The Shawshank Redemption 1994 Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Shawshank Redemption 1994 - Movie Review Example We are held prisoners by our surroundings, and unless we are will to think outside the box, we will remain in the box. The movie tells of an incredible story about the desire for freedom. Although this movie may seem like any other prison movie at first, but as you continue watching it, you will discover that it is about hope, and it will captivate your heart. It tells the story of a certain prosperous banker who was sent to prison for killing his wife and her bed mate. He comes back home and finds them in bed, and out of anger, he shoots and kills them both. The judges pronounce him, â€Å"a particularly remorseless and icy man†. This banker named Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins) is then taken to a prison called Shaw Shank, a prison reserved for the worst of mankind. In this prison, guards would often brutally beat the prisoners especially when they do something wrong, such as attempt an escape. Conflicts and fights among inmates was a common thing as well. Red is the narrator of this story and he begins it quite interestingly by saying, â€Å"I wish I could tell you that Andy fought the good fight, and the Sisters let him be. I wish I could tell you that - but prison is no fairy-tale world. He never said who did it, but we all knew. Things went on like that for a while - prison life consists of routine, and then more routine. Every so often, Andy would show up with fresh bruises. The Sisters kept at him - sometimes he was able to fight 'em off, sometimes not. And that's how it went for Andy - that was his routine. I do believe those first two years were the worst for him, and I also believe that if things had gone on that way, this place would have got the best of him.† As Andy enters the prison, he becomes the target of some of the prisoners, because he is new and looks weak. But this quickly changes as he starts to make some unusual friends. He meets a certain man by the name of Ellis Boyd â€Å"Red† Redding (a character played by Morgan Fre eman). This man who goes by the nickname Red has been sent to prison for life. He has covered a lot of years, and there is no hope for him of ever seeing the outside world. Andy soon discovers that Red likes to smuggle things in for the prisoners, and he exchanges them for whatever he wants. As the friendship between this two amazing men starts to build up, Red starts to realize that Andy is more than what meets the eye. But he doesn’t see much in him, as we can see in his comment, â€Å"I must admit, I didn’t think much of Andy first time I laid eyes on him, looked like a stiff breeze would blow him over. That was my first impression of the man.† In the meantime, Andy helps a certain hardened prisoner who has a tax problem, and in exchange he gets bottles of cold beer, and he distributes them to the other prisoners. This helps him get the soft side of most of the prisoners, and helps reduce some of the bullying from other prisoners. After this, Andy moves from one project to another. First he helps to make the prison library a better place, and he also helps the prisoners that tend to use the library by helping them to study. He continues to take care of the tax returns of the guards, and he continues further by helping the tough warden (Bob Gunton) in some areas he needs help. This proves to be a wise move because, as the years go by, he gets respect and trust from the inmates, guards and also

Organizations are Beyond Budgets Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Organizations are Beyond Budgets - Assignment Example A survey of European enterprises conducted by Boeson (2000) showed managers agreeing that their planning and budgeting processes were inefficient and ineffective in controlling financial resources. Several respondents believed the budgeting process resulted to small benefits relative to the large amounts of resources at their disposal. This led to firms changing the budgeting process or abandoning it all together. Controllers think of new ideas such as balanced scorecards, operational performance measurement, and investment risk portfolios and so forth. These aspects make the budgetary processes complex and make business management a complex process. This complexity is evident in the fixed, costly, detailed, and unnecessary annual budgets of organizations. The changing business environment created by computers and standardized software has a lot of information that makes managers overburdened with the business processes. According to Cokins (2001) current managers are less informed a bout the company’s operations than managers operating 30 years ago. The beyond budgeting concept has been introduced in several organizations as a replacement for the traditional budget-making process. One significant contributor to this shift is the transition in the internal processes that have shifted from the seller’s market in the industrial period to the buyer’s market of the high-tech age (Welch and Byrne, 2003). Organizational processes involving purchase, production, and sales involving division of labor in the industrial age have shifted to processing chains that link supplies to customers. The linear relationships between input and output have led to dynamic customer-oriented business combinations facilitated by technological inventions. This has limited the applicability of traditional budgets in the high-tech age since they are products of the industrial society. Post-industrial business managers require controlling instruments that are flexible so as to compete in the dynamic business environment. The concept of Beyond Budgeting focuses on greater flexibility in the transition of transitional management model of production and sales to a model of market preview and production. The new model of management is based on customer demand. Self-optimization in the new financial management model is attainable by decentralizing responsibility and decision making to empowered and motivated employees. The budgeting process was based on a hierarchical management system that relied on decisions from top management levels. In this regard, executives used the budget as a foundation for outmoded and fixed performance in the organization (Boeson, 2002). The performance of an organization was gauged by budgetary allocations and stipulations achieved within a specified time. This made managers and employees do anything to reach budget goals (Jensen, 2001).

Sr. :: essays research papers

Alternative Dispute Resolution   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Alternative Dispute Resolution is the most important aspect in the court’s structure because it allows to resolve disputes before ever having to spend money or time. Having to use the court system to resolve disputes can take several years and cost a lot of money. Companies have taken into their system ADR because it can solve problems faster and cost less money. Every company can sure have ADR in every single case they have because they can save tons of money and time.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Not always disputes can be solved, this means that people have to take that extra mile to solve the dispute. If the parties do not agree with the decision taken by the arbitrator it can be appealed. The Congress made an act, the Federal Arbitration Act, they promote the dispute for the courts at the state level. The Uniform Arbitration Act is that people before been send to court they have to go through other ADR. There are many forms of ADR: arbitration, meditation, conciliation, minitrial, fact-fading and judicial referee. In ADR you use the most common form that is arbitration. This form is where the parties involved choose and impartial third person to listen and decide who should win the dispute. This third person is chosen by the American Arbitration Association. The courts that address this issues depend on what the arbitrator says. The court tend to have great deference with the arbitrator. There are many cases that get solved with ADR but some do not. There is something that comes into my mind every time I hear ADR, it is that you can save money and time when you use arbitrators. Personally I have been there and it does really save time and money. I had a case between X and myself. In this case I was arguing because my car’s transmission broke down and my car was still in warranty and because of some engine alterations they void my warranty. When I was told that my warranty was voided I went to DACO and they told me that they were going to help me get my car fixed with warranty. I think to myself that thanks to DACO I did not had to pay one thousand pure american dollars. DACO in my case worked as and arbitrator and help me get my problem solved in a couple of days and also made me save money. Sr. :: essays research papers Alternative Dispute Resolution   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Alternative Dispute Resolution is the most important aspect in the court’s structure because it allows to resolve disputes before ever having to spend money or time. Having to use the court system to resolve disputes can take several years and cost a lot of money. Companies have taken into their system ADR because it can solve problems faster and cost less money. Every company can sure have ADR in every single case they have because they can save tons of money and time.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Not always disputes can be solved, this means that people have to take that extra mile to solve the dispute. If the parties do not agree with the decision taken by the arbitrator it can be appealed. The Congress made an act, the Federal Arbitration Act, they promote the dispute for the courts at the state level. The Uniform Arbitration Act is that people before been send to court they have to go through other ADR. There are many forms of ADR: arbitration, meditation, conciliation, minitrial, fact-fading and judicial referee. In ADR you use the most common form that is arbitration. This form is where the parties involved choose and impartial third person to listen and decide who should win the dispute. This third person is chosen by the American Arbitration Association. The courts that address this issues depend on what the arbitrator says. The court tend to have great deference with the arbitrator. There are many cases that get solved with ADR but some do not. There is something that comes into my mind every time I hear ADR, it is that you can save money and time when you use arbitrators. Personally I have been there and it does really save time and money. I had a case between X and myself. In this case I was arguing because my car’s transmission broke down and my car was still in warranty and because of some engine alterations they void my warranty. When I was told that my warranty was voided I went to DACO and they told me that they were going to help me get my car fixed with warranty. I think to myself that thanks to DACO I did not had to pay one thousand pure american dollars. DACO in my case worked as and arbitrator and help me get my problem solved in a couple of days and also made me save money.

Alibaba: Competing in China and Beyond Essay

Introduction In this report I will examine the case â€Å"Alibaba: Competing in China and Beyond.† Alibaba under the leadership of Jack Ma, its founder has transformed into one of the most successful e-commerce companies in China. In the 2000s Alibaba had emerged as the largest e-commerce company in China. The company tailored its strategies to meet the needs of the customers and made a mark because of its understanding of the Chinese language and culture. However, some experts have also raised doubts over the sustainability of Alibaba’s business model. In my report I will critically analyze the factors that led to Alibaba sustaining its leadership position in the Chinese e-commerce market. I will Discuss the rationale behind Ma establishing Taobao.com. I will examine the factors that led to Taoboa’s success in the Chinese online auctions market. Furthermore, with Baidu’s entry into the e-commerce market, I will discuss the challenges that Alibaba faces with regard to sustaining its position in the growing e-commerce market in China. Finally I will critically examine Alibaba’s business model, possibilities of global expansion and the overall sustainability of the company. Questions 1. One of the most significant factors that lead Alibaba Group sustaining its leadership positioning in the Chinese e-commerce market was its ability to understand the Chinese market itself. Jack Ma, Alibaba Groups founder understood that Chinese consumers and their preferences distinguished them selves from those in other countries. Other companies such as eBay did not appreciate the local market circumstances in China; instead, they were using the strategies that were working in the United States. I believe for this reason Alibaba Group was able to sustain its leadership position. Many of the competitors lacked understanding of the Chinese language as well as the culture. Moreover, Alibaba.com made its services extremely easy for its customers to use. Ma, himself, was a non-technical person and this helped him keep the websites more user-friendly. In the article Ma refers to this stating: (Deresky, 2010). â€Å"If you follow Google’s way, you always be a follower†¦ We have to make the Yahoo! Search engine more human, more interactive†¦ something for the 1.3 billion people in China who aren’t technology-oriented, who don’t know how to ask the right question to a search engine — for people who are like me.† (p.320) An added factor is the services that Alibaba.com offered. The company believed that the first thing to do was to build a devoted customer base. Therefore, before adding any charges, a lot of the services were free of charge. Alibaba.com offered many services such as email and listings of products/services free of charge. In addition, e-commerce was vulnerable due to the fact that sellers and buyers did not trust the idea of sending money before receiving their products and the sellers wanted the money before they shipped their products. For these purposes, Alibaba.com launched Alipay in 2004, which was an online payment solution that allowed the users to make money transactions in an easy, quick and safe way. All and all Alibaba.com basically concentrated greatly on increasing costumer satisfaction even on the expense of not gaining maximum profitability. The company made its customer and getting to know what customers want its number one. Question 2. Jack Ma established Taobao.com in May 2003 to enter the profitable e-commerce market. Taobao.com also symbolized a part of Ma’s Alibaba.com business model of joining SMEs, customers together, and helping SMEs grow. Taoboa’s goal was to generate an online trading platform for both B2C and C2C models. Several factors lead to Taoboa’s success over the rival eBay in the Chinese auctions market. First, Ma managed to raise a substantial investment of 56 million dollars from Softbank and teamed up with Masayoshi Son the founder and CEO of Softbank who had previously helped to defeat eBay in Japan (which lead to eBay leaving Japan in 2002). Also again Ma decided to build a loyal customer base before really attempting to make a profit; he did this by offering free listings as opposed to eBay, which charged for listings (Deresky, 2010). A major factors in Taoboa’s success was Alibaba Groups better management of the trust factor involved in e-commerce trading and better understanding of the local Chinese market. eBbay positioned its standard business model that was used in the United States and other countries. Taoboa, instead, established its own payment escrow service. With AliPay buyers paid into an escrow account that did not pay the seller until the buyer noted he had received the product; therefore, making the transaction thrust worthy since the money was in escrow until the transaction was completed (Deresky, 2010). Furthermore, Taoboa offered e-mail and chat services between users unlike eBay, which concealed identities and only had an offline messaging system. Taoboa also advertised aggressively through websites and billboards in major population areas something eBay did not do. The final steps of defeat for eBay was when Taobao offered three years of free listings and when Taoboa launched its B2C services in 2006. Moreover Taoboa had a large list of companies supporting it and also Alibaba.com members that could join easily. Overall Taoboa’s success over eBay has been attributed its ability to know the local Chinese market and adapt to it as opposed to eBay’s strategies of using a inefficient model that could not adapt to the Chinese market (Deresky, 2010). However, now Taoboa is facing competition from a company that knows the Chinese market very well. Taoboa’s main competitor Baidu, is the largest search engine market share holder in China. Baidu has a large, loyal customer base to work with and has ability to advertise and link its own ecommerce website. Taoboa will have many challenges facing the competition from Baidu. Never the less Alibaba Groups strong and evident presence in the Chinese e-comercial market signifies the company’s ability overtake its competitors by combining all services and maintaining the user-friendliness of its services in B2B, C2C and B2C markets. Question 3. Absolutely it is sustainable. As Alibaba Group now further develops and expands its various web services, it must also additionally develop the various products within each website. Alibaba Group should have one department focusing one website development aspect and another department focusing on product development aspect. The company can still capitalize on his legacy sites that have millions of monthly subscribers. The intention for the company should be to find a way to raise the monthly run rate on each customer on a yearly basis, this would allow Alibaba Group to use these profits to fund the company’s efforts to expand. In my opinion Alibaba Group should focus on moving into Russia first, using their political ties to their advantage. Russia has many raw materials but few factory centers like China. If they could move into Russia, this would effectively provide geographical access to the Middle East and Northern Europe in the future. However, after Russia, I would mainly focus on expanding through Southeast Asia all the way down to Australia. This would fundamentally provide an ecommerce solution that can link B2B, C2C, B2C, sales across the entire Eastern part of the world. Conclusion After reading the case and answering to the questions it seems like the case is too good to be true. Even though Jack Ma had proven his capability of  being a good leader and business man it is impressive how he started from scratch and was able to gather good people around him and develop this successful multinational company. I truly believe that Ma’s and Alibab Groups key to success were the founder people in the company. Overall I see Alibaba Groups story as a big success. It is truly a inspirational story. In the words of Ma’s business partner Masayoshi Son: (Deresky, 2010). â€Å"If there’s a company outside of America that can introduce a new business model to the world, it is Alibaba.† (Founder and CEO of Softbank Corporation, in Japan 2005.) Reference: Deresky, H (2010). International Management: Managing Across Borders and Cultures. 7th ed. Pearson Boston. 310-322.

Research Paradigm, Ontology and Epistemology - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 7 Words: 2105 Downloads: 2 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Uncategorized Essay Type Analytical essay Did you like this example? Reflections on my POE (Research Paradigm, Ontology and Epistemology) Introduction Curiosity, observation and the quest for better understanding about our surroundings are vital elements of human nature which consequently leads towards gaining enriched knowledge. An individualà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s point of view, values, believes and others will impact our approach towards the choice of research pathway; and the underlying assumptions and structure. This knowledge process will assess in defining major research dimensions such as ontology, epistemology, methods, methodology and paradigm; and how they are interrelated and complement each other. This will be followed by identifying and explaining the main research paradigms; finally, justifying the most applicable and closely aligned paradigm with my research area which is: Among small to medium enterprises (SMEs) from developed countries that struggle to do business in in large emerging country markets (LECMs), what to do they perceive to be the major issues? Major Research Dimensions: Onto logy, epistemology, methodology, and methods are the major dimensions of any research which impact: Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Research Paradigm, Ontology and Epistemology" essay for you Create order The research question formulation Project conceptualisation How the research is carried out (Hesse-Biber Leavy, 2010). Orlikowski and Baroudi (1991) explained that ontology referred to the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“individualà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢sà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  basic beliefs about the nature of reality such as objectivism, constructivism and subjectivism, which are very often left unexamined. On the other hand, they explained the epistemology as a framework for the knowledge. It illustrates the connection between à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“the knownà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ , what counts as knowledge; and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“the enquirerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ , on what basis we can make knowledge claims, like positivism and post positivism, interpretivism, critical enquiry, radicalism and postmodernism (Crotty, 1998, p. 50). In a recent study of paradigm framework, Grant and Giddings (2002) described that methodology is an expression of ontology and epistemology in relation to the way of study and research analysis should carry on. They also stated that methodology within a specific discipline is à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“a theoretical assumptions an d principles that underpin a particular research approachà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ . In addition they pointed out the meaning of à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“research methodà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ , as a technique for gathering and analysing the collected information and data. Information could be collected via questionnaire, face to face interview and even a case study or action research which can function as methodologies when clearly linked to a paradigm. In summary, it is very clear that ontological and epistemological positions always inform methodological and methods choices (Grant Giddings, 2002). Major Research Paradigms: Thomas Kuhn explained paradigm as a basic orientation to theory and research and it is a whole system of thinking. In Kuhnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s words, paradigm is à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“implicit body of intertwined theoretical and methodological belief that permits selection, evaluation, and criticismà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  (as cited by Grant Giddings, 2002, p.12). Over time, different types o f paradigms have evolved. Choosing any particular paradigm to work with depending on few variables such as; the researched field, researched topic or problem, the researcher preferences and many other variables (Grant Giddings, 2002). Positivist, Post-positivist, Interpretative, Radical or Critical and Post-structural are the main paradigms but there are many others emergent research like indigenous approaches e.g. Kaupapa MÃÆ'„ ori. Each paradigm proposes a different ontology, epistemology and the indirect-power relations between the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“researcher and researched relationshipà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  (Grant Giddings, 2002). Reflections of my POE (research paradigm, ontology and epistemology) in related to my field of study My field of study is international business management (IBM) specialising in Large Emerging Markets (LEM). It is dealing with multi-social realities and how it is formed by the way that people perceive social situations. Therefore, the type of information that is required for my research, should be subjective combined with inductive reasoning. Dealing with different cultural contexts, personal values and situation interpretation by the researcher and the researched are between the mean issues that facing any researcher within IBM field. Accordingly, I think gaining knowledge could be achieved through participative analysis and by reducing the gap between the researcher and the researched. My research will be focusing on SMEs from developed countries like New Zealand doing businesses in LEM such as China in attempt to find the best practice. It will be a challenging task to apply my research to only one of the paradigms because the boundaries that separate them are often fuzzy and there is no clear cut between them (Grant Giddings, 2002, p.18). From my point of view, the paradigm that most closely aligns with my research is mainly post-positivist and to a certain level, interpretive. There are many reasons behind my paradigm choice in the process to find the best practice. For example, I always believe that everyone has different points of view and values which are influenced by our social, cultural and political contexts. Guba and Lincoln (1994) explained that there were multiple views of truth. Therefore, when dealing with an international business, we are dealing with different cultural backgrounds. Accordingly there will be multiple points of view and truth based on à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“the best understanding that we have been able to produce thus far, not a statement of what is ultimately realà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ , which is the central point of the post-positivist way of thinking (Polkinghorne, 1983, p 2). On the other hand, this paradigm is taking the researched subject experience and background into account resulting that the researcherà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s objectivity is impossible. Post-positivists Focuses on the participantà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s experience and behaviour, including talk. Secondly, there is a need to understand the reasons behind why some SMEs struggling to survive at the host countries. Gathering information, could be done within interpretive paradigm by listing to such enterprisesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ manager to hear their interpretations for such struggle and what to do they perceive to be the major issues? Cocks (1989) stated that part of the truth could be found by à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“self-understandings of [her/his] participantsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  and the truth à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“must be discovered by thought rather than by sensory observationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  (p: 104). This paradigm framework will help me to apply the scientific methods to human behaviour by going back to à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“the things themselvesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  (Husserl, as cited by Farber, 2006, p.568). It will empower me to interpret the meaning and the importance of these managersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ self-understandings in ways that they may not have been able to see. As an interpretive researcher the relationship between myself and these managers, will be intersubjective by becoming a listener and interpreter of the informations that have been supplied by them. Accordingly, this will give me a dominant position in making the interpretation and controlling the analysis process, therefore listening become the most critical part of the interpretive research. Finally, from my point of view, Positivist, Radical, Post-structural and indigenous approach paradigms cannot fit with my research question because of the below reasons: Positivist paradigm: this paradigm is supporting the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"scientific methodà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ which is highlighting the importance of objectivity, systematic and detailed observation. Knowledge could be discovered, explained and controlled by using different methodologies; and it confirms the finding as fact which is resulting a creation of specific à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"body of knowledgeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢. Accordingly, this will influences the professional decision- making (Grant Giddings, 2002). In this paradigm, the researcher could be seen as the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“expertà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  who retains an objective viewpoint to the researched. Therefore, feelings and thoughts of the researched are restructured in numerical forms and then statistical analysis will be applied for better understanding. This paradigm has no considerations to the researched interpretation and point views. While in my research, the researched personal interpretations and views are playing a big part of better understanding. So, this paradigm is not functional with my research. Radical or Critical Paradigm: This paradigm is more concerns about à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“changingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  not à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“explainingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  and à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“understandingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  the social reality; and it is embedded with a form of convectional research (Smith,1993, p.77). It believes that the world is unequal and unfair. So, discrimination based on gender, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation and so on are shaping our societies. Cocks (1989) highlighted the confusion between importance of à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“truthà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  and its own subjects such as power and authority. It is resulting, within the social context, that the priority to meet the most dominating groupà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s interests could be seen as a normal practice. Such practice will have a noticeable impacts on the researchersà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ position and the way of analysing the collected data. The researcher and the researched to some degree could be seen as a co-workers or co-researc her engaging in collective action to change the world and there is less power differences between them because of the shared point view. My research does not deal with the ideology of the unfairness paradigm that is aligned with radicalism; and is not aimed at changing the world but it is interested in understanding why SMEs struggling to survive in LEM. Accordingly, this paradigm will not serve my research purposes. Post-structural paradigm: Grant and Giddings (2002) stated that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“no-one can stand outside the traditions or discourses of their timeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  and there is no universal truths about the social. Accordingly, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“the search for grand narratives will be replaced by more local, small-scale theories fitted to specific problems and specific situationsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  (Denzin Lincoln, 1994, p. 11). McCouat and Peile (1995) as cited by (Grant Giddings, 2003, p.20) explained, that meanings are à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“multiple, unstable and open to interpretationà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ . Therefore, post-structuralism researches will always be subjective and supported by inter-related theories of discourse, power and the subject. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Understanding of the human beingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  that is underpinning this paradigm is different from other paradigms. It is based on self-understanding, of the researcher, to be embedded as a shared meaning formations with the researched. Therefore, a reflexive posture adoption is required for better awareness of that embedded nature. The researcher is not aiming to transform the possibilities for the researched but for others who will be influenced by the researched view. Given that, this paradigm is focusing on particular problems and particular situations. It is more localised and covering a small-scaled issues, while my research is more universal. For that reason, Post-structural paradigm is not compatible with my research. Indigenous paradigm: This paradigm is related to postcolonial societies (such as New Zealand, Australia, Canada and the United States). Kaupapa Maori research is an example of the indigenous approach in New Zealand. Indigenous theory is a localised viewpoint which is based on the notions of critical theory but situates them within an indigenous worldview (Graham Hingangaroa Smith as cited by Linda Smith, 1999, p. 186). In indigenous research, the researcher becomes part of the researched community, which controls all decisions related to the research procedures and what should be done to the findings. It is cross disciplinary research and its methodologies are being taken up from every paradigm and reorganised within the indigenous worldview; and it is aiming à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“to make a positive difference for the researchedà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  (Smith, 1999, p. 191). As explained before, my research focuses on SMEs in general from developed countries like Australian and New Zealand, which are both considered postcolonial societies, venturing LEMs such as China; and it is not looking at SMEs from the indigenous approach. Therefore, it is very clear this paradigm is not applicable to my researched. Conclusion In summary, ontology, epistemology, methodology, and methods are the major research dimensions. There are different paradigms such as positivist, post-positivist, interpretative, radical or critical, post-structural and emergent research like indigenous approaches. Each paradigm proposes a different ontology, epistemology and the relationship between the researchers and researched. However, from my point view, post-positivist and interpretative paradigmà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s approaches are the only paradigms that could be applicable to my research to answer my research question: Among small to medium enterprises (SMEs) from developed c ountries that struggle to do business in in large emerging country markets (LECMs), what to do they perceive to be the major issues? References: Cocks, J (1989): The oppositional imagination: Feminism, critique and political theory, Routledge, London. Crotty, M. (1998).The foundations of social research: Meaning and perspective in the research process. Thousand Oaks, Calif: Allen Unwin Denzin, N. K., Lincoln, Y. S. (1994).Handbook of qualitative research. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications Farber, M. (2006).The foundation of phenomenology: Edmund husserl and the quest for a rigorous science of philosophy. Frankfurt, Germany: Aldine Transaction Grant, B. M., Giddings, L. S. (2002). Making sense of methodologies: A paradigm framework for the novice researcher.Contemporary Nurse,13(1), 10-28. Guba, E. G., Lincoln, Y. S. (1994). Competing paradigms in qualitative research.Handbook of qualitative research,2, 163-194. Hesse-Biber, S. N., Leavy, P. (2010). The pr actice of qualitative research. Sage. Kuhn, T. S. (1970).The structure of scientific revolutions. Chicago, Ill: University of Chicago Press Orlikowski, W. J., Baroudi, J. J. (1991). Studying information technology in organizations: Research approaches and assumptions.Information Systems Research,2(1), 1-28. doi:10.1287/isre.2.1.1 Polkinghorne, D. (1983).Methodology for the human sciences: Systems of inquiry. Albany: State University of New York Press. Smith, L. T. (1999).Decolonizing methodologies: Research and indigenous peoples. Dunedin, N.Z: Zed Books Smith, R. (1993). Potentials for empowerment in critical education research. The Australian Educational Researcher,20(2), 75-93.

Analysis Of Descartes Dreaming Argument - 812 Words

Descartes dreaming argument suggests that perhaps our senses cannot be fully trusted because we cannot be certain we are not dreaming, and this means we therefore cannot be certain of anything. His evil demon argument is similar but uses the idea of an evil demon deceiving you instead of your senses. These sceptical arguments mean that we cannot be certain of anything at all for it may be happening whilst we are dreaming, or we are being tricked into thinking it is happening. I do not agree with Descartes because I feel that I can be certain I am not dreaming, and I do not believe that other supernatural creatures; such as an evil demon exists. In Descartes’ First Meditation, (Reason and Responsibility, Feinberg and Shafer-Landau, 2015,†¦show more content†¦This is also means that I do not think his argument is sound. An argument is â€Å"sound if and only if it is both valid, and all of its premises are actually true† (Internet Encyclopaedia of Philosophy, Ano nymous 2017). This means that the dreaming argument is not a passable philosophical theory because it is not sound- however, philosophy is based on individual’s perspective which means that some people may find the dreaming argument valid and sound and therefore a good philosophical theory. Descartes’ Evil Demon argument is the idea that instead of his God deceiving him- because he is too good to do so – that perhaps there is an evil being of a similar power to God who is in fact deceiving him to believe falsehoods as fact (Reason and Responsibility, Feinberg and Shafer-Landau, 2015, 242-244). The premises for this go like 1. If I am to be certain of anything I need to be certain I am not being deceived by a powerful evil demon, 2. I cannot be certain I am not being deceived by a powerful evil demon, therefore 3. I cannot be certain of anything. This is harder to argue against because there is no evidence for an evil demon existing- however this does not stop Descartes from believing in God. This is a valid argument because the premises do follow on from each other however, it is not a sound argument because premise 2 isShow MoreRelatedAn Analysis Of Descartes And The Dreaming Argument1390 Words   |  6 PagesThis essay will take a look at Descartes Drea ming argument and Evil Demon argument. As well as discussing their weaknesses and strengths to later decide which argument is the best. Despite my belief of subjective truths, the reason for doing this is to establish both arguments on an equal basis and to determine which would be best in an argument. The Dreaming argument first showed up in Descartes First Meditation, where he focusses on the task to educate himself on his own doubt. When meditatingRead MoreDescartes Was A Metaphysical Philosopher Whose Main Goal1371 Words   |  6 PagesDescartes was a metaphysical philosopher whose main goal was to obtain and isolate lasting scientific knowledge due to the long-held beliefs that were being disproved during his lifetime. However, this proved to be quite difficult as the majority of his previously held beliefs were either doubtful or able to be proven false. In an attempt to work towards his goals, Descartes developed his Dream Doubt argument. When first analyzing this argument, it is important to analyze it for all its premisesRead MoreAn Analysis of Descartes’ First Meditation Essay example1448 Words   |  6 Pages13th, 2012 An Analysis of Descartes’ First Meditation In Descartes’ First Meditation, Descartes’ overall intention is to present the idea that our perceptions and sensations are flawed and should not be trusted entirely. His purpose is to create the greatest possible doubt of our senses. To convey this thought, Descartes has three main arguments in the First Meditation: The dream argument, the deceiving God argument, and the evil demon â€Å"or evil genius†. Descartes’ dream argument argues that thereRead MoreThe Dream Inside Of A Dream By Christopher Nolan1683 Words   |  7 PagesFinal Paper: Descartes The possibility of having a dream inside of a dream is an idea that has been discussed far and wide. However, before Inception came out in 2010 by director Christopher Nolan, many people in the modern world may not have ever considered this idea. Nonetheless, this idea of â€Å"a dream inside a dream† has been around since 1640, when Rene Descartes published Meditations. In Inception, Christopher Nolan uses Descartes ideas to enhance the storyline of his film. In this paperRead MoreDescartesMeditations, To What Extent Are We Able To Distinguish Between Reality And Illusion1482 Words   |  6 Pagesreference to Descartes’ ‘Meditations’, to what extent are we able to distinguish between reality and illusion?† ‘Meditations’ outlines Descartes’ method of justifying, through reasoning alone, his initial beliefs concerning the existence of reality as he perceives it. This challenge of scepticism is itself achieved through adopting a temporary sceptical approach in meditations 1 and 2. By way of mental deconstruction and evaluation of all that he had previously considered true, Descartes is left withRead MoreComparing The Matrix With Readings From Plato And Descartes1023 Words   |  5 PagesComparing and contrasting The Matrix with readings from Plato and Descartes This essay will discuss The Matrix, from synopsis of the following; The Republic by Plato, depicting the famous cave allegory, and Meditations on First Philosophy by Descartes, offering doubt that some senses are accurate. By examining these two readings, and the movie, it will allow the author to show some comparisons, and to show how they are also different as this essay indicates the world is very real. Read MoreDescartes Notion Of Why We Exist935 Words   |  4 Pagescoincide this with Rene Descartes’ notion of why we exist. It is fascinating to examine the process by which Descartes took to completely dismantle everything he knows in his pursuit towards explaining different truths throughout the world. I think Descartes came to the realization that he was perceiving things incorrectly in his life which disappointed him. Descartes understands this because he is basing all of his incoming information about the world through his senses. Descartes is puzzled by hisRead MoreDescartes Six Meditations on First Philosophy Essay1347 Words   |  6 PagesThroughout the six meditations on First Philosophy, French philosopher Rene Descartes seeks to find a concrete foundation for the basis of science, one which he states can only include certain and unquestionable beliefs. Anything less concrete, he argues will be exposed to the external world and to opposition by philosophical sceptics. The sense of the Cartesian reform is the imposition of a new method of thinking. Descartes’ method to begin with is reductive, removing all knowledge acquired withoutRead MoreDescribing a System of Knowledge 1447 Words   |  6 Pagesbehind Rene Descartes’, who is recognized as a prominent philosopher of the 17th century, attempts at creating a system of knowledge that can withstand even the most skeptical disbeliever in absolute truths. It is best to begin by describing this system of knowledge through the qualifications that an idea must pass in order to be in the system. An idea must be able to be defended in every way by a skeptic and in no way present any situation in which the idea could be proven false. Descartes describesRead MoreIs Global Skepticism Justified? Essay1625 Words   |  7 PagesIt might seem that we really know a lot about this planet we live on. But how much do we really ‘know’ the things of this world? Could it be that the things we thought we knew with certainty is really not as absolute as we thought it is? In Rene Descartes’ â€Å"Meditation on the First Philosophy,† he says as follows about fundamental knowledge: â€Å"Certainly, up to now whatever I have accepted as fully true I have learned either from or by means of the senses: but I have discovered that they sometimes deceive

Fahrenheit 451 - 801 Words

Megan Wright Mr. Owens English 9 14 April 2013 Rough Draft #1 451 degrees Fahrenheit is the temperature at which book-paper catches fire, and burns (Lenhoff). In Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury is trying to teach the reader about the dangers of books and history as seen in characters, symbols, and events. Bradbury’s novel is about a future American society where books are outlawed and firemen are told they have to burn any house that has books in it. Books are banned because they contain contradictory ideas and can confront the comfortable prejudices and ignorance that abounds (Zacharias). Beatty is the chief at the firehouse. Fahrenheit 451 describes a country caught in the grip of both an external war with another power, and a civil†¦show more content†¦The hearth, or fireplace, is a traditional symbol of the home (Sparknotes Editors). The salamander is one of the official symbols of the firemen (Sparknotes Editors). Firemen also name their fire trucks after the salamander (Sparknotes Editors). Both of these symbols involve fir e which is a big part of Montag’s life. The hearth contains the fire that heats his home and the salamander because they believed that salamanders live in fire and are unable to burn. â€Å"The Sieve and the Sand,† comes from Montag’s childhood memory of trying to fill a sieve with sand on the beach to get a dime from a mischievous cousin and crying at the futility of the task (Sparknotes Editors). Montag compares this memory to his attempt to read the whole Bible as quickly as possible on the subway in the hope that, if he reads fast enough, some of the material will stay in his memory (Sparknotes Editors). The sand is a symbol of the tangible truth Montag seeks, and the sieve is a symbol of the human mind seeking a truth that remains elusive and, the metaphor suggests, impossible to grasp in any permanent way (SparknotesShow MoreRelatedFahrenheit 4511365 Words   |  6 PagesBradbury s novel, Fahrenheit 451, was written at the onset of the fifties as a call t o the American people to reflect on how the dominant social values of their times were effecting both the lives of individual Americans and their government. Fahrenheit 451 attacks utopian government and focuses on society s foolishness of always being politically correct. (Mogen 113). According to Mogen, Fahrenheit 451 depicts a world in which the American Dream has turned into a nightmare because it has beenRead MoreFahrenheit 451704 Words   |  3 PagesSTUDY GUIDE QUESTIONS FOR FAHRENHEIT 451 As you read each section of the novel, answer briefly the following questions. Part I: The Hearth and the Salamander (pages 1-65) 1. What do the firemen do for a living? In our world, firemen fight fires. In â€Å"Fahrenheit 451, â€Å"the firemen burns books. They do this to fight ideas and to keep their society safe from disruptive influences. 2. What is never washed off completely? In Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, Montag says that â€Å"you never wash it off completelyRead MoreFahrenheit 4511345 Words   |  6 PagesBethany Edwards Censorship or Knowledge Ray Bradbury’s novel, Fahrenheit 451 is a good example of censorship and restriction and the results of what can happen because of this. Ray Bradbury predicts in his novel that the future is without literature -- everything from newspapers to novels to the Bible. This novel is about a world that is so structured and censored that even a common fireman exist not to fight fires, for all buildings are fireproof, but instead to burn books. Books are made toRead MoreFahrenheit 4511651 Words   |  7 PagesAmerican Dream. We are told that these achievements can be done by adapting to America’s ideals and cultural norms. The ‘American Dream’ is attainable for those who fall in step with the majority. This conformity is illustrated in Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451. In the novel, Guy Montag becomes disillusioned with the illiterate ignorance of his society. Through a series of tragic events, Montag finds the vapid world must be changed. This change will be the only way to attain true knowledge, thus freedomRead MoreFahrenheit 4511858 Words   |  8 Pagesï » ¿Jhoan Aguilar Mrs. Armistead English III H (4) October 24, 2013 The Exhort of Fahrenheit 451 Ray Bradbury created the novel Fahrenheit 451 as a way to admonish future generations against social and economic trends that would emerge during the twentieth century. I. Introduction II. Reasons behind novel A. World events B. Personal events III. Economic trends of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries A. The economics of consumerism B. Economic effects on society IV. Social trendsRead More1984 And Fahrenheit 4511505 Words   |  7 PagesOrwell, and Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury, the concepts of totalitarianism and censorship are addressed in various ways. Both texts are of dystopian fiction, set in post-nuclear war nations, although they are somewhat of a different nature. The concepts of totalitarianism and censorship are explored throughout the texts by addressing the issue of ‘knowledge is power’, the use and abuse of technology and the desensitising of society. Although these are mentioned in both 1984 and Fahrenheit 451, they areRead MoreEssay On Fahrenheit 451833 Words   |  4 PagesWhy shouldn’t Fahrenheit 451 be banned? Ban books or burn them? Ray Bradbury wrote his famous novel Fahrenheit 451 in 1953 fantasizing about a world in which books were banned, and when a book was found it was burnt and destroyed. Little did he know that his thought of books being banned could actually happen and that it would be one of his own. Today Fahrenheit 451 is being banned and challenged in schools all across America. How ironic that a book about books being banned is now being banned aroundRead MoreFahrenheit 451 - Symbolism1432 Words   |  6 PagesSymbolism in Fahrenheit 451 Ray Bradbury, perhaps one of the best-known science fiction, wrote the amazing novel Fahrenheit 451. The novel is about Guy Montag, a ‘fireman who produces fires instead of eliminating them in order to burn books (Watt 2). One night while he is walking home from work he meets a young girl who stirs up his thoughts and curiosities like no one has before. She tells him of a world where fireman put out fires instead of starting them and where people read books and thinkRead More`` Fahrenheit 451 And The Sniper ``1643 Words   |  7 Pagesabilities. It can be difficult to determine what elements make up a hero. However, by examining heroes in different stories, the elements of what makes a hero can become clearer. Classic heroes in The Odyssey can be examined, along with the heroes in Fahrenheit 451 and The Sniper. By taking apart the characteristics and traits of these heroes, a deeper understanding of a hero can be found. Rather than by a character s physical abilities, a hero c an be defined by their displays of courage, determinationRead MoreFahrenheit 451 Essay1076 Words   |  5 PagesAs renowned author Ernest Hemingway said, â€Å"There is no friend as loyal as a book†. This can be true at times, but in Ray Bradbury’s novel Fahrenheit 451, many people in the novel’s dystopian society think otherwise. In this essay I’ll be discussing the 5 books I’d save from the firemen if I was Guy Montag in Fahrenheit 451, and which of the 5 I’d choose to remember and â€Å"become†. The books I’d save would be Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief, Jandy Nelson’s I’ll Give