Aristotle vs Platonist Essay Example for Free

Aristotle vs Platonist Essay Aristotle and Plato were two men with different theories. Although they had some aspects in common, each had their understandings and meanings. Here I will explain what were their beliefs and how these philosophers interpreted each word with its true value. Also with the information, I will try to undercover the meaning of why people used to say people were born either as a Platonist or as a Aristotelian. Between these two philosophers their were differences of character, temperament, background, and mental attitude. Their philosophic belief on the other hand was similar in words but not in action. Let us see why and what am I referring to (Grube). Also, let us choose if we are a Aristotelian or a Platonist and why they say people were born this or that. Virtue is a word that both used to use in their philosophic belief, but, as I said before, the actions were different. To begin with, Aristotles used to describe this word to a action that they have might not even have had the opportunity to chose themselves when they were young. In the norms, help by teachers, parents, and even the government; the development of proper habits was to be made from each persons childhood. This would eventually lead to a better community and for that, better and educated environment. Not only would an adult with this sense of virtue like this be wise to use courage, friendship, justice and other characteristics developed during childhood in a proper way but that is what is required to be good and act when adults. The help is what makes you better when educated young in childhood (Wiki). As mentioned before, Aristotle has different theories than Plato. He suggests that the forms can be discovered through a examination of the world being natural. Now, Plato believes that forms are farther than what humans can understand, it is way beyond. What Platonist ethics is all about is the Form of the Good. For him, virtue is knowledge. The soul, being divided in three parts, which are spirit, reason, and appetite have their share. Then, we have three virtues which are wisdom, moderation, and courage. What makes all of those be together and united is the virtue of justice. This makes the function be the perfection by each part of the soul is performed. Platonism is identified by the persons soul and describes idea prior to matter unlike Aristotelianism (Wiki). To my conclusion, looking at both Aristotelian and Platonist I agree with Platonist belief. While Aristotelian believes that virtue comes through this world as we see it, Plato goes beyond and knows that it is way beyond the eyes of the humans. I think that each person is up-brought differently and for that I believe that all humans have different point of views. My view is Platonist. I am a person that believes and does not have to see it with my own eyes. I do think its important to be educated from childhood but I believe in second chances. Everyone can change and it does not matter if it will be only when you are an adult. Virtue is something that can be used in all phases o life. That is my conclusion on why I was born as a Platonist and not as a Aritotelian. Work Cited: Aristotelian Ethics. Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Inc, 2 Nov. 2010. Web. 24 Nov. 2010. . Grube, G. M. A. Platonist and Aristotelian. Pheonix. Classical Association of Canada, 1947. Web. 24 Nov. 2010. . Platonism. Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Inc. , 12 Nov. 2010. Web. 24 Nov. 2010. .

Composition and Structure of Long Bone and Skeleton Function

Composition and Structure of Long Bone and Skeleton Function The composition of bone, the structure of the long bone and the function of the skeleton Composition of bone Bone itself consists mainly of collagen fibres and an inorganic bone mineral in the form of small crystals (University of Cambridge 2005). Bones are living tissue which is made up of connective tissue. The bone tissue is made up of several types of bone cells such as osteoblasts and osteoclasts. Osteoblasts are needed to aid the process of healing and osteoclasts are needed to break down old bone to make room for new bone. Bones contain phosphorus and calcium which are inorganic salts; these salts give the bone strength. The bone also has collagenous fibers to give the bone flexibility. Structure of the long bone The long bone consists of hyaline cartilage which covers the ends of the bone and stops them rubbing together as well as absorbing shock. The head of the long bone is called epiphysis. Compact bone is hard, dense bone and is the outer layer of the long bone, this gives the hallow part of the bone strength. Cancellous bone is the spongey bone in the long bone, which stores the red bone marrow and this is where blood cells are made. The yellow bone marrow is stored in the marrow cavity of the long bone and this is where white blood cells are made. Cancellous bone looks like honey comb as it is very porous and is easily recognised. The epiphyseal plate is where the bones grow in length. The shaft in the long bone itself is called the diaphysis. The periosteum is a protective layer on the long bone that has no cartilage; this is where the tendons and ligaments connect to (Curran 2016). Below is a picture of the structure of the long bone (LinkedIn Corporation 2017). Functions of the skeleton The functions of the skeleton include protection, movement, formation of blood cells and storage. Protection: Vital organs such as the heart and lungs are protected by the skeleton, the heart and lungs are protected by the sternum (breast bone) and the enclosure of the rib cage. The brain is also protected by the cranium (skull). Movement: Bones and muscles work together to produce body movement as a lever. Bones and muscles form joints which are needed to move. Formation of blood cells: This process is called haematopoiesis where blood cells are produced in the bone marrow of some bones. Storage: Bones store minerals such as calcium and phosphorus which are inorganic salts needed for the strength of bones. These materials are stored in the bones when there is too much present in the blood (Curran 2016). Types of joints and their functions There are three different types of joints; Fibrous joints, cartilaginous joints and synovial joints. Their main function is movement of the limbs and stability for example the stability found in the bones of the skull (Boundless 2016). Fibrous Joints Fibrous joints are immoveable i.e. they cannot move. These joints are held together with only a ligament. An example of this type of joint would be the cranium.   (Google Images 2017) Cartilaginous Joints Cartilaginous joints are partly moveable and the connection between articulating bones is made up of cartilage. An example of this type of joint is between the vertebrae that form the spine. The arrow in the below picture indicates where the cartilage is in the spine. (Google Images 2017) Synovial Joints Synovial joints are freely moveable and are the most known and common type of joints in the body. These joints have a synovial capsule surrounding the joint and the synovial membrane secretes synovial fluid to provide lubrication to the joint which prevents friction allows for more movement. Cartilage provides padding to each end of the bone. There are six types of synovial joints; hinge, pivot, ball socket, saddle, condyloid and gliding joints. Examples of synovial joints would be elbows, knees and hips (Boundless 2016).   Ã‚   (Google Images 2017)

Ethical And Unethical Business Practices Business Essay

Ethical And Unethical Business Practices Business Essay Introduction In recent years the issue of ethical and unethical business practices have received lots of attention around the world especially by media. Ethics in business can defined as behaviours that a business bond to in its daily dealings with the world or in other words what society believes is right or wrong which involves or impact how a business is carried out. Ethical or unethical business practices concerns not only to how the business interacts with the world at large, but also to their one-on-one dealings with individuals. Many businesses are interested in making money, and that is the bottom line or in other words they just want to be in business; on the other hand there are many businesses that making money does not mean everything to them, but doing the right thing and having responsibility and commitment toward society have far more importance. In past years there have been numerous reports from global businesses, including most of the major brands that the public use for their poor business ethics, which have received a huge attention by people around the world. One of the most shocking reports came from a well-known company Nestlà ©. The main ethical issues concerning Nestlà © company was endorsing infant formula with ambiguous and unsafe strategies, using suppliers that violate human rights and promoting harmful food. On the other hand in recent years many companies gained a huge reputation mainly because of their ethical business practices, such as Xerox, Pepsi, Solae and many other well-known companies. Solae Company was ranked as one of the most Worlds Most Ethical Companies in Food industry in 2010. Solae mostly gained its reputation through its core value which cornerstone of that they are and what they stand for, values such as public safety and health, high ethical behaviour and respect for people. 1.0 Nestlà © S.A 1.1 Nestlà © History Nestlà © S.A is the world largest fast moving customer goods company in the worldwide, Nestlà © was originated and founded and headquartered in Vevey, Switzerland in 1905 in a merger of the Anglo-Swiss Milk Company and the Farine Lactà ©e Henri Nestlà © Company. Nestlà © start growing after the First World War following the Second World War by expanding its market from 13 to 86 countries around the world, the company currently has more than 283,000 employees. Nestlà © company has more than 6,000 thousands brands, with wide range of products offered a cross markets such as, coffee, bottled water, beverages including Aero and Skinny Cow, chocolate, ice cream, infant foods, performance and healthcare nutrition, confectionery, frozen and refrigerated foods, seasonings and pet food (Mcspotlight, 2002). In 2000 Nestlà © joined the World Coca Foundation (WCF) in order to deal with issues caused by farmers, the WCF goal is to help farmer in earning more income, encouraging them for more efficient farming technique and environmental and social practices (Mcspotlight, 2002). The Nestle Business Principles form the companys culture which has been developed over the period of 140 years. Nestlà ©s Corporate Business Principles are handed out to its 283,000 worker accompanied by training tool in order spread out the companies core values and mission. The Company management is done according to its demographic location, along with the exception of Nestle waters and nutrition which are managed by a global department (nestle, 2010). 2.0 Nestlà © Controversy and Criticism In past ten years Nestlà © Company was accused by many of experts and organisations around the world for unethical business practices in the way the company does its business, the company was involved in serious boycotts which ruined the company overall reputation in past years. In this essay we have discussed and analysis some of the most serious Nestlà © unethical business practices (Phdinparenting, 2010). 2.1 Unethical Marketing of Artificial Baby Milk One of the most critical issues that Nestlà © has been criticised for during past 15 years is the promotion of the use of infant formula to mothers across the world. Many believe that Nestlà © strategy for promoting its infant formula was misleading and harmful that violates both International Symbols of Marketing of Breast milk Substitutes and WHO Code amendable the marketing of breast milk substitutes (Mcspotlight, 2002). Nestlà ©s marketing campaign encouraged mothers across the world for bottle feeding instead of breast feeding, they used free sample to pursue this mission in addition Nestlà © implies that malnourished mothers and mothers with twins have not the ability to Breastfeed their child, despite many international health organisations claimed that there is no sufficient evidence to shore up this statement which could put both the mothers and babies life in danger (Corporatewatch, 2003). There have been numerous reports of direct advertisement targeting mothers across the world in countries such as Malaysia, South Africa and Ireland as a result advocacy groups and health organizations accused Nestlà © of unethical methods of promoting its milk and demand the company to immediately stop its marketing strategies (Mcspotlight, 2002). One of the Health organisations that criticised Nestlà © for its marketing strategy was IBFAN which believed Nestlà © is harming misleading mothers by offering them a free sample of milks as they are in hospitals, because as mothers are released from hospitals they have to continually buy Nestlà ©s formula since babies get adapted to the Nestlà ©s milk. IBFAN also maintained that Nestlà © exercise Humanitarian Aid to form markets by offering striking gifts and different sponsorships to influence health officials to market and promote its products by targeting young mothers who have given birth (Corporatewatch, 2003). 2.2 Using Suppliers That Violate Human Rights Another controversy issue faced by the company during past years was using suppliers that violate human rights, in 2009 BBC reported that Nestlà © buy its milk from a farm seized from its white owners which is now owned by the wife of Zimbabwes President Robert Mugabe, they supply between 10% to 15% of Nestlà ©s local milk supply (Corporatewatch, 2003). However the company denies the proclamation and claims that the only reason they purchase their milk supply from its African supplier is to help meet the food needs of Zimbabwean consumers (BBC, 2009). 2.3 Exploiting Farmers In 2001, Nestlà © faced huge criticism for purchasing cocoa from the Ivory Coast and Ghana suppliers, which may have been produced using child slaves. An investigation by BBC showed that hundreds of children who lived in Mali, Burkina and Togo were being purchased from their parents and sent to countries such as Ivory Coast and Ghana to be used in production of coca (BBC, 2001). Most of the children who work in coca farms are ranged between 12 to 14 years old, and are forced to work 80 to 100 hours each week while they are not paid fairly, barely fed and beaten regularly (Corporatewatch, 2003). After the widespread of these reports Nestlà © Company faced huge criticism from health and labour organisations around the world to put a stop to these anti-humanities act, as a result the company did not have any choice except to express its concern over the use of child labour in coca farms to, however the company never confirmed that non of its chocolate products derived from these anti-humanities resources (Mcspotlight, 2002). 2.4 Union Busting In late 2001, labour organisations accused Nestlà © for denying its worker right; one of the countries that most of the accusation came from was Columbia, in which eight worker of the company got assassinated because they were part of food and drink labour union called SINALTRAINAL; however there have been no evidence linked Nestlà © to these assassinations. In another example involving Nestlà © union busting, in 2001 the management of Nestlà © subsidiary Comestibles La Rosa threatened the company worker that they must either renounce their union membership or they should leave the company (Corporatewatch, 2003). 2.5 Promoting Unhealthy Food Nestle was recently exposed after a report by the UK consumers association claiming that 7 out of 10 of the Nestlà ©s breakfast cereals containing the highest level of fast, sugar and salt water. The company is accused for denying the role of corporate responsibility in promoting its product to public (Corporatewatch, 2003). 2.6 Illegal Extraction of Groundwater The company was also accused for abusing and ruining water resources in Brazil and United State. In the region of Serra da mantiqueira in Brazil which is known for its vulnerable groundwater resources, Nestlà ©s over pumping action has resulted in depletion and long term damages to the region water resources (Corporatewatch, 2003). Nestlà ©s was accused because people of the Serra da mantiquira believ that the company action has changed the taste of their drinking water and also the over pumping has caused complete dry out on the main region water resources. Nestle used these water resources for its mineral water product called Pure Life bottled water (Phdinparenting, 2010). 3.0 Solae Company 3.1 Solae History Solae LLC is an international soy supplier which is based in Louis, Missouri. This company is the world leader in developing and producing innovative soy technologies, meat and other nutritional products. The company was founded in 1958 by producing just industrial soy protein products; however Solae started producing other food product (such as baked goods, meats, beverages and nutrition bars) in 1973 after DuPont and Bunge created Solae Company as a joint venture (Solae, 2010). Solar use soybean resources around the world in order to create nutritious and great-tasting ingredients including baked goods, meats, beverages and nutrition bars which are consumed by thousands of customers and consumers in more than 120 countries worldwide. The company has approximately 2,400 employees in different parts of the world as well as North America, Asia, Latin America and Europe (Solae, 2010). Solaes commitment to innovation and development has resulted in production of new soy product tag along by more than 98 patent and 338 patents pending which is more than any other soy provider in the world (Solae, 2010). On 26 of March 2010, Solae Company was recognized by the Ethisphere Institute as one of the worlds most ethical companies. Each year Ethisphere Institute prepares a list of 100 companies which it believes are the most ethical companies in the world on basis of attitude and future refinement (Ethisphere, 2010). The world most ethical companies are recognize not only making statements about doing business ethically but also translating those statements into action. Solae was ranked among on of the 100 most ethical companies in the world along with giant companies like Pepsi, Nike, Ford, Xerox, Henkel and LOreal in addition the company was positioned at top 5 most ethical companies in food and beverage industry joined by Campbell, Mills and PepsiCo (Ethisphere, 2010). 4.0 Solae Ethical and Decent Practices Solae ethical and moral practices are inspired by the companys core value which mostly concentrate on what the company is and what it is stand for, Solae top executives believes the strength of the company begins with a deep commitment to ethics from the top to bottom in the company, ethical behaviour is one of the core values at Solae, which is important in both the companys professional and personal lives. According to Solae officials, at Solae ethic codes are designed to make sure that each of the companies personnel are constantly upholds the companys standards and objectives. Any act that deliberately violates the law or regulation to screen non-compliance with this Code of Conducts, or company overall policy is an ethical violates (Solae code of conduct, 2010). 4.1 Safety and Health Solae Company believes that in doing business all occupational illnesses, environmental incidents and injuries are preventable and can be controlled by implementing the right business practices along with providing the best and high quality foods to consumers. The companys overall goal is zero for incidents, meaning that safety and health are one of the most important aspects of Solae Company (Solae, 2010). Every employee at Solae is responsible for acting in reliance with safety and health law which was developed to prevent any incident involving employees and other Solae personnel. Managements in each department are responsible for training, educating and motivating employees to understand and act accordingly to applicable safety and health laws. 4.2 Sustainable Practices for Society Solae core value of environmental custodiantion is a major example of the companys commitment for people in different societies. At Solae employees are expected to compete lawfully at all manners, they are also expected to protect the environment and to be a good keeper of the company operations, services and products (Ethisphere, 2010). 4.3 Environmental Practices Since the company was founded, Solae mission has been to be the preferred universal partner in the expansion and delivery of nutritional and efficient solutions for its customers, the Company is constantly committed to promise to conduct business and operations with respect and care for the Mother Nature. Since Solae main business is product of soybean resources, the company pays a great respect and attention to environmental practices which helps to keep our nature green and un harmful. At Solae managers at each corporate level are held responsible for educating, training, motivating and instructing employees to understand the important of Solaes commitment to protect environment in addition each employee at Sola company has the responsibility to meet and fulfil the terms of Health and Environment which were developed to guide each employee in pursuing the companies mission and vision (Solae code of conduct, 2010). Solaes commitment to environment is one of the core value developed by the company which has allowed the company continually improve and implement main manufacturing process and activities to reduce its impact on Mother Nature, It is believed that Solae track its activities across all manufacturing department in order to replicate successful improvement where it is needed. The company has received several awards because of its environmentally friendly business practices around the world. For example: In 2009, the company headquarter in St.Lous was given a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Green Building Certificate for having the most energy efficient, greenest and high productive building in the region (Solae, 2010). In 2005, Solae received two awards from different non-profit organisations for reducing total energy consumed by the company by more than 10 percent and decreasing greenhouse emissions by 7.7 produce by the company (Solae, 2010). 4.4 Ethical Competition Law Practices It is believed that, Solae competes forcefully in the marketplace to best supply its customers needs and preferences. Solae Company has gain most of its reputation as a result of its Competition Laws which the company follow in most of the countries that operates, these laws are compound and can vary from country to country depending to its market place competition condition and pressure (Solae code of conduct, 2010). 4.5 Water and Energy Consumption Solae is well known around the world for its efficient water and energy consumption in compare with other companies involved in food industry. Soy uses less water than other kind of proteins such as meat, milk and eggs. In addition soy is known to be an efficient source of protein based on return amount of energy use in compare with other resources of proteins. C:UsersArmanDesktopvirtuawater.jpg C:UsersArmanDesktopenergyefficiency.jpg USDA; FAO/ UNICEF, USA Protein Advisory Group (2005) 4.6 Equal Opportunity Non Discrimination Solae Company is against any discrimination regarding any employee or new application who wants to join the group because of race, sex, age, colour, national origin, marital status, expression or ancestry (Solae, 2010). Conclusion To sum up, Core values are particularly critical in these days as we operate in markets around the world and aiming to serve customers with different needs and ideas. Obviously at Solae Company the central attention is to understand responsibilities and obligations toward individuals and environment. As experiment has shown us a companys success is pretty much dependent on ethics and moral which builds a long term reputation for both the company and industry. Unfortunately, after analyzing Nestlà ©s corporation act, clearly ethics has no place in the company long term strategy. This fact has greatly influenced companys reputation and has ruined its position in food industries around the world. As a result the concept of ethics has become one of the most important aspects of management duty. For companies as big and successful as Solae and Nestle training employees to follow ethical and social principles are key success factor and has to be observed and practice continually. Many businesses are interested in making money, and that is the bottom line or in other words they just want to be in business; on the other hand there are many businesses that making money does not mean everything to them, but doing the right thing and having responsibility and commitment toward society have far more importance. Solae has to continue its effort in practicing ethical principles in all company levels and Nestle has to change its long term strategy and pay attention to what is right and wrong.

The Pleasure Principle in Perraults Little Red Riding Hood and Brother

Sigmund Freud, commonly referred to as "the father of psychoanalysis", is best known for his studies of sexual desire, repression, and the unconscious mind. Freud came to see personality as having three aspects, all of which work together to produce our complex behaviours: the Id (â€Å"It†), the Ego (â€Å"I†) and the Superego (â€Å"Over-I†). His psychoanalytic theories are used today in many different fields, including literature analysis. â€Å"Little Red Riding Hood†, written by Perrault in the 17th century, as well as in â€Å"The Little Red Cap†, written by the Brothers Grimm in the 19th century, are both famous folktales turned fairy tales about a young girl’s encounter with a cross-dressing wolf. The tale makes the clearest contrast between the safe world of the village and the dangers of the forest. It also seems to be a strong morality tale, teaching children not to â€Å"wander off the path†. However, when applied to both Perrault's and the Grimm Brothers’ tale, we see that these tales are dominated by the Id, the function of the irrational and emotional part in the mind. The authors are trying to show us that being impulsive and basically giving in to your Id is not wise and might eventually lead you to your own doom. This is apparent in both tales, where Little Red Riding Hood gives into her desires and impulses by disobeying her mother and speaking to the wolf, whereas the wolf has more self-control and is able to restrain impulses. At the beginning of the story, the first thing Little Red Riding Hood’s mother tells her is â€Å"Here is a piece of cake and a bottle of wine. Take them to your grandmother. She is sick and weak, and they will do her well. Mind your manners and give her my greetings. Behave yourself on the way, and do not leave... ...delaying of gratification. Even though the wolf wants to eat the little girl, he realises he will enjoy it later when the time is right, when the risks are lower. After waiting for the right moment and delaying his desires and impulses, the wolf’s Id takes over and he not only eats the little girl, but the grandmother as well. In the end, both Little Red Riding Hood and the wolf are guilty of giving into their Id. The moral of the story warns the reader that there are wolves in the real world that are just like the wolf in the story. These â€Å"wolves† are just preying on young, impressionable young girls in order to fulfill their sexual desires. These little girls are not just victims though. They are also able to act on their desires and be bad little girls. Everyone is capable of giving into temptation as well as what is not necessarily the right thing to do.

Greek Literature :: Greece Literature Poetry Myths Essays

Greek Literature The great British philosopher-mathematician Alfred North Whitehead once commented that all philosophy is but a footnote to Plato . A similar point can be made regarding Greek literature as a whole. Over a period of more than ten centuries, the ancient Greeks created a literature of such brilliance that it has rarely been equaled and never surpassed. In poetry, tragedy, comedy, and history, Greek writers created masterpieces that have inspired, influenced, and challenged readers to the present day. To suggest that all Western literature is no more than a footnote to the writings of classical Greece is an exaggeration, but it is nevertheless true that the Greek world of thought was so far-ranging that there is scarcely an idea discussed today that was not debated by the ancient writers. The only body of literature of comparable influence is the Bible. The language in which the ancient authors wrote was Greek. Like English, Greek is an Indo-European language; but it is far older. Its history can be followed from the 14th century BC to the present. Its literature, therefore, covers a longer period of time than that of any other Indo-European language . Scholars have determined that the Greek alphabet was derived from the Phoenician alphabet. During the period from the 8th to the 5th century BC, local differences caused the forms of letters to vary from one city-state to another within Greece. From the 4th century BC on, however, the alphabet became uniform throughout the Greek world. CLASSICAL PERIOD There are four major periods of Greek literature: preclassical, classical, Hellenistic-Roman, and Byzantine. Of these the most significant works were produced during the preclassical and classical eras. Epic Tradition At the beginning of Greek literature stand the two monumental works of Homer, the 'Iliad' and the 'Odyssey'. The figure of Homer is shrouded in mystery. Although the works as they now stand are credited to him, it is certain that their roots reach far back before his time (see Homeric Legend). The 'Iliad' is the famous story about the Trojan War. It centers on the person of Achilles, who embodied the Greek heroic ideal. While the 'Iliad' is pure tragedy, the 'Odyssey' is a mixture of tragedy and comedy. It is the story of Odysseus, one of the warriors at Troy. After ten years fighting the war, he spends another ten years sailing back home to his wife and family. During his ten-year voyage, he loses all of his comrades and ships and makes his way home to Ithaca disguised as a beggar. Both of these works were based on ancient legends. The stories are told in Greek Literature :: Greece Literature Poetry Myths Essays Greek Literature The great British philosopher-mathematician Alfred North Whitehead once commented that all philosophy is but a footnote to Plato . A similar point can be made regarding Greek literature as a whole. Over a period of more than ten centuries, the ancient Greeks created a literature of such brilliance that it has rarely been equaled and never surpassed. In poetry, tragedy, comedy, and history, Greek writers created masterpieces that have inspired, influenced, and challenged readers to the present day. To suggest that all Western literature is no more than a footnote to the writings of classical Greece is an exaggeration, but it is nevertheless true that the Greek world of thought was so far-ranging that there is scarcely an idea discussed today that was not debated by the ancient writers. The only body of literature of comparable influence is the Bible. The language in which the ancient authors wrote was Greek. Like English, Greek is an Indo-European language; but it is far older. Its history can be followed from the 14th century BC to the present. Its literature, therefore, covers a longer period of time than that of any other Indo-European language . Scholars have determined that the Greek alphabet was derived from the Phoenician alphabet. During the period from the 8th to the 5th century BC, local differences caused the forms of letters to vary from one city-state to another within Greece. From the 4th century BC on, however, the alphabet became uniform throughout the Greek world. CLASSICAL PERIOD There are four major periods of Greek literature: preclassical, classical, Hellenistic-Roman, and Byzantine. Of these the most significant works were produced during the preclassical and classical eras. Epic Tradition At the beginning of Greek literature stand the two monumental works of Homer, the 'Iliad' and the 'Odyssey'. The figure of Homer is shrouded in mystery. Although the works as they now stand are credited to him, it is certain that their roots reach far back before his time (see Homeric Legend). The 'Iliad' is the famous story about the Trojan War. It centers on the person of Achilles, who embodied the Greek heroic ideal. While the 'Iliad' is pure tragedy, the 'Odyssey' is a mixture of tragedy and comedy. It is the story of Odysseus, one of the warriors at Troy. After ten years fighting the war, he spends another ten years sailing back home to his wife and family. During his ten-year voyage, he loses all of his comrades and ships and makes his way home to Ithaca disguised as a beggar. Both of these works were based on ancient legends. The stories are told in

Company Layoff

Historically, layoff is often associated with bad publications for companies performing it. Furthermore, there are various other negative effects that are associated with the application of layoffs. Sometimes, layoff is the only way that the company must perform, in the sense that managers of the company have no other solution to cope with problems of the company. Despite the comments of observers and researches revealing the bad effects of massive layoffs, company layoff still becomes a part of modern companies’ daily lives.Concerning the issue, this paper will review articles about layoff and several important factors. The review aims at creating a simple conclusion regarding the practice of layoffs and their tendencies. Afterwards, the paper will use one of the latest layoff policies to justify the conclusion and also to evaluate the layoff within a company. The focus of the paper is to describe the effects of company layoffs and present a practical example of the conclusio n.Company LayoffDefinitionBy definition, layoff refers to a termination of employment of an employee or group of employees due to unfavorable business situation. The term is common in the business environment and does not often generate uneasiness.However, mass layoffs often become the source of debacle and confrontation in the workplaces. Firing employees in individual manner does not generally raise too much problem because they generally contain justified reasons of why the employees’ employment must be terminated.In addition, mass layoffs often generate trouble due to the fact that mass layoffs are performed solely due to economic reasons. In other words, employees being laid off could have performed no mistake in hi/her job that deserves the termination of employment. Within this paper, the discussion is focused more on mass layoffs rather than individual layoffs (Layoffs, nd.).Why Layoff  Researchers identify two reasons concerning layoffs. The first category relates to the internal condition of the company in which layoffs are performed. Companies perform layoff because of profitability reasons. The goal of performing mass layoff is to reduce the labor cost of the company. This is true since in most manufacturing companies, labor costs become significant parts of the operational costs of the company. Therefore, reducing the labor cost without hurting revenues could mean enhanced profitability (Layoffs, nd.).However, some layoffs occur because management believes that revenues in future periods will go down. This could be the result of enhanced competition, problems with corporate supply chain, changes in managerial structure, etc. In order to maintain profit, management often decides to cut labor costs (Layoffs, nd.).Another reason of performing mass layoffs is external reasons. A downturn in macroeconomic conditions could result in financial problems for most companies. This macroeconomic downturn could have effects limited to certain industri es or could happen nationally. In order to cope with such problem, companies could decide to cut labor costs and saves some level of profitability. This type of mass layoffs generally costs less debacles because ’everyone is going through the same problem’ at the time. However, there are also records that macroeconomic downturn and mass layoffs in some countries result in widespread class actions and public protests.General Effects of Layoffs  Layoffs are often performed as the last solution. In other words, layoffs are seen as the last solution to save a company from a terrible fall. Nevertheless, the fact often denies that premise. Layoffs often decrease corporate value rather than enhance it. Researchers state that this is due to the poor tendency of managers and business owners to look only to the financial aspect of the layoffs. In other words, they often neglect the intrinsic effect of the layoffs. The financial aspects of layoffs are generally easy to calculat e, however, managers generally fail to assess the value generated by employees that must be laid-off. Thus, managers could well be loosing more value from the layoff compare to the financial savings they gain from the process (Hymowitz, 2007).Another bad effect of layoffs generally comes from the layoff that influence working environment. Layoffs often reduce employees’ motivation. Surviving employees generally becomes more wary and possess the feeling of unsafe which reduces the working performance of employees. Moreover, the feeling of unsafe could generate the decision to seek for new jobs rather than waiting with uncertainties (Hymowitz, 2007).How to Make the Best LayoffsLayoffs are generally correlated to bad business. The term generates negative atmosphere for most people in the working environment. Therefore, business owners and managers generally place layoff decisions as a last resort rather than a preferable alternative. Some alternatives to layoffs are: establishin g a hiring freeze, relocate employees to other sections or departments, cutting managerial and administrative salaries, shortening the work week, offering early retirements, etc. However, if layoffs are imminent, there are some activities that could reduce the negative effect of mass layoffs (Sullivan, 2001).The first step in making the best of corporate layoffs is planning the layoff strategy. This includes identification of common problems that could happen during layoffs. Managers of the company are suggested to perform researches and benchmarking to the best practice of company layoffs. Identification and evaluation of all alternatives to layoffs must be performed prior to deciding any layoff decisions. Planning the layoff strategy also involves preparing the budget for layoffs, notifying everyone involves and affected by the layoffs, etc.The second step of managing layoff is making sure that we involved all the people that should be involved in the layoff decision, like CFOâ₠¬â„¢s, HR officers, the corporate attorney, senior managers, etc. The company must them select a layoff expert, this person is responsible for the layoff process and to educate others on how to perform effective layoffs. In addition, the worker’s union must be involved within the process. Lack of educating the union leaders about the necessity of the layoffs could mean failure in performing effective and successful layoffs (Sullivan, 2001).The third step is managing the process carefully, this includes the preparation of a worst case scenario and socialization of involve people, setting the layoff criteria and maintain the credibility of the criteria during the process, identification of top performers, the people that the company cannot afford to loose and protecting them, etc (Sullivan, 2001).RadioShackRadioShack Corporation is a chain of electronic retail stores in the United States, Europe, Central America and South America. The company has 6,000 stores in USA and has rep orted sales of $ 4.6 billion in 2006. In August 10, 2006, the company announces the layoff of 400 to 450 employees at the company headquarters. Company officials assert this action is necessary to reduce company’s overhead expense and enhance competitive position in the marketplace in the long term. The action is also decided to support small number of stores having financial trouble. In the company headquarters, 1 out of 5 positions are eliminated which affected employees of all levels in RadioShack.The layoff decision by the company is widely understood by many observers; however, the layoff generates significant controversy because of the manner in which the layoffs are performed. The 400 employees are notified of the layoff 10 days in advance of the actual layoff. Email notification was delivered to employees who were terminated. In August 10, 2006, employees were sent the emails and they were given 30 minutes to pack up and say goodbye to co-workers and then meet their s enior supervisors. After the meeting, a larger meeting was held to deliver the employees with their benefit packages and ask their questions.This manner of layoffs generates a widespread public attention. Many state that they have never seen such amount of employees laid off by emails. According to the general practice of corporate conduct, this demonstrates the lack of sensitivity by corporate management. The company has performed various efforts to delete reportage of this incident. According to some observers, this is one of the worst practices of corporate layoff in the history of corporate social responsibility. There are many articles that respond with cynicism in reaction of the poor methods of firing people who have been contributing to the company’s success, some even for many years.I believe that the company will not obtain the value they aim for when they decided to perform this layoff decision. As discussed above, there should be various measures to face the negat ive effects of layoffs to employee morale. Insensitive behaviors like one performed by RadioShack will significantly hurt employee morale and their respect to the managers of the company. In result, working productivity could be seriously affected.BibliographyHymowitz. Carol. 2007. ‘Why Layoffs Could Cost More Than They’. CareerJournal. Retrieved March 24, 2007 from http://www.careerjournaleurope.com/columnists/inthelead/20010725-inthelead.html‘RadioShack lays off employees via e-mail’. 2006. USATODAY. Retrieved March 24, 2007 from http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2006-08-30-radioshack-email-layoffs_x.htmSave‘Layoffs Common but Still a Company’s Last Resort’. N.d. Jobwerx. Retrieved March 24, 2007 from http://www.jobwerx.com/HR/layoffs_common.htmlSlaggle, Matt, 2006. ‘RadioShack to offer free online training’. USA TODAYRetrieved   March 24, 2007 frrom http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/2006-10-18-radio-shack-classes_x.htmS ullivan, John. 2001. ‘Key Steps in Effective Layoffs’. ERE.net. Retrieved March 24, 2007 from http://www.ere.net/articles/default.asp?d=H&CID={B6BCB155-2D2F-4C2E-82EC-CB33C6D1E3F9}

College on Campus VS Online Essay

So, you have decided you want to go to college. Do you know what your options are? Read on to get a brief look at what these options have to offer and see what the pros and cons of each choice are. Every student is different and is looking for the type of college that fits them the best. Learning style and personal study preferences tend to assist in making the right choice. Attending college on a campus or online have similar outcomes but differ in how students attend class, complete class work, and interact with teachers and classmates. The decision is yours to make. Whether a student decides to attend a campus or remain at home and attend classes online they still have to go through the same basic processes. Look into and choose a school, pick the desired major, apply for financial aid, and start classes. With either choice there will be professors to teach all the different classes. Some professors might not be as enjoyable as others, and it does not really matter if the student meets them in person or not. There will also be other students of all ages attending the same classes; they will have the opportunity to interact with and get to know each other either face-to-face or through messages on the computer. Attending college online and on campus offers the same or equivalent classes that include books, that have to be read and discussed with the class, homework that will have to be completed and turned in, and the students still have to show up for class and participate. Whichever choices, the student will take and complete all sorts of class es and eventually graduate with a degree of their choosing. Along with things in common, campus and online college also have many differences that need to be taken into account before making a final decision. Getting to campus can be difficult, the student would have to drive, take a bus, or a cab. This makes going to school even more expensive, paying for gas or paying fees to use public transportation add to the cost of school. Staying home and attending class online becomes the cheaper option, even if tuition is usually slightly higher. This is one of the big differences to consider. Another important variance to make sure is considered is whether they want to have everyday interactions with classmates and professors. If they choose to attend online classes almost all communication is done via the Internet. However there is the option of calling their teachers if needed. As for relating with classmates daily, this is all done within the virtual classroom; however, they do not get to â€Å"meet† the people they are in class with. Attending class is also very different, on a campus students have to get up in the morning and get dressed, they have to be presentable when going to class, and this takes time. Then they have to drive to the school, get to class before it starts at whatever designated times are given, and then sit there for lectures and discussions. With online college they are able to save their gas money, sit at home in their pajamas, and attend class whenever it is convenient. There are no set class times, and they do not have to go anywhere. Doing and turning in assignments is also something that is usually different. At a college campus many of the assignments will be done on paper and handed in to the professors. Online all class work is done and turned in on the computer by submitting them on the school’s website. Another thing about attending online classes is whichever degree program is chosen the student typically only take classes toward that degree. Elective classes can be taken online, but they are not commonly included in the degree programs because taking classes online are supposed to be a faster way to get to the degree the student wants. If attending a campus they will more than likely have more opportunities to attend these extra classes. Also not included when attending college online is the ability to join clubs or participate in school functions such as sports or other school events. This is a great deal of information to process and think about, but we are not done yet. Knowing the similarities and differences between these types of colleges are not all that needs to be considered. Students need to think about their lifestyle and which type of college will fit their daily lives. One of the main things to think about is what kind of schedule they have. If they work full or part time they will have to figure out how to work in a school schedule. Depending on if they are single, married, or have children, also affects when, how, and where they can attend school. What activities and other obligations they have planned week to week also make fitting school time in difficult. These are all things that have to be thought about while planning how and where to attend college. Another factor that has to be taken into account is how the person learns. What is their learning style? There are many ways a person can learn, such as by reading and taking notes or seeing the action taking place. Some students need to have someone speak about what they are learning, such as a lecture. Some people need to work in a group; others do better at learning alone. Knowing the best way they learn will assist in deciding how they will take classes. When attending college at a campus they will be going to classes and listening to lectures, reading class material, and doing assignments, some on their own and some in groups. Online classes require the student to attend class on their own, when they can but still make attendance and participate. They have to be the type of person who can make time to attend class and do the assigned work without someone telling them to do it. As an online student they have to manage their own schedule and make sure all assignments are turned in on time. They have to know themselves and what they can do to accomplish their goals. Deciding how and where to go to college is a tough one. You have to take a great deal of information into consideration. The social and class opportunities given at a campus are a definite plus, but they have to be worth the extra time and money needed to get to and from school. By going to college at a campus it may also take you longer to get to your degree goal. Attending a campus can also take time away from family and friends. If you have a busy lifestyle with work, children, or other obligations; going to college online might be a better choice for you. You can get your degree faster and be able to achieve your dreams in a timelier manner. Have you made a decision yet? Probably not, but you will. Keep in mind that you are doing this for you and no one can make this decision for you. Some advice for you is to do your research. Go visit some college campuses, surf the web for schools that offer online classes for the degree that you want, and don’t settle for the first school you look into, whether it is online or at a campus. Know what you want out of college, do you want to fast track, or take your time and get all you can out of the experience? Once you contemplate what you want and how you want to get it the rest will fall into place.