Educating Rita †the Consequence of Change Essay

Belonging implies change, and change rarely comes without consequence. The progression to belong into a now culture or place may be physical, emotional or mental. Rita, driven by feeling inadequate is the main character in Willy Russell’s play, Educating Rita. She achieves a successful move into her new world. However, she must overcome change which will come at a personal cost. Throughout the play Willy Russell depicts many themes; these include relationships, choice and consequence, social class and change. These themes are constantly seen in â€Å"good will hunting†, directed by Gus Van Sant. Staring Matt Damon who plays â€Å"will hunting†, an abused foster child, he subconsciously blames himself for his unhappy upbringing and turns this self-loathing into a form of self-sabotage in both his professional and emotional life. The story is about his challenge to break from his working-class culture and move on. However, he will face many changes through-out his quest to belong. Relationships can mould or trigger change, and change is seen throughout Educating Rita. Rita embarks on an Open University course as she wants more out of her life. Rita see’s education as an exit route from her current life, she is â€Å"out of step† with her husband, family and friends – Rita wants to â€Å"discover [herself] first†, before wanting to compensate with having a child with Denny. Denny’s obsession of one day settling down with a family leads to the later divorce and failure of their marriage. Rita’s initial depiction of Denny towards Frank was that Denny â€Å"was blind†, Rita differentiates herself by stating that â€Å"[she ] wants to see†. Denny does not understand nor is willing to negotiate or communicate with Rita throughout act one, Denny’s aggressive behaviour leads to the savage action of burning her books, in scene five, and later Rita’s moving out of the house. This change was a consequence of Rita’s action to educate herself, despite Rita’s suffering she is still sympathetic and forgiving towards Denny, this is reinforced by Rita describing where â€Å"the girl he married has gone too† and she later states â€Å"he said I’d betrayed him. I suppose I had†. Throughout act one the audience is accounted for the growing bond between Rita and Frank. In act one scene one the stuck door is a metaphor for the effort required to change. Rita is confronted by a physical barrier which she would later overcome. Rita’s relationship with Frank develops throughout the play, she is uncomfortable in the first scene of act one, as she is unfamiliar with her surroundings. Rita’s discomfort is depicted through her agile talking, swearing and her constant moving about, this is evident through scene one as Rita feels â€Å"nervous† as she was â€Å"testing† frank. Rita is initially physically separated from Frank; there is an intangible barrier between Rita and Frank. However, this is quickly diminished as their relationship develops, this is evident as throughout the play, Rita starts to become less nervous and starts to sit down next to Frank, Rita stops â€Å"talking at† Frank and starts â€Å"talking [with]† him. Despite Rita’s lost relationship with Denny and a growing bond with Frank, Rita is still definitely torn between two worlds, this is evident through act one scene seven where Rita states that she is a â€Å"half-cast†. Rita’s experience in London at summer school is significant as this is the beginning of a new Rita , however , it is also the beginning of a drift in Rita’s and Franks relationship. She is able to gain confidence to talk â€Å"sophisticatedly†, this boost in confidence gave her the courage to talk and meet new friends, creating a new circle of friends for Rita. This means Rita is less dependent of Frank; this is evident through her late appearances to their tutorials or not attending at all. Frank confronts Rita complaining â€Å"†¦ that there was a time when you told me everything†. Franks view of Rita changes as the play progresses, Frank is disenchanted with Rita’s transformation under the influence of Trish and Tyler. Rita, for her part, has lost her initial respect towards Frank, this is evident as Frank is constantly drinking and smoking, whereby Rita is trying to keep clean and â€Å"change for the better†. Relationships encounter difficulties which make it harder to belong; however, the nature of relationships alters due to the individual’s choices and the consequences which follow as a result. Rita’s motivations in moving into the world are to achieve some sort of choice about the direction her life will follow. Rita does not want to follow her working-class path of blindness; instead she wants to achieve an education so that she is prone to more informed choices. Rita’s choice to enrol in an Open University course is the first stage of choices; this choice was subsequently looked down upon by Denny. However, even though Rita enrolled to the course she is faced with the consequences of both Denny and actually completing the course, even after she was accepted to the course she was compensating to â€Å"pack the course in†, coming very close to doing that in act one scene seven. However, the sight of her mother’s disappointment of not â€Å"singing a different song† is evidence of her unhappiness towards the culture. This scene is the ultimatum Rita is faced with, she is forced to make a decision between her working class and the middle class, as she is nether belonging to the working nor the middle class. This is evident as she states that she is a â€Å"freak† and a â€Å"half-cast†, however, her mother’s unhappiness is a key influence to her decision to stay at the Open University. To Rita the availability of choice is something of a luxury, she has no plan to what she is going to after she finishes the course†¦ However, Rita pampers to the availability of choices. This is evident in the last scene, where Rita is going to do her exams, she does not know what she is going to do for Christmas, however, she says, â€Å"i dunno. I’ll make a decision, I’ll choose. † This reinforces Rita’s luxury of â€Å"choice†. Rita’s choice to study has huge consequences in her personal life. This caused friction with her husband, which later is the key factor to the breakdown of the marriage. The alienation of Rita from her family and friends is yet another consequence of her choice to study. Rita’s alienation is seen in act one scene seven, as Rita cannot find a place to belong, she feels â€Å"out of step†, from both her family and Frank/upper class, describing herself as a â€Å"half-cast†. Rita’s and Frank’s bond slowly diminishes and they both drift away from each other, to a point where frank starts calling her different names. Frank is open too Rita, subsequently Rita is not, Frank feels his â€Å"creation† had turned out to be a â€Å"monster†. Frank decides to call himself â€Å"Mary Shelly†, this is significant as Frank has related Rita and himself to a gothic number called â€Å"Frankenstien†. Franks allusion shows the audience that Rita has â€Å"changed for the worst†. Throughout Educating Rita, there is heavy emphasis of moving into a different social class. Rita is dissatisfied with the limitations she faces within her current working class life. She doesn’t fit in with her peers in her working class neighbourhood; this is evident in act one scene two where she acknowledges that most of her peers would have had a baby, Rita on the other hand wants to â€Å"discover [herself]† and wants â€Å"a better way of livin’†. She attempts to explain her restlessness to Denny, but Denny’s interpretation of Rita’s materialistic terms as just simply saving up and â€Å"moving to a better neighbourhood†. Rita feels congested on the moral values of the working class culture she is a part of. This is evident in act one scene four, she depicts her class as everyone wanting to have a baby, she says that â€Å"everyone expects it†, everyone expects Rita to settle down to a life of marriage. Rita strives for a better social class, one which she can connect with, feeling a large sense of belonging, her desire for a better way of living leads her into the world, letting her husband, Denny behind she can only go forward. As she progresses through her Open University course, she starts to feel more of a â€Å"half cast†, belonging in nether class. She cannot relate to her working class friends, however, she also cannot speak the language of the middle class. Rita’s view of the working class if very critical, she completely denies their culture claiming that she see’s â€Å"everyone pissed†¦ because their lives have no meanin’†. Her view on education is a view of â€Å"setting her free†. In Rita’s first tutorial, she looks outside Franks window peering at the students on the grass, stating; â€Å"god, what’s it like to be free? † an ironic view because Frank is not free, and only restricted as he is unsatisfied with his job, drinking his way though each day. Whilst educating Rita provides the audience with a good account of an individual’s progression to belong to a new culture, â€Å"good will hunting† portrays a complementary account. Like Rita, â€Å"Will hunting† is from the working class culture. Good Will Hunting is a poetic story of a young man’s struggle to find his place in the world by first finding out who he is. This is the case for Rita, she is trying to â€Å"discover herself† . The movie is a journey through the mind of Will Hunting as he is forced to endure therapy instead of jail. With the help of the psychologist, played by Robin Williams, Will discovers himself and realizes his value in the world by understanding what matters to him most. An abused foster child, he subconsciously blames himself for his unhappy upbringing and turns this self-loathing into a form of self-sabotage in both his professional and emotional life. The story is about his challenge to break from his working-class culture, Will Hunting emphasises the elements within â€Å"Educating Rita†, although Will is a troubled genius, they both hold the same characteristics. Will, like Rita experiences the hardships of belonging to a new culture, Will Hunting is also faced with an Ultimatum; Will doesn’t see the opportunities which lie ahead of him, blinded by his path. However, he is put straight by his best mate; Chuckie who states â€Å"Look – you’re my best friend, so don’t take this the wrong way. In twenty years, if you’re still livin’ here, comin’ over to my house, still workin’ construction, I’ll kill you. That’s not a threat I’ll kill you†. This harsh statement is the turning point for Will. Will is completely different to Rita; they are both worlds away from each other. However, in both cases, moving onto a new world involves painful change before moving forward. In both these accounts, moving into a new world involves difficulties and challenges, both characters strive for an education to achieve their desired outcome. Rita achieves her ultimate goal of having â€Å"choice† through education. Will Hunting in â€Å"good will hunting† is forced to take upon education to strive for a better class, to open his opportunities. In both these cases, we see that to go into a new world is overwhelmed by difficulties, but it could also bring their desired reward.

Firearms at a Crime Scene Essay

After a firearm has been photographed at the scene, it will be necessary to be rendered safe. An automatic pistol will require its magazine to be removed and the round extracted from the chamber. When removing the magazine it will need to be handled carefully in order to preserve potential fingerprint evidence and be placed in a paper or plastic evidence bag. The round from the chamber should be placed in a plastic vial or paper envelope. A revolver will need to have the rounds taken from the chambers within the cylinder. The chamber that is on top and in line with the barrel will need to be marked. The cylinder and chambers should be sketched and assigned numbers. As the rounds are removed from the chambers, they need to be placed in individual plastic vials or paper envelopes with a corresponding chamber number indicated. Regardless of type, automatic or revolver, each firearm will need to have an identification tag affixed to its trigger guard. The identification tag needs to contain the hammer position, caliber, make, model and serial number of the firearm, the investigators name, date, time, and location of collection. An additional identifier can be scratched on to the firearm, in an inconspicuous location, and in a manner that will not damage potential evidence. If the firearm was recovered from under the water’s surface, it will need to be cleared as mentioned previously, pertinent details recorded, and placed in an evidence container that will allow it to remain covered in the same water that it was found. The firearm should not be cleaned or allowed to dry. The rounds recovered from either type of weapon will need to be packaged individually, preferably in plastic vials or paper envelopes. Each vial or envelop will need to be accompanied by the following information: date, time and location of recovery, caliber, and investigators name. If a bullet is found at the scene it should be handled carefully in order to protect the striation marks. Bullets should not be pulled out of materials that they are lodged in; the surrounding materials should be broken or chiseled away. The bullet should be marked either on the point or the base, wrapped in tissue paper, placed in a plastic vial or envelope, and the afore mentioned information attached to the applicable evidence container. Spent shell casings, if found, should be picked up with tweezers or forceps, marked with an identifier near the mouth of the casing, packaged individually in plastic vials or envelopes, and be accompanied by the previously mentioned pertinent information. It is imperative that the chain of custody reflects the change of possession when any item is handed over to a laboratory or testing facility.

Advertising Strategy Used by Old Navy to Target Young Male Customers Essay

Advertising Strategy Used by Old Navy to Target Young Male Customers - Essay Example With the suggested demographics, psychographics and lifestyle elements already selected for this targeted consumer, it appears that you have decided that he is young and virile, has changing tastes and is very much into fashion trends, is a typical metro-sexual living a college life on campus or off it. As members of this young community, the minds of people like Mike are always changing as they are swayed by the latest trends on the move, with the I-Phone, the Internet and the I-Pad very much a part of their lives. With opinions on social media dominating their tastes and choices, it is a wise move to have targeted the bulk of your advertising budget towards the Internet and social media network advertising. Opening pages on Facebook and Twitter has become a necessity now rather than an exception. With millions of users not only in the USA but right across the world, social media pages, opinions and advertising is the way to go nowadays and I commend the new advertising agency for r ecognizing and helping you capitalize on this trend. I noticed that the new advertising campaign makes use of online video instead of television. This would be in line with the viewing habits of the young teenagers and adolescent group that the company wants to target for increased business. I might add that this is a very good strategy and is well timed too, as industry analysts have noted that the market for men’s apparel was up 3.3 percent last year, compared to the average rise of 1.9 percent in shopping for clothes for both sexes. It was also seen that in the three months of the year ending February 2011, the sales in men’s apparel was 12 percent higher than last year. Consumer analysts have also noticed that as men are taking more and more interest in their wardrobes, they tend to order similar pieces in a variety of colors if a style and a cut suits them. This is what is likely to boost men’s clothing sales even in a recession. The only thing that I do no t like about the present advertising strategy for men’s clothing is that the ads have not been tastefully made. Of course I understand that they are meant to be humorous, but as any sane person and especially a stand-up comedian can tell you, it is really hard to make people laugh. In fact it is an art form that the likes of Eddie Murphy, Danny Kaye, Buster Keaton, Robin Williams and even Charles Chaplin took years to perfect. No one finds the same things funny, and most of us laugh at different things at different times. When you make an ad for young men’s clothing and want to connect it to humor, there is a danger that your product too will not be taken seriously at all. The ad for Super Tool is really pathetic and needs to be taken off the air immediately. Frankly I fail to see the humor in it at all! Some scenes are images have decidedly religious inferences-like the man with the sheep that reminded me that Christ was the Paschal Lamb of God or the papal style head gear that is worn by the model in the beginning of the advertisement. The entire ad consists of disjointed scenes and elements that are intriguing but have no connection and no purpose. A very disappointing ad if I may say so, in fact disgusting and easily forgettable (Advertising Age, 2011). I would suggest a complete remake from scratch and more cleverly made.

Nursing Children and Childbearing Families Essay - 1

Nursing Children and Childbearing Families - Essay Example It can also lead to abortion and still birth (RCOG, 2008). b) Folate supplementation prior to conception reduces the risk of neural tube defects like spina bifida. It is recommended to take this B-group vitamin, much before conception to third month of pregnancy. Seven out of ten cases of neural tube defects can be prevented by taking folate supplementation. It important to take folate before conception because neural tube formation occurs during initial weeks when pregnancy is most often not confirmed. The recommended dose for supplementation is 400 micrograms per day (RCOG, 2009). Question 2. a) Breast feeding has several advantages to the baby and the mother. Advantages to mother include decreased risk of certain diseases like osteoporosis and cancers, faster return of uterus to prepregnancy state, natural contraception and psychological sense of confidence as the mother provides completed nourishment for her baby. For the baby, the benefits include complete nutrition that is easi ly digestible, safe, warm and palatable, protection from infectious diseases because of presence of antibodies in the milk especially in the colostrum, enhancing of mother-child bonding and attachment and decrease in the risk of atopic dermatitis, asthma and other chronic illnesses. b) Breast feeding protects the babies from developing allergies. The main immune factor that is responsible for the benefits is a substance called secretory immunoglobulin A (IgA) that's present in large amounts in colostrum. Babies fed on cow's milk or soy milk or even other formula feeds tend to have increased risk of allergies. The IgA forms a protective layer on the intestinal wass preventing undigested proteins from causing allergic reactions. Another important characteristic of breast milk that helps the baby is that it enhances cognitive development in infant because of breast-feeding, prolonged skin contact, the reduction in maternal stress with feeding, and the improved mother-infant interaction . Breast milk also has some brain growth factors which help in the growth of brain and development of intelligent skills (WHO, 2011). Question 3. a) Positive effects of early discharge include recovery of mother and child in a familiar atmosphere of home, decreased risk of iatrogenic infections and decreased health care costs (NICE, 2007). Negative effects include increased risk of readmission due to feeding problems, unopened bowels, reflux-related problems and neonatal jaundice and increased risk of mortality due to choking episodes and other illnesses like viral illness (NICE, 2007). b) Recovery in a familiar home environment decreases stress for the mother and also family members because of increased availability of resources and comfort at home. In the hospital, the child and mother can contract infections from other patients and this can increase the duration of hospital stay and health care costs. Feeding is not established until third or fourth day after delivery and feeding problems can be stressful both for the mother and the baby and can in turn lead to decreased milk production. This becomes a vicious cycle. Improper feeding techniques can cause choking in the baby or even hypoglycemic episodes. Presence in the hospital allows health professionals help the mother and tackle any complications immediately. Exaggerated physiological jaundice and jaundice due to ABO incompatibility are more often detected on the third or fourth da

SOCIALIZATION ASSIGNMENT Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

SOCIALIZATION - Assignment Example It seems clear I am not a carbon copy of my parents. I suspect that the greatest socializing influences on my values and beliefs have been my religion, the city where I grew up, and my school. I am a Muslim, from United Arab Emirates, in the Middle East. I spent my childhood and teen years in Abu Dhabi, and went to an international school. I meet many people for whom religion is just something they were born into and direct no effort toward. For me, being Muslim is an active organization of beliefs. By active, I mean it is more than rules and doctrine. It is a way of life that is visible every day, every choice, every relationship with others. I pray toward our holy city, Mecca, and I am reoriented and refreshed in my soul. I pray because God is God, and I feel a part of something very beautiful. I feel the effect of our prayers on the world is a helpful thing. It is a time for quiet, a time for connection to Allah and to the Prophet, (peace be upon him). No matter where I am, in the world, and no matter who are my friends and what are my influences, I pray and know, again, who and what I am. Islam is a religion of which I feel proud. When I read the Holy Qur’an, I am connected into a history of my people and instructions for how to live a right way. Islam is a religion that is not confined to the region of my birth, but has spread all over the world. Some people misunderstand and think it is a religion of conflict, but actually it is a way of peace. We Muslims greet each other in peace, and return the blessing of peace when we are greeted. This greeting is a cultural symbol. It includes us with the Muslim we are greeting and with all Muslims because that idea of inclusiveness is part of the phrase we speak. Muslims have contributed many good things to the world. From the invention of algebra and hospitals to the building of the Hamarabi and the Taj Mahal,

Policy Paper Middle East Term Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Policy Middle East - Term Paper Example The mere fact that Syria is facing a civil war constitutes the problem statement, and other associated factors in form of internal and external elements of the overall scenario of Syria. The paper looks at the current standing of civil war in Syria, the historic perspective and the elements that contributed towards it and the future outlook of the country. Syria at present is in the grip of civil war. Further intentions and objectives include getting an understanding and familiarity of the dynamics of the Syrian territory, politics, society, demographics and other associated factors. Assessment in terms of the foreign states and their influence is also part of the study . The topic also provides an overview of the current problem faced by Syria in terms of the ongoing internal civil war. Key words: Civil War, Shiite community. One party state, chemical weapons. Background: Syria is situated in the south western part of Asia and is important on multiple accounts. One of these accounts is the neighborhood and demographic importance. Syria has its borders with Turkey, Israel and Lebanon. Hence the mere geography of Syria speaks of its strategic importance and mere turbulence in Syria would lead to the disturbance of balance in the entire region. Population of Syria makes up for around 22 million citizens and Syria is a multi cultural society that is relatively progressive in its outlook as compared to various other societies of the Middle East. Damascus is the capital city of the country and is centre to the business and political activities and from foreign viewpoint; it is center of attention as well. Syria is a Muslim populous country with over 85 percent of population constituting the Sunni Muslims while the remaining small percentage constitutes the Shiite community of Muslims. Apart from the largely represented population of Muslims there are traces of Christians and they have absolute freedom of worship and other elements of private life in the best manner possible. The form of government in Syria: The country has an uneven history of political affairs. The first unevenness came about in the 1960s when an elected government was toppled by the then Military leader Hafiz Al Asad. Hafiz Al Asad went on to rule the country for next three decades. His rule and reign came to an end around the 21st century and his rule was succeeded by his son Hafiz Al Asad. Since then, the political spectrum of country has been dominated and run by the family politics. The Alawati family is in the corridors of power since last four decades and the country has shaped up into a single party state. It is the small minority of the Shiite community that has been ruling over the majority Sunni community and as a result has created a vacuum and imbalance of the political activities(Billingsley, 2009, 151). The country does not enjoy true and transparent democracy, Bashar Al Asad has been elected to the seat of President ship on multiple instances. Syria once also remained as the part of Mandate system set forth by League of Nations and was given into the custody of France and later on gained its independence as an independent state afterwards. The country depicts number of features and elements that are characteristic of a despotic, tyrant and unelected leadership. The first challenge and vacuum is in form of the absence of any other political party. The

Business Ethics and Consequentialism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Business Ethics and Consequentialism - Essay Example Ethics compliance includes implementing acts that serve the common good for the greater number of recipients. 1.Utilitarian ethics issues in this Case. There are utilitarian ethics issues in the case of the pacemaker case. The electronics company can generate the greater good to the greatest number of people. The principle of consequentialism or utilitiarian ethics states that the end justifies the means. The correct action is that action that brings out the greatest good to the entire community or population (http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/utilitarianism-history/#JerBen). For example, it is a common good to kill a convicted felon to prevent individuals from committing the same illegal acts (Portmore, 2011). Jeremy Bentham insisted that correct actions are those that bring about or increase happiness, and reduce pain (http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/utilitarianism-history/#JerBen). Applying the above consequentialism theory to the case, producing the electronic parts of the pace maker produces the greatest good for the greatest number of people (http://www.scu.edu/ethics/dialogue/candc/cases/supplier.html). The purpose of the pacemaker is to prolong the life of the dying person. Without a heart, the person will die. The pacemaker helps the heart beat. Without the pacemaker, the person would die a natural death. Consequently, the pacemaker prolongs the life of the pacemaker recipient for several years. By focusing on helping the pacemaker manufacturer improve the functional quality of the pacemakers, the electronics company helps increase the success of the pacemakers. Consequently, there is an increase in the pacemaker’s capacity to keep the failing human heart from stopping its continuous beating motion (http://www.scu.edu/ethics/dialogue/candc/cases/supplier_comments.html). 2) Jeremy Bentham Concept on the Case. Jeremy Bentham, father of utilitarianism, will rightly approve the decision to continue producing the electronic parts of the pacemakers. By helping the pacemaker manufacturers improve the functional quality of the pacemakers, the electronics company increases the functional quality of the pacemakers. Consequently, the pacemaker adds more years to the dying patients’ lives. For the dying person, adding more years to one’s earthly life is a greater good when compared to just letting the patient die a natural death (Bentham, 2009). The popularity of the pacemaker is its capacity to prolong the dying person’s life by stimulating the non-beating heart to beat. Without the pacemakers’ stimulating motion, the patient would have died instantly. The improved pacemakers will increase the patients’ and their families’ pleasure of having their dying relative live additional years on earth and avoiding the pain of losing their dying relative at an earlier date. 3. Utility test. Step A. There are three alternatives. The first alternative is to stop supplying the electronic parts of the pac emakers. Second, the electronics company will continue producing the electronic parts of the pacemakers and coordinate with the pacemaker company to improve the success rate of the pacemakers (Mandal, 2010). Step B. The are consequences and costs of each alternative. In terms of alternative 1, the short term and long term benefits (consequences) include removing the possible of future medical suits from the pacemaker patients and being wrongly blamed for the pacemaker’

Review Movie Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Movie Review Example The authors have made it clear in the chapter that families are not formed just because of economic reasons. Blau, Ferber, and Winkler states, â€Å"Human need for companionship, sexual attraction, affection, and the desire to have children also play a substantial part in family formation† (34). Economic factors although play a major role but the desire to live with the opposite gender is a more logical reason to form a family. Along with the focus on family formation, the authors have also discussed the reason behind family breakups. Some of the main reasons provided in this chapter included desire of a person to have sexual relationships with more than one partner, incompatibilities, and human need of independence. The authors have evaluated the neoclassical model of family in detail in order to highlight the advantages associated with this model. Along with the benefits of neoclassical model of family, the authors have also discussed the traditional model in which men are supposed to perform outdoor activities and women are supposed to remain at homes for taking care of the children. The decline of traditional model of family is also discussed in this chapter. The authors have described the disadvantages of specialization and revealed that couples can enjoy a number of economic benefits while living in the form of families. Specialization is just one issue; couples can gain many other economic benefits while living in families. The traditional division of labor is the biggest disadvantage of the traditional families. After discussing traditional model in some detail, the authors have shifted their focus towards neoclassical approaches of transactional costs along with Marxist feminist and radical feminist views and different bargaining models. The authors have also discussed how men and women usually allocate their time to work and family and how the allocation of time is changing with

Making Invisible Work Visible by Andrew Parker, Rob Cross- Article Essay

Making Invisible Work Visible by Andrew Parker, Rob Cross- Article Analysis - Essay Example The researchers strive to present the recommendations for the firms through which they can attain better support work occurring in informal network of employees. The recommendations are based upon the research work conducted among a consortium Fortune 500 companies and government agencies. The researchers assessed collaboration and work in almost 40 information networks created within 23 different entities. The provided strategic and operational values are studies to find out their role in allowing the employees to collaborate and integrate their expertise with the organization. The article basically assesses and supports the information network and examines their significance for the organizations. The author believes that the informal social networks allow the employees to deeply understand and reflect the working patterns of the organization in much better way than the employees working in formal structure. The informal special networks however remain invisible and sometimes the m anagers fail to understand the problems developing within the firms. The authors also describe the background of the evaluation of the social networking techniques and inform that the idea sociogram is credited to Dr. J.T. Moreno who has been regarded as the inventor of social networks. He paved the way towards new approach of social structure and presents the concept of role and position. The article also stresses upon the importance of informal social network in the context of management challenges in globalization era. The informal networks are influenced from the information design of the organization whereas physical proximity and nature of the work also determine the structure of informal social networks maintained by the organization. The researchers also identified three specific areas where they believe that social network analysis is uniquely effective. These areas include "promoting effective collaboration within a strategically important group; supporting critical junctu res in networks that cross functional, hierarchical, or geographic boundaries; and ensuring integration within groups following strategic restructuring initiatives† (p28). The researchers found that social network analysis is a powerful and effective managerial tool that perform wide array of functions for the organizations. The patterns of information sharing within and across the networks also became visible through the social network analysis (SNA). Moreover, SNA allows identifying and solving the issues and problems being faced by the group of people within the organization. The specific behaviours of the employees could also be studies better and all this understanding allows taking the appropriate steps for improvement of group efficiency and effectiveness. There is wide variety of benefits of social network analysis identified by the researchers. They explain that information networks also support the employees' job satisfaction and performance that ultimately benefit t he overall productivity of the firms. It is very important for the management to understand the importance of social network because it the highly competitive market place they cannot rely upon the traditional networks and require the support of information social network to foster the process of communication with the employees and to avail wide range of benefits of informal social networks. The authors conclude that the present era is marked with

Consumer Behavior and the Demand Curve Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Consumer Behavior and the Demand Curve - Essay Example This essay projects on the consumer behavior towards these electronic vehicles over the coming years and how it shall cause movements along the demand curve as well as shifts on the demand curve. The movement along the demand curve will be caused by changes in prices of the electric vehicles, either increase or decrease in the prices. The shifts will be caused by preferences of the consumer to buy the vehicles irrespective of the increases and decreases in the vehicles prices, consumers believe that the vehicles will help reduce environmental pollution and the prices of other related vehicles whereby if other vehicles prices increase considerably, then consumers will settle for electric vehicles. The demand curve will shift upwards since consumers are optimistic that the electronic vehicles will serve their purpose and hence prefer to buy them. In addition, the vehicles batteries are expected to be improved making them to last longer than they do at the moment and hence attract more consumers causing the demand curve to shift upwards. For now, people who buy electric vehicles, as Levine puts it, always want to be seen to have class and style. They therefore are highly educated people, successful businesspersons, and those who earn highly in their areas of specialization. These people are few as compared to average people who earn too little to think of buying electric vehicles. There are those who would want to buy the electronic vehicles simply on the grounds that they promote green environment only to find that electronic vehicles costs is beyond their means. Many a consumer is always excited about the electronic vehicles when they hear about them for the first time, but when they are told of price, their interest in those vehicles decreases. Majority of consumers are also concerned with the appearance of the vehicle, their performance and how reliable they are. Given these costs, sales for most electronic vehicles have remained low. For instance, Nissan Volt has recorded very dismal sales performances due to prices the company has attached to them. Terlep acknowledges that Electronic vehicles have elicited a lot of excitement among the consumers who think that electronic vehicles will be the norm of the day. However, according to analysts, this may not come into fruition any time sooner as it is only estimated that electronic vehicles will amount to 7.3% of all the vehicles sales by around 2020. Currently, there are only 2.2 percent of electronic vehicles in circulation. Projections indicated that fully electric cars will be about 10 percent of all the vehicles by 2020. Recent estimates show that electric and hybrid vehicles are 5.2 million as compared to 70.9 million sales that had been predicted earlier. Consumer choice It is a microeconomics theory that shows the preferences that make people consume goods and services to certain expenditure and this is what eventually leads to consumer demand curves. Ingram explains that the theory analyses how consumers are likely to attain equilibrium given their preferences and the level of expenditure they are in so that they can maximize utility under the budget constraints they could be in. Preferences are what the consumers desire to have with their level of income and hence make choices depending on the income allocated for goods and services.

Vintage International Essay Example for Free

Vintage International Essay I gazed at my reflection one more time. It was still serious-and what was surprising about that, since at that moment I was too? But at the same time, and for the first time in months, I distinctly heard the sound of my own voice. I recognized it as the same one that had been ringing in my ears for many long days, and I realized that all that time I had been talking to myself. 6 Before then, Meursault took everything as fate had predestinated for him. However, the moment he began talking to himself, he changed. He became active of his own life. In the isolated prison cell, he became aware of the power of his own mind, which was demonstrated by his rejection of the priest. For Gregor, he ate less and less, and began to drive more and more attention to his family. It was somehow giving him a pleasant feeling, despite of his starvation. For instance, when he listened to his sisters violin performance, it said, He felt as if the way were opening before him to the unknown nourishment he craved. 7 This scenario, which described Gregor getting nourishment from a feeling for his family rather than food, marked that he no longer sought happiness by satisfying physical needs. Being isolated from the society, he began to realize his feelings for his family. Summing up the three protagonists process of realization, their isolation had somehow granted them an opportunity to realize the power of their minds. It was only then that they began to see an alternative way in obtaining happiness. On their isolated islands, the protagonists gave up to achieve their happiness through physical body, but freed themselves from it instead. All three of them came to a realization that they could achieve true happiness through mind. As Ivan reviewed his day before he went to sleep, he accounted the satisfaction he had gained from the action decided by his own mind. Despite of the lack of food and physical discomfort in the morning, these feelings of physical discontent as the mental satisfaction became greater and greater as he gained essence of himself through living it. As he fell into sleep, he was very happy8. Ivans happiness was not from his physical state, but his mental state. It was his own decisions that brought him the satisfaction. His physical isolation had indeed deprived him many luxuries, yet it was the absence of these luxuries that led him to discover a happiness that could be achieved simply through mind. In the case of Meursault, he realized why he did not cry on his mother funeral. Isolated in his prison cell, he meditated and came to a conclusion that life was never predestined. The world was just there as it was. If he could put down the mind forgd manacles, forget the rules of the society; he was indeed a free person. Summing up his thoughts, he claimed, I felt that I had been happy and that I was happy again. 9 Like Ivan, although the physical isolation prevented Meursault from many pleasure possible by body, he found happiness by freeing himself from the values of the society. Such isolation had indeed provided him an opportunity to reflect his thoughts about life, leading to a mental happiness. As Gregor died, he discovered his love for his family, as hinted in the following passage. He thought of his family with tenderness and love. The decision that he must disappear was one that he held to even more strongly than his sister, if that were possible. In this state of vacant and peaceful meditation he remained until the tower clock struck three in the morning. 10 Despite of his familys hatred towards him, he still loved them and wished his death would bring them happiness. In isolation, he dwelled in a meditation with peace. Peace implied a freedom from violence. For Gregor it would be the violence in life to satisfy his physical needs. It was at the last moment when he freed himself from his body and achieved happiness through mind. All the protagonists in the end realized that they were all free individuals on their islands. They freed themselves from the rules of the world. Those were the very moments when they achieved happiness. Concluding the three protagonists expeditions to true happiness, in isolation, they all discovered a satisfaction in the mind instead of body. While sensual stimuli were reduced to the least, they saw something beyond. One may argue that they were resigning to life in their inevitable isolation, but they had indeed grasped an alternative happiness in such isolation. Like a walk with many people holding one long stick, no man is an island. The stick connects us all. As we proceed to the front, no matter what speed we are at, we move as a whole. Yet, we take the steps by ourselves. Happiness may be realized when we see our strength in taking that step, like the Ivan, Meursault and Gregor in the three novels. Word Count: A phrase from Meditation 17 by John Donne in 1624 2 Alexander Solzhenitsyn, One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, Bantam Books, 1990. (Hereafter ODITLOID) 3 Albert Camus, The Stranger, Vintage International, March 1989. (Hereafter TS) 4 Franz Kafka, Metamorphosis, W W Norton and Sons. (Hereafter M)

How Wars And Terrorism Affect Lebanese Vacation Industry Tourism Essay

How Wars And Terrorism Affect Lebanese Vacation Industry Tourism Essay Introduction The purpose of this thesis is to discuss how the Civil War (1975-1990), the July 2006 war, the assassination of Prime-Minister Rafic Hariri and terrorism acts like September 11, has affected tourism in Lebanon. Lebanon attracts tourists from every place in the world. Its adorable weather, natural sightseeing, rich traditions and culture and engaged financial trade market have created an environment ready to be enjoyed by foreigners visitors. Lebanon, was known as the Switzerland of Middle East before civil war (1960-1965). After that period the country had this image destroyed by that conflict and it has been hit by negative publicity due to a series of circumstances beyond its control, for example the September 11 act as well as foreigner media spreading the bad news and horrific pictures to all over the world (Kamalipour, 1995). The Lebanese Government has invested and worked on big projects in order to accelerate the progress in rebuilding the countrys infrastructure expecting that action would bring the tourism back to its peak. However the impressions of violence and terrorism, lack of security, language, ruins perceptions, and cultural barriers, low standard of accommodations, and inappropriate infrastructure still deters people from visiting Lebanon (Kanso, 2005). The war and terrorism affected not only the Tourism sector, but also the Economic one, leaving a big financial debt to Lebanon since there were no more income from the tourists and from the service-oriented businesses, according to data collected from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) (Economy Watch, 2009). One of the possible solutions that will be discussed in this study is the use of several communication tools within marketing advertising since the focus on reliable mass-media is crucial, such as: newspapers, radio, magazines, the Internet and the television. Stressing on the fully recovering of the tourism in Lebanon in order to leave the image that the war created behind, massive good publicity is essential to spread these messages and offering promotional advantages as part of a destination marketing communication campaign as well. This paper will also cover another alternatives in dealing with this challenge such as: promoting Lebanon as a tourist destination, reestablish the Lebanese title of the Switzerland of the Middle East and rise the tourism flow, so consequently improving the countrys economy. The promotion and restoration of Lebanon involves many factors not just physical but also political and in order to achieve the expected goals, a list of specific and several objectives has to be developed. Bringing Lebanon back to its old position as the top first tourism destination in the Middle East was a long run process, although not impossible to achieve. The study will cover the essential role of Tourism in Lebanons economy, development and stability as well the difficulties that the country passed through: from overcoming obstacles, political problems and traces from the war to a 1st tourist destination title achieved in 2009 (The New York Times, 2009). Methodology The methodology used to perform this study was done in 3 phases. 1) First was the collection of secondary data from the Lebanese Ministry of Tourism. 2) Intense workloads on articles, research on publications, books and news about the topic monitored by our supervisor. 3) Finalizing by analyzing, interpreting and writing the findings, outcomes and possible solutions. Tourism Scenario In the Middle East Middle East Tourism has experienced a significant growth in 2009 keeping its bright spot towards the rest of the world (AMEinfo, 2009). Data collected from STR Global (Smith Travel Research) between 1st January and 31st December 2009 proved the statistics: the Middle East hotels had reached the highest occupancy rate, average room rates profit and revPAR revenue per available room globally in 2009, according to Deloitte, the business advisory firm (AMEinfo, 2010). Even though the global economic crisis, followed by the H1N1 had slowdown the number of tourist arrivals in the Middle East, the UNWTO predicts a growth rate more than double to this region by 2020 compared to the other worldwide destinations (Bundhun, 2009). Middle East have been investing a lot of effort in order to attract all kind of tourists from leisure to business travelers. Monumental constructions, huge attractions, fantasy lands, rich culture and peculiar traditions are some of their special characteristics. The air traffic in the Middle East has also increased, and a good example of that is that its duty free spot was the only compared to other nations to show a significant growth in the region (Ligaya, 2009). Taking the example of Lebanon, in 2009 the country showed a considerable growth (2.000.000 arrivals approximately), due to several factors as: peace, stability and the fast development of several locations surrounding Beirut and other cities (Lebanese Ministry of Tourism, 2009). Lebanon Overview of the Country Civil War (1975-1990) There is no agreement between scholars and researchers on what was the real cause of the Lebanese civil war , but all what is sure that the war started in 13 April 1975 after the failed attempt to assassinate the leader of Maronite Pierre Gemayel and the ex-president of Lebanon by Palestinian gunmen which ended by the death of his bodyguard Joseph Abu Assi (Ghazi, 1997). In response to this crime, the massacre or Ain-el-Remmaneh incident happened, when a bus with Palestinian passengers was shoot on its way back from a conference to the refugee camp in Ain-el-Remmaneh which was a Christian part located in the east of Beirut , killing 26 Palestinians (Ghazi, 1997). In addition to the assassination of the ex-president Pierre Gemayel and the Ain-El_Remmaneh incident, the distinctions between the Christians and Muslims raised due to 2 factors: 1) the Maronites power was controlling the country 2) the lack of interest in the development of the Muslims areas. These were convenient reasons to start the civil war in Lebanon. The civil war started in 13 April 1975 after this incident between the Christian and the Palestinians. It lasted for 17 years. One year after, in June 1976 the Syrians joined the civil war in order to support the Christian against the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Progressive Socialist Party which was under the Druze command. In January 1989 six-member committee on Lebanon were chosen by the Arab League which was guided by the Kuwaiti foreign minister to find a solution and stop the civil war. After several discussions, the committee organized a conference of Lebanese parliamentarians in Taif, Saudi Arabia, to study the Taif agreement which was approved later by the Lebanese deputies after coming back to Lebanon from the conference (Ghazi, 1997). The goals of the Taif agreement : Stop the Civil War Decide the Arab identity of Lebanon Make sure that Lebanon is an independent, sovereign, free country and final homeland for all the Lebanese. Clear the nations political organization as a parliamentary democracy. Make the socio-economic system a free economy (Krayem, 2003). Significant achievements have been recognized after signing the Taif agreement: The war was finished. Most of the Lebanese citizens got back to their normal daily life. State institutions restored their autonomy. The army was now integrated. The economic decline situation was controlled (Krayem, 2003). The 1975 1990 civil war destroyed Lebanons infrastructure and damaged its economy. And since Lebanons economy and the flourishing of its touristic sector is so correlated to its political stability, the tourism sector was totally ruined 180,000 visitors in 1992 one years after the end of the civil war compared to 2.4 million visitors before the civil war . The Lebanese government has been stressed with the renewal of domestic manufacturing, mainly the tourism sector which make 20 % of the countrys GDP before the civil war (Ladki Sadik, 2004). Tourism before the Civil War Lebanon The Switzerland of MIddle East The Lebanese title Switzerland of Middle East came due to the 30 years of abundance and prosperity, that the country experienced before the civil war (1975-1990). The tourism was one of the most important source of income to the countrys economy, besides the magnificent growth in agriculture. By that time, before the war, the country was worldwide well known for its financial, banking and business polo tourism. And Beirut as a trendy, modern and one of the most open-minded city in the region, was considered to be the Paris of Middle East (Lebanese Global Information Center, 2005). Tourism during the Civil War As we can see from the graph during the civil war Lebanon went through inflation and in the 1990 post-war period the inflation started to decrease. The same with the exchange rate which start to grow after the civil war stopped . Tourism after the Civil War After the end of the war in 1990, the country was ready to start its reconstruction, beginning by the government: electing a president(for the parliament and for the republic), followed by the re-structure of the army. In 1992, after the election of prime minister Rafic Hariri, a real economic plan was designed and proposed, known as Horizon 2000: The plan, known as Horizon 2000, actually consists of securing, over the period 1995-2007, a cumulative volume of public investments of $ 18 billion. These investments are estimated according to a econometric simulation model to generate during the same period in the private sector investments of $ 42 billion. These investments are expected to maintain an average annual GDP growth rate of 8 per cent. This in turn should raise Lebanons income level to the upper limit of the middle-income countries (Norkonmaa, 1995). The Ministry of Tourism started on a large assortment of actions between 1993 and 1994: Reactivating plans and deals with bordering countries to switch over travel tours were used to attract a lot of visitors a year Looking for industrial and financial support from regional and international organizations to accomplish development projects Structure a tourist database to present statistics on the percentage of travelers and visitors of tourist positions and follow up of the business performs in the industry Six tourism bureau in Arab and western centers resumed their activities after they were closed for a period of time Cheering the reinstallation of the local and the international festivals. Instruct employees for all the jobs which is related to the tourism sector like hotels, restaurants and all the attraction places. They opened Jeita grotto now being operated with recent technology Excused broken tourist services from taxes (Kanso, 2005). Between the 1991 and 1996 the development and the reconstruction process achieve significant levels, reaching an average of 6.5 percent growth in the GDP. Most of these construction was from huge sums of private investment, from the Lebanese emigrants and Gulf Arabs who were assigned to rebuild the inhabited and marketable buildings destroyed during the war (Republic of Lebanon, 2010). In 1996, Hezbollah the political and Islamist military organization decided to support the Ministry of Tourism in order to help the reinvigoration of the roman temple of Baalbek in Beka Valley, a major tourist destination in Lebanon. This measure was part of their strategic plan, in order to change their image towards tourist and citizens, and reinvent them not only as political group but as secure and indigenous social and cultural organization. However the United States government continued to intercept their citizens from traveling to Lebanon, whilst Hezbollah is still armed (Theodoulou, 1996). According to Heyer, in the year of 1999, the revenue generated from tourism activities contributed 7.3% to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and an average growth of 14 percent between 1995 and 1999 proved Lebanons tourism was back on track (Heyer, 2009). However due to Israelian air strikes, the industry sector was prejudiced again in 2000 (Heyer, 2009). Because of Lebanons problem during several wars and conflicts, several Gulf cities as Dubai, Bahrain, Abu Dhabi replaced Beirut as a main playground destination in the Middle East, specially among the wealthy Arab tourists (Middle East, 2000), increasing significantly the tourism in these areas, leaving Lebanon years away far from development. The 15 years war, besides destroying physically the country, almost killed completely its economy. The tourism which was one of the main supports of direct income, was vanished for a long period and the political and government sectors collapsed. Besides the lives lost and those one injured, the damages, financially analyze were about U$ 5 billion (Norkonmaa, 1995). After the war stopped the tourism started developing again, and this time the country started receiving a special kind of tourist called the curious tourist. People who went to Lebanon they wanted to see the post war consequences, how is the life after the war and how the building were looking like (Raschka, 1992). The Russians arent coming, but the French, South Africans, Japanese, Greeks and Colombians are. They are all flocking to see what post war Lebanon looks like (Raschka, 1992). Lebanon lost a lot of tourists due to the war. The main reasons were that they were afraid to go there and also because everything was damage and destroyed. There was nothing to do there as an attraction but destruction. Tourists from the other countries were still few. The US is not encouraging Americans people to go and visit Lebanon because of its bad image created by the civil war. Before the civil war statistics showed that Lebanon had two million visitors in 1974, and after the war in 1992 (the first year after the war) Lebanon had 175,000 visitors, which was a big difference (Raschka, 1999). According to Abdul Hamid Fakhoury, President of Middle Eastern Airlines, his airline alone used to carry 1.2 million passengers, 85 per cent of whom were foreigners compared to 800,000 passengers carried in 1993 less than 25 per cent of whom were foreigners. All the industry in Lebanon such as Hotels, Port, Airport, and Travel agencies were affected by the civil war. According to the Lebanese Hotel owners Association 145 hotels were damage and in Beirut the number of hotel had fallen from 130 to 44 and the contribution of tourism to GNP which was 20 % before the civil war declined to 7.4% in 1977 visitors spend only 469272 nights in Beirut 1979 compared with 2307122 nights in 1974 which is the period of the civil war. The Middle East Airline lost a lot of profit LP14m in the 1975 and PL69.1m because of the civil war and in 1982 they were obliged to close for 115 days and five aircraft were destroyed. According to the Yearbook of tourism Statistics the number of visitors to Lebanon from 1998 to 2000: (World Tourism organization, Yearbook of tourism Statistics, 2004) The war not just disallowed Lebanon from following a violent tourism rules that assemble the ever-changing wants of the international tourist but from the other side formed a lot of problems like: All the tourism which was going to Lebanon transfer to Cyprus, Turkey and Egypt. A lot of European countries presented their nation a choice of incentives to promote national and local tourism. Tourist imitation of overcome towns, cities and war crimes have continued sturdy. All of these problems lead the tourist to think thousands of times before traveling to Lebanon and make the trip to Lebanon undesirable. Terrorism 9/11 Attack in the U.S.A. The terrible terrorism attack against the twin towers in New York City had a huge impact in political, social, cultural and economical sectors around the whole world, specially in the Arab Countries. After the incident, Middle East region was completely marginalized and stereotyped as a place full of terrorists, war and bomb-men willing to kill. (Kifner, 2004). The easy in-flow tourism between the USA and these countries was banned for a while and severe restrictions and security matters were adopted in order to avoid new attacks. (Kifner, 2004). Consequently, Europeans and Americans were not coming anymore to the Middle East after the attacks and the arabs were not going abroad to Europe and USA because of constant suspicion, airport prejudice and streets attacks. (Kifner, 2004). Due to this invisible barrier imposed by the American government, the wealthy Saudis and gulf arabs had to look for another place to spend their vacation time, once that even in their home country was not safe anymore because of security situation and compounds attacks (Kifner, 2004). So Lebanon was the choice of the majority of them, receiving huge real state development and international consulting companies. The country started experiencing a real tourism booming, and billions of dollars were passing through Lebanon. The Gulf Arabs chose Lebanon not only for vacation, but also for construction, building their multi-millionaire holiday-mansions everywhere in the country such as in the mountains, by the beach and in downtown Beirut (Kifner, 2004). In addition to that, big luxury hotel chains started occupying those empty areas where before were just ruins from the war and begin to build their resorts, hotels and Villas, increasing the value of the area by attracting new tourists (Kifner, 2004). In the airline industry, the increase was also significant. Middle East Airlines, the Lebanese airline company, had its first profit since its foundation. Surprisingly the attacks in the USA helped Lebanon a lot in its tourism reconstruction. The Oslo agreement between Israel and the Palestinians raised hopes for a new era of tourism and prosperity in the area, with travelers making a circuit of historic and religious sites in the previously hostile countries (Kifner, 2004). Since the period where Beirut was known as Paris of the Middle East, before the civil war in 1990, the country didnt host this amount of investment and development. Prime Minister Rafic Hariris assassination Rafic Hariri, was a well-known lebanese entrepreneur, business-man and philanthropist. He was elected the Prime Minister of Lebanon in 1992, right after the civil war, being the one responsible for the physical and economic reconstruction of the country in the following years, until his resignation in 2004. His considerable accomplishments while Prime Minister made him a politician icon all over the world, specially among the Lebanese citizens (Rafic Hariri The Official Website). No single individual has played a bigger role in rebuilding the credibility of Lebanons economy around the world (Hennock, 2005). Being the most wealthy man in the country U$4 billion fortune -, helped Rafic Hariri to start Lebanons reconstruction with significant sponsors. He used his influences and business networking contacts to attract powerful friends from France, the Guld and Saudi Arabia and potential investors to Beirut, accelerating the economy again (Hennock, 2005). For Mr. Hariri, there was no queue of importance for the countrys needs during the post-war era. He initialized a massive reconstruction process effort, declaring everything as priority for the rebuilding process, such as: hospitals, schools, infrastructure (water, phones, electricity) and the economy. During May of 1994, The Prime Minister had a belief that if the downtown of Beirut was rebuilt, the life would be back to Lebanon. So he started a project to revitalize the Central District of Beirut (BCD), in order to achieve this goal. And after 16 years of the beginning of this project, the downtown in Beirut is still the core place of tourism in Lebanon, being the the meeting point for all foreigners, Arabs and Lebanese people. In addition to that it is the financial district and the countrys institutions polo location (Rafic Hariri The Official Website). Since the tourism of Lebanon is directly linked to the economy of the country, the Prime Ministers actions was crucial for the number of visitors to increase. The development of the tourism industry (as well as that of other sectors) was held back over the past few years because of the political stand-off between Mr Hariri and the president, Emile Lahoud, which was a reflection of the deeper struggle over Syrian domination of Lebanon (Business Middle East, 2005). Mr. Rafic Hariri was assassinated on February 14 of 2005. An explosion was detonated against the Prime Minister convoy next to Beiruts marina, right after he had left the Parliament. Besides him, another 20 people died during the attack, which since today has no authorship proofed (Rafic Hariri The Official Website). After his tragic death, the government decided to rename Beiruts International Airport with his name, since its upgrade was a project of the Prime Minister. The re-emerging tourism industry in Lebanon suffered a significant setback recently with the massive explosion that killed Lebanese Premier Rafik Hariri and damaged a handful of Beirut hotels (Middle East, 2005). Even though Lebanon was down 10% in the tourism sector in 2005, more than 1.2 million tourists visited Lebanon (Martin Frost, 2006). Terrorism acts in Lebanon .. Why terrorism attacks Tourism? There are several motives to explain the fact that terrorists are attracted by the tourism. The first reason is that the tourism is the main source of income of many countries all over the world, so by damaging it, the core function of the economic basis of the nation stop working. Second, the tourism attractions are the best way for the terrorists to get their message delivered through out media coverage, getting the attention that they need. And third, this industry hasnt focus too much dealing with security matters because they believe that a simple security presence will push away the tourists (Tarlow, 2003). On the other hand, the implementation of security measures is not a cheap action, rising then the need to build a relationship between private and public sectors in the tourism industry. In addition to that the hospitality first obligation is the guest protection. Security must be developed in all segments, as technological investments, education and staff training. Security plus service and value for money will become the basis for 21st century success (Tarlow, 2003). Finally and perhaps the most important point, is the adoption of a risk management control. Avoiding unforeseen circumstances are less costly to the business. Well prepared companies face better the risks then others without any sort of management plan (Tarlow, 2003). July 2006 War This war is known as 2006 Israel-Hezbollah War. It started on 12 July 2006 and ended in 8 September 2006. The clash started when Hezbollah traversed into Israel and attacked an Israeli Defense Force (IDF). They killed three of the armed and kidnapped the other two and they went back with the prisoners to the south of Lebanon. After that the leader of Hezbollah Hassa Nasrallah announced that the prisoner were taken for the purpose of exchange hostages with Israel. From the other side the Israels Prime Minister Ehud Olmert stated that the response would be an act of war on Lebanon and assure that will be a sturdy war. Tourism Before July 2006 War After all the damages that were caused by the civil war, Lebanon rebuilt and developed its tourism from 1992 until 2005. Lebanon was again backing to the world tourism map. The country was ready again to receive over 830,000 visitors in 2001, a growth of 13% over 2000. Everything started again, occupancy in the hotels was very high, and tourists from all over the world were in the streets visiting the new Beirut. The government rebuilt everything. The restaurants started opening again every year; festivals were taking place in different areas like in Baalbek or Beit el Dine. During summer all the private beaches received a lot of clients from all over the world to enjoy the pleasant climate and a suntan. Most of the tourists were from the gulf countries. They usually come to Lebanon to spend their holidays and to enjoy the food, weather and of course the hospitable people. Some of them bought apartments and villas in Lebanon, so they can come whenever they want. All the restaurants in the downtown were crowded, and all the sightseeings and attractions were fully booked. Anyone who might want a special place, booking in advance is mandatory. The traffic in the city was significantly big. Cars were taking hours to move from one place to another. Consequently, taxi drivers were getting advantage of this situation because they started having an increase on their income with the tourists. So tourism in Lebanon prospered again after 17 years of war and damages. Unfortunately 1991 was not the last war in Lebanon. In July 2006 Lebanon had a conflict with Israel. Tourism During July 2006 War During the 2006 war everything change and all the hope disappeared. Reservations in the hotels were canceled, everything started to close and the tourists who already had their trip planned to visit Lebanon changed their flights and went back home or some of them changed their plan by going to The streets were completely empty, with no activities in the restaurants, nightclubs and pubs. Tourism After July 2006 War The 2006 war caused a lot of impact on Lebanons economical, environmental and of course on the tourism industry. The infrastructure was damaged specially in the South where the conflict was. The unemployment rate increased since most of the industries closed their doors and fired their employees. Lebanon got again the marginalized image of war and insecurity. Tourists got scared from coming to this country again. Lebanons tourism went back to zero point again. One of the most important impacts that this war left was in the environment. Israeli jet bomb the fuel tanks at the Jiyeh power station situated thirty kilometers south of Beirut leading to drip 10,000 to 15,000 tons of fuel into the Mediterranean sea reaching twenty- two areas over an extend of 150 kilometers out of Lebanon, in Syria seashore and Turkish and Cypriot water. It took almost two months for the Lebanese government to start the cleaning procedure. In the mean time most of the oil sank down and destroyed all the sea life killing the fishes that were the source of livelihood of a lot of Lebanese families. From he other side it affected the beach resorts occupancy, where most of the tourists Lebanese used to spend their summer time. Before the war started in July 2006 the hotels were almost fully booked, there were no available places or empty flights to come to Beirut. The prices started increasing due to the high demand. The Lebanese Ministry of Tourism was expecting more than 1.6 million tourists. The industry employed over 150000 people. During the war the priority of the government was in how to create a better image for the country and construct better infrastructure by improving the public transportation system, bringing more investment to the country. This would help to reduce the external debt. Unfortunately the priority of the government after the war had to change from improving to rebuilding the suburbs of Beirut, because Israel missed had destroyed them all. The small enterprises were highly affected by this war. Their owners who had taken loans from the bank to build their businesses were now accumulating debts due to the lack of economic activity in the city. Present days The huge investment of several luxury hotel chains into the region has bring Lebanon back on the destination scenario. The investors are now willing to inject capital in the country as they are optimist concerning the development of the economy. Beirut is now experiencing a boom in the tourism sector and Lebanons image nowadays has been all over the world again, but not because of its conflicts, destruction, kidnappings or wars, but because of its beauty, diversity, rich culture, cuisine and trendy characteristics. Beiruts sizzling nightlife, from gritty to glam, helped drive a record tourism year in 2009. Overcoming a reputation as a Middle East trouble spot, Lebanon welcomed nearly 2 million visitors last year, a 39% increase over 2008. It was the No. 1 destination for tourism growth in the world, according to the World Tourism Organization. (USA Today, 2010) The tourism in Lebanon in the year of 2009 experienced a significant growth. And according to the Ministry of Tourism, this happened because the war has cease bringing back stability to the country. Core companies from the hospitality sector are supporting and investing hard and closely to keep Lebanons image an position as first class destination and business polo in the Middle East. Besides that, there are several facilities that the country offer to the tourists, such as: -Direct air links to worldwide destinations. -Easy access to the country. -Ideal strategic location. -Archaeological and historical sites. -Beautiful and amazing natural sceneries. -Modern International Airport. -First class hospitality infrastructure. -Excellent services quality. -Cutting edge telecommunications and utilities. -Buzzing business, shopping and leisure environments. -Friendly, open minded and genuinely welcoming people (Lebanese Ministry of Tourism, 2010). In addition, another awards were received by the country, rising its image positively towards the world as a must-go tourist destination. In 2006 Travel and Leisure magazine ranked Beirut as the 9th city to visit in the world on its annual report. The Clemenceau Medical Center was ranked one of the 10 best hospitals for medical tourism in 2010 by the Medical Travel Quality Alliance. Jeita Grotto was selected to proceed in the competition of the New 7 Wonders of Nature. In 2009, the NY Times ranked Lebanon as the #1st on its 44 places to go list. From a non-existing tourism activity after war, to one of the 1st spots in the world, the country starts from scratch to rebuild his reputation, economy and tourism. Increase of 38.91% in comparison with January last year 2008 when the total number of visitors reached 1,332,551 visitors. Also an increase of 43% in the number of visitors from Arab countries that reached 785,985 visitors during the Year 2009, compared with 549,463 visitors for the last year 2008 (Lebanese Ministry of Tourism, 2010). Conclusion Although the conflicts and war has ended around 4 years ago, the image that Lebanon is a hazard country still persists. Tourists usually tend to point out the lack of security, inst

What is inflation and how can it be controlled?

What is inflation and how can it be controlled? What is inflation? There are several meaning of inflation , we will discuss two definitions of it. First, The term inflation means a process with a continual increase in the general price level. As prices go up, individuals try to protect their purchasing power and take actions which inadvertently perpetuate the inflation. For example, employees may try to protect themselves from inflation by having their wages tied to the cost of living(Livingston, 2000) . As price rise, wages are forced up, which raises production costs, which raises selling prices, and so on, in a never ending cycle. Throughout history, inflation has occurred frequently. Second, Inflation is the term used to describe a rise of average prices through the economy. It means that money is losing its value. The underlying cause is usually that too much money is available to purchase too few goods and services, or that demand in the economy is outpacing supply(What is inflation, 2010) . In general, this situation occurs when an economy is so buoyant that there are widespread shortages of labor and materials. People can charge higher prices for the same goods or services. Brief history of inflation Increases in the quantity of money or in the overall money supply (or debasement of the means of exchange) have occurred in many different societies throughout history, changing with different forms of money used. For instance, when gold was used as currency, the government could collect gold coins, melt them down, mix them with other metals such as silver, copper or lead, and reissue them at the same nominal value. By diluting the gold with other metals, the government could issue more coins without also needing to increase the amount of gold used to make them. When the cost of each coin is lowered in this way, the government profits from an increase in seignior age (Kenneth, 1996) This practice would increase the money supply but at the same time the relative value of each coin would be lowered. As the relative value of the coins becomes less, consumers would need to give more coins in exchange for the same goods and services as before. These goods and services would experience a price increase as the value of each coin is reduced (Roger, 2002). From the second half of the 15th century to the first half of the 17th, Western Europe experienced a major inflationary cycle referred to as price revolution, with prices on average rising perhaps sixfold over 150 years. It was thought that this was caused by the increase in wealth of Habsburg Spain, with a large influx of gold and silver from the New World ( Walton 1994). The spent silver, suddenly spread throughout a previously cash starved Europe, caused widespread inflation ( Walton, 1994). Demographic factors also contributed to upward pressure on prices, with European population growth after depopulation caused by the Black Death pandemic. The adoption of fiat currency (paper money) by many countries, from the 18th century onwards, made much larger variations in the supply of money possible. Since then, huge increases in the supply of paper money have taken place in a number of countries, producing hyperinflations episodes of extreme inflation rates much higher than those observed in earlier periods of commodity money (Roger, 2002). The hyperinflation suffered by the Weimar Republic of Germany is a notable example. Causes of inflation There are many reasons that can cause inflation in goods and service. Based on the quality theory of inflation and quantity theory of inflation, inflation is a result of the amount of money people will be able to use that money to buy the goods they want and the amount of money supplied and exchanged. Another reason of inflation is Demand-pull inflation which means that the economy actual demands more goods and services than available. This shortage of supply enables sellers to raise prices until an equilibrium is put in place between supply and demand (inflation, 2010). For example, low employment rates against increase in demand. Secondly, The cost-push inflation also known as supply shock inflation( inflation, 2010). This Can take place when goods become harder to get the price increases as a result, people try to increase the amount of money they earn to maintain the change in price. Inflation can be made by the circulation of increase in the wages of employees and the increase in the producers cost which will lower the value of the money (Stiqall R. March 29, 2010). Effects  of Inflation The most immediate effects of inflation are the decreased purchasing power of the dollar and its depreciation. A second destabilizing effect is that inflation can cause consumers and investors to change their speeding habits. When inflation occurs, people tend to spend less meaning that factories have to lay off workers because of a decline in orders. A third destabilizing effect of inflation is that some people choose to speculate heavily in an attempt to take advantage of the higher price level. Because some of the purchases are high-risk investments, spending is diverted from the normal channels and some structural unemployment may take place. Finally, inflation alters the distribution of income. Lenders are generally hurt more than borrowers during long inflationary periods which means that loans made earlier are repaid later in inflated dollars (the effect of inflation on your money, March 19, 2009). Measuring inflation It is necessary to have some kind of an accurate measure of the increase in the price level. The most widely used statistic to measure inflation is known as the consumer price index (CPI). Other measurement is Producer Price Indexes (PPI), Commodity price indices and Core price indices. Consumer Price Index (CPI) A measure of price changes in consumer goods and services such as gasoline, food, clothing and automobiles. The CPI measures price change from the perspective of the purchaser. U.S. CPI data can be found at the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The three main CPI series are: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Chained CPI for All Urban Consumers (C-CPI-U) à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ CPI for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) According to (Dubai Statistics Center, 2010) Consumer Price Index was 114.63 in the first half of 2009, and in the first half 2010 it was 115.36. The formula for calculating the annual percentage rate inflation in the CPI is, 115.36 114.63 ÃÆ'- 100 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ = 0.64 à ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 114.63 Producer Price Indexes (PPI) Families of indexes that measure the average change over time in selling prices by domestic producers of goods and services. PPIs measure price change from the perspective of the seller. U.S. PPI data can be found at the Bureau of Labor Statistics. For instance, (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2010) stated that the U.S Monthly percent changes in the Producer Price Index for Finished Goods which is finished food, finished energy and finished core for October 2009 October 2010 is shown in chart 1 However, the Monthly percent changes in the Producer Price Index for Intermediate Goods which is intermediate food, intermediate energy and intermediate, for October 2009 October 2010 is shown in chart 2 Commodity price indices Index or average, which may be weighted, of selected commodity prices, intended to be representative of the markets in general or a specific subset of commodities, e.g., grains or livestock. Core price indices A measure of inflation that excludes certain items  that face volatile price movements.  Core inflation eliminates products that can  have temporary price shocks because  these shocks can diverge from the overall trend of inflation and  give a false  measure of inflation. Core inflation is most often calculated by taking the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and excluding certain items from the index,  usually energy and food products. Core inflation is thought to be an indicator of underlying long-term  inflation.   The challenge of measuring inflation There is no internationally agreed standard methodology of measuring inflation since such indices are generally used for national purposes, such as wage arrangements and price stabilization policies, and are frequently subject to heated discussions and social and political negotiations. Countries measure their rate of inflation in different ways, and include different components. This can make it problematic to make international comparisons. For instance, the European HICP differs from the US CPI in two major respects. First, the HICP includes the rural population. Second, and probably more importantly, the HICP excludes owner-occupied housing, mainly because the methods used to measure price changes for this component are controversial and difficult to calculate. Besides, in using CPI the purchasing habits of different people will vary greatly. For example, the purchasing of a family with children will be very different from that of an elderly couple or a single person with no chil dren. And this may not be an accurate reflection for a particular area. Furthermore, if the national average is used as the basis for wage negotiations or pension changes, then these might not accurately reflect the price changes for a particular group. Errors in collecting data could be very important because it reflects the accuracy of the results. For instance, it would be difficult to obtain the prices of all the goods bought by the household so it is necessary to take a sample item and measure it. Thus, sampling is likely to lead to some degree of inaccuracy. (Donald G. Jerome P. Ted G., 2004) How to Control Inflation Economists offer several ways to control or limit inflation.   The methods are primarily through setting monetary policy and price controls, though there are some less popular theories on stopping inflation. Those who suggest using monetary policy to stop inflation place an emphasis on the role of the central bank, like the U.S. Federal Reserve System, in setting that policy.   The Federal Reserve can use traditional methods such as setting high interest rates, using unemployment and declining production to slow or stop rising prices.  Ã‚   Even among those that believe monetary policy should be used to stop inflation, various theories abound as to how the policy should be wielded (Federal, 2010).   For instance, those who subscribe to Neo-Classical monetary theory want to see the money supply decreased, while Neo-Keynesians would rather reduce the overall demand through fiscal policy like higher taxes or lower government spending.   Neo-Keynesians focus on monetary policys role, especially as it relates to basic commodities inflation as outlined by Robert Solow.   Finally, supply-side economists believe that the exchange rate needs to be fixed so that the exchange rate is tied to a reference currency (gold, for instance).   They also believe that, in a floating currency regime, that there can be a reduction in marginal tax rates to that capital formation is promoted. Yet there is even a philosophical difference between those running the various central banks.   For instance, at the European Central Bank, the target is to control inflation when it gets too high rather than using symmetrical inflation as other central banks do.   The result is that the European Central Bank has come under great criticism for increasingly high unemployment rates. While some believe that changing monetary policy is the way to control or stop inflation, a few others subscribe to the idea that controlling prices is the best method.   Also, price supports are used to set minimum prices.   The price supports help to prevent deflation and to allow for the continued production of certain goods.   However, not many economists subscribe to the idea of using price controls as a way to control inflation, as there are many counterproductive effects. Using price controls to stop or control inflation means that shortages are created.   When shortages happen, the quality of production decreases and black market operations increase.   Also, price controls only work as long as they are in place, and when they are removed inflation often moves at an accelerated rate.  Ã‚   The exception to the criticisms of price controls is during times of war, when shortages are bound to happen anyhow.   The government needs to borrow more money at lower rates during wartime, and profiteering needs to be discouraged.   In World War II, price controls were used effectively both during and after the war to control inflation.   Yet sometimes the wartime price controls are continued too long after the end of the war, so people will over-consume the things that have price controls imposed.  Ã‚   A common example of price controls is rent controlled buildings.   These rent-controlled areas tend to remain so for decades, which allows owners to control the new building rate.   It maintains capital parity, and since inflation lowers the burden of a fixed rental price, allows renters to gain a net reduction in rental costs.  Ã‚   However, sometimes price controls do make a recession more efficient.   The recession and prices controls both complement one another, because the recession prevents the distortion of high demand while price controls lower the need to increase unemployment. The solution? In my opinion, there is no easy, painless solution. Those who bought houses they couldnt afford will lose those houses. The banks who end up with those houses will either go under (forcing the government to print money to cover the deposits lost), or will get bailed out (Bear Sterns). In about 3 or 4 years, the loans made at the peak will be done resetting, those homes that cannot be afforded will be lost, and stability will slowly return. The only thing that will muck up that return to stability is if we spend a lot of money helping people to stay in houses they cannot afford. If we really try to help them, they will end up bleeding the system until they cant bleed it any more, then they will lose their house. If we try to bail them out, we will ease the pain, but prolong the disease.

value of a college education Essay example -- essays research papers

Value Of A College Education According to Lundberg (2003), â€Å"adult students are one of the most rapidly growing segments of today’s college student population, making up approximately 40% of all college students† (665). Having a college education is an important tool that contributes to several aspects of a person’s life. The areas that are impacted the most would be the professional and personal areas. It is important to learn the value of a college education in order to take advantage of what you learn and how to productively apply it in your personal and professional life. Having a college education is something that can always be looked at as a positive achievement that feels good and looks good on a resume. Earning a college degree can provide a lifetime of rewards and unlike most other consumer purchases such as a car, will only appreciate in value, not depreciate. Professional Aspects According to Vocational Training News (2003), despite the current economic climate, college students say having technology skills will greatly increase their employment potential (6). The job market is constantly changing each year. Jobs are now more competitive and having a college degree seems to be a necessity for most which is why having a college degree at least shows that an individual is knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and has worked hard to accomplish a specific goal. Having a college degree also gives more opportunity to apply for jobs of interest. Larger Salary A college degree also allows for the opportunity to earn a larger salary. Having a degree also gives a person more confidence when negotiating salaries. Knowing that a company cannot use the excuse of not having a degree against you is a great benefit. Even though the cost of a college education is outrageous, the benefits of having a degree far surpass those costs. Loans can be paid back but it is very difficult to make a substantial amount of money without a degree. This reminds me of a saying that I once heard though I cannot recall who said it. "If you think the price of education is expensive, try the price of ignorance. You pay for ignorance everyday for the rest of your life."- Anonymous Respect and Admiration Everyone would like something to show from the hard work they put into earning their deg... ...ngs to different areas of a person’s life. In my case, I will have developed the skills and values necessary to be an asset to my company and elsewhere in the business world. I will now not be looked upon as just an â€Å"entry level† worker. More opportunities will be available for jobs that are of particular interest to me and as stated before, the opportunity for a higher salary will exist. By continuing my education, I will have achieved a great accomplishment and know that all of my hard work and determination has finally paid off. The value of a college education is priceless. Earning a degree can only make the future more desirable. In conclusion, I need to take it upon myself to further my education right now, without interruption, no matter what the obstacles may be. References (2003, December). Teens say tech knowledge increases potential jobs. Vocational Training News, 34, (12), 6. Retrieved December 21, 2003, from EBSCO database. Lundberg, C.A., (2003, November/December). The influence of time-limitations, faculty, and peer relationships on adult student learning. Journal of Higher Education, 74, (6), 665. Retrieved December 21, 2003, from EBSCO database.

Shakespeares Othello - Honest Iago :: GCSE Coursework Shakespeare Othello

Othello – Honest Iago Without a doubt, one of the main themes that runs throughout William Shakespeare’s tragic play, Othello, is that of honesty.   In the play, the most interesting character is Iago, who is commonly called and known as "Honest Iago."   However, this could not be farther from the truth.   Through some carefully thought-out words and actions, Iago is able to manipulate others to do things in a way that benefits and moves him closer to his own goals.   He is smart and an expert at judging the characters of others.   Because of this, Iago pushes everyone to their tragic end.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Iago knows very well that trust and deceit must go hand in hand in order for him to achieve his vengeance on Othello and Cassio.   Hence, as he plans the downfalls of them, he is continually trying to obtain their undoubting trust.   He slowly poisons people’s thoughts, creating ideas in their heads without implicating himself.   Iago even says himself that the advice he gives is free and honest and thus, people rarely stop to consider the possibility that Iago is fooling them.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One person Iago deceives is Roderigo.   Throughout the play, Iago tells him that he hates Othello and that Roderigo should make some money so he could give gifts to Desdemona, who he admires from afar.   Thinking that this is sound advice, Roderigo does just that.   However, Iago is actually keeping the gifts that Roderigo plans to give Desdemona for himself.   Eventually, Roderigo begins to catch on to the act and confronts Iago, but he falls right into Iago’s trap again when he tells him that killing Cassio will help him win over Desdemona.   Roderigo is then lead to his death by the hands of "Honest Iago."   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Like Roderigo, Cassio also believes in "Honest Iago," for he thinks that Iago is only trying to help him.   On the night of Cassio’s watch, Iago convinces him to take another drink, knowing very well that it will make him drunk.   Even though he really doesn’t want to, Roderigo puts his faith into   Iago and states, "I’ll do’t, but it dislikes me."   Iago’s plan goes smoothly when Cassio is make to look like an irresponsible fool, resulting in his termination as lieutenant.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Iago’s master plan of deception, however, centered around Othello’s jealously over Desdemona.   The whole time, Othello holds Iago to be his close friend and advisor.

Free College Essays - A Captain’s Metamorphosis in The Secret Sharer :: The Secret Sharer Joseph Conrad

The Secret Sharer   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A Captain’s Metamorphosis      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the short story â€Å"The Secret Sharer† by Joseph Conrad, the captain of the ship, the Colorado, changes from an insecure and inexperienced ship captain to a more confident and secure individual, due to his experiences with the Secret Sharer.   At first, the captain is not sure of his place on the ship and does not feel right about being in charge.   Through his relationship with the Secret Sharer, the captain finds identity and becomes a confident person.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the beginning of the story, the captain is very uneasy when he is thrown into the position of captain of a ship travelling on a long and arduous journey.   The captain begins to feel insecure about running his ship and questions his ability to lead his ship.   During one of the first nights on board the ship, the captain demonstrates his thoughts of insecurity and self-consciousness when he does something that a captain would not normally do: he plans to take part in the night watch.   â€Å"I felt painfully that I - a stranger - was doing something unusual when I directed him to let all hands turn in without setting an anchor watch† (941).   The captain is so self-conscious and insecure about his actions that he reacts almost painfully to the crew’s judgement of his orders.   He also states that he perceives himself to be a stranger amongst the others.   Among his insecurities, the captain also sees himself as a stranger to himself a nd not fit to run his ship.   The captain thinks, â€Å"But what I felt most was my being a stranger to the ship; and if all the truth must be told, I was somewhat of a stranger to myself.   The youngest man on board (barring the second mate), and untried as yet by a position of the fullest responsibility, I was willing to take the adequacy of the others for granted† (940).   The captain is young and does not feel he really knows himself.   This insecurity leads him to believe he is not fit to lead others if he does not even have confidence in himself.   The captain begins to change when he develops a close relationship with the secret sharer, a criminal that he harbors and to whom he can relate.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Through a close and secret relationship with the Secret Sharer, the captain begins to find his identity and transforms into a very confident and able captain. Free College Essays - A Captain’s Metamorphosis in The Secret Sharer :: The Secret Sharer Joseph Conrad The Secret Sharer   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   A Captain’s Metamorphosis      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the short story â€Å"The Secret Sharer† by Joseph Conrad, the captain of the ship, the Colorado, changes from an insecure and inexperienced ship captain to a more confident and secure individual, due to his experiences with the Secret Sharer.   At first, the captain is not sure of his place on the ship and does not feel right about being in charge.   Through his relationship with the Secret Sharer, the captain finds identity and becomes a confident person.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the beginning of the story, the captain is very uneasy when he is thrown into the position of captain of a ship travelling on a long and arduous journey.   The captain begins to feel insecure about running his ship and questions his ability to lead his ship.   During one of the first nights on board the ship, the captain demonstrates his thoughts of insecurity and self-consciousness when he does something that a captain would not normally do: he plans to take part in the night watch.   â€Å"I felt painfully that I - a stranger - was doing something unusual when I directed him to let all hands turn in without setting an anchor watch† (941).   The captain is so self-conscious and insecure about his actions that he reacts almost painfully to the crew’s judgement of his orders.   He also states that he perceives himself to be a stranger amongst the others.   Among his insecurities, the captain also sees himself as a stranger to himself a nd not fit to run his ship.   The captain thinks, â€Å"But what I felt most was my being a stranger to the ship; and if all the truth must be told, I was somewhat of a stranger to myself.   The youngest man on board (barring the second mate), and untried as yet by a position of the fullest responsibility, I was willing to take the adequacy of the others for granted† (940).   The captain is young and does not feel he really knows himself.   This insecurity leads him to believe he is not fit to lead others if he does not even have confidence in himself.   The captain begins to change when he develops a close relationship with the secret sharer, a criminal that he harbors and to whom he can relate.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Through a close and secret relationship with the Secret Sharer, the captain begins to find his identity and transforms into a very confident and able captain.