Good Will Hunting Biopsychological Approach Essay

The biopshychological approach to Will’s behavior would suggest that he is like he is because of his brain chemistry. The chemicals in his brain cause him to respond violently to pressure. The make up of his genetics cause him to be the way he is and he would be this way no matter how he was raised. This approach would also suggest that he could be changed by drugs to balance the chemicals in his brain. Behavioral Approach: The behavioral approach would imply that all of Will’s behavior is learned and he is a product of his environment. He is violent because he was probably beaten as a child and as he grew up he learned to handle his problems through violence. He kept up this behavior because he was never punished severely enough to get him to stop. He learned that he could go to court and talk his way out of his situations which did not give him any reason to stop doing what he was doing. He also learned not to get to close to anybody or open up to them. This was learn ed because some of the people in his life who were supposed to love him had abandoned him. Psychoanalitic Approach: The psychoanalitic approach would indicate that Will’s behavior was from his subconscious mind and were impulses from childhood experiences. For example, Will was beaten up in kindergarten by a bully, later on in his life he sees the bully and starts a fight with him. His decision to fight was made subconsciously from an impulse from a childhood experience. When he was a child he was also abused by his parents. Later in Will’s life, he often resorts to violence subconsciously due to his childhood beatings. Humanistic Approach: The humanistic approach would state that Will makes his decisions based on free will and is basically a good person. Will is how he is because that is how he wants to be. Will does not realize until later in life that he has to much potential to waste his life. Will is an overall good person. This is shown in his in his actions throughout the movie, for example, when he decided to keep working construction instead of takin g a job with military intelligence because he would rather help people by making housing than get people killed. Cognitive Approach: The cognitive approach would suggest Will is how he is because that is how he sees himself. Will is a well educated man but for most of the movie Will sees himself as a nobody who will work for cheap and stay in the ghetto. Once his intelligence is noticed realizes that he has the opportunity to use his knowledge and make something of himself. Sociocultural Approach: The sociocultural approach would say that Will is how he is because of influences from society. Society usually views people from the ghetto as people who will never make something of themselves so he feels the same way about himself. Society expects people from the ghetto to resort to violence to solve their problems. This is why Will usually resorts to violence in tough situations. Society also does not allow for men to open up and share their feeling freely. This is the reason why it is so hard for will to open up and get emotional.

Compare Candide and Tartuffe

In  Tartuffe, Moliere's use's plot to defend and oppose characters that symbolize and ridicule habitual behavior's that was imposed during the neo-classical time period. His work, known as a comedy of manners, consists of flat characters, with few and similar traits and that always restore some kind of peace in the end. He down plays society as a whole by creating a microseism, where everyone in the family has to be obedient, respectful, and mindful of the head of the home, which is played by the father Orgon. Mariane shows her obedience when she replies â€Å"To please you, sir, is what delights me best. (Moliere 324,11) Shortly afterwards, Orgon commands Mariane to take Tartuffe as her husband even though she is not interested in him at all. Orgon's command shows how men are dominate and have control over social order. Mariane's strong obedience to her father (Orgon) supports the Neo-Classical element that the individual is not as important as society. Moliere discusses logic an d reasoning by blindfolding Orgon to the reality of Tartuffe's intentions that causes him to make dumb decisions. In the process, Orgon disregard's his family when told of Tartuffe's intentions.After Tartuffe cons Orgon into believing that Damis's accusation is false Orgon replies, â€Å"I know your motives, I now you wish him ill:/Yes, all of you – wife, children, servants, all – /Conspire against him and desire his fall. † (Moliere 341-342,46-48) Orgon then excommunicates his own son, indicating that his reasoning is deferred due to his ignorance. This in due course challenges the Neo-Classical belief that logic and reasoning is more important than emotion because Orgon acts solely on his emotions. He feels as if his family has turned against his friend so he operates upon his feelings.When Damis returns home and Tartuffe (instead of Orgon) gets locked up, order is restored. At the end, the family commends the officer for apprehending the true criminal by sayi ng, â€Å"Heaven be praised! / We're safe. / I can't believe the danger's past. † (Moliere 361, 84-87) This is when Moliere demonstrated the common saying that â€Å"what happens in the dark will eventually come to the light, therefore allowing confusion to re-establish its order. Moliere developed a series of flat characters, which satirized the Neo-Classic belief system.In  Candide, Voltaire's approach is called black comedy. Many devastating factor's play into the character's lives that causes the reader to be amused in a cynical way in order to guard their inner feelings. He challenges society as a whole by the way he implements real life occurrences into his writing and makes them come alive. This becomes evident when Dr. Pangloss told Candide what came of Cunegonde at the castle of Westphalia after he left. Pangloss described her as being â€Å"disemboweled by the Bulgar soldiers, after having been raped to the absolute limit of human endurance. (Voltaire 524) This causes the imagination to display a vivid picture of the severity of the situation. Furthermore he challenges order by illustrating the human condition. Candide's confusion causes him to ask, â€Å"have they always been liars, traitors, ingrates, thieves, weaklings, sneaks, cowards, backbiters, gluttons, drunkards, misers, climbers, killer's, calumniators, sensualists, fanatics, hypocrites, and fools? † (Voltaire 557) There is an ongoing war between people, and all the while Candide and the others are attempting to maintain. Dr. Pangloss represents the optimism that Voltaire challenges.Pangloss show this by saying, â€Å"it was love; love, the consolation of the human race, the preservative of the universe, the soul of all sensitive beings, love, gentle love. † (Voltaire 525) He challenges, † optimism by his representation of Dr. Pangloss. Dr. Pangloss's blind optimistic approach allows him to forget about the fighting that is occurring amongst people and he only sees love. Satirical approaches to writing were used to change the captivated way of thinking during the late 17th and 18th centuries. The Neo-Classic time period contributed in the expansion of people's view of life.The Enlightenment period writers focused on reason, knowledge, and rationality as major themes. In this era the  Catholic Church  was still an extremely powerful institution operating throughout much of Europe; however reason was beginning to emerge as an alternative to faith and religion. As a result, Enlightenment writers began to look at the world critically and rationally. Much of the important literature of the period was satirical in nature, using humor, irony, and exaggeration to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other significant issues.Two great Enlightenment writers, Moliere and Voltaire, use satirical approaches in their works that have various similarities and differences. The simi larities between Moliere's Tartuffe and Voltaire's Candide are primarily rooted in common Enlightenment themes. For example, in both stories the writers focus on questioning and criticizing the nature of hierarchies in our society, particularly the members of the aristocratic or upper classes rather than â€Å"common† people. In Tartuffe, Orgon and his family are members of the aristocracy.Orgon owns his estate and clearly has enough  money  to provide for his entire family in addition to Tartuffe and his friend. Similarly, Voltaire's story focuses on Candide, who may be missing a fraction of his aristocratic  family tree, but is still considered upper class. As the story progresses, the reader sees Candide's accruement of money and wealth despite his initial expulsion from his uncle's estate in the first pages of the story. Although both Voltaire and Moliere write about upper class individuals, neither writer focuses on serious psychological characters in their works.I n fact, quite the opposite is true: the characters in both Tartuffe and Candide are relatively one-dimensional. Enlightenment writers commonly used characters that could serve as â€Å"types† that would be easily recognizable and identifiable to their audiences. Enlightenment writers like Moliere and Voltaire also do not look deeply into characters. Because the characters are so one-dimensional and because the focus during the time period was on the social aspect rather than psychological characteristics, audiences don't often see characters alone.Candide is rarely alone throughout his travels, doing whatever he can do acquire a â€Å"side kick† when he lacks company. Describing a character's individual thoughts in moments of isolation would be more geared toward illuminating the differences between characters. For Enlightenment writers, however, the focus was on the similarities between people rather than these differences. Another similarity between the pieces is a v ery little  sense  of nature or the natural world. Tartuffe. In Candide, the main characters trek across the globe, yet the reader is offered very little description of the locations hey visit. For Enlightenment writers, settings are simply background. Instead, the focus is on the conversation between the characters and the social aspect of events or situations. There was simply little interest in things considered to be outside of society. Although there are many similarities between the two writers, there is about a century's difference in the satire between them. Satire changed during this period of time and gained a lot more edge in Voltaire's time than in Moliere's, partially because of the new scrutiny and criticism of people.Voltaire's satire, for example, is a lot more focused and daring. On the other hand, the threshold for social criticism in Moliere's time was relatively low. Moliere's play would have offended the Church so much so that the writer went out of his way to hyperbolize Tartuffe's hypocrisy. The idea that Tartuffe could have been taken as a â€Å"serious† religious figure was problematic for Moliere despite the fact that Tartuffe was not written as a clergyman. Tartuffe's hypocrisy was as obvious as possible so as not to impugn pious members of the church or clergy.While both Moliere and Voltaire are masterful writers, their satirical approaches have various similarities and differences. Both writers utilize humor, irony, and exaggeration to make their social commentaries that were primarily directed towards the aristocracy. Despite all of their similarities, however, a major difference between the two writers is the time period during which they wrote. Moliere was forced to use much more subtle satire as a result of the oppressive Catholic Church. Voltaire, on the other hand, wrote nearly one hundred years later and was far less constrained and therefore able to use a much more brutal form of satire.Nevertheless, both Tartuff e and Candide are excellent representations of Enlightenment thinking and social criticism at the time. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Tartuffe and Candide are two novels that greatly show a general exaltation of emotion over reason and the senses over intellect. These stories are perfect examples of how life in the neoclassical era also dealt with certain situations that we humans face in today’s world as well. Disputing emotion over reason and the senses over intellect can be explained through both worlds; then and today. Tartuffe on page 19, was written by Moliere. Tartuffe’s them was excess vs. moderation.This goes to show that any excess is an off route to a disciplined life of reason and therefore, it is an example of disorder and a potential disruption of society. Tartuffe show’s several aspects of hypocrisy. Hypocrisy means pretending to be virtuous when one is not and it is a violation of order because it poses tw o realities, reality and its pretense, when we know there is really only one. The reason for hypocrisy is their reaction, not their emotion. Several people in this story were guilty of wrongful reasoning, to provoke hypocrisy. Their sense of intellect was misled by their emotions over wrongful reasoning.Tartuffe and Orgon were major victims of hypocrisy. Tartuffe led Orgon to believe he’s a pure and a loyal friend when in fact he was not that. Tartuffe also tried to take of advantage of Orgon’s wife, Elmire. He also used Mariane to get closer to Orgon’s name and possessions, by convincing Orgon to force his daughter Mariane to marry him. Tartuffe is supposedly supposed to be a â€Å"good Christian† by; being out in the open with worship at church services, yet a true Christian wouldn’t do that. But one way Tartuffe is showing good intellect, even if it is used in an unmoral way, is him kneeling to Orgon.When someone kneels before you, Tartuffe was giving all responsibility, reason, power, judgment to Orgon. Tartuffe is giving power to get power, unlike Orgon who frustrates everyone for power. Orgon is somewhat the villain for giving Tartuffe the power. Orgon is also overly in passion in regards to Tartuffe. He is even worse than Madam Pernelle. He no longer cared about what he was supposed to be responsible for. And he replaced genuine responsibility for his family with unneeded concern for Tartuffe. An example of this act is on page 24 scene 4.Orgon showed wrongful reasoning by giving his word to Mariane’s true love Valere. And then took his word back by forcing her to marry Tartuffe. And in doing so he let himself fall for Tartuffe’s trap of ruining his family. In this story Orgon is trying to trade responsibility for control. He is also trying to control his family, which is sad. Orgon thinks he is getting older, losing control and is going through what some would call a mid-life crisis. Mariane also shows aw ful reasoning by letting her dad push her around and agree to her father that she would follow his word to marry Tartuffe when she really didn’t want †¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Moliere’s Tartuffe, Racine’s Phaedra and Voltaire’s Candide are each exemplary literary works of the 18th  century in their own rights. Tartuffe is a satirical comedy, Phaedra an intense tragedy and Candide a thought-provoking travelogue. While each adheres austerely to its genre, various similarities as well as contrasting differences can be traced among the aforementioned works. Written during the Age of Enlightenment, each of these works reflects the ideology of the period and hence, has various similarities. Firstly, each of these works glorifies reason over religion and the theory that man is responsible for his own actions.These timeless masterpieces were revolutionary among contemporaries. Moliere uses comedy to ridicule hypocrites, impostors and fools who ignore moderate commo n sense. He mocked certain religious sects and tried to point attention to the corrupt among them. At the time, such ridicule of those associated with the Church was highly unacceptable and was considered radical. Voltaire too tried to poke fun at members of the upper class and institutionalized religion through the character of Cunegonde’s brother – the young baron. He portrayed him as a homosexual and a man of stringent narrow-minded beliefs.Other ideas and that make this piece revolutionary are the deliberate ridicule of popular beliefs and a scene implying bestiality. Phaedra too was revolutionary because it was the one of the first works that portrayed a story from a feminine point of view. Phaedra is the mythological classic Hippolytus re-written from the perspective of a female protagonist. The first of its sort, Phaedra broke new grounds. Thus each of these works can be considered revolutionary. Another aspect worth comparing is the portrayal of female characte rs in these plays.Each of these classics describes their female characters as attractive, smart, opportunistic and deceptive. In Tartuffe, the lady of the house Elmire seduces Tartuffe in order to bring to light his true nature and save her family’s fortune. Racine describes Phaedra as a woman tempted by incest and possessed by jealousy. In Candide, the female characters – Cunegonde, the maid, Paquette and the Marquise of Parolignac are described as opportunistic, astute and conniving. Thus, the three works have a similar discernment of women. These works also portray a similar complexity of relationships.In Tartuffe, the man of the house – Oregon is portrayed as narrow-minded and gullible. Oregon sticks to his beliefs and there is spell of tension among the family members. He shields himself from common logic and refuses to hear the voice of reason. In Phaedra, Theseus blindly believes the words of another and summons death on to his own son. Candide too has a similar portrayal of family relationships. Cunegonde’s brother refuses permission to allow Candide to marry her because he values the caste system over his sister’s love.Also, Candide who has sworn immortal love for his beloved Cunegonde tries to revoke his steps when he finds she is no more the attractive young girl he fell in love with and she too willingly gives him up to marry a wealthy governor. These works also lack a hero or a model of perfection. In Tartuffe, the central character is a crook, while Oregon is gullible and Elmire crafty and opportunistic. In Phaedra, the central character is seen as weak and immoral, Theseus as disloyal and Hippolytus as proud and vain. In Candide, the protagonist is easily fooled and commits various sins including adultery and murder during his adventures.Thus, each of this pieces lack the traditional hero or a paradigm of virtue to look up to. While these works are similar in many ways, they also have wide range of differences. The most notable difference among the genres is the emotional ambience set throughout the individual works. Tartuffe maintains comical situations through every scene, mostly satirical with a touch of slapstick for relief. While, in polar contrast Phaedra maintains a very serious tone throughout the story with a wave of intense scenes troughed with moderation.Candide however, transcends genres as it moves from tragedy to comedy. Defined as a black comedy, it combines tragedy and comedy to form a new genre. A noteworthy dissimilarity between the three plays is that Moliere and Voltaire use Tartuffe and Phaedra respectively to give vent to their views and opinions on society at the time and its defects. Phaedra however is a take of the Roman classic, Hippolytus from a different perspective. Further, Tartuffe and Candide have a male central character while the story of Phaedra revolves around a female.As mentioned earlier, Phaedra is far more revolutionary in this context compared to t he other two as it tackles a story from a woman’s perspective. Another major point of difference between the genres is the result they achieve. The tragedy of Phaedra evokes the sublime and results in an emotional catharsis for the reader – a purge of feelings. On the other hand, Candide and Tartuffe use the genre of comedy to bring to light the various evils of society. The happy ending gives a reassuring feeling and the scenes of humor are entertainingly amusing.Hence, the different genres bring out different emotions from the reader. The three pieces are also different by means of the message they pose to deliver to the reader. Tartuffe tries to prove right the statement ‘the end justifies the means,’ with Elmire using Tartuffe’s method against him. Phaedra, an intense and dramatic tragedy, depicts how pride destroys the mighty and Candide debunks the theory ‘Everything is for the best in the best of all possible worlds. ’ The most i mportant factor that unifies each of the three genres is that they all aim to entertain. However their method of reaching this common goal varies.Tartuffe uses comedy, Phaedra tragedy and Candide transcends genres and uses a combination of both. Hence, they can be seen as different roads that lead to the same destination. Candide Voltaire's Candide has many themes, though one central, philosophical theme traverses the entire work. This theme is a direct assault on the philosophy of Leibniz, Pope and others. Leibniz held that the world created by God was the best possible world with perfect order and reason. Alexander Pope, similarly, in his Essay on Man, argues that every human being is a part of a greater, rational, grand design of God.Pangloss stresses this viewpoint-that what appears to be evil is actually part of a greater good-when he asserts to Jacques that â€Å"private misfortunes make for public welfare.? /font> Voltaire, on the other hand, found that his own experiences c ontradicted this optimistic determinism. Much like his protagonist, Candide, Voltaire must abandon this belief after realizing the needless suffering that surrounds him. Thus the major theme of the book revolves around this idea that the world is not the best of all possible ones, that it isn't determined by reason and order, and that accident and chance play a major role.Though as a deist, Voltaire believed that God did create the world, he also believed that human injustice and brutality made the world anything but perfect. Furthermore, he believed that the fatalistic philosophy of Pope and others stripped man of his God-given free will. In addition to his anti-philosophy current which runs throughout the work, Voltaire also satirically indicts religion and war. Almost from the first chapter to the last, Voltaire depicts religious men (priests, monks, etc) as hypocrites who don't live up to the religion they profess to believe.Most importantly, Voltaire makes the Church out to be one of the most corrupt, violence-ridden institutions on the planet. This is seen both during the Inquisition scene towards the middle of the book as well as the Jesuit satire seen while Candide and Cacambo are in Paraguay. Based largely on Voltaire's experiences of the Seven Years? War (1756-63), an anti-war message is found throughout the fast-paced narrative of Candide. Voltaire bitingly criticizes both the French (Abares) and the Prussians (Bulgars). Casually describing the thousands of dead soldiers on both sides, Voltaire underscores how wasteful these â€Å"heroes? re of human life, clearly showing his anti-war sentiments. During one such battle, Candide, his protagonist, hides, doing his best to keep away from the needless bloodshed and â€Å"heroic butchery.? After the battle subsides, he escapes through the battlefield, seeing the â€Å"scattered brains and severed limbs? that â€Å"littered the ground.? /font> Thus, Voltaire bashes a multitude of people and institutio ns throughout Candide. Despite his many sources of criticism, however, Voltaire merges all of his satires into one, larger message-that the human world is utterly disutopian.All of the versions of utopia which Voltaire raises up and then slams down in his work demonstrate such a loss of optimism. Pangloss? utopia, for one, which simply changes the conditions of the word to fit it to the world he knows is proven false, since even Pangloss himself eventually stops believing it. Eldorado, a second kind of utopia, also fails to satisfy Candide, who soon becomes bored, yearning for adventure, and, of course, Cunegonde. Only the decision to simply till the land at the conclusion of the book satisfies a quasi-utopian hope of the reader.Yet when Pangloss tries to resurrect the idea that this world is a utopia in the second to last paragraph, Candide himself dismisses the notion. The eighteenth century in Europe,  more famously known as the â€Å"Age of Enlightenment,† was a time of profound literary advances. It was an era that saw the expansion and perfection of the novel and an unprecedented proliferation of socially conscious works. The period produced a veritable slew of classics, two among them clearly being Moliere's  Tartuffe  and Voltaire's  Candide. Although written in different times and in different ormats, both works present humorous stories as vehicles for social commentary. Both tales would be classics for their satire alone, but it is their portrayal of women that is perhaps most interesting. European women in the eighteenth century occupied a precarious position between the ponderous advance of liberalism and the lingering influence of traditional gender roles, and the two works offer broad insights into the lives of such women. Moliere's  Tartuffe  and Voltaire's  Candide  both feature sympathetic and dignified portrayals of strong female characters subordinated or oppressed by eighteenth century society.One such character in Mo liere's  Tartuffe  is Dorine, the lady-maid to Orgon's wife Elmire. In  Tartuffe, Moliere presents Dorine as an intelligent woman with a good understanding of human behavior. Moliere attests to her intelligence early in the story by showing her to be the most perceptive member of the household. Unlike Orgon, who is so dimwitted and foolish that he is completely blind to Tartuffe's chicanery, Dorine is able to â€Å"see right through him,† bluntly declaring him a â€Å"fraud† (Moliere 25).Dorine is also consistently presented as outspoken and opinionated, frequently chastising Orgon's actions, particularly concerning the marriage of Mariane and Tartuffe (Moliere 40-42). Furthermore, although Moliere places Dorine in the relatively low position of a lady-maid, he is always quick to display her innate intelligence, dignity, and perceptiveness. In doing so, Moliere actually depicts Dorine as a walking contradiction; Dorine clearly possesses mental acuity beyond her s tation, but she is still a maid.Her situation illustrates the position of countless proletarian women of the age: competent and intelligent, but mired in inequality and menial labor. As Dorine states in the play, ironically speaking of Madame Pernelle rather than herself, â€Å"She's thus because she can't be otherwise† (Moliere 27). Moliere's commentary on society is exceptionally penetrating here. In making Dorine, a servant (and a female at that), perceptive and intelligent, and the higher class men of the household either hopelessly foolish or ineffectual, he is demonstrating that class and gender mean little in determining one's worth or intellect.Elmire, the dutiful wife of the dullard Orgon, is portrayed in a similar manner despite her different position. In Tartuffe, Moliere depicts the character as a resourceful and intelligent woman much like Dorine. Elmire is clearly shown to be mentally superior to her husband, to the point that she becomes frustrated with her hus band's gullibility concerning Tartuffe, saying bluntly that â€Å"[Orgon's] blindness takes [her] breath away† (Moliere 67). Elmire is also a key figure in Moliere's work.When Orgon refuses to admit that Tartuffe could possibly harbor adulterous intentions, Elmire takes the initiative and persuades her stubborn husband to hide under a table while she manipulates Tartuffe into admitting his nefarious intent (Moliere 68-69). The fact that Elmire is forced to manipulate her husband's decisions rather than make her own, however, is a clear illustration of the subordinate status of women in eighteenth century marriage. For all her cunning, Elmire is still presented as the subordinate figure in the marriage; it is Orgon who controls the finances, home, and daughters of the family.Indeed, Moliere depicts Elmire as a character much like Dorine: strong, sympathetic, yet ultimately subject to the patriarchal society of the eighteenth century. Elmire is restrained by her status as a wif e, Dorine is restrained by her position as a maid, and both are ultimately subordinated by virtue of being female. A similar portrayal of women comes in Voltaire's  Candide, particularly in the character Cunegonde, Candide's love interest and ultimate wife. Voltaire presents Cunegonde as a simple but honest woman with the potent advantages of being â€Å"of noble lineage† and â€Å"rosy-cheeked, fresh, plump, and appetizing† (276).Unlike Moliere, Voltaire does not imbue his female characters with outstanding intelligence; instead, his female characters exhibit a keen understanding of human behavior born from life experience and intuition. Arthur Scherr comments on this in his article â€Å"Voltaire's ‘Candide': a tale of women's equality,† stating that Cunegonde: Unfortunately, Cunegonde eventually undergoes horrific experiences at the hands of several men in  Candide. In her terrible journey, Cunegonde becomes a symbol of the more terrible and overt c rimes perpetrated towards women in the eighteenth century and throughout time.Throughout the course of the novel, Cunegonde suffers rape, mutilation, and multiple kidnappings (Voltaire 286-287). Although she is able to recover from the experiences, and actually becomes somewhat stronger in doing so, she is nevertheless victimized and traumatized by eighteenth century warfare and society. Much like Moliere's Dorine and Elmire, Cunegonde is limited by her status as a female, and suffers atrocities as a result. Voltaire is perhaps somewhat hyperbolic in creating her story for effect, but the spirit of her experiences is not unlike those of many European women caught in the many wars of the eighteenth century.Ultimately, Voltaire portrays Cunegonde as a sympathetic woman who retains her dignity despite experiencing the worst of social realities in eighteenth century Europe. Indeed, Moliere's  Tartuffe  and Voltaire's  Candide  both present strong portrayals of sympathetic, digni fied women restrained or aggressed against by eighteenth century society. Though the works differ greatly in style, one can see social commentary on the status of women in Moliere's mild, amusing comedy and Voltaire's sensational, abrasive satire.The authors' female characters are strong, complex figures that, much like many women of the eighteenth century, were forced to exist in a position of relative weakness. Ironically, it is the very ability of those authors to see such injustices that is probably most influenced by the Enlightenment ideas and slowly expanding liberalism of the era itself. Whatever the case may be, both works stand even today as classics, not just for their brilliant satire, but also for their potent insight into the experiences of eighteenth century women.Considering  Tartuffe  was written in the 17th century, you might expect the female characters to be soft-spoken, demure, and generally pretty dull. But that couldn't be further from the truth – w ell, except in the case of Mariane; she's soft-spoken, demure, and generally pretty dull. But Elmire and Dorine – that's a whole different story. Each one defies convention with gusto: they do some things that would still be audacious even today. They're quick-witted, strong-willed, and a bit saucy. They're a match for their male counterparts anytime, any day. http://www. shmoop. om/tartuffe/women-femininity-quotes. html Voltaire’s Candide is a very funny satire that skewers the Optimistic attitude that â€Å"this is the best of all possible worlds. † Obviously, considering the horrific events Candide goes through, this isn’t the best of anything. Candide has several companions in his misadventures, notably Dr. Pangloss, his mentor and tutor; and Cacambo, his servant. Of the women in the tale, two are most important: Cunegonde, the woman Candide loves, and the old woman, whom he meets on his travels. This paper will compare and contrast the way the two wo men are presented in the novel.II Cunegonde Cunegonde is Candide’s true love. She is the daughter of the Baron Thunder-ten-tronckh, who raised Candide in his castle. She is beautiful, desirable, and despite all the horrible things that happen to her, she is fearfully dull. She is raped and cut open by Bulgarian soldiers (she notes it isn’t always necessary to die from such treatment); sold to numerous men as a sexual plaything; reunited with Candide; parted from him; and reunited again at the end of the book. She isn’t very bright, and she’s essentially passive as a doormat.She fights her Bulgarian rapist, but as soon as she’s rescued (by a Bulgarian captain, not Candide) she becomes his willing servant and his lover. When he grows tired of her, he sells her to a Jew named Don Issachar, who adores women. But soon after that she catches the eye of the Grand Inquisitor, who also wants her. The two men work out an arrangement whereby Don Issachar visi ts her Monday, Wednesday and the Sabbath; the Grand Inquisitor has the other four days of the week, though there have been some arguments, apparently, about when the Sabbath begins and ends.Soon after Cunegonde tells Candide her tale, Don Issachar shows up. He immediately attacks Candide, and Candide kills him. A few moments later, the Grand Inquisitor arrives, and Candide figures that he’ll turn them in, so he kills him, too. Then he, Cunegonde and the old woman escape from the scene. When they arrive at an inn, Cunegonde comment is â€Å"Where will I find another Jew and another inquisitor to give me more jewels? She is for sale to the highest bidder; she also has the brains of a flea, and because Candide is a bright young man, his devotion to her is ridiculous; a satirical example of men’s weakness for women. III The Old Woman The old woman is a much livelier character, despite the fact that she’s so much older, and despite the fact that she has been through many of the same ordeals as the younger woman: she has been raped numerous times, sold far more often than Cunegonde, and even had one buttock cut off to feed the janissaries that were defending her and other women of a harem.The daughter of Pope Urban X, she has been raised in luxury only to fall prey to pirates and sold into slavery. But she meets his misfortunes with an energy and drive that Cunegonde lacks. She even says at one point: â€Å"I have been a hundred times upon the point of killing myself, but still I was fond of life. † (Voltaire, PG). The greatest difference between the two lies in the old woman’s active stance, as contrasted with Cunegonde’s passivity. We learn that the old woman was sold at last to a Boyard, who put her to work in the fields and lashed her every day.But instead of simply assuming this was her lot in life, she did something about it: â€Å"But this nobleman having about two years afterwards been broken alive upon the wheel, with about thirty others, for some court intrigues, I took advantage of the event, and made my escape. † (Voltaire, PG). After escaping, she tells us, she traveled through many different countries, making her living as a servant at various inns and hostels. In this too she is different from Cunegonde, who has been satisfied to allow men to keep her.She has lived a live that is actually much harder than Cunegonde’s, because the latter has been sheltered and cared for by men who wanted her for her beauty and sexual charms, which meant that she was well-treated (if any woman being sold against her will can be said to be well-treated). Still, both Don Issachar and the Grand Inquisitor gave her rich gifts, good food and fine wine; no one did such things for the older woman. True, they were both little better than slaves, but Cunegonde accepted her chains while the old woman fought hers.Finally, as she finishes relating her tale, the old woman says â€Å"I have a great deal of knowledge and experience in the world†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Voltaire, PG). And that may be the biggest difference of all. Cunegonde, as I say, is not very bright, and so the things that she’s been through mean little to her, and she hasn’t learned much from them. But the old woman has gained a great deal of experience, and furthermore, put it to use. She has escaped from the Boyard and made a living for herself in many different countries, surely not an easy thing to do. IV ConclusionThe women in Candide, in general, suffer a great deal of physical hardship. Rape abounds, as does torture, mutilation and other types of general mayhem. But they react to their misfortunes very differently. Cunegonde accepts whatever happens to her passively; indeed, one gets the impression that she simply lets events roll over her, neither noticing nor caring much what happens. The old woman, however, is very much aware of what’s going on, and she actively involves herself with events. In so doing, she becomes the more attractive character.

A Stars Life And Death Sciences Essay

A Stars Life And Death Sciences Essay When we look in the sky at night and see all the stars your eyes can see. We think they are permanent although we may think this technology has given us the chance to see otherwise. Massive telescopes like the Hubble space telescope has let us experience and see the birth and death of stars. Where some stars just burn out and fade away other stars go out with a bang. There are billions upon billions of starts in space and their all different sizes. But only one type of star will collapse in and turn its self into a black hole. A protostar: Let’s start from the beginning, the pillars of creation is a piece of a space nebula 7,000 light years away from earth in the eagle nebula it is just one of the billion birth places of stars. What are they made up of well I’ll tell you they are made up of dust gas and different elements of the periodic table like hydrogen, helium, calcium oxygen silicone and iron. As gravity forces this dust and gas mixture into a flat disc accretion occurs, a process in which more atoms are added to create a protostar. Now at this stage a star is not yet stable because of the countless reactions occurring within the forming star. For this newly forming star to become stable it must reach equilibrium. Equilibrium is the balancing act between the star and gravity. Equilibrium occurs by gas pressure equaling the force of gravity. Gas pressure occurs by thermonuclear fusion which is the combining of the nuclei of small atoms to form the nuclei of larger ones, with a resulting release of large quantities of energy. For nuclear fusion to begin and equilibrium to occur the core of a protostar has to reach 18 million degrees Fahrenheit. When it reaches this critical temperature it will begin nuclear fusion of hydrogen into helium. And if nuclear fusion doesn’t happen it will end up a brown dwarf. Once nuclear fusion begins a star is born. Main sequence star: A main sequence star is made up of essentially two sections the core w here nuclear fusion occurs and the outer gaseous shell. Stars will live out most of their life in the main sequence just as our sun is. Once a star begins nuclear fusion it becomes self luminous it generates its own heat. Now how long will a star live out its life well that’s hard to tell it all depends on the stars mass and it turns out that how hot a star is will determine the color of the star like for instance a red dwarf star which is  ½ to 1/10 the mass of our sun. With its surface temperature less than 7,000 degrees Fahrenheit and is also the most common type of star in the universe. However we don’t see the small Red stars we see the massive blue main sequence star, its surface temperature is 45,000 degrees Fahrenheit, it is up to 20 times the mass of the sun and up to 10,000 times more luminous than that of our sun. There is however a down side to being a massive blue star. With that being said the less the mass of a star the less atoms a star has to maintai n its equilibrium. The bigger the mass of a star the more atoms a star will have to maintain its equilibrium. With regards to a stars life however the more massive a star the shorter its life will be and the less massive a star the longer it’s life. This is because in larger stars thermonuclear fusion happens at a much faster rate than that of a smaller star. Once a star has reached equilibrium it has not stopped changing there just isn’t a huge amount of change going on, and as we already know a star will live out most of its life in this stage. But we must remember gravity forced the star together to begin with and it also wants to destroy it.

Media Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Media - Essay Example Media as a form of communication was introduced about 550 years ago. In the past, there was only print and audio form of media; in the form of newspapers and radios. There has been a lot of growth in the media especially with the introduction of technology. Innovation in media related technology has ensured that the members of the public can access more information and in a timely manner. One of the mass media that revolutionized the advertising, information sharing and entertainment aspects of the media was the introduction of television. This paper will discuss the impact of television on the mass media content and origins of television advertising. Introduction Mass media is an important aspect in the world because it informs the members of the public on current events that are being witnessed around the nation. The advancement in innovations has led to a growth and advancement in the mass media channels. The introduction of television brought a form of media communication whereby individuals could see and hear what was being reported. Television grew to be very popular because could see and hear what was being communicated. Initially, most of the content that was being communicated was mostly informative content such as current events at the local and international level, the weather and documentaries. The content on the televisions was also black and white. With time, the content expanded to include entertainment content like music and soap operas that increased the number of individuals that subscribed to television. Thesis statement: Television media led to the decline in the traditional media channels such print magazines and radio. Television media content The introduction of televisions in the 1950 decade brought competition to the already established newspaper and radio industry. The other forms of media that existed had to establish and introduce new strategies so as to maintain market relevance. In the year 1962, installing and use of satellite Tel star I was initiated (Lamb et al). Real time images and audio content would be transmitted to the audience from wherever it was occurring. This enabled television media to have an upper hand since it could transmit news from all over the world. This gave television media an upper hand in the media because individuals would source information content from all over the world and it had an entertainment factor. According to Barkin (p 10), people liked television media because they felt that it was valid in comparison to radio and newspapers forms of information content. There were few television programs that broadcasted, so some of them had to be repeated before station broadcasting hours ended. The 1980 decade witnessed lot of progress in television media due to the launch of 24 television hours especially in the United States of America (Barkin p 9). This increased the number of audiences for the various television stations that aired throughout the day and night. People who worked at night were kept busy and entertained by the continuous programs on their favorite television stations. With the growing popularity of the television stations, other forms of media such as radio, newspapers and magazines recorded low sales volumes. Some newspapers had to close their businesses due to the high competition from the television stations. A greater number of people preferred to view images as they listened, in contrast to reading or just listening without

304 Final Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

304 Final - Essay Example Over and above standards, the Lake Havasu Fire Department excels in most areas of testing for career advancement and in areas of personnel development. Steve suggested that recruitment begins with job postings on well-known job search websites, through word-of-mouth advertising by current employees and through a city-sponsored job pool consisting of qualified applicants who completed preliminary testing. This preliminary testing is offered to community citizens who have undertaken the state-mandated fire training and are seeking a position within the unit. Validation of these credentials is part of the selection process by making contact with references or other certification grantors in this field of study. In this department, the recruitment process is extensive and involves screening of high volumes of candidates simply to select a single employee from the candidate pool. In order to achieve promotion within the unit, especially to an administrative level, several tests must be completed which test abilities in spatial relations, management and leadership, clerical abilities, and other necessary job functions. Steve offered that these tests come from both the state level and from years of alterations which were built from benchmarking best practices of other firehouses across the country. This department is a regular subscriber to several magazines which describe internal organizational activities in modern fire departments and use some of the tips and suggestions to change testing procedures or structures. In order to achieve promotion, success in areas of physical fitness must be proven. These tests are developed for preliminary job screening and selection as well as to ensure that weight and health are congruent with department or governmental expectations. Physical fitness is a large part of the weekly job responsibilities of the department workers

Marketing plan for homecare organization Carewatch UK Term Paper

Marketing plan for homecare organization Carewatch UK - Term Paper Example The intention of this study is Carewatch UK. The company is a world leader in providing homecare services to elderly, or medically unfit people, it also provides a substitute to nursing and residential care and, and is the leading homecare service providers in UK. The company today offers practical, personal and complex care to more than 23,000 clients that also include people with behavioral problems, mental issues, and learning disabilities. The company provides personalized services based on individual needs of the client that deals mainly in personal care, home care and medical care. It has become one of the largest companies in homecare sector across the globe and the company has set its business by focusing upon individual customers and their needs. At present, the market analysis for Carewatch seems to be positive. There are a number of prominent benefits to the company in various markets across UK. The company offers personalized services through care and support workers that assist the consumer in different ways such as practical support with light domestic duties, shopping, washing, getting ready, and cleaning, and companionship. The company also provides complex care services in the wake of illness, nursing (long and short term), hospital discharge, and specialist support for mental health conditions. The company offers person centered services that are designed to give flexibility, choice and control; and assist people who remain at home or are forced to remain at home following poor health conditions, people who need early intervention, and respite care. The practical Suppo

Leadership and communication Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Leadership and communication - Essay Example It is fair to say that how a leader communicates is dependent upon his or her generation. According to the article entitled â€Å"Communication and Leadership,† â€Å"Effective communication occurs only if the receiver understands the exact information or idea that the sender intended to transmit†(â€Å"Communication and Leadership,† 2010). In this case, the leader would be the sender, and their audience would be the receiver. The leader will need to be aware of how his or her generation chooses to communicate and modify their own communication to these specifications in order for the communication to be deemed effective. A leader speaking to a group from the 1950s would use markedly different communication than a leader speaking to a group in 2011. The characteristics of my generation today in terms of communication is fairly simple. My generation is one that believes in swiftness and efficiency. This is likely due to having grown up in a society where people ge t what they want when they want it, also known as a fast food mentality. This mindset has become a part of many other aspects of life including communication. People want to get their information quickly and with little hassle or confusion. An example of this type of communication can be seen in the emails and text messages that are used in a great deal of communication. The minimal size of text messages in particular has spawned a huge array of abbreviations and shorthand words in order to communicate in as few words as possible. Additionally, it is important to note that another characteristic of my generation’s communication is a certain boldness. This is due to the anonymity that many people have become accustomed to because of the isolation and separation from face to face interaction that technology gives. This has resulted in the development of new social problems such as cyber bullying and sexting. Leaders in my generation tend to be different as well. Today’s leader has to strike a fine balance between the qualities of intelligence and responsibility and a good personality. Other generations may not have found likability to be so important, but my generation definitely does. Additionally, looks play an important part as well. Good looking people tend to find themselves in leadership positions more often than those who are not as good looking. Strong speaking skills are also needed in order to be a leader in today’s world. Perhaps a prime example of this would be the current President Barrack Obama. He is a good speaker, well-educated, and a strong orator. He often goes on talk shows such as Jay Leno in order to showcase his personality and sense of humor. The role of president is perhaps one of the most valued leadership roles in the entire world. Modern presidents typically have these characteristics because today’s generation strongly respond to these qualities, and that is why these type of people tend to be elected into leadership positions. Technology and the Information Age have played a very large role in how leaders communicate today. Many of the most influential leaders of today have their own websites in order to present specific information to their audience. Additionally, the invention of such tools as Youtube, podcasts, and Skype have allowed leaders to reach their audiences in many different formats. For the most part, technology has given leaders easy access to their audience

Qualitiative Analysis on Diabetes Research Paper

Qualitiative Analysis on Diabetes - Research Paper Example The findings of the study show that communication and education combined with cultural differences create a difficult environment in which to treat diabetes in regards to this ethnic minority group. The results suggest that more time needs to be taken by doctors and dieticians to explain the causes and effects of the disease and how best to treat it with an understanding of the social and dietary differences of the community. Information needs to be available to patients and family members in a language they understand and in relation to the activities of their daily lives. There are many different ethnic minority groups in large communities that frequently accept immigrants and this is just a sample of how one such group can suffer emotionally and physically because treatment options are catered to a majority lifestyle. Only when doctors, educators, and the public make a point to diagnose, treat, and teach about diseases in a context familiar to the daily lives of those suffering fr om them will, no matter how small the group, they be able to work in conjunction with their patients. Purpose The purpose of this study was to describe the role of diabetes mellitus in the Lebanese community of Sydney, Australia. Methods This is a primary data analysis of a survey of twenty-five Lebanese individuals living in Sydney, Australia. ... agnoses, how the diagnosis was made, major physical and emotional effects on health, communication between health care provider and patient, major difficulties regarding the disease, and quality of life. Conclusions The results of this study provide a unique perspective into the Lebanese community and the affect of social and cultural differences of immigrants and their experiences with diabetes. Lebanese immigrants in Australia often are not diagnosed with diabetes until middle age. They find it difficult to adjust their previous living habits to what they see as Western ideas. Communication about the disease is difficult because many immigrants do not speak the native English language. Diabetes mellitus is a disease that affects people of all ages, races, and backgrounds. There are multiple types of diabetes, the most common being Type 2. Type 2 diabetes most often develops in adults but can occur in younger people as well. The person’s pancreas does not secrete enough insul in to maintain normal levels of glucose and his or her body can begin to respond poorly to insulin. With obesity numbers rising and people exercising less and less, Type 2 diabetes is seen at a growing rate and many of the people diagnosed are completely unaware that they were affected. The increasing cases of diabetes amongst Lebanese people are also a cause of worry. Sydney is host to a large number of Lebanese people, migrated to the country, hence the city, in search of better job opportunities living standards. There are many studies indicating increased prevalence of diabetes mellitus in these families. These have been ascribed to hereditary factors, food habits, prevalence of metabolic syndrome, and increased consanguinity over many generations (Abou-Daoud, 1969). Acculturation is a

Select a publicly traded U.S. corporation for which you have a common Essay

Select a publicly traded U.S. corporation for which you have a common interest - Essay Example egic business decisions, the company has been able to trade in over 186 million bids, with a sum of over $840 million items being sold with an average of around 800, 000 bids per day. (Schonfeld, 2005) As a result of internet technology a lot of business sprung up, among them being Electronic commerce. The online business started to pick up in the early 1990s, and by around 2000 the business was fully embraced across the globe. Recently, e-commerce industry has experienced an immense development, mostly due to the growth of internet users across the world. More and more people are shifting their attention towards the new shopping model of doing online shopping. (Schonfeld, 2005) E-Bay incorporation provides an online platform for sellers and buyers to interact and trade in various categories of goods and services. There are three segments in eBay namely; payments, marketplaces and GSI Commerce. Since access to e-commerce is universal, and the physical assets to start up this form of business are commercially available, barriers to entry into the industry is quite lower. Now what matters here is the network externalities effect. For instance, it is extremely difficult for a competitor to acquire a bigger share of the users in market where there is relatively huge network externalities. Nonetheless, eBay has managed to secure its position among the top e-commerce websites in the world. However, just like any other industry eBay is subject to competition from companies like Yahoo and Amazon. These companies normally employ tactics such as lowering of price of their services in order to gain competitive advantage. At the moment eBay is focusing its markets abroad. It is now operating in eight of the top ten countries, by e-commerce market size outside the American nation. For example, eBay controls over 80% of e-commerce market in Asia, while it is reported to be gaining users , 45% faster in Europe continent more than in U.S.A. It is also experiencing a 135% growth

Brand new adventure park Essay Example for Free

Brand new adventure park Essay Afan Valley Adventure Park is a brand new adventure park opening soon in Afan Valley South Wales. The park is home to many exhilarating rides, but not only thrill seekers will enjoy Afan Valley, as there is a large on site petting zoo for the youngsters. Afan Valley is also home to one of the biggest wooden roller coasters on Britain! Its loops and hoops will make you dizzy with excitement just looking at it! But Afan Valley does not just cater for the thrill seekers of the family, under 5s can enjoy the gentler pace of our tree tops kiddies roller coaster or our Teletubbies flying aeroplanes. After all the excitement of the rides you can relax in one of our many bar/restaurants while the kids play safely in one of our supervised cri ches. You can also take an after dinner stroll on one of our scenic country walks, which we have proudly been awarded the David Bellamy Gold award for conservation. There are many items available to hire at A. V. A. P for a small fee, such as mountain bikes, childrens buggies and hiking boots. These are available to reserve before you arrive at the park. Included on the following pages is an application form for membership to Afan Valley. There are many benefits of becoming a member for the very reasonable fee of i 15 a month. You will receive a regular newsletter telling you about all of the up dated facilities and new rides and also included will be a map of the park, for you to find your way around. Another special benefit of becoming a member is free entry to the park as much as you want and also free car parking. So all you have to pay is the once a month payment of i 15. I intend to use the database to sort members into different categories and to find contact numbers easily. I also want to use the database to sort for members who have not paid their subscriptions.

Organizational Output of Pfizer

Organizational Output of Pfizer Organizational Output Introduction Output generally refers to the things produced. output, in terms of the production unit means total number of products generated for a given duration and the various cost associated with the production. Outputs also refer to the number of customers visited in a given time. The organization needs to become accustomed, if there is a decline in the output of the organization due to alteration in the external or internal environment. Key outputs Key outputs of the Pfizer include opening of Manufacturing facilities, New innovative products And financial outcome (Pfizer Inc Third-Quarter 2004 Performance Report, 2008). Manufacturing facilities: Pfizer Inc, the giant in Healthcare opened its manufacturing facility in Singapore of about $600. This investment will support the extensive plans of the companys operations. In Asia, this investment has made the Pfizer important active pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturing plant. It is an entirely automatic facility. This facility in Singapore will prove to be an important link in manufacturing and developing dynamic ingredients that will be used in Neurontin. For tablets and capsules production, these ingredients are used and are transported to the drug product plants. The output obtained by the manufacturing plant will promote the global sales of about many billion US dollars. Pfizer selected this particular place because of well established corporate information technology unit (Kotler, 2002). From an American-intensive chemical manufacturing company, Pfizer has shifted to a global research based pharmaceutical business. As a result, it has become the worlds biggest healthcare company based on research. Products: In 2007, the company performed extremely well and made such changes that have enhanced its future performance. Lyrica, Sutent and Chantix played a Key role and performed extremely well. Currently Pfizer has ten dissimilar divisions and encourages thirty-one diverse main products. Within each groups, the divisions and major products are: Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases, which includes Lipitor, Caduet, Norvasc, Diabetes, Arthritis and Pain, Central Nervous System Disorders, Infectious and Respiratory Diseases. Apart from this, Pfizer have six products that are into the pipeline of RD. Financial outcome: In 2007, the company reflected strong financial performance. The company focused on constructing the value by attaining the financial goals, restricting spending, and maintaining the cost structure. In order to deliver the vast shareholder return, new program is approved by Board of Directors. Apart from this, the company announced an increase of 10% in the first-quarter of 2008. This has increased the share holder wealth. In the fourth-quarter of 2007, Pfizer showed revenue of $13.1 billion and in the year-ago quarter; it reflected an increase of 4%. Foreign exchange has a great impact on revenue of Fourth-quarter 2007. Apart from this, there is an increase in the second quarter revenues. In 2005, Pfizer showed a net income of $8,085 million, this reflected a decline of 29% in 2004. The company has the huge budget allocated for RD. It has strong predictable cash flow in the next thirty months. Last but not the least, Pfizer shows a stable EPS growth (Organizationa l Culture and Product Innovation, 2004). Relevance of these outcomes in my study These outputs play an important role in estimating the company’s strength and achieving its long term objectives. Apart from this, these also support the extensive plans of the companys operations and increase the shareholders’ wealth. Innovative products can bring huge profits for the company, since they will attract the consumers. New product development is the strong capability of the Pfizer due to its determination, focus and dedication to research. Pfizer is becoming financially secure because of the company’s strong endeavor for developing the new innovative products. Hence, these form the important part of the study. Interrelation between the outcomes All these outputs can not operate independently; they are interlinked to each other. To develop innovative services and products is a critical issue for any company and it determines the level of financial outcome that the company will receive. If the company plans to open the manufacturing facilities, it has to see the scope for the new innovative products. Company will try to find out the success rate it will obtain by opening the new facilities. Financial measures are taken as the lagging indicators that derive the outcomes from precedent actions. Restricted reliance on financial indicators will lead to the behavior that forgoes long-term creation of value for short-term performance. Hence, proper estimation of the financial constraints is important. To expand the company business the company needs to be sound in its financial policies. Greater the financial outcome greater will be the company’s strength. Innovative products have the capability to secure the company financially. In the pharmaceutical industry, product market is getting saturated and forcing the company to spend a huge portion of budgets on differentiation of product and in the marketing activities among the competitors. Synergies created by the output Positive synergy is created by these outputs. If they are properly aligned, they can yield to a huge profit. The proper investment in any field is precious because the firm gets the opportunity to take the advantage of new opportunities, which can derive the continuing development for the company. The total budget assigned for the development of new products by the company is the highest in the industry and can not be imitated by the competitors. Hence, development of new product development is exclusive and valuable to the organization. For this, the company uses the patent and license. New product helps in acquiring strong product portfolio. Proper financial investment in sales force plays a critical role as it determines the company’s strength in terms of profits and revenue. This example was found in the products such as Stutent and Lurica. The company’s internal process should be in line with the Pfizer external functions and must focus on the reorganizing procedur es and processes so as to develop the efficiency in the operational activities to achieve a competitive advantage by spending fewer amounts. On the other hand, huge problems can arise if there is lack of proper coordination between these outcomes. All the outcomes are interlinked, so if they are not managed properly, they can put the company in trouble. Therefore, development of facilities requires huge research. And for this, company is required to properly allocate the resources to all the departments. Major chunk of revenue is used in the research and the development. If any wrong decision is taken related to the development of new product without undergoing through analysis, the company can incur the huge financial losses, which will ultimately hamper the trust of the various stake holders of the company. If any strategy is missed out, it will lead to the space for the substitute products; for this, the company has to incur heavy loss. Therefore company should take the proactive steps in order to defend the competitors. For this, the in depth analysis is required by the company. Therefore, efforts of all the departments in a coordinated manner are required (Kotler, 2002). References Kotler, P. (2002). Marketing Management: Strategies of Pfizer (11th Edition). New Delhi: Prentice Hall of India. Organizational Culture and Product Innovation. (2004). International Business Review 13(6): 685-703. Pfizer Inc Third-Quarter 2004 Performance Report. (2008). Retrieved April 28, 2008 from http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104STORY=/www/story/10-20-2004/0002289038EDATE= Pfizer: A healthy business vision. (2004). Retrieved April 29, 2008 from http://www.edb.gov.sg/edb/sg/en_uk/index/news_room/publications/singapore_investment04/singapore_investment10/pfizer_a_healthy.html

Push Technology Essay -- Technology

Five thousand years ago, with the invention of writing, the human species took its first jump towards a technological civilization. The second one came only in the last half of the XV century, with the invention of press, by Gutenberg. The possibility of reproducing thousands of identical copies of the same document has taken to the creation of the first magazines and journals, a revolutionary concept. But this occurred in a slow and grad way: the first scientific journal pressed, for example, was released just in 1665, 200 years after. Although, until today this is the basis of a huge system of divulgation in science and technology, counting more than 300 thousand journals around the world, and that has changed little during the three last centuries. Nowadays, this scenario is about to change radically, with the development of global computer networks, like Internet, mainly after the explosion of the WWW (World Wide Web), that allows for high quality electronic publishing, with texts, images, videos, etc. Together, these two technologies have a revolutionary potential many times superior than the invention of press. WWW is based in an active model of search for information, this is, in traditional Internet navigation, denominated "pull" technology, the user obtains information from different WWW sites, searching for topics of his interest. The huge volume of documents and sites available make the information obtention possible only after a refined search procedure, made with one of the mechanisms existent for this purpose, making the process difficult. Besides that, the continuous growth of available information and the necessity of individually visiting the sites is, slowly, making access infeasible, both from the user's... ...t with the certainty that the information is delivered to the correct user and according do a desired profile. In the near future, the integration of "push" technology with traditional media like television, cinema and radio will be possible, changing radically not only the mass media, but also business and marketing strategies involved. Finally, the use of information technologies based in Artificial Intelligence will be used to improve information filters both in client and server side, in a manner that software robots and other autonomous agents will send the subscriber's computer only news and articles that satisfy highly specific interests criteries. Electronic references PointCast Corporation: http://www.pointcast.com Marimba Corporation: http://www.marimba.com Microsoft Corporation: http://www.microsoft.com Push Council: http://www.aitek.com/PUSH/

Stones From The River Essays -- essays research papers

Ursula Hegi's novel, Stones From The River, exposes the reader of the persecutions of religious beliefs, a gossiping dwarf, and the people of Burgdorf, a small German town in the time of the Nazi Holocaust. The novel is set in World War I and continues through World War II. The Second World War is brought on by the hunger of power it is known as the otherness war. 'In the Third Reich otherness is a crime.';(Chadwick 2) Hitler, a Nazi leader, wants to gain control of Germany and surrounding countries. Hitler is a feared name even in our society today. We see things through the narrator's eyes. The novel has many flat characters in it. However, some characters are more developed than others are. Each character has a connection to the narrator whether he/she is a friend, a neighbor, or a bully at school. This novel is unique to Hegi because of her background. She lives in a 'suburb of 'Dusseldorf'; before she immigrates to the United States in 1965'; (Simon 1). It was unusual for her to write about this because the people who survive the holocaust never will talk about the past, they all believe in the 'tight lip' philosophy. In the novel Jews, Catholics, and Protestants become victims of the Nazis. Religious prejudices are common throughout the novel. However, Hegi portrays Catholicism as the primary faith. The author scatters many fairy tales and stories inscripted about the different types of religion throughout the text. 'Catholic water rusted Jewish cars.';(Hegi 88) However, the priest says, 'Protestant babies [are] pagan babies…and the Jewish babies [are] like Protestant babies,'; because they are not christened. (Hegi 58) In both the Jewish and Catholic religion different beliefs and celebrations bring commeraderie to the inhabitants of Burgdorf. While the Jews believe that Jesus is an exemplary man, but not God incarnate, the Catholics believe that Jesus lived and has died for our sins at the hands of the Romans. Catholics celebrate the Christ's Last Supper by receiving communion, a major sacrament in Catholicism because; communion in the Catholic Church is believed to be the body and blood of Jesus. It is believed that when one receives communion that all of one's sins will be wiped away. During the month of December the Jewish celebrate Hanukkah, while the Catholics celebrate St. Nikolaus and Christ's birth in Christmas. We celebrate his ... ...fferent than the rest provided a peaked interest to Max. He cares for her uniqueness not because she is different. Couples in today's society are always trying to change people and make them someone they are not. If one thinks they are going to change a person's personality and actions. Then they need to step back and take a good look at them maybe they are the ones who need to change. Stones From the River, is a wonderful novel. Hegi takes us through the World Wars and explains to us the affects they have on our society. Trudi in the novel takes in and helps shelter those who are hiding from the law. She believes that god put her here to help others and she does, with her gift of storytelling. If we all took the time to help one another than we should all get along. Jews, blacks, gays, and cripples are looked down upon. We are programmed to see people's flaws and to discriminate against those who have these differences. Many colleges have a diversification program that it sends all students through, but this is not solving our ignorance of race or gender. If we as a society become well educated on the horrific affects of our actions we could all live as one race, the human race.

Kate Chopins The Awakening and Henrik Ibsens A Dolls House Essay

Kate Chopin's work, The Awakening, and Henrik Ibsen's play, A Doll's House, were composed at a time when men dictated women in every part of life. They are both superior examples of literary works greatly ahead of their time. Each work exemplifies the strict social standards placed on women and how they destructively affected the women. They also demonstrate how the women were able to overcome over these social ethics and get towards a life of vaster fulfillment. The characters in The Awakening and A Doll's House were very similar. In addition, the trials that they faced were also very similar. Both of the female characters are confronted with the fact that they have an authoritarian for a husband, and create an exit scheme to leave them. For Nora this includes deserting her family and running away, while Edna makes the choice that Nora could not do and commits suicide. Nora and Edna also harbor a secret that ultimately leads to their choice to leave their families. In addition, bot h writings also seem to have similar themes. They both explore the idea of freedom and discovering one’s own identity. Furthermore, they show how a woman in late 1800s often had no freedom from what society anticipated of them. As an outcome, the only way they could find their own identity was by leaving these social standards inflicted by their family life. Ibsen and Chopin appear to purposely present their main characters in this way and use their gifts for writing to foretell a transformation in society that needs to and will eventually occur. There are many similarities between the two: each protagonist seems happy about their marriage in the beginning, controlled by their husband, has a secret, and eventually realizes they are someone. Edna Pon... ...vald, she tells him, â€Å"I don’t believe that any longer. I believe that before all else I am a reasonable human being, just as you are—or, at all events, that I must try and become one. I know quite well, Torvald, that most people would think you right, and that views of that kind are to be found in books; but I can no longer content myself with what most people say, or with what is found in books. I must think over things for myself and get to understand them.† (Ibsen 112) Therefore, in the end both Edna and Nora left in dramatic ways, one leaving a life and the other leaving a family. Bibliography Ibsen, Henrik. A Doll's House. Coradella Collegiate Books, 11 Oct. 2004. PDF. Chopin, Kate, McMichael, George L., J. S. Leonard, and Shelley Fisher. Fishkin. The Awakening. Anthology of American Literature. Tenth ed. Vol. II. Boston: Longman, 2011. 697-786. Print.

Harley Davidson – Organizational Behavior

Harley History Harley Davidson was seen in America as a company that produced motorcycles with â€Å"raw power. † The company was founded by Arthur and Walter Davidson and William Harley in 1903. In 1918, Harley Davidson had become the largest motorcycle producing company in the world. Their production totaled 28,000 motorcycles. Production continued to increase with the onset of World War II and the military use of Harley’s motorcycles. The mystique of the product had a tough sense to it with famous actors such as James Dean and Marlin Brando sporting the bikes.After World War II, foreign competitors became interested in the motorcycle market. Japanese competitors entered the market in 1959; Harley Davidson executives did nothing to counter the advance of the competition. Harley Davidson’s share of the industry began dropping while Japanese competitors introduced high quality products. The confidence in Harley’s reputation was causing the firm’s ma rket share to decline steadily. AMF Years Harley Davidson lacked resources to finance new products and designs to expand their production. They were taken over by AMF, a heavy-industrial conglomerate.At this time there was high demand for motorcycles in the U. S. The AMF team thought that they would be able to sell anything they produced, even without taking quality into consideration. After the take over, production was increased drastically at the cost of the quality of the product. AMF began spending large amounts of money on Harley’s manufacturing plants. Production increased from 15,475 units in 1969 to 70,000 units in 1973 due to these new expenditures on capital. To make things worse for Harley, the Japanese firm Honda introduced the â€Å"Goldwing. This was the first introduction of a foreign â€Å"heavy weight† motorcycle that would directly compete with Harley’s market share. With Harley Davidson’s share of the heavyweight market beginning to d ecrease, the quality of their products also decreased because they were becoming outdated compared to the new advanced Japanese products. Vaughn Beals was brought into the picture by Harley executives to lead the firm. Vaughn Beals Saves the Day Vaughn Beals’ ideals were different than those of AMF its top management. It became clear that AMF did not have the same amount of concern for Harley’s success as Beals, so AMF began looking for a buyer.With Harley Davidson’s profitability down, Beals and some other Harley Davidson managers orchestrated a highly leveraged buyout. This large amount of debt for the buyout forced Harley Davidson’s managers to adopt a new strategy: survival. Vaughn Beals realized that his firm needed to change to become a more competitive force within the motorcycle industry. Change Many things at Harley Davidson were going wrong. The motorcycles were being made at a low level of quality and the focus was too much driven by quantity r ather than quality. The organization was formed around the traditional top thinks and everybody acts.It was very apparent that if nothing changed, Harley Davidson’s reputation would be forever tarnished due to low quality products. Forces for Change: Competition (chapter 19) Competition for business is changing. Competitors can come from across the ocean or from across town. For Vaughn Beals, his main force for change was the Japanese competition that was continuing to decrease Harley Davidson’s share of the market. He realized that something had to be done. While visiting the Honda plant, he learned many things that the Japanese did better than Harley Davidson. The differences between Harley Davidson and Honda were striking. For example, only 5 percent of Honda’s motorcycles failed to pass final quality inspection; over 50 percent of Harley’s failed during the same test† (Buller & Schuler 2006). Job Design Instead of allowing manufacturers to keep producing the products at a high pace, with little attention to quality, Beals and his top management wanted to change the way the elements in an employees job was organized. Harley Davidson initiated this new job design through the productivity triad. The Productivity TriadAfter the visit, Beals and his team realized the only way to compete with the very effective management of the Japanese was to improve the quality of their product and the production process that was necessary to produce it. The productivity triad was based on Japanese methods of manufacturing and production. â€Å"This new approach involved (a) employee involvement, (b) use of JIT inventory practices, and (c) statistical operator control (SOC). Organizational Structure (chapter 16) To improve the quality of Harley Davidson’s motorcycles, a complete change of the organizations structure was necessary.Job tasks would be divided, grouped, and coordinated much differently under the productivity triad. To cha nge the structure, Beals and his management introduced many new aspects to the employee’s average day at work. Employee Involvement (chapter 7) Harley Davidson executives realized that using the input of employees would increase their commitment to the much-needed new success of Harley Davidson. They â€Å"reasoned that full participation of employees at all levels was the key to successful improvement of both the product quality and the production process† (Buller & Schuler 2006).Job Characteristics Model Harley Davidson uses 3 out of 5 of the characteristics in the model developed by J. Richard Hackman. This model proposes that any job can be described in terms of these core dimensions. Autonomy (chapter 7) Since the line workers were more knowledgeable about what techniques would work and not work in the production process, they were encouraged to make decisions about the production process. This provided a substantial amount of freedom in determining the procedures to be carried out for producing the product. Skill Variety (chapter 7)Instead of just relying on the line workers to construct the product, Beals and his team wanted to make sure that the motorcycles were going to be of a much higher quality than in the past. To avoid catastrophes, such as oil leaking onto a showroom floor, â€Å"top management reasoned that training and empowering employees to measure quality and recommend change was essential for improvement† (Buller & Schuler 2006). Using the Statistical Operator Control method, employees could now see how problems developed and how they could fix them during the production process.Task Identity (chapter 7) The same employees that were measuring the products for quality issues were also manufacturing the product. This would allow the employee to really become part of his/her product. It would also allow for a more efficient method of production. Creating a Learning Organization Learning Organization (chapter 19) To have a continuous ability to adapt and change would allow Harley Davidson to keep up with the competition and provide its employees with the knowledge to continue to produce quality products.In the 1990’s, Harley Davidson â€Å"began emphasizing organizational and individual learning at all levels through a program it termed the Leadership Institute† (Buller & Schuler 2006). The organization took on a strong belief that anyone could learn more. The traditional top thinks and everyone else acts was merged into thinking and acting in all jobs. Along with all this learning, the firm began to change many core aspects of its operations. New Design Options To help Harley Davidson compete more effectively, top management began to mphasize teamwork at all levels. This would allow for easy information sharing and constant learning throughout the organization. To enhance the effectiveness of teams, Harley Davidson wanted to break down any barriers that would prevent employees from sha ring information, developing new ideas, or catching current production problems. To do this, they needed to get away from the traditional roles that employees and managers play. Team Structure (chapter 16) Harley Davidson eliminated the positions of senior vice president in marketing and operations.They observed that these jobs did not add any value to the motorcycles. A create demand team, a team that was in charge of producing the products, and a product support team were introduced to help employees. Instead of having to approach one top manager for help and get sent to another department to solve the problem, Harley executives realized these teams would be more efficient. Boundaryless Organization (chapter 16) For all of these new changes to actually work, executives in a sense had to let employees become their own managers.To make the changes the most effective, Harley Davidson eliminated the chain of command, allowed the employees to have limitless spans of control, and replac ed departments with empowered teams. Types of Teams Self Managed Work Teams (chapter 10) Harley-Davidson employees were put into work teams and encouraged to participate in the decision making process because they knew better than management what worked and what did not. Because the productivity triad emphasized employee involvement so much, the logical way to form teams would be to allow the members to make most decisions. Types of TrainingMost of the training that the employees would go through when they sought new knowledge was technical based. They would be taught about any aspect of the firm they felt would benefit production or quality. Technical Training (chapter 18) At Harley-Davidson top management saw that as technology became a larger part of the production process their employees needed to have better training to be able to operate productively. Also, after benchmarking itself against Japanese competitors Harley-Davidson saw that learning about all fields within the orga nization would benefit everyone.This led to the invention of the â€Å"Leadership Institute†, which encouraged employees to seek out training when they needed it. They wanted to create a program that would allow employees to have the opportunity to do a quality job every time. This included learning more about the theories behind the latest technologies and learning about related fields. Since Harley-Davidson was now using empowered teams to make important decisions throughout the organization, each team member needed to have a good handle on technical aspects involved with their responsibilities. CultureWith all of these changes underway, Harley Davidson began to develop its own sense of internal culture that became a system of shared meaning held by the employees. The productivity triad and the Learning Institute both helped pave the way for a unique new culture at Harley Davidson. Organizational Culture (chapter 17) It is not hard to assume that with such drastic changes i n an organization’s structure, there could be changes in the culture as well. Since employees were allowed to make a lot more of their own decisions and management was not seen as so much of an authority, gaining knowledge in the organization became more of a choice. An employee must make the decision that he or she wants more training – no one will tap you on the shoulder – but once you are there, we will help you† (Buller & Schuler 2006). The executive committee wanted to heavily emphasize that they too had much to learn. This became the norm for employees and managers throughout the firm. A willingness to learn about all fields within the production of a motorcycle was seen as a very desirable trait within Harley Davidson.This would improve the quality of the product because increased knowledge about different aspects of the motorcycle, which were perhaps previously unknown organization wide, would now be put to use. Core Values (chapter 17) The primary or dominant values that were accepted throughout the Learning Institute included the work itself, the supporting systems, and how the work was done. Employees were encouraged to master all the skills necessary to do a quality job every time. To uphold the idea of constant learning, they were expected to learn more of the theories behind the latest technologies of one’s job.To emphasize the boundaryless aspect, employees were expected to branch out and learn the related fields of work around them. Each employee should also have a high degree of knowledge about how the motorcycle works and how it can be improved. If they have a good handle on how the motorcycle operates and how to fix it, this could drastically improve customer relations. Since employees became empowered to make decisions for the production process, they were also expected to take responsibility for their product.If there was a quality problem in their product, it was up to them to figure out how to solve it. Having an open mind was important too. An employee was expected to always be looking for new things to learn about improving their work. There were no strict guidelines that employees had to stick to when it came to brainstorming ideas. Creativity and experimentation were encouraged. Conflict Functional (chapter 15) Since Harley Davidson’s new culture involved a lot of participation and independent learning, there were a lot of different opinions from different employees.This would be a good amount of conflict that would avoid groupthink and promote creativity. Process (chapter 15) After production quality began to increase, the idea of over seas production had come up. There was a lot of debate about whether or not Harley should produce motorcycles abroad, or just increase domestic production for export. Some of the employees thought that the overseas manufacturing of Harley Davidson motorcycles was inconsistent with â€Å"buying a piece of the American Dream† (Buller & Schuler 2006). The international market for Harley Davidson is growing.The firm has subsidiaries across the globe in countries such as: Germany, Japan, and the United Kingdom. The German subsidiary also serves Austria, France, Denmark, the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Poland. Germany, Japan, Canada, and Australia represent the firm’s largest export markets. It is very apparent that Harley Davidson is known worldwide. Europe holds the world’s largest heavyweight motorcycle market and is â€Å"expected to become the next battleground for heavyweight motorcycles† (Buller & Schuler 2006). Rewarding EmployeesTo increase motivation and work performance, Harley Davidson really wanted their employees to understand empowerment. They rewarded them with power and of course pay. Participative Management (chapter 7) At Harley-Davidson top management realized that the employee needed to be utilized as a resource for ideas on how production of motorcycles should work. Harle y-Davidson also realized that there were un-needed positions at the corporate level of the company â€Å"We eliminated those jobs because they didn’t add value to our products. The people were auditors.They were checkers† (Buller & Schuler 2006). This led to the company eliminating the Senior Vice President in Marketing and Operations position among other positions. These positions did not add value to the product. Instead of having these jobs, employees were put into teams and were encouraged to use their own expertise in the decision making process. Harley-Davidson wanted their employees to become more like managers and to not feel the need to ask someone above them on how to do things. This is a key tool for increasing job satisfaction and motivation.Merit Based Pay (chapter 7) Another new program that Harley-Davidson began was a pay for performance pay system. Harley-Davidson wanted their employees to understand empowerment, so they encouraged their employees to le arn as much as they could about the company. This would improve quality, which would allow a general wage increase to take place. Task Groups (chapter 9) When Harley-Davidson created these teams it meant that employees had more power in their own decisions. Many of the teams specialized in one aspect of production, so they had very specific tasks.After the teams were created, these teams would make decisions on production instead of higher ups in the company, â€Å"Before Harley established teams, people would go up to one boss and that boss would go over to another boss and he would go to still another boss. And we wondered why the Japanese beat us on the issue of time† (Buller & Schuler 2006). Conclusion Harley Davidson’s market share began to dramatically increase in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. The structural and cultural change that Vaughn Beals and Harley executives imagined truly did save the firm. Harley Davidson motorcycles today are seen as very high quality machines.They have become a symbol of status and lifestyle in today’s society. Observing how much customization a consumer can request for his/her bike reflects the creative aspect of the firm’s internal culture. Harley continues to exemplify individuality through its production process and large amount of die hard followers. Contributions to the project: Jared and Scott wrote the paper; everyone did their part for the power point. References: Buller & Schuler. (2006). Managing organizations and people. U. S. : Thomson South Western. Judge, J. A. , & Robbins, S. P. (2008). Organizational behavior (13th edition). New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

Historical Fiction Book Report

Furthermore, after almost 30 years of fighting, Apache leader, Greenroom finally surrendered with his armed forces to General Nelson Miles. Also during 1886, a massive and destructive hurricane demolished the town of Dianna in the state of Texas. Based on my knowledge of life in 1886, if the story were to take place in in Daly City in 2014, the story would greatly differ. Roads would be evenly and more efficiently paved. Modernized cars would replace horseback transportation. Likewise, farms would be replaced by studier homes, markets, and stores.Ellen Elizabeth Hawkins features as the main character of the story. A motherless twelve-year old, Ellen is adventurous and protective of others. Ellen is spirited and is willing to journey to far off lands. As in the story, because she enjoys an adventure, Ellen sets off into the distance to go rescue her Grandfather who has mysteriously disappeared. Just as her mother, Ellen is protective of animals, family, and all living beings. She trea ts her mare, Detroit with respect and is always concerned of Grandpa's safety. However, Ellen may be rebellious at times of suspense.In addition, Grandpa and Detroit, as stated before, are also two important characters of the story. Grandpa, humorous and welcoming, is the only support that is given to Ellen. He has also taught Ellen the hard life as a cowboy and the effort that it may take. Detroit, loyal and obedient, is Allen's fierce mare and use of transportation that travels without rest or fear of what is to come. To get the story started, author Kathleen Due uses a strong introduction that describes the conflict or situation, an intense drought and its immense heat. She begins by stating the shortage of water and supplies.As said, the central problem consists of a fearful drought that is causing immense heat and water shortage. The farm windmill is broken and the herd of bulls and cows has scattered in search of water. Allen's father is away on business and Grandpa is hurt. E llen is now left alone with her toughest challenge to save the ranch. The central problem is soon resolved with Allen's determination and perseverance. The drought finally comes to an end and it begins to rain. Ellen heals Grandpa's wounds and returns the Hereford bull after a dangerous aisle.Her father is home safe and Ellen has proved her worth as a cowboy. â€Å"American Diaries: Ellen Elizabeth Hawkins† is an exciting and action-packed story. This story is similar to another story I have read, entitled â€Å"Warriors: Fire and Ice† because both main characters face tough challenges and fierce conditions. Both main characters must also prove their worth in being or becoming something. Both stories are also alike in that they revolve around a journey or conflict to find or save something. Just as in † American Diaries:

Destination: Costa Rica Essay

Folks, in just a short while, you will all be going to Switzerland. Yes, you heard me right, Switzerland. If you think you are in the wrong group of tourists, then you are mistaken because you are all going to the Switzerland of Central America, Costa Rica. Indeed Costa Rica has sometimes been likened to Switzerland because of the nation’s â€Å"comfortable lifestyle, peaceful democracy and overwhelming natural beauty† (Firestone et. al 20). Furthermore, Costa Rica is home to over four million Ticos – this is what Costa Ricans call themselves. You can consider yourselves lucky to have the opportunity to get a taste of what Costa Rica offers because this country is known to be the most user-friendly nation in Central America. This means plenty of cheap buses that can take you to the most beautiful tourist spots, several accommodations waiting to make you feel at home, and a multitude of decent eateries and restaurants in most corners of the country. However, since Costa Rica boasts of a higher standard of living compared to its neighboring countries, prices tend to be slightly higher. Yet do not fret, this only means you are certain to experience quality goods and services throughout the country (Firestone et. al 20-22). Moreover, Costa Rica is the third smallest country in Central America, with a land area of 19,730 square miles. It is actually a bit smaller than West Virginia so you can visit all the places in your itinerary in just a short period of time. Furthermore, the country is bounded by Nicaragua in the north, Panama in the south and southeast, the Caribbean Sea in the northeast, and the Pacific Ocean in the west and southwest. It is further defined by three geographical regions, namely, the Pacific lowlands with steep cliffs and narrow white beaches; the central highlands with temperate and populous basins; and the Caribbean lowlands with flat plains and flowing streams. Though this naturally rich country is a tropical one, the best time to visit is in the summer or â€Å"verano† by the end of the year. Nonetheless, if you wish to know what their wet season feels like, then go there in the middle of the year to experience winter or â€Å"invierno. In addition, whether in â€Å"verano† or in â€Å"invierno,† one can never go wrong with Costa Rica’s flora and fauna. Tropical rainforests, tropical dry forests, and coastal vegetations, and various species of amphibian and reptiles, mammals, birds, and insects (Foley & Cooke, 7-17) – these just depict the beauty and richness nature blessed Costa Rica with. Looking back in time, the Spanish were the first to be captivated by t his richness. In fact, they optimistically referred to the country as the â€Å"Rich Coast† when they began settling in the region in 1522, thinking that it holds several gold and other mineral reserves. Yet they only found little and so they shifted to agriculture. Moreover, together with other provinces in Central America, Costa Rica declared independence from Spain in 1821, after almost three centuries of ruling. These newly-independent provinces formed an alliance. Because of border disputes though, the federation failed to thrive so Costa Rica withdrew and declared its sovereignty in 1838. The years that followed were smooth-sailing with a peaceful democracy beginning in 1899. This positive development persists up to this very day with only two notable disruptions – one in 1917-19 when Federico Tinoco governed with dictatorship and the other in 1948 when Jose Figueres led an armed uprising following a doubtful presidential election (US Department of State). Hence, Costa Rica has since been peaceful, not to mention, progressive. A close look at its economy would reveal that it has enjoyed a stable economic growth before the global economic crisis. Instrumental to this growth are the country’s export commodities such as coffee, sugar, and beef as well as the widening trade of industrial and specialized agricultural products. Moreover, Costa Rica has kept its 15 to 20 percent poverty rate for almost 20 years. In addition, foreign investors are attracted to enter the country because of its political stability, high quality of education, and fiscal incentives. Needless to say, tourists like you, who are attracted to the rich biodiversity of the country, contribute greatly to the economy as ecotourism continues to develop and strengthen (Central Intelligence Agency). This ecotourism of Costa Rica is in fact one of the country’s fastest improving sector (Tourist Spots Organization). In fact, the government has signed various trade agreements with other countries. Who knows, this trip of yours may be a product of one of those agreements. So once you land in Costa Rica, either through the international airport Juan Santamaria in San Jose or the Daniel Oduber in Liberia (Costa Rica Tourism), your first instinct would be to go directly to that tourist spot of your choice. Well in this case Costa Rica has plenty, from national parks to mountains and volcanoes, from beaches to cultural sites – Costa Rica has these options and more that would suit various tastes. For those who want to head out straight to the waters, Cocos Island and Puerto Viejo Beach are just two options. A choice of water sports such as kayaking, surfing, and scuba diving as well as rich marine life await visitors in these top spots. For those who wish to witness the natural wonder of the country at its best, try Tortuguero National Park and Tenorio Volcano National Park. For the nature lovers, a trip to Poas Volcano to see the two crater lakes may be an option. For the adventurous ones, rock climbing and hiking in Chirripo Mountain may be the perfect activities. For the animal lovers, Monteverde Reserve, which houses the extinct gold toad as well as squirrels, wild pigs, and porcupines, may just be the right place. For those who want to see two attractive spots in one location, the Area de Conservacion Guanacaste, which comprises of the Junquillal Bay Wildlife Refuge and the Rincon de la Vieja National Park, may be the best spot. For those who wish to spend a quiet time in the city, the Teatro Nacional de Costa Rica may offer the peace you long for (Tourist Spots Organization). However, in visiting these marvelous tourist spots, it is important that you get to know Ticos in order to deal with them well. For one, they opt to think small, go slow, and avoid risks, anxiety, and overwork. They also put high value to their families and tend to give them favored treatments. They likewise have a strong belief on equality than most Latin Americans and further hold a strong sense of personal honor and dignity regardless of their social status. Hence, it is very important to note that you need to avoid embarrassing another person especially in public. Moreover in decision-making, a consensus is more likely to happen, which sometimes slows down the process. Hence, showing of impatient attitude is discouraged and lowers credibility. Furthermore, as time and deadlines may be flexible, be tolerant and understanding of delays and put in mind that courtesy and enjoyment are more important than time. Remember to address Ticos properly with Mr. /Senor, Mrs. Senora, or Miss/Senorita plus the last name. Also, avoid resting your feet on any furniture but footstools. Finally, when you decide to head out to the beach, shorts for men will do while too much revealing clothes for women will not (qtd. in Tacey, 1-3). With these, I hope you now have a clear picture of what your tour to the Switzerland of Central America will be like; yet no lecture or discussion of the place would surpass the real thing. So make the most out of what Costa Ri ca can offer and be sure to enjoy.