Bob Knowlton Case Study Essay Example for Free

Bob Knowlton Case Study Essay Attribution process in chapter 4 is referred to as the ways in which people come to understand the causes of their own or others’ behavior. Knowlton felt that Fester was brought in to take his position as project head. With all the questions and research analysis that Fester completed on his own, Knowlton felt betrayed since his friend and mentor Jerrod never took the time to explain to him what was happening. When Knowlton did approach Jerrod to question why Fester was there, Jerrod replied, â€Å"We’re taking him on [. ]†Jerrod also replied that, â€Å"I don’t know yet where he will finally land †¦I thought he might spend a little time with you by way of getting started. † I believe that Knowlton should have gone back to talked to Jerrod again. Knowlton should have got his point across about the way that he and his team was feeling about Fester questions the work that he and his team had completed over the last six months and how calling his home at 2 o’clock explaining how Link’s patterning problem could be solved among other things. Jerrod could have then explained that Fester was brought in to be the project head for another department. In 1996, my husband and I were transferred to Korea for one year by the Army and our two kids that were 15 months old and 3 ? months old stayed with my mother-in-law. Once we returned a year later, our kids had grown so much. However much importantly to me, my kids were calling my mother-in-law mommy and I had not prepared myself for that. In the beginning, I was very hurt as well as confused as to why my kids was calling their grandmother â€Å" mommy†, but I came to the realization that they were at that stage in life where they were just starting to talk and mommy and daddy were their first words. After about a week, I asked my mother-in-law if she wanted the kids to call her grandma or nana so they would get use to calling my husband and I mommy and daddy. Finding of Facts 2: Self-Esteem The letter that Knowlton wrote explained that he would be glad to come back later (he would only be 40 miles away) to assist if there was any problems with the past work. Recommendation/Justification Self-Esteem is defined as the extent to which an individual believes that he or she is a worthwhile and deserving individual. In Knowlton’s situation he felt that he deserved the promotion to project head because he had the knowledge, skills and ability to perform the job. However, when Fester came and started challenging the result that he and his team had determined, he lost his self-esteem as well as his self-confidence and felt as if he was worthless to Mr. Jerrod and most importantly to his team and that allowed him to make a hasty decision to leave the organization. I recommend that Knowlton fight for his position, his team and most importantly his self-esteem. I recommend that Knowlton think about the achievements and contributions that he has made to the team as well as the organization. Once Knowlton builds his self-esteem back up, I recommend that he talks with his supervisor Mr. Jerrod and express his true feeling regarding how Fester approach toward his team is being very disruptive. In the military, we are usually transferred to different duty stations every three to five years. This one particular time, I was transferred to Ft Bragg, NC and they were not aware that I was coming to be assigned to the unit. Since they were not aware that I was coming, they did not have a place for me to work so I was consider a â€Å"floater† going from section to section to help out where ever needed until they found a permanent slot for me. The first section that I worked in was the processing section. The section was running smoothly, and I was there for observation purposes only. However, the leader that I am, I could not stand by and allow the soldiers to continue to work long hours without giving suggestions that would allow them to work smarter. I saw the hesitation that they were giving so I called a meeting and explained my purpose of being in the section and also let the soldiers know that I was just there to assist. Once they realized that I was not there to take anyone’s job, and that I was there to help the section run more efficiently, the soldiers began to gravitate toward me for more suggests. After about a week, the soldiers saw the results of my suggestions and incorporated those suggestions into their daily routines in the office. The soldiers also requested that I be assigned to their section permanently without my knowledge and when it was brought to my attention I was very impressed and decided to stay in that section. Findings of Facts: Team Empowerment Bob always prided himself on the fact that the work of the lab was guided and evaluated by the group as a whole and he was fond of repeating that it was not a waste of time to include secretaries in such meetings. Recommendations/Justification: Team empowerment refers to the degree to which its members perceive the group as (1) being competent and able to accomplish work-related tasks (potency), (2) performing important and valuable tasks (meaningfulness), (3) having choice (autonomy) in how they carry out their task, and (4) experiencing a sense of importance and significance (impact) in the work performed and goals achieved. Bob was proud of the members of his team. No one thought that they were smarter than anyone else on the team; they respected each other and valued each other’s opinion. However, from the very first day that Fester arrived, he made it clear that he was not a team player. He thought that everyone should work individually on their portion of the project, come together to complete the project and that be it. Bob also stated that he valued everyone’s opinion including the secretaries. Every member of the team know that if they did not pull their weight on their particular part of the project they could depend on their team mates for assistance and again Fester was not a fan of that. I believe that Bob should have stepped in and expressed his feelings as to how he and his team worked together on everything. He should have expressed how he valued everyone’s opinion and that he was not going to let him or ever Jerrold tear them apart. If Fester still had concerns he should have taken that up with Jerrold however, it should have been a dead issue to Jerrold since Fester was not going to be in charge of the department that Bob was currently heading. At my last unit, I was the section chief for the Personnel Section. I had just completed my training about three weeks prior when another sergeant came to the section that out ranked me. When the other sergeant came, after one week of watching how my section and I conducted business she wanted to make changes. One day she just came in the office and started making changes without consulting me or our commander. When I arrived to the office and saw the changes that she had made, I asked to speak with her separately, and I respectfully told her that I didn’t appreciate her coming in and changing my section around. She began to say that the changes that she was making was how she had her section set up at her last unit and the section ran smooth once all the changes were complete. Since she outranked me, I had to tell her again, respectfully that this was not her section, and the commander had not approved any of her changes nor did he have any knowledge of any of her changes. We then went and talked with the commander and he had agreed with me that first he would make the final decision if she was going to be in charge of the section or if I was going to continue to run the section. Also, if he was going to put her in charge of the section any changes that she wanted to make still had to be approved by him first. So needless to say, she was not happy with me, however, about a month or so later we had a talk. She stated that she admired me for standing up for myself as well as my section. She then went on to apologize for trying to use her rank to intimidate me. After our discussion, we were able to work together in the section as equals.

Manages debated and controversial topic in english

Manages debated and controversial topic in english The way in which our innate language abilities are able to influence how successfully we manage to use a language is a somewhat debated and controversial topic within the world of linguistics. Many believe that universal grammar has a very strong influence on how well an individual is able to structure sentences and use grammar while others disagree, at least with regard to how important it is in different situations. It is often argued that universal grammar has at least a moderate influence on first language acquisition, but the affect it has on second language acquisition is where the controversies lie, with many researchers having opposing opinions. Individuals who learn a foreign language frequently experience problems with using correct grammar, at least until they are very advanced in the acquisition process. A lot of the time, individuals learning a second language take a very long time to become as proficient as native speakers are, and they even often never reach the same l evel of proficiency as native speakers of the language. The significance of this is highly debated however, with a variety of causes being outlined as possible from many different studies. Time and time again, it has been shown that individuals who learn a second language often use grammar inappropriately, even when they may be at least moderately accustomed to the language and have been learning it for a reasonably long amount of time. For example, Lu (2001) found that Chinese learners speaking English often used the word â€Å"the† when it would be more correct to use â€Å"a†. This is a trend that has been found in many so-called L2 learners (i.e. people who are learning a second language). Interestingly however, such errors have also been found in the acquisition of English as a first language. A good example of this was in a study by Schaeffer and Mathewson in 2005. They found that children learning English as a first language make very similar errors to the errors individuals learning a second language make. They also state that children seem to start off by obeying what seem to be innate universal grammar principals, but as their learning develops, they eventually start to apply the rules of the language in the way adults do (through learning, conditioning and observation). The suggestion here therefore is that universal language is the cause of this incorrect grammar usage in both children learning to speak and in adults learning a second language, at least to some degree. This implies that universal grammar may indeed have a role in second language acquisition, since it seems that there are certain innate rules of language development that everyone follows right or wrong. Of course, many other studies imply that universal grammar influences the individual to speak properly rather than wrongly (albeit, at a different stage of the language acquisition process). It is argued that the input an individual receives when learning a language is not enough to allow them to successfully and properly use grammar, therefore meaning innate language abilities have a strong influence on language development, at least with regard to first language acquisition and likely with second acquisition too (White, 1985). A big question is raised from this theory of universal grammar being so integral to successful language development. When considering the idea that a large part of grammar ability may be innate, one must question how to differentiate between innate language abilities and learned language knowledge knowledge that (for L2 learners) was gained from the learning of their first language. To differentiate between innate and learned phenomena, there are two areas to be considered (White, 1990). Firstly, the input the individual receives for learning the language should be insufficient for the phenomenon to be present. Secondly, it should be different from phenomena learned as part of the first language. The fulfilment of both of these criteria could in theory mean an innate language ability is responsible for the production of the specific phenomenon in the L2 learning. Most studies into L2 language acquisition have been based around adult learners. Zdorenko and Paradis (2007) however carried out a study into second language learning in children. Within this study, they addressed numerous questions, taking into account how much first language background affects second language acquisition. Their conclusions were that the childrens first language influenced their acquisition early on in the learning process, but not later on, once the child had become more competent. They do not directly suggest that any part of the L2 learning however is innate, and instead suggest that article semantics could be responsible for the presence of certain phenomena. The idea that universal grammar may have a role in the development of first language acquisition is generally more accepted than the idea that it plays a role in second language acquisition. This largely could be to do with the fact that determining a role for innate language abilities at the stage of learning a second language is a lot more challenging, since with first language acquisition the only confounding factor that needs to be taken into account is the level of input the learner receives about the language. Flynn (1996) suggested a model for the role of universal grammar in L2 learners. The model has 3 possibilities: the no access hypothesis, the partial access hypothesis and the full access hypothesis. The no access hypothesis states that universal grammar simply is not accessible to L2 learners and all learning is simply due to input the learner gains. The partial access hypothesis claims that universal grammar is partially available to the L2 learner, but only those parameters that characterise first language phenomena are available. The full access hypothesis states that universal grammar is completely available to L2 learners and that any differences between first and second language acquisition can be accounted for via other ways. If any part of this model is correct, it seems unlikely that it is the full access hypothesis. As stated previously, much evidence exists suggesting L2 language acquisition is rarely ever as complete as first language acquisition. Or at least, it is a much slower process and it takes a long time for L2 learners to become as proficient in the language as native speakers. Hale (1996) suggests that universal grammar is very difficult to distinguish from first language acquisition in L2 learners, implying that the two are almost one of the same. Indeed, many researchers agree with the idea that universal language is something that goes hand-in-hand with first language acquisition, but not with second language acquisition. It seems that the matter of how involved universal language is in second language acquisition may never be resolved. On one hand, the presence of certain phenomena in L2 that are absent in the first language along with evidence that the phenomena have not been learned suggest that maybe innate language skill do have a role in L2 learning, however evidence from Zdorenko and Paradis (2007) along with other studies suggest that innate language abilities at least dont hold the most significant level of importance. If universal grammar does have a role in the learning of a second language, Flynns hypothesis of partial access would arguably seem most plausible. The fact that many individuals learning a second language never become fully competent at it suggests that full access is not possible, since this would therefore suggest no variation in the ability to speak a second language from the ability to speak a first language. No access however seems unlikely to, since the fact that there are similarities in the mistakes L2 learners and children learning a first language make implies that there is some innate mechanism governing language ability; a mechanism all individuals have that predisposes them to language and which diminishes as they age but never fades. This theory is further backed up by the fact that, within the Zdorenko and Paradis study, they found that the children had features of language acquisition in common with both first and second language acquisition, implying that maybe thei r innate language skills (due to their age) were having an affect (although this is not an idea that is pointed out within the study). The ‘critical period hypothesis is a well-known theory of language acquisition which states that children are much more primed for learning languages than adults. This hypothesis fits together very well with the partial access hypothesis. The critical period hypothesis is widely accepted by a large number of linguists. One of the best known examples here is that of Genie, a girl brought up in social isolation, who started to learn to talk at a late age (Curtiss, 1977). Although she was shown to not be mentally impaired, she was never able to learn to speak properly. It is most likely this was due to her age and her inability therefore to gain full access to her innate language abilities. Therefore, universal grammar seems to be something that very possibly does influence L2 learning and adult learners, but its effect diminishes with age, and therefore children can learn languages first, second and beyond more effectively than adults.

Social Penetration Theory Psychology

Social Penetration Theory Psychology Abstract The Social Penetration Theory is a communication and psychology theory first written by Irwin Altman and Dalmas Taylor. The theory outlines concepts of social interaction that takes place when two people are getting to know each other. Altman and Taylor proposed that closeness occurs between two people through a gradual process of self-disclosure. The theory relies heavily on the ‘Onion analogy that suggests that people are like multi-layered onions and have different layers of their personality that they may or may not reveal over time depending on the interaction that takes place. The theory also outlines other aspects of social interaction such as the ‘cost and reward concept. This concept suggests that people base their relationships around the cost and reward outcomes and how they can benefit from that relationship. This report explains in detail the key concepts and ideas of the Social Penetration theory as well as other theories that are related with social penetration such as the Social Exchange Theory. To further investigate the effects of Social Penetration experimental research was found to support the effects of self-disclosure in regards to the Social Penetration Theory. After comprehensive study and research on this topic it was found that closeness between two people develops over a period time and through a process of self-disclosure. If self-disclosure is not apparent then the relationship is likely to fail. According to the theory people base their friendships on a process of cost and reward benefits but will usually do this sub-concisely without knowing that they have used this method to determine their relationships. Key ideas such as ‘comparison levels suggest that an individual determines whether the relationship is working by the process of profits = Rewards – Costs. Introduction Purpose The purpose of this report is to understand the social interaction that takes place between people and to study the fundamentals of human behaviour during the gradual process of social penetration. This report is aimed at giving the reader a better understanding of key concepts of the Social Penetration theory and how it is used in everyday situations. Scope To fully understand and explain this theory research was conducted over several areas that directly relate to the Social Penetration Theory. These areas of research came from 6 main literature sources ranging from journal articles to large-scale social experiments that put the theory into practice. Internet research was also conducted. Limitations The limitations of this report include: Availability of information Due to the detail needed to fully understand the concepts of this theory commonly used sources such as libraries proved to be of little help when finding information to write this report. Detailed Internet sites were also hard to come by when researching this theory. Time restrictions: At first time was not considered to be a major issue but due to the availability of information in both library sources and databases time restrictions did become a concern nearing the deadline of this report. Research methods When conducting research regarding the Social Penetration Theory commonly used sources such as libraries were not as useful as they normally would be. Although two of the 6 sources were gathered from libraries other information that was found in books was concentrated into sections of no more than 5 pages. Because this report needed to be detailed and informative these sources were of no use. When detailed books were finally found they were still not as useful as the longer articles found using Internet sites and databases. When searching for information using Internet databases such as Proquest I was able to find much more in-depth and detailed information into the study of Social Penetration. Searching for information using Internet articles and journals proved to be the best way to find accurate sources. Structure of report This report is organised into the following structure: Title page, including submission details and abstract. Table of contents. Introduction, includes details on purpose, scope and research methods used to produce this report. Literature review, Provides detailed information on each individual source including background information on the author/s. Findings, includes descriptions on the theorists, outlines the key concepts of the theory, application of the theory and an evaluation of the theory. Conclusion, summarises the key points and concepts of the theory and critique of the theory. References and glossary of terms, references alternative web-sites and books that were also used when researching as well as a glossary of terms that explains key words used in this report. Literature review West, R., Turner, LH. (2007). Introducing Communication theory Analysis and Application (3rd ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill. Summary The information from this source highlights the key components of the Social Penetration theory such as the Onion analogy and assumptions of social penetration. It also has an in-depth section on the Social Exchange theory in regards to relational costs and rewards as well as guidelines for self disclosure relating to social penetration. The source also produces a lot of useful case studies and examples that put the theories into practice. It has examples that use a script to depict a conversation between two people in order to highlight the use of social penetration, social exchange and self disclosure. There is also an expanded references section that references the sources of information used for this book. Accuracy And Validity The information contained in this book offers a high level of accuracy in regards to the Social Penetration theory, Social Exchange theory and self disclosure. Both authors have done extensive research on communication theory and wrote numerous books and articles on the subject. Co-author Richard West is an accomplished Professor and has a Ph.D from Ohio University. His research spans a number of different areas, including family communication, instructional practices, and classroom communication. He is the recipient of various teaching and research awards at USM, including the College of Arts and Sciences, Outstanding Teacher-Scholar and the Faculty Senate Award in Communication Research. Co-author Lynn H. Turner teaches in the College of Communication at Marquette University. She received her Ph.D. from North-western University in 1989. She is the author of several journal articles, books, and book chapters focused on communication studies. She is the recipient of the Marquette Uni versity College of Communication Research Award and numerous other awards for communication analysis and theory. DeVito, J. (2004). The Interpersonal Communication Book (10th ed.). Boston: Pearson Education, Inc Summary This book covers the main concepts of The Social Penetration theory and the Social exchange theory. The section on the Social Exchange theory also features information on comparison levels in relationships as well as profits, rewards and costs and briefly describes aspects of the equity theory in regards to social exchange. It also goes into detail on intimacy and risks of relationships and deterioration of personal relationships. There is also detailed information on the depenetration of relationships and the stages that it involves such as withdrawal, decline in self disclosure, deception and positive and negative messages. Accuracy And Validity The author of this book is Joseph A. DeVito a famous U. S. Communication scholar from Hunter College, New York. He is a member of the National Communication Association, the Eastern Communication Association, the International Communication Association, The International Society for General Semantics and the Society for the Study of Personal Relationships. He is has written over 15 textbooks on communication which are used by thousands of students worldwide. His articles have appeared in the Quarterly Journal of Speech, Communication Monographs, Communication Quarterly, Southern Speech Communication Journal and Central States Communication Journal. His extensive knowledge in communication and publication experience gives this textbook a high level of accuracy. Kito, M. (2002). Self-Disclosure in Romantic Relationships and Friendships Among America and Japanese College Students. Proquest physiology journals, 145(2), 127-140. Summary The information in this journal was produced by doing an experiment regarding self-disclosure and the Social Penetration process. It also explains in detail the key concepts of social interaction and self-disclosure. The author examined whether the level of self disclosure would differ across four types of relationships: passionate love relationships, companion love relationships, same-sex friendships and cross-sex friendships. The experiment was done by American and Japanese participants to examine any cultural differences in self-disclosure. The results produced three main hypotheses, Japanese students scored lower than American students in self disclosure regardless of relationship type, Self disclosure was higher in same sex friendships than in cross sex friendships in both American and Japanese students and self disclosure was higher in romantic relationships than in friendships among both American and Japanese students (Kito, M. 2002). The article also has information regarding each relationship type and previous authors that have studied similar topics and experiments. Accuracy And Validity This article and experiment was written by Mie Kito from the Department of psychology, California state university. She is a student at the university and won an award for research and creativity for this paper. She was also awarded the honour of presenting the theory at a psychology seminar in Vancouver, Canada. Allensworth, N. (1996). Social penetration: A description, research and evaluation Communication theory. PP. 1-25 Summary This document covers the main concepts of the Social Penetration Theory. It has a detailed description of the history including the history and progress of Altman and Taylor and the way the theory came into existence. It also incorporates the Onion diagram and describes the layers of social penetration in great detail. The article also has studies that were done in regards to self-disclosure and social penetration. They include various experiments that were carried out and the findings of the study. There is also a section on intercultural research to do with social penetration and self disclosure. Accuracy And Validity This paper was presented by Nicole J Allensworth at the Annual Meeting of the Southern States Communication Association (Memphis, Tennessee, March 27-31, 1996). The document was presented to researchers involved in communication research studies to affectively demonstrate the effects of communication within personal relationships. No other information was found on this author. Baack, D., Fogliasso, C. Harris, J. (2000). The personal Impact of Ethical decisions: A Social Penetration Theory. Journal of business ethics, 24, 1, 39- 49. Summary This Journal article discusses peoples ethical reasoning and beliefs in regard to social penetration. It talks about the structure and make up of each individual as well as personal characteristics and describes personal benefits in the form of cost and reward outcomes relating to social exchange and social penetration. The article also talks about Altman and Taylor and their understandings of social penetration theory. The article features the Onion diagram to establish the basic concepts of the Onion analogy and also has examples of these processes to put the theory into a real life situation. Accuracy And Validity This article was written by Donald Baack, Christine Fogliasso and James Harris. Donald Baack is a University Professor of Management at PSU. He has an undergraduate degree from Dana College, an MBA from Southwest Missouri State University, and a Ph.D. from the University of Nebraska. Baack teaches undergraduate level Organizational Theory and Behavior, Advanced Organizational Behavior, and graduate level Behavioral Management. Professor Baack is the author and co-author of eight books. Three are college textbooks, in the areas of Management, Organizational Behavior, and Integrated Marketing Communications. Christine Fogliasso is a University Professor in the Department of Management and Marketing at Pittsburg State University. Her Bachelors degree was earned at Pittsburg State University, and her Ph.D. at the University Of Kansas School Of Law. Her teaching and research areas are business law, ethics and communication. No information was found on author James Harris. Social Penetration: The Development of Interpersonal Relationships. (2001) . NewYork: Holt, Rinehart and Winston. Retrieved from http://www.uky.edu/~drlane/capstone/interpersonal/socpen.html Summary This internet article has a brief summary that identifies the main concepts of the social penetration theory. The article also has a section on scientific assumptions which tries to explain that social penetration can be referred to as a scientific theory. It argues this point by saying that if self disclosure is high then the relationship will develop; this statement can be seen as an equation and therefore can be viewed as a scientific. Critique is another scientific concept that is explained in this article. This refers to predictions that are made on the relationship development based on the levels of self-disclosure within the relationship. The article also explains in detail how Altman and Taylors Onion analogy operates and how the theory compares people to multilayered onions. The ideas behind breadth and depth are also explained in this article. Accuracy And Validity This article was written by a company called Holt, Rinehart and Winston. They are an educational company that specialises in publishing textbooks and articles for secondary school students around the world. The company is based in Austin, Texas and has been providing educational tools since the early 1900s. Holt, Rinehart and Winston supply textbooks, learning CDs, eLearning sites and many other kinds of support material for teachers and students. Because Holt, Rinehart and Winston is a internationally known for producing high quality learning tools and equipment its accuracy and validity is of a high level. Findings:  Background of theorists Irwin Altman Irwin Altman was born on July 16th 1930 in New York. Altman mainly specialises in social psychology and social interaction and is experienced in most areas of communication. His tertiary achievements include a Bachelor of Arts degree from New York University in 1951, a Master of Arts degree from the University of Maryland in 1954 and a Ph.D. also achieved from the University Of Maryland in 1957. Altman also studies environmental psychology and believes there is a strong link between environmental psychology and social psychology, Altman has based many books and articles that relate to this subject. While developing the Social Penetration theory Altmans work was heavily based on human behaviour within different environments. Altman is heavily involved in associations including The American Association for the Advancement of Science, the International Association of Applied Psychology and the American Psychology Association. Irwin Altman is currently a professor at the University of Ut ah in Salt Lake City teaching psychology and social communication. Dalmas Taylor Dalmas Taylor was born in 1934 in Detroit, Michigan. After showing an interest in psychology in his teenage years he later went on to study for his Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. His research and interest in psychology eventually lead him to further his studies when he received his Masters degree in psychology from Howard University in Washington D.C and his Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Delaware. Taylor also gained a certificate from Harvard University Business School. Early in his career Taylor worked with the SPSSI (Society for the Psychological Study of Social Issues). During the late 1960s Taylor was the chairman of the Dissertation Award Committee and served for the SPSSI council for several years. During the 1970s Taylor began to teach psychology at various universities throughout North America and eventually became a Professor at the University of Maryland where he taught for 16 years. Taylor also worked with the APA (American Psychological Association) and eventually became a member of groups such as the Board of Ethic Minority Affairs, the Committee on Employment and Human Resources, the Policy and Planning Board and the Committee on Ethics Code Revision. His work with the American Psychological Association made very well known among psychologists and he received numerous awards from the APA. Later in his courier Taylor received the Distinguished Contribution to Education and Training Award of the Association and in 1992 he received the Distinguished Service Award for Outstanding Contributions to Psychology in the Public Interest. In final stages of his career Taylor served as Vice President of Academic Affairs at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania. Dalmas Taylor died in January 1998 at the age of 64 due to medical conditions. Outline Of Theory/key Issues Psychologists Irwin Altman and Dalmas Taylor first established the Social Penetration Theory in 1973. The theories main objective was to explain how relation closeness develops over time. Altman and Taylor suggested that closeness develops within a relationship through a gradual process of self-disclosure, they believed that this process could occur both consciously and sub-consciously when any kind of relationship is developing. This section of the report will describe the Social Penetration Theory by explaining its key concepts including: The onion analogy Self-disclosure Cost and reward outcomes/ Social Exchange Theory Depenetration and withdrawal The Onion Analogy The Onion analogy can be seen as the most notable aspect of the Social Penetration Theory. The model literally depicts an onion and is used as an analogy by Altman and Taylor to explain the foundations of social penetration. The analogy states that humans consist of layers much like an onion. Each layer reveals more about an individuals personality, the outer layers contain less personal information and the deeper layers consists of the most private details of a persons character. As a result the more layers penetrated the harder it becomes to ‘unlock the next layer. Often the type of relationship will have a heavy impact on the degree of penetration that occurs for example family relationships, personal relationships, same sex friendships and opposite sex friendships may all have different degrees of penetration that take place during a relationship. The penetration of the layers can be associated with two concepts. The first is ‘breadth which refers to the amount of issues and variety of topics being discussed and the second is ‘depth which refers to the degree of intimacy being applied on each topic. Each layer has a level of ‘breath and ‘depth depending on how personal the relationship has become for example friendships may have different levels of ‘breadth and ‘depth compared to a more personal relationship with a partner. Surface Layers The surface layers can be seen as superficial information about an individual such as what they look like, how they dress, their body language and how they talk. Information on the outer layers is given out a lot faster than the inner layers because it is not as personal. The surface layers can often be altered so that an individual can change the appearance they are producing when entering a social situation often for the first time. These changes will usually be things like the way they look and dress or material items such as cars or jewelry. The surface layers help to create a first impression to the outside world and is readily available to anyone who wishes to notice. After the initial surface layer is penetrated information such as their likes and dislikes, favorite movies, musical preferences etc. are revealed as the relationship progresses through the beginning stages. Central Layers The central or middle layers of the Onion Model can be seen as the characteristics of an individuals personality. This includes aspects such as religious beliefs, personal values and what they consider to be right from wrong. The central layers hold more understanding into a persons upbringing and culture. The central layers are usually only penetrable by people who know that individual well. In most cases it is unlikely that common friendship will go beyond the central layers. Inner Layers The inner layer of the Onion model holds a persons most intimate secrets and beliefs. It is the foundation of their personality and their self-concept. This layer can only be penetrated by the people who are closest to individual such as family members or their partner. Even then a persons most inner secrets might only be accessible by the individual them self. The inner layers of the Onion Analogy will heavily influence the central and surface layers because it is the basis of their personality. Self-Disclosure The term self-disclosure refers to the act of revealing details about oneself to others. This process can happen both consciously and sub-consciously depending on the degree of intimacy at any given point throughout the relationship. Personal and intimate details about our personality are usually revealed over time as the relationship becomes more meaningful and important to us. Altman and Taylor believed that the only way a relationship can develop is through a gradual process of self-disclosure. This process is necessary in both romantic relationships and friendships. The act of self-disclosure is one of the main principals in the study of social penetration as well as psychology. Altman and Taylor state that this is the key process that decides if a relationship will succeed or fail particularly if it is a romantic relationship. Altman and Taylors ideas on self-disclosure have sparked many studies on the effects of self-disclosure in both close relationships and common friendships. In 1986 Berg and McQuinn tested self-disclosure by asking couples that had recently started dating to complete a self-disclosure examination. Four months later the couples were then asked to take the same examination. It was found that couples that were still together four months later reported greater self-disclosure at the initial contact then those who had later broken up. T his experiment suggested that the level self-disclosure was not only based on the length of the relationship but also the satisfaction levels of the individuals when they were first getting to know each other (Berg McQuinn.1986). Altman and Taylor believed that the process of self-disclosure allowed for a relationship to develop to a more personal level. By allowing this process to occur penetration can take place through the various layers of the ‘onion (the onion analogy). Altman and Taylor believed that the process of penetrating the inner onion layers is especially important when long-term relationships are developing thus making the process of self-disclosure one of the key concepts of the Social Penetration Theory. Cost And Reward Outcomes/Social Exchange Theory The cost and reward outcomes of the Social Penetration Theory were initially based around the concepts developed from Social Exchange Theory. Psychologists John Thibaut and Harold Kelly were seen as the main developers of the Social Exchange Theory in 1959. The Theory is based on a model of cost and reward outcomes of relationships (both friendships and personal relationships) and states that people develop relationships based on whether or not they will profit in the long run. Thibault and Kelly claim that based on the equation: profits = Rewards – Costs, people will continue being in a relationship if the profit or outcome is in their favour. The idea of costs and rewards is analysed in the theory by using the concept of ‘Comparison levels. This concept suggests that people have a general idea of what they expect or what they deserve to get out of any particular relationship whether its a personal relationship or friendship, this is your known as your ‘comparison level. For example in a personal long-term relationship the individual might expect high levels of trust, love and commitment. If the relationship has just started however they may expect lower levels of privacy, sexual activity and deep communication. When the rewards and profits out way this comparison level the satisfactory level of the relationship will increase for that particular individual. ‘Comparison levels for alternatives ‘refers to the suggestion that people will compare the rewards they are getting out of their current relationship with rewards and profits they could get out of an alternative relationship. For example an individual may feel that they are getting the maximum profits out of their current relationship therefore they are likely to stay with their current partner. If however they feel the relationship has more costs than rewards they are likely to leave that relationship to find a more profitable relationship (DeVito, J. 2004). Altman and Taylors Social Penetration Theory relies on this same method of cost and reward outcomes to determine the path of a relationship. Depenetration And Withdrawal Although the Social Penetration Theory examines how a relationship develops it also acknowledges and describes the ways in which depenetration and withdrawal can occur. This occurs when the relationship begins to deteriorate either because of a falling out or simply because the individuals begin to grow apart. The first stage of deterioration is usually ‘intrapersonal dissatisfaction, this occurs when everyday life with the individual seems to be less and less eventful or for filling. If this dissatisfaction continues then the relationship will proceed to the next stage of deterioration. This stage is known as ‘Interpersonal deterioration, this stage involves growing further and further apart and spending less free time with that individual then they would have at previous points in the relationship. The process of withdrawal or depenetration occurs when one or more of the individuals begin to close of areas of their lives that had once been open in the earlier stages of the relationship. As a result the ‘breadth and ‘depth which once made the relationship more intimate and personal will now begin to reverse. This process can be seen as taking back what has already been used to build the foundations of the relationship, if the foundations are no longer apparent then the relationship becomes unstable. Altman and Taylor have compared this stage of depenetration to watching a movie in reverse (Griffin,EM 2006), in other words everything that has been put into the relationship will now begin to be withdrawn to some extent. A decline in self-disclosure will also be apparent because of the fact there is now less communication and social activities taking place. If there is a decline in self-disclosure levels then the relationship will no longer move forward. The absence of self-disclosure can often be due to a number of contributing factors including; one or more of the individuals no longer feeling comfortable to communicate with the other on a personal level, they are no longer trust worthy or they are simply not worth the effort. The depenetration and deterioration of a relationship rarely ends in a sudden burst of realisation but rather a gradual process of withdrawal due to lack of enjoyment and intimacy levels in the relationship. Application Of Theory The process of social penetration is solely based on communication and social interaction. As a result this theory is put into practice every day in a variety of situations from common greetings to a work mate to a personal conversation with a family member. Different social interactions will involve different levels of self-disclosure and communication. To illustrate how the theory affects people in everyday life an experiment was found to describe the effects of social penetration and self-disclosure in common relationships including friendships and romantic relationships. This experiment was done by Mie Kito from the California State University as part of her undergraduate honors program in 2003. The experiment gained her an award for research and creativity and was presented at the 83rd annual Western physiological Association Convention in Vancouver in May 2003. The purpose of the experiment was to examine different levels of self-disclosure among American and Japanese college students. She examined students that were involved in romantic relationships, companionate relationships and same sex and opposite sex friendships to find out if both cultural background and relationship types played a major role in the level of self-disclosure that was applied in everyday situations. To gain an accurate sample she found a selection of 145 college students, 64 of the students were American and 81 were Japanese. The purpose and aim of the survey was not disclosed to the participants and the information they provided was confidential and no names were obtained t o ensure the participants remained anonymous. The methods and procedures she used where as follows: Three standardized methods were used within the survey gain an accurate sample. These methods were the self-disclosure index (Miller. Berg. Archer.1983), the Passionate love scale (Hatfield Spencer. 1986) and the companionate love scale (Hatfield. 1986). The self-disclosure index is a target specific tool that can be used to measure self-disclosure among certain groups. The main differences between the companionate love scale and the passionate love scale is that passionate love refers to the feeling of unity with another individual who is not currently present where as companionate love refers to the bond between someone who is already heavily involved within an individuals life. When answering questions about passionate relationships the participants were asked to think of their current partner, if they did not currently have a partner then they were asked to think of the last partner that they shared deep feelings for. If the questions involved any friendships they were then ask ed to think of their closest friendship with either a same sex friend or opposite sex friend depending on the required relationship type for that question. The self-disclosure index included 10 questions of personal information including personal habits, things that the participant wouldnt do in public and their personal feelings on certain issues. Each relationship type was modified to relate to the available answers that could be chosen by the participant. For example one of the questions for the self-disclosure index for a Passionate love relationship was, â€Å"I am willing to talk about my deepest feelings on a personal issue with the person I am romantically involved with† and another question for self-disclosure in a same sex friendship was â€Å"Im willing to talk about my deepest feelings on a personal issue with a same sex friend†, She then provided the participants with scale of answers to choose from ran

Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s The Runaway Slave at Pilgrim’s Point and A

Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s â€Å"The Runaway Slave at Pilgrim’s Point" and "A Castaway" In the early Victorian period, a number of poems were composed which served to highlight a specific troubled spot in society. The poets often wrote for human rights groups and the like in order to convey a message to those members of society who could make a difference, namely, the educated white men. Among these poems is Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s â€Å"The Runaway Slave at Pilgrim’s Point.† This piece deals with a female slave who has killed her newborn son and fled to Pilgrim’s Point, where she speaks of her feelings leading up to the present moment. Another poem, which can be placed in comparison to Browning’s, is Augusta Webster’s â€Å"A Castaway,† a dramatic monologue of a prostitute who struggles to justify her lifestyle both to herself and to her reader. In each of these works, the female speaker has acted in a morally questionable manner that initially appears condemnable. However, the issue is not clearly defined; many q uestions arise as to the motives behind and the circumstances surrounding each woman’s behavior. Do the choices made assert the freedom of each woman? That is to say, is the woman to be held entirely accountable for her actions based on the idea that she has freely chosen to carry them out? Upon careful reading of the two poems in question, the answer becomes much clearer. The choices made by the castaway and the runaway slave are in reality not the uninhibited decisions they at first appear. Restricted on all sides by their respective society’s powerful men, each woman faces very limited options. In each of the poems, the idea of choice (and subsequently, the question of its validity) emerges in the areas of materna... ...both â€Å"The Runaway Slave at Pilgrim’s Point† and â€Å"A Castaway,† the women make choices based on only a few limited options, which can be seen in their approaches to maternity, God, and freedom. Generally speaking, each woman is held accountable for her actions, but the issues have actually stemmed from larger scale problems. Even the castaway, a white woman, has no real freedom in deciding how to live her life. She chooses prostitution out of a need to support herself while still maintaining individuality. As for the runaway slave, she has run away seeking freedom, but finds none and will be killed for her insolence. Many of the factors leading to each woman’s decisions are based on the outside influences of her world. Therefore, neither woman can be entirely blamed for the bad choices she has made; she could not choose better because a better choice does not exist.

The Red Badge of Courage Essay -- English Literature Essays

The Red Badge of Courage The Red Badge of Courage, by Steven Crane, has been considered one of the greatest war novels of all time. It is a story that realistically depicts the American Civil War through the eyes of Henry Fleming, an ordinary farm boy who decides to become a soldier. Henry is very determined to become a hero, and the story tells Henrys voyage from being a young coward to becoming a brave man. This voyage is the classic trip from innocence to experience. To begin, the story starts out with a huge debate between the soldiers. One boy had heard a rumor that the regiment would be moving on to fight a battle the next day. Some of the soldiers agree with this boy. Others think that their regiment will never go into a real battle. While watching this argument, Henry, the protagonist, decides that he would rather go lay down and think rather then take part in the heated argument between the soldiers. Henry, a simple farm boy, is rather excited when he hears the rumor that they will be fighting soon. It had always been a dream of his to fight in a war, and become a hero. Now his dream was coming true. Henry begins to think about what life was like before he entered the army, and remembers some stories of war he has heard from old veterans. This flashback is very effective in showing how his previous experiences have affected his thoughts on war now. It is very clear that he is afraid that he will not be able to withstand the pressures of a war. He keeps telling himself that if he wants to become a hero and realizes he can not run away. He must stick out the battle with the rest of his fellow soldiers. While marching along, Henry sees the first corpse he has ever seen. He shows sorry for the m an because the dead man had died in such poor conditions. The souls of his shoes were worn bare. When Henry sees the corpse, he begins to wonder if his generals actually know what they are doing. He thinks that the generals are leading him right into a trap and right into the middle of the enemy, the rebels. Henry deals with his fear of battle by acting calm and confident. He acts as if he has been in a thousand battles, and complains about the walking. It shows one of Henry’s defense mechanisms and how he can use his arrogance to hide his innocence. Regiment 304 moves on to battle the next day. Henry is getting very scared, but is too ... ...hey are going to be fighting is going to be very tough, and the general is looking for spare regiment. The leader feels that there is no way Regiment 304 will survive the battle alone, and calls the soldiers ‘mule drivers’, thinking that they are slow, and rather stupid. When Henry and Tom hear this, they are very upset. They are determined to fight as hard as they can, and with all their heart and souls. Henry and Tom prove themselves well in the battle. They steal the confederate flag, and are both brave enough to go out on the field without weapons. After the regiment retreats, the general recognizes both soldiers as extremely brave, and comment that they are fit to be generals themselves. This final action is what finalizes the movement from innocence to experience for Henry and Tom. They went into the war as little boys, and now they are moving on as men. They have both earned their red badges of courage, as well as the hero status they had dreamed of obtaining forever. In conclusion, The Red Badge of Courage is a great novel and I hope you will take the time to read it. But, if The Red Badge of Courage is not for you, Steven Crane has many more great novels

Advantages and Disadvantages of Genetic Engineering Essay

Genetic Engineering: Advantages and Disadvantages essay. During the latter stage stages of the 20th century, man harnessed the power of the atom, and not long after, soon realised the power of genes. Genetic engineering is going to become a very mainstream part of our lives sooner or later, because there are so many possibilities advantages (and disadvantages) involved. Here are just some of the advantages :Disease could be prevented by detecting people/plants/animals that are genetically prone to certain hereditary diseases, and preparing for the inevitable. Also, infectious diseases can be treated by implanting genes that code for antiviral proteins specific to each antigen.Animals and plants can be ‘tailor made' to show desirable characteristics. Genes could also be manipulated in trees for example, to absorb more CO2 and reduce the threat of global warming.Genetic Engineering could increase genetic diversity, and produce more variant alleles which could also be crossed over and implanted into other species. It is possible to alter the genetics of wheat plants to grow insulin for example. Of course there are two sides to the coin, here are some possible eventualities and disadvantages.Nature is an extremely complex inter-related chain consisting of many species linked in the food chain. Some scientists believe that introducing genetically m odified genes may have an irreversible effect with consequences yet unknown.Genetic engineering borderlines on many moral issues, particularly involving religion, which questions whether man has the right to manipulate the laws and course of nature. Genetic engineering may be one of the greatest breakthroughs in recent istory alongside the discovery of the atom and space flight, however, with the above eventualities and facts above in hand, governments have produced legislation to control what sort of experiments are done involving genetic engineering. In the UK there are strict laws prohibiting any experiments involving the cloning of humans. However, over the years here are some of the experimental ‘breakthroughs' made possible by genetic engineering.At the Roslin Institute in Scotland, scientists successfully cloned an exact copy of a sheep, named ‘Dolly'. This was the first successful cloning of an animal, and most likely the first occurrence of two organisms being g enetically identical. Note : Recently the sheep's health has deteriorated detrimentallyScientists successfully manipulated the genetic sequence of a rat to grow a human ear on its back. (Unusual, but for the purpose of reproducing human organs for medical purposes)Most controversially, and maybe due Essay topic: advantages and disadvantages of genetic engineering. Discuss The development of genetic engineering has increased notably in the last few years.Some people support the investment in this field whereas others are against to. In this essay I shall delve into both sides before forming an opinion. Genetic engineering is the process of manipulating the genes of an organism. People supporting it use argue that for instance farmers could have crops more resistant to insects and diseases, and many genetically modified crops can grow faster. These advantages can be extremely positive for food production in developing nations where people starve. Faster growing cereals, fruits and veg etables would mean more profit.Moreover, some medicines and vaccines are obtained throw genetic engineering process. An important breakthrough that genetic engineering can bring to society is that some inherited diseases would no longer exist. Some genes can be modified before a baby is born improving its life expectancy. It could be said then that genetic engineering might cure some diseases. However there are ethical concerns about it use. Some ecologists warn about the disaster consequences to the Earth. They say that genetically modified crops can affect seriously whole ecosystems as the food chain can be broken if crops are more resistant to predators.Furthermore, some people are strongly against to human genetic engineering as parents might want to choose their children's characteristics. They support this argument saying that it would be unnatural and in some religions would be unacceptable. Society an human evolution would change completely. To sum up, both sides have strong arguments to support their opinions. As far as my opinion is concerned genetic engineering can bring to humans longer and healthier lives. However there is a thin line between what is ethical and what not What are the disadvantages of genetic engineering?* 5 years ago Best Answer  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Chosen by Voters 1. probably it would be costly 2. a single mistake has devastating repercussions 3. it borders on the issue of ethics and morality 4. an increasing demand for genetic modification which effetively increases discontentment for the self or for the original genetic configuration of an organism 5. prospect of creating new species might create natural imbalances especially on the habitats and feeding habits of other animals (by creating a new species, competition might arise, or it might be a predator to a prey who are already endangered, or for its own survival, it might need to destroy the habitats of others) 6. nexpected but undetected mutations can generally alter the future in unpleasant ways. What are the advantages and disadvantages of genetic engineering?Answer: advantages:1. Disease could be prevented by detecting people/plants/animals that are genetically prone to certain hereditary diseases, and preparing for the inevitable. Also, infectious diseases can be treated by implanting genes that code for antiviral proteins specific to each antigen.2. Another of genetic engineering is that diseases could be prevented by detecting people that are genetically prone to certain hereditary diseases, and preparing for he inevitable. As well as preventing disease, with genetic engineering infectious diseases can be treated by implanting genes that code for antiviral proteins specific to each antigen3. Animals and plants can be ‘tailor made' to show desirable characteristics. Genes could also be manipulated in trees for example, to absorb more CO2 and reduce the threat of global warming.4. Genetic Engineering could increase genetic diversity, and produce mor e variant alleles which could also be crossed over and implanted into other species. It is possible to alter the genetics of wheat plants to grow insulin for example.5. Another advantage of genetic engineering is that animals and plants can be made to have desirable characteristics which could help solve some of the world's problems. For example in trees, genes could be manipulated to absorb more carbon dioxide. This would help reduce global warming, and thus solve one of the biggest problems earth faces.Disadvantages:1. Nature is an extremely complex inter-related chain consisting of many species linked in the food chain. Some scientists believe that introducing genetically modified genes may have an irreversible effect with consequences yet unknown.2.Genetic engineering borderlines on many moral issues, particularly involving religion, which questions whether man has the right to manipulate the laws and course of nature.3. Another reason why people think that using genetically mod ified crops and plants is a disadvantage is that they think it will increase our reliance on pesticides, which have a harmful effect on the environment.4. Another disadvantage of Genetic Engineering is Genetic engineering borderlines on many moral issues, particularly involving religion, which questions whether man has the right to manipulate the laws and course of nature. Also it brings into question Darwin's theory of â€Å"the survival of the fittest†, if this theory has worked over the last 20 centuries , why change it? †¦ experimental ‘breakthroughs' made possible by genetic engineering.1. At the Roslin Institute in Scotland, scientists successfully cloned an exact copy of a sheep, named ‘Dolly'. This was the first successful cloning of an animal, and most likely the first occurrence of two organisms being genetically identical. Note : Recently the sheep's health has deteriorated detrimentally2. Scientists successfully manipulated the genetic sequence of a rat to grow a human ear on its back. Unusual, but for the purpose of reproducing human organs for medical purposes)   Most controversially, and maybe due to more liberal laws, an American scientist is currently conducting tests to clone himself. Genetic Engineering Advantages ; Disadvantages During the latter stage stages of the 20th century, man harnessed the power of the atom, and not long after, soon realised the power of genes. Genetic engineering is going to become a very mainstream part of our lives sooner or later, because there are so many possibilities advantages (and disadvantages) involved.Here are just some of the advantages :* Disease could be prevented by detecting people/plants/animals that are genetically prone to certain  hereditary  diseases, and preparing for the inevitable. Also, infectious diseases can be treated by implanting genes that code for antiviral proteins specific to each antigen.* Animals and plants can be ‘tailor made' to show desirabl e characteristics. Genes could also be manipulated in trees for example, to absorb more CO2  and reduce the threat of global warming. Genetic Engineering could increase genetic diversity, and produce more variant alleles which could also be crossed over and implanted into other species. It is possible to alter the genetics of wheat plants to grow insulin for example. Of course there are two sides to the coin, here are some possible eventualities and disadvantages.* Nature is an extremely complex inter-related chain consisting of many species linked in the food chain. Some scientists believe that introducing genetically modified genes may have an irreversible effect with consequences yet  unknown. Genetic engineering borderlines on many moral issues, particularly involving religion, which questions whether man has the right to manipulate the laws and course of nature. Genetic engineering may be one of the greatest breakthroughs in recent history alongside the discovery of the ato m and space flight, however, with the above eventualities and facts above in hand, governments have produced legislation to control what sort of experiments are done involving genetic engineering. In the UK there are strict laws prohibiting any experiments involving the cloning of humans. However, over the years here are some of the experimental ‘breakthroughs' made possible by genetic engineering.* At the Roslin Institute in Scotland, scientists successfully cloned an exact copy of a sheep, named ‘Dolly'. This was the first successful cloning of an animal, and most likely the first occurrence of two organisms being genetically identical.Note : Recently the sheep's health has deteriorated detrimentally* Scientists successfully manipulated the genetic sequence of a rat to grow a human ear on its back. Unusual, but for the purpose of reproducing human organs for medical purposes)* Most controversially, and maybe due to more liberal laws, an American scientist is currently conducting tests to clone himself. Genetic engineering has been impossible until recent times due to the complex and microscopic nature of DNA and its component nucleotides. Through progressive studies, more and more in this area is being made possible, with the above examples only showing some of the potential that genetic engineering shows. For us to understand chromosomes and DNA more clearly, they can be mapped for future reference.More simplistic organisms such as fruit fly (Drosophila) have been chromosome mapped due to their simplistic nature meaning they will require less genes to operate. At present, a task named the Human Genome Project is mapping the human genome, and should be completed in the next ten years. The process of genetic engineering involves splicing an area of a chromosome, a gene, that controls a certain characteristic of the body. The enzyme endonuclease is used to split a DNA sequence and split the gene from the rest of the chromosome. For example, this ge ne may be programmed to produce an antiviral protein.This gene is removed and can be placed into another organism. For example, it can be placed into a bacteria, where it is sealed into the DNA chain using ligase. When the chromosome is once again sealed, the bacteria is now effectively re-programmed to replicate this new antiviral protein. The bacteria can continue to live a healthy life, though genetic engineering and human intervention has actively manipulated what the bacteria actually is. No doubt there are advantages and disadvantages, and this whole subject area will become more prominent over time.The next page returns the more natural circumstances of genetic diversity. Genetic Engineering in Humans Science is a fascinating subject with unthinkable power. Man, the greatest creation of God and a scientific marvel, has developed the ability to genetically modify and create ‘near perfect' life. The term genetic engineering was first used in Dragon's Island, a science fic tion novel by Jack Williamson in 1951. With the discovery of ‘Deoxyribonucleic Acid' or mitochondrial DNA by James Watson and Francis Crick, this fictional plot started to turn into a reality.Watson and Crick, with their experiments, could prove that DNA was the genetic material that was transferred generation to generation, with genetic information. This genetic information determined all the characteristics of a living being. The tiny, microscopic DNA contained all the genetic information related to the person, like the color of the eyes, the hair, skin tone, height, weight, IQ, EQ, diseases, disorders, etc. and even be able to determine a smile or the shape of nose. This blueprint of life is the most important ingredient of genetic engineering.Genetic engineering is carried out using five steps, that are: Gene of interest is isolated Transfer vector is inserted into the genes The vector is transferred into the organism that is to be modified The cells of an organism are tra nsformed The last step involves selection of successfully genetically modified organisms (GMO) from those who have failed to be modified. This biotechnology was first applied to produce synthetic human insulin. This technology was gradually used to apply to a number of vaccines and drugs, that would prove to be beneficial to the human race.It was applied to plants to produce genetically modified foods, with higher resistance to infections and high nutritional values. With the advancement in technologies and major breakthroughs in genetic engineering, more and more scientists working for private and government companies are spending time experimenting with the human genes. The completion of the Human Genome Project, in 2006, has given a major opening to medical companies, to carry out experiments and genetic tests using genetic engineering.ADVANTAGES of Human Genetic EngineeringIt could help prevent life-threatening and incurable diseases like cancer, Alzheimer's disease, even HIV/AI DS. There are cases like cardiomyopathy or susceptibility to viruses, that can be overcome with the help of this technology. Better drugs could be produced that are disease or gene specific and attack the specific genetic mutation in an individual, to help over come a disease or disorder. Many people want to live a longer, healthier life or are just afraid of death. Such people with a love of life, can place their bets on it to help them live longer.It is possible to increase the average life span of an individual to 100-150 years. And not just a longer life, but a healthy, long life, free from diseases and disorders. Although this may take a bit longer to achieve, but is does not seem impossible any longer. Women have a craze to look young and maintain their beauty for all eternity. The benefits may make it possible to slow down or reverse certain cellular metabolism, that may be able fulfill this desire to remain ‘forever young' for many dreamers in the near future. You may have heard of designer clothes, designer bags, designer shoes and even a designer nose.But have you heard of designer babies? Yes, designer babies are possible to be produced with its help in humans. Parents can choose the characteristics of their babies, like blond with blue eyes, high IQ, fair skin, etc. It may even be possible to choose the talent in your favorite idol to be manufactured (pun intended! ) in your baby, for example, a singer like Elvis Presley or maybe a great dancer like Michael Jackson. No, I am not joking, this is all possible with a bit of genetic engineering, within the blueprint of life – DNA.One could even try to create super-humans by incorporating specific features of certain animals. For example, one could have super-sharp vision like the hawk or could outrun a cheetah. One could create a ‘Superman' like human who is indestructible. Do you remember ‘Dolly Sheep'? This was a genetically modified, cloned sheep that is now dead for over 6 years. This world-famous sheep was cloned using the cell from the mammary gland of another sheep. Cloning, its another aspect can also be possible. There are many ethical issues of cloning and it is considered illegal by many governments around the world.It is a crime to clone humans now, but may be in our quest to produce the perfect beings, cloning will soon become a part of life. These are a few advantages of genetic engineering in humans. But as every coin has two sides, there are many disadvantages that cannot be overlooked. Disadvantages of Human Genetic Engineering Under the pretext of producing a cure for diseases and hereditary disorders, many researchers carry out experiments on genetically modifying humans. It can prove to be a bane if: In the pursuit of producing babies without any genetic defects or hereditary disorders, we may end up producing super humans.Just as the example I mentioned in the beginning of my article, we may have a line of humans that may spell doom t o those who are not genetically modified. Smarter humans means, larger brains, that may lead to babies with larger heads that have trouble passing through the birth canal of their mothers. This may cause trouble during birth and a rise in cesarean. Long life could lead to population problems. There may be stress on the natural resources and less living space. Although, you may live free of diseases, you may have a fight for survival for securing the basic necessities.Just like in the movie Gattaca, there may be a division between genetically engineered humans and those that are normal (just imagine, begin normal may prove to be curse in the future! ). People will no longer be discriminated on the basis of race, religion or creed, but actually on their genes! Human cloning may create problems of copies of men moving about freely around the world. If your clone turns out to be the one with a criminal streak, you may end up in jail for a crime committed by your clone. It is possible, i f you can't prove your innocence. Imagine someone else taking over your life, family, work, etc!The problem faced by many developing countries today, is female infanticide. It may help stop this cruel and barbaric custom of killing the innocent girl child. You may think this is an advantage, I say otherwise. It may help such narrow-minded, biased parents to actually choose the gender of the child. Therefore, more parents opting for a male child over a girl child. Thus, directly bringing an end to girl child killing as there will be no birth of the girl child! The idea of ‘Superman' may seem tantalizing, but its consequences may be very dangerous.Imagine a person who is virtually indestructible, may carry out crimes and becomes a danger to mankind. I can go on and on regarding the benefits of genetic engineering in humans, like end of hunger, no disease, cure for all ailments, long life, ageless beauty, super intelligent humans, etc. But, one should always give a second thought to all the disadvantages listed. It is often said, man should not attempt to ‘play God'. That's correct, but if God has bestowed us the power to make some beneficial changes to his creations, then we should surely do so wisely.Genetic engineers have turned into modern-day alchemists, who are searching for the ultimate elixir of life, to produce the genetically modified, perfect human. This precious knowledge is being exploited by greedy men, who are using it just to earn more money. Nothing is bad if exploited within limits. When we harness our present, we should keep in mind all the possible effects it will have on our future. We may not be alive to view the beauty and the ugliness of the future, but our beloved children may be facing the consequences. Advantages and Disadvantages of Genetic Engineering Essay Genetic Engineering: Advantages and Disadvantages essay. During the latter stage stages of the 20th century, man harnessed the power of the atom, and not long after, soon realised the power of genes. Genetic engineering is going to become a very mainstream part of our lives sooner or later, because there are so many possibilities advantages (and disadvantages) involved. Here are just some of the advantages :Disease could be prevented by detecting people/plants/animals that are genetically prone to certain hereditary diseases, and preparing for the inevitable. Also, infectious diseases can be treated by implanting genes that code for antiviral proteins specific to each antigen.Animals and plants can be ‘tailor made' to show desirable characteristics. Genes could also be manipulated in trees for example, to absorb more CO2 and reduce the threat of global warming.Genetic Engineering could increase genetic diversity, and produce more variant alleles which could also be crossed over and implanted into other species. It is possible to alter the genetics of wheat plants to grow insulin for example. Of course there are two sides to the coin, here are some possible eventualities and disadvantages.Nature is an extremely complex inter-related chain consisting of many species linked in the food chain. Some scientists believe that introducing genetically m odified genes may have an irreversible effect with consequences yet unknown.Genetic engineering borderlines on many moral issues, particularly involving religion, which questions whether man has the right to manipulate the laws and course of nature. Genetic engineering may be one of the greatest breakthroughs in recent istory alongside the discovery of the atom and space flight, however, with the above eventualities and facts above in hand, governments have produced legislation to control what sort of experiments are done involving genetic engineering. In the UK there are strict laws prohibiting any experiments involving the cloning of humans. However, over the years here are some of the experimental ‘breakthroughs' made possible by genetic engineering.At the Roslin Institute in Scotland, scientists successfully cloned an exact copy of a sheep, named ‘Dolly'. This was the first successful cloning of an animal, and most likely the first occurrence of two organisms being g enetically identical. Note : Recently the sheep's health has deteriorated detrimentallyScientists successfully manipulated the genetic sequence of a rat to grow a human ear on its back. (Unusual, but for the purpose of reproducing human organs for medical purposes)Most controversially, and maybe due Essay topic: advantages and disadvantages of genetic engineering. Discuss The development of genetic engineering has increased notably in the last few years.Some people support the investment in this field whereas others are against to. In this essay I shall delve into both sides before forming an opinion. Genetic engineering is the process of manipulating the genes of an organism. People supporting it use argue that for instance farmers could have crops more resistant to insects and diseases, and many genetically modified crops can grow faster. These advantages can be extremely positive for food production in developing nations where people starve. Faster growing cereals, fruits and veg etables would mean more profit.Moreover, some medicines and vaccines are obtained throw genetic engineering process. An important breakthrough that genetic engineering can bring to society is that some inherited diseases would no longer exist. Some genes can be modified before a baby is born improving its life expectancy. It could be said then that genetic engineering might cure some diseases. However there are ethical concerns about it use. Some ecologists warn about the disaster consequences to the Earth. They say that genetically modified crops can affect seriously whole ecosystems as the food chain can be broken if crops are more resistant to predators.Furthermore, some people are strongly against to human genetic engineering as parents might want to choose their children's characteristics. They support this argument saying that it would be unnatural and in some religions would be unacceptable. Society an human evolution would change completely. To sum up, both sides have strong arguments to support their opinions. As far as my opinion is concerned genetic engineering can bring to humans longer and healthier lives. However there is a thin line between what is ethical and what not What are the disadvantages of genetic engineering?* 5 years ago Best Answer  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Chosen by Voters 1. probably it would be costly 2. a single mistake has devastating repercussions 3. it borders on the issue of ethics and morality 4. an increasing demand for genetic modification which effetively increases discontentment for the self or for the original genetic configuration of an organism 5. prospect of creating new species might create natural imbalances especially on the habitats and feeding habits of other animals (by creating a new species, competition might arise, or it might be a predator to a prey who are already endangered, or for its own survival, it might need to destroy the habitats of others) 6. nexpected but undetected mutations can generally alter the future in unpleasant ways. What are the advantages and disadvantages of genetic engineering?Answer: advantages:1. Disease could be prevented by detecting people/plants/animals that are genetically prone to certain hereditary diseases, and preparing for the inevitable. Also, infectious diseases can be treated by implanting genes that code for antiviral proteins specific to each antigen.2. Another of genetic engineering is that diseases could be prevented by detecting people that are genetically prone to certain hereditary diseases, and preparing for he inevitable. As well as preventing disease, with genetic engineering infectious diseases can be treated by implanting genes that code for antiviral proteins specific to each antigen3. Animals and plants can be ‘tailor made' to show desirable characteristics. Genes could also be manipulated in trees for example, to absorb more CO2 and reduce the threat of global warming.4. Genetic Engineering could increase genetic diversity, and produce mor e variant alleles which could also be crossed over and implanted into other species. It is possible to alter the genetics of wheat plants to grow insulin for example.5. Another advantage of genetic engineering is that animals and plants can be made to have desirable characteristics which could help solve some of the world's problems. For example in trees, genes could be manipulated to absorb more carbon dioxide. This would help reduce global warming, and thus solve one of the biggest problems earth faces.Disadvantages:1. Nature is an extremely complex inter-related chain consisting of many species linked in the food chain. Some scientists believe that introducing genetically modified genes may have an irreversible effect with consequences yet unknown.2.Genetic engineering borderlines on many moral issues, particularly involving religion, which questions whether man has the right to manipulate the laws and course of nature.3. Another reason why people think that using genetically mod ified crops and plants is a disadvantage is that they think it will increase our reliance on pesticides, which have a harmful effect on the environment.4. Another disadvantage of Genetic Engineering is Genetic engineering borderlines on many moral issues, particularly involving religion, which questions whether man has the right to manipulate the laws and course of nature. Also it brings into question Darwin's theory of â€Å"the survival of the fittest†, if this theory has worked over the last 20 centuries , why change it? †¦ experimental ‘breakthroughs' made possible by genetic engineering.1. At the Roslin Institute in Scotland, scientists successfully cloned an exact copy of a sheep, named ‘Dolly'. This was the first successful cloning of an animal, and most likely the first occurrence of two organisms being genetically identical. Note : Recently the sheep's health has deteriorated detrimentally2. Scientists successfully manipulated the genetic sequence of a rat to grow a human ear on its back. Unusual, but for the purpose of reproducing human organs for medical purposes)   Most controversially, and maybe due to more liberal laws, an American scientist is currently conducting tests to clone himself. Genetic Engineering Advantages ; Disadvantages During the latter stage stages of the 20th century, man harnessed the power of the atom, and not long after, soon realised the power of genes. Genetic engineering is going to become a very mainstream part of our lives sooner or later, because there are so many possibilities advantages (and disadvantages) involved.Here are just some of the advantages :* Disease could be prevented by detecting people/plants/animals that are genetically prone to certain  hereditary  diseases, and preparing for the inevitable. Also, infectious diseases can be treated by implanting genes that code for antiviral proteins specific to each antigen.* Animals and plants can be ‘tailor made' to show desirabl e characteristics. Genes could also be manipulated in trees for example, to absorb more CO2  and reduce the threat of global warming. Genetic Engineering could increase genetic diversity, and produce more variant alleles which could also be crossed over and implanted into other species. It is possible to alter the genetics of wheat plants to grow insulin for example. Of course there are two sides to the coin, here are some possible eventualities and disadvantages.* Nature is an extremely complex inter-related chain consisting of many species linked in the food chain. Some scientists believe that introducing genetically modified genes may have an irreversible effect with consequences yet  unknown. Genetic engineering borderlines on many moral issues, particularly involving religion, which questions whether man has the right to manipulate the laws and course of nature. Genetic engineering may be one of the greatest breakthroughs in recent history alongside the discovery of the ato m and space flight, however, with the above eventualities and facts above in hand, governments have produced legislation to control what sort of experiments are done involving genetic engineering. In the UK there are strict laws prohibiting any experiments involving the cloning of humans. However, over the years here are some of the experimental ‘breakthroughs' made possible by genetic engineering.* At the Roslin Institute in Scotland, scientists successfully cloned an exact copy of a sheep, named ‘Dolly'. This was the first successful cloning of an animal, and most likely the first occurrence of two organisms being genetically identical.Note : Recently the sheep's health has deteriorated detrimentally* Scientists successfully manipulated the genetic sequence of a rat to grow a human ear on its back. Unusual, but for the purpose of reproducing human organs for medical purposes)* Most controversially, and maybe due to more liberal laws, an American scientist is currently conducting tests to clone himself. Genetic engineering has been impossible until recent times due to the complex and microscopic nature of DNA and its component nucleotides. Through progressive studies, more and more in this area is being made possible, with the above examples only showing some of the potential that genetic engineering shows. For us to understand chromosomes and DNA more clearly, they can be mapped for future reference.More simplistic organisms such as fruit fly (Drosophila) have been chromosome mapped due to their simplistic nature meaning they will require less genes to operate. At present, a task named the Human Genome Project is mapping the human genome, and should be completed in the next ten years. The process of genetic engineering involves splicing an area of a chromosome, a gene, that controls a certain characteristic of the body. The enzyme endonuclease is used to split a DNA sequence and split the gene from the rest of the chromosome. For example, this ge ne may be programmed to produce an antiviral protein.This gene is removed and can be placed into another organism. For example, it can be placed into a bacteria, where it is sealed into the DNA chain using ligase. When the chromosome is once again sealed, the bacteria is now effectively re-programmed to replicate this new antiviral protein. The bacteria can continue to live a healthy life, though genetic engineering and human intervention has actively manipulated what the bacteria actually is. No doubt there are advantages and disadvantages, and this whole subject area will become more prominent over time.The next page returns the more natural circumstances of genetic diversity. Genetic Engineering in Humans Science is a fascinating subject with unthinkable power. Man, the greatest creation of God and a scientific marvel, has developed the ability to genetically modify and create ‘near perfect' life. The term genetic engineering was first used in Dragon's Island, a science fic tion novel by Jack Williamson in 1951. With the discovery of ‘Deoxyribonucleic Acid' or mitochondrial DNA by James Watson and Francis Crick, this fictional plot started to turn into a reality.Watson and Crick, with their experiments, could prove that DNA was the genetic material that was transferred generation to generation, with genetic information. This genetic information determined all the characteristics of a living being. The tiny, microscopic DNA contained all the genetic information related to the person, like the color of the eyes, the hair, skin tone, height, weight, IQ, EQ, diseases, disorders, etc. and even be able to determine a smile or the shape of nose. This blueprint of life is the most important ingredient of genetic engineering.Genetic engineering is carried out using five steps, that are: Gene of interest is isolated Transfer vector is inserted into the genes The vector is transferred into the organism that is to be modified The cells of an organism are tra nsformed The last step involves selection of successfully genetically modified organisms (GMO) from those who have failed to be modified. This biotechnology was first applied to produce synthetic human insulin. This technology was gradually used to apply to a number of vaccines and drugs, that would prove to be beneficial to the human race.It was applied to plants to produce genetically modified foods, with higher resistance to infections and high nutritional values. With the advancement in technologies and major breakthroughs in genetic engineering, more and more scientists working for private and government companies are spending time experimenting with the human genes. The completion of the Human Genome Project, in 2006, has given a major opening to medical companies, to carry out experiments and genetic tests using genetic engineering.ADVANTAGES of Human Genetic EngineeringIt could help prevent life-threatening and incurable diseases like cancer, Alzheimer's disease, even HIV/AI DS. There are cases like cardiomyopathy or susceptibility to viruses, that can be overcome with the help of this technology. Better drugs could be produced that are disease or gene specific and attack the specific genetic mutation in an individual, to help over come a disease or disorder. Many people want to live a longer, healthier life or are just afraid of death. Such people with a love of life, can place their bets on it to help them live longer.It is possible to increase the average life span of an individual to 100-150 years. And not just a longer life, but a healthy, long life, free from diseases and disorders. Although this may take a bit longer to achieve, but is does not seem impossible any longer. Women have a craze to look young and maintain their beauty for all eternity. The benefits may make it possible to slow down or reverse certain cellular metabolism, that may be able fulfill this desire to remain ‘forever young' for many dreamers in the near future. You may have heard of designer clothes, designer bags, designer shoes and even a designer nose.But have you heard of designer babies? Yes, designer babies are possible to be produced with its help in humans. Parents can choose the characteristics of their babies, like blond with blue eyes, high IQ, fair skin, etc. It may even be possible to choose the talent in your favorite idol to be manufactured (pun intended! ) in your baby, for example, a singer like Elvis Presley or maybe a great dancer like Michael Jackson. No, I am not joking, this is all possible with a bit of genetic engineering, within the blueprint of life – DNA.One could even try to create super-humans by incorporating specific features of certain animals. For example, one could have super-sharp vision like the hawk or could outrun a cheetah. One could create a ‘Superman' like human who is indestructible. Do you remember ‘Dolly Sheep'? This was a genetically modified, cloned sheep that is now dead for over 6 years. This world-famous sheep was cloned using the cell from the mammary gland of another sheep. Cloning, its another aspect can also be possible. There are many ethical issues of cloning and it is considered illegal by many governments around the world.It is a crime to clone humans now, but may be in our quest to produce the perfect beings, cloning will soon become a part of life. These are a few advantages of genetic engineering in humans. But as every coin has two sides, there are many disadvantages that cannot be overlooked. Disadvantages of Human Genetic Engineering Under the pretext of producing a cure for diseases and hereditary disorders, many researchers carry out experiments on genetically modifying humans. It can prove to be a bane if: In the pursuit of producing babies without any genetic defects or hereditary disorders, we may end up producing super humans.Just as the example I mentioned in the beginning of my article, we may have a line of humans that may spell doom t o those who are not genetically modified. Smarter humans means, larger brains, that may lead to babies with larger heads that have trouble passing through the birth canal of their mothers. This may cause trouble during birth and a rise in cesarean. Long life could lead to population problems. There may be stress on the natural resources and less living space. Although, you may live free of diseases, you may have a fight for survival for securing the basic necessities.Just like in the movie Gattaca, there may be a division between genetically engineered humans and those that are normal (just imagine, begin normal may prove to be curse in the future! ). People will no longer be discriminated on the basis of race, religion or creed, but actually on their genes! Human cloning may create problems of copies of men moving about freely around the world. If your clone turns out to be the one with a criminal streak, you may end up in jail for a crime committed by your clone. It is possible, i f you can't prove your innocence. Imagine someone else taking over your life, family, work, etc!The problem faced by many developing countries today, is female infanticide. It may help stop this cruel and barbaric custom of killing the innocent girl child. You may think this is an advantage, I say otherwise. It may help such narrow-minded, biased parents to actually choose the gender of the child. Therefore, more parents opting for a male child over a girl child. Thus, directly bringing an end to girl child killing as there will be no birth of the girl child! The idea of ‘Superman' may seem tantalizing, but its consequences may be very dangerous.Imagine a person who is virtually indestructible, may carry out crimes and becomes a danger to mankind. I can go on and on regarding the benefits of genetic engineering in humans, like end of hunger, no disease, cure for all ailments, long life, ageless beauty, super intelligent humans, etc. But, one should always give a second thought to all the disadvantages listed. It is often said, man should not attempt to ‘play God'. That's correct, but if God has bestowed us the power to make some beneficial changes to his creations, then we should surely do so wisely.Genetic engineers have turned into modern-day alchemists, who are searching for the ultimate elixir of life, to produce the genetically modified, perfect human. This precious knowledge is being exploited by greedy men, who are using it just to earn more money. Nothing is bad if exploited within limits. When we harness our present, we should keep in mind all the possible effects it will have on our future. We may not be alive to view the beauty and the ugliness of the future, but our beloved children may be facing the consequences.

McDonald’s global marketing strategy Essay

1. Identify the key elements in McDonald’s global marketing strategy (GMS). In particular, how does McDonald’s approach the issue of standardization? McDonald’s has become the most famous and successful fast-food restaurants all over the world. The concept of fast food and American-style food (burgers, fries) has conquered the world. We can talk about standardization regarding Mcdo’s strategy: the marketing mix is basically the same. Products:Fast food, American food (Burgers, fries and soda) Price:Cheap, â€Å"Burger Index† * Promotion:American style, mass communication, attract children, same brand name, colors and logo Place:Quick service, crowded area However, we cannot speak about a total standardization since McDonalds has adapted its menus, declining its marketing mix regarding some aspects of the local cultures. * The expansion and standardization of the hamburger has led to the creation of a price index that can be used as an economic reference between different countries known as the Big Mac Index. 2. Do you think government officials in developing countries such as Russia, China, and India welcome McDonald’s? Do consumers in these countries welcome McDonald’s? Why or why not? We would think that McDonalds would have trouble to locate in countries with very distant customs or rather reluctant to the American way of life. But the brand had a very good concept. McDonalds was also a way for these countries’ population to eat copiously for small budgets. When McDonalds opens its first restaurant in Russia, the company creates its own supply chain, including farms, within the USSR. For political reasons, McDonald’s Canada was responsible for this opening, with little input from the U.S. McDonalds has managed to gain the trust of local authorities and local population by working with agricultural producers to develop local supply food sources. Mentalities and cultures have also evolved a lot, since the beginning of globalization. In Asia, young people quickly join this way of eat, because it was much more modern. However, McDonalds didn’t deny the significant food’s customs: In 1996 when McDonald’s entered in India for the first time, it offered a Big Mac made with lamb called the Maharaja Mac. 3. At the end of 2003, McDonald’s announced it was selling the Donatos Pizza unit. Then, in 2006, the Chipotle chain was spun off. In light of these strategic actions, assess McDonald’s prospects for success beyond the burger-and-fries model. MacDonald’s wanted to reassert itself in its core business: burger and fries. So they decided to focus on their basic concept and to abandoned businesses they believed to be complimentary. This strategy of specialization allows: A cost-leadership An improvement of productivity A leader’s statue in terms of innovations An excellent market’s knowledge To give clear brand’s identity and goals better defined In doing so, they wanted to reestablish themselves as the reference n ° 1 of burger & fries’ fast-food. 4. Is it realistic to expect that McDonald’s – or any well-known company – can expand globally without occasionally making mistakes or generating controversy? Why do anti-globalization protesters around the world frequently target McDonald’s? I think that a company can expand globally without necessarily making big mistakes. But in this case, that company should invest a lot of money in marketing research upstream but also continually to be always aware of the local environment. The local as well as general decisions must take into account all collected data. Here is the reason why there are sometimes mistakes. It is an intricate process, which requires time and money. But it goes without saying, that each operation must be consistent with each marketing’s location. Regarding McDonald’s, it is normal that all novelties proposed haven’t always been liked because country’s food, tastes and eating habits are very variable depending on each population. McDonald’s has been very performing in finding a basic menu that pleases almost everyone. This is that power which has Mcdo, to standardize eating habits, that scares anti-globalists. In fact, food is often a dear element to ones who wish to preserve their cultural identity. Finally, I guess it is possible to be accepted worldwide, but it is risky to alter the traditions of the foreign country in which the company want to establish itself. Case 2: Acer’s strategy. 1. Acer’s strategy has been described as â€Å"divide and conquer.† Explain. Acer, founded in 1976 by Stan Shih, is the fourth computer manufacturer in the world. The Taiwanese group is specialized in manufacturing and commercialization of computers, monitors and other computer peripherals. The different brands of the group are: Acer, Packard Bell, Gateway and eMachines. Contrary to McDonalds, Acer has opted for a strategy of differentiation rather than standardization. Indeed, when Stan Shih uses the phrase â€Å"divide and conquer† it’s to highlight the group’s decision to preserve the identity and personality of each group’s brand and to use the privileged relation that these brands have built over the years with their own customers: Packard Bell targets the general public eMachines the large public â€Å"first price† Gateway targets larger companies Acer focus on mobility to attract both consumers and the SoHo market (Small office and Home Office) 2. How did the â€Å"global markets-local markets† paradox figure into Stan Shih’s strategy for China? Stan Shih decision to focus on the Chinese market is quite paradoxical regarding the â€Å"divide and conquer strategy†: The word â€Å"divide† is a paradox because Acer wants to refocus on the Chinese market, so the target will be much more homogeneous. And on the other hand, â€Å"conquer† is not the interest here because Chinese are already conquered. So the strategy division is quite paradoxical as far as â€Å"local markets† are concerned, because the population is more uniform. But this strategy is maybe very successful too at a local level. 3. Can Acer become the world’s third largest PC company, behind Dell and Hewlett-Packard? We can indeed imagine that Acer may become the world’s third largest PC company. Since the refocus of Acer in China, the results have been impressive. However, it must stand out from Lenovo. To grow its market shares, Acer must have a more global view and this will make the difference. If the group wants to change this ranking, he cannot restrain its strategy to the Chinese market. Acer should also improve its B to C, because it is more recognized in the world of B to B. Acer has to be more innovative and gain the trust of diverse populations. 4. Even before the current economic crisis deepened, growth in the U.S. PC market had begun to slow down. Despite strong competition from Dell and Hewlett-Packard, Acer’s U.S. market share increased from 1 percent in 2004 to 3.3 percent by the end of 2006. What are Acer’s prospects for gaining further share in the United States? It was difficult for Acer to enter in the US’ market: Dell and HP have a monopoly in the PC there. The United States expansion is very closely linked to the merging with the American computer hardware manufacturer Gateway, while the European move is related to the acquisition of the Packard Bell company. Acer’s intention is to offer a wide range of computers: the decision to keep the different brands by checking that they don’t overlap is an ideal combination. EMachines offers cheap desktop, Acer made cheap laptops and Gateway is located in the midrange and high end. This is probably what has allowed Acer to increase its market share, and it is probably thanks to its cheap range that the crisis hasn’t had any impact on its growth in the United States.