Women and Work in Preindustrial Europe Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Women and Work in Preindustrial Europe - Essay Example Yet, with the importance of their work and the need that it filled, it was most often relegated to a lower status and was maintained servile to the power structure that it served. Most women during this period worked in occupations that were done at or near the home. The need to maintain a family life often kept them oscillating between short periods of employment and the duties of motherhood. Out of convenience and necessity, a woman's choice of occupations was limited from birth. As Hanawalt observes, "The division of labor by sex was set early in a child's life" (8). A woman's dowry would be the initial contribution that women would make to the economy. It was most often used to set up the household, and then used to keep it running (Hanawalt 17). The tilling of soil was a solely male domain, while women became the bakers, cooks, tailors, and thread makers. This was done to support the home life and generate supplemental income. The brewing of ale, to be used in the home, was a typical example of a steady outside income, as was spinning thread (Hanawalt 11). While the woman's dowry and marriage became a pooled resource to support a family, slavery was an institution that supported the manors and generated a source of unskilled labor. Though oppressive, slavery was, as Sturad remarks, "... an acceptable alternative to for the organization of unskilled labor through the medieval period" (39). The slave system provided the labor for processing goods for export, as governesses, and wet nurses. Women were given special respect based on a complex system that was defined by skill and rank. Caring for children was a valued skill and the ability to provide breastmilk to newborns was economically rewarded. The system of slavery, while filling a societal need with efficiency, was overwhelmingly populated by women. In Ragusa during the years 1280-1284, the ranks of the slaves were as high as 90% female (Stuard 44). A woman's contribution to the economy was often hidden behind the most visible signs of commerce and the layers of male dominance. However, there were professions that enabled women to climb in status through occupational work. Nursing was especially valued. The 4 year apprenticeship required for nurses and the bonuses given to accept apprentices relate the importance that the beginning 16th century placed on the skill. The occupation was wide in scope demanding nurses to perform as back up medical assistants during plague epidemics (Weisner 105). While the occupations that were very gender specific were often rewarding for women, often women were excluded from the normal channels of commerce. The crafts were generally maintained as a male dominion as was membership in most guilds. Though not legally barred from entering crafts, a woman would most likely enter the field through her family's or husband's business. The same was true of the status gained by entering a trade, as it would be lower than the male membership. Where wealthier men had even greater dominance, such as Exeter, organizations were formed that effectively barred women's participation by excluding them from select groups. Markets and commerce were not banned by law, but the prejudice of tradition as Kowaleski observed, "...effectively blocked any real chance of commercial success" (155). Single women and wives could rarely escape the lower status granted to them unless they married into a status.

Personal aspect of your own Hero's Journey Assignment

Personal aspect of your own Hero's Journey - Assignment Example From the Hero’s journey, I believe ‘The Road of the Trials’ is aptly driven to make me understand the nuances that I had to go through. These essentially included the basis of a series of tests, tasks and ordeals that I had to undergo in order to start my transformation. The incident basically started from the ideology that all aspiring candidates were asked to give in their completed forms and thus finish the documentation process so that any issues that might arise within the future were tackled in an amicable fashion. Since I have always been one of those individuals who believe in getting their work done before time, I was astounded to know that I will not be allowed to take the test for the university that I was willing to be a part of in the coming times. This was a serious setback for me and I had to make amends for it at the earliest. I had to think and think fast because this was much needed. My actions were supposed to be based on pure logic because these were essential to reach a conclusion. I spoke to one of my good friends who were already a part of this university, advising me to get in touch with an individual who shall help me out. I did so without any hesitation, taking along the photocopied versions of my completed documentation fo rms for the university. This proved as the decisive blow because I was able to get in touch with the right person who would help me out. I told him the entire story and apprised him of the mistake that the university officials had undertaken. He went through my whole documentation process and asked me to get in touch with him the next day. I did so and was glad to know that he had spoken to the relevant people who would allow me to sit for the university exam because my documentation was correct and I had contacted someone who knew how things were conducted in a

The Strategic Planning Process At United Parcel Commerce Essay

The Strategic Planning Process At United Parcel Commerce Essay UPSs primary business is the delivery time identification of packages and documents worldwide. In recent years, UPS has extended their service portfolio to include less than truck transportation (mainly in the U.S.) and supply chain services. UPS reports its operations divided into three parts: U.S. Domestic Package operations, International Package operations, and Supply Chain transportation activities. Based on the Case study, the purpose of this report is to answer the following questions: Identify the strategic problems and opportunities that exist at United Parcel Service and discuss a coherent set of actions that will address these. What are the potential problems involved in implementing these actions Critically assess the approach to the Strategic Planning process at United Parcel Identify the strategic problems and opportunities that exist at United Parcel Service and discuss a coherent set of actions that will address these. SWOT is an acronym of the internal strengths and weaknesses of a company and the opportunities and threats to the environment in which the company is facing. SWOT analysis is a widely used technique through which managers create a quick overview of the companys strategy. This technique is based on the assumption that an effective strategy derives from a sound fit between a companys internal resources (strengths and weaknesses) and its external situation (the opportunity and threat). An appropriate maximum strength and opportunities of the business and minimize the weaknesses and threats of it. This simple assumption has a strong impact on the design of a successful strategy, United Parcel Service UPS offers transportation services, primarily in domestic and international mail and package delivery Packet through its subsidiaries, it also provides transportation, logistics and specialized financial services company is one of the largest companies provide packages in the world, in terms of revenue and volume. UPS is one of the leading providers of less than trucking service. size large operations of the company allows it to cater to a large customer base in the international market. However, the increase in fuel prices can have a direct impact on corporate profits by causing an increase in the cost of operation of the UPS. Strengths à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Sustainability: UPS is the environmental leader in the U.S. package delivery industry. UPS to reduce its carbon emissions through integrated network, modern air fleet, alternative fuel sources, and extensive use of the tracks.   à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Network: UPS has a network of established and continue to invest in network expansion, especially in China.   à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Superior Financial Strength: UPS is known for maintaining high operating margins than its competitors.  It is highly profitable, the average ROE of 28% in six years.   à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Value of dividends Strength: has consistently increased dividends every year except 2009, in which it is held constant.  Since 2000, the ratio of annual dividends have increased by an average of 2.53%.   à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Brand equity: UPS is synonymous with the delivery of parcels.  Brown tones of the delivery truck and logo is iconic for the distribution industry. Weaknesses Awareness of traffic ground instead of overnight Heavy union presence Lag Brand: While the brown trucks of UPS recognized, who cannot have a complete picture of the full capacity of the UPS. Trade unions: the labor force of the UPS is unionized and thus affect the labor cost of the UPS. The threat to strike UPS can cause pressure to increase wages. Debt: UPS has a higher ratio of financial debt compared to its competitors Opportunities: Expansion of online shopping The emergence of the international middle class Business to business growth: increase B-to-B growth will help to expand operating profit due to economy of scale. Asian markets: By increasing the expectations of customers higher quality products, UPS scalability in a fragmented Asian market. They first entered the market by working with key business players in the market with a focus on export / import. After that, they will pursue acquisitions and more of a domestic drama. Logistics Business Solutions: UPS promote its network by providing logistics solutions for the retail and manufacturing companies. Business has been growing double-digit expansion before the crisis and in 2009 revenues decreased 20%. However, this has recently reversed by We Love Logistics campaign. Global healthcare distribution network: the new facilities are being added to the U.S., Asia, Europe, and Canada to adapt to the rapid growth in the medical field. Productivity growth: While DHL, market prices down, leaving the U.S. parcel market more than two years ago, we believe that pricing power is partly delayed after shipment contracts often is 1-3 years. So UPS can be increased margins by controlling prices. U.S. mail volume decline: Over the past 10 years, USPS has steadily lost market share to UPS and FedEx. Continue their decline may benefit modest volume for UPS Threats à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Rising fuel prices: UPS fuel surcharge in the domestic and international package and LTL services as their primary means of reducing the risk of adverse changes in fuel prices. They also periodically on the option contracts on energy commodities to manage price risk with forecasted transactions related to refined fuels such as jet fuel. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ challenging weather conditions: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Bad weather can damage the quality and efficiency in delivery impact. In addition, bad weather can affect retail sales and other groups UPS partner that could hurt sales. While the UPS cannot control the weather, they have improved their tracking platform for customers by providing more information and provide an updated time for customers in case of any delay doubt. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Currency Headwinds: headwind currency in their international business can affect inflation costs. However, UPS has delivered the strong cost that we believe make them competitive with others in the industry. With over a century of experience, we believe that UPS has specialized in foreign currency hedging activities using the derivate financial instruments such as forward currency contracts and currency options. What are the potential problems involved in implementing these actions Porters five forces Porters Five Forces will be used to determine industry competition as well as the strategic impact on Apple. New Entrants- Low à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ UPS has established brand equity à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Long-term contracts with corporate customers à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Capital intensive industries related to aircraft, vehicles, software, and storage Replace Medium à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Some customers have needs not time sensitive logistics can trade down using the slower delivery options and less expensive, such as USPS à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Companies can create their own housing in the supply chain and logistics solutions rather than outsourcing work with a company like UPS à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Threats to business mail delivery as a result of a movement to electronic documents Power supply Low UPS does not rely on specific suppliers for their business activities outside the major capital costs Buyer Power Medium Smaller customers are less likely to negotiate the price for fixed price Larger companies using the full range of logistics solutions have pricing power due to their ability to negotiate long-term contracts Competitive rivalry -Private postal companies à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Federal Express Most government agencies support à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ USPS à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Deutsche Post Until 1994, UPS has mainly focused on continuously improving their operations that they have to compromise on quality and customer service. Many analysts noted that UPS did not pay attention to the needs of the customer and customer satisfaction. In 1994, due to increasing competition, UPS recognized the need to have many customers meet and embark on a major transformation initiatives of the company. This case gives a detailed overview of the various human resource initiatives UPS à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Nearest competitor, FedEx, similar services in the freight and logistics business à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ UPS focused on overseas growth and expansion of business supply chain à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ be able to compare prices in the industry Critically assess the approach to the Strategic Planning process at United Parcel They have invested in the core business of worldwide distribution and logistics. The company is building capacity in the integration of goods, funds, and information. They use technology to create new services. They began to attract talented people. Study customer behavior and predict their needs. Practice innovation leads to growth. Build an environment that allows them to treat each customer as if he was the only one. We believe that UPS has high potential in the fragmented Asian emerging markets such as China, Malaysia obvious its recent expansion in 2010 and bought seven new aircraft in 2011. Air Freight transportation is developed here. UPS has high interest activities and will earn higher profits when the economy recovers and Have the right to set higher prices in 2012 and 2013. UPS developing supply chain and transportation division, using customized logistics solutions. While they have been used for many retail and high-tech companies, they are branching out into the market global distribution of health care, we believe there is high growth potential for distributed this song. In January, UPS announced the expansion of health care facilities in Kentucky, Singapore, the Netherlands, and Canada. UPS operates in a competitive environment with their direct competitors just FedEx. Developments in the past have shown that they are able to set the price on the exchange rate as well as pass along higher costs in the business, such as energy prices rise. The companys financial strength has allowed them to generate stable cash flow through all business segments of business EPS is expected to reach the highest of all time

Jurassic Park Essay -- Jurassic Park Dinosaurs Movies Essays

Jurassic Park The story of Jurassic Park was written about fourteen years ago by a man named Michael Crichton. His book has now evolved into three movies of Jurassic Park I, II, and III. Steven Speilberg has taken the story of Crichton is transformed it into one of his action packed, suspense thrillers. The first main theme that makes the story of Jurassic Park is its setting. The setting is a huge factor in the understanding of the story. The story takes place on an isolated island off the coast of Costa Rica that has become a theme park exhibiting prehistoric dinosaurs. Here dinosaurs roam unrestricted. The only restraint they have were gates and fences that could easily be knocked down by the gigantic animals. The island in the book sets an eerie setting. The island is said to be top in security and nothing could go wrong, but it is just a death trap waiting to happen. The reader gets this impression when the helicopter first arrives to the island. The island is referred to hell very often in the book, but the movie does not come out and state it. Rather the movie makes you think that everything will be alright on the island, but the audience knows that something bad is going to happen just because of the setting. Crichton has a master plan to show that the island isn't only hell but a trap. The book tells that once the island becomes chaotic and hectic most of the scientists on the island go their separate ways. It is not so when it comes to the movie. In t...

Neural and Hormonal Mechanisms in Aggression

Neural and Hormonal Mechanisms in Aggression Aggression in humans has been associated with low levels of serotonin and high levels of dopamine. Usually, serotonin has a calming effect, which inhibits aggression. When serotonin levels are low, this inhibitory effect is removed and people are less able to control their aggressive behaviour. Evidence for the importance of serotonin comes from two main sources.Brown (1982) found that there were low levels of the waste products of serotonin in the cerebrospinal fluid of individuals who are prone to impulsive and aggressive behaviour. The second source of evidence is studies where participants were given the drug dexfenfluramine, which reduces levels of serotonin in the brain. Mann (1990) administered dexfenfluramine to male and female participants, and found that males displayed more aggressive response on a questionnaire.A Meta analysis of 29 studies of serotonin and aggression showed that these studies consistently found evidence of low serotonin levels in antisocial children and adults. The levels of serotonin were particularly low in individuals who had attempted suicide, suggesting that low levels of serotonin lead to impulsive behaviour, one consequence of which is aggressive behaviour and, in some individuals, suicide. One of the consequences of low levels of serotonin is that the brain creates more receptors in an attempt to capture any serotonin that is available.This has been shown to be the case in research by Arora and Meltzer (2003), who found elevated levels of serotonin receptors in people who had committed violent suicide, thus supporting the claim that normal levels of serotonin have an inhibitory influence on violent behaviour. Ferrari (2003) showed support for serotonin in aggressive behaviour in an animal study for rats. They allowed rats to fight at the same time every day for 10 days, and not on the 11th day. They found that rats learned from their experience and had raised levels of serotonin in anticipation of having to fight.Serotonin explanation of aggression have been criticised as being reductionist. The link between serotonin and aggression is fairly well established in non-human animals, but the position is less clear in humans, particularly as aggressive behaviour in human is far more complex behaviour, and is subject to social learning, genetics and other factors. Testosterone has been associated with aggressive behaviour, although most studies have been corelational only. A Meta analysis carried out by Archer (1991) found a low positive correlation between testosterone levels and aggression.A study by Kouri (1995), gave participant either testosterone or a placebo. They were told that, by pressing a button they could reduce the amount of cash that another participant was receiving. Those who had received the testosterone pressed the button more than those with the placebo. An advantage of this study is that it made use of the experimental method, so allowing th e researchers to demonstrate a cause-and-effect relationship as researchers manipulated the presence of testosterone to see it effect on aggressive behaviour.An explanation of why testosterone and aggression are linked is the challenge hypothesis. This proposes that testosterone levels only rise above the base level in response to social challenges, such as threats to reproductive success. However, Mazur (1985) criticizes this explanation, claiming that individuals only act to assert dominance, which can be expressed in many different ways, of which aggression is one. There is also a gender bias in research on testosterone and aggression, as research typically tends to concentrate only on the role of testosterone on males.However, Archer (2005) found that the association between testosterone and aggression was even stronger for females. An additional problem is that research evidence is far from conclusive, with some studies showing no significant difference between violent and non- violent criminals (Bain et al. 1987), although another study found that most violent criminals had higher testosterone levels than less violent criminals (Kreuz and Rose 1972). This suggests that among individuals who are already predisposed towards violence, testosterone may be an additional influence that makes aggressive behaviour more likely.

University of Phoenix Material: Appendix C

University of Phoenix Material Appendix C Part I Define the following terms: Term| Definition| Discrimination| * This is the denial of opportunities and equal rights to individuals and groups because of prejudice or other arbitrary reasons. * | Institutional discrimination| * This is the denial of opportunities and equal rights to individuals or groups, resulting from normal operations of a society. * | Political correctness| * This can also be called political correct, this is a term which denotes language, ideas, policies, and behavior, seeking to minimize social and institutional offenses in occupations.Such as gender, religion, racial, and sexual orientation. * | Part II * Write a 150- to 250-word response to each of the following questions: * * How is discrimination different from prejudice and stereotyping? * Discrimination is different from prejudice and stereotyping by that of discrimination actually takes action. Whereas prejudice and stereotyping are more of making assumpti on of a person or a race, assuming that they are one way due to their ethnicity or what they heard about them before getting to know them.Discrimination as I stated actually takes action there are so many different types of discrimination that actually take place today. Example: Hate crimes- people do these acts based on a person’s race, religion, or sexual preference. With this form familie’s. Another type of discrimination is institutional discrimination this can hinder someone from being hired because of their past or even color. An institution can hire just one race that controls all the laws over a town, and then make it hard for the minority to live since they may not know what it is like to struggle with everyday life. * * * What are the causes of discrimination? * * There are speculations of what causes racism some of this is caused by stereotyping. This can be caused by reading, music, television, and internet, say for instance a young child was watching telev ision or listening to music and saw how people of one ethnicity acted they may then assume all are like this causing them to discriminate against another race. Another factor of discrimination can be unfamiliarity there is a saying- people fear what they do not know, or yet to find out about.Some people are afraid to go out and meet new people based on what they hear or watch on television thinking that they are the same as the people they watch. If people grow up only around their race then the chances of them becoming racists and discriminate towards another race then become higher. Environmental factors can also lead to discrimination such as the way a person lives, maintains their property, and how they keep up their appearance. All of this can have a person become hateful towards you, or if they heard a certain race lives a certain way and then sees it, they then believe it and hate the race too. * * How is discrimination faced by one identity group (race, ethnicity, religious beliefs, gender, sexual orientation, age, or disability) the same as discrimination faced by another? How are they different? Discrimination faced by one group is the same as discrimination faced by another by wanting it to stop. Not one ethnicity wants to be discriminated against, or have their children, wives, and family walk in fear not knowing if something is going to happen to them. Any race wants to live the same as any other race, safe, and peacefully, not having to fear tomorrow.Races that are discriminated against also can be the same as the other race by spreading the word of what is going on, and helping people who have this problem finding ways to conquer it. They can be different by many ways such as the way a race handles the discrimination. Some can act out by hurting people, retaliating, and teaching their children to do the same. Others can handle it in a nonresponsive way by ignoring it and turning the other cheek. Some may call the police and let them handle it, w hile others take it into their own hands.

Mercantilism and its effects on the colonies essays

Mercantilism and its effects on the colonies essays In retrospect, America was inevitably a revolutionary force from the day of its discovery. America was a home for the latest thoughts and ideas about the nature of society, citizens, and government, and more often then not, conflicting ideas on how to manage the world would potentially create unpleasant surroundings. An example of this was when the British authorities embraced a theory known as mercantilism, that justified their control over the colonies, which would go on to be greatly resented by the American colonists. Mercantilism is the theory and system of political economy prevailing in Europe after the decline of feudalism, based on national policies of accumulating gold, establishing colonies and a merchant marine, and developing industry and mining to attain a favorable balance of trade. Mercantilists supposed that wealth was power, and that a countrys economic wealth could be calculated by the quantity of gold or silver in its countrys treasury. Possessing colonies therefore created distinct advantages, since the colonies could both provide raw materials to the mother country, thus reducing the need for foreign imports, and providing a definite market for exports. The London government saw the American colonists as tenants basically to avoid making for export certain products (beaver hats), who were expected to furnish products needed in the mother country (tobacco, sugar), to buy imported manufactured goods exclusively from Britain, and to not even think about economic independence or se lf-government. What were mercantilisms actual effects on the colonies? Occasionally the Parliament would pass laws to control the mercantilism system. One of these laws was The Navigation Law of 1650, which stated that all trade flowing to and from the colonies could be transported in British ships only. Laws that followed the Navigation Law stated that European goods heading for America had to land in Britain firs...