (EU), North America Free Trade Association (NAFTA), Common Markets for East and Central Africa (COMESA) and association of South East

Effect of North Korea on Peace and Security

Effect of North Korea on Peace and Security North Korea and North East Asian Peace and Security Current security issues in North East Asia, raised by North Korea Nuclear Test. Please examine how far North Korea can affect the peace and stability in Northeast Asia and how other countries such as America, Japan, China, and Russia react on this issue. And lastly, How to solve this security issues permanently and increases future stability in the area? Contents (Jump to) Abstract Introduction Chapter One North Korean defence and foreign policy misrepresented or a threat to peace and security? Chapter Two – Containing the North Korean threat to peace and security in the North East Asia Region Conclusions Bibliography Abstract The following dissertation will discuss and evaluate North Korea’s influence and effect upon peace and security within the North East Asia region. This dissertation will evaluate North Korea’s relationships with other countries in the North East Asia region such as South Korea, Japan, and China. Countries from outside the immediate North East Asia region like the United States, Russia (as the largest successor state of the Soviet Union) and to a lesser extent Britain and France also have an interest in the North East Asia Region. All these countries have an interest in preventing the proliferation of nuclear weapons and nuclear tests. For instance these countries must consider how the actions or the potential actions of the North Korean government are able to influence or effect peace and security within the North East Asia region. Non-governmental organisations like the United Nations and the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), as well as the International Atomic Energy Authority (IAEA) have taken a great deal of interest in how North Korea effects the peace and security of its immediately neighbouring countries. These organisations are taking North Korea’s nuclear programme as well as its ballistic missile capacity into account when they regard the North Korean threat to peace and security going beyond the confines of the North East Asia region itself. This dissertation will evaluate the development and changes in North Korean government policies that have influenced and arguably threatened peace and security of the North East Asia region from Korea’s initial division at the end of the Second World War through to the present day. North Korea has been regarded as a threat to the peace and security of the North East Asia region ever since Pyongyang’s decision to invade South Korea provoked the Korean War of 1950 to 1953. The Korean War as will be discussed set the mould for North Korean defence and foreign policies, whilst ensuring the importance of the relationship with China and Russia. The North Korean regime, as will be shown, has been very reluctant to embrace and adopt any kind of economic or political reforms, preferring to use its scant resources on maintaining and expanding its military capacity. It is also continuing its nuclear weapons programme, long drawn talks having yet to result in effective nuclear disa rmament, and thus undermining peace and security within the North East Asia region, and when issues of nuclear proliferation are concerned outside that region. Finally the following will explore whether there are any ways in which North Korea can finally become a country that its neighbours in the North East Asia region could trust and believe will not threaten their common peace and stability rather than a country that they mistrust. The United Nations is an organisation that could offer the North Korean assistance to overcome its failed economy in return for the ending of North Korea’s nuclear programme and potentially aggressive foreign policy. The main onus for international efforts to contain North Korean nuclear weapons development has been by the United States, China, Japan, Russia, and South Korea. The prospects for the international community being able to monitor and eventually close down North Korea’s nuclear weapons programme, dismantling any weapons already constructed will also be discussed and evaluated. Introduction Korea has a long history of being a definable and separate nation state, although it was for many centuries subject to Chinese and later Japanese control (Lenman, 2004, p.450). Japanese control of Korea was ended by its defeat in the Second World War, which would inadvertently lead to the partition of Korea (Whitaker’s, 2007, p.892). The division of Korea was caused by the way that the Allied powers liberated the country from Japanese occupation, United States troops cleared the south, with the Soviet Union being responsible for clearing the north. This was intended to be a temporary division along the 38th parallel that would provoke the hottest conflict of the Cold War, as well as creating a dispute that continues to destabilise the peace and the security of the North East Asia region. As with the division of Vietnam the division was purely carried out as a reflection of the distribution of American and Soviet armed forces at the time of the Japanese surrender in September 1 945 (Gaddis, 2005, p.41). It was Kim Il Sung who had previously fought the Japanese for many years that emerged as North Korea’s first political leader, and he would be the man most responsible for his country’s attempt to re-unite Korea by force. Kim Il Sung was also responsible for North Korea’s subsequently militant defence and foreign policies that has remained stridently anti-Western, militaristic, and potentially aggressive towards its immediate neighbours in the North East Asia region ever since. It was Kim Il Sung that decided to re-unite Korea by force, after his realisation that diplomacy would not bring about such a re-unification led to the plan to invade South Korea, although he seems to have pre-empted similar plans that the South Koreans had hoped to implement. Kim Il Sung went ahead with that invasion with the approval of the Soviet Union and China, and the apparent indifference of the United States, which had already withdrawn its military garrisons from South Korea durin g 1949. However, the North Korean invasion which, was launched in June 1950 persuaded the United States to lead the United Nation’s forces into defending South Korea and driving the North Koreans back across the 38th parallel. The United States had been able to take advantage of the Soviet Union’s representative not been at the United Nations due to the Soviet decision to boycott the organisation due to Communist China being excluded from the Security Council (Evans Newnham, 1998, p. 293). The United States decision to intervene in the Korean War started its long -standing military alliance with South Korea to guarantee South Korean security from the continued threat of North Korean aggression. The Korean War itself would drag on for three years with the North Koreans having to rely on large-scale Chinese military intervention and covert air support from the Soviet Union. North Korea only survived after the American led United Nations forces had captured the majority of North Korean territory due to Mao Zedong sending in the Chinese army. The conflict could have escalated, due to the involvement of Soviet aircraft that could have provoked a war between the superpowers yet both Moscow and Washington did not want an all out war to start due to the Korean War (Hobsbawm, 1994 p. 228). After the Korean War the prospects for Korean re-unification seemed to be remote, with the two Korean states being integrated into the alliance systems of the Soviet Union and the United States respectively. North Korea was therefore firmly in the communist camp, and initially enjoyed strong and productive political, economic and military relationships with both China and the Soviet Union. South Korea was a willing member of the United States alliance system and received substantial monetary and military backing from the United States, and later significant economic investment from Japan that would make it wealthier than North Korea. The United States government was not bothered by the Seoul’s regime lack of democratic practices just as long as it remained fervently anti-Communist (Hobsbawm, 1994 p. 228). Kim Il Sung’s North Korean regime was in contrast avowedly Marxist-Leninist in ideological outlook, whilst trying to create a strong sense of North Korean nationalism that was decidedly anti-American and increasingly isolationist in perspective (Heywood, 2003 p. 179). The Korean War meant that neighbouring countries such as South Korea, Japan, and China kept an interest in political and diplomatic developments that involved North Korea, the former as potential enemies, the latter originally as an ally. The balance of power during the Cold War meant that North Korea could only pose a threat to the peace and security of the North East Asia region if that suited the Soviet Union, and to a lesser extent China. The Kremlin to a large extent kept the regime in Pyongyang in check, not wishing to provoke further conflict, and realising that the United States would not tolerate North Korea attempting to invade South Korea again, or indeed developing its own nuclear weapons. On the other hand the Soviet Union exported missile and nuclear technologies to North Korea as part of its military and economic aid packages to the Pyongyang regime (Gaddis, 2005 p. 6 0). The fighting during the Korean War was heavy, the agricultural sector being particularly adversely affected, and the war had devastated North Korea’s economy. American bombing had also heavily damaged the North Korean capital city, Pyongyang. The number of North Korean fatalities, 419,000 was testimony to the high human costs of the conflict, with around 3 million people dying during its course (Castleden, 2005, p.299). The scale of destruction did not prevent a strong economic revival and rapid industrialisation, although most of those improvements were brought about by considerable amounts of help from China and the Soviet Union (Castleden, 2005, p.300). Large-scale industrialisation in North Korea would therefore have undoubtedly been much harder to achieve without that substantial aid that North Korea received from China and the Soviet Union. The Soviet decision to export nuclear technology to North Korea, for the non-military use of generating electricity would later allo w Pyongyang the opportunity to start its own nuclear weapons programme. That would have been unthinkable at the height of the Cold War, as neither the Soviet Union nor the United States would allow any of their satellite states to disturb the nuclear power balance between them. However, once the North Korean regime believed that the Soviet Union and China would no longer offer North Korea any meaningful kind or level of protection that is indeed precisely what the North Korean regime decided to do (Lenman, 2004, p.451). North Korea would continue to operate a planned economy even though that would eventually fail to adequately support its military build up and its civilian population. The North Korean government opted to keep its military infrastructure expanding rather than attempt economic reforms or adequately providing for its people (Heywood, 2003 p.137). The Soviet Union would have certainly disapproved of North Korean plans to develop its own nuclear weapons, yet the Soviet U nion’s influence upon North Korean military and defence policies had waned long before its own disintegration in 1991 (Gaddis, 2005, p.264). North Korea arguably became a threat to the peace and stability of the North East Asia region due to the nature and character of its hard line Stalinist regime. Kim Il Sung was a Marxist dictator in the mode of Joseph Stalin and Mao Zedong. However for the majority of the Cold War period the North Korean threat was seen to be much less pronounced to the non-communist parts of the North East Asia region than the more obvious threats of the Soviet Union and China (Gaddis, 2005, p.60). Kim Il Sung’s craving for power meant that North Korea dedicated and continues to dedicate a large percentage of its national budget and resources towards internal repression and building up its military strength to threaten the other countries of the North East Asia region. However, North Korea’s conventional weapons would not be enough to successfully invade South Korea whilst the United States continues to offer full protection against such attacks, even if their purchase had almost bankr upted the Pyongyang regime (Castleden, 2005, p.303). Despite the faltering of the North Korean economy in the last two decades or so, Pyongyang seems to be more interested in threatening South Korea and Japan with nuclear weapons and ballistic weapons than feeding its own population. Although North Korea should be wary of what happened to its erstwhile ally, the Soviet Union whose excessive and unsustainable military expenditure played a major part in its eventual collapse (Tipton, 1998, p.434). However, although the North Korean regime decided to start its nuclear weapons programme that decision violated North Korea’s formal and legal pledges not to proliferate its own nuclear weapons. North Korea had signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and had joined the IAEA, which meant that it was not supposed to start its own nuclear weapons programme at all (Evans Newnham, 1998 p. 68). For the North Koreans there were other examples of small and large sized states that had already broken their promises and legal commitments not to develop their own nuclear weapons. Those states nuclear weapons programme with varying degrees of reaction from the official nuclear powers of the United States, the Soviet Union, Britain, China, and France. Countries such as Israel, India, and Pakistan have gone on to successfully acquire their own nuclear weapons with little or no action been taken against them to make them give up those devices. The North Korean regime understood that it c ould develop nuclear weapons with the possiblity that the United Nations and the leading powers would not be able to take any effective action to take those weapons off North Korea (Fukuyama, 2006 p. 80). Chapter One North Korean defence and foreign policy misrepresented or a threat to peace and security? Since the foundation of North Korea as a separate nation state its defence and foreign policies have been geared towards the re-unification of Korea on Pyongyang’s terms, rather than South Korea’s terms (Rayner Stanley, 2006, p.234). As far as the North Korean regime of Kim Il Sung was concerned the re-unification of Korea was not an issue that should concern any other countries apart from North and South Korea themselves. It was the context of the Cold War that complicated the strategic, military and diplomatic situation concerning the dispute between North and South Korea about which country should over power the other to dominate a re-unified Korean state. In military terms North Korea is the strongest, in economic terms South Korea is the strongest (Tipton, 1998, 434). On the one hand the assistance of China and the Soviet Union was useful for the economic development of North Korea and also as a means of building up the country’s military power. On the othe r hand the Cold War meant that the United States was more alert about the need to protect the countries in the North East Asia region that were opposed to communism, like Japan, South Korea and South Vietnam (Gaddis, 2005, p.60). The Cold War meant that the United States was unwilling to allow any more parts of North East Asia to fall under communist rule. After all the presence of United States forces in Japan had allowed the United Nations forces to resist Kim Il Sung’s invasion of South Korea. North Vietnam would eventually overcome South Vietnam despite the best efforts of the United States, yet the terrain of Vietnam was different from that of Korea and the North Vietnamese had better military tactics than the North Koreans (Hobsbawm, 1994, p.228). Whilst the Cold War continued, North Korea was not seen as the main threat to peace and security in the North East Asia region, superpower rivalry meant that the Soviet Union and the United States mistrusted each other more th an they mistrusted any other state. China would also emerge as a major power within the region, one that eventually took independent policy decisions from those of the Soviet Union. The United States government however, remains wary of North Korea’s intentions towards the rest of the North East Asia region (Gaddis, 2005, p.61). The peace and security of the North East Asia region altered during the 1960s, not as a result of changes in the Cold War, but as a result of alterations in the relationship between North Korea, China, and the Soviet Union. The regime of Kim Il Sung had not wished for North Korea to be reliant upon either China or the Soviet Union as soon as the country had recovered from the Korean War and had become economically self sufficient. By the mid 1960s the North Korean regime believed that it become self-sufficient and no longer such high levels of aid from China or the Soviet Union. Kim Il Sung wanted to maintain military links with China and the Soviet Union, yet did not wish for North Korea to be a mere client state of Beijing or Moscow. North Korea was not going to be like the majority of communist states in Central and Eastern Europe were in relation to the Soviet Union. Although of course the North Koreans did not have to worry about invasion by the Soviet Union if it took much of a n independent from Soviet policy (Castleden, 2005, p.301). North Korea’s military power was originally reliant upon Chinese and Soviet built equipment and the regime could not afford weapons from any other countries outside of the communist bloc (Gaddis, 2005, p.61). Under Kim Il Sung’s leadership North Korea could not get away from its close economic links with the Soviet Union until the latter’s collapse in 1991, which in turn would have very detrimental affects upon North Korea (Watson, 1997, p.246). The strong relationship between China and the Soviet Union declined dramatically towards the end of the 1960s resulting in border clashes between the two states. The break down in the relationship between China and the Soviet Union meant North Korea’s most powerful allies would spend more time arguing with each other than the United States. Pyongyang did not back either state publicly although Kim Il Sung regarded the Soviet Union as a more reliable ally, and unlike Beijing, Moscow did not occasionally make insulting comments about the North Korean leader (Watson, 1997, p.240). Whilst the North Korean economy seemed to enjoy impressive growth rates from the 1950s through to the 1970s, the country arguably did not have or develop the infrastructure or indeed have the resources to become a serious threat to peace and security in the North East Asia region. North Korean economic policy was heavily influenced by the planned economies of China and the Soviet Union, and was as unsuccessful in North Korea as they had been in China and the Soviet Union (Heywood, 2003 p. 152). Kim Il Sung’s regime collectivised agriculture and began the process of large-scale industrialisation. The collectivisation of agriculture commenced in 1946 when estates with Japanese owners were confiscated in the north under Soviet guidance (Tipton, 1998,p.304). Collectivisation and the modernisation of agriculture increased the life expectancy of the North Korean population. Industrialisation at least during the 1950s and 1960s appeared to be impressive. However much of that economic growth was due to the revenues raised from the export of natural resources to the Soviet Union and the receipt of aid from the Soviet Union (Watson, 1997, p.246) Economic growth could have been stronger if it had not been hampered by Kim Il Sung’s decision to make expenditure on the military as high as possible, and his government’s main priority. The military build up was meant to unnerve the South Korean government. In terms of total expenditure South Korea spent more on its military expenditure than North Korea. This was mainly due to North Korea being regarded as an ever-present threat to South Korean security. There were differences as to how the two countries military expenditure was regarded in the North East Asia region and beyond. South Korea’s military expenditure was seen as being justified as it would deter North Korea. On the other hand, North Korea’s military spending was viewed as being unjustified, aggressive and a sign of Kim Il Sung’s megalomania, policies that his son, Kim Jong Il has continued (Gaddis, 2005, p.61). North Korea had one major disadvantage if its regime wished to outspend South Korea in terms of their defence budgets, as they were poorer. Whilst North Korea found it difficult to find foreign investors, South Korea was able to attract very high volumes of investment, especially from the United States and Japan. South Korea’s increasing levels of wealth meant it could easily match North Korea’s military build up, without reducing the living standards of its population, or driving its government towards insolvency (Tipton, 1998, p.304). In terms of any future conventional war between North and South Korea, South Korea held key advantages. Firstly, the South Korean population was twice the size of its neighbour to the north, potentially allowing for its armed forces to have twice the number of personnel in war- time conditions. In 1985, South Korea was estimated to have a population of 41.2 million compared to North Korea’s population of 20.1 million people (Watso n, 1997, p.262). South Korea was economically more productive and therefore wealthier than North Korea, with the latter’s seemingly impressive growth rates beginning to slow down by the start of the 1980s. An example of the growing disparity between the countries was the per capita income, whilst it was $790 for North Korea in 1982, it was $1,840 for South Korea in 1983. In economic terms, North Korea could not realistically afford its high levels of military expenditure, although Kim Il Sung’s regime was determined to carry on with spending money it believed kept the regime in power and made it a continuing danger to its capitalist neighbours (Watson, 1997, p.262). In the following decade North Korea was widely regarded as bring an increased threat to the peace and security of the North East Asia region, despite the country’s economy going in to a steep decline. Whilst the North Korean regime refused to scale down its military expenditure its agricultural sector, especially suffered an alarming drop in productivity that contributed to an estimated two million North Koreans dying of starvation during the 1990s. Despite famine and economic decline the North Korean regime still used scarce resources to develop its nuclear weapons programme. North Korea barely increased its economic productivity during the 1990s and was by then considerably poorer than South Korea. To give a stark contrast, South Korean per capita gross domestic product (GDP) reached an impressive $13, 700, whilst North Korean GDP languished at $900. It was a paradoxical situation in which, although the North Korean regime could increasingly threaten its neighbours with miss iles and nuclear weapons, yet it would eventually need emergency aid from those countries to prevent more of its own population starving to death (Pipes, 2001, p.152). On paper at least, North Korea has impressive conventional military strength with around 3,500 tanks and 2,500 armoured personnel carriers, whilst the army had 950,000 troops. The North Korean air force has 590 combat aircraft, whilst the navy’s 88 submarines could pose a serious threat to shipping in the North East Asia region in the event of a future war. However it is the potential development and possible of nuclear weapons that causes a greater concern than North Korea’s conventional arsenal (Whitaker’s 2007, pp.893-94). South Korea has smaller armed forces yet still has a standing army 560,000 strong and 2,330 main battle tanks. South Korea would no doubt have to increase those numbers if 94, 450 Americans were not based in South Korea (Whitaker’s 2007 p. 895). However, it was not just North Korea’s strength in terms of conventional weapons that means it is regarded as being a threat to peace and security in the North East Asia region. The United States government has long suspected that North Korea has played a part in sponsoring and supporting terrorism within the North East Asia region and indeed further afield. The suspicions of the United States have been founded upon the anti-American rhetoric that the North Korean regime its content to produce from time to time (Gaddis, 2005, p.261). South Korea had previously accused North Korea of trying to undermine internal stability by supporting dissident South Korean groups and calling for the re-unification of Korea (Tipton, 1998, p.304). North Korea was one of the countries that the administration of Ronald Reagan denounced as being terrorist states back in 1985. The Reagan administration viewed North Korea as being a risk to international peace and security within and beyond the Nort h East Asia region (Ward, 2003, p.349). North Korea did not have any moral or political hang ups about selling weapons such as assault rifles to other countries that found it hard to acquire weapons due to arms embargo’s or sanctions. For instance, North Korea sold surplus Soviet manufactured assault rifles to Iran during the early years of the Iran-Iraq War. Such arms sales may have contributed to the United States accusing North Korea of being a terrorist state. The North Koreans could have countered that these claims were hypocrisy on the part of the American government that sold a much greater volume of weapons to any state or organisation that was anti-Communist, or if it suited the United States interests to do so. Hypocrisy that was demonstrated by the Iran –Contra Affair in which the money from arms sales to Iran was used to fund the Contra forces in Nicaragua (Fisk, 2006, p.278). North Korea also supplied ballistic missiles to the Iranians and even sent engine ers to Iran to ensure those missiles successfully reached Iraqi targets, especially Baghdad. The willingness of the North Koreans to sell missiles to the highest bidders certainly increased concerns about Pyongyang posing a threat to peace and security (Fisk, 2006, p.281). Surveillance and interceptions of cargo ships have provided evidence that North Korea will sell weapons to terrorist organisations as well as any state that can afford them. For instance, the Spanish navy intercepted a North Korean merchant ship that was officially taking cement to South Yemen. Once aboard that ship the Spanish found ballistic missiles that could have been used by the terrorist group that had brought those missiles. The Middle East is a volatile region at the best of times, so the ability of North Korea to supply ballistic missiles to governments and terrorists groups in that region is another concern for the United States and other Western countries (Davies, 2003 p. 238). It was during the early 1990s that the prospect of North Korea carrying out a successful nuclear weapons programme became the cause of major international concern. In the United States, the administration of President Bill Clinton was determined to persuade the North Korean regime to halt that nuclear weapons programme peacefully by preference, or by force if necessary (Clinton, 2004 p. 561). Aside from the United States, South Korea, China, Russia, and Japan were, and still are the countries that are most anxious to prevent North Korea acquiring and keeping nuclear weapons. Britain and France have also been involved in international efforts to prevent North Korea acquiring nuclear weapons as members of the United Nations Security Council, and as signatories of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (Evans Newnham, 1998 p. 381). South Korea and Japan are particularly anxious and insecure about North Korea’s attempts to produce nuclear weapons because they would be the most obvi ous targets if North Korea ever decided to use nuclear weapons. That anxiety is increased because the South Koreans and the Japanese are well aware that the North Koreans have the technical capacity to fit nuclear warheads to its force of ballistic missiles that can reach all the major cities in South Korea and Japan. China is also anxious that the nuclear weapons programme of North Korea does not provoke a military confrontation between North Korea and the United States that would bring widespread destruction and shatter the peace and stability of the North East Asia region. China remains keen to continue its impressive economic growth rates and also hopes to maintain political stability in the region, a stability that North Korea has a strong propensity to disrupt. China is therefore willing to act as a go between to prevent conflict arising between the United States and North Korea that would be very damaging to the North East Asia region as a whole (Cheek, 2006 p. 136). That als o means that China is willing to back the efforts of the United States, South Korea, and Japan to reduce the North Korean threat to peace and security (The Guardian, February 14 2007). Russia, as the main successor state to the Soviet Union, on the other hand has attempted to maintain strong economic, military, and economic links with North Korea. Those links leave Kim Jong Il hoping North Korea has more leeway in its disputes with the United States and the United Nations over its plans to acquire nuclear weapons. Whilst Russia is caught between promoting its economic links with North Korea without harming its relationship with the United States that improved with the latter’s war on terror in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, it would normally put its relationship with the United States first. The Russians and North Koreans remain keen upon maintaining a strong relationship between each other, although that is based on pragmatism rather than a common ideological outlook. Whilst the Russian government believes that like the Chinese government it could help resolve the international disputes that currently mean that North Korea is regarded as been a threat to pea ce and security in North East Asia region (Meir, 2004 p. 417). North Korea’s defence and foreign policy was seen and remains seen as a serious and increasing threat to the peace and security of the North East Asia region because of the nature of the Pyongyang regime itself. That is due to Kim Il Sung and his son and successor Kim Jong Il concentrating upon the maintaining of their personal hold on power. That hold on power is through a strong military with undoubted loyalty to the national leader, and via a system of forced labour and prison camps that detain political dissidents or opponents of the regime. The regime’s internal position is also protected and promoted through a cult of personality for Kim Il Sung and now Kim Jong Il that rivals other cults of personalities witnessed in other communist regimes. It most closely resembles the cults of personality experienced in the Stalinist era of the Soviet Union, or China under Chairman Mao Zedong, especially during the tumultuous period of the Cultural Revolution (Castleden, 2005 p. 301). The North Korean regime during Kim Il Sung’s lifetime not only managed to copy Chinese and Soviet propaganda techniques; the North Koreans also managed to emulate their purges. Such pronounced levels of dictatorship have always managed to make the United States suspicious of North Korean intentions. The South Koreans and the Japanese tend to reinforce American concerns over the de-stabilising effects of North Korean defence and foreign policies. The South Koreans and the Japanese therefore have fears for their safety as without an American military presence in the North East Asia region they would not be

Holistic Medicine :: essays papers

Holistic Medicine Millions of people around the world are living with pain that could be prevented with the use of alternative therapies. As a result many of these people use harmful or ineffective drugs and surgeries in an attempt to cure their ailments. With a steady schedule of massage therapy, acupuncture, and healthy foods, people can lead a healthy and invigorating life without drugs or surgery. During the time of the ancient Roman gladiators, massage therapy was used to treat everything from headaches to sports injures on them. Today massage therapy is widely recognized as a sensible alternative to traditional medicine, in that it relieves pain and soreness otherwise helped by taking pills or other medicines. Massage can help everyone, including premature infants according to USA Weekend, "premature infants who get regular massages in the hospital gain more weight and leave the hospital sooner then unmassaged babies"(McNichol,22). I firmly believe that massage therapy is one of the best preventative measures that a person can take to avoid most medical problems involved with aging, physical exertion, and the stress of everyday life. Some doctors agree by saying, "If you have a massage every week, you will have 2/3 less illness" (H. Gruenn, M.D.). There are many different types of massage therapy including relaxing Swedish massage for relieving stress, sports massage for treating sports related injuries, and therapeutic massage to name a few. Relaxing Swedish massage is one of the most effective ways to deal with that invisible killer, stress. By applying smooth gentle stokes or other non-invasive massage techniques, the Swedish massage practitioner can relieve the client of the every day stresses of life that can be fatal if not dealt with. In sports massage, the use of more advanced massage techniques can relieve athletes of lactic acid and other wastes that accumulate in the muscles due to exertion. Other therapeutic massage techniques such as Neuromuscular, Myofascal, and Lymphatic drainage can aid in the recovery of injured clients. Another form of alternative therapy is the ancient Chinese healing art of acupuncture. Acupuncture was first experimented within the First Imperial Medical College of China during the Sui Dynasty in 589 AD. "In Chinese medicine, and therefore in acupuncture, health is determined by a persons ability to maintain a balanced and harmonious internal environment."(Mills pg. 8). This theory of internal harmony is expressed through the principles of Ying and Yang and it's five separate phases: wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. Internal harmony is also based on the uninterrupted flow of the "Qi", or vitality. The Qi is responsible for all Holistic Medicine :: essays papers Holistic Medicine Millions of people around the world are living with pain that could be prevented with the use of alternative therapies. As a result many of these people use harmful or ineffective drugs and surgeries in an attempt to cure their ailments. With a steady schedule of massage therapy, acupuncture, and healthy foods, people can lead a healthy and invigorating life without drugs or surgery. During the time of the ancient Roman gladiators, massage therapy was used to treat everything from headaches to sports injures on them. Today massage therapy is widely recognized as a sensible alternative to traditional medicine, in that it relieves pain and soreness otherwise helped by taking pills or other medicines. Massage can help everyone, including premature infants according to USA Weekend, "premature infants who get regular massages in the hospital gain more weight and leave the hospital sooner then unmassaged babies"(McNichol,22). I firmly believe that massage therapy is one of the best preventative measures that a person can take to avoid most medical problems involved with aging, physical exertion, and the stress of everyday life. Some doctors agree by saying, "If you have a massage every week, you will have 2/3 less illness" (H. Gruenn, M.D.). There are many different types of massage therapy including relaxing Swedish massage for relieving stress, sports massage for treating sports related injuries, and therapeutic massage to name a few. Relaxing Swedish massage is one of the most effective ways to deal with that invisible killer, stress. By applying smooth gentle stokes or other non-invasive massage techniques, the Swedish massage practitioner can relieve the client of the every day stresses of life that can be fatal if not dealt with. In sports massage, the use of more advanced massage techniques can relieve athletes of lactic acid and other wastes that accumulate in the muscles due to exertion. Other therapeutic massage techniques such as Neuromuscular, Myofascal, and Lymphatic drainage can aid in the recovery of injured clients. Another form of alternative therapy is the ancient Chinese healing art of acupuncture. Acupuncture was first experimented within the First Imperial Medical College of China during the Sui Dynasty in 589 AD. "In Chinese medicine, and therefore in acupuncture, health is determined by a persons ability to maintain a balanced and harmonious internal environment."(Mills pg. 8). This theory of internal harmony is expressed through the principles of Ying and Yang and it's five separate phases: wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. Internal harmony is also based on the uninterrupted flow of the "Qi", or vitality. The Qi is responsible for all

Mary Shelley & the novel Essay

More quotes to indulge the reader’s thoughts of negative views for the monster are said by the doctor. ‘I turned loose into world a depraved wretch, whose delight was in carnage and misery ‘. Here Frankenstein says that the monster enjoys evil and gains pleasure from it. This gives a very negative appearance of the creature to the reader as they will think every act which is bad the monster loves it. From all the negative comments which were said by Frankenstein, seems to change the reader’s thoughts at the start of chapter 11. From the beginning of this chapter it clearly shows that the monster is not one to be judged at first sight. He says, ‘I saw, felt, heard, and smelt, at the same time; and it was, indeed, a long time before I learned to distinguish between the operations of my various senses’. This speech which the monster says expresses a different light to the novel. He explains how the sense of sight, touch, hearing and smell were a new thing to him and how long it took for him to differentiate between the various senses he possesses. All these qualities fit for another being as well as the monster. A baby will also have these qualities when he/she enters the world for the first time. So this quotation shows how Mary Shelley compares the monster to a new born baby. She has done this because it’s another way to convey that the comments which were made by Frankenstein are just opinions not facts. She also gives the monster a chance to speak for him and tell his side of the story. Another way Mary Shelley presents the monster as a new born baby is when the monster describes his development. ‘I now found that I could wander on at liberty, with no obstacles which I could not either surmount or avoid’. Now the monster describes how freely he can roam around places and how he is able to make his way through solid obstacles showing his improvement of eyesight. Mary Shelley presents the monster like this because she still compares the monster to a new born baby. Like the monster a new born baby would gradually learn how to walk and learn how he/she can see obstacles in their way. Further ways the author compared the monster to a new born baby is when the monster describes him having the same qualities as the baby. He quotes, ‘I felt tormented by hunger and thirst’ and ‘was overcome by sleep’. These two quotes are qualities of a baby. A baby would feel hungry and thirsty most of the time and would feel sleepy during the day and night. These actions the monster also felt. Also in another quotation, the monster describes himself as an infant instead of a baby. This quotation is, ‘In my joy I thrust my hand into the live embers, but quickly drew it out again with a cry of pain’. Here the monster had just found a fire which was left behind and in the cold he decided to make himself warm but seating by it. Overcome by joyful sensations he drove his hands into the flames making the fire extinguish. This shows he’s like an infant because when an infant would make a mistake, the infant would cry and weep. Similarly like an infant the monster made a mistake and cried in a painful manner.

10 Interviewing Tips and Techniques

10 Interviewing Tips and Techniques 10 Interviewing Tips and Techniques 10 Interviewing Tips and Techniques By Mark Nichol Whether you are conducting a journalistic QA session or preparing an oral history, it’s important to prepare carefully for an interview. Here are some guidelines to help you succeed with the interview session. 1. Be Straightforward When you contact an interview subject, state your objective clearly and honestly. The nature of the interview you conduct should be the nature of the interview you described to the subject. Diversions from the stated agenda may upset the subject and undermine the interview. However, do not provide your questions to the subject in advance; tell him or her that any questions you prepare ahead of time are only part of the interview. 2. Choose an Interview-Friendly Location The interview subject’s home or office is generally better than a public location such as a coffee shop, with fewer unfamiliar distractions. A subject in the comfort of his or her own environment will provide you with better material, and you can make light conversation about a photograph, a memento, or some other object or feature to start the interview off on a relaxed footing. 3. Research the Subject Thoroughly Find out as much as you can about the person before the interview. Be well prepared, and distinguish between facts and opinions so you can query the subject appropriately about what you’ve learned. 4. Determine a Theme Avoid treating an interview as simply a series of general questions and answers. After conducting research, decide what the tone of the interview will be, and what you expect to get out of it. Develop a narrative flow based on the questions you wish to ask. The resulting content probably won’t follow that scheme, but your interview should have structure, and the questions should be organized logically by topic. 5. Prepare Questions Write down every question you can think of, whether you think you’ll have time to have them answered or not, in the order in which you would like the interview to progress, and then winnow the list to a manageable number of questions (but more than you think you’ll have time for). Craft simple questions consisting of a single query, and ask the most important ones first, in case the interview is interrupted or halted. Be prepared to jettison some questions, and be flexible enough to digress when the subject goes in an unexpected direction. Continue to follow that lead until it’s no longer productive and you are able to resume your line of questioning, preferably with a smooth transition. 6. Record the Interview If possible, use a recording device, but take notes in writing as well to help you shape the interview and in case the device malfunctions. Before you begin the interview, inform the subject that you are recording it to enhance the accuracy of the final product. Tell him or her that after you begin recording but before the interview begins, you will ask for his or her consent so that you have a record of it, and then do so. 7. Ask Questions Only the Subject Can Answer Do not waste the subject’s time by asking questions that can be answered through research. Do, however, use quantitative information such as age as a starting point. Instead of asking how old someone is, for example, ask someone who is old enough to have lived through a certain period in the past about his or her experiences during that time. 8. Engage with the Subject Demonstrate that you are interested and that what the subject is saying is important. Maintain eye contact as much as possible, but be objective and use neutral body language and avoid nodding, which may actually inhibit a substantive response. 9. Be Polite But Persistent If some of your questions are provocative or sensitive, word them carefully and ask them diplomatically. If the subject doesn’t answer or provides an inadequate response, ask again in other words. If a response still isn’t forthcoming, return to the topic again later in the interview, explaining why it’s important that the subject respond. 10. Be Patient When the subject seems to complete a response to a question, do not immediately move on to the next question, whether scripted or thought up at the time. Continue to be attentive, and patiently await more information. Sometimes, the postscript to a response is the best part. Likewise, when the interview is over, and the subject is more relaxed, take advantage of an opportunity to ask a casual question or two or to comment about something he or she said earlier. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Business Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Incorrect Pronunciations That You Should AvoidOn Behalf Of vs. In Behalf OfCareful with Words Used as Noun and Verb

The Augustan Principate essays

The Augustan Principate essays A Period of confusion, unrest, civil strife and violence of all kinds had finally culminated in the emergence of one man as the supreme arbiter of the destinies of the roman world. Octavian was that man. During his triumph in 29B.C, Octavian (later to become Augustus) had returned to Rome a hero after having organized the East. Octavian had held the consulship in 31B.C up until 23B.C. The Augustan principate was the name given to the reformations Augustus had brought to the Republic. These values were in essence applicable to the format of the Empire was run for the next 200 years. What Augustus done most successfully was recognize that he needed to rectify the mistakes that his predecessors had made as well implementing some of their more successful ideas into his plans. The Augustan principate was laid down for the first time in 27 B.C, however Augustus himself rectified it furthermore in 23 B.C and in 18B.C. The individual success of Augustus is plain to see as he survived at the heart of the Empire until his death at an old age. In several ways the reforms under Augustus had directly links to the past, such as the involvement of Augustus with the arts at the time and the emphasis he placed on upholding roman morals. He also held pro-consular power, which had been seen in the past. Although there were links to the past the emphasis of the Augustan principate was the new format that Augustus introduced. The 19th century historian Mommsen argued that the division of provincial responsibility between the Emperor and senate was legitamate; he termed the situation as a diarchy. This was one of the new situations created by the Augustan principate. One thing which was relatively new to Romans was the peace and stability enjoyed under the rule of Augustus. The main emphasis of the reforms were to tie the Emperor closer to the military, how did Augustus do this? He gave new powers to new constitutional positions and gave prece...

Central Engineering and Research Department Essay

Central Engineering and Research Department - Essay Example Crosby believes that the only performance measurement is the cost of quality. Here, Crosby believes that the cost of quality is always a measurable item, for example rework, warranty costs, rejects, and that this is the only basis on which to measure performance. As a practical measurement of quality this might generally be considered to be useful although it cannot be seen as the only measure of business performance, rather the only measure of quality. Juran's work also focuses very clearly on measurement and specific objectives. Again, the validity of this approach must be questioned. Many aspects of quality are difficult to accurately and reliably quantify. In contrary, Deming believes in a management approach with a long-term orientation. Deming gives explicit recognition to the need to satisfy shareholder expectations, but points out that these expectations often go beyond immediate return on capital to consider the future. Deming criticizes failure to recognize and evaluate the intangible aspects of the organization, for example, the additional sales generated through satisfied customers, the benefits to productivity and quality derived from people feeling part of a success story. Deming (1986: 123) considers that managers who believe that everything can be measured are deluding themselves and suggests that they should know before they start that they will be able to quantify only 'a trivial part of the gain'. This should be seen as a belief in intangible, invisible benefits arising from good management practice. It does however conflict with his espousal of statistical methods since the reliable measurement of intangibles is notoriously difficult (Beckford, 1998). The new distribution facility should be evaluated using Deming's approach to quality management. The short-term costs may be greater than the benefits, but in the long-term, it may lead to increased customer satisfaction and sales. The same thing applies to recommendations regarding customer se rvice not being implemented due to budgetary constraints. The method to achieving quality proposed by Crosby entails forming quality improvement teams. Crosby specifically requires multi-disciplinary teams. Juran's approach has the same weakness. Management and organizational cybernetics and human relations theory has been largely ignored (Beckford, 1998). However, each department in Canbide is responsible for developing and implementing the quality program through the corporate wide Excellence through Quality (EQ) program. Drawing on the work of the statistician Walter Schewhart-his tutor-Deming urged a management focus on causes of variability in manufacturing processes. Deming believed in the use of Statistical Process Control (SPC) charts as the key method for identifying special and common causes and assisting diagnosis of quality problems. His aim was to remove 'outliers', that is, quality problems relating to the special causes of failure. This was achieved through training, improved machinery and equipment and so on. SPC enabled the production process to be brought 'under control'. Remaining quality problems were considered to be related to common causes, that is, they were inherent in the design of the production pr

Bar Code Man Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Bar Code Man - Assignment Example The Woodland and Silver barcode can be described as the â€Å"bull’s eye† symbol made up of a series of concentric circles. Barcode was first used commercially in 1966, however it was soon realized that would have to be some sort of industry standard set. By 1970, the Universal Grocery Products Identification Code (UGPIC) was written by a company called Logicon Inc. Since then the use of barcode has been adopted by many companies and institutions. Barcode man is an exploration of how software can reveal different patterns and variations contained within single textiles. Similarly shaped black and white woven motifs are printed in similar colors to turn them into red, yellow and blue textiles (Seideman 2011) Some of the influence of barcode man in the society today incudes revolutionizing the process of inventory control. And to date they are everywhere around us keeping track of product information and inventory levels. In addition, barcode has brought more transparency and accountability to the society hence limiting fraud especially in prisons and banks. Due to barcodes, hospitals are associated with significant increase in total medication accuracy rates hence ensuring safety. In my opinion, it is the ultimate experience of transformation that has excited us most as a human race. In the last decade, we have only witnessed a small part of what is possible. Specifically the barcode technology was the preserve of the few companies and organizations who could afford it. As the technological possibility of barcode envelopes in the society, it will instill in us a sense of belief, and faith that has traditionally been associated with religion such as the number 666 in the bible. Therefore I believe ‘barcode man’ has created a sense of security and promoted coherence to the society in