Harley-Davidsons strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Harley-Davidsons strategy - Essay Example This paper analyses the strategies which helped this company to establish strong reputation in international market. â€Å"Our vision is to fulfil dreams by providing extraordinary motorcycles and customer experiences, and by fuelling the passion for freedom in our customers† (Harley-Davidson India). In other words, Harley-Davidson is capable of delivering more than its customers’ expectations. While most of the companies promise more and deliver less, Harley-Davidson promises less and delivers more. This strategy helps the company to enhance its corporate image immensely. Harley-Davidson is considering its customers as the most important elements in its business. Customers are getting high quality services before and the after the purchase of Harley-Davidson motor bikes. The company knows very well that the existing customers are as important as the new customers. Harley-Davidson’s mission statement says that; â€Å"we ride with our customers and apply this deep connection in every market we serve to create superior value for all of our stakeholders† (HD Values). Harley-Davidson Company is providing individualized services to the customers. In other words, customers of Harley-Davidson have the luxury to get their motorbike after the customization process. The company is ready to do a lot of customization on its bike based on the demands of the individual customers. No other motorcycle manufactures are ready to do so. This strategy is helping the company to satisfy the customer needs in a better manner. Harley-Davidson is keen in improving company’s reputation with the help of the observance of some of the key values. Some of the core values, followed in the company’s dealings are; tell the truth, be fair, keep the promises, respect the individual and encourage the intellectual curiosity (HD Values). Unlike many other companies, Harley-Davidson is keen in telling the truth to all its customers

The Issues Of Children On The Internet

The Issues Of Children On The Internet Abstract: This paper focuses on current studies on children and the Internet in historical context noting the main themes in various research papers, books and media research by summarizing both the pros and cons surrounding childrens use of computer and the internet, and on which factors society should focus when making important decisions about the role of the Internet technology in childrens lives. Is access to the Internet for children important or not? What is the purpose of access and who need the access? How parents can assure that access to the Internet for their children leads to positive and innovative learning experience at school and at home? As the Internet becomes must in our daily lives, it is necessary to understand how the growth and the development of our child is dependent on the use of the Internet and the computer technology. Parents should determine what their children should learn from the Internet and take actions which are necessary to steer them away from bad influenc es of the same. Introduction: Due to childrens passion for computers and internet, huge funds are being spent to give them access to computers and Internet in school, at home and in dorms. Now a days near about each and every school is equipped with computer systems and large number of children have access to the Internet at their home. But is the Internet and computer technology improving childrens lives? This paper examines not only how children are affected by this emerging era of computers and the Internet but also explores how the use of Internet is affecting childrens development by all means and different ways to overcome problems from these critical situations. Overview: People usually agree that, for children to enter socially and politically in this new competing world, they must get a certain level of comfort and knowledge using computers. National polls also indicate the necessity for providing access to computers and Internet for children to enable them learn computer skills and improve their education.[1] In most of the surveys parents and children believe computers and the Internet as an information highway, despite worried about exposure to inappropriate content like commercial, sexual or violent contents.[2] Some Parents also believes that the Internet can help children in their homework. They consider that children without Internet access have a lot disadvantages compared to those with access to internet. Thus, children with access to computers and the Internet at home are growing. The spread of the Internet access has been described as nine time faster than that of radio and four times faster than that of personal computers and also three times faster than that of television.[2] Also the Internet connections are rapidly increased from 15% to 52% over the five year periods from 1996 to 2000.[2] In addition to this, in USA Congress has made a national priority to give access to the Internet at school for all their nations children. Stating that the use of such technology can help students to develop and maintain a technologically literate citizen.[3] For this Congress has established many acts like Educate America act, The Improving Americas school act etc. As a result, the percentage of schools with computer with Internet increased from 35% to 95%.[3] On the other hand, children spend most of their time in computer activities at home. Such excessive and unmonitored use of computers combined with use of other screen technologies like television can place children at harmful risk on their social development. Too much time in front of computer can deviate their mind from playing sports and other social activities which are beneficial and essential to child development. In addition, also there are chances for children to get exposed to some violent and sexual inappropriate contents beyond both at school and at home internet.[11] Currently, excessive use of computers and the Internet among children is not typical. National survey indicate that children ages from 2 to 17 spent on an average about 34 minutes per day on computers at home.[4] Usage is high, however especially older children have reported spending at-least 4 hours a day on internet.[4] Children who spend high amount of time on computers and on the Internet most likely get apart from activities required for healthy development and increasing risk of obesity and could expose them to harmful impact on their eyes. Although, the number of studies suggests that the risk of excessive computer use can be significant.[4] To reduce increased risk of obesity and several other harmful effects because of extensive use of internet, the American Academy of Pediatrics suggested parents about limiting childrens time spending on the Internet should not exceed one to two hours per day.[5] In addition to this time extent, they also suggested that various activities children perform on computers and on the Internet can also affect their psychological and intellectual will-being.[5] Children can use computer and the Internet for a wide range of purposes. For example, they can choose to get engage in activities across a broad range of possibilities like making projects, creating cartoons, learning different basic computer tools such as painting, power-point etc. Games: Video games introduces children to the computer technology and the internet world. Computer games have long been the most common activity for children. Online games make children adapt and be comfortable with diverse concepts of computing. This is mainly important for girls who typically not interested in high technology as much as boys. In concern with online games, boys spent much more time than girls on computers. however, now a days the computer applications has widened, as a result girls also spent time on computers as often as boys do. Children surf the Internet mostly for music and for pictures of their favorite movie stars, and also for use of email to exchange messages among their friend. However, the effect of computer and Internet usage, vary significantly by activity children perform and quality of content the child handles. For example, the experiences of children playing offensive games on computer are different from children playing educational and puzzle games online and the experiences of children using emails to exchange messages with family and friends are quite different from children using emails to chat with strangers in MUDs and chat rooms. These games vary diversely in concern with type of content and behavioral effects. Some games have been shown to have high educational value. For example SimCity. By playing this game children can develop their problem solving skills and visualization skills . But, online games like Doom 95 and counter-strike, expose children to extreme violence, possibly exposing them to aggressive behavior. However, studies suggest that the use of computers for playing games has least significant impact on childrens behavior, on their friendships and on family relationships.[12] It can also enhance certain visual or graphical intelligence skills like to visualize 3D images and to track multiple images of different colors and shapes simultaneously. Such skills can be important building blocks, for children in computer literacy and can be very useful for children to succeed in their life. In addition to the negative impact of online games, studies have shown that the more the time children spend on playing computer games and online games, the poorer is their performance in school exams.[12] It also show that many children who play online games routinely, skip their homework to play games and many student admitted that their online game playing habits are often responsible for their academic degradation. Children can pick up bad language and behavior from other people while playing online and it can make children vulnerable to online threats. According to new study published in February 2012, children spending excessive time on playing online games may show impulsive behavior and have attention problem.[13] According to this study attention problems were defined as difficulty engaging in to reach a goal. Education: Next to games, most frequently found activity at home computer and on the Internet by children is school assignments. The use of computers at home is assumed to have a positive effect on childrens learning. An evidence shows that use of home computer has slightly better academic performance but such studies failed to control other factors.[6] A study shows that children who participated in the computer program to get knowledge in mathematics and computer knowledge were better able to score higher in school tests as compared to non-participants.[6] The dark side of this is many of the educational sites on the Internet are being obscure by the commercial sites. In that, many sites are tied to some interesting television shows and attractive toy companies. By using an unique feature of internet, companies are able to integrate their advertisement on such web pages with their brand names or brand logos encouraging children to become their consumer at very early age. According to an industry report, teenagers spent approximately $161 million online in recent years.[7] In addition to this, much more information which is not intended for the children is readily available on the Internet such as bomb making procedures, and sexually explicit images and videos. It give rise to exposure to inappropriate contents and child abuse. Although, studies shows that children who viewed more cartoons and other animation type films improved their visualization skills and academic performance. [7] The extended use of the Internet to get linked with virtual world of multi user domains as MUDs, chat rooms and multiplayer games tends children to get in loneliness and depression. In this virtual world, children assume multiple identities and starts interacting with strangers. So, no one cannot predict whether a child is really communicating with a real person or with a simulator. Sometimes children are curious about sexuality and sexually explicit materials. Children may seek to establish new relationships outside their family as they are curious about use of Internet access to actively seek out such materials. So many of the sex-offenders target children and exploits these characteristics and children need. Some children also may get attracted to online offenders , although not technically, may also be dangerous.[10] Apart from this, children also make online payments because of some attractive ads to get access to those contents. However, because of such activities childrens and ultimately their parents personal and financial details may get hacked by some third party pirate and children are unaware of this.[10] Suggestions: An executive director of a non-profit group named GetNetWise which aimed at improving online safety says that parents should talk with their children about online privacy.[9] Such discussion can address many aspects of online privacy from the use of social networking sites and the disclosure of personal information.[9] Parents should remind their child not to provide their names or other personal details online without asking them.[11] Parents also should alert their child to common tricks like flashing pop-up ads that may be dangerous to their computer and on clicking them these pop-ups may installs spywares and malicious software into childrens computer to steal their personal information. To help parents and adults protect their children from such violent content, many steps have been initiated like helping children be safe and savvy, efforts to protect children from inappropriate materials on Internet that is Childrens Online Privacy Protection Act in 1998 passed by congress, efforts to promote computer literacy etc. Many companies have created several filtering and blocking tools for parents to keep their children away from online violent and inappropriate contents. However, the study found that half of the children using Internet at home have no parental restrictions on amount of time spent online and type of content they access.[3] So it is highly recommended for parents and teachers working with children that they should limit the time for children to access Internet and also supervise for the contents their children exposes to. Schools, Universities and community organizations should also provide a guideline to parents, teachers and also to children to strengthen themselves in their critical understanding and always teach children in making right choice about their computer use. Teacher should encompasses a more active role for children that allows themselves to use computers to create good applications, to invent new technologies and to design innovative models and not to just receive information passively from computer screen.[10] To reduce the potential threats of excess use of computers, as a next step, guidelines for how long, children of different ages should use Internet each day would be helpful. State and local education agencies should bear some age appropriate guidelines for childrens computer literacy. Such guidelines should be provided to all elementary and secondary teachers and also incorporated into technology centers.[8] Conclusion: Thus, computer technology is a vast and rapidly growing field. The government should ensure that schools should be well equipped with latest hardware, updated high-quality software, and well-trained mentors, resulting children to learn the required skills to live, survive and work efficiently in the twenty-first century. Although, the task is already accomplished to a certain level, appropriate monitoring and controls must be put to practice so that there is a very little abuse of the Internet technology among children and it helps in overall development of not only of their lives but also the future of the nation.

College Admissions Essay: Ebony and Infinity :: College Admissions Essays

Diversity Statement - Ebony and Infinity "According to the National Children's Defense Fund handout in front of you, 'One in every twenty-one thousand black women receive a Ph.D. in mathematics and/or any of the natural sciences,'" my professor explained. "If you use these figures, that means you have a better chance of being struck by lightning than of earning a doctoral degree." My heart stopped after hearing those numbers, for I was a black female student planning to earn a Ph.D. in mathematics. I asked the teacher if he was sure that those statistics weren't a misprint. He replied, "These are the correct figures." I was in disbelief while my instructor continued to discuss the other chances black students had in different fields. Still shocked hours later, I analyzed why I chose math as my major. I was strong in math; I enjoyed manipulating the equations; I loved the concepts found in the subject; Furthermore, I adored the logical thought process. Even though I had established why I chose my major, the thought of my chances continued to upset me. That is the reason why I find it so important to strive for a Ph.D. in mathematics. I believe I can beat those odds, set a positive example, and hopefully inspire others to help change those statistics. Being strong in my field, I decided to apply for a position as a math tutor. I received the job. I also ran for the freshman representative for Minority Achievers in Science (MAS) and was voted in. The experiences have helped me develop my skills and help others. As a tutor, I aid students in seeing the concepts; then they do well. In addition, I represent MAS, and they feel comfortable with my representation. Nothing makes me feel better than being around people and helping them. By getting a degree of my choice in mathematics, hopefully I will set an example for my two younger sisters. I am the first in my family to attend a four-year university. My effort to pursue my education is a good example for my sisters. I not only want to succeed, I want to raise their expectations and see them succeed also.

New Communication Structure Essay

Communication is important in every aspect of our lives. This is also true for the communication used in our professional lives. When at work we â€Å"depend on cooperation with others to accomplish our goals, and communication is the critical human process we use to promote such cooperation.† (Kreps, 2011; sec. 1.1) Understanding communication is the best way to make sure it is being used effectively correctly. When communication is effective then organizational components will run smoother and efficiently. Smoother and effective communication means that an organization has a greater chance of following its mission and achieving its goals. Successful communication can be as important to organizational productivity as any other component used. There are five concepts that are important for successful communication within an organizational setting and this proposal will discuss their necessity in an organization. Culture is something that needs to be recognized and aware of whe n we are communicating with everyone. It is also important in organizational communication. Organizational culture includes the norms and attitudes of the organization. To support clear and effective communication in an organization the employees must be pay close attention the organizational culture. The process of socialization will also help an employee to adapt to an organization’s culture. The process of socialization is where, â€Å"established members of cultural groups educate others and enforce adherence to established cultural rules or norms for appropriate behavior.† (Kreps, 2011; pg. 17) In understanding the norms in an organization communication will be smoother because there will be less chance for misunderstandings. An example of organizational culture would be the style of dress in the office. If an organization is one where the employees dress in suits and formal business wear then an employee who came to work in shorts and a t-shirt would affect  the culture in a negative way. Those communicating with those employees could become uncomforta ble, or distracted. This may result in avoiding communication with this employee and over all communication will breakdown. Avoidance of communication with only one employee is enough to cause a gap in efficiency. The book â€Å"Communications in Organizations† explains, â€Å"Strategic organizational communicators initiate and develop strong, effective, and satisfying relationships with others to promote cooperation and coordination in organizational life.† (Kreps, 2011; pg. 15) Understanding the organizational culture also builds trust and respect among employees which in turn brings higher production. Paying attention to organizational culture helps to build the relational communication to support effective communication. Part of an organization’s culture is the forms of communication used. Informal and formal communications are two types of communication that play an important role in an organization. The difference in both forms of communication can be explained as â€Å"Formal patterns of organizational communication follow the power hierarchy within organizations, whereas informal patterns of communication do not necessarily follow along power hierarchy lines† (Kreps, 2011; sec. 1.5) Formal communication is used to address important job related material. Paying close attention when receiving or using formal communication will stop an employee from making a mistake and will also give them the information to be successful. However, when filtering through formal communications such as emails it is important to avoid information overload. Information overload takes place when, â€Å"so many different messages are impinging on a person that the person has difficulty making sense of all the information available.† (Kreps, 2011; pg. 174) Scanning email for the most important and relative messages is a skill that is necessary but recognizing formal emails for their importance will ensure that the information involved will be received. In understanding the nuances of informal communication an employee can avoid getting themselves in trouble by offending a supervisor or missing important information. In regards to organizational communication conflict resolution can be the difference in success or failure when working with others to meet company goals. Conflict is inevitable, and happens when people communicate. It can come from assumptions, miscommunications, or one way communication. The good news is conflict can be turned into a positive thing. A quote in  the book, says An Introduction to Leadership, that, â€Å"The most important single ingredient in the formula of success is knowing how to get along with people.† (Weis, 2011, pg 2) Working through conflicts can build better communication skills, as well as trust and understanding. In using conflict resolution steps new and better ideas can be generated for the organizations. A gentleman named Mr. Tim Scudder wrote a book in which he describes five steps to conflict resolution. An interview he gave he made the point that in conflict â€Å"both parties want the same thing.† (Scudder, 2011) He also stressed the importance of anticipating conflict. By anticipating conflict an employee will take time to think, and in thinking they will realize that the person they may have a conflict with wants the same thing. This puts the employee in a positive frame of mind and helps to come to a reasonable solution for both involved. In the article â€Å"How to Deal with Annoying Co-Workers† gives a suggestion to help in dealing with co-workers. It suggests that, â€Å"With most types of annoying co-workers, the solution is simply to be straightforward and assertive.† (Green, 2011) Working through a conflict helps co-workers to come to a better understanding of each other. When people understand and respect each other communication is smoother and more effective. Once again, smoother and effective communication benefits the organization. Formal communication, informal communication, and conflict resolution involve two parties. Each of these communications involves a time where another party receives information. In face to face communication active listening is a technique that will ensure that messages are received correctly and will allow the listener to formulate the best response. Active Listening is not only an important part of conflict resolution but communication as a whole. Active listening means, â€Å"being fully engaged in paying attention to your relational partner’s communication with you. It is not just hearing skills. It involves paying close attention to your partner’s verbal and nonverbal behaviors.† (Kreps, 2011; sec. 4.3) In other words, it’s a way of showing respect for those you are communicating with. It sounds as simple as just listening but it’s not that simple. It takes a conscious effort to begin with before it becomes habit. If you are fully engaged in what your partner is communicating then you will get all of the information being sent. It may also evoke the norm of reciprocity which will have your partner giving you  their full attention. The norm of reciprocity is, â€Å"the urge to act in-kind that often encourages these relational partners to provide you with information and treat you similarly to the way you treat them.† (Kreps, 2011; pg. 15) The importance to an organization of its members practicing active listening is participants receive all the information that is coming to them. This means that they have all they would need to know to complete their jobs successfully and meet organizational goals. Organizations have both formal and informal leaders. Formal leaders typically are ‘assigned their positions of authority within the organizational hierarchy and hold titles such as president, vice president, division leader, and manager.† (Kreps, 2011; pg. 19) Informal leaders are little harder to define by position or tile but â€Å"emerge with organizational life based on credibility (usually a combination of charisma, dynamism, expertise, and trustworthiness), ability to accomplish complex tasks, and access to relevant information.† (Kreps, 2011; pg. 19) Even if you are not a formal leader you can still have influence over others as an informal leader. Informal leaders are not defined by title but by quality of character. Understanding leadership strategies and what being a leader entails helps to motivate workers to meet organizational goals. It is important for organizational leaders be able to communicate in different ways for different situations. There are several different leadership strategies that can be employed for different situations. To understand leadership strategies it’s important to think about how leaders may see those under them. Douglas McGregor used X and Y models of leadership to explain the relationship between leaders and followers. Theory X makes the assumption about workers they do not like work and will do anything to avoid it. This model will make leaders be more directed because they think that is what workers prefer and need. McGregor’s Theory Y assumes that workers do not dislike work and will work hard if they feel the value of their effort. The Theory Y suggests that if workers are given a degree of autonomy and a chance to use their imaginations they will strive to be successful in their tasks. Depending on how leaders see workers can dictate their leadership strategies. One of three helpful leadership styles is the autocratic leadership style. This is a leadership style that would come from a leader who is a believer in Theory X. An autocratic leader â€Å"makes most  organizational decisions without consulting with others. The leader calls all the shots, tells workers what to do and how to do it.† (Kreps, 2011; sec 7.6) This type of leadership style would have little use for upward communication from those who follow. Upward communication is, â€Å"communication that travels up the power hierarchy.† (Kreps, 2011; pg. 10) This would be difficult for a leader who believes in Theory X because, â€Å"upward communication enables workers to express their concerns and ideas, to provide and ask for feedback, and seek clarification from managers.† (Kreps, 2011; pg. 10) The autocratic leadership style is best suited not for driving workers but in emergency situation where there is little time for collaboration. Organizational participants would appreciate a direct approach in times of pressure. On the opposing side of autocratic leadership is democratic leadership style. When using the democratic leadership style you, â€Å"share responsibility and involve other organizational participants in decision making, although the process for the final decision may vary from the leader having the final say to them facilitating consensus in the group.† (Kreps, 2011; sec. 7.6) This type of leadership style is something that followers respond positively to. It also bolsters the leader’s position because the workers feel a â€Å"buy in† to the process. This is something that Theory Y talks about. The ability of helping the workers feel that their efforts and work are valued, and helping them to see the value. The drawback to this type of style is that it is time consuming, and can lead to conflict if not used correctly and in the right situation. Lastly, there is the laissez-faire leadership style. The laissez-faire leadership style would have the leader, â€Å"share power with workers and delegate decision-making authority to those individuals who are directly involved in the decision-making situations.† (Kreps, 2011; sec. 7.6) This leadership style could be considered an extension of the democratic leadership style. In using this style it is important for a leader to know the capabilities of those under them. The employees under this leader must be experienced and skilled in the tasks that they are being given a degree of control over. This type of leadership style will help a leader delegate those things they have little time for. Delegation is an important skill. In the article â€Å"A Tool Kit for the Real World† it says that, â€Å"Business people don’t get accolades for being smart, but for being effective. That is measured in  things like increased sales, increased earnings and an increased number of licensing agreements. Not, alas, by the fruition of one employee’s great idea.† (Motluk, 2011) However, this should not be used as a way of having others do their work for them. This would be damaging to the leader and certainly the organization in that it can bring a degree of disorganization that would be extremely difficult to correct. The leadership strategies above are mentioned because they show the need for a leader to be able to decipher the right strategy for the right situation. Each has one distinctive way to deal with leading and each has its drawbacks when used outside of its best application. Therefore the situational model of leadership may be the best strategy when it comes to leadership. The situational model of leadership is, â€Å"based on the assumption that there is no right way of leading. Rather, the best leaders adapt to the unique situational constraints to exhibit the appropriate leadership style for the situation.† (Kreps, 2011; sec. 7.6) A leader must be able to analyze situations, those involved, the choices, and the preferred outcome. If it’s an emergency and little time involved then use the autocratic leadership style. When time is available to employ upward communication, and bolster workers self esteem and organizational value a leader should employ democratic leadership style. If a leader is feeling overwhelmed or they are feeling pulled in too many directions, perhaps a laissez-faire leadership style might help to delegate tasks to that can handle them. Understanding leadership strategies helps to use communications with workers that will work best in certain situations. The most important thing about communication in the work place is awareness. As the book â€Å"Communications in Organizations† points out, â€Å"Organizations and the way they communicate play critical roles in our lives.† (Kreps, 2011; pg. 25) The key to effective communication is awareness. All of the five concepts of organizational communication mentioned above have some type of awareness piece built in. Communication is smoothest when those communicating are aware of those they are communicating with, their culture, and their style of communication. Thinking before speaking, anticipating change and conflict, and knowing what actions to take will help a leader communicate effectively with workers. After presenting the five concepts for successful communication within an organizational setting above it is clear to see their necessity for  successful communication. References Kreps, G. (2011). Communications in Organizations. San Diego: Bridgepoint Education, Inc. Green, A. (2011, January 6). How to Deal With Annoying Co-Workers. Retrieved from http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2011/06/06/how-to-deal-with-annoying-co-workers Motluk, A.(2011) A Tool Kit for the Real World. Retrieved from http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn19969-a-tool-kit-for-the-real-world.html?full=true (2011). Tim Scudder Interview. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_E7YVkjJQ0 Weiss, J. (2011). An Introduction to Leadership. San Diego, Bridgepoint Education, Inc.

Entertainment and Communication Essay

As an avenue of entertainment and communication, and as a research and reference tool, the internet has had a huge impact on the modern societies of developed nations. At the same time, there is concern that the disadvantages and negative influences may outweigh the benefits to the society. This essay argues that, in the last decade, the advantages of the internet far outweigh the disadvantages. This claim is addressed with the support of current authoritative sources which provide the framework for making such a claim. This essay first explores the effect of the internet on the social structures of family life, and religious and spiritual practice. Subsequently, this essay examines the repercussions of the internet on national cultural identity and multiculturalism. Firstly, in the last ten years, modern family life has been enhanced by developments in technology, and the internet is no exception. The advent of the internet affords parents the opportunity to use the World Wide Web to work from home, removing the need to place pre-school age children in day care centres in the care of strangers and so reinforcing the family unit (Jenkins 2010). However, the benefits of the internet not only have implications for immediate family; members of the extended family can overcome the barriers of time or distance to remain close through such channels as email or social networking sites, for example Facebook. Despite this, Fenech (2007) asserts that the internet has eroded some aspects of family life. Where previous generations may have forsaken dinner conversation in order to watch television together, the practical dimensions of a laptop screen now preclude this act of â€Å"togetherness† (p342). Nevertheless, any avenue that generally allows more opportunity for contact between members of an immediate or extended family has to be seen as advantageous. Moreover, the internet allows a sense of inclusion that goes beyond the family sphere. Secondly, due to the increasing accessibility of the internet in the last ten years, participating in a religion no longer necessarily depends on a person’s ability to attend a place of worship. The virtual ‘congregation’ may offer a person more opportunities of interaction with both the spiritual leader and other devotees by providing facilities such as blogs, chat rooms and video links. Moreover, this creates a sense of belonging to a religious or spiritual community where one may have not existed before, as more and more people commute, work longer hours and, indeed, are required to work on public holidays, which often coincide with religious festivals (Wong 2009). Though Goldstein (2008) ascertains that the flagrant consumerism promoted through such mass media outlets as the internet is responsible for a turn away from religious practices and a rapid decline in religious service attendance, her research focuses solely on, Christianity, Judaism and Islam and is not inclusive of growing sects such as Jews For Jesus and alternative religions such as The Baha’i Faith. Groups such as these use the internet to unite their followers globally (Wong 2009).What is more, the internet is uniting people on a more personal and intimate level. Thirdly, the internet offers the opportunity to maintain cultural ties with one’s country even when living abroad for work purposes. Expatriates can view electronic versions of newspapers, stream and download news, current affairs programmes and local dramas from their country of origin, so keeping in contact with the culture. It could be argued, as Azhad (2008) does, that this process could be facilitated just as easily by print media and DVD recordings being sent through the mail, as would have been the norm a decade ago. Nonetheless, it is the ‘live’ experience of being able to access news from home â€Å"as it happens† that reinforces a national’s ties to the home culture, and simulates a feeling of â€Å"being there† (Olsten 2008 p.6). This connectedness to home alleviates feelings an expatriate might have of dislocation or alienation from their countrymen, as ‘real time’ exposure to the home vernacular creates common reference points, making communication a much smoother process (Wong 2009). Equally, other facilities afforded by the internet, such as Skype, enable someone away from home to still have a presence in the home country as they participate in the celebration of cultural festivals and national holidays, thus reinforcing their commitment  to nationalism in the eyes of their compatriots and tightening the ties that bind. Alternatively, just as the internet serves to strengthen national identity, it can also provide a point of reference for those who live in a multicultural context. Finally, in a globalised world, the last ten years have seen the internet augment a multicultural society by creating a venue to air diverse cultural opinions and to construct diverse cultural identities. Mainstream newspapers, radio and current affairs programmes are representative of a perceived norm and do not reflect the complexity of a multicultural society. In turn, ethnocentric or non-mainstream media reach a narrowly targeted audience and serve to further ghettoize â€Å"the other† (Zadrow 2010 p.11). The internet thus provides the opportunity for any voice to be heard alongside and equally with all other voices in the country, community, or indeed, the world. In this way the internet equips the global citizen with a fluidity they can use to exist and interact both globally and locally, rather than being confined to a fixed and marginalised identity. Notwithstanding the fact that the internet is English based and broadly advocates a western lifestyle, this does not necessarily mean it must lead to a homogenized world. Citing the research of Kennard, Zadrow (2010) maintains that the internet acts as an interactive archive from which an individual can draw all the elements to both create and, more importantly, preserve cultural identity. In conclusion, this essay explored the effect of the internet on people’s lives in the last decade and found that the advantages of the internet far overshadow the disadvantages. It found the internet has had positive effects on family life, allowing the hands on parenting of pre-school children by those parents who are able to use the internet to work from home. In addition, it has reinforced the extended family by harnessing email and social networking sites as a means to stay in direct contact. Furthermore, blogs, chat rooms and video links have offered an alternative to attendance at religious services, which have suffered such rapid decline in recent times. Another positive effect of the internet is its ability to re-assert national identity, particularly for those living abroad, as they retain  remote access to the home culture by being able to download or stream current affairs or local drama. Finally, the internet enhances multiculturalism by offering an alternative to mainstream media representations of the norm to those who identify as ‘the other’. Arguments which support the negative impact of the internet on people’s lives in the 21st century focus on very narrow aspects and fail to acknowledge the broad range of benefits the internet has borne on contemporary society. References Azhad, S 2008, ‘Is digital dumbing us down?’, Journal of Australian Initiative, vol. 20, no.1, pp.5-7, viewed 30 October 2011, via JSTOR. Fenech, P 2007, Western culture: its psyche and the internet, Hobson Press, New York. Goldstein, R 2008, ‘The last person to leave heaven: a study of the impact of new millennium consumerism on traditional religious practices’, Journal of Critical and Cultural Research, vol.2, no.3, pp. 9-18, viewed 30 October 2011. http://www.prb.australasia.com/content/documents/JCCR%23.pdf Jenkins, M 2010, ‘Earn $$$ from your home: the domestic revolution in e-com industry’, Women’s Business Today, vol.8, no.2, pp.120-127, viewed 28 September, via Sage. Olsten, H 2008, ‘Broadsheets online good news for expats’, The Weekend Australian, viewed 2 September 2011, via Newsbank. Wong, Z 2009, ‘Why kneel when you can click!’ paper presented to the 7th International Conference on Digital Religion, Southern Cross University. Lismore, NSW, 28 to 31 July. Zadrow, K 2010, The well in the mirror: theories of subjectivity in the digital age, Elliott McGill Ltd, viewed 28 July 2011, via Ovid eBooks.

History of the book Emma by Jane Austen essayEssay Writing Service

History of the book Emma by Jane Austen essayEssay Writing Service History of the book Emma by Jane Austen essay History of the book Emma by Jane Austen essay  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The book Emma written by Jane Austen, a widely acclaimed English author, whose novels were published anonymously over the course of the 19-th century, is a great success with the public today. According to researchers, Jane Austen’s â€Å"continued success as a novelist is evident in the fact that many of her novels have been made into films or television series† (Green 18).   Emma is no exclusion. Jane Austen is considered to be one of the greatest English writers, while her novel Emma can be viewed by many literary critics as the greatest literary piece (Green 18). One of the critics who devoted his life to the analysis and criticism of Jane Austen’s works was R. V. Chapman, the editor of many scholarly editions of all books written by the author (McDonald 97). According to Richard McDonald, â€Å"Austen’s continued acclaim as a novelist is ensured by more than 180 years of praise from both critics and readers, but within her own lifetime her talents were seldom fully appreciated† (97). Jane Austen herself rated her literary abilities and talents too low. She was really surprised to learn about her novel’s success (Parrill 23).   In other words, she did not expect the acknowledgement of the public. Moreover, her concern regarding the fate of her books with the public was demonstrated in her personal relation to her heroines.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Jane Austen was born in 1775. Her birthplace was Steventon Rectory in Hampshire, England. Her father served as an incumbent. The family was â€Å"risen to prominence and prosperity in the Weald of Kent during the reign of Elizabeth I by way of sheep farming and the manufacture of woolen cloth† (Tucker 6). Her mother belonged to a higher social class. Jane Austen loved literature and enjoyed reading novels. As a child, she used to read books from her fath er’s library (Tucker 6). In addition, she borrowed books from her friends and city libraries. She shared her thoughts about the books she read with her family members. Jane Austen loved to read aloud. She started writing books and read aloud to her family members. She paid due attention to pauses, emphasis and tone of voice. As a result, her writing style is impressive (Tucker 6). Her book Emma is one of the most psychological writings. Jane Austen believed that this book would survive the test of time; therefore, she was interested in readers’ response to her works (Tucker 7). The novel Emma was the fourth published novel by Jane Austen. Actually, it was the last book to appear before her death. Both novels Persuasion and Northanger Abbey written by Jane Austen would be published posthumously (Galperin 189). Though many novels were published anonymously, many works by Austen were noticed by highly acclaimed literary critics and by a large number of literature lovers.T he history of the book Emma is unique. The author began to write her book in 1814 and completed it in 1815. The first edition of the book was published in December 1815 by an English publisher John Murray, the founder of the publishing house in London. It is known that Jane Austen submitted the manuscript of her new book to the publisher, six months after it was completed in order to receive the money she needed to pay the expenses for her brother’s illness (Baker 37). John Murray had a good reputation in London and could help the author of the book to achieve success. First, he received positive response from William Gifford who was well-known as an English critic and editor. Second, he â€Å"offered Jane Austen $450 for her copy of Emma plus the copyrights of Mansfield Park and Sense and Sensibility†(Baker 37). In fact, Jane Austen failed to approve the proposal made by John Murray. They came to an arrangement to publish the book Emma at Jane Austen’s expense with â€Å"profits to her after payment of 10% commission to the publisher† (Baker 37). Besides, Jane Austen had the copyrights of her works. The first edition of the book included 2000 copies. The selling price for the three volumes was only 1.1pound. By the end of the year 1816, 248 copies of the book Emma were sold in London and other large cities (Wenborn 35).   The author of the book would have earned 221pound, but the publisher included the losses he had for the book Mansfield Park and gave Jane Austen only 38 pounds. However, in 1818, only 565 copies of the book Emma were sold at the price of two shillings each. Compared Emma to Scott’s novel Rob Roy, published in the same period in 1817, over 10.000 copies were sold in less than two weeks (Wenborn 35). Thus, although many critics accepted Emma as a successful novel, there was no enormous public acceptance of the book. As a result, the second edition of the book was issued only in 1833. However, the scholarly edition edited by R. V. Chapman appeared in 1923. There were few correction made to the text of the novel. In addition, it has been found that Emma â€Å"was reissued, together with the other five novels, in Bentley’s Standard Novels series of 1832-33 and was reprinted in 1837, 1866and 1869† (Wenborn 35). According to Richard McDonald, â€Å"there are a number of good editions of the novel and many of them are augmented by historical and critical essays that can aid in the reader’s appreciation of the text and its critical history†(97). In the United States, Austen’s novel Emma was published without her knowledge in 1816. Besides, regular editions of this book came out over the course of the 19-th century- 20-th century. Although the author of Emma could earn only thirty eight pounds from the book during her lifetime, she hoped that her book would be highly appreciated after her death. Austen was 39 when she completed her novel. She died a year an d a half after the book’s publication (Wenborn 35).  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The response to the novel Emma was unpredictable by the author of the book. Jane Austen collected the opinions regarding her novel Emma, analyzing the first responses to the works. As a rule, first responses documented â€Å"not only what her earliest readers made of her works, but also priorities and preconceptions about literature in the reading community of which Jane Austen was herself a part† (Halsey 95). The first responses to Emma gave explanation to further criticism because many themes appeared in critical commentaries about the novel over the course of the late 19-th century. Literary critics placed emphasis on the fact that characters described in the novel as well as the events were unnatural. According to Halsey, â€Å"Austen’s fidelity to detail and rejection of excess would also be noted, commented on and discussed in successive readers’ respons es to her work† (96). Richard Whately was one of the first critics of her novel Emma. He highlighted the ability of the author to â€Å"give fiction the perfect appearance of reality† (qtd. in Halsey 96). As a matter of fact, this assumption became a cornerstone of many critical responses of the public. Most of critics of the 19-th century defended her art and style. Jane Austen’s earliest readers loved her novel and characters, describing her writing as impressive, but there were people who through that Emma was â€Å"inferior to all the others† (qtd. in Halsey 96). In general, the book Emma was less popular than its predecessors, Sense and Sensibility and Mansfield Park.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In addition, the reactions of the earlier readers of the novel Emma placed emphasis on the qualities of the literary work. John Murray was one of the first readers of the novel. Another critic was Sir Walter Scott, a highly acclaimed novelist a nd â€Å"distinguished contributor to the influential Quarterly Review† (Thomas 53). He reviewed Emma, and assessed Jane Austen as a talented novelist. He was among the first critics who gave Jane Austen significant recognition that she was the novelist of distinction (Thomas 53). According to researchers, Scott’s review and criticism were focused on â€Å"the writer’s use of detail, fineness of prose style and depth of characterization† (Baker 96). Actually, Scott as a literary critic used these elements to assess the quality of Jane Austen’s fiction. He found that in her works, there is reality, which reflects the universe of fiction. According to Scott, in the novel Emma, there is obvious historical significance of a new â€Å"modern novel† in contrast to â€Å"sentimental romance, in which the nature imitated is a la belle nature† (qtd. in Baker 96). Scott highly praised the novel Emma for the author’s emphasis on realism. He credited Jane Austen as a new kind of novelist, because she was focused on producing the so-called realist novel (Thomas 53). According to Scott, Emma reflects â€Å"the art of coping from nature as she really exists in the common walks of life, and presenting †¦. a concrete and striking representation of that which is daily taking place† (qtd. in Thomas 53).  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Generally speaking, the novel Emma was perceived differently by the 19-th century public. According to Ruth Thomas, â€Å"Emma made few waves in literary circles when it was first published in 1815†(53). In aristocratic circles, the book was very popular. The evidence of this popularity is Jane Austen’s dedication to the Prince Regent, which was made at request of the librarian who served Prince. The novel Emma helped the writer to feel self-esteem because many opinions and reviews were positive. Nevertheless, according to Scott, the novel Emma â€Å"went out of print for the next twenty years, suffering the penalty of being anti-romantic in an age of romanticism†(qtd. in Thomas 53). Most literary critics of the 19-th century and early 20-th century highlighted the writer’s ability to depict verisimilitude (Ellis 34). The most widely used epithets that described Jane Austen’s literary work were â€Å"natural† and â€Å"real† (Thomas 53). However, there were many objections to her writing style. Most of them were based on the representation of obvious limitations of settings and subjects in her work. In the early 1930s, the negative criticism toward Austen’s novel ceased as highly acclaimed literary critic F. R. Leavis called Jane Austen a classic novelist, placing her in the list of the greatest English novelists. Since that time, the novel Emma has been widely acclaimed for the talent of Austen.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Many critics believe that in the novel Emma, the main heroine was not intended to be assessed by the public and the author as a sympathetic character. Barbara Z. Thaden states that many literary critics have discussed a number of dissimilarities between Emma and other heroines of Austen’s novels, but â€Å"few believe that Austen did not sympathize with Emma† (19). However, the commentary provided by Jane Austen’s nephew J.E. Austen-Leigh proves the fact that the author loved her heroine: â€Å"She was very fond of Emma, but did not reckon her being a general favorite; for, when commencing that work, she said, â€Å"I’m going to take a heroine whom no one but myself will much like† (qtd. in Thaden 19).  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The numerous editions of the novel Emma are different because of different editors and their individual attitudes toward the book and the author, and time periods. The novel Emma was reprinted many times, as well as the other novels by Jane Austen. The well- known editors of the novel Emma were R.W. Chapman, Lionel Trilling, Stephen Parrish, Fiona Stafford and others (Thaden 19). Actually, the novel Emma is available in the Penguin Classics Editions, the World Classics Series, and the Everyday Library, presenting the distinguished list of editors, literary critics and commentators of the novel. According to researchers, due to the publication of Memoir written by Jane Austen’s nephew, James Edward Austen-Leigh in 1870, there was the so-called resurgence of readers’ interest in the novel Emma and other works by Jane Austen. He writes in the introduction of the second edition of Memoir published in 1871,The Memoir of my Aunt, Jane Austen, has been received with more favor that I had ventured to expect. The notices taken of it in the periodical press, as well as letters addressed to me by many with whom I am not personally acquainted, show that an unabated interest is still taken in every particular that can be told about her (Austen-Leigh 5).In R.W. Chapman’s edition of Emma, published in 1870, was based on recent criticism. Chapman considered the book one of the best novels produced by English writers. He expressed his attitude toward the author’s style, placing emphasis on the detailed description of Emma’s success in literary world. He wrote that the supremacy of the novel is concluded not in the forms of characterization selected by the author, but inthe matchless symmetry of its design, in the endless fascination of its technique, above all in the flow of the blood beneath the smooth polished skin: a flow of human charity and sympathy that beats with a steady pulse, rarely – but the more momentously – quickening to a throb that sets out own veins   lapping the unison (23).History of the book Emma by Jane Austen   essay part 2

Charlotte Brontes Jane Eyre

Charlotte Brontes Jane Eyre "Jane Eyre" was published in 1847 under the androgynous pseudonym of "Currer Bell." The publication was followed by widespread success. Utilizing two literary traditions, the Bildungsroman and the Gothic novel, "Jane Eyre" is a powerful narrative with profound themes concerning genders, family, passion, and identity. It is unambiguously one of the most celebrated novels in British literature.Born in 1816, Charlotte Bronte was the third daughter of Patrick Bronte, an ambitious and intelligent clergyman. According to Newsman, all the Bronte children were unusually precocious and almost ferociously intelligent, and their informal and unorthodox educations under their father's tutelage nurtured these traits. Patrick Bronte shared his interests in literature with his children, toward whom he behaved as though they were his intellectual equals. The Bronte children read voraciously. Charlotte's imagination was especially fired by the poetry of Byron, whose brooding heroes served as the prot otypes for characters in the Bronte's juvenile writings as well as for such figures as Mr.English: North Lees Hall and out buildings Otherwi...Rochester in Jane Eyre (2). Bronte's formal education was limited and sporadic - ten months at the age of 8 at Cowan Bridge Clergy Daughters' School (the model for Lowood Institution in Jane Eyre), eighteen months from the age of 14 at Roe Head School of Miss Margaret Wooler (the model for Ms. Temple) (Nestor 3-4). According to Newman, Bronte then worked as a teacher at Roe Head for three years before going to work as a governess. Seeking an alternative way of earning money, Charlotte Bronte went to Brussels in 1842 to study French and German at the Pensionnat Heger, preparing herself to open a school at the parsonage. She seems to have fallen in love with her charismatic teacher, Constantin Heger. The experience seems on a probable source for a recurrent feature in Bronte's fiction: "relationships in...