Family Ethnicity :: essays research papers

Name:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Title:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The impact of ethnicity on my family Subject:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Due Date:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Growing up, my family consisted of my mother, father, and my three brothers. My father was of German decent and my mother was of Irish. There was a stigma attached to being a German American back in the late 1940’s and as a result, my father would have nothing to do with this German heritage. He changed his name from Willie to William and as a great disappointment to my grandparents, refused to learn the German language. Even with his attempts to keep his ethnicity out of his life, my father retained many of the German traits of his parents. He is extremely hardworking and thrifty. The thought of going into dept makes him physically sick to his stomach. He would never own a credit card. To make a major purchase such as a car or appliance, he would take a 2nd and sometimes a 3rd job so he could pay cash for the items. I like to think that I inherited my father’s work ethics. But I know for a fact that I don’t have an ounce of his thrifty ways, nor do my daughter. I miss the German foods that my Grandmother used to make. Now that she is gone, I wish I had some of her recipes. The only German foods I can make are potato pancakes and German Potato salad, which my daughters love, or at least they say they do so they don’t hurt my feelings.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I hardly knew my mothers parents. They both died before I started kindergarten. My grandfather loved beer and died of cirrhosis. I suppose that this could go along with his Irish ethnicity. My mother is a strong catholic and had plans to become a nun before she met my father. As long as I can remember, my mother would give up a pleasure in her life and spend time praying for something to happen or not happen to one of her sons. Examples are:  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  She gave up wine and prayed that I wouldn’t be drafted during the Viet Nam war. I received a medical exemption for a back problem.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  She gave up between meal snacks and prayed that my brother, Kevin would marry his live-in girlfriend. Kevin is in his mid 40s now and is still living with Patty. Mom doesn’t pray for this anymore since Kevin is the only of her 4 sons that hasn’t been divorced yet.

Promote communication in health, social care Essay

1.1 The different reasons why people communicate are: To form positive relationships To play together cooperatively To work together Information sharing Approach and response To understand expectations and boundaries. erent ways. 1.2 Communication effects relationships in the workplace because there needs to be clear boundaries and expectations for people and this is only achieved through clear communication. There should be respect between colleagues and with young people so they know the guidelines and rules within the setting and any concerns from the young person is acknowledged. If the communication is not flowing this could lead to lots of problems as their needs will not be met effectively. Read more:  Promote Communication Essay 2.2 The factors to consider when promoting effective communication are building positive relationships, being considerate to others, showing respect for each other, being clear on key points and maintaining a good sense of humour. If these factors are followed and taken into consideration then the flow of communication between a carer and young person will be positive. 3.1 When communicating with people from different backgrounds or cultures care and sensitivity should be shown when communicating. We must not be too ready to take offence to a gesture or language that is not the norm in our own culture, and be aware of our own body language and gestures. Care should also be taken with the language used and the tone of voice used and they can be misinterpreted. 3.2 Barriers to effective communication are: – Emotional barriers and taboos. Some people may find it difficult to express their emotions and some topics may be completely ‘off-limits’ or taboo. – Lack of attention, interest, distractions, or irrelevance to the receiver. – The use of jargon. Over-complicated, unfamiliar and/or technical terms – Differences in perception and viewpoint. – Physical disabilities such as hearing problems or speech difficulties. – Physical barriers to non-verbal communication. Not being able to see the non-verbal cues, gestures, posture and general body language can make communication less effective. – Language differences and the difficulty in understanding unfamiliar accents. – Expectations and prejudices which may lead to false assumptions or stereotyping. People often hear what they expect to hear rather than what is actually said and jump to incorrect conclusions. – Cultural differences. The norms of social interaction vary greatly in different cultures, as do the way in which emotions are expressed. For example, the concept of personal space varies between cultures and between different settings. 3.5 There are a number of agencies, web sites and courses available that can be accessed to enable individuals to communicate effectively for example families first, government schemes, advocacy services etc. 4.1 The term confidentiality means information that should only be shared with people with a right to have it. This is vital as young people in care will often have information about their backgrounds or family history that should only be divulged to those who need to know. Sometimes there will be information about a childs history that should only be shared with that child when they are ready to cope with it; and could be detrimental if divulged early. 4.3 When and if you need to disclose information that you have received in confidence then it can create tension and distrust. You are therefore better explaining to a person who may disclose to you that anything disclosed would have to be shared with the relevant professionals. If this is shared from the offset trust will not be lost and more importantly the young person will know why you need to do it. Unit 4222-33 302 Engage in personal development in health, social care or children’s and young people’s settings 1.1 The duties and responsibilities of my own role is to provide a safe and caring environment for children to have a stable upbringing so as to achieve their full potential. 1.2 I have high expectations in regards to looking after young people. These are linked to the standards and I am continually reminded of how I have met these or should be meeting them. 2.1 To reflect at a later date about how we handle situations is very good practice. We can employ hindsight so as to employ more foresight next time. 2.3 Our own values and beliefs are just that, our own. We must be aware that while there are generic morals and beliefs there are also cultural and religious differences that must also be respected. 3.1 We can evaluate our own knowledge, performance and understanding with the professionals that make up the fostering team. Our supervising social worker is there for intimate support and guidance when we need it and it is our judgement that we rely on to evaluate our performance. Every year I have an annual review where I am assessed against the standards and my performance is discussed. This is supported by my monthly reports where I write up what has happened during the month, reflecting on how I handled situations that arose. 4.1 My supervising social worker provides me with the help to plan and review my own development. This can be through attending courses, reviews of monthly plans or suggestions of how to help with situations that have arisen and agencies to turn to for additional support. 5.1 Learning activities have helped a great deal as they provide carers with continual development and keeps us open minded and up to date with current situations and ways forward. Unit 4222-33 303 Promote equality and inclusion in health, social care or children’s and young people’s settings 1.1 Diversity- Diversity can be defined (in a care environment) as a broad selection of people from different backgrounds, with different ideas, religion, culture, sexual orientation, ages, disabilities, ethnicity, gender and general beliefs. Equality- Where individuals in society are treated the same with the same opportunities as each other, given the same chances and human rights as everyone else in society regardless of backgrounds mentioned above  (Diversity). Inclusion- Inclusion determines the Equal opportunities of all individuals, and enforces the methods to do so. 1.2 There are many forms of discrimination. From a workers perspective this could be not given the same job/conditions opportunities as other workers. As a client in a care background, not being given the care they should be entitled to. Also not being given respect for a persons backgrounds, beliefs, ethnicity and needs. This can lead to alienation/segregation, personal growth and in some cases depression and general ill health, due to not having respect of a person’s background/lifestyle. 1.3. I constantly include the young person in my practice to promote equality and support diversity. This allows the childs interests and differences to be taken into account so that the child is happier and healthier etc. An example of this is trying to encourage inclusive schooling, we moved the child in our care to a school that is ASD friendly as the environment he was in was not appropriate. We involved the child in the process at all times, to ensure that he was happy and in agreement with the transition. 2.1 These are the laws I need to adhere to: Anti discrimination Act 1977 Racial discrimination act 1975 Age discrimination act 1975 Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001 Mental Health Act 1983 and 2007 amended Act Carers (Equal Opportunities) Act 2004 Human Rights Act 1998 Race Relations Act 1976 and Race Relations (Amendments) Act 2000 and 2003 Sex Discrimination Act 1975 and 1986 Disability Discrimination Act 1995 I must understand and adhere to the codes of practice and legislation at all times. Also when I am acting as an advocate for our young person I must always ensure that the young person is receiving fair and inclusive practice from organisations be it education or social. For example school, social clubs or social service provision. I am constantly ensuring that these are adhered to. 3.3 You should always challenge discrimination, but to do this it is essential that you can recognise anti-discriminatory practice. My role is to protect children from discrimination. If I ignore it when it happens, this will be viewed as condoning (excusing or overlooking) discrimination. If I ignored a child who had felt they had experienced discrimination, who is there to support them. The child could feel that I share the view of the perpetrator or believe that the way they are being treated is ‘normal’. They may feel that they are in some way inferior. At the very least, they will feel let down that I did not protect their rights, which is my role. It can be difficult to challenge discrimination, particularly if it is institutional or practised by a colleague, so it is important that I consider how to deal with different and often difficult situations. To be able to challenge discrimination I would require knowledge of policy, procedures and practice. If I feel confident about what is good practice, I will be able to deal more effectively with incidents that arise. When discrimination happens it may be intentional, but it can also be because of ignorance and lack of understanding. It is not easy to change the views of others but you must challenge discriminatory comments and actions. When I am concerned about anti-discriminatory practice, I always speak me to my supervising social worker to discuss the matter and check that I have  carried out everything in my power to support the young person in my care.

Deere And Company Case Essay

I. Introduction Deere & Company (also known as John Deere, after its founder) is a world-leading manufacturer, distributor, and financier of equipment for agriculture, construction, forestry, and commercial and consumer applications (lawn and grounds care). Deere’s objective has consistently been to be the low-cost producer in the markets it serves. However, it seeks to do so while maintaining an image of quality and customer focus. Its company values are quality, innovation, integrity, and commitment. Because of the company’s close ties to the agricultural industry, corporate performance in both sales and profits was highly, variable over the last several decades due to cycles of low prices and oversupplies of many agricultural products. During the period, the company made various adjustments in its product mix and manufacturing processes to enable it to better compete and survive in the global environment. II. Statement of the Problem During the company’s business cycle, Deere & Company faces the following problems: 1. How can the company achieve its goal, which is to gain $50 billion in mid-cycle sales by 2018 and 12% mid-cycle operating margins by 2014?; 2. How can the company increase their sales from one-third today to half of the company’s sales coming from outside the U.S. and Canada by 2018? III. Areas of Consideration The Deere & Company faces different problems such as how to gain $50 billion in mid-cycle sales by 2018 and 12% mid-cycle operating margins by 2014, and how to increase their sales from one-third today to half of the company’s sales coming from outside the U.S. and Canada by 2018. These problems are caused by the following: The company wants to double their sales, have a healthy increase in their profitability, and an almost three-fold increase in economic profit. The company have the eagerness to get all the opportunities outside their scope. The company wanted to widen their source of profit. IV. Alternative Courses of Action Alternative for problem #1 How can the company achieve its goal, which is to gain $50 billion in mid-cycle sales by 2018 and 12% mid-cycle operating margins by 2014?; Advantages Disadvantages The company must continue improving their services and equipments. The company will be able to maintain the loyalty of their current customers and at the same time get more loyal customers. They will need more skilled and qualified workers. It will increase the costs of their expenses. The company must hire more skilled and qualified workers. The company can have sufficient manpower to help in achieving their goal. It takes more time to search and it is also costly to train the future workers. Alternative for problem #2 How can the company increase their sales from one-third today to half of the company’s sales coming from outside the U.S. and Canada by 2018? The company should increase their exports and establish more branches outside the U.S and Canada. The company may be able to reach their expectation of their target sales from outside U.S. and Canada. The company may not be able to reach their expectation of their target sales because they might have strong competitors with the same business industry in a specific location. The company should improve their marketing strategies. The company will be able to effectively promote their products and encourage more investors and customers. The company will incur more expenses. V. Conclusion The researchers conclude that the company wants to gain $50 billion in mid-cycle sales by 2018 and 12% mid-cycle operating margins by 2014. So in order to achieve these, the company must continue improving their services and equipments to maintain the loyalty of their current customers and at the  same time get more loyal customers. But, they will need more skilled and qualified workers and it will increase the costs of their expenses. The company must also hire more skilled and qualified workers so that the company can have sufficient manpower to help in achieving their goal. However, it takes more time to search and it is also costly to train the future workers. The company also wants to increase their sales from one-third today to half of the company’s sales coming from outside the U.S. and Canada by 2018. I line with this, the company may be able to reach their expectation of their target sales from outside U.S. and Canada. But, the company may not also be able to reach their expectation of target sales because they might have strong competitors with the same business industry in those locations. The company should improve their marketing strategies for the company to be able to effectively promote their products and encourage more investors and customers. But, of course the company will incur more expenses too. VI. Recommendation The researchers are recommending the company to continue improving their services and equipments for themto gain $50 billion in mid-cycle sales by 2018 and 12% mid-cycle operating margins by 2014. The company will be able to maintain the loyalty of their current customers and at the same time get more loyal customers. By having loyal customers, they will also be the one who will encourage new customers by what we call â€Å"buzz marketing† because they are the ones who have experienced the high quality services and equipments rendered by the company. The researchers also suggest that the company should increase their exports and establish more branches outside the U.S and Canada to boost their sales from one-third today to half of the company’s sales coming from outside the U.S. and Canada by 2018.By doing this, the company may be able to reach their expectation of their target sales from outside U.S. and Canada because the company will have big chances of acquiring new customers and big profits by establishing more branches in different locations.

Development of Environmental Law in Bangladesh Essay

1. Development of Environmental Law at the Global Level The Agenda 21 of United Nations Convention of on Environment and Development (UNCED) in its Chapter 8, 38 and 39 emphasized on the need to develop capacity in the legal and institutional areas for sustainable development in developing countries. Chapter 8.13 of the Agenda noted that laws and regulations suited to country-specific conditions are among the most important instruments for transforming environment and development into action. Legal enactment on environment became necessary due to increased incidents of environmental degradation, unsustainable exploitation of natural resources, activities of regional and international organizations (multilateral financial agencies and bilateral donor organization.) The global trend of environmental law making suggests three eras of legal development with clear characteristics. The laws adopted in the post Stockholm Era were ‘use-oriented’. These were natural resource laws dealing with management of land, forests, water, minerals, wildlife, fisheries and so on and had incidental environmental significance. The primary concerns of these laws were allocation and exploitation of the natural resources rather than sustainable use and management. In the second phase, ‘resource oriented’, ‘anti-pollution’ laws were being adopted that basically aimed at long-term management and sustainable use of natural resources. In the third phase, the laws were more ‘system oriented’ that aimed at integrated planning and management of the environment on the basis of all embracing ecological policies and environmental management programs. At the Global level, various international conventions, treaties, protocols also contributed significantly in fostering the development of environmental law making. 2. Evolution of Environmental Laws at the National Level Following the global trend, various nations of the world moved in updating their environmental legal regime either through adoption of new * Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Executive Director, Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers’ Association (BELA). 2 9:1&2 (2005) Bangladesh Journal of Law laws or amending the existing ones. The development of the environmental legal regime at the national level shows the following trends: a. Crystallization of Environmental Issues in Constitution As many as 106 countries of the world have incorporated environment related provisions in their Constitution. While some of the state constitutions have mentioned environment in the preamble, others have opted to mention environment either as right or duty or as a matter of public interest. b. Evolution of Right to Environment in Cases In some region/countries, development of environmental laws has been greatly affected by case laws. For example, in India and Bangladesh the rights to life of the Constitutions have been interpreted by the judiciary as including right to sound environment. [M C Mehta vs. Union of India (AIR 1987 SC 985); AIR 1992 Kant 57]. c. Incorporating Environment in Policy Documents In most cases, the policy regime has been more prompt in incorporation of environmental thoughts than the legal arena. Most of the policy documents in Bangladesh being more recent documents have incorporated many progressive notions and values including environment whereas no single law still gives unconditional right to a clean environment. d. More Comprehensive Coverage of Environmental Issues Legal development on environment has not remained limited to pollution or conservation goals only. Rather the broader dimensions of environmental issues have been recognized and various methods have been suggested to ensure achievement of legal commitment and monitoring. Laws of many countries have required and laid down procedure for dispute settlement, environmental impact assessment (EIA), environmental quality standard, education and information. e. Use of Economic Instruments For balancing the conflicting demands of economic development and environment, new principles have emerged in the economic sector to operate the notions of tax incentives, user pays, environment funds and so on. f. Provision for Public Participation and Review As with democracy, in environmental governance also participation of all stakeholders concerned is essential. In a good number of countries, Application and Reform Needs of the Environmental Law in BD 3 environmental decision making process has been regulated in a manner to ensure participation of those likely to be affected by the decision. g. Recognition of International Norms In some cases countries have shown respect to international environmental laws and to ensure that there global commitment is not frustrated and have adopted domestic laws that promote such commitments. Changes in legal regime, though an important step forward, cannot itself ensure compliance. Hence, the need for effective coordination of environment management, establishment of institutions to administer the laws and mechanism for facilitating compliance has been equally emphasized in countries that have gone for more responsive environmental legal regime. 3. Environmental Laws in Bangladesh  It was thought once that the existing laws of Bangladesh are too inadequate to be worked with environment. But when the work on environment was started, existing laws were found to be operative. The reason may be that the same law can be interpreted in different ways in different perspectives. A writ petition was filed by BELA (Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association) relating to â€Å"Locus Standi† of Article 102 of the Constitution of Bangladesh and because of the progressive interpretation given by the Supreme Court of Bangladesh the concept of Public Interest Litigation (PIL) is judicially recognized in our country. Although Article 102 has been in our Constitution since 1972, this provision was not interpreted in such a progressive way before. There would be lacuna in the interpretation of law if we remain unenlightened about the standpoint of environmental movement in Bangladesh. Environment came out to be an important topic here after the devastating flood of 1987 and 1988. In order to control the flood situation the Government of Bangladesh undertook a Flood Control Project with the aid of donor agencies. In fact the environmental movement in Bangladesh started centering that development project. Some NGOs, which were working on environment separately, found that there would be irreparable loss to the environment if the above project namely Flood Action Plan was allowed to continue. Those NGOs assembled to establish a platform by the name â€Å"Life Minded Environmental Activist Forum†. Environmental movement commenced privately from that forum. On the other hand in the Governmental level the Ministry of Environment and Forest was formed and incidentally both Governmental and Non-Governmental initiative began together.

Sociology Ch Notes

Are a Result of the collection and analysis of data from a variety of sources such as: Interviews Observations Surveys They are models that allow us to generalize and make predictions Students Need To Be Objective When Studying Sociology Do not be subjective We all have a belief system that can be a problem when studying sociology Remove the â€Å"I† Social Control = the social mechanisms that regulate people's actions – Studied through 3 paradigms: Functionalism Conflict Theory Symbolic Interactions A paradigm is a theoretical framework through which scientists study the world.Founders of the Discipline of Sociology Functionalists: Augusta Comet (1798-1859) – Wanted to build better societies Recognized 2 equal yet opposing forces in society: Social Static (Tries to keep things the same) & Social Dynamics (force for change & conflict) Founders Continued:- Herbert Spencer-social Darwinism Emilee Druthers (1858-1917) First social researcher to carry out an Investig ation using a large scale collection of data & wanted sociology to be more scientific Ideas and values are the driving force structure could influence human behavior Social Solidarity = The bonds that unite society – Shared beliefs These are important for society to operate harmoniously Collective Conscience = A group's common values, goals, outlook, interpretation of events & identical ways of thinking in smaller societies Solidarity = how connected people feel to others in the environment Mechanical Solidarity = Pre-longitudinal Organic Solidarity = Social ties based upon a functional interdependence of the members of society (we are all dependent upon other, people we do not even know, for our everyday necessities) This is less personal than with mechanical solidarity hen everyone knew each other, what to do, how to behave, and their place in the scheme of things. A lack of solidarity can lead to Egoistic Suicide -few social connections and isolation Alarmists Suicide â₠¬â€œ Exceptionally high level of solidarity places the soup's interests as superior to the individual's. Fatalistic = Too much social control and Anomic = rapid change, usually economic. Division of Labor = A unifying force Tailcoat Parsons – One of the most influential Functionalists Robert Morton – – Manifest Consequences = the intended consequences of an action, LatentConsequence = unintended consequence of an action, & Dysfunctional Consequence = when an action weakens social bonds (a negative societal effect) Conflict Theorists: Karl Marx (1818-1883) – Extreme influence on world politics Focused upon discord and exploitation in society Social change, social institutions and social values are dictated by economic forces Bourgeoisie- Owners of the means of production Proletariat – Sold their labor Capitalism- Bourgeoisie seek to maximize profits & exploit workers Alienation – Workers removed from creativity and achievement, leads to despa ir False Consciousness Historical Materialism Harriet Martinets (1802-1876) – Little recognized – Focused upon Industrialization & Capitalism, class, race & gender inequalities W. E. B. Du Bois (1868-1063) – First African American to receive Ph. D. From Harvard. Studied dual heritage & advocated the eradication of prejudice and discrimination Jane Adams (1860-1935) – Hull House – Poverty results from ignorance and structural barriers, not from failings in the morality of a person. John Bellary Foster – The negative effects of capitalism on society and the planet as a whole. C.Wright Mills – Social Conflict (Marxist) Sociological Imagination† = A way of thinking that gives you an understanding of the societal forces that shape your life- how society influences the outcome George Herbert Mead (186-1931)- Founder of Symbolic Internationalism, interested in colonization George Simmer (1858-1918) Interaction amongst people is influen ced by size of group Herbert Blamer – Human beings behave toward things on the basis of the meanings they ascribe to those things – Contagion = a rapid, irrational mode in which people don't think rationally or clearly = in a group setting. People ‘lose their heads' and react eke acting Howard Becker – Labeling Theory – Human action is related to the labels attached to it. A label is attached to a certain behavior when a group with powerful social status labels it deviant. Deviance is rooted in the reactions and responses of others to an individual's acts. Max Weber (1864-1920) Began as Karl Marx, social class influences our outcomes, but thought that Mar's two class system was too simple. Wealth is important, but so are political power and social status.Discussed the emerging Bureaucracies and Rationality . The Protestant Ethic led to or influenced the rise in Capitalism. The accumulation of wealth is a sign of God's favor. Stressed that the study of sociology should be value free with no personal bias Emerging Paradigms Feminist Theory Gendered and interdisciplinary Exchange Theory Our social experiences consist of a series of rewards and costs. People want to maximize their rewards and minimize their costs which leads to their choice of social action Environmental Theory How do societies adjust to ecological changes (Beasts of The Southern Wild movie). Humans are Just one type of organism sharing the ecological space with animals.

An Analysis of New York City in Martin Scorsese’s Essay

Among the stellar names in the film directing profession in the world, Martin Scorsese’s is most likely near or at the very top of the list—as bright as the city he has chosen to showcase in most of his career pieces. Using New York City as his backdrop, Scorsese has created landmark films that explore the intricacies of specific human qualities, tightly connected to themes of identity, religion, and psychology. Three of his films—Mean Streets, Taxi Driver, and Life Lessons—bear the distinct signature of an artist with an immediate message, which is clearly influenced by the dynamics of the inimitable lifestyle of New York City. A native of Flushing, New York, Martin Marcantonio Luciano Scorsese started planning his life as a priest—which is not at all surprising, considering his Italian and Catholic upbringing. However, he shifted goals at some point and graduated with a film degree from New York University in 1964, when he was twenty-two. Soon after that he became involved in film productions under the tutelage of several directors and producers, and finally emerged with his first notable feature film, Mean Streets (Brown, 1996). This particular work signaled the birth of Scorsese’s iconic style, which is defined by idiosyncratic characters and their internal struggles, marked by various circumstances exposing violence, racism, and oppression. Religious topics and details are also common in Scorsese’s work, which, in the past, received the ire of staunch religious groups. Scorsese is also known for building the careers or collaborating with specially-chosen actors, such as Robert De Niro, Harvey Keitel, and, in recent years, Leonardo DiCaprio. Each of these actors has starred in at least one iconic Scorsese film: De Niro and Keitel in Mean Streets and Taxi Driver, and DiCaprio in The Aviator and Gangs of New York. Common among most of these films is still the appropriation of New York City as the influential setting in playing out each character’s goal and dilemma. Credibility and accuracy in portraying the life inherent in New York City are integral in Scorsese’s work, and the nature of the city as a melting pot of cultures and its reputation for being the end goal of all personal ambition provide more than enough motivation and reason for the many twists and turns that take place in the characters’ minds and on the streets. II. Living the Gangster Life: The Italian Identity in Mean Streets One of the most definitive of New York City’s life and color is the presence of a multitude of cultures; this is largely caused by the representation of immigrants from all over the world, who have brought with them the distinct traditions and values of their countries of origin. The Italian community is mainly known for its influence on New York City cuisine, religion, and, as historically documented, organized crime in the form of the Mafia. Mean Streets is inherently Italian in identity, as it is set in New York’s Little Italy in the early 1970s—the territory and environment of most known Mafia-gangster groups. The portrayals of Charlie and his friend Johnny Boy—Keitel and De Niro, respectively—are excellent examples of life within the gangster reality, of non-negotiable orders, surprises and sudden decisions, the possibility of assault and instant death. This kind of life, however, is not always chosen by those who find themselves in it; Charlie, for one, lives by the dictates of family and religion, and refuses to take a stand on anything—even if he is plagued by his own guilt. Johnny Boy, on the other hand, is the quintessential gangster, the product of family legacy and history and his pleasure in romanticizing violence and aggression. These two personas reveal some of the most prevalent yet opposing attitudes regarding life in New York City—the struggle to accept a predetermined career, and the assertion of identity based on others’ experience. New York City is indeed a complex mixture of culture and identity, and these are often appropriated by those who desire to make their voices heard in the din of success, failure, and everything else in between. Religion, ethnicity, family, and other inherent traits that contribute to create an identity that can set one apart from the faceless rest are apparent means for survival, which is essential in the midst of such an unforgiving address. III. Left Alone and Unnoticed: Idealism, Racism, and Violence in Taxi Driver De Niro’s portrayal of Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver symbolizes the outcome of a person left to survive on his own in the complicated maze that is New York City in the mid-1970s. What begins as a man with fervent dreams of success and fulfillment in the capital of realized wishes can end in cynicism, hopelessness, and despair. Idealism sets the pace for the ultimate acts of violence and racism, played out by succeeding episodes of rejection and perceived injustice—specifically in the context of sex and acceptance. Bickle’s downward spiral into madness is caused by his own set of values, which includes his idealization of women, superiority of race, and self-entitlement coming from the war experience. Finding himself in a world where he is rejected by a woman he admires, where immorality and child prostitution exists, and where blacks are shown to call the shots through violence and extortion, are enough to shape Bickle’s concept of reality and purpose. Ultimately, he decides to take matters into his own hands, in a defining act that finally pronounces his voice and presence. Rejection and disappointment are part of the New York City lifestyle, given the constant struggle and competition naturally occurring within such a lucrative environment. Likewise, the reality of prostitution and other forms of immorality are necessary effects of the ongoing tests of one’s desired fate, since negation and failure will always need a stopgap measure and means for release or revenge. This complicated economy may not always be easy to comprehend, much less seen as one’s way of life; that Bickle is established with traits akin to surreal idealism makes New York City a symbol of both fulfilled dreams and unrealized goals. Bickle’s persona is common among many who have decided to find their success in the city yet is only armed with traditional ideals of morality, justice, and equality. Race is an evident issue, particularly if it figures in the equation of opportunity and chances for success; blacks, to the white Bickle, represents all things he finds wrong in the city. Finding people of a different set of morals is also a trigger for Bickle’s downfall, since he finds himself unable to impose his own ideals on them. New York City is shown here in its element, with the images of political action and objective during the day and graphic evidences of violence and the sex trade at night. These two pictures of the city plainly show that it is not for the weak, nor for the idealistic; what is essential is toughness and open-mindedness in order to understand the nature of New York City as a place where everything can and will happen. IV. The Master and the Servant: Creativity and Political Economy in â€Å"Life Lessons† This installment in the bigger project that is New York Stories is Scorsese’s contribution to the collective efforts made with fellow film icons Francis Ford Coppola and Woody Allen. â€Å"Life Lessons† is a simple story about artist Lionel Dobie, played by Nick Nolte, and his lover/apprentice Paulette, portrayed by Rosanna Arquette, who both engage in the literal and figurative significance of a two-way relationship. Dobie, being a famous abstract artist, imparts his knowledge, skill, and social connections to Paulette, who in turn repays him by serving as his muse and sex partner. Their relationship comes to a turning point when Paulette decides to move on and see other men, which causes Dobie to become insanely jealous. But it is this jealousy that eventually drives him to create his best work, and thus he forces Paulette to stay with him by selling her on the idea that New York City is the only place for an aspiring artist like herself. Evidently, Dobie lives on his negative emotions to survive, and has done exactly the same in his past relationships. In the end, Paulette makes good with her original decision and leaves, and soon Dobie is shown meeting another young female artist whom he convinces to become his new apprentice. This scene is shown with much sexual connotation, leaving the viewer to conclude that Dobie has once more found his muse. Art is never just for art’s sake in New York City; while some of the best minds are indeed residents of the locale, the competitive conditions and social norms that define it are also necessary factors to consider in appraising one’s success. Talent is never just the sole requirement in making it big in New York City, mainly because of the sheer number of individuals of excellent gifts trying to make names for themselves. Thus this brings about the reality and importance of social connection and status; in order to succeed in a place abound with skill and opportunity, one must look beyond the singular benefit of talent and employ all possible elements that can directly or indirectly help realize his or her goal. In this kind of situation, not everyone asked to assist will want to do so without claiming anything back—after all, the brand of opportunity existing in New York City is essentially available whenever and wherever one sees fit to call it forth. Intrinsically, New York City is probably the one significant environment where making and dealing transactions is the name of the game; to participate, one must have something to sell and/or buy. V. Conclusion Martin Scorsese’s depiction of New York City in the three films mentioned is, quite understandably, based on his own perceptions and experiences. These bases, however, are truly authentic and real—enough to convey a significant concept of New York City, as well as its nuances. The appropriation of identity in Mean Streets, idealism in Taxi Driver, and creativity in â€Å"Life Lessons† is truly apt and relevant, considering that these three themes are probably the most prevalent notions that define the city, albeit taken to each theme’s extremes. New York City may result in an assertion of identity or its eventual loss, depending on a person’s chosen path or decisions. It could progress the concept of idealism to its highest degree, particularly when success is met and values are replicated, yet it could also result in the erosion of idealist thinking, if all experiences are negative and disappointing. Lastly, the New York City experience can stimulate one’s creativity, since it is the one of the world’s capitals of art, yet can also diffuse the fire that burns one’s passion, if the right connections and exposure are not met. Nothing can be simply in the middle ground with regard to life in this city, as most things either fulfill or destroy existing beliefs and objectives. New York City is truly an enigma, a place that exists both in the mind and in its physical sense; while these two spaces may not always have the same traits or premises, the fact remains that it is an aspiration, where one should ‘make it’. Scorsese’s attempts at putting together a credible representation of New York City is laudable, but in truth, many more interpretations are still waiting to be conveyed. Such is the meaning of convergence, where anything and everything is possible. References Brown, M. (1996). â€Å"Martin Scorsese†. God Among Directors. Accessed on 10 April 2009 from http://www. godamongdirectors. com/scorsese/index. shtml Scorsese, M. (dir. ) (1989). â€Å"Life Lessons†. New York Stories. Touchstone Pictures (1973). Mean Streets. Taplin-Perry-Scorsese Productions. (1976). Taxi Driver. Bill/Phillips.

CORPORATE FINANCE - REAL OPTIONS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

CORPORATE FINANCE - REAL OPTIONS - Essay Example The ral-options technique has been used in industries like extractors of natural resources, enrgy firms, and pharmaceuticals corporations, which have a gratr scale of uncrtainty in business investments i.e., as far as the oil-drilling industry is concrned, uncrtainties comprise issues such as what the cost of the lased/purchased land will be. How large the oil resrves would be What is the appropriate price for the lase on the resrve Questions similar to these have led to the use of the ral-options methodology as a systematic analytical tool to estimate these investments in business technology. Ral options tendr an additional valuable comparison with financial investing: "that holding a varied portfolio of stocks is lessr risky than owning only one stock". Applying this view of offsetting risk to asset/project evaluation allows for the incorporation of capital budgeting issues with physical assets on the one hand, and the integration of decision-tree analysis on the othr. Ral assets can be evaluated using available techniques developed for financial options, such as the Black and Scholes model. GENENTECH: Drug development at Genentech and othr similar companies is inhrently a "stage gate" process in which ach successive phase depends on the success of the previous phase. ach stage is similar to purchasing a call option and the entire process can be viewed as a sries of call options. At Genentech, ral options have been used in this mannr in the analysis of all drug development projects since 1995. One of the most important fatures of the ral options approach is its recognition that investment values vary ovr time and that management has the ability to trminate investments whose future value has fallen below zro. Traditional discounted cash flow methods genrally do not account for this contingent decision-making or active management and, as a result, will undrvalue flexible investments. The drug development process can be improved simply by incorporating this undrstanding into project valuation. Applied in this mannr, a ral option provides a consistent language and method to evaluate and compare all projects more effectively across the company. More recently, Genentech has begun to expand its use of ral options through development of a new entrprise-wide investment planning system. In this system, Monte Carlo simulation is used to develop the appropriate distributions for relevant costs and revenues, and the risk-neutral approach is being adopted to take advantage of financial data that alrady exist within the company. This more sophisticated approach will extend the gains that Genentech has alrady made in this ara. TEXACO: Texaco is one of a handful of major global enrgy companies. A grat part of the success of Texaco and similar firms is their ability to identify the right major capital investments, both intrnal and extrnal, and manage them appropriately. In the mid-1990s, Texaco began to recognize the critical importance of top-notch investment valuation and management. Texaco had strong analytical skills, using a variety of techniques such as DCF, Monte Carlo simu