M. Butterfly, a Play by David Henry Hwang

M. Butterfly, a Play by David Henry Hwang M. Butterfly is a play written by David Henry Hwang. The drama won the Tony Award for Best Play in 1988. The Setting The play is set in a prison in present-day France. (Note: The play was written in the late 1980s.) The audience travels back to 1960s and 1970s Beijing, via the memories and dreams of the main character. The Basic Plot Shamed and imprisoned, 65-year-old Rene Gallimard contemplates the events that led to a shocking and embarrassing international scandal. While working for the French embassy in China, Rene fell in love with a beautiful Chinese performer. For over twenty years, they carried on a sexual relationship, and over the decades, the performer stole secrets on behalf of the Chinese communist party. But heres the shocking part: the performer was a female impersonator, and Gallimard claimed that he never knew he had been living with a man all those years. How could the Frenchman maintain a sexual relationship for over two decades without learning the truth? Based on a True Story? In the playwright notes at the beginning of the published edition of M. Butterfly, it explains that the story was initially inspired by real events: a French diplomat named Bernard Bouriscot fell in love with an opera singer whom he believed for twenty years to be a woman (quoted in Hwang). Both men were convicted of espionage. In Hwangs afterward, he explains that the news article sparked an idea for a story, and from that point the playwright stopped doing research on the actual events, wanting to create his own answers to the questions many had about the diplomat and his lover. In addition to its non-fictional roots, the play is also a clever deconstruction of the Puccini opera, Madama Butterfly. Fast Track to Broadway Most shows make it to Broadway after a long period of development. M. Butterfly had the good fortune of having a true believer and benefactor from the beginning. Producer Stuart Ostrow funded the project early on; he admired the finished process so much that he launched a production in Washington D.C., followed by a Broadway premiere weeks later in March of 1988 - less than two years after Hwang first discovered the international story. When this play was on Broadway, many audiences were fortunate enough to witness the incredible performance of BD Wong starring as Song Liling, the seductive opera singer. Today, the political commentary may fascinate  more than the sexual idiosyncrasies of the characters. Themes of M. Butterfly Hwangs play says much about humanitys propensity for desire, self-deception, betrayal, and regret. According to the playwright, the drama also penetrates the common myths of eastern and western civilization, as well as the myths about gender identity. Myths About the East The character of Song knows that France and the rest of the Western world perceive Asian cultures as submissive, wanting - even hoping - to be dominated by a powerful foreign nation. Gallimard and his superiors grossly underestimate China and Vietnams ability to adapt, defend, and counterattack in the face of adversity. When Song is brought forth to explain his actions to a French judge, the opera singer implies that Gallimard deceived himself about his lovers true sex because Asia is not considered a masculine culture in comparison to Western Civilization. These false beliefs prove detrimental to both the protagonist and the nations he represents. Myths About the West Song is a reluctant member of Chinas communist revolutionaries, who see the westerners as domineering imperialists bent on the moral corruption of the East. However, if Monsieur Gallimard is emblematic of Western Civilization, his despotic tendencies are tempered with a desire to be accepted, even at the cost of supplication. Another myth of the west is that nations in Europe and North America thrive by generating conflict in other countries. Yet, throughout the play, the French characters (and their government) constantly wish to avoid conflict, even if it means they must deny reality in order to attain a facade of peace. Myths About Men and Women Breaking the fourth wall, Gallimard frequently reminds the audience that he has been loved by the perfect woman. Yet, the so-called perfect female turns out to be very male. Song is a clever actor who knows the exact qualities most men desire in an ideal woman. Here are some of the characteristics Song exhibits to ensnare Gallimard: Physical beautyShrewdness which gives way to submissivenessSelf-sacrificeA combination of modesty and sexinessThe ability to produce offspring (specifically a son) By the end of the play, Gallimard comes to terms with the truth. He realizes that Song is just a man and a cold, mentally abusive one at that. Once he identifies the difference between fantasy and reality, the protagonist chooses fantasy, entering into his own private little world where he becomes the tragic Madame Butterfly.

The Impeachment Process in US Government

The Impeachment Process in US Government The impeachment process in U.S. government was first suggested by Benjamin Franklin during the Constitutional Convention in 1787. Noting that the traditional mechanism for removing â€Å"obnoxious† chief executives - like  kings - from power had been assassination, Franklin glibly suggested the impeachment process as a more rational and preferable method.   Key Takeaways: Impeachment Process The process of impeachment is established by the U.S. Constitution.The impeachment process must be initiated in the House of Representatives with the passage of a resolution listing the charges or â€Å"Articles of Impeachment† against the official being impeached.If passed by the House, the Articles of Impeachment are considered by the Senate in a trial presided over by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, with the 100 Senators serving as the jury.If the Senate votes in favor of conviction by a 2/3 supermajority vote (67 votes), the Senate will then vote to remove the official from office.   Under the U.S. Constitution, the President of the United States, the Vice President, and â€Å"and all civil Officers of the United States† may be impeached and removed from office if convicted of â€Å"Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.† The Constitution also establishes the impeachment process. Presidential impeachment may be the last thing you would ever think could happen in America. In fact, since 1841, over one-third of all American Presidents have either died in office, became disabled, or resigned. However, no American President has ever been forced from office due to impeachment. Taking the vote on the impeachment of President Johnson. Historical/Getty Images Only four times in our history has Congress held serious discussions of presidential  impeachment: Andrew Johnson was actually impeached when Congress became unhappy with the way he was dealing with some post-Civil War matters, but Johnson was acquitted in the Senate by one vote and remained in office.Congress introduced a resolution to impeach John Tyler over states rights issues, but the resolution failed.Congress was debating his impeachment over the Watergate break-in when President Richard Nixon resigned.William J. Clinton was impeached by the House on charges of perjury and obstruction of justice in relation to his affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky. Clinton was eventually acquitted by the Senate. The impeachment process plays out in Congress and requires critical votes in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. It is often said that the â€Å"House impeaches and the Senate convicts,† or not. In essence, the House first decides if there are grounds to impeach the president, and if it does, the Senate holds a formal impeachment trial. House Judiciary Committee Meeting in 1974 discussing Nixons possible impeachment.   Bettmann/Getty Images In the  House of Representatives The House Judiciary Committee decides whether or not to proceed with impeachment. If they do...The Chairman of the Judiciary Committee will propose a resolution calling for the Judiciary Committee to begin a formal inquiry into the issue of impeachment.Based on their inquiry, the Judiciary Committee will send another resolution composed of one or more Articles of Impeachment to the full House stating that impeachment is warranted and why or that impeachment is not called for.The Full House (probably operating under special floor rules set by the House Rules Committee) will debate and vote on each Article of Impeachment.Should any one of the Articles of Impeachment be approved by a simple majority vote, the President will be impeached. However, being impeached is sort of like being indicted for a crime. The president will remain in office pending the outcome of the Senate impeachment trial. Bill and Hillary Clinton at the start of the Clinton Impeachment trial. David Hume Kennerly  /Getty Images In the Senate The Articles of Impeachment are received from the House.The Senate formulates rules and procedures for holding a trial.The trial will be held with the president represented by his lawyers. A select group of House members serves as prosecutors. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court (currently John G. Roberts) presides  with all 100 Senators acting as the jury.The Senate meets in private session to debate a verdict.The Senate, in open session, votes on a verdict. A 2/3 supermajority vote of the Senate will result in a conviction.The Senate will vote to remove the President from office.The Senate may also vote (by a simple majority) to prohibit the President from holding any public office in the future. Once impeached officials are convicted in the Senate, their removal from office is automatic and may not be appealed. In the 1993 case of  Nixon v. United States, the U.S. the Supreme Court ruled that the federal judiciary cannot review impeachment proceedings. At the state level, state legislatures can impeach state officials, including governors, in accordance with their respective state constitutions. Impeachable Offenses Article II, Section 4 of the Constitution says, The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other High Crimes and Misdemeanors. To date, two federal judges have been impeached and removed from office based on charges of bribery. No federal official has ever faced impeachment based on charges of treason. All other impeachment proceedings held against federal officials, including three presidents, have been based on charges of â€Å"high crimes and misdemeanors.† According to constitutional lawyers, High Crimes and Misdemeanors are (1) real criminality- breaking a law; (2) abuses of power; (3) violation of public trust as defined by Alexander Hamilton in the Federalist Papers. In 1970, then-Representative Gerald R. Ford defined impeachable offenses as whatever a majority of the House of Representatives considers it to be at a given moment in history. Historically, Congress has issued Articles of Impeachment for acts in three general categories: Exceeding the constitutional bounds of the powers of the office.Behavior grossly incompatible with the proper function and purpose of the office.Employing the power of the office for an improper purpose or for personal gain. The impeachment process is political, rather than criminal in nature. Congress has no power to impose criminal penalties on impeached officials. But criminal courts may try and punish officials if they have committed crimes.

The Disquieting Effects of Global Warming Research Paper

The Disquieting Effects of Global Warming - Research Paper Example Studies conducted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) (2007) conclude that the mean global temperature near the earth’s surface experienced an increase of 0.74 + 0.18 degrees Celsius during a period of 100 years from 1905 to 2005. The IPCC has also projected that the global temperature will experience a further increase of 1.1 to 6.4 degrees Celsius through the twenty-first century. (2007) Owing to the rather obscure nature of changes taking place in the atmosphere, this phenomenon remains surrounded by controversy. A portion of the masses refuses to accept the magnitude of global warming and proclaim that the phenomenon is caused by completely natural sources like solar variations and volcanic eruptions. But some very alarming facts stated later will assure everyone of the damaging implications global warming has had on our planet. The IPCC blames the human race for a major part of global warming, â€Å" most of the observed increase in globally averaged temperatures since the mid-twentieth century is very likely due to the observed increase in anthropogenic (man-made) greenhouse gas concentrations† Greenhouse gases are the gases present in the atmosphere even under normal conditions. These gases, which include (in order of their abundance) water vapour, carbon-di-oxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone and CFC’s, are essential to bring about the Greenhouse effect. These gases capture the infrared radiations from the sun’s emission and retain it, thus warming the earth’s atmosphere. If it wasn’t for the greenhouse effect, the earth’s temperature would have been close to –19 degrees Celsius.

Oil Market Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Oil Market - Essay Example In case the price of oil went down, then the price of such commodities were also stable, and if the price of this commodities went down, then these products also follows such occurrences. If we are to analyze this, one might ask, what is with oil that it has the power to control different scenario On the second thought, analysts particularly economists suggests that it is not only the oil that can have such a trend, but almost every product that is available to the market. This kind of occurrences is dictated by the demand of the customers and the availability of the product. In this case, the law if supply and demand comes into picture. Therefore, what is the law of supply and demand Before analyzing such a law let us first scrutinize the meaning of demand and supply with regards to economics perspective. The Columbia encyclopaedia (2005) described supply and demand as, 'Supply refers to the varying amounts of a good that producers will supply at different prices; in general, and a higher price yields a greater supply. Demand refers to the quantity of a good that is demanded by consumers at any given price. According to the law of demand, demand decreases as the price rises.' Upon analyzing this premise we can now have a clearer picture of what supply and demand has something to do with the oil market. It is now clear that oil will be regarded as the supply and the wanting of the consumers to get the oil to compensate their needs is the demand. Upon looking into this scenario, one might conclude that the oil as a commodity has the power to dictate its price regarding to the demand of world market. As stated on the first page that almost every human activities on earth needs the consumption of oil, therefore, it would be safe to conclude that there is a huge amount of demand for oil. From cooking meals, generating electricity and running automobiles, this kind of activities consumes oil. If we are to base such things with the aforementioned premises, the price of oils would tend to go up and it is due to the law of demand. The law of demand is defined as " a microeconomic law that states that, all other factors being equal, as the price of a good or service increases, consumer demand for the good or service will decrease and vice versa (answers.com 2006)." In this regard, the flow of the prices of oil would tend to go up if we are to base this phenomenon to the worldwide demand of oil. All over the world, oil is a necessity in life. On the second thought, one might ask that why it is that oil can dictate the flow of economics of some countries in the world Why is it expensive than other necessities The answer would be, it is because of the availability of the product. If we are to compare oil's prices in the majority of Middle East countries where oil is abundant against distant countries such as the Philippines where there is a minimal source of the said product, there is a huge amount of difference with regards to the amount of oil. In countries such as Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait and the likes, oil prices ranges from $20-$30 centavos per liter to judge against $1.2 per liter. This is due to the following reasons: 1) the fact that oil production is limited, then the priorities of the distribution of oil would be in the countries were it was extracted and therefore, counties

Fourth Amendment Exceptions Summary Essay Example for Free

Fourth Amendment Exceptions Summary Essay The Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution requires that no search or seizure shall be carried out unless a warrant has been issued. The exceptions are: searches with consent, frisks, plain feel/plain view, incident to arrest, automobile exceptions, exigent circumstances and open fields, abandoned property and public place exceptions (Harr, Hess, 2006, p. 219). Consent to search any property must be given by t actual owners or, as set forth in the United States v Matlock (1974) by a person in charge of that property. If, for instance more than one person owns a property, only one of those individuals must give consent. There are exceptions to that rule as well. Only commonly shared areas of that property may be searched (Harr,Hess, 2006). Take for instance a family living in an apartment which comprises of a husband, wife and sister to the man. The sister would give consent for common areas, such as the living room, den, kitchen, and bathroom, to be searched and she cannot give consent to allowing the bedroom of the brother and sister in-law to be searched. The husband, on the other hand, could consent to having the bedroom searched because it is there joint bedroom and is not off-limits to him. Other conditions on the searches incident to arrest exception include the use of force, the search of other individuals with the arrested individual, searching the vehicle of an arrest person, contemporaneousness and inventory searches if a government agent has probable cause to believe the vehicle contains contraband or evidence of a crime without a warrant because in the time it would take to get a warrant, the car, driver and contraband or evidence could be long gone (Harr, Hess, 2006. p. 231). The 1981 case of Robbins v. California saw the justifications for searching without a warrant. Those specifications include that the mobility of vehicles produce exigent circumstances.

Eleanor of Aquitaine Essay example -- History Historical Rulers Queen

Eleanor of Aquitaine When viewing the Middle Ages, it is often assumed that women had little if no political power. However, there are certain women that still stand out in the minds of historians, regardless of whether they are queens or commoners. These women ruled vast domains either directly or indirectly, and have influenced many other women to do the same. One such figure was Eleanor of Aquitaine. Although her name is rarely mentioned in history books, her lineage can be found in almost every noble house in Europe. She not only embodied the virtues of a noble woman, but she was also a charismatic strong leader. Her opinion was often heeded in matters of state as well as personal struggles. Truly a remarkable woman, she has shown what being a cunning and graceful queen can do for a country. Eleanor was born in 1122, to William X and Anor of Aquitaine. Eleanorà ­s father, the Duke of Aquitaine, ruled a large plush kingdom that was rich in wine and rolling verdant hills (Dahmus 179). The young Eleanor grew up in a court of Troubadours who sang of courtly love and women. Her grandfather, William IX, is credited as being one of the first Troubadours who brought lyric poetry to life, and her own father continued the tradition (Dahmus 180). Eleanor, having been blessed with good looks, is attributed with being the subject of many of these verses and of inspiring men to sing to women of high station (Consort). These happy times however, were short lived when at the age of five, Eleanorà ­s father died (Troubadour). On his deathbed, her father requested that she be given to Louis VI in order to wed one of his sons (Dahmus 181). This was done, and Eleanor and Louis VII were wed in the summer of 1137. Although this seemed to be... ...to wield power while obeying her husbandà ­s commands. Few men or women in history were able to better utilize their many talents in order to accomplish their goals. Works Cited "Consort of Love and Letters." 1 Apr. 1998. <http://spectrum.net/dede/eleanor.htm> (A word of caution to the readers: Lyn Reeseà ­s Women in World History suggested this web-site. It was written by a high school student and could contain errors) Dahmus, Joseph. Seven Medieval Queens. New York: Doubleday & Company, Inc, 1972. Duby, Georges. Women of the Twelfth Century. Great Britain: The University of Chicago Press, 1997. "Eleanor of Aquitaine." Women in World History Curriculum. Ed. Lyn Reese. 1999. 16 Apr. 2000. <http://www.womeninhistory.com/EofAreturns.html> "The Troubadourà ­s Daughter." Suite 101. <http://www.geocities.com/Athens/7545/Eleanor.html>

King Lear essay, exploring the notion of hope

In the world of King Lear, being a shakespearean tragedy, suffering, loss, and injustice are all factors often expected before an audience enters the bottomless pit of complicated characters, varying agendas, and Shakespearean english these productions usually employed. However, despite its melancholy undertone and lack of warmer lighting gels on stage, King Lear is not without hope. Shakespeare in Lear, presents the notion that characters in great authority force suffering upon others in an effort to retain power, admiration, and status.Initially, Lear himself demonstrates this, appallingly treating Cordelia with an irrational snap judgement when he is embarrassed in court by his youngest daughters silence and lack of praise; â€Å"Here I disclaim all my parental care. † (1:1:107) This unjust sentence is highly ironic, especially for the audience, as dramatically we see transparent farce of Gonerill and Regan’s dedications of love, and the total truth of Cordeliaâ€⠄¢s.Due to the â€Å"infirmity of his age† (1:1:284) (Lear) the unjust pain Cordelia endures for his mistake is greatened, and due to this dramatic irony the audience is forever hopeful for some form of justice and resolution to come. Hope comes in many forms in King Lear, and at first arrives in the character of Kent. Like the audience, Kent is able to see the mistaken ways of Lear, and is the first to step in and address Cordelia’s suffering. â€Å"See better, Lear†¦ Thy youngest daughter does not love thee least.† (1:1:146-153)In one dramatic interpretation of the play, Kent is positioned between Lear and Cordelia, symbolizing perhaps, a link between the mistaken mind of an old King, and the â€Å"more ponderous† (1:1:73) love of a young heir, furthermore acting asâ€Å"the true blank of thine eye† (1:1:153) for his decrepit King. Kent brings the hope for justice to a tantalizingly close reality, however through Lear’s blind desire f or admiration and respect of status, the audience is left with a even greater sense of bathos, and desire for resolution, when yet again our hopes our berried by more pain and disappointment.This again portrays the notion that authority and all that follows leads to the lower statured characters enduring unjust suffering, and that â€Å"nothing comes from nothing† (1:1:85) linking back to the notion that suffering cant come from nothing. Hope can also presented in King Lear, in the way in which directors stage the characters on set. In one dramatic interpretation of the play, in act 1 scene 1, Lear is sat down solitary with Gonerill and Regan at his side. This not only portrays the Kings increasing age, but also the manipulative power Gonerill and Regan initially have over him.During this first scene we see the gap between Cordelia and Lear increase progressively, again portraying a physical representation for their relationship and love for one another growing further and fu rther apart. After this distancing, Cordelia, positioned front stage right, has both Kent, The Fool, and towards the end of the scene, France. The dramatic effect of this is clear to the audience; it physically highlights the allegiances of the characters, and is used also to portray other various notions in a more physical manner, one of which is hope.Hope is presented in the way in which The Fool, Kent, and France side with Cordelia, implying to the audience she is not alone in her banishment, and that perhaps these characters may have a role in returning Cordelia later in the play. This idea is further backed up in act 1 scene 5 upon where we see The Fool speak the truth to the king; â€Å"Thou shouldst not have been old till thou hadst been wise† (1:5:36) presenting hope in that the king might listen.The allegiances formed in this scene contrast one another, clearly demonstrating to the audience their various agendas, and allows the audience to understand the alliances of characters without any dialogue required. Following on from this notion of unspoken alliances, characters relationships inspire hope in the audience as well. While Lear is initially the main spark of suffering for the other characters, and despite the fact that his own suffering is self inflicted, the audience does sympathize for his position amongst the rest.The â€Å"infirmity of his age† (1:1:284) results in his malicious, self satisfying, daughters manipulating him with ease, and abusing the power he entrusts onto them. But in the same way we see Kent step in for Cordelia, we see him return to aid Lear at this stage in the play as well. The strength of there relationship is seen in Kent’s unfaltering loyalty for his King: â€Å"If thou canst serve where thou dost stand condemned, so may it come thy master, whom thou lov’st, shall find thee full of labours. † (1:4:6) and as a result does instill hope into the hearts of the audience that Kent may in fa ct put things right.Suffering comes in many forms during King Lear, however despite the darkly lit stage, black costumes of the characters, and general tragic story Lear follows – hope is always a present emotion amongst the audience. Dramatic irony, stage setting, character relationships and proxemics are all dramatic devices employed by the director of one particular dramatic interpretation of the play. They contrast the darker elements of Lear and without them, the play would loose the very key to its brilliance.That key, that unlocks the particularly controversial entertainment value, being hope within the audience. Without the subtle hope shakespeare and modern directors try and install into the very weave of King Lear, the audience would find themselves simply enduring this seemingly deepening pit of death, despair, and disappointment. This is why I am able to conclude that by considering a few of the dramatic effects used in King Lear, despite the ever present tone of suffering, hope is always ingrained within the audience. Forever seeking resolution to the slope on which they travel down.

Analysis of Software Services Industry Essay

Q1 – Which industry is being analyzed? The industry that will be a part of my analysis is the software services & consulting industry. I would simplify and constrict it further to consulting services based on a global development model – provide r procure services from anywhere in the world to any part of the world. I have been associated with this industry or business model for over a decade. As a business consultant I provide my services to my client & manage their IT operations, including large programs that align with their strategic needs. Software services industry started gaining a lot of attention since the mid-80s. The reason was personal computing capabilities that democratized the digitized world from large companies to households. Since then advances in networking & technologies have catapulted the world we live in into different dimensions. Since the 90s, as the Eastern Europe & Asian countries opened post-communism, with decrease in network cost & high availability, software services made a paradigm s hift. Q2 – Barriers to Entry Economies of scale The software industry is highly competitive. First we will analyze the economies to scale. Usually with all industries the overhead costs are spread with the scale of operations. However, the fixed cost in the software outsourcing industry is low. The only real fixed costs are those of buildings where industry workers sit and perform their work and sales. In comparison with the revenues, the required assets to perform the work being very low, software industry faces very low advantage related to economy of scale. Everything else, management costs, cost of administration, cost of equipment like computers etc are somewhat proportional to the number of resources employed. However, an entrant into this industry may need to pay higher salary to their employees being new in the industry, since the risk involved in joining a new company from the perspective of a potential employee, is higher compared to established names and large companies whose operations may be diversified geographically or across industries. Similarly, larger companies are able to market the services to potential customers while the cost of the sales team gets proportionately divided across delivery units. Thus a larger company is able to enjoy economies of scale over smaller, new entrants. Distribution Channels Distribution is a critical function in the software industry. Ability to market potential products or services for a particular company depends on the ability of the sales team to grow a relationship with customers. For some companies the relationship is managed by delivery teams who can interact more closely with the customer’s management group. Usually the customers have their operations unit as well as a separate vendor management unit. Usually the larger companies have their sales teams interact with the vendor management group, while the relationship with operations and domain capability groups are maintained by the core delivery group who are more oriented towards the day to day operations of the clients. Essentially, distribution channels towards the customer is maintained both by delivery as well as vendor management units. And building up the relationship with clients is usually a time-taking process and does include costs when a new customer is approached by the sales team with the capabilities of the service or product providers in the software industry. Capital Requirements The capital requirement in the industry is usually low. Small companies can operate by just renting small buildings or some even from home offices. Networking facilities can also be hired with low cost in this age. As such with low capital requirements, the industry offers as ease of entrance. Switching Costs Switching suppliers is not easy in this industry. The primary purpose of every service provider is to build a repository of knowledge sufficient enough to service the operations of the client. And since it takes time and effort to build up this repository, either through people or through documents, it is usually difficult to switch suppliers – in terms of time, cost as well as the risks involved in impacting operations in case of an unsuccessful event in managing operations. The bigger factor of switching is the comfort factor of the customers in this industry in dealing with switching of providers. As a result, this is probably the most important aspect in barriers of entry. Cost disadvantages independent of scale For a potential entrant, there are multiple barriers independent of scale. One is the need to get resources with certifications and a high level of skill. The industry builds competency and certifications usually form a precious measure of it. For eg., customers usually demand a PMP certified project manager or legal-certifications needed for resources supporting compliance related operations or CPAs supporting accounting operations. Also there are certain cost and continuity advantages related to services being sourced offshore (like India & China) as opposed to on-shore or near-shore services. Usually the ability to service clients from Offshore is so strong, it is unusual to open operations without an Offshore unit being able to service clients, just from sheer cost & continuity of service operations perspective. The industry operations are primarily driven by the labor cost arbitrage paradigm. In short, we see a number of barriers of entries in this industry, usually from distribution channels, switching costs and other costs independent of scale rather than prohibitive capital requirements in some other industries. Q3-Substitutes The primary form of substitute comes from the individual contracting as well as permanent staff categories of the clients, being managed by the client’s organization as in-house. Before software or consulting outsourcing services industry was present, all the work used to be performed in-house or with individual contractors being managed by the client’s IT division. On the other hand the mode of operations of Indian software services companies are SoW based; most companies operate in a turn-key mode rather than substituting for permanent employees and contractors. This has enabled client to concentrate on their core processes and business while keeping a lean management structure to enable their IT operations. This has cost savings associated with the expertise that they gain from companies whose primary focus is IT operations. Although the industry has moved away from in-house IT operations, but still this remains as the primary alternative for clients against the outsourced software services providing industry operating under a GDM model. Another possible substitute can be in-sourcing. In in-sourcing a company has a special contractual relationship either with a specific unit of itself or another group which specializes in managing or performing a specific function within itself. An example is that of UPS which repairs Toshiba computers on behalf of Toshiba. The work is done at the UPS hub, by UPS employees acting on behalf of Toshiba. Such in-sourcing capabilities can be performed onshore or near-shore by companies themselves or specific companies working on behalf of another. Although not in vogue as much like outsourcing, specific knowledge &capabilities of certain companies or groups of companies knowing & performing on behalf of another organization or another unit of the same company can form a powerful substitute in the future. Q4 – Pressure of Suppliers The primary supplier in this industry is labor force. Other than labor there are network service providers. The labor market demands in this industry are skill specific. Certain skills demand higher rates since the demands are high. Usually there is a demand-supply mismatch currently in the industry favoring the suppliers. The work in demand much outstrips the skills in supply. As such the suppliers currently have an upper hand over the companies that operate in this industry. As such rates of attrition and volatility of personnel changes are pretty high. As a direct result of such attrition, the cost to source appropriate skills is also high. One of the primary reasons why the industry has seen a boom of offshoring is to reduce the cost of procuring skills on-site or near-shore facilities. Both India & China, with their high number of available educated skilled resources at a comparative lower costs and less benefits is able to provide a better cost alternative to the industry. As days have passed, more and more operations are being sourced at Offshore, now including development, testing, BPOs, KPOs and in some cases architecture consulting too. Increasing costs and heavy demand of appropriate skills has made the industry highly competitive from the supplier side. However, on the other hand, the industry does not have formalized unions (primarily due to demand mismatch) and continues to be attractive in that front. Q5 – Pressure of Customers The presence of large number of customers in the industry has somewhat enabled the customers to put pressure on the service providers. Through competitive bidding, customers are pitted against one another to force pressure. Specially in a multi-vendor scenario, especially with reduction in client’s IT investment, suppliers try to encroach each other’s area of operations leading to greater pressure being exerted by the client’s with relation to cost or quality or sometimes even commanding additional work or some items to be done for free. With the increase in software services outsourcing and freely available resources in the market with specialized knowledge or skill on specific functions of the IT industry, the knowledge-gap between software providers have dwindled. With the customer in recent years cutting back on their IT investment has meant greater pressure to the software providers. In some cases customers even have asked for long term commitment through competitive fixed price bidding for multi-year operations projects without defining scope of the work appropriately. This has caused imperfect and sometimes incorrect pricing situations. With availability of a large number of providers with GDM capabilities have enabled customers exert their will over the service providers. In that respect, both from supplier and customer side, the margins of the service providers have reduced considerably as well as the growth of the industry has diminished also. Q6 – Rivalry in the industry All the factors stated above – lower barrier of entry due to low capital requirements, pressure from customers with reduction in IT expenditure and investment, pressure from suppliers due to higher cost of skilled resources & attrition and the availability of a viable alternative from in-house resources result in a very high level of intense competition. Earlier the outsourcing companies like IBM, PWC, Deloitte used to operate in onshore or near-shore locations only. But with the increase of India, China & Brazil being powerful & intense alternate destinations, the outsourcing industry has taken a powerful dimension of off-shoring resulting in lowering revenues, decreasing profit margins or in some cases being eliminated from competition. The US based companies also face greater pricing pressure from Indian locals since they already have established in USA and Indian workers prefer joining named Indian companies like Infosys, Wipro, TCS who provide them with better opportunities. The current industry does not have any market leaders as the top companies are equally competitive with mostly similar operating model utilizing aggressively the labor cost arbitrage phenomenon between societies in a globalized environment. Even the services that these companies produce are similar with very few differentiating factors (like cost or brand image). With reduced IT expenditure due to great recession companies more often than not poach other’s established customers or employees. Also the growth that was established a decade or so ago with enhanced software services offshoring enabled the companies take a very aggressive growth strategy; but with a rapid reduction of growth as well as margins, the competition has become enhanced between various industry players with higher level of competency to address potential barriers of entry. Overall the industry has been dynamic with priorities shifting across geographies and the access to competition & customers are getting easier while access to resources is getting stiffer.

Slavery and Compromises essays

Slavery and Compromises essays The practice of slavery goes back to ancient time, but as it developed in the United States, the slave system was different. It was different in at least two ways which were the slaves in the United States had no legal rights and the By the 1800, slavery had increased greatly in the United States and was a main issue. It split the United States into two sides, one against slavery and the other was for slavery. The South was the slaves states and the North was the free slaves. Southerners had first defended slavery as a necessary evil. They began looking at it as a positive good. They declared that it was the economic mainstay of a whole region. They also argued that it offered protection for a race that could not provide for itself. They considered it a glorious thing that it was sanctioned by the Bible, and approved by God. The Northerners believed that there was a slave power conspiracy aimed at extending slavery to the whole United States. Many Southerners feared that their property would be seized by wild-eyed radicals who had no understanding of the Southern way of life. They considered African Americans as people and thought that they shouldnt be treated unfairly just based on the color of their skin. Abolitionist were blamed for starting up and attack caused by Nat Turner. Soon after this, abolitionist literature was no longer allowed to go through the mail in the South. Because of the tension among the Nation, the United States were about Before the Civil war there were two compromises that had been dealing with slavery. The compromises were the Missouri Compromise and the The Missouri Compromise allowed Maine to be admitted as a free state, Missouri being admitted as a slave state, and for slavery to be prohibited in the rest of the Louisiana Purchase north of latitude thirty six ...

13 Situations When You Shouldnt Say Im Sorry at Work

13 Situations When You Shouldnt Say Im Sorry at Work Failing to apologize for your mistakes is a big sin in the workplace. It can cost you good coworker relationships- or worse, your job. But on the other hand, constantly apologizing, starting sentences with â€Å"I’m sorry†¦Ã¢â‚¬  or prefacing everything you say with â€Å"Sorry†¦Ã¢â‚¬  can make you seem weak, insecure, or indecisive. Politeness is one thing, being a doormat is another. It’s also not advisable to use â€Å"I’m sorry† as conversation filler, just like you wouldn’t use â€Å"like† or â€Å"um.† Here are 13 particular circumstances in which you should never say I’m sorry:1. When you’re really #notsorryPeople can tell when you’re being insecure. Just like dogs can smell fear. If your sorry is very clearly sarcastic or insecure, don’t even bother saying it.2. When you  didn’t do anythingAka when you have nothing to say you’re sorry for. It’s not polite to throw in a ton of meaningless apologies for normal things like expressing an opinion or ducking into the restroom.3. When you’re sticking to your principlesA coworker, or even your boss, is suggesting you do something off your moral tracks. It’s okay to stand up for yourself. You don’t need to preface your â€Å"I don’t believe it’s right to lie [cheat/steal/defraud/etc.]† with an â€Å"I’m sorry.† You shouldn’t be.4. When it’s your badYou’re late or you didn’t finish a project on time. Don’t just fling out a â€Å"Sorry!† and hope that you’ll be immediately exculpated. In short: don’t abdicate your responsibility too often.5. When it plants a bad seedYou may know that you didn’t spend quite enough time on that presentation, but there’s absolutely no reason to lead it off with that fact and an apology. Do the best with what you have and don’t give them a re ason to doubt your work before you’ve managed to present it.6. When you’re not prepared to own itSometimes we say sorry and consider it the end of the road. Forgiveness granted! If you’re going to wield the word, be prepared for the apology recipient not to get over it immediately. Some mistakes or wounds take time to heal and build back trust. Recognize when someone is perhaps not ready to forgive you.7. When you quitYou’re not sorry you’re taking another job. If you were, you wouldn’t be taking it in the first place. Leading with an apology in this situation also opens the door for your boss to try and guilt you into staying. Better to stand firm and get out the door with good feelings on both sides.8. When you had nothing to do with itIt’s much better to save your apologies for when you can and should assume 100% responsibility for the situation. Throwing ‘sorry’s around about things that were not in your control or in any way your fault will just take power away from you when you need to wield an apology for real.9. When someone asks you to pass their apology alongIf someone tells you to tell someone else that they’re sorry for [insert whatever actually bad thing they might have done], just stay out of it. Pass along the information that so-and-so wanted to say something to them or speak to them, and let it go at that. Don’t do their dirty work. If it’s just an innocent â€Å"Jane says sorry she couldn’t be here; she’s giving birth to her second child!† then that’s probably safe to pass along. Just stay away from the hairier stuff.10. When you’re in the middle of debateYou’re having a heated argument, or a debate full of passion. The last thing you want to do is throw in a â€Å"sorry† to minimize the conflict, i.e. â€Å"sorry, I just don’t agree†¦Ã¢â‚¬  It weakens your position and it will almost always ring in sincere.11. When you’re genuinely upsetSomeone does something legitimately upsetting to you or near you. You object. You’re more than justified in calling them out on their behavior. The last thing you want to do here is to say sorry first. â€Å"I’m sorry, but that was wrong† doesn’t leave enough room for the actual apology that you should be receiving from the wrong-doer.12. When you’re asking for somethingâ€Å"I’m sorry, but could you [help me with/do for me/save the day]† is not a good thing to say when asking for help. If you actually felt bad, you wouldn’t have asked. Instead, after asking simply, humbly, and clearly, say thank you. Which should be what you really mean to say.13. When the moment has passedEspecially if you’ve already apologized and everyone is already over it. Don’t rehash the past. Move forward! If you’re really still beating yourself up over something, then put that energy i nto making sure you never make that mistake again. No need to dredge up old drama. Keep moving forward instead.

Phylogeny Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Phylogeny - Research Paper Example According to recent studies involving molecular analysis of 18S rRNA/DNA, paraphyly was evident in Porifera. It showed that Calcarea (calcareous sponges) appear to have closer affinities to other metazoans than fellow poriferans the siliceous sponges (both Hexactinellida and Demospongiae) which inevitably showed a great amount of radiation between these two groups (Adams, McInerney and Kelly 34). These new findings actually go a long way in supporting earlier calls for the subdivision of the phylum into two. More empirical data on molecular analysis in particular of 18S rRNA/DNA was provided which showed that there is a stronger affinity between calcareans and ctenophorans than that which is between calcareans and other poriferans. Poriferans (sponges) have always been regarded as the basal living metazoans that are monophyletic as far as phylogenetic studies are concerned. The various relationships of organisms at the metazoan tree base remain largely unknown despite the fact that n ew trends of triploblast systematics are emerging which provides a clear picture of the lineage. According to previously done classifications, these basal metazoan organism have been put in different relationships using several markers except one relationship; monophyly. Earlier analyses of the basal metazoans (sponges, placozoans, cnidarians and ctenophores) have almost unanimously agreed that cnidarians and ctenophores have more close ties or relations with triploblasts than they have with the sponges (poriferans) (Hooper and Willenz 11). In traditional phylogenetic schemes the ACANTHOCEPHALA, ENTOPROCTA, GASTROTRICHA, GNATHOSTOMULIDA, KINORHYNCHA, NEMATODA, NEMATOMORPHA, PRIAPULIDA and ROTIFERA were grouped together as aschelminths or pseudocoelomates. Discuss why we no longer support a taxon of ASCHELMINTHES and discuss how those phyla are now grouped. Aschelminthes was used to refer to assemblage of polyphyletic meiofaunal sized animals which included several phyla. However the legitimacy of Aschelminthes as a taxon was questioned on the basis of lack of morphological as well as molecular evidence. Currently, these organisms have been declassified into separate phyla. It is sometimes useful to use the term Aschelminthes to refer to all previously organisms that were classified under it. On top of this, it has not been agreed upon whether the formerly known organisms in this group make up a monophyletic group. To complicate matters further, it has not been decided on which phyla to place the Aschelminthes. According to recent morphological studies, the Aschelminthes was described as possibly having two clades (Aguinaldo 490). The two clades are gnathiferans that are hypothesized to contain a newly formed taxon Micrognathozoa while the other clade is Introverta. The second clade of Introverta is thought to be a possible link between Scalidophora and Nematoida. There is a possible remote relation between the introvertans and the panarthropods but for the gna thiferan clade, it has not yet been established if it falls within the bilateral organisms for certainty. Both gastrotrichs and chaetognaths phylogenetic placements are equally unsettled owing to unsettled issues in phylogenetic analyses. There has been a relation between Gastrotrichs and Nematoida, gnathiferans and introvertans. However, more close affinity between Gastrotrichs and introvertans than the others has been recognized and led to the formation of a clade called Nemathelminthes or

Exam questions Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Exam questions - Article Example Another one is that it is a threat to social freedom. Plato’s study was already revolving around enlightenment, and according to him â€Å"Enlightenment is a Myth and Enlightenment reverts to Mythology†. The criticism more or less conveys the same meaning of critiques made by Adorno. The most powerful claim and argument placed by Mr. Robin Collingwood was â€Å"art is an attempt to achieve beauty†. According to him the physical transformation and appearance is not the beauty but the art, inner self, purity of heart, sculpture is important which defines the beauty. And the one or the thing which looks beautiful is a sublime i-e looks beautiful, inspires you but then evaporate soon. I will go with the second philosopher because Edmund Burke’s view was that sublime and the beautiful are mutually exclusive. So Collingwood’s thought was much better. Beauty is when it rests in the hearts of the people watching or experiencing it and not meant to evaporate or vanish out as the ages fall. Stories Homer and Iliad’s have marked affects on public opinions and shaping ancient Greek values. The reason why Iliad has so much admiration among the ancient’s Greek is because it is an epic poem, which means it was used to speak narrative of â€Å"elevated matters†. Plato also put forward and instruction or an alternative view of poetry as well Aristotle was steeped in Homeric tradition and clearly saw another side which Plato was failed to recognize and analyze. He construed more positively the role mimesis in art opposite of Plato and sees more positivity of homer’s stories in the shaping of Greek culture and values. Robin G. Collingwood has expressed his views in the words that the stories of Homer and Iliad have failed to empathize properly, with the historical actors or comprehend their behavior accurately in their own terms. He also said that they have failed to elucidate the past and they were only used to condemn it. The views by Aristotle were best