Rites of Passage Essay Essay Example for Free

Rites of Passage Essay Essay Jetty Rats is a novel written by Phillip Gwynne that all young boys should read. It deals with the rites of passage and issues that all boys are faced with at some point in their lives. It is presented in an entertaining book but realistic which makes it easy for readers to understand. The issues and rites of passage discussed in this essay include family, friends, experiencing a first kiss (with Jasmine) and obtaining a first ‘real’ job (funeral). The story is told from the prospective of Hunter, (main boy) a thirteen year old boy with a dream of catching a record breaking Mulloway and getting more famous and richer then Rex Hunt. The first problem is the family. When Hunter was eight years old his dad went missing while fishing on the rocks. He had broken the golden rule of rock fishing: â€Å"Thou Shalt Not Fish On Your Own†. Hunter was certain his father would return after the accident he would â€Å" wait for him. Sit underneath the ‘VACENCY’ sign until mum tells me to come inside†. He didn’t want accept the fact that his father was gone forever until the end of the story when he finally decided to throw out his dad’s rusty old razor, even though his mum had tried to throw it out before but he kept getting it back. The writer has included this problem in the story in a realistic way. He explained the pain Hunter and his mum went through during the tough years, which made the story easier to understand. The writer has also expressed the importance families have stick together through tough times where there is no hope.

Process and Outcome Evaluations Essay Example for Free

Process and Outcome Evaluations Essay A Process Evaluation is relatively used to monitor as well as document the planning, implementation, and interrelationship of the components of the proposed project are the focus of the process evaluation. The process evaluations main focus is to assist with the description of program interventions’ development, as well as its activities, also to provide quantitative and qualitative data on many services that are to be rendered and their effectiveness. A Process Evaluation is also responsible to document the acceptability of a specific program within the programs targeted community. An Outcome Evaluation is what is known to be based on the project’s ecological systems social constructionist theoretical orientations and its focus on the peer, family, individual, as well as school domains, the outcome evaluation will provide better understanding to some of the key evaluation questions and its effectiveness. Some examples of process evaluations are: 1. A program that provides addiction recovery services to the communities children ask the clients and their parents to fill out survey forms to specify if the program was helpful for their family to help them to meet specific goals. 2. The children participating in sports work with their coaches to fill out questionnaires about the program services they receive. Examples of an outcome evaluation are: 1. The number of high school students that are graduating goes up after the school implements an after school program to assist children struggling with grades 2. The city was able to increase its funding to the school from $3,000 to 15,000 after implementation of the after school program showed  improved graduation References Yuen, F., Terao, K. (2003). Practical grant writing and program evaluation. . Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole Thomson Learning.

The GAP: PESTEL, SWOT and Porters Five Analysis

The GAP: PESTEL, SWOT and Porters Five Analysis Elements of Analysis: The GAP Case PESTEL Analysis Utilizing the PESTEL (Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Environmental Legal factors) model, the key drivers and areas of significant impact for the competitive advantage in the GAP case are (Johnson, Scholes Whittington 2005, pp. 65, 68): Political – This seems only to be a factor with regards to operational differences between geographic/geopolitical regions, i.e., the US vs. the UK, and social welfare policies that affect actual garment construction. Social – This is a major driver of success as â€Å"fashion† and â€Å"style† would likely fall under this auspice. Specifically, the ability of the firm to generate the perception that its products reflect the fleeting sense of a trend is central to being a leader in retail fashion. Technological – This is a significant factor as the lack of a fully function European e-commerce platform was an opportunity cost that can be measured in lost market share valued in the multi-million pound range. SWOT Analysis Strengths The Gap has existed marketing power and presence and has prime, established retail locations throughout the US and UK. Weaknesses The inability to establish e-commerce on the UK side has lost not only sales opportunities but likely tarnished the image of a company that wants to be seen a ‘hip and trendy’ in a digital age in which competitive parity is ‘bricks and clicks’. Opportunities Through existing resources and brand equity, the Gap has the opportunity to regain one of the top spots in the mind of the consumer for fashionable clothing. One of the chief means of doing so is to quickly replicate the success of the online presence of the US business in the UK. Threats Perhaps the biggest threat is that one of the smaller boutique venues will achieve sufficient success to legitimately chip away at the mindshare of the consumer that Gap currently has on a scale that will be very difficult to reclaim. Porter’s 5 Forces As with the PESTEL framework above, only the most salient factors are indicated (Porter 1980, p. 4): Potential Entrants –The rise of small-scale boutique firms allow profit-taking from firms that do not have the ‘overhead’ of a corporation such as The Gap. This allows for greater flexibility and speed in the delivery of fashion to market. The Threat of Substitute Goods – Similar to â€Å"potential entrants†, there are not only other products that perform the same function but, in times in which economics dictate allocation of scarce consumer resources amongst items that, to some extent, fall under the category of highly discretionary spending. Contrary to this, one might argue that ‘fashion will always be in style’ and thus in-demand, the attractiveness of the industry will attract more entrants. Eventually, a form of homeostasis will be achieved but only at the expense of the exit of some less profitable firms. Industry Rivalry – The combination of the above two factors creates what is arguably a hypercompetitive environment characterized by larger firms seeking to sustain competitive advantage through enduring presence while small, flexible and fast firms seek to take perhaps a temporal portion by capitalizing on that which is most trendy. The Four P’s (Price, Promotion, Place Product) The concept of the marketing mix or â€Å"the 4 P’s† gives tremendous strategic insight into how the firm goes to market with its portfolio of goods and services. Price – Pricey but not so much that they cannot be seen as â€Å"luxurious necessities† for those for whom being ‘cool’ or ‘sexy’ is a real or aspirant lifestyle. Promotion – Consistent with other aspects of the marketing mix, television advertisements feature hip and trendy music, often done by somewhat older (yet still cool) musicians with engaging music. These featuring dancing or at least, rhythmic maneuvers, in which one must assume the clothes worn are as much a part of the causative agent for such behavior as the apparent youthful attraction and attitude of the performance crew. Place – Sold only through Gap stores in mainstream retail locations such as shopping malls and through, at least in the US, Gap-branded online channels. Product – Positioned as perhaps something that could be labeled as [young] ‘sexy casual’, such an offering virtually defines its market as those who are young and view (or want to view) themselves as fashionable and trendy. Products include shirts, jeans, sweaters, accessories and more and all geared at generating such a â€Å"feel† or experience for the wearer. Overall Business Strategy In general, a firm can have one of two broad strategies: cost-leadership or differentiation. With regards to differentiation, a firm may choose to segment based upon the customer by focusing on a niche or specialty market or they may choose product differentiation as by innovation or similar pursuit (Porter 1980, p. 35). Using this general approach, the Gap clearly pursues a strategy of seeking competitive advantage by differentiating product offerings (what it does) to those for whom a sense of ‘urban/sub-urban-esque’ fashionable â€Å"personal style† is very relevant to their lifestyle (the target market) through a combination of exclusive retail locations and a corollary online venue (the where of it’s strategy). Corporate Social Responsibility The idea of corporate social responsibility is best expressed by the notion of, â€Å"†¦ the extent to which an organization exceeds the minimum obligations to stakeholders as specified through regulation and corporate governance† (Johnson, Scholes Whittington 2005, p. 191). With regards to the GAP case, such a perspective is evident when they actively seek to position themselves not simply as seeking to establish sustained competitive advantage but the advantages conferred to everyone through sustainable business. Specifically, through their alliance to support AIDS awareness and suffering, they achieve profits and good works. Antithetically, one critique would likely be to question not the outcome but the motive for doing so. The Resource-Based View The essence of the resource-based view of the view establishes the lens of the â€Å"VRIO framework†. That is, for a firm to achieve sustained competitive advantage, its resources must be valuable, rare, inimitable and organizational in nature (Barney 2007, p. 138). With this in mind, it seems to follow that the best sources of such are resources which are intangible rather than tangible. From this perspective, the ability of GAP to attract and retain designers who can consistently replicate and market what is or is about to become â€Å"fashionable† at competitive costs would meet such criteria. Strategic Recommendations The essence of the Gap to maintain/re-establish sustainable competitive advantage is to be able to be both â€Å"big† and â€Å"small† simultaneously. The competition seemingly enjoys the element of first-mover advantage with regards to their ability to operate under the radar only to appear with trendy products in the market that less insightful firms can then attempt to copy. Correspondingly, the ability of the boutique firm to mass-produce and distribute a successful product is far less than that of the Gap with it established manufacturers and well-oiled distribution channels. Thus, the Gap needs to adopt fast, flexible methods of getting fresh and accurate insights into production and into stores. In the classic business decision, the Gap has but two options: make or buy. That is, they can either allocate resources in the form of time, talent or treasure (aka, money) to acquire these abilities or they may choose to outsource these functions to other firms. Perhaps a hybridized solution is to form strategic alliances with such smaller firms that have these resources in abundance but lack the marketing and manufacturing power of the Gap. Such a solution would achieve the goal of the acquisition, even if temporary, that the Gap seems to lack as it seeks to create lasting sources of competitive advantage in the face of the hyper-competitive, mature yet dynamically fickle industry of upscale casual fashion apparel. Mature vs. Dynamic Firm The Gap competes in a arguably mature but changing and constanting renewing industry. A â€Å"mature† industry can be characterized by the following (Barney 2007, p. 94): Slowing growth in total industry demand. The development of experienced repeat customers. A slowdown in the increases in production capacity. A decrease in new product introductions. An increase in the level of international competition. An overall reduction in industry profitability. With these criteria, the retail fashion clothing industry is perhaps somewhat unique in that each year brings something of a second-chance to capture the market. Though the degree of competitiveness and production capacity indicate a mature industry, the new arrivals to the target customer segment in regards to age, affluence and attitudes provide a potentially rich new customer base. These factors lead to the classification of the industry as being â€Å"mature† but yet quite â€Å"dynamic† in the sense that technology and the preferred tastes of an ever-changing consumer segment create a need for the Gap to acquire marketing insights and speed and flexibility in production to bring such high-margin, high-risk products as fashion clothing to market. Key References Barney, J. (2007). Creating and Sustaining Competitive Advantage, 3rd edition. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Prentice-Hall. Johnson, G., K. Scholes, and R. Whittington. (2005). Exploring Corporate Strategy, 7th edition. Harlow, England: Prentice-Hall. Porter, M. (1980). Competitive Strategy: Techniques for Analyzing Industries Competitors. Boston, Massachusetts: The Free Press.

That Evening Sun Essay -- Literary Analysis

â€Å"That Evening Sun† is a short story written in 1931 by William Faulkner. Faulkner’s life in the South and family history has had a significant influence upon Faulkner’s writing style, in both content and its context, and his knowledge of southern culture and events in its history only add depth to his work. The events in â€Å"That Evening Sun†, like many of Faulkner’s stories, takes place in the fictional town of Jefferson. The story is narrated by Quentin Compson who was nine years old when the story takes place, but is now an adult recounting the events from fifteen years before. The story revolves around the Compson’s and their children’s relationship with the stories main character Nancy. Nancy is a Negro woman who is employed by Compson family. Nancy has got herself into a dilemma first by causing a disturbance by publicly demanding payment from the town banker and church deacon Mr. Stovall for sexual services and next by be coming pregnant with by him. Nancy’s pregnancy causes her husband Jesus to become angered; he then deserts her and leaves town. Nancy communicates to Mr. Compson, that she believes Jesus will soon return to kill her. The story relates to the reader the seriousness of Nancy’s situation and how and how it is taken without any seriousness by the Compsons’. There are several literary terms which are significant to â€Å"That Evening Sun†. â€Å"That Evening Sun† is told from a third person point of view. The narrator of the story is Quentin Compson who is also a character in the story. He tells his story fifteen years after the events have passed looking back upon them as an adult. The setting of the story is in Jefferson, Virginia around 1902. The protagonist of the story is Nancy who is struggling with the fear that her ... ...ed to the crucifixion of Christ where Peter denies him three times. When Nancy is taken to Jail and hangs herself, this can also be compared as a crucifixion. I am still at odds at whom or what is the heart of her suffering. One can also see how unaware the children are of the situation, only Quentin seems to know what Nancy is afraid of. Since it is Quentin who is narrating the story we do not know if his understanding happened at the time of the story or upon his retelling. Reading â€Å"That Evening Sun†, has inspired me to read The Sound and the Fury, which I believe has many of the same characters. Works Cited Faulkner, William. â€Å"That Evening Sun†. literaturesave2wordpress.com.N.p., N.d. Web. 04 February 2012. Johnston, Kenneth G. â€Å"The Year of the Jubilee: Faulkner’s â€Å"That Evening Sun†Ã¢â‚¬ www.jstor.org. Duke University Press. 1974. Web. 04 February 2012.

Colleges Should Educate Student Athletes Essay -- Educating College At

All college students sitting in classrooms today face challenges that can impede their success. A challenging course schedule, competing demand for the student’s time, and college readiness are all factors that can hinder a student’s performance in the classroom. Moreover, these challenges also have the ability to impact the student’s overall student development. While most students share a common set of stressors, there are certain groups on campus that face pressures and challenges that are not shared by the majority of their peers. Student athletes are such a group. Joshua Watson (2005) noted the positive benefits of participating in intercollegiate activities, but also noted that such participation can lead to issues of â€Å"maladjustment, emotional illness, and psychological distress† (p. 442). Because of the unique issues facing student athletes, academic administrators and student affairs professionals are challenged to adequately address these challenges. While there may be existing services on campus to assist all students with success related issues, institutions must also take a closer look at the services that will be the most effective for student athletes. An important element is not only having a conducive learning environment for services, but also staff personnel who understand the complex life of a student athlete. Many athletic advising and counseling programs concentrate on academic eligibility; however, student athletes can also benefit from services that promote the overall development of the student (Howard-Hamilton & Sina, 2001). Based on the aforementioned, institutions could greatly benefit from a dedicated office that works directly and closely with student athletes. An Athletic Student Developme... ...ross models of psychological nigrescence. Journal of Black Psychology, 5(1), 13-31. Evans, N.J., Forney, D.S., Guido, F., Patton, L. D., & Renn, K. A. (2010). Student development in college: Theory, research, and practice (2nd ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Howard-Hamilton, M.F. & Sina, J.A. (2001). How college affects student athletes. New Directions for Student Services, 93, 35-46. Menke, D. (2013). Student-athletes in transition: Applying the Schlossberg model. Academic Advising Today, 36(3). Schlossberg, N.K., Waters, E.B., Goodman, J. (1995). Adults in transition: Linking practice with theory (2nd ed). New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company. Watson, J. (2005). College student athlete’s attitudes toward help-seeking behavior and expectations of counseling services. Journal of College Student Development, 46(4), 442-449.

Ancient Greeces Obsession with Beauty Essay -- Ancient Greece Essays

Ancient Greece was one of the most important civilizations in the history of mankind. Ancient Greece spanned thousands of years, beginning in 1100 BC and ending with the end of the Hellenistic period in 146 BC. Ancient Greece made many contributions to the modern world, such as language, politics, philosophy, science, art, architecture, beauty, and much more. Beauty now a days is in most cases considered as how pretty something looks on the outside. Most people these days look at outer beauty rather than inner beauty. Beauty in ancient Greece is different than beauty now in many different ways. In ancient Greece, beauty can be defined in many things. Beauty in family, art, architecture, sculpture, and literature shows all the many definitions of beauty in ancient Greece. Family was important in ancient Greece. â€Å"The ancient Greeks had a society of Patriarchy and Misogyny† (Katz 71). Patriarchy is a society where the father had supreme authority over the family. Misogyny meant that the women were worthless. Women would usually get married at a very young age of around twelve to sixteen years old. Most women did not have a choice of whom to marry and instead their father, uncle, or brother chose for her. The richer the woman was the earlier she got married, but the poor woman got married at a bit higher age. They did not have the authority to do many things that men did. They were not able to go to the Olympics, the streets of the city, or even sometimes the marketplace. If they ever went anywhere they usually went to weddings and funerals and religious ceremonies, or to visit other women. Since they stayed in their houses for long periods of time they were usually in charge of the house when it comes to cleaning or or... ...aic Period, Archaic ‘patriarchy’ and high sexual culture in Classical Athens. Kats, Marilyn. â€Å"Ideology and ‘The Status of Women’ in Ancient Greece.† History and Theory, Beiheft 31: History and Feminist Theory. Vol. 31. Blackwell Publishing for Wesleyan University. 1992. 70-97. This chapter of the book focuses on the status of women in ancient Greece in comparison to the eighteenth through twentieth century. Levin, Saul. â€Å"Love and the Hero of the Iliad.† Transactions and Proceedings of the American Philological Association. Vol. 80. The Johns Hopkins University Press. 1949. 37-49. In this chapter it talks about the Iliad and what the Greeks point of view is over the Iliad. Plato. The Allegory of the Cave. This piece of literature is written by Plato and in it Plato explains through the use of many metaphors what it is to become the philosopher king.

Dulce et Decorum est by Wilfred Owen: Experiences

In his time he also composed some war poetry. His incredible works also Inspired others to write war poetry e. g. Siegfried Sassoon. However the most famous poem that Owen is renowned for is ‘Dulce et Decorum Est' ‘Dulce et decorum Est' Is a poem written by Wilfred Owen describing his experiences of WWI.The poem is titled ‘Dulce et decorum est' meaning â€Å"it is sweet and fitting to die for one's country' though the poem talks about something very opposite thus mocking the statement and making it a sarcastic comment focused on those who ncourage conflict and proclaim It as being glorious. ‘Dulce et Decorum Est' reveals the truth behind conflict the grief and suffering It causes. The author with the use of graphic imagery and diction tries to convey the horrors of conflict and war. It also shows the futility of conflict and in a quite explicit manner the true reality of death!The ideas the poet wants us to consider are the horrors of war and Its sheer and ut ter futility. Owen also wants us to think about the propaganda that is put forward by the government and how it differs from the exact reality of conflict. The poet is trying to say if you do get through the war you must experience mental torture and live with guilt ALL your life long! We know this when Owen writes â€Å"In all my dreams. before my helpless sight he plunges at me guttering, choking, drowning†. Owen is telling us that he is haunted by the men that died in the gas attack and he can't help them no matter how much he wants to.This poem has a miserable and gloomy atmosphere to it Just like the earth which has an ozone layer around it. In this war poem the mood is very grim and poignant too. There is an effective use of simile†¦ â€Å"like a devil's sick of sin† because it compares the situation to the devil. The devil Is known to be first cause of sin but even If he Is â€Å"sick† of it then it MUST be very catastrophic! There is also a great us e of sibilance. This is effective because when said it will put emphasis on â€Å"sick† to explain how awful of a level the conflict had escalated to.There is a deathly air of resignation around which makes the reader lament the death of the soldiers. Owen's choice of diction is used to create great effect. When he uses a simile in the irst line â€Å"like old beggars under sacks†. Soldiers are supposed to be fit men and a comparison with old beggars indicates that they have been brought down to such a level that they are now equal of hunched, tired, unfed, homeless and old people. Even their uniforms have lost their militaristic crispness, as Owen describes them as â€Å"sacks. † This picture is a definite contrast to the idealized marching formations of ‘OF3 mood.Owen again shows the tiredness of the soldiers in the last line of that stanza when he say â€Å"Of gas shells dropping softly behind† which is very contrasting from ow gas shells actuall y drop. They make a loud hissing noise and can be heard from far. Thus Owen shows that the soldiers' senses had dulled. Only a completely exhausted soldier with no strength could be in this state of mind to not have heard the gas shells. Another rather unusual choice of diction is†¦ â€Å"coughing like hags, we cursed through sludge†. The simile coughing like hags suggests the men were unhealthy.The fact that Owen compares them to hags who are old ugly women suggests that the war has made youthful and healthy into good for nothing women ho have a permanent coughing fit due to old age and illness. â€Å"But limped on, blood- shod. All went lame; all blind;† gives the feeling that these men have become dehumanized and are reduced to an animal-like state. Thus arousing the question as to how could this is glorious. A side theme is highlighted in the first stanza: as to how do young and robust men with bright futures reduced to old ragged men benefit the nation!The gr aphic and vivid imagery used by Owen in the poem, gives the reader a feeling of horror and makes them question as to how humans could do such atrocities. In lines 9-14 there is a change of pace. First the repetition of the monosyllabic word/ onomatopoeia â€Å"gas† which echoes the sound of gun fire and then the oxymoron,† ecstasy of fumbling†, seems a odd choice of diction, but later turns out to be perfect, as Owen uses it to describe the controlled panic instantly awakened with keen awareness- of youthful men with Just seconds to find a gas mask. Owen uses a metaphor when he says â€Å"As under a green sea I saw him drowning†.This is an extended metaphor which is used to a great extent because it enhances the reader's nderstanding of the feeling of being trapped by poisonous gas. This man dies gruesomely after he inhales the gas, ironically showing how helpless and powerless a human is against a man made weapon. In the next stanza Owen uses a metaphor â €Å"guttering, choking, drowning†. This is a very gruesome image for life flickering out. These graphic images are very disturbing but play a very effective role in the persuasion of readers to think that conflict is very futile and horrific.Owen uses one of the most descriptive, gruesome and horrifying imagery in the last stanza. When he ses phrases like â€Å"white eyes writhing in his face,†, â€Å"at every Jolt the blood†, â€Å"come gargling from the froth corrupted lungs/ obscene as cancer bitter as cud†. Phrases like these can scare the hardest of men. The graphic images displayed are profoundly affecting and can never be forgotten. Owen's use of excellent imagery can sway many readers into believing that wars are the worst things that can happen and how dreadful a death a human could face.Owen ties the poem when he says in the last two lines â€Å"the Old lie: Dulce et Decorum est pro patria mort†. When Owen has inished his sentence, we und erstand that there is nothing â€Å"sweet and fitting† to die for ones country. Owen thus creates a Juxtapose, leaving the reader with the feeling of disgust and repulsion. And also shows that conflict can lead to such horrendous and tragic consequences. poem, making war seem absolutely horrid and revolting, which is Just what Owen wanted to do. Reading this poem left me gasping and shocked. The fact that Owen talks about the illnesses the men endure, within the simile â€Å"coughing like hags†.This helps me to see that the men were in horrendous conditions. The poem shows the harshness of war and absolutely condemns the saying that â€Å"it is sweet and fitting to fight for one's country'. Owen's graphic vivid imagery and diction completely ousts all positive words and feelings towards conflict. The fact that I know that Owen was killed one week before the completion of WWI makes it all the poignant as well as the fact that many people are currently indulged in confl ict, as we speak, around the world. It makes me ponder on the fact that war will always be glorified and unfortunately, there will always be conflict!