The Global Justice Concept Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Global Justice Concept - Essay Example   The government is grounded on the concepts of fairness, equality, justice, and protection of the people's mutual interests. The government must do its share to ensure the citizens achieve their unique societal goals and objectives. The social contracts, including the United States constitution, reduce or prevent constant wars among individuals and communities. The social contracts ensure everyone will strive to comply with the contracts' provisions of justice for all stakeholders (Souryal 75).  Christian Unity Model  During John Winthrop’s sailing towards the brave new world, the Puritan religion’s Winthrop espoused his fellow ship passengers to become the beacons or guides for all humans everywhere (Gardner 106).   The New World is the current United States of America. Winthrop is a rich land owner and government officer in England. The ship was going to propagate the Christian brand of justice in the New World environment, in the other part of the world. The speech was done during his 1630 trip to New England. Winthrop's speech persuaded his fellow ship travelers to firmly establish the New England society's ecclesiastical (religious) government format.   Under the format, Winthrop convinced his fellow Christian followers to ensure the citizens of the New World will implement all religious policies or concepts. Winthrop insisted his fellow Puritan followers must establish the civil government, not the military government, within the New England community (Gardner 106).

Companies in the Financial Industry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 9500 words

Companies in the Financial Industry - Essay Example Other companies and their strategies will also be examined in an attempt to discover if they will reach the pinnacle, for which they are aimed, or if they will fail in their efforts to knock the ‘king off his mountain’. In order to reach the top in the financial services industry, and, an even more difficult task; to stay there, a certain amount of attitude can be a good thing, and some experts may even say it is more than likely a necessary thing. Some of the companies discussed herein have that ‘attitude’ and some of them don’t. Initially, the focus of this paper was to be on a number of the oldest and most well known New York Stock Exchange firms such as Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith, Kidder Peabody, JP Morgan, Chase Manhattan and Prudential. It soon became clear that such material, both printed and electronic, that was available concerning such firms was rather limited and focused on banal items such as; financials and profit/loss statements. Finding scholarly papers or journal reports written about the history of such firms was nearly as difficult as was discovering books (both fiction and non-fiction) about the same subject. A grand total of five books covering Wall Street history were discovered in the local library system, with only one book on site.   A detailed search at the local university’s library was not nearly as productive as had been hoped either.  Not only was there a limited supply of books covering Wall Street’s history, there was even less in the way of books wri tten about specific firms.   Books such as Charles R. Geisst’s; Wall Street: A History and 100 Years of Wall Street provided a detailed and rich history of Wall Street, but not a dearth of specific details concerning companies themselves.

Indian girl Essay Example for Free

Indian girl Essay He was a good husband. No one could deny it. He let her have her own way, indulged her, even. When the kitchen was remodelled, for example, and she wanted pink and grey tiles even though he preferred white. White. A clean colour. A colour he believed to be innocent, just like his wife.  He was traditional as an Indian man could get. He had expectations from his wife. Demands that had to be fulfilled.  She would dress as he would tell her too, sleep with him when he wanted her to.   Not only that, she would provide him with a son and a daughter. The duty of every Indian wife was to give their husband a child, regardless of whether they wanted to or not. He would be the provider in this relationship. She would cook and clean at home while he worked.  It was tradition after all and he was very traditional.  However, when he did put his foot down he would often soften his nos with kind remarks. There had been two occasions that he strongly remembered in which he had to be firm. Like when she wanted to get a job and go back to school or buy English clothes.  Nobody in his family had ever worn English clothes, except for the men that is.  His mother, his mothers mother and sisters had always dressed in Indian clothesno matter what the occasion. He preferred Indian clothes on his wife too. After all they hid her body. The loose blouses didnt reveal her breasts like some English tops or show an unnecessary amount of cleavage. The endless mounds of fabric concealed his wifes legs and waistline.  He believed his wifes body was just for him to look at. Why tempt other men to look at his wifes curvaceous hips or low cut neckline?  The soft remarks that often accommodated his nos were mostly, What for? Im here to take care of you or You look so much prettier in your Indian clothes, so much more feminine. He would pull her to his lap and give her a kiss and cuddle, which usually ended with him taking her to the bedroom. That was another area where he had to be firm. Sex. His wife was constantly pleading with him, Please, not tonight. He didnt mind that. She was, after all, a well-bred Indian girl.  She had good Indian values that he felt all Indian women should have. Her dreams in life were those of his mothers. She wanted to marry, have children and live a contented life in a glorious home. She was conservative and an introvert. Not a woman who would cause him embarrassment in front of friends and family. Timidsomeone who needed support and he believed that he was indeed the support she needed. But her reluctance went beyond womanly modesty.  After dinner for instance, she would start on the most convoluted household projects, soaping down the floors, changing the liners in the cabinets. The night before she had disappeared shed started cleaning the windows, taking out the Window cleaner and rags as soon as shed put the boy to bed, even though he had mumbled, Lets go.  Surely he couldnt be blamed for raising his voice at those times (though never so much to wake his son) or for grabbing her by the elbow and pulling her to the bed, like he did the night before she disappeared. He was always careful not to hurt her, he prided himself on that. Not even a little slap. And he always told himself hed stop if she really begged him, if she cried, After some time, though, she would quit struggling and let him do what he wanted. But that was nothing new. That could have nothing to do with the disappearanceafter all that was his right.  His grandfather had done the same with his wife, his father had treated his mother the same way too and she had turned out fine hadnt she?  So, why should he have treated his wife differently? She too was an Indian woman and for generations Indian women had been afflicted upon. So what made her so special? Why couldnt he behave the same way with his wife as his male ancestors had with theirs? Two weeks passed and there was no news of Zeneve, even though the husband had put a notice in the local newspaper as well as a half-page ad in India West, which hed photocopied and taped to all the neighbourhood lampposts. The ad had a photo of her, a close up taken in too bright sunlight where she gazed gravely at something beyond the camera.  How on earth will you come up with that kind of money? asked his friends. The husband confessed it would be difficult, but hed manage somehow. His wife was more important to him, after all, than all the money in the world. And to prove it he went to the bank the very same day and brought home a sheaf of forms to fill in so that he could take out a second mortgage on the house. He kept calling the police station, too, but the police werent much help. (They were working on it apparently.) Theyd checked the local hospitals and morgues, the sheltersbut there were no leads. It didnt look very hopeful.  So finally he called India over a faulty long-distance connection that made his voice echo eerily in his ear. He told his mother what had happened.  My poor boy! she wailed. Left all alone (the word flickered unpleasantly across his brain, left, left.)  How can you possibly cope with the household and a child as well? she added. And when he admitted that yes, it was very difficult, could she perhaps come and help out for a while if wasnt too much trouble, she replied Of course! Ill come right away and stay as long as you need me too and what was all this English nonsense about too much trouble? Youre my only son arent you? She even said that she would contact the wifes family too so he wouldnt have to deal with that awkwardness. He was relieved at his mothers kind gesture. How could he possibly face his in-laws at a time like this? How would he tell them that there one and only daughter may never come back?  Within a week his mother had closed up the little flat she had lived in since her husbands death, got hold of a special family emergency visa and was on her way. Almost as though shed been waiting for something like this to happen, said some of the women spitefully. These were his wifes friends, though in his opinion, acquitances would be a more accurate word. His wife had liked to keep to herself, which had been just fine with him. He was glad, hed told her several times, that she didnt spend hours chattering on the phone like the other Indian wives.  He was livid when this gossip reached him (perhaps because he had the same insidious thought for a moment, when at the airport, he noticed just how happy his mother looked.) Really he asserted to his friends, some people see only what they want to see. Dont you think it is a good thing she has come over?

Operations Management Analysis of Asda

Operations Management Analysis of Asda Introduction: Every function of the business has its significance, importance and place in the business organizations. Not a single department, function or activity can be declared as sole vital for the life of a company. It is the combined effort of all the departments and joint work of function involved, which brings success, revenues and business development. However, the key factor of the business, are divided in some shapes; to get a clear and visible picture of the overall business activities, being carried out by the organization. Operations management, financial management, marketing, sales, customer service, quality assurance, information technology and research and development are largely the main functions of a business entity in 21st century. No one can declare any of these functions as the sole guaranteer for the corporate success of the company, every function has its competitive and comparative advantages and also everyone has some unique characteristics which help in making that particular function more important. However, there is a function which is quite visible in all of these functions, or we can say that it is a facilitator of all the departments and functions in any organization. That particular function is called operations. Whatever may be the department or function, there will be a process and procedure involved in the work flow of that particular unit. Operations are everywhere, whichever department we select; we will see a line of operations and standard operating procedure. This indicates how important and integral it is, to have a transparent and effective operations management system. Operations management not only gives insight about the efficient and effective workflow of a particular department but also helps in getting a smooth workflow all over the organization. The process and strategic planning is quite imperative for the success of the business, but the effective execution of that particular plan is far more important than that. Effective operations management can help in achieving the group, departmental and organizational goals achievement in an effective, efficient and less costly way. So we can declare that, operations management ensures the life of the company. This report is a case study of ASDAs operations management mechanism and is purely dedicated to find out the rights and wrongs in the operations of ASDA. Operations Management: Operations management is a management function and subject, which is largely concerned with supervision, design, and redesigning of the business operations in the making of goods and services.  [1]  It has two dimensions, one is company dimension and the other one is customers dimension. The company dimension of the operation management is dealing with the operations in a cost effective, efficient and less costly ways, while the customer requires the greater quality of the product and service. So in business operations, an organization has to ensure, not only its own circumstances and financial position but also the customers demand. In simple words, the operations management is an organizational function, aimed a smooth flow of the processes to convert the input into the required output, in an efficient and cost effective way. So the quality assurance of the product offerings and their cost, are the key points of studying the operations management. Operations management usually refers to the production of goods and services independently, even though the difference between these two central types of operations is ever more difficult to make as producer convinced to combine product and service offerings. More commonly, operations management targets to increase the satisfaction level of value-added actions in any of the given processes.  [2]   The fundamental objective of the operations management departments attempt to create the desired balance between the costs and revenue to  get the maximum net operational profit, but at the same time to ensure the quality of the product and service. Operations management includes the activities that are involved in the process of production and distribution of the goods and services. Normally, the small companies do not involve in the operations management processes but major businesses stress upon properly keeping up with the operations management processes and normally they do not change the processes rapidly. Company Overview: ASDA is a British superstore chain which retails food, clothing, toys and general commodities. It also has a mobile telephone network, ASDA Mobile. It has its head office in the ASDA House in Leeds, West Yorkshire.  [3]  ASDA became a subsidiary of the American retail giant Wal-Mart, the worlds largest retailer, in 1999. And today, it is the third largest chain in the UK after Tesco and Sainsburys. In December 2010, 16.5% of UK grocery stores used ASDA for their major shop, with special offers the most bragged motive for its reputation.  [4]   Asda Stores Limited was established with the name of Associated Dairies Farm Stores Limited in year 1949. However, the approval of the Asda name occurred in 1965 with the merger of the Asquith chain of three supermarkets and Associated Dairies; Asda is an abbreviation of Asquith and Dairies, often capitalised. As Asda is subsidiary of Wall-Mart, so the focus of its marketing promotions have frequently been centred only on price, with Asda kept on promoting itself under the slogan of Britains Lowest Priced Supermarket, 13 Years Running. Because it is a wholly owned division of Wal-Mart, so, is not necessary for Asda to announce quarterly or half-yearly earnings. ASDA employs more than 150000, working on its more than 375 locations. The operating income of the company has been declared around  £638 millions last year. Andy Clarke is the chief executive officer of ASDA and Andy Bond is chairman. Asda helped wall-mart getting success and market share in British market.  [5]   Under the leadership of strong people, ASDA has been pretty successful in competing with its rivals in the last many years. Today, although it is ranked on 3rd in terms of market share after Tesco and Sainsbury, still its reputation and public relations have been out standing. Objective: The objective of this study is to analyse the central operational functions of Asda and their associated factors, problems and deficiencies. In this regard, we will discuss the fundamental operations management theories and their application at Asda. We will also try to focus on the operational problems being faced by Asda currently because of increasing competition and financial crisis as well. In this regard, the key operational and functional matter of the company will also come under discussion. Problems and Issues: We have been observing a very sharp decline in the sales of the grocery store and shrinking growth for the last 3years or so, due to the financial crisis. In this scenario, the major problem for the companies is to sustain. For surviving and sustaining in this environment, there are two ways to be adopted. The first one is of increasing the revenues and the other one is of cutting the cost of doing business. In both of matters, the operational management capacity of the organization is challenged and the team is under strict pressure. Competition has also increased and the competitors are trying very hard to gain the market share, in order to retain Asdas market share, so here the company needs to have implemented effective operation management system and tools so that the production of goods and services will be maintained smoothly and customers demand is fulfilled quickly So the focus of this report will not only be on the operations management of the company but also be on the dealing with the aftermaths of financial crisis with the help of operations management theories and practices. Operations Management and Value Chain: The concept of value chain is very important from the perspective of operations management. It is the fundamental concept on the basis of which all the operations building, is erected. Michael Porter is considered as the father of the value chain philosophy. He coined the idea of value chain in his book Competitive Advantage: Creating and Sustaining Superior Performance (1985). This idea brought about a very positive change in modern day strategic management and marketing. Nowadays all successful companies give due importance to the concept of value in service delivery. Value means a mental perception of a product/service by the customer for which he is paying the price. A person estimates the value by a simple equation; Value = Benefit/cost.  [6]  The concept of value is understood to be a core idea in marketing and strategic management. Many theories revolve around this concept of value; like value chain analysis and profit value chain etc. The concept of service value chain is pretty similar to the Porters value chain idea. There is just a slight difference between them in terms of their practical implementation. For getting the true insight about these two models; fist we should understand the Porters value chain model. Porter argued that the customer; when he pays the price for the product or service, he is not basically paying for the product or services. He is paying the price of the perceived value which is delivered to him by the provider. If his benefits estimation exceeds the cost of the product or service, he will be satisfied and vice versa. So the core area of concentration in marketing must be to enhance the value so that the customer may be satisfied and come back again for the same value.  [7]   Value is not added on the corporate level. It is added from the operational level and with the efficient interlinks of the various functions. An organization is involved in two sorts of functions; the primary and core functions and the support functions. With the proper integration of the functions it can achieve the superior value. This diagram will further elaborate the Porters value chain model. The primary functions include inbound logistics (Warehousing raw material), operations (Process of converting raw material into finished goods), outbound logistics (finished goods inventory packaging), marketing and service (selecting a target market and fulfilling its demand and after sales service provision etc.) While the support functions include the firm infrastructure, (its design, polices and procedures) HRM (hiring people, firing and training them etc.) Technology (technology enabled management to deliver quality and value), and procurement (purchase and warehousing). Now we look at these main operations management functions separately, along with their complete reference to the organization of our concern. The Value Chain of ASDA: Inbound Logistics: The Inbound logistics operations of Asda are presented in its totally inclined and agile form and also show the commitment of the overall low price strategic management o. As the company is among the major market players so it has the place and economies of scope which are considered as the key bargaining powers, it helps to achieve low costs through the suppliers of the company. The up-gradation of the IT and other functions of the company is a routine matter and with the improved order-taking system, the company has made it among leaders. Out bound Logistics: Asda is also working with all retail segments, physical ones, online and offline ones. As it is a subsidiary of Wall-mart, so it has to operate directly with all of the operations included in outbound logistics. The companies is always keen to of develop processes and tools to produce and distribute the goods and services effectively and efficiently. Asda has designed a variety of formats and types related to the stores, it will be implemented strategically with the aim of maximum exposure of the customer. The formats include the Express, Superstores, Metro, Extra and Homeplus, these ranges are divided and segmented according to the target customers  [8]  . Marketing and Sales Programs: Asda has also introduced incentives and various schemes for the benefit of the customers. Issues related to the environment, climate changes, public awareness, reduction of waste and the carbon footprint involved in the preparation of the meals. The company is always striving to satisfy the customers and makes them happy. This indeed has helped it gain greater respect in the eyes of the customers. Services: Asda is following what wall-mart is doing; the price leadership. The famous slogan of always low price depicts the philosophy of wall-mart. It is also implementing the strategies related to cost leadership and differentiation, the aim is to improve the customer service. The focal point of the value chain here is, is to create a valuable service which may result in a high degree of value as compared to the other service providers. Asda has some very efficient strategies that are streamlined to apply the useful services in order to keep the customers. The main focus here is to reduce the cost of production and operations and hence gain a leadership position. There are some problems in the system, but can be resolved with the proper research and development. Technological Factors: In todays globalized world, the leadership in the business can only be achieved through leadership in technology. Technology is an effective way to make the business more efficient, effective. It may happen that sometimes extra efficient use of technology may produce negativity, however this can be minimized. Asda has to take into consideration lots of matters related to technology, but as the technology is among major macro-environmental variable and it has influenced development of the Asdas products and services. Few years back when Wall-mart invested around $6 billion in its IT function to introduce RFID, they also introduce the same in Asda as well. This has increased service orientation of the business and customers are delighted. So we can say that technology is very important ingredient in gaining advantage over competitor in the operations management. Information Technology and Integration: Innovative technology has helped companies and the customers, in various functions and ultimately the rate of customer satisfaction has increased. Now the desired products and goods are available easily. Companies have individualized their services to make the customer happy, and hence the grocery shopping has become pretty suitable with easy access. Asda works on the Customer is Always Right policy to improve its service orientation and has installed various IT gadgets to make the system more efficient. Here is a list of those technology gadgets, which are being used by Asda in its business operations to make the customer more satisfied. Self Check-out machines. Wireless Devices. Electronic Shelf and Labeling Electronic Tracker Electronic Fund Transfer System Radio Frequency Identification (RFID). These technologies have increased the value of these activities being performed in stores and making it more efficient. Now you have all kinds of solutions available under one roof of Asda. I.T. Integration: In this challenging time, the corporations are facing a rapidly increasing rivalry with changing environment and business tendencies. For long term survival in the business, the companies have to predict the change and adopt it as well. To endure and compete in this modern world it is compulsory to innovate in the technology, operational processes and improvement in the products and services. When you are in the business of retailing, you have to keep these things in your mind. You have to ensure; Proper Implementation of the systems to control and record all the stock. Arranged record of all the previously delivered products. Analysis of every business transactions properly. The above mentioned are some factors that should be analyzed properly, as IT has many solutions that are beyond the traditional support role. Asda should also have adequate execution of extranet service it will be beneficial for the company. Here the internet will help to create customers circle and flow of customized information among the business partners and the company. Asda has taken an initiative to introduce the extranet system. The system can provide connection with the business partners online and provides the opportunity to build relationships with the partners and delivering the easiest way of accessing the retailing services of Asda. There are many technological advances and systems that can support business operations. Asda has implemented some which includes like wireless devices, intelligent scale, electronic shelf labeling, self checkout machine and radio frequency identification systems. These systems can help the company in achieving its long term and short term goals and also the target to control the cost of operational processes and provide proper control upon the volume of the products and services. Store and Inventory Management: The inside store inventory management system of Asda is very effective because of the RFID technology used to store the information of the inventory and dealers information is also available with them which helps in making the process much reliable. Channels management system: The way it deals with its suppliers and other business partners that is really recommendable. As we discussed early that, value chain means to take care of not only your own value but he value chain of your network partner. Asda is working with a vast variety of suppliers across the world, being a major retailer with a diverse range of products and employed employees from very different ethnic groups and cultures. It is included in the policy of the company that it should maintain very healthy relationships with the suppliers and work with mutual concerns. The addition of technology in controlling the work pattern with the suppliers can improve the communication of the company with the suppliers. Asda has a good network of communication with the suppliers because of Wall-mart but still it need to improve and add a technology that will be easily accessible by the suppliers and understandable also at the same time. The communication network should be very clear and effective between the supplier and the company. The record of all the required products should be clearly mentioned by the company to the supplier it will help in building a long term business. The contractors in the loop will be able to promote the orders and it will improve the conditions and steps included in the supply chain. However, we see some loop holes in trade union relationship. In August 2005, the manager of a depot in Wakefield spoke out what were called foreign-sounding names over the communal address system ordering them to report instantaneously to the managers office. At least one was threatened with the sack unless he produced his passport the next day. The highly public initiative by management, which came within weeks of the 7 July bombings in London was followed by a flurry contempt for Muslims and their religion.  [9]   Loop Holes in the System: In December 2007 Asda, Sainsburys and other retailers admitted to price fixing dairy products between 2002 and 2003. Asda commented, Everyone at Asda regrets what happened, particularly as we are passionate about lowering prices. Our intention was to provide more money for dairy farmers, who were under severe financial pressure at the time. So far in total these retailers have been fined  £116  million. Apart from this, we can see some of these problems Asda is leader brand and has massive business around the world. The strategies to control the business and increase the customer satisfaction and maximize the revenues are the ultimate goal of the company. There are some issues that are found within the company that are follows: Lack of expertise. No record maintenance of the stock. Slow delivery to the customers Logistics deficiency No proper control of distribution channels. Recommendations: On the basis of the secondary data it has been proved that Flexibility in the work place is required because than the change will be adopted easily. The cost structure is varied at multiple places. In order to implement some efficient functions following steps should be taken: Customer Service Strategic Procurement Supplier Connectivity and Order Fulfilment Manufacturing Flow Portfolio Management Sales Cycle Efficiency Reduction in unproductive time Long term plans should be made related to technology The above mentioned factors are at the initial level in the Asda company and can be handled very easily as Asda has many excellent and efficient ways to solve major problems. Asda also always takes care of its systems and processes but the only problem is the adoption of change which is very slow. Asda is a very large company which includes a large number of technological systems that are developed for the benefit of the company. Company also believes in fast transactions but the delivery process is still very slow in many areas, the customer order is sometimes ignored also due to lack of a communication tool. Approach to Operations Improvement Effective operations and processes allow a business to maximize its efficiency as well as revenues. It is necessary to understand the optimizing and streamlining the business activities and processes so that the output can be maximized. The processes should be built purely for the purpose of maximizing the customer satisfaction, profitability and increase effectiveness in the output. To deliver the right good at the right place on the right time is the ultimate goal of the company but deeply requires the integration of the supply chain management and business processes and the contribution of buyers and suppliers, also joint product development, common systems within the company franchises and frequently shared information with the customers, suppliers and vendors.

Garry Winogrand Essay -- Essays Papers

Garry Winogrand Gary Winogrand’s photography career began when a friend introduced him to it in 1948 while taking painting classes at Columbia University. After Winogrand’s first exposure to the darkroom, he abandoned painting and â€Å"never looked back.† Winogrand became extremely emerged in photography and felt that nothing else in life mattered. He dropped out of college to pursue his passion. Earning an average of ninety cents per week, he had a difficult yet determined beginning. Winogrand did not concern himself with issues that were affecting society and therefore did not always appeal to the mass public. Winogrand’s long and successfully debatable career experienced many turns and obstacle that ultimately led him to become one of the most noted photographers of the late twentieth century. Winogrand discovered photography at a point in time when unconventional photos were just beginning to emerge. Although it was thought that photojournalism had offered the most opportunity, this new and unconventional direction of photography was preferred. Artists were now able to shoot what they desired not what they were told to shoot. This revolutionary form of photography was based on emotion and intuition as opposed to precision and description. Exploring real life became more of the focus, instead of calculated or planned out pictures. In the early fifties, Winogrand attempted to become a freelance photographer, but the money he was making was not sufficient enough to support his new wife and children. He was forced to spend most of his time working for magazines such as Colliers, Redbook, and Sports Illustrated. At this time Winogrand’s photo’s had no distinction from any other photojournalist, but he always felt different and waited for the chance to pr ove it. He once said, â€Å" The best stories were those that had no story line†¦on entertainers†¦or athletic contests, where the photographer could forget narrative and concentrate on movement, flesh, gesture, display, and human faces†(Szarkowski, p17). By the early sixties, Winogrand’s marriage was beginning to fail. He became frustrated with his wife Adrienne because she would not disregard her interest in becoming a dancer and go to work to support his desire to become a photographer. It was during time that Gary became extremely preoccupied with photographing women on the streets of N... ...ich kind of shoes, handbags, sunglasses, and hairstyles were most popular. The actions, gestures, and thoughts of these people both say and imply many things. The black man and white woman on the left seem to be engaged in a conversation. The white woman sitting next to her might be whispering about the fact that the other woman is talking to a black man, which could further imply that this action of conversing outside of one’s race was not commonly accepted. The older man on the right may not be interested in futuristic ideas, preferring more conservative items such as a newspaper. Although each figure is involved in something different, their actions seem to have a connection to one another. Winogrand shot a wide view of this scene, but still managed to capture an intimate portrayal of each person. There are numerous possible stories and questions about each person sitting on the bench. Winogrand makes the viewers ponder over each expression and interaction, having them wishing they were sitting on the bench, eavesdropping on the sub jects. Bibliography Szarkowski, John. Winogrand: Figments From The Real World. New York: The Museum of Modern Art, 1988.

Due Diligence is Necessary When You Buy a Website :: Sell Websites Buy Websites

Due Diligence is Necessary When You Buy a Website Reprinted with permission of VotanWeb.com According to industry statistics, nine out of ten people who begin the search to buy a website never complete a transaction. While there are many reasons for this dismal figure, a lot has to do with the inability of people to "pull the trigger". This gun-shy reaction is due to uncertainty: if you have not gathered the right information or failed to investigate the website thoroughly you will not be 100% certain of what to do. Due diligence is probably the most critical stage in the website buying process. Many prospective buyers incorrectly identify this period as strictly a financial review. However, an effective due diligence goes far beyond the numbers. Due diligence is the complete investigation and review of a website. One of the keys to buying a good website comes from your ability to learn the intimate details of it. It is imperative that you identify the strengths, weaknesses, growth opportunities and areas of concern with each website. If you don't do a flawless job of gathering information, you will not be able to pull the trigger and complete the transaction since you'll be uncertain about too many components of the website. The investigation process must begin the moment a website becomes of interest. Your goal is to be certain that you uncover everything about any website before you buy it. You don't have to communicate with the seller for your research to begin. The Internet is an incredible tool that will allow you to investigate the website, the industry, the competition, the marketing, the suppliers, and on and on. The importance of beginning your investigation early cannot be emphasized strongly enough. This way, you'll position yourself to ask the seller the right questions. Once you progress to the stage of an accepted offer, you will commence the financial due diligence. This period usually lasts 10-30 days. This is the time when you'll have access to all of the website’s books and records. Once you begin looking at a particular website, you'll find a thousand things crossing your mind regarding the acquisition. Keep a notepad handy at all times and log your thoughts. Don't trust your memory; these little things are the ones that can and will come back to haunt you down the road. Begin to put together your checklist of what you need to investigate and how you're going to do it along with the materials you require from the seller to accomplish it. Due Diligence is Necessary When You Buy a Website :: Sell Websites Buy Websites Due Diligence is Necessary When You Buy a Website Reprinted with permission of VotanWeb.com According to industry statistics, nine out of ten people who begin the search to buy a website never complete a transaction. While there are many reasons for this dismal figure, a lot has to do with the inability of people to "pull the trigger". This gun-shy reaction is due to uncertainty: if you have not gathered the right information or failed to investigate the website thoroughly you will not be 100% certain of what to do. Due diligence is probably the most critical stage in the website buying process. Many prospective buyers incorrectly identify this period as strictly a financial review. However, an effective due diligence goes far beyond the numbers. Due diligence is the complete investigation and review of a website. One of the keys to buying a good website comes from your ability to learn the intimate details of it. It is imperative that you identify the strengths, weaknesses, growth opportunities and areas of concern with each website. If you don't do a flawless job of gathering information, you will not be able to pull the trigger and complete the transaction since you'll be uncertain about too many components of the website. The investigation process must begin the moment a website becomes of interest. Your goal is to be certain that you uncover everything about any website before you buy it. You don't have to communicate with the seller for your research to begin. The Internet is an incredible tool that will allow you to investigate the website, the industry, the competition, the marketing, the suppliers, and on and on. The importance of beginning your investigation early cannot be emphasized strongly enough. This way, you'll position yourself to ask the seller the right questions. Once you progress to the stage of an accepted offer, you will commence the financial due diligence. This period usually lasts 10-30 days. This is the time when you'll have access to all of the website’s books and records. 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Torture in Michel Foucault’s Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison

Michel Foucault was considered as a postmodernist philosopher. He was known to expose the changing nature of human institutions. In the book Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison, Foucault revealed the evolution of social correction and discipline. Torture was part of this evolution and it disappeared due to the shift in the power. In the 18th century, torture was used as a punishment for criminals and the public display of violence was done in an effort to deter crime and show the power of monarchy. In the 19th century, power was shifted to the soul.As a result, changes in correctional methods were made. In Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison, Michel Foucault used the issue of torture to illustrate the change in power and prove the arbitrary nature of disciplinary institutions. In the book, Foucault began his discussion on torture with the gruesome account of the execution of Damiens the regicide on March 1, 1757 (Foucault, 1977). The details given provide a horr ifying picture: the criminal, who was clothed with only a shirt, had his flesh torn with the use of pincers.After the flesh was removed, a combination of hot molten lead, oil, resin, sulfur and wax was poured on his body. Initially, it was planned that the body would be torn with the help of horses, which would be drawn apart. When this plan did not work, the executioner named Samson had to sever the joints. After the limbs were pulled away, the body was burnt to ashes (Foucault, 1977). According to Foucault, torture as punishment was a judicial ritual (Foucault, 1977). To fully understand the notion of torture, it is important to consider the historical context from which it was taken.Foucault wrote that torture had been practiced since the ancient times and was a significant part of ancient legal procedures. In the 18th century, the monarchical form of government and feudalism was prevalent (Sarup, 1993). The king possessed absolute power, and he manifested this power on his subje cts. At that point in history, the crime was perceived as similar to sacrilege. This perception was the reason why punishment became the ritual which was not created for the purpose of reform; it was made with the intention to uphold the sacredness of a law which had been broken by the criminal (Sarup, 1993).Hence, torture was ineffective as punishment because reform was not its objective. Foucault pointed out that torture was not merely a judicial ritual; it was also political in nature (Foucault, 1977). Public execution, like the case of Damiens, involved the participation of sovereign. By committing a crime, the criminal had offended the sovereignty. As a response to the offense, the sovereign would inflict harm on the body of the criminal. Torture was the means in which the offense of the criminal against the sovereign can be undone (Foucault, 1977). Torture as a method of punishment focused on the body.He explained that torture allowed the body of the criminal to reveal the tru th of the crime (Foucault, 1977). In the brutal ceremony of torture, the body of the offender would create and recreate the truth of the offense. In the context of Damiens’ execution, his torture presented the truth of the parricide he committed. The authorities relied on the effect on the body to achieve the desired outcome. They believed that the viewing public would react accordingly to the execution; they thought that the violent display will decrease the number of crimes because the audience would be overcome with fear.However, this was not the case. The public had a different reaction. The body of the criminal became the source of pity. Instead of feeling fear after witnessing the torture, they felt sympathy for the criminal. The broadsheets which documented the details of the crime and the punishment did not succeed in preventing crime; rather, it succeeded in arousing admiration from the public. The accounts depicted the object of torture as a hero as opposed to a cri minal. In addition, torture became a source of conflict between the sovereign and the people.Torture was supposed to be a manifestation of the power of the sovereign on the body; it was designed to make the people fear the sovereign. Instead, the public executions made the audience detest the sovereign’s power over them and their bodies. As a result, the public often intervened at the executions. Foucault wrote that the criminals had to be guarded from the audience and that the people often attempted to liberate the jailed convicts (Foucault, 1977). Eventually, torture as punishment was rendered obsolete because power was redirected to the soul.In the book, Foucault juxtaposed the account of Damiens’ torture in the 18th century with the schedule of prisoners in a 19th century jail (Foucault, 1977). This juxtaposition presented the dramatic difference between punishments in those time periods. According to Foucault, the transformation occurred because the penalty shifte d from body to soul. In the past, the punishment was directed towards the body. By the 19th century, torture disappeared because punishment was already directed to the soul. The executioner, who was once a relevant figure, was replaced with new figures of authority.Professionals such as doctors and psychologists took over the correctional process. Foucault claimed that those who were responsible for the transformation of correctional methods had learned to consider the humanity of the criminals; they sought to respect and reform the human body rather than diminish it. Prison life was more humane than torture, but both methods of correction were still grounded on power. A new kind of power existed for the criminals, that which resulted in impersonal method of supervision which influenced the psychology of the inmates (Foucault, 1977).Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison is a postmodernist text. Michel Foucault had undermined the stability of institutions by exposing its cha nging nature through his discussion on torture. Foucault illustrated the prevalence and obsolescence of torture as a form of punishment in history. He proved that the existence of torture was due to the manifestation of power on the body. When power was manifested on the soul, it ceased to exist. Indeed, Michel Foucault had shown the arbitrariness of institutions through his discussion on torture. References Foucault, M. (1977). Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison. (A. Sheridan, Trans.). New York: Vintage Books (Original work published 1975). Sarup, M. (1993). An Introductory Guide to Post-structuralism and Postmodernism (2nd ed.).