William RaspberryS The Handicap Of Definition Essays - Berries

William Raspberry'S ?The Handicap Of Definition? A Summary of William Raspberry's ?The Handicap of Definition? Paris Owens Essay2: Second Summary En112c.002 Dr. Butler March 2, 2000 A Summary of William Raspberry's ?The Handicap of Definition? In ?The Handicap of Definition? William Raspberry emphasizes the stereotype of what it means to be Black. Raspberry uses many beliefs that has taken a toll on African Americans on the definition of being Black. Raspberry uses many comparisons to compare blacks to whites and other ethnics. He begins off by using basketball as an example. Raspberry quotes, ?If a basketball fan says that Boston Celtics' Larry Bird plays black the fan intends it and Bird probably accepts it as a compliment?(543). He also emphasizes ?if you tell a white broadcaster he talks black he'll sign up for diction lessons?(543). Raspberry explains how many children think hard study and hard work are white (543). He tells how scrimping today in the interest of tomorrow's goals is white?(543). Raspberry uses many of these comparisons in the essay. Raspberry talks about incredible array of habits done by different ethnic groups. He confesses black youngsters tend to do better at basketball, for instance, is that they assume they can learn to do it well, and so they practice constantly to prove themselves right (543). Raspberry emphasizes the importance of developing positive ethnic traditions (544). He tells how people suspect Jews have an innate talent for communications (544). People make assumption that Chinese are born with a gift for mathematical reasoning (544). Raspberry thinks we are raising up yet another generation of young blacks who will be failures by definition?(544). Raspberry concludes the essay referring to blacks in the work force. He says, ?many of the things about which blacks make this assumption are things that do not contribute to their career success-except for that handful(544). Raspberry explains in the essay, we have to show our kids how to make it in American mainstream, not just black subculture (544). Raspberry finishes by explaining, ?we have to make our children understand that they are intelligent, competent people, capable of doing whatever(544). Work Cited Raspberry, William. ?The Handicap of Definition.? Washington Post 1982. RPT. In The Macmillian Reader 5th ed. Judith Nadell, John Langan, and Linda McMeniman. Boston: Allen and Bacon, 1999. 542-544. Bibliography A Summary of William Raspberry's ?The Handicap of Definition? Paris Owens Essay2: Second Summary En112c.002 Dr. Butler March 2, 2000 A Summary of William Raspberry's ?The Handicap of Definition? In ?The Handicap of Definition? William Raspberry emphasizes the stereotype of what it means to be Black. Raspberry uses many beliefs that has taken a toll on African Americans on the definition of being Black. Raspberry uses many comparisons to compare blacks to whites and other ethnics. He begins off by using basketball as an example. Raspberry quotes, ?If a basketball fan says that Boston Celtics' Larry Bird plays black the fan intends it and Bird probably accepts it as a compliment?(543). He also emphasizes ?if you tell a white broadcaster he talks black he'll sign up for diction lessons?(543). Raspberry explains how many children think hard study and hard work are white (543). He tells how scrimping today in the interest of tomorrow's goals is white?(543). Raspberry uses many of these comparisons in the essay. Raspberry talks about incredible array of habits done by different ethnic groups. He confesses black youngsters tend to do better at basketball, for instance, is that they assume they can learn to do it well, and so they practice constantly to prove themselves right (543). Raspberry emphasizes the importance of developing positive ethnic traditions (544). He tells how people suspect Jews have an innate talent for communications (544). People make assumption that Chinese are born with a gift for mathematical reasoning (544). Raspberry thinks we are raising up yet another generation of young blacks who will be failures by definition?(544). Raspberry concludes the essay referring to blacks in the work force. He says, ?many of the things about which blacks make this assumption are things that do not contribute to their career success-except for that handful(544). Raspberry explains in the essay, we have to show our kids how to make it in American mainstream, not just black subculture (544). Raspberry finishes by explaining, ?we have to make our children understand that they

Rasmussens Encephalitis Essays - Encephalitis, Immune System

Rasmussen's Encephalitis Essays - Encephalitis, Immune System Rasmussen's Encephalitis Keyur P. Biology...Science Rasmussen's Encephalitis The human immune system is an amazing system that is constantly on the alert protecting us from sicknesses. Thousands of white blood cells travel in our circulatory system destroying all foreign substances that could cause harm to our body or to any of the millions of processes going on inside. Now imagine a condition where this awesome system turns against the most complex organ in the human body, the brain. Deadly as it is, this condition is known as Rasmussens encephalitis. The meaningful research on Rasmussens encephalitis was begun (unintentionally) by Scott Rogers and Lorise Gahring, two neurologists, who were at the time measuring the distribution of glutamate receptors in the brain. Later on when more provocative information was found they enlisted the help of James McNamara and Ian Andrews, epilepsy experts at Duke University Medical Center. The details on Rasmussens encephalitis were very bleak at the time when the men began their research. All that was known is that Rasmussens encephalitis was a degenerative disease of the brain that caused seizures, hemiparesis, and dementia normally in the first ten years of life. The seizures that were caused by Rasmussens encephalitis were unstoppable by normal anti-seizure drugs used conventionally. What the worst part of the disease was that the pathogenesis for it were not known and even worse was how it developed. The first clue was delivered when Rogers and Gahring were trying to register the distribution of the glutamate receptors using antibodies, that tag on to the receptor itself. The proteins that make up the glutamate receptors(GluR) are only found inside the blood brain barrier(BBB). Glutamate and a few related amino acids are the dominant form of excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system of mammals. If one of these GluRs happens to wander into the actual bloodstream, that is outside the BBB, it would be considered an outsider and destroyed immediately. So if these GluRs were put into the normal blood stream then the immune system would produce antibodies which could then be used in the searching for the glutamate receptors. In order to test this theory the researchers injected the GluRs into the blood stream of a normal healthy rabbit hoping to produce good results. At this point the experiment took a dramatic turn, after receiving a few doses of the protein two of the three rabbits began to twitch, as though they were suffering the pain of an epileptic seizure. Now the help of McNamara and Andrews was enlisted. When McNamara and Andrews examined the brain tissue of the rabbits, they saw what seemed to be a familiar inflammatory pattern, clumps of immune cells all around blood vessels. This description exactly matched the description of persons suffering from Rasmussens encephalitis, moreover something as this would never be found in a healthy brain. A healthy brain has its blood capillaries enclosed in the BBB membrane, so such a case as the one mentioned above would not be possible. As protective as the BBB is, it can be breached by something like a head injury. What was happening was that the antibodies which were out to get the GluR proteins were somehow finding a way into the brain and directing an attack towards all GluR receptor proteins in the brain itself. After some more examinations Rogers and McNamara decided that these attacks were the cause of the seizures that are often experienced by sufferers of Ramussens encephalitis. Then if the case is of antibodies in the bloodstream, than sufferers of Ramussens encephalitis should have them in their bloodstream and healthy normal peoples shouldnt. When this was actually tested the results were positive that Rasmussen sufferers did have these antibodies in their bloodstreams and healthy people did not. These were not only the right kind of antibodies but, the very antibodies that caused the seizures in people and rabbits. Thus when these antibodies were removed by plasma exchange(PEX) it caused a temporary relief from the seizures but soon the body starts making more antibodies of the type and the seizures start once again. After all the examinations two questions remained, why does the body mount an immune response against one of its own brain proteins, and

Personal Change Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Personal Change - Essay Example no longer loved my grandmother; instead, it was the result of the fact that she no longer spent so much time watching me due to the fact that I grew up and no longer needed such a high level of care. The ending to the situation came about right after my grandmother had a stroke. It was at this point that she was no longer capable of taking care of herself and required nearly constant care by either a loved one or a professional caretaker. As the situation progressed, I reclused into a type of neutral zone where the feelings, thoughts, and childhood closeness I shared with my grandmother were but a distant memory; although a happy one. Due to the fact that she was just a shell of her former self during this time, it was impossible for me to rebuild the relationship we had once enjoyed during my youth. It was at this point that I made the fateful decision to withdraw myself from her and not spend the time that I would have been happy to spend with her had this occurred during my early youth. Sadly, the new beginning only came after my grandmother had passed away from a second stroke. This new beginning was of course something that I should have realized far sooner but due to my own selfish motives and lack of patience, had not come to grips with yet. Due to my grandmother’s passing, I instantly regretted the fact that I had not made a more concerted effort to be with her during her final years. Although I still loved her deeply, I realized that it was my own selfish nature that had kept us apart and caused me to miss out on the very last chance I would ever have to speak with and spend time with my grandmother. As the old saying goes, â€Å"you never appreciate something until you lose it†. In this way, this new beginning caused me to come to a full and complete appreciation for this as well as purposing within my own mind to not let another such situation occur without me doing all my best to spend the quality time with the loved one prior to the risk of

Evaluating an International HRM Strategy Assignment

Evaluating an International HRM Strategy - Assignment Example This paper assesses not only the human resource management of ZARA per se but its HRM in relation to expatriate management if it were to enter into joint venture agreement in New Zealand (the host country). To this end, the paper begins with an analysis of the economic environment in New Zealand and its potential relationship with ZARA’s HRM policies. Keeping in view the ageing population pyramid and low female participation rates in New Zealand, hiring expatriates would be necessary as the joint venture team would be a mix of expatriates and host country employees. During this process, cultural training and supporting policies would be necessary to reduce failure rates of expatriate management. Finally, recommendations are offered towards the end regarding the areas that ZARA would need to focus on with respect to strategic human resource management in New Zealand. ZARA, an iconic global fashion brand, was founded by a businessman Amancio Orgega in 1975 owing to his aim of ex panding his factory’s operations by opening a new outlet in La Coruà ±a (don Quijote, 2013). The company has enjoyed great success since its inception with continuous growth in the fashion line being the epitome of ZARA’s overall business strategy. By 1986, the company enjoyed extensive distribution in Spain with outlets in all major cities, whereas two years later, the company decided to open its doors to the global market including its first destination- Portugal (don Quijote, 2013). ... 2. HRM and the Environment ZARA is considering entering into a joint venture in New Zealand which, currently, represents an untapped market for the company. It is, therefore, important to analyze the economic environment of New Zealand at present. The country’s economy now follows the free market mechanism with little government intervention. Its economy is highly export-driven and very competitive. Keeping this in mind, ZARA’s entry into the region could expose it to intense competition from other foreign firms. With an expected growth rate of 2.5% and 3.4%, the country demonstrates high resilience to the global economic downturn that negatively affected the economies of most of the developed world (IHS Global Insight, 2013). On the flipside, New Zealand’s currency appears undervalued compared to the dollar (IHS Global Insight, 2013). This combined with the potential for the housing market in New Zealand to heat up puts it at the risk of facing recessionary effe ct in near future. Furthermore, the low levels of inflation along with high unemployment levels (50%) (IHS Global Insight, 2013) could mean that the cost of hiring locals for ZARA would be low. Consumer spending is also expected to grow modestly which does not present an overly optimistic picture for ZARA. This is because of the high housing debts compared to slow growth in income. Additionally, government’s intention of reverting to modest surplus in 2015 shall result in reduced spending (IHS Global Insight, 2013). Nevertheless, there appears to be growth in consumer spending with the same increasing by approximately 1.2% by 2015 (IHS Global Insight, 2013). On the whole, the consumption picture appears to be mixed and one may expect fair amount of consumer

Fudations of busesiness computing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Fudations of busesiness computing - Essay Example I have read the CQU policy on plagiarism and understand its implication. I can produce a hard copy of this assignment within 24 hours if requested." A knowledge worker is someone who works for a living at the jobs of producing or utilizing knowledge. Today we are able to define knowledge workers as contributors in the knowledge economy (Jonathan, 2005). The knowledge economy proposes a financial situation where information and its management are the product and the activity. In the context of todays business world, without a knowledge worker, an immense deal of the business world would come to a standstill. Knowledge workers are occasionally known as information workers, and some times people argue that information workers carry out additional tedious responsibilities than knowledge workers. Knowledge Workers are capable to carry out several activities that are ambiguous in their gain to an outsider, however are really important to the overall success of a company and business. They have the capacity to make use of the most excellent sources to achieve the information they required, which are together correct and modern. After t hat, with the data readily available they excel at pulling out the main information, understanding it, and then manipulating it to offer the organization and its business the maximum benefit possible (Jonathan, 2005). For instance, a knowledge worker can be somebody who works at some of the jobs of acquiring, programming, analyzing, organizing, storing, distributing, marketing, searching, planning, or else contributing to the makeover and business of information and those who effort at utilizing the knowledge so produced. In this question I will discuss the difference among the `information technology and `information system. Information system occasionally refers to an organization of persons, data records and activities that process the information and data in an association, and it comprises the

Effects of FDI in the Dominican Republic

Effects of FDI in the Dominican Republic Introduction Background and purpose The Dominican Republic has done a major shift in its economy, coming from an agricultural economy, to one based on services. An estimate of the sectors contribution to the country are, 60.2% in services (tourism, transportation, communications, finances, others), 15.5% in industry (manufacturing), 11.5% in construction, 11.3% in agriculture, and 1.5% in mining (CIA fact book). As of right now only tourism leads the service industry, but is soon to be challenged by the investment of contact centers. Because of this shift in its economy the Dominican Republic has become home to various foreign investments, but the one this study will focus on is on the foreign direct investment in contact centers, or call centers as they are also known. It is important to explore the advantages the Dominican Republic offers to attract such foreign investment, as well as to analyze the fact that although there are benefits, it could also lack the necessary infrastructure to sustain this rapidly growing industry. Due to the ongoing world financial crisis, many international companies are struggling to keep their business afloat and looking to establish their contact centers outside of their home based countries. Saving money and reducing operational cost are some of the main reason companies move and do foreign direct investment (FDI) abroad. Investing and conducting operations overseas seems to be the answer that foreign contact centers are looking for in order to meet such goals. It can be said that the Dominican Republic offers an answer to the difficulties contact centers companies are experiencing and continue to confront back at home. Some of the solutions given to these companies are a great business climate for foreign direct investment (FDI), incentives and good geographical location, among other compensations. As a result of moving abroad contact centers gain a particular advantage over their competitors. These advantages can range from cheaper operational cost, strategic location a nd skilled personnel, to a variety of options which may or may not be available in the Dominican Republic. But like everything in life not everything is perfect, the country also needs to confront a sad reality, which is that although it offers good things to investors, it also lacks of other good things. This study will provide the key aspects of contact center FDI in the Dominican Republic in order to present some of the weak and strong points the country has on this industry. By doing this the report looks at what the country has to offer to current and future investors in the contact center industry. It will also provide-from the investors point of view-what makes the Dominican Republic an attractive place to invest foreign capital in contact centers, as well as some of the problems encountered throughout the business venture. Although information provided by the governmental institutions in charge of spreading information about this industry say the country is capable, suited and ready to meet all the requirements of international investors, it is a fact that no system is perfect. This is where facts will be laid down in order to show what truly attracts, keep or loses these investments on the island. Based on those previously mentioned facts the study will look at what improveme nts can be made by the country in order to keep a competitive edge on the rapid growing industry. With this information the reader will comprehend the flaws in the system, and what measures are needed in order to correct them and generate a more positive investment climate. Along with this positive investment climate the study will show the impact call center FDI has had in the country. An efficient and effective investment climate can only be produced by pointing out the pros and cons of what the Dominican Republic has to offer to its investors. The conclusion of the study wishes to convey that these improvements can be achieved by taking action upon the recommendations given. Being that this study is based mostly on empirical knowledge, some of the observations made will be presented based on the industry expertise of the writer of over 7 years or working experience in this field. Research questions Is the Dominican Republic a good place for FDI? Have contact centers FDI created a real impact in the Dominican Republic? Research methodology In order to answer the questions mentioned above, this paper we will use a mixture of methodologies in order to analyze if the country is truly a good place for contact center FDI and if the industry has had an impact in the Dominican Republic. These methodologies include interviews, qualitative research and quantitative data. Organization of paper This document will be composed of four chapters, the first one being its introductory part. The first chapter will provide a brief introduction and background of the Dominican Republic and what sectors comprise the FDI in the country, along with the research questions and research methodology. The second chapter will present an overview of foreign direct investment, inflows, trends, performances and investment climate that pertains the country, as well as the promotion agency in charge of FDI in the country. This information will be in comparison with selected economies from the Caribbean, Latin America and others. The third chapter will cover a more in-depth analysis of contact centers in the Dominican Republic, flaws and investor perspective. The study will also look at a specific company from which the study will depict the impact this specific center has had in the country. The concluding and fourth chapter will provide key findings from the study and recommend future improvement s based on those findings. Overview of FDI in the Dominican Republic FDI trends and performance in Dominican Republic The Dominican Republic, like many other developing countries, is actively seeking to attract FDI. They are not only seeking FDI as an important factor in creating employment opportunities and additional source of income, but rather for the reason of potential spillovers of knowledge and technology. The strong public support for FDI in the Dominican Republic is expressed through the creation of the Center for Exports and Investment of the Dominican Republic, institution in charge of all exports and investment, along with other measures taken by the government. Some of these measures include simplification of administrative procedures, aid from the CEI-RD in logistics and information, subsidies, tax breaks, exemptions and other instruments that facilitate FDI. Before addressing the question of whether FDI in the Dominican Republic has led to development, spillovers of knowledge and technology, as well as, if it is a good place for contact centers to establish and invest, the study will provide an overview of FDI inflows and trends in the Dominican Republic. FDI inflows in the Dominican Republic have made a miraculous recovery from 2004 to 2008 according to the data by the World Bank (World Bank, World Development Indicators). As any other developing country, the inflow of foreign capital was affected by the political environment, which reflected in an average loss of almost 200 million dollars per year during the 2000-2004 governmental period. During this period the collapse of a major bank caused financial turmoil and many investors were forced to leave the country. After a change of government and the macro stability was placed back in track by the new authorities, the country received an average foreign capital inflow of 450 million dollars a year, to earn a total of over two billion dollars in FDI inflows (See figure below). This great recovery happened during the 2004-2008 period, as it was first mentioned, and it is still improving as the country keeps positioning itself as a preferred destination for FDI. Although contact centers are not the main reason for this fast recovery in the FDI, the new rapid industry of contact centers are playing a very important role as it continues to evolve into a leading industry in the service field. In President Fernandez first governmental period (2004-2008) the country recovered from the worst financial crisis in many years. During 2005 the country predicted a GDP growth of 9.3% and inflation to be brought under control at 7.3% throughout the 2004-2008 years. By managing these issues President Fernandez said We have rescued the confidence of investors by achieving macroeconomic stability (Leonel Fernandez, 2004). Having achieved macroeconomic stability, the Dominican Republic received US$1 billion worth of foreign direct investment (FDI) in 2005, up 40% from 2004, and U.S. investment accounted for around 40% of the total (CEI-RD, 2006). This led to an improvement of FDI inflows and mechanisms to continue attracting and sustaining this newly found investments. Below are the net inflows of FDI for various Latin American and the Caribbean countries, including the Dominican Republic. Investment climate When one thinks of the Dominican Republic, images of tropical beaches and all-inclusive resorts may come to mind, but this ten million-strong nation, occupying two thirds of the Caribbean island of Hispaniola, also has one of the Americas fastest growing economies and diverse scenery in the Caribbean (BusinessWeek, 2006). The briefing paper Foreign Investment in Latin America and the Caribbean, 2008 is one of the latest editions of a series issued annually by the Unit of Investment and Corporate Strategies of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) Division of Production, Productivity and Management. This report presents-in a very detail manner-the foreign investment done in Latin American and Caribbean countries, showing their relative differences and investment climate among other indicators. This report also touches on the contact center industry, which has contributed greatly to the ever increasing FDI inflow of the Dominican Republic. Comparing to oth er countries the Dominican Republic shows one of the best FDI inflows by reflecting a relative difference of 83%. What this means is that FDI activities has been constantly growing in the country, thus reflecting good initiatives from the country and a positive improving investment climate (see image below). A good investment climate is not created by simple marketing; it takes hard work, good economic policies and first-class governance on behalf of the government and its Head of State. Because many countries offer desirable investment conditions companies frequently ask themselves, where they should invest their capital. The answer needs to be provided by the country that wishes to be the host of the foreign investments these companies wish to make. The Dominican Republic has characteristics that make it a desirable place to make an investment of any kind, but the question that still lingers around is if the country can really sustain an investment of great magnitude. Offering the right investment climate in the Caribbean is something that the country wishes to achieve, but is not always successful on doing so. With a long history of attracting considerable FDI in a variety of sectors, the Dominican Republic is a regional leader in attracting contact center foreign investment. Longstan ding political stability and a diversifying economy have led many foreign firms to choose the Dominican Republic as an investment destination. Recent success in attracting FDI is due to the countrys investor-friendly legal regime, generous incentives, and infrastructure capable of supporting new technologies, including information technology (FDI Magazine. Financial Times Magazine. August 2005). As mentioned earlier, this success is fairly new and the Dominican Republic still faces the challenge of maintaining and attracting this foreign investments. A great way to see how well positioned is the country and the investment climate it offers is to do a comparison of economies. Doing Business 2010: Reforming Through Difficult Times is the seventh in a series of annual reports investigating regulations that enhance business activity and those that constrain it. The report presents quantitative indicators on business regulations and the protection of property rights that can be compared across 183 economies, from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, over time (Doing business, 2010). Looking at this specialize report the Dominican Republic reflects its ranking in ease of doing business and other important world ranking criterias that foreign investors consider necessary to know before investing in any. Although this report is using specific economies, the data compares the Dominican Republic to the economies of countries around its region, as well as others from a distant hemisphere and much more developed than the island. One basic criterion for investment is the ease of doing business, the chart below reflects a clear weakness for the Dominican Republic in this area by ranking lower than a Puerto Rico and Jamaica. Puerto Rico and Jamaica are much smaller countries, which may contribute to more agile processes, but the fact that they are neighboring countries there should be a bigger similitude among them in terms of how business is handle. This is a clear sign that depending on how a country handles its business will reflect how efficient their mechanisms are, therefore providing a bigger ease of doing business. Another factor that should not be of much importance is the fact that Jamaica and Puerto Rico receive assistance, guidance and at times are regulated by developed countries. This should not be an excuse for why the Dominican Republic is falling behind in such a basic and important principle. (Doing business, 2010). The chart below, which has also been extracted from the Doing Business 2010: Reforming Through Difficult Times Report, touches on another very important factor for investors when they consider making an investment abroad. The ranking given in this chart is compared to the selected economies of Haiti, Puerto Rico, Singapore, Rwanda and others. This comparison is done once again in order to show how the Dominican Republic presents itself as a favorable investment location. Yet again this favorable climate for investors is not providing the best climate because is falling behind to neighboring economies which only advantage seems to be a more organize and efficient system. The Dominican Republic continues to improve, but is weak in its bureaucratic process, which as a result continues to slow down its progress. Dominican Republics ranking in doing business (Doing business, 2010) Once an investment is done, one of the biggest-if not the main concern of any investor-is how secure is their investment in a foreign country, meaning how are they protected from any unwanted situation. The Dominican Republic has recently passed a new legislation which provides a greater protection to its investors, thus providing investors with a contingency plan if anything happens. The graph below shows the global ranking of the Dominican Republic in terms or protecting its investors, which is a great improvement from other areas already mentioned. Although this is a very important concern for investors, it still addresses a post-investment situation. What this mean is that it does not really provide an immediate impact in attracting a foreign investment if the other factors are encouraging, but it does boost investors confidence in the country they plan to invest as well as adding to a better investment climate. (Doing business, 2010) In an interview to CEI-RD Minister Eddy Martinez in the renowned Dominican daily show Hoy Mismo, transmitted by channel 9, he talks about the investment climate in the Dominican Republic and mentions key factors that make the country a great place to invest-compared to other countries in the region. He talks about establishing incentive mechanisms in order to attract those capitals which appraise the value of the investment not only for the amount, but for the impact these investments will have in terms of technology transfer, creation of employment, type of employment, quality of products produced in the country and if they will carry out Research Development activities. Although this mechanism is something the country whishes to implement, it is still not fully incorporated, thus leaving room for error. The institution is still trying to educate and integrate the contact center community so they can share these incentives and goals with other investors who want to do future busine ss based on the country incentive structure. To disseminate this information the CEI-RD has done seminars concerning these incentives, and is moving forward to the implementation of those incentive policies. During the interview CEI-RD Minister mentioned that many investments come through different ministries, therefore many investors are not sure who and how their investment are handle. This reflects a clear disorganization in the governmental mechanisms, which translates into a weakness. Minister Martinez suggests the government creates an integrated mechanism of investment. What this means is that no matter the origin of the investment or ministry, it will end up in a single place. This will allow proper follow up of the investment, and in case a project gets stuck, the institution can determine where being detained due to bureaucracy or lack of project handling. Based on that integrated mechanism the country can increase its FDI inflows by having all projects in a single place, thus providing one more reason to invest in th e Dominican Republic. Promotion agency (CEI-RD) and incentives offered The Dominican Republics government has implemented a liberal framework for attracting FDI. It makes no distinction between foreign and local companies in terms of ownership restrictions and ability to qualify for investment incentives. Foreign investment is permitted in all sectors except those related to public health and the environment (such as storage and disposal of hazardous or radioactive waste), as well as national security. The Dominican Republic government also offers full exemption from all taxes, duties, charges, and fees that affect production and export activities in free trade zones, which it introduced in 1969. The free trade zones aim to attract high-tech manufacturing (including electronics and electrical components) as well as more traditional manufacturing-such as of automotive parts, medical devices and pharmaceuticals, plastics, metals, injection molding, textiles and footwear, jewelry, tobacco and of course contact centers. The incentives offered last up to 25 years for zones on the Haitian border, and up to 15 years for all other zones. In May 2006 there were 59 industrial parks and free trade zones in the Dominican Republic, hosting more than 600 companies, providing over 190,000 direct jobs, and occupying 2.1 million square meters. Although there are no performance requirements for foreign investors, few sector-specific incentives are offered to them. (World Bank Group, MIGA, Snapshot of the Caribbean, 2007) All of the benefits mentioned above and the continuing inflow of investment is happening thanks to efforts from the government and the institution in charge of carrying out FDI promotion. The institution carrying out this very important task is the Dominican Republics Export and Investment Center (CEI-RD), which is headed by Eddy Martinez, as the Minister and Executive Director of this government institution that promotes national strategic export and foreign investment opportunities and works hands-on with local and foreign enterprise to facilitate business activity. Because the institution knows the importance of investment they are aggressively targeting investors through offices in New York, Miami and California, and because of the nations entry into the Central American Free Trade Agreement, or CAFTA-DR. The Centro de Exportacià ³n e Inversià ³n de la Repà ºblica Dominicana (CEI-RD) as it is called in Spanish, is the countrys one-stop investment promotion intermediary. It has three main departments: Export Promotion, Investment Promotion, and a Training Center. The CEI-RD aims to strategically promote the valuable conditions that the Dominican Republic offers as an investment destination and foreign trade developer, by pursuing priority areas as defined by the Government, to increase employment, technological transfer and the social welfare of the Nation. The agency organizes and participates in trade missions both overseas and locally as well as provides tools to assist investors, such as an export directory. (World Bank Group, MIGA, Snapshot of the Caribbean) The CEI-RD is the official organization responsible for the promotion of international trade and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). It was created as a product of the fusion of the Center for the Promotion of Exports of the Dominican Republic (CEDOPEX) and the Office for the Promotion of Investments of the Dominican Republic (OPI-RD), according to Law 98-03, effective on June 17, 2003. The CEI-RD is comprised of two main operational areas, export promotion and foreign investment promotion and its functions include many promotions, but some of the more relevant to this study are promotion of the countrys advantages to attract foreign investment, coordination with other government institution related to foreign trade in the interest of achieving an expedient and efficient flow of exports and investments in the country, promotion and development of FDI and business from the CEI-RD offices abroad, currently in Miami, New York and Chicago, participating actively in trade negotiations and ad ministration of resulting agreements, contribute to the improvement of the legal framework and its proper application. Also throughout the Foreign Service network, new offices will be opening soon in Puerto Rico and Silicon Valley The institution services are available for local and foreign companies to facilitate the exports and investments of the country which is an advantage to any investor. Among the services the CEI-RD offers, and which are relevant to this study, they have specialized consulting, technical assistance in meeting the regulations and norms required for the export of goods and services, which is helpful to new investor who are not familiar with the legal framework. They also have validation of certificates of origin, technical assistance relating to trade agreements, recommendations for improving the production process and benefiting from tariff preferences. The new investor can also benefit from visits on behalf of the CEI-RD specialized staff to their companies in order to evaluate the production process under trade agreements and preferential programs. One very important service the CEI-RD offers is that they ensure the correct application of norms relating to export and investment proced ures by administrating Law 84-99 on the reactivation and promotion of exports and Law 16-95 on foreign investment. Other services, although not specific to the industry, offered by the CEI-RD and from which investors could benefit are product profiles and market analysis, business intelligence, legal and economic information, registration of exports and foreign direct investment, facilitation of a network of representatives abroad and foreign trade documentation center. As any other promotion agency the CEI-RD has several promotion programs that make the Dominican Republic attractive for FDI. These programs include National and International Trade shows and expos where it presents companies, local and foreign, can showcase their products. The CEI-RD also coordinates trade missions in order to ensure a successful transaction as well as training programs relating to international trade. In these specific programs-relating to international trade-local companies can get educated and learn how to export their products and foreign investors can learn about the local market and opportunities. Another very important promotion program-and the one of the most significant-is the coordination of business meetings to present what the countrys has to offer, as well as to contact potential investors and exporters. With this two-way program, foreign and local investors will have a mutual gain by making the necessary contacts to get their business started, thus gene rating future FDI. (CEI-RD, 2010) Contact center FDI in Dominican Republic Overview of contact center FDI As it was previously mentioned, this study looks at the pros and cons of contact center FDI from various angles, one been from the host country point of view and the other the investors point of view. From the host country the study takes into consideration a report created by the economist Jonathan Aragonez, from the Center of Export and Investment of the Dominican Republic (CEI-RD), as well as other documentation of contact centers from the CEI-RD. These documents will provide the necessary data to point out the countrys benefit and disadvantages. Do to the lack of published papers that truly criticize or analyze the contact center industry, this study will support many of its facts on three things. These three key contributions are empirical knowledge of the writer, interview conducted to the economist previously mentioned, and interview with a contact center owner who is doing FDI in the Dominican Republic. The Dominican Republic has had strong export services for many years, and as a result there are 40 to 50 call centers registered with the Dominican Call Center Association. Investors currently operating in the country cited skilled workers, most of whom are bilingual, as their main reason for choosing it as their investment location (Dominican Republic Contact Center Association, 2010). The country has a large, well-trained labor force and although Spanish is the countrys official language, investors can find workers that also speak English. Apart from the stable, fast growing economy, attractive cost structure and near shore location, it can be said that people are the primary competitive advantage in the Dominican Republic. Investors in the Dominican Republic always emphasize the Dominicans high learning ability and proficiency in English. (Eddy Martinez, 2006). The countrys large size means that land is available for green field investment-if one was to be done-although most investors opt to rent or lease a work space for their operations. The country also offers great access to all markets being that is one of the six countries in the world that has a free trade agreement with the U.S. and Europe. Some of the other countries that have such a privilege are Israel, Jordan, Chile and Mexico (Office of the United States Trade Representative, 2010). Other favorable investment factors included the countrys well-developed, affordable telecommunications infrastructure which is the only one in the Caribbean with access four international cables through the Americas Region Caribbean Optical-Ring System Cable (ARCOS-1). What this means is that the Dominican Republic connection to the U.S. or any other country is redundant, thus ensuring contact center businesses to always be connected. Contact centers in the Dominican Republic generate 25,000 direct jobs, from the 57 companies registered and operating in the country. In the next two years those centers are expected to create 30,000 additional jobs, which when added to the indirect ones are more than 150,000 in. This information comes from the CEI-RD, which also says almost all of the data and information technology centers have been installed in the country in the past three years, meaning this great progress has been done in record time. This year alone-and not including centers outside of free trade zones-Contact Centers constituted 15% of approved companies in the free trade zones of the Dominican Republic, being matched only by textile companies (Approved companies by the Free Trade Zone and Export Committee, 2010). In previous reports the committee also shows how these companies add to the countrys GDP year after year, reflecting in a steady and secure growth of this industry. Companies approved in 2010 Free Trade Zone and Export Committee, 2010) The contact center industry in the Dominican Republic is one that has maintained a steady and significant growth. By doing so it has provided a great deal of jobs in the Dominican labor market, citing that for the year 2009 the industry counted with 22,000 jobs. Taking into consideration that the growth of this industry will be of about 27% and 36% annual growth during the next five years, it means that by 2014 the number of jobs can grow to an astonishing 150,000 jobs if the average annual growth rate is of only 27%. If the industry grows at an average of 37% annually, we are talking about having 250,000 jobs, which is almost double of the previous projection. (Jonathan Aragonez, 2010) Strengths, weaknesses and investors perspective of contact centers FDI Deciding whether to invest or not in a country is a decision which is influenced by what the country has offered and showed you, and what other investors say their experience has been. Investors will most likely take other investors input as the reality of how business works in a country. With that being said, one of the biggest disadvantages mentioned by investors is that the Dominican Republic doesnt count with a large enough English speaking community to hold growing operations. This statement comes from the interview with Mr. Blake Janover, contact center owner who has experienced the lack of English speaking representatives. He mentions that the Dominican Republic is a great place to invest, but not the best in the world due to some more important flaws than not enough English personnel. The main weaknesses mentioned by this contact center owner are banking, finance, and overall infrastructure, which is why he runs everything through an external company abroad instead of legally constituting a Dominican company. He also says that it takes time to get things rolling in the country, but he likes the Dominican Republic because it offers a huge tax benefit, as the US offers almost none (Blake Janover, 2010). Further details given by Mr. Janover can be seen in the Appendix. As for the interview with Mr. Jonathan Aragonez, an economist for the Center of Export and Investment of the Dominican Republic, he explains that the Dominican Republic offers contact center investors a great deal of benefits. In his interview he mentions some of the exclusivity of Dominican Republic, its treaty and skilled labor force. The most significant interpretation I could gather form the interview was that an investor is usually winning when investing in a contact center. This is an industry that is expected to grow at a steady 27 to 36 percent in average in the next 5 years, so the investor is bound to make a great profit in the business.(Jonathan Aragonez, 2010) Both the investor and the host country agree in one thing, the Dominican Republic offers advantages that many other countries dont have, and that is why the country is becoming a leader in the industry. These advantages are not only extended to the country and the investor, but are also transferable to the workforce. The average starting salaries in the contact centers are between RD$18,000 to RD$22,000 pesos. This amount is three times more than the average salary of RD$6,000 pesos-established by law-for people working office jobs such as law clerk, assistant or financial analyst (Ministry of Labor of the Dominican Republic, 2007). The contact center salaries are only matched by those of Doctors or Engineers in production plants, which is very demanding professional field in comparison with being a contact center agent. Although this is good for an individual whose only skill may be to speak English, it affects other labor markets due to the fact that the salary is so much

Philosophy of Education Essay -- Philosophy of Teaching Education Teac

Philosophy of Education I began my college education in 1987. I attended two full years and one part-time year before accepting a position with an engineering firm in 1992. I was employed there for the next nine years and was promoted three times. Even though this was a good stable career, I was not satisfied. I have always wanted to be a teacher. I never gave up hope and continued to take a class when I could. In the fall of 2001, I had the opportunity to work part-time and finish my degree. I am so excited to achieve my lifetime goal of becoming an educator. Almost everyone has a teacher they remember. Some are remembered for being a positive influence. Others are remembered for negative traits they exhibited. Often times a student never forgets the impact a certain teacher had on the outcome of their lives. My goal is to be the teacher who puts forth the extra effort for my students so they may achieve all their dreams. I would like to be the teacher students remember, not because I was nice or made things fun, but because they were challenged to learn. Within my classroom, I hope to create a nurturing environment so each child can learn to his or her fullest potential. Being a teacher carries so much responsibility. In addition to teaching each child effectively, you are also a role model and example in your classroom. Children model behavior they are exposed to at home as well as at school. Principals, teachers, coaches, and aides should be...

Stability of Characters in to Build a Fire and the Tell Tale Heart

Henry James’ argues that a character is only as interesting as their responses to a particular situation, can be supported by using any written works that a student may encounter, given that the story has at least one character. I intend to prove that the instability of the main characters in each story will ultimately be their downfall. The story â€Å"To Build a Fire† by Jack London is about a man struggle with nature and his inability to trust his human instinct, and In Edgar Allen Poe’s story â€Å"The Tale-Tell Heart† is about a man who proclaims he is not crazy but plans and executes the murder of an old man. In the beginning of â€Å"To build a Fire† the man realizes how cold the weather is outside but he only sees this as a fact and not a threat to his health. Jack London writes â€Å"As he turned to go on, he spat speculatively. There was a sharp, explosive crackle that startled him. He spat again. And again, in the air, before it could fall to the snow, the spittle crackled in the air. Undoubtedly it was colder than fifty below-how much colder he did not know. But the temperature did not matter. † (120) This is one example where the main character ignores his human instinct and doesn’t bring items that would cover his face and cheekbones. Also read The Story of an Eyewitness Essay Analysis Any man with common sense knows to bring the right items for the journey if he’s going to be traveling in weather that will be colder than fifty degrees below zero. While on this trip the man is accompanied by a dog that follows the man on his unadvised journey. The dog uses its natural instinct to outlive the man on this trip. The dog is a native husky and I believe represents pure instinct in this story in which the man doesn’t use at all. The dog knows to bite the ice off of his feet so that they do not become frozen from the harsh conditions. He buries himself in the snow when the man cannot start a fire because his hands are too cold to pull his matches out of his pocket. With the dogs keen since of smell he knows when the man is dying and understands that the man wants to kill the dog so that he can insert his hands inside the dog’s carcass to warm him up. In this environment the dog is actually smarter than the man because he uses his natural instincts to stay warm and keep himself alive. In â€Å" The Tale-Tell Heart† the narrator in which is assumed to be a man takes care of n old man who I perceived to be rich. For some strange reason, the narrator was obsessed with the old man’s eye. â€Å"It was open-wide, wide open-and i grew furious as I gazed upon it. I saw it with perfect distinctness- all a dull blue with a hideous veil over it that chilled the very marrow in my bones; but I could see nothing else of the old man’s face or person: for I had directed the ray as if by instinct, preci sely upon the damned spot. †(414) The old man was going to be murder for his pale blue eye. For seven straight nights at midnight the eye was closed. It wasn’t until the eight night when the narrator accidently woke the old man up and once the narrator saw that blue eye he began to grow furious and knew that that was the night he had to kill the old man. Normal people would have a look of disgust on their face after committing a murder, but the narrator smiled and then would try and convince himself that he was not mad. After murdering the old man the narrator begins to hear voices in his head. Those voices told him the eye was evil, and that he was doing the right thing. He would also hear a groan of terror many nights at midnight. The narrator could also hear the old man’s heart, even after he had been murdered. It is impossible to hear a person’s heartbeat with the naked ear. He also thought the police officers were laughing at his horror of the heartbeat. The voices caused him to murder, and then caused him to give into the police when he easily could have gotten away with it. These two main characters both have obstacles to conquer in their own ways. In â€Å"To Build a Fire† the main character is fighting and resisting the obvious signs that tell him he should not make the trip in that inclement weather but proceeds anyway. I believe that the man is so arrogant that it makes him ignorant. It seemed to me that the man felt like he was bigger and better than anyone on this planet and not even nature could endanger him. For that very reason was why the man could not make it to his destination, but the dog in which he tried to kill not only survived but also made it to the destination. In â€Å"The Tale-Tell Heart† instead of a fight with nature the narrator is fighting with the voice inside his head or yet another personality. I believe that by day the narrator was a normal man who really cared about taking care of the old man, but by night his alter ego would kick in and basically talk control of his mind. That is why the story keeps going back and forth with trying to convince the reader of his sanity. Although both of the stories are different, the main character mind frames are both fragile and unstable. The may not be fighting the same fight but they are fighting something whether it be nature or the voices in there head. Throughout both of the stories the characters do thing that make the reader wonder. It just goes to show how unstable each character is.

William and Mary Propaganda essays

William and Mary Propaganda essays Throughout history there have been many revolutions where monarchs were removed from their thrones or countries have rebelled against the authority of the monarchs. Possibly the three most famous of these were the American Revolution, the French Revolution and the Bolshevik Revolution. When one thinks of these "fights for freedom", one imagines armies engaging in battles, soldiers brandishing swords or firing cannons. The Glorious Revolution of 1688 was not such a revolution. A King indeed was removed from the throne, in what is termed "The Bloodless Revolution", but without great bloodshed. No great armies met on battlefields, but battles were fought. They were fought with words, letters and documents of propaganda. By todays standards the amount of propaganda used might be considered a media blitz. Like todays political propaganda, words were twisted, facts were given a spin and half truths became truths to further advance the cause of William. This propaganda created an atmosphere in England that allowed William and Mary to come to England and be crowned without massive strife or bloodshed. Prince William of Orange and those who supported him both in England and Holland waged an intense war of propaganda against James II of England. This propaganda was used to present William in a favorable light while portraying James II with the most unfavorable image. Commemorative medals, broadsides, prints, cartoons, printed tracts, and sermons were used portray William as the conquering Protestant hero who came to save England from the evil Catholic monarch. This paper will examine the types of propaganda used, how it was used to shape the public's opinion toward William's assumption of the throne. For many years during the reign of Charles II the majority of the Protestant population as well as parliament had harbored fears that the king had ambitions of making England a Catholic country. Rumo...

Free Essays on Internet Shopping

The Internet has taken its place next to the telephone and television as an important part of people’s lives. Every day, more consumers are using the Internet for financial activities like investing, banking and shopping. If you surf the Internet, then you’re probably familiar with the terms â€Å"digital stores† and â€Å"online malls.† Thousands of consumers are now taking advantage to shop from the comfort of their homes via personal computer. You can buy any thing, from clothes, computers, to music CDs, you name it and they’ll have it! Shopping online opens up a whole world of goods and services. With the simple click of a computer mouse, you can order tulip bulbs directly from Holland, exotic spices from Turkey or hand-woven wall hangings from Mexico or Morocco. The World Wide Web has expanded the International marketplace in a way never before possible, giving consumers unlimited choices. Years of experience in the offline world have ta ught consumers how to evaluate a retailer’s trustworthiness. Although it is hard to see shopkeeper’s online, web shoppers are figuring out what makes a digital shopping experience comfortable. Using the Internet which is an exciting tool that puts vast information at your fingertips, with a click of a mouse, let’s you buy an airline ticket, book a hotel, send flowers to a friend, or even purchase your own stock. The growing technology of shopping online from home and not going anywhere can be very beneficial to us the consumers. Shopping online offers lots of benefits that are hard to find when shopping in a store or by mail. For example, the Internet is always open. Seven days a week, 24 hours a day. Bargains can also be numerous online. We don’t have to worry about getting dressed, putting children with babysitters, or even deciding on which mall to go to. Staying home and shopping in your pajamas, having children running around at home, watching TV while shopping or ... Free Essays on Internet Shopping Free Essays on Internet Shopping The Internet has taken its place next to the telephone and television as an important part of people’s lives. Every day, more consumers are using the Internet for financial activities like investing, banking and shopping. If you surf the Internet, then you’re probably familiar with the terms â€Å"digital stores† and â€Å"online malls.† Thousands of consumers are now taking advantage to shop from the comfort of their homes via personal computer. You can buy any thing, from clothes, computers, to music CDs, you name it and they’ll have it! Shopping online opens up a whole world of goods and services. With the simple click of a computer mouse, you can order tulip bulbs directly from Holland, exotic spices from Turkey or hand-woven wall hangings from Mexico or Morocco. The World Wide Web has expanded the International marketplace in a way never before possible, giving consumers unlimited choices. Years of experience in the offline world have ta ught consumers how to evaluate a retailer’s trustworthiness. Although it is hard to see shopkeeper’s online, web shoppers are figuring out what makes a digital shopping experience comfortable. Using the Internet which is an exciting tool that puts vast information at your fingertips, with a click of a mouse, let’s you buy an airline ticket, book a hotel, send flowers to a friend, or even purchase your own stock. The growing technology of shopping online from home and not going anywhere can be very beneficial to us the consumers. Shopping online offers lots of benefits that are hard to find when shopping in a store or by mail. For example, the Internet is always open. Seven days a week, 24 hours a day. Bargains can also be numerous online. We don’t have to worry about getting dressed, putting children with babysitters, or even deciding on which mall to go to. Staying home and shopping in your pajamas, having children running around at home, watching TV while shopping or ...

Personal Case Study Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Personal Case Study Paper - Essay Example The opportunity below presents itself for improved business model, but only if the cultural paradigms can be addressed effectively. In this case, the organization is private faith-based company. It has existed for over hundred years. Faith-Based Organization X specializes in faith-based academics. The organization was undergoing major paradigm shifts in the culture as well as divisional subcultures because of altering business models within each division. Under the new leadership of the vice-president, leading two divisions, there were concerns on matters including management and decision making. Employees were expected to accommodate changes with grace. This resulted to change in the company’s culture mode. The main reason for this was the uncomfortable expectations of the management, requiring employees to accommodate the change. Therefore, the drastic expectation of change was hard to be accommodated by the employees. I worked for the organization in a span of three years, where I performed two roles. I began by leading a division as a director. After some time, I was transferred into a training role. The report of this personal case study will be through the eyes of the director role I played while in the organization. A typical director role consists of developing and leading strategic initiatives, talent development and process improvements. There are also many decisions that are made at the director level. A director must be the team leader and he/she must be able to initiate and implement new ideas. The director must ensure the mission; vision and goals of the company must be met accordingly. (Sinclair, 1998) The chart above displays the current structure of the company during my tenure in the company as a director. This structure was the new organizational structure in the company during my period of work in the discussed organization. The above division shifted in

Western Culture. Portrayal Of Gender In Ads Essay

Western Culture. Portrayal Of Gender In Ads - Essay Example Many scholars and researchers of popular cultural analysis argue that advertising has contributed to Western society's beliefs and values of gender roles, sex and sexuality. Further, that advertisements represent across the decades reflect the ideals, activities and behaviors of Western culture that has adopted as its social norms, and so reflects the expectations of the genders within these societies (Hogg and Garrow, 2003). They contend that cultural constructions of gender impact on the lives of all people within a society, and that these cultural constructions cannot be differentiated from the lives and images of each gender. Importantly, that is essential for society to understand how advertising can contribute to attitudes about gender relations and the expected gender roles, as well as how these factors impact on individuals constructing their identities and sense of place. However, arguments exist within current discourse of cultural text analysis that advertising over the ye ars has been over-analyzed, so that interpretations of stereotypes and limiting of gender roles are exaggerated (Lukas, 2006). This paper aims to present a visual and textual analysis of advertisements over the past six decades, contending that ads have predominantly stereotyped and objectified women and men.Popular culture contributes to the ways in which society constructs the roles and identities of women and men on a day-to-day basis. In general, individuals within Western society tend to be unable to comprehend the significance of our cultural values as portrayed in advertising. Also, when a person is able to understand the underlying cultural meanings of an ad, they often do not have access to knowledge that would enable them to effectively respond to advertisements that objectify or stereotype gender relationships. Without active cultivation of an individual's cultural literacy, by way of critiquing and reflecting upon advertisements presentation of gender relationships, mean ingful social change is constrained. Hence, to live in a truly democratic society that values equality, respect for differences and the freedom of rights for all, critical and reflective skills need to be learnt by all members of society. An example of a lack of critical insight into the cultural values upheld in advertising is the argument that states 'Ads are fun' (Lukas, 2006). From this point of view, ads are not meant to be taken seriously as they are merely fun forms of entertainment. However, it is evident that many 'fun' ads have underlying messages that reflect and maintain unequal gender relations. In the 1940s it was not uncommon for women to be portrayed as being 'stupid' (see Figure 1, Appendix). During this era women were typically illustrated as belonging to the domestic realm, and as being intellectually inferior to men. To emphasize this characteristic of women, they were visually presented with faces that suggested stupidity. Text accompanying the ad reinforced the message that women say stupid things, or are unable to think for themselves, requiring a man to assist them. For example the text for Figure 1 reads as: You mean a woman can open it! In contrast, men during the decade of 1940-1950 were presented as having authoritarian, dominant and controlling roles as reflected in ads. Especially, they were depicted as being intelligent and as in control (see Figures 2 and 3, Appendix). Women were viewed as subordinate to men, and as having to concern themselves with what the male of the household thought of their efforts to maintain their appearance. As well, women were predominantly concerned with pleasing their man by