Tuesday, August 6, 2019

Why Do Children Join Gangs?

Why Do Children Join Gangs? Gang association of juveniles is the concern of researchers and field workers .Why do the youth join these gangs yet most of them are involved in criminal activities? This study aims to understand the various factors that contribute to youth gang membership. With these factors it may be possible to conceptualize a practicable plan that will effectively prevent or reduce the juveniles from joining gangs. 1.0 Introduction Currently, it is well known that the issue of street gangs, and the operations of the gang wars have been something quite common to people. What should be agreed is that there have been increases in enmity springing between a number of groups of certain people as well as personal rivalries who have been slowly by slowly taking dreadful stands or thirsty and bloody fights. This has led to an upsurge of cases and numerous instances which are comprised of gangs who are wrestling towards achievement of own supremacy and dominance over the others (Visher, 2006). Therefore, all the way from the streets to the cells and prisons, such criminal sides have been able to strengthen themselves beyond the national level to become a global issue. Having achieved that, these groups have continued to get engaged in illegal activities or actions which have seen a continued spill of blood on the side of the foes. Criminal gangs have hence become a commonplace term which has been in use to denote differ ent kinds of gang-related activities even in the major correctional centers and prison facilities (Stearns, 2009). Basically, the term gang has always been in use to stand for any kind of approach or performance that stands for any group of individuals who team up towards establishing an interest that seems to undermine the performance of a given system. In countries where majority of the gangs have been able to effectively establish themselves, it has been noted that they have been going a step farther other than protecting the members of the gangs (John, 2009). For instance, it is well known that, more often than not, all kind of gangs in a country like United States have been responsible for any kind of drugs spread across the country, and found inside the correctional centers and prisons. These individuals give the necessary modalities on how drugs, tobacco, and even alcohol are handled within the society. Furthermore, a number of observations have gone ahead to observe that these gangs have also been greatly involved in issues such as assaults, prostitution, muggings, murders and even kidnap ping (Bourdieu, 2007). Another important thing to be noted with gangs is that they do seek ways through which they will intimidate other people by pressuring forcing them to submit their resources .This research will therefore dig deeper towards understanding why the young people involve themselves with gangs and come up with useful findings which can be applied in addressing the issue reforming the youths and ensuring proper security and peace concerns in the society (Richard, 2007). 2.0 Literature Review There are various reasons as to why the youth join gangs; the reasons vary from culture to the gang itself. Gangs can replace family units for some young people and provide a sense of protection, some young people are displaced and these gangs offer a means of survival .For instance most gangs that are made of Latinos are based on members of real families. The pop culture positions gang leaders as heroes and therefore most youth want such acceptance. Poverty also forces the youth to join gangs, they want to be able to provide for themselves. Young people from minority groups tend to join criminal gangs, further most young people have social adjustment problems and are looking for a place where they can adjust without much pressure, and gangs provide a safe haven for them. 2.1 Poverty Research has shown that most of young people that are in criminal gangs come from broken homes where the single parent has to work two or three jobs just to survive. In the eyes of these children there is a sense of wanting to be rich, they are never content with there lifestyle and constantly compare themselves with the rich .Gangs propose some sense of being stable, crime offers an opportunity to have more than what they had even with the risks. In addition, the juvenile system of justice is not harsh and does not deter the youths from joining gangs. Anyone who comes from a poor background has felt a sense of hopelessness that can result from being unable to purchase wanted goods and services. Young people living in poor neighborhoods find it difficult to meet basic needs that may be physiological or psychological which can lead to a lack of self-worth and delight. The only way for these youths to earn money is to join a gang involved in the drug trade. Conditions of poverty and la ck of opportunities to improve their situations lead these young individuals to participate in gangs instead despite them knowing the risks involved. 2.2 Minority groups A minority group can be described as a group of people whose members have less power and control over society compared to members of the majority group. In America, Latinos and black Americans are considered a minority. Ethnic youth are more prone to joining street gangs in order to adapt to the way of life. Research has shown that minority groups face education disparity and therefore do not get good jobs; this cycle continues for generation and even becomes the way of life. Most children in the minority groups drop out of school, dropouts significantly diminish their chances to secure a good job and a promising future. There are certain group of people that are at a higher risk for this type of appeal; to join criminal gangs (Giblin, 2002). People who belong to minority groups, may feel left out gang up in order to experience a sagacity of belonging. Gangs time and again come up along racial or religious lanes. Teens experience trouble fitting in or have been out of favor from the mainstream social group are at risk a, as they often will seek any associations that will accept them. 2.3 Social adjustment problems Gang members time and again come from homes where they feel estranged or neglected. They may turn to gangs when their desires for love are not being met at house. There is an increased risk where there are no programmes or recreational facilities that are provided by the community as an alternative to violence. Gangs often do in reality well is provide a teen with a sense of belonging, something that every teenager craves. Teens who join gangs often describe the gang as a family, or a reliable group of acquaintances that they can lean on in every situation that they face. This social advantage is very potent it entices the teenager to join and then cements the gangs hold on the individual making it very hard to leave. Leaving the groups makes the teenager feel like he or she has lost a group of very important friends and at times feels like a traitor. 2.4 Family traditions There are various aspects of a family that increase the chances of a young person joining criminal gangs, disorganization in the family, including broken homes and parental drug/alcohol abuse .Troubled families, including incest, family violence, and drug addiction or having other. Gang members often come from homes where they feel left out and neglected and more often than not there have been cases where other immediate members of the family have been members of criminal gangs. They often turn to gangs when their desires for love are not being met at home. 2.5 Problem Statement The youth make up a very large population and therefore any illegal activity they engage in should be addressed as quickly as possible since it can easily go out of control. The occurrence of gangs has compromised societal bonding and life in our communities while going ahead to distort economic and social structures of the country and at the same time causing a lot of losses and fear within the communities. This calls for means through which the issue can be addressed and come up with better measures of addressing issues that make the youth join gangs and how to deal with the youths already in these gangs. 2.5.1 Hypotheses Gang membership enhances status among the youth. Probability of a young person joining a gang is high if they come from a neighborhood whose level of integration is low. All gang members come from poor families 3.0 Research Methodology The sample is comprised of self-identified gang members from the community, drawn using respondent-driven sampling by Heckathorn (1997, 2002). It samples individuals through their acquaintance networks. Thus, it has the ability to get to individuals who might not otherwise participate in the study using other methods of sampling. It begins by having the first participants of the study, known as seeds. Seeds then start the chain referral by recruiting a specific number of their peers who also look for their other peers to participate in the study.The process goes on until the targeted size of the sample is achieved. In this case the sample size will be very small therefore will take a very short time. Because this kind of sampling is based on networks of peers , it may give overrated results in certain subgroups especially the subgroups many people who who form big networks or networks of people who are more well-organized in recruiting. The experiment is designed in such a way that t here is no bias in order to make sure that the sample is representative of the entire population. Reports collected ensures that inclusion probabilities will be calculated. This helps in assessment of any bias that may be present in the population es, and to estimate any variabilities of indicators (e.g., standard errors). This study aims to: a. Determine if independent variable(s) Poverty, Family bonding, social adjustment problems that lead to the youth wanting to belong somewhere and belonging to ethnic minority groups have a strong correlation with the dependent variable (Joining gangs); The study utilizes qualitative and quantitative study approaches, and comprises of administered questionnaire. Since most gangs are illegal, it will be important to ensure the confidentiality of the information that will be given by the participants. There will be no real names used in the study and the participants will not be required to sign any documents. 3.1 Significance of the study The findings of this study will advance our understanding of why the youth join criminal gangs and will enlighten us on how to avoid teenagers from joining these gangs.The experiments will provide an insight on how to deal with teenagers who are already in the gangs. Youth gangs have compromised societal bonding and life in communities while going ahead to distort economic and social structures of the country and at the same time causing a lot of losses and fear within the communities. This has hence been the reason why it has been necessary to carry out a study which has been able to come up with proper findings, and which can be competently adopted towards maintaining of proper justice within our country through practical applications. Generally, all what the study will be able to come out with can be given a theoretical approach hence being able to contribute towards this fight. This shall ensure that the mutual benefits commonly noted in the streets is addressed in a better manne r and have more individuals who are responsible given the job. This study therefore holds the key for the rightful future practice in dealing with the youth gangs.

Monday, August 5, 2019

Fourth Generation (4G) Technology

Fourth Generation (4G) Technology ABSTRACT 4G technology is a transition from the earlier technology i.e. 3G technology and it promises to bring some of the revolutionary changes in the mobile world which will be very favorable for the mobile users. Fasters data and IP packet transmissions and a lot of other applications like high quality voice and multimedia in real-time anywhere across the globe are some incontrovertible features of the 4G mobile phones. This switching of the technologies are promised to be accomplished by the end of this commercial year by a number of mobile carriers like VERIZON and ATT. Thus mobile users will be enjoying the best of the mobile phone technology by the end of the year. 4G technology is supposed to be the best because all the flaws that were experienced in the former ones are tried to eliminate in this one to give the best results to the users. FOURTH GENERATION MOBILE PHONES (4G) INTRODUCTION: Since past some decades cell phone world has experienced a considerable amount of transition. This transition initiated from the First generation (1G) mobile phones carried forward by the 2G and 2.5G mobile phones. Nowadays, people are habituated of using the 3G technology. But the technologies and inventions are ever-restless and therefore the cell phone industry is again hopping with a great speed towards the Fourth generation (4G) technology. 4G mobile phone technology is a complete replacement of wireless communication in 3G technology. Like the transition of 2G technology to 3G technology had increased data-transmission speeds, the transition from  3G  technology to 4G technology promises even higher data rates than existed in previous generations and thus considered to be a successor to 2G and 3G standards. â€Å"4G promises voice, data and high-quality multimedia in real-time (â€Å"streamed†) form all the time and anywhere† (Fendelman, n.d, Para 03). NOMENCLATURE: The fundamental nature of the service is responsible for the typical nomenclature of the cell phone generations. Analogue technology was flipped from first generation to the digital technology in the second generation. Third generation was designed with multimedia support which is now going to flip to the fourth generation where transmission of data and IP packets is faster than the former generations.â€Å"A 4G system is expected to provide a comprehensive and secure all-IP based solution where facilities such as IP telephony, ultra-broadband Internet access, gaming services and streamed multimedia may be provided to users† (4G and Beyond 3G Technology, n.d. Para 05). Thus switching to the 4G is like moving from a dial up internet connection to a cable or DSL which can make all the works done fasters and faster than the previous ones. â€Å"4G marks the end of the traditional CDMA/GSM divide† (German, 2010 March 15, Para 04). TYPES: There are 2 main types of 4G one of which is the Long-term evolution LTE and the other one is mobile WI-MAX. LTE: A natural extension of the current 3G technology is the Long-Term Evolution (LTE) which is also referred as the pre-4G technology. Transmission of all data including voice takes place as LTE is architectural design that can send all types of IP packets and data. â€Å"For a 20 MHz channel the downlink transmission bit rate of LTE up to 100 Mbps and 50 Mbps in the uplink and the bit rate capacity increases for a  Multiple-input multiple-output  (MIMO)†( 4G and Beyond 3G Technology,n.d. Para 05). According to German (2010, March 15) some of the well-known mobile carriers in United States like VERIZON and ATT and several across the globe would convert their network to LTE and worlds first publicly available LTE-service was opened in the two Scandinavian capitals  Stockholm  and  Oslo  on the 14 December 2009. â€Å"VERIZON said that LTE testing in Seattle and Boston has gone well and that it will bring the technology to 25 to 30 markets this year† (German, 2010 March 15, Para 06).â€Å"According to the VERIZON, downloading speeds of 40Mbps to 50Mbps and upload speeds of 20Mbps to 25Mbps† (German, 2010 March 15, Para 06). However according to Nelson and Pica (2010, March 3) the average speeds will range from 5Mbps to 12Mbps for downloads and 2Mbps to 5Mbps for uploads. â€Å"In contrast ATT has announced that they will begin LTE testing in this commercial year and launch their network in the upcoming year 2011† (German 2010 March 15, Para 07). LTE is not only being planned to launch by the end of this year in United Stats but also the Telco Mobile One (M1) in Singapore conducted a demo of LTE technical trial. Also NTT Do Como will the first to introduce LTE in Japan this year itself. WI-MAX: WI-MAX is elaborated as Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access, and unlike LTE it is not an extension of current cellular system rather its more related to current Wi-Fi technology. â€Å"The initial version for mobile use is based on the 802.16e wireless standard (Wi-Fi is 802.110)† (German, 2010 March 15, Para 11). It has potential for very long range transmission (up to 30 miles) and could offer speeds of about 10Mbps† (German, 2010 March 15, Para 11). Where all the majority mobile carriers are interested in using the LTE the only US carrier to adopt the Wi-max technology is SPRINT. SPRINT has a Wi-max network in 27 cities and shows potential average speeds of 3Mbps to 6Mbps with maximum speed up to 10Mbps. FEATURES: The 4G standards were thought to be introduced in order to facilitate users by some of the most incredible features that includes providing flexible channel bandwidth between 5MHz to 20MHz to a maximum extent up to 40 MHz. Also a data rate of at least 100Mbps between any two locations across the globe. It also promises to provide a maximum Link spectral efficiency in downlink up to 15bit/s/Hz and 6.75bit/s/Hz in uplink which means 1000Mbps in downlink should be possible over less than 67 MHz bandwidth. Furthermore the system spectral efficiency for downlink of 3bit/s/Hz/cell and for uplink it is 2.25 bit/s/Hz/cell. Ultimately 4G has all the flaws recovered that were noticeably found in the former standards. SPECIFICATION: ACCESS TECHNIQUES: 4G exhibited increase in efficiency and ability in terms of the access techniques used for it. Plain TDMA i.e. Time division multiple access and FDMA i.e. Frequency division multiple access were used in he 1G technology. But TDMA is less efficient as it is unable to handle high data rate channels. This is because TDMA requires large guard periods to improve the multipath impact. Similarly there were problems with FDMA as it used more bandwidth to avoid inter-carrier interferences. Thus to overcome these problems in the 2G technology one set along with the combination of TDMA and FDMA other set of access scheme was introduced which is known as the CDMA i.e. Carrier division multiple access. â€Å"Thereby the system capacity was increased but as a drawback placed a soft limit on it rather than the hard limit (i.e. a CDMA network will not reject new clients when it approaches its limits, resulting in a denial of service to all clients when the network overloads)† (Rumney M, 2008) . Data rate is increased as this access technique is able to manage multiple path channel. â€Å" This enabled the third generation systems, such as  IS-2000,  UMTS,  HSXPA,  1xEV-DO,  TD-CDMA  and TD-SCDMA, to use CDMA as the access scheme†(Rumney M, 2008). Although CDMA technique seems to be good so far yet it suffers from poor spectral flexibility and computationally intensive time domain equalization for wideband channels. More importance is given to the OFDMA i.e.Orthogonal FDMA, IFDMA i.e. Interleaved FDMA, SFDMA i.e. Single carrier FDMA and MFDMA i.e.Multicarrier FDMA because of the troubles in the traditional FDMA, TDMA and CDMA. The later used access schemes are based on efficient FFT (Fast fourier transform) algorithm and frequency domain equalization which would result in lower number of multiplications/s. Also bandwidth can be controlled and a spectrum can be formed in a flexible way. IPv6 SUPPORT: Circuit switched and packet switched networks are the base of the infrastructure of the 3G where as 4G will be based on packet switching only which would require low latency data transmission. Till the time when 4G will be introduced in the market and be a most used device the process of IPv4 address will be exhausted as a result a new version will be essential so that more wireless enabled devices can be supported. So IPv6 is be used to accomplish this task. â€Å"By increasing the number of  IP addresses, IPv6 removes the need for  Network Address Translation  (NAT), a method of sharing a limited number of addresses among a larger group of devices, although NAT will still be required to communicate with devices that are on existing  IPv4  networks† (Morr, D 2009). SOFTWARE-DESIGN RATIO (SDR): â€Å"SDR  is one form of open wireless architecture (OWA)† (Rumney, 2008). The final version out in the market of the 4G device will be a perfect combination of the former standards. â€Å"This can be realized efficiently using SDR technology, which is categorized to the area of the radio convergence† (Rumney, 2008). INDISTINGUISHABLE ACCOMPLISHMENTS: The 4G iphone which is going to be launched as soon as possible is promised to multitasking which allows accomplishing one of more iphone applications at the same time and also lets to continue the applications running in the background even if the user makes or takes a call. Verizon is launching the 4G phone six months before the expectation because of some of the incontrovertible features of 4G that lures world towards itself. HTC HD3 and HTC HD2 are going to be 4G phones. CONCLUSION: Last but not the least the advancement in technology i.e. transition from the current 3G and 2.5G to 4G will make a drastic change in context of data transmissions which will be able to carried in some fraction of seconds. It will be definitely proved very helpful to the future generations. REFRENCES: Open wireless open mobile. (n.d.) Retrieved from http://4gmobile.com/ Fendelman, A. (n.d.) Retrieved from  http://cellphones.about.com/od/phoneglossary/g/4g.htm). Choney, S. (2008, April 15) Retrieved from http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23902615 4G Phones (n.d.) Retrieved from http://fourgphones.com/ German, K (2010, March 15) Retrieved from http://asia.cnet.com/reviews/mobilephones/0,39050603,62061890,00.htm Att (2010, February 18) Retrieved from http://www.att.com/gen/press-room?pid=4800cdvn=newsnewsarticleid=30536 Pica, T Nelson, J (2010, March 8) Retrieved from http://news.vzw.com/news/2010/03/pr2010-03-02b.html Koh, D (2010, March 3) Retrieved from http://asia.cnet.com/crave/2010/03/03/singapore-may-be-ready-for-lte-as-early-as-q2-2011/ 4G. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/4G 4G and Beyond 3G Technology (n.d.) Retrieved from http://www.3g.co.za/content/view/73/33/

Sunday, August 4, 2019

Magnificent Minds Of The Renaissance in Europe Essay -- essays researc

The high renaissance of the 1500's was a time of scientific, philosophic, and artistic awe and inspiration. Many new discoveries were being made in the field of science, and philosophers expressed their assumptions on the world and universe around them. In addition, many individuals were gifted with artistic dexterity and skill. The amazing achievements of Michelangelo, Raphael, and Leonardo da Vinci are considered significant to the Renaissance period. In this paper, the endeavors and achievements of these three Renaissance men will be examined and expressed. Born in 1475 in Italy, Michelangelo was raised in an era of artistic wonder. Not only an artist, but Michelangelo was also a poet, sculptor, and architect. Being gifted in these fields, Michelangelo wrote beautiful poetry and created magnificent sculptures, art, and architectural designs. By the time Michelangelo was sixteen, he produced two sculptures entitled Battle of the Centaurs and The Madonna of the Stairs, and in 1501, Michelangelo began working on his masterpiece "David." The marble statue of David astonished sculptors everywhere, and easily became Michelangelo's most famous sculpture. Michelangelo's painting talent was not so much applied in his canvas paintings, but rather in his gigantic frescoes. Some of his fresco works include The Last Judgment which is a large fresco behind the altar of the Sistine Chapel, and The Creation of Adam which decorates practically the entire ceiling of the Sistine C...

Saturday, August 3, 2019

West Germany :: essays research papers

This European country grew from a loose federation of states into one of the most powerful nations in the world. Germany is located in the very heart of Europe, bordered by the nine other countries. It became a divided nation after its overwhelming defeat in World War II. Following its surrender in 1945, Germany was occupied by military forces of the Soviet Union, France, Great Britain, and the United States. The Soviets controlled the East and the other powers the West. In 1949 two republics were set up the Democratic Republic of East Germany and the Federal Republic of West Germany. The Federal Republic of Germany was proclaimed May 23rd,1949 in Bonn, after a constitution had been drawn up by a consultative assembly formed by representatives of the eleven states in French. British, and American zones. The government of the French Republic of Western Germany follows the democratic pattern and provides specially for such basic rights as freedom of speech, of faith, and of assembly. The parliament consists of two chambers. The upper chamber is the Bundesrat, whose delegates are appointed by the various autonomous state governments. The lower chamber is the Bundestag, whose members are chosen every four years by direct popular vote. The Bundestag passes the laws and chooses the head of government. Some laws passed by the Bundestag require approval of the Bundesrat They include laws that relate directly to the states responsibilities, such as matters dealing with education and local government. The executive Bundestag elects a member of the strongest political party in that house to br federal chancellor, the head of government. The chancellor selects the ministries who make up the cabinet and heads the government departments. West Germany state governments has a legislature. Members of most of the legislature are elected to four-year terms. The legislature elects a minister president to head state government. The Christian Democratic Union and the Social Democratic Party are West Germanys largest political parties. The Democratic Republic of East Germany is a Communist state. Berlin was split and the Berlin Wall was built in 1961 because after World War II East Germany migrants started coming into West Germany by the thousands. West Germany :: essays research papers This European country grew from a loose federation of states into one of the most powerful nations in the world. Germany is located in the very heart of Europe, bordered by the nine other countries. It became a divided nation after its overwhelming defeat in World War II. Following its surrender in 1945, Germany was occupied by military forces of the Soviet Union, France, Great Britain, and the United States. The Soviets controlled the East and the other powers the West. In 1949 two republics were set up the Democratic Republic of East Germany and the Federal Republic of West Germany. The Federal Republic of Germany was proclaimed May 23rd,1949 in Bonn, after a constitution had been drawn up by a consultative assembly formed by representatives of the eleven states in French. British, and American zones. The government of the French Republic of Western Germany follows the democratic pattern and provides specially for such basic rights as freedom of speech, of faith, and of assembly. The parliament consists of two chambers. The upper chamber is the Bundesrat, whose delegates are appointed by the various autonomous state governments. The lower chamber is the Bundestag, whose members are chosen every four years by direct popular vote. The Bundestag passes the laws and chooses the head of government. Some laws passed by the Bundestag require approval of the Bundesrat They include laws that relate directly to the states responsibilities, such as matters dealing with education and local government. The executive Bundestag elects a member of the strongest political party in that house to br federal chancellor, the head of government. The chancellor selects the ministries who make up the cabinet and heads the government departments. West Germany state governments has a legislature. Members of most of the legislature are elected to four-year terms. The legislature elects a minister president to head state government. The Christian Democratic Union and the Social Democratic Party are West Germanys largest political parties. The Democratic Republic of East Germany is a Communist state. Berlin was split and the Berlin Wall was built in 1961 because after World War II East Germany migrants started coming into West Germany by the thousands.

Friday, August 2, 2019

How Much Homework to Give Kids? Essay -- Education Educating School Le

How Much Homework to Give Kids? To many kids in elementary schools, homework is a menace. It takes away quality time from a student’s daily life and activities. In Romesh Ratnesar’s article â€Å"The Homework Ate my Family†, Ratnesar mentions about a student named Molly and her daily routine. Her daily routine consists of â€Å"spending two hours doing homework, practicing the piano, doing more than 100 math problems, labeling the countries and bodies of water and reviewing a semester’s worth of science† (Ratnesar). Molly barely has time for dinner. Ratnesar also mentions about a girl named Christina who â€Å"does not want to go to middle school, high school or college because of homework† (Ratnesar). Jonathan Keys, a parent of two boys in Orange County, says that his â€Å"boys aren’t doing things normal boys are doing.† As a result, parents like Jonathan Keys complain that elementary schools are assigning too much homework to kids. They believe that the amount of homework should be greatly reduced in order to make way for quality family time and friends. Boys should go out and do things normal boys do, and girls should go out and do things normal girls do. As Jonathan Keys puts it, â€Å"Kids should go out, play, and have fun†. However, these parents are missing a major point: the real world does not work this way. Our homes and neighborhoods are surrounded by corporate buildings and government facilities. The employees of these corporate buildings and government facilities are not playing or having fun. They are busy trying to use their education to make a decent living. So the question is: how much homework should children in elementary schools get? I agree that some teachers give to students too much junk homework and not enough clas... ...s. I strongly feel that elementary school children need to do at least 15 minutes of homework a night but keep a social balance as well. However, parents need to do their part in putting major emphasis on the importance of homework. If every parent this duty, our nation would probably rank number one in the world. Works Cited Allen, Carol. â€Å"Re: Child Life. This is Tu Do!!!!!† E-mail to Tu Hoang Do. 11 March 2004. Keys, Jonathan. Telephone interview. 15 March 2004. Mauldin, Deena. Lecture. University of California, Riverside. Riverside. 3 March 2004. Van Linge, Mona. â€Å"Re: Child Life. This is Tu Do!!!!!.† E-mail to Tu Hoang Do. 12 March 2004. Ratnesar, Romesh. â€Å"The Homework Ate My Family†. 25 January 1999: 312-319. Article. Perspectives on Contemporary Issues – Readings Across the Disciplines – Third Edition. Ed. Katherine Anne ckley. MA: Boston, 2003.

Thursday, August 1, 2019

The Last Rajah Ratan Tata Case Study

Among Asia's business titans, Ratan N. Tata stands out for his modesty. The chairman of the Tata Group — India's biggest conglomerate, with businesses ranging from software, cars, and steel to phone service, tea bags, and wristwatches — usually drives himself to the office in his$12,500 Tata Indigo Marina wagon. He prefers to spend weekends in solitude with his two dog sat a beachfront home he designed himself. And disdainful of pretense, he travels alone even on long business trips, eschewing the retinues of aides who typically coddle corporate chieftains.But the 69-year-old Tata also has a daredevil streak. An avid aviator, he often flies a corporate Falcon 2000 jet around India. And in February he caused a sensation at the Aero India 2007 airshow by co-piloting Lockheed (LMT) F-16 and Boeing (BA) F-18 fighter jets. Tata's business dealings reflect the bolder side of his personality. In the past four years he has embarked on an investment binge that is building his gr oup from a once-stodgy regional player into a global heavyweight. Since 2003, Tata has bought the truck unit of South Korea's DaewooMotors, a stake in one of Indonesia's biggest coal mines, and steel mills in Singapore, Thailand,and Vietnam.It has taken over a slew of tony hotels including New York's Pierre, the Ritz-Carlton in Boston, and San Francisco's Camden Place. The 2004 purchase of Tyco International's(TYC) undersea telecom cables for $130 million, a price that in hindsight looks like a steal,turned Tata into the world's biggest carrier of international phone calls. With its $91 million buyout of British engineering firm Incat International, Tata Technologies now is a major supplier of outsourced industrial design for American auto and aerospace companies, with 3,300 engineers in India, the U.S., and Europe.The crowning deal to date has been Tata Steel's $13 billion takeover in April of Dutch-British steel giant Corus Group, a target that would have been unthinkable just a f ew years ago. In one swoop, the move greatly expands Tata Steel's range of finished products, secures access to automakers across the U.S. and Europe, and boosts its capacity five fold, with mills added in Pennsylvania and Ohio. Now, a new gambit may catapult Tata into the big leagues of global auto manufacturing: The company is said to be weighing a bid for Jaguar Cars and Land Rover, which Ford Motor Co. (F)wants to sell. On top of all this, the group plans $28 billion in capital  investments at home over the next five years in steel, autos, telecom, power, chemicals, and more.â€Å"We rescaled our thinking in terms of growth,† Tata says over tea at Bombay House, the group's headquarters since 1926, a tranquil oasis with well-worn marble floors, a vast collection of modern Indian art,and staffers who circulate with bowls of vanilla ice cream every day at 3 p.m. â€Å"We just forced and cajoled our businesses to make this happen.The forcing and cajoling has worked brillia ntly.The market value of the 18 listed Tata companies has swelled to $62 billion, from $12 billion,since 2003. Group sales and profits have doubled, to $29 billion and $2.8 billion, respectively.

Modern Audience Essay

â€Å"It is impossible for a modern audience to feel comfortable with the Taming of The Shrew† with close reference to Shakespeare’s presentation of Katharina, comic conventions and having the above question in mind, write about your response to the ending of the play†¦ In my opinion, The Taming of The Shrew tells the story of an abusive marriage and I would agree with the view that it is impossible for a modern audience to feel comfortable with the play, especially the conclusion of the story. Shakespeare’s presentation of Katharina at the end of the play seems to me to be one of a broken person; she is almost robotic in her obedience and without spirit, except for when singing the praises of wifely submission. â€Å"Thy husband is thy Lord, thy life, thy keeper, thy head, thy sovereign† is a prime example of the disturbing brainwashing Petruchio has carried out on her. This humbled ‘Kate’ is a far cry from the feisty Katharina we are first greeted by in Act 2, where she exchanges a vicious battle of words with Petruchio; â€Å"Asses are made to bear and so are you†. This phrase in itself shows that she is fearless, and defies her society’s conventions, cursing at strangers; a sad contrast to the plays ending, where she has totally conformed to what’s expected of her. The ending of the play also contains very little comedy, with the exception of the argument as to who is the real Vincentio, and the fight between Kate and the Widow. This is because the Taming of the shrew defies most Shakespearian comedy conventions, as the marriage takes place midway the play, rather than at then end as was traditional. I believe that this adds to the discomfort of the modern audience, as after the supposed ‘happy ending’ we are faced with the harsh reality of Petruchio’s treatment of Kate. Shakespeare presents Katharina as completely changed by the end of the play. At first she is wild and seemingly untameable; we see her tie up her sister and argue violently with both Petruchio and her father. â€Å"So may you lose you arms, if you strike me, you are no gentleman, and if no gentleman, why then no arms† Here, Shakespeare presents Katharina as highly skilled with word manipulation, generating humour with her insulting play on words with â€Å"arms† as she brands Petruchio simply a commoner if he would strike her. This is in stark contrast to the ending of the play where she seems to have no free will. She is practically enslaved to Petruchio, agreeing with his every thought and whim. An example of this is Act 4, Scene 5, Petruchio and Kate see Vincentio and Petruchio refers to him as a â€Å"fair and lovely maid†, instructing Kate to â€Å"embrace her for her beauty’s sake†. Shakespeare’s use of a command word clearly shows Petruchio’s power and utter control in their relationship. Vincentio is obviously a man, but despite this, and despite a warning from Hortensio that this pretence will anger Vincentio, â€Å"a will make the man mad, to make a woman of him†, Kate does indeed embrace him for his beauty’s sake; â€Å"Young budding virgin, fair fresh and sweet†. This elaborate language with its piling up of adjectives is an example of hyperbole used for comic effect. It is perhaps also, on a less humorous note, an instance of what many feminists would see as the darker side of The Taming of the Shrew, and the destruction of Katherina’s personality; this is a strong interpretation as she could be seen to be using this elaborate language due to her desperation to please Petruchio or her fear of punishment. Petruchio further exerts his power over Kate by then changing his mind and accusing Kate of madness. â€Å"I hope thou art not mad, this is a man† she readily agrees, ignoring the fact that Petruchio has undermined and humiliated her, and begs for his pardon over her stupidity. This scene is a prime example of the change Petruchio has caused from Katharina to Kate. She is not the character we met in Act 2, and this transformation could be said to be uncomfortable for a modern audience to watch. It is unpleasant to see one human being so completely at the hands of another, and whether this total obedience is due to love, fear or desperation is down to the audience to decide. I think this adds a more disquieting edge to the play as Shakespeare seems to condone Petruchio’s taming, or what most modern audiences would see as abuse. However, some critics, for instance Lucy Bailey, director for the RSC, have stated that the play is a curiously misunderstood love story, not the abusive tale of misogyny some modern audiences would see it as; Bailey says that Petruchio and Kate’s attraction is instant, and that what follows after their first meeting is simply fore-play. Nonetheless, this interpretation is hard to digest in the face of the cruelty Petruchio inflicts on Kate, why would a man in love treat the object of his affections like one of his farm animals? This treatment is particularly shown during Act 4 where Petruchio begins his ‘taming’, he attempts to train Kate as one would train a dog. EXAMPLE. Evaluate language. Other critics have explained this treatment by saying that Petruchio is driven mad by grief after the death of his father he â€Å"takes out his disaffection and anger on other people almost as an experiment.† (Director David Farr) The best example of Shakespeare’s changing presentation of Katharina to Kate can be seen in the final scene, in her speech. She has not spoken for several pages, but then, on Petruchio’s command, launches into the longest speech in the entire play, expelling the virtues of being a good wife. The first reason that most modern audiences would find this scene uncomfortable to watch is the way that Petruchio instructs Kate to â€Å"Tell these headstrong women what duty they do owe to their Lords and husbands†. This phrase itself could be seen to be problematic for modern audiences to digest. In the 21st century, men and women are equal, so the way that Petruchio refers to men as â€Å"Lords†, implies a power and control over women that is uncomfortable for most modern audiences to hear. Shakespeare cleverly prioritises the word Lord over Husband in this line emphasising the debt Petruchio feels women owe their husbands, like peasants owe their Lords. In this statement, Petruchio also uses headstrong as an insult, whereas in modern Britain, although it can have negative connotations, headstrong is often a positive personality attribute, implying one knows ones own mind. The ending of The Taming of the Shrew contains very little comic elements, making it all the more uncomfortable. There is the scene in which Vincentio encounters the pedant impersonating himself . The audience has not seen Kate as impassioned during her speech since she was Katharina; we see some of her old spark when she refers to Bianca and The Widow as â€Å"froward and unable worms†. However, this insult could be seen as a sad reflection of how Petruchio has twisted her feisty nature to suit his own needs. Most modern spectators would see the entire speech as incredibly anti-feminist, and I believe that due to this it is impossible for most modern audiences to feel comfortable with The Taming of The Shrew. Kate suggests women should â€Å"kneel for peace† and â€Å"place your hands below your husband’s foot†. These phrases evoke feelings of servitude and to most modern audiences are difficult to hear. Kate’s ‘realisation’ that women are weak, their â€Å"lances nothing but straws† contrasts to her physical violence at the start of the play where she attacks Petruchio. â€Å"That I’ll try (she strikes him)†. Shakespeare uses regal imagery in this speech to show the total infatuation and obedience Kate feels towards Petruchio. She refers to husbands and ‘Lords’, ‘Sovereigns’, ‘Heads’ and ‘Princes’, and these words show the power Petruchio has over Kate and the power she believes all husbands should have over their wives: one of absolute control, akin to the monarch. Shakespeare’s effective listing of these nouns emphasises Kate’s uncanny passion towards Petruchio and wifely obedience. Similes are also widely used in Kate’s final speech; for example, â€Å"to dart a scornful glance† at ones husband â€Å"blots thy beauty as frosts do bite the meads†. Kate now believes that obedience is beauty, and for most modern audiences who live in a society where independence is valued and celebrated, it is impossible to feel comfortable with these ideas.