The Slave Boy Experiment in Platos Meno

The Slave Boy Experiment in Plato's 'Meno' One of the most famous passages in all of Platos works- indeed, in all of philosophy- occurs in the middle of the  Meno. Meno asks Socrates if he can prove the truth of his strange claim that all learning is recollection (a claim that Socrates connects to the idea of reincarnation). Socrates responds by calling over a slave boy and, after establishing that he has had no mathematical training, setting him a geometry problem. The Geometry Problem The boy is asked how to double the area of a square. His confident first answer is that you achieve this by doubling the length of the sides. Socrates shows him that this, in fact, creates a square four times larger than the original. The boy then suggests extending the sides by half their length. Socrates points out that this would turn a 2x2 square (area 4) into a 3x3 square (area 9). At this point, the boy gives up and declares himself at a loss. Socrates then guides him by means of simple step-by-step questions to the correct answer, which is to use the diagonal of the original square as the base for the new square. The Soul Immortal According to Socrates, the boys ability to reach the truth and recognize it as such proves that he already had this knowledge within him; the questions he was asked simply stirred it up, making it easier for him to recollect it. He argues, further, that since the boy didnt acquire such knowledge in this life, he must have acquired it at some earlier time; in fact, Socrates says, he must have always known it, which indicates that the soul is immortal. Moreover, what has been shown for geometry also holds for every other branch of knowledge: the soul, in some sense, already possesses the truth about all things. Some of Socrates inferences here are clearly a bit of a stretch. Why should we believe that an innate ability to reason mathematically implies that the soul is immortal? Or that we already possess within us empirical knowledge about such things as the theory of evolution, or the history of Greece? Socrates himself, in fact, acknowledges that he cant be certain about some of his conclusions. Nevertheless, he evidently believes that the demonstration with the slave boy proves something. But does it? And if so, what? One view is that the passage proves that we have innate ideas- a kind of knowledge we are quite literally born with. This doctrine is one of the most disputed in the history of philosophy. Descartes, who was clearly influenced by Plato, defended it. He argues, for instance, that God imprints an idea of Himself on each mind that he creates. Since every human being possesses this idea, faith in God is available to all. And because the idea of God is the idea of an infinitely perfect being, it makes possible other knowledge which depends on the notions of infinity and perfection, notions that we could never arrive at from experience. The doctrine of innate ideas is closely associated with the rationalist philosophies of thinkers like Descartes and Leibniz. It was fiercely attacked by John Locke, the first of the major British empiricists. Book One of Lockes  Essay on Human Understanding  is a famous polemic against the whole doctrine. According to Locke, the mind at birth is a tabula rasa, a blank slate. Everything we eventually know is learned from experience. Since the 17th century (when Descartes and Locke produced their works), the empiricist skepticism regarding innate ideas has generally had the upper hand. Nevertheless, a version of the doctrine was revived by the linguist Noam Chomsky. Chomsky was struck by the remarkable achievement of every child in learning language. Within three years, most children have mastered their native language to such an extent that they can produce an unlimited number of original sentences. This ability goes far beyond what they can have learned simply by listening to what others say: the output exceeds the input. Chomsky argues that what makes this possible is an innate capacity for learning language, a capacity that involves intuitively recognizing what he calls the universal grammar- the deep structure- that all human languages share. A Priori Although the specific doctrine of innate knowledge presented in the  Meno  finds few takers today, the more general view that we know some things a priori- i.e. prior to experience- is still widely held. Mathematics, in particular, is thought to exemplify this sort of knowledge. We dont arrive at theorems in geometry or arithmetic by conducting empirical research; we establish truths of this sort simply by reasoning. Socrates may prove his theorem using a diagram drawn with a stick in the dirt but we understand immediately that the theorem is necessarily and universally true. It applies to all squares, regardless of how big they are, what they are made of, when they exist, or where they exist. Many readers complain that the boy does not really discover how to double the area of a square himself: Socrates guides him to the answer with leading questions. This is true. The boy would probably not have arrived at the answer by himself. But this objection misses the deeper point of the demonstration: the boy is not simply learning a formula that he then repeats without real understanding (the way most of us are doing when we say something like, e mc squared). When he agrees that a certain proposition is true or an inference is valid, he does so because he grasps the truth of the matter for himself. In principle, therefore, he could discover the theorem in question, and many others, just by thinking very hard. And so could we all!

10 Questions to Ask For-Profit Online Colleges

10 Questions to Ask For-Profit Online Colleges Not all for-profit colleges are scams. In fact, some offer students flexibility and a career-oriented learning style that can be difficult to find elsewhere. On the other hand, some online for-profit programs rake in big money while leaving students with lots of debt and few job prospects. If you’re considering enrolling in a for-profit online college, hold off on signing that first tuition check until you get answers to these ten questions: 1. What is the colleges accreditation status? You’ll want to make sure that your school’s accreditation is recognized by the United States Department of Education. The most transferable form of accreditation comes from the six nationally-recognized regional accrediting bodies. 2. Is the school now (or has it ever been) on one of the federal financial watch lists? The federal government recently released a list of colleges that are being monitored due to concerning financial behavior. Although the list isn’t comprehensive, you’ll want to make sure your college isn’t on it. 3. What is the colleges graduation rate? Find out what percent of students who start the program end up graduating. If this number is particularly low, it’s a good indicator that the school may not be providing a quality experience or enough student support. 4. How many students who graduate from the program are able to find a career in their field? The federal government is starting to crack down on for-profit programs that charge a lot for tuition and leave students in the dark when it comes to career prospects. Make sure your investment is worthwhile - you’ll want to know that a reasonable percentage of graduates in your program are able to find employment. 5. How long does it actually take most students to graduate from this program? It’s likely that the average is longer than 4 years. But, if students are taking 6-8 years to earn an undergraduate degree, that might be a sign to look elsewhere. 6. How much student debt does the average student in this program take on? Tuition prices may be posted. But, how much debt are students actually accruing? When you factor in student fees, additional coursework, textbooks, and graduation charges, expenses start to add up. You don’t want to graduate with a photography degree and $100,000 of student debt. Make sure that your debt won’t be too challenging to manage with your expected income. 7. What kind of access to career development does the school offer? Traditional schools tend to offer job fairs, employer meet-and-greets, resume reviews, and other career development options. Does your for-profit program provide any services to help put your degree to use? 8. What other schools or parent companies is this for-profit program connected with? Some for-profit schools are part of larger conglomerate of schools. Sometimes, when a for-profit program fails, it takes new life with a new name. Do a bit of research into your college’s history and make sure they’ve been thriving for a while. 9. What are the advantages of choosing this school over a non-profit alternative? Some for-profit schools offer legitimate advantages. They may be able to let you focus on your career rather than saddle you with too many general ed requirements. Or, they may be able to help you finish a degree in less time and with less expense. However, this isn’t always the case. Find out by comparing your for-profit options with similar non-profit and public colleges. 10. How does this school track their statistics? Don’t just ask the above questions to a telephone recruiter and call it a day. Learn where and how they are collecting this information. Then, double-check the numbers with outside sources. Don’t rely on any school to give you the full picture without your own research to back it up. Jamie Littlefield is a writer and instructional designer. She can be reached on Twitter or through her educational coaching website: jamielittlefield.com.

Visual Learners. How children learn and develop, and can provide Research Paper

Visual Learners. How children learn and develop, and can provide learning opportunities that support their intellectual, social and personal development - Research Paper Example One picture shown to different people will be perceived differently, depending upon the optimism or pessimism in the intrinsic psychology of the viewer. Having said that, children tend to develop questions in their brains about the portions of scene they did not have formal interaction with or understanding about. The visual language expresses itself overtly, and the child receives the data in his brain which was an empty pot now being filled with knowledge. Once the information is received, the child analyzes it from different aspects making use of the cognitive skills every human being is naturally born with. He weighs the information against various questions he previously had about the grey areas in the subject matter and finally tends to use that information to color the grey areas rightly. The process continues as the child views more images and the process of learning is enhanced. Teaching is all about strong expression of knowledge so that it is easily conceivable to the learners. One might be quite knowledgeable about a matter and yet not be good as a teacher if one is not able to convey the knowledge to the learners. A good teacher tries to deliver the lecture by attaining the attention of the learners. This is achieved by manipulating the tone of speech and often wise selection of words to make the speech. The intention is to make the speech more expressive and understandable. Often, a teacher would make use of inclined language that is biased and delivers the meaning as required by him. This is not easy and it is usual for a teacher to face difficulty in conveying the right point rightly. This is where visual teaching works. As they say, â€Å"One picture is worth a thousand words.† (Bernard cited in Moncur, n.d.). This is exactly the magic of visual arts and tells how visual learning is related to teaching. It clearly adds value of to the images and

Death Penalty Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Death Penalty - Essay Example Punishments are meant to rehabilitate the criminals and enable them to reform. Therefore, if the criminal is killed, the punishment loses its worth. The measure is effective because it scares off other potential criminals. The opponent perspective terms death penalty as immoral, uncivilized and ineffective in curbing crime. The proponent perspective portends that some crimes are so affront to humanity such that they can only be punishable through death. This paper is an opinionated argument detailing why the death penalty should be retained and the reasons causing the controversy. Death penalty is applied for vicious crimes such as murder and treason. Some of the methods of execution include lethal injection, electrocution and hanging. The 15th century witnessed widespread public executions in Britain, which fuelled a movement that was geared towards abolishment of the penalty. Death penalty was introduced in the United States by the country’s colonial masters, the English. Ac cording to Stuart Banner, the first American State to ban the death penalty was Michigan in 1846 (Hood 2). In America, the penalty was first opposed by Ben Franklin when writing the Bill of Rights in the Eighth Amendment. Michigan was the first American state to repeal the penalty in 1846, and by 1917 the norm was adopted by ten states. The 1960s witnessed almost complete extinction of the death penalty – only one execution was performed in 1966. However, the penalty’s near extinction was retracted in 1976 in the case of Gregg vs. Georgia, on which the court ruled that the death penalty does not violate the constitution. Although the death penalty is constitutional, the practice has been characterized by controversy due to the conflicting opinions among the opponents and proponents. The controversy on the use of the death penalty is related to the effectiveness and moral acceptability of the practice. The use of the death penalty in curbing crime is the most controvers ial measure taken as far as jurisprudence and human rights in a democratic nation are concerned. Proponents and opponents differ over whether the punishment violates human rights and if it is fair to both the victim and the criminal. Application of the penalty towards perpetrators of this vice is a reprieve to the victims. Additionally, it is more effective than other measures such as imprisonment, as criminals fear death more that prisons. Opponents portend that the practice is unusual and cruel as it undermines human dignity. However, the idea of referring the penalty as undermining the human dignity is a one sided school of thought; the victims view is opposite. Some of the disadvantage of the death penalty is that it does not decrease the rate of murder crimes. The most prominent challenge related to its application is its finality. Discussing finality in CatholicPhilly.com, Chaput portends that once the sentencing is carried out there is no retracting like in the case of lesser punishments. The contradicting views among the opponents and proponents revolve around which crimes are vicious enough to merit the death penalty. The obvious crime in this case is first degree murder. However, the dilemma revolves around what is meant by intent and preplanning to warrant the murder as the first degree. For instance, if the murder occurs when a person is committing a lesser crime, does it include intent and planning? When considering treason, should the death penalty be imposed at any

International Trade debate Part 2 Essay Example for Free

International Trade debate Part 2 Essay In reading my classmate’s paper, it is interesting to note that while the author is against unrestricted trade, the author nevertheless cites many of its benefits such as reducing dependency and cutting the cost of living. What is even more interesting is that the author tries to build a case around arguments that consider these benefits as detriments without ample support. When countries have to compete globally, they would have to streamline their products in order to find their most competitive wares or they won’t be able to compete at all. This opinion which is also mirrored by my paper is true, but the fear that some countries would engage in unfair practices is unfounded. For one thing, what does the author mean by â€Å"unfair† competition? Offering a price that is lower than your competitor’s is not unfair, it’s just competition. As the paper also mentions, this leads to specialization of goods based on each participating nation’s capabilities. While some of our products might not be marketable because of cheaper, higher-quality brands from some other countries, other goods that we export would be more marketable because of free trade and we could focus on those goods for export and not have to spread our resources too thin. This way, we can get the best profit for our best product. But what about countries that cannot be competitive? What about countries who simply do not have globally competitive products? Globalization also gives them the benefit of having cheaper products for their labor force to afford. Kellison (2006) states that economies that cannot offer globally competitive products usually end up offering another valuable resource, labor. Free trade cuts the cost of living for its laborers which make them afford better lifestyles. What is so wrong with that? In the final analysis, it is clear that globalization has a rightful place in today’s economy. References Kellison, P. (2006). Labor Forces in the 21st Century. N. Y. : Bakeman Books. My classmate’s paper: International Trade Debate â€Å"The Case for Protection† My paper: International Trade.

James Fenimore Cooper :: essays research papers

James Fenimore Cooper was born in Burlington, New Jersey on September 15, 1789. He was the eleventh of twelve children born to William and Elizabeth Cooper. When James was one year old the family moved to the frontier, and his father established the settlement of Cooperstown at the head of Susquehanna River. 	Cooper attended a private preparatory school at Albany, New York, and was then admitted to Yale in 1803. He was expelled from there during his junior year because of a silly prank. His family allowed him to join the navy as a midshipman, but he soon found that more discipline was present in the Navy than at Yale. In 1810 Cooper took a furlough, and never returned to active duty. 	After Cooper's father passed in 1809, he received a nice inheritance. Cooper quickly squandered his inheritance, and at thirty was on the verge of bankruptcy. He decided to try his hand at writing as a career. Carefully modeling his work after Sir Walter Scott's successful Waverly Novels, he wrote his first novel in 1820 called Precaution. A domestic comedy set in England, lost money, but Cooper had discovered his vocation. 	Cooper established his reputation after his second novel, The Spy, and in his third book, the autobiographical Pioneers (1823), Cooper introduced the character of Natty Bumppo, a uniquely American personification of rugged individualism and the pioneer spirit. A second book featuring Bumppo, The Last of the Mohicans written in 1826, quickly became the most widely read work of the day, solidifying Cooper's popularity in the U.S. and in Europe. Set during the French and Indian War, The Last of the Mohicans chronicles the massacre of the colonial garrison at Fort William Henry and a fictional kidnapping of two pioneer sisters. Cooper knew few Indians, so he drew on a Moravian missionary's account of two opposing tribes; the Delawares and the "Mingos." Although this characterization was filled with inaccuracies, the dual image of the opposing tribes allowed Cooper to create a lasting image of the Indian that became a part of the American consciousness for almost two cen turies. His public was simultaneously touched romantically at the doomed Indians' fate and justified in abetting their extermination. The hero of the novel, Natty Bumppo, was incredibly popular, a rebel heroically opposed to industrial society, he was a hero who never married or changed his ideals. 	Cooper was a prolific writer, publishing 32 novels, 12 works of nonfiction, a play and numerous pamphlets and articles.

School Law Class

The office of a school superintendent, must work hand in hand with other associations and other principals in order to develop good system for the evaluation of the teacher and the principal. This will also include the measures put in place for the growth of the students. There should be a common agreement of a good definition of an effective teacher, an effective principal as well as the way a student growth shall be measured in the whole country. (Dimmock and Donoghue, 1997). Moreover, a good amount of the teacher and the principal evaluation systems must include how the students’ academic growth will be measured. To close the gap which is available in the achievement, it would be appropriate to ensure that the teachers and the principals are the first to support so that they can address the needs of the students in the classrooms and in various schools. This should be then evaluated and the teachers held responsible for the academic growth of every student. To ensure that the process of negotiations between the school board, the school employees and the superintendents of the schools runs smoothly the superintendents have to work closely with the teachers unions. The unions are known to be most powerful yet the least considered when negotiating the public education issues in the current world. Despite the attention of the public focusing mainly on the influence the national unions have, policies that affect most schools and the teachers are negotiated by the local unions and the school boards. The local union leaders however focus the balance between the competing interests as well as the obligations. This is mainly based on the concern and the priorities of their members in the union to the state pressures as well as the affiliates at the national level. These union leaders confirm the agenda of the union and in addition, they advocate for the expanded agenda of the teachers’ profession. They also advocate for communal bargaining and management of the contract. (Dimmock and Donoghue, 1997). Many schools are facing the problem of failed school bond issues. This is mainly in the mid-sized rural schools districts. This leads to the organization of the school to hold school bond elections. The strategic plans of the schools mirror many of the recommendations for successful bond referendums. This leads to the illustration of why many schools pass the bond issues with a unique support from the community. However, findings from one school cannot match with the concerns that are available in all the communities. (Dimmock and Donoghue, 1997). If the funding is not secured, the leaders of the schools should be provided with voter input from the rural school districts. This will be a successful effort to overcome the problem of unsecured funding. The school demonstrates that it complies with Title IX through the continued efforts to add new sporting activities for women. The school also ensures that it has met the proportionality required by having a balance between the male and female students taking part in the sporting activities. This is in relation to the general population of the school. The school also ensures that nit has met the interests and the abilities of their female counter parts. To change the school compliance to the Title IX, a survey could be conducted that would help to measure the students’ interests and the abilities. (Dimmock and Donoghue, 1997). The steps taken to learn the parameters in a state would include acquiring a specialty like reading as it will provide the teacher with a competitive edge in the job. Also one has to be flexible in order to fix the needs of the students. The teacher should have a daily plan but should be flexible as much as possible in order to make adjustments where possible. Having a rigid plan may not be easy to be adapted in a diverse class. A balance should be maintained between the individual instruction and the whole class instruction. More to this, one should consider joining a professional association and also to obtain advanced credentials to understand the laws well. (Dimmock and Donoghue, 1997). The benefits and drawbacks of relying on digital communication to send information to board members, the community members and the school staff is that it enables effective communication to take place as one must have effective skills to express him not only in the paper and the pen but also through other means such as audio and video. It is also possible to analyze data as one chooses the data that is available on the web based format as well as in other electronic formats. However this may be challenging when it comes to problem solving as the people have to know how they can apply what they know and what they can to new situations in the on line communication. There are many risks in the use of digital communication that may affect the quality of communication in the 21st century. These are mainly based on the security and safety of the communication. Dimmock and Donoghue, 1997). The teachers have to be active in providing the students with protection against contagious infections. This could be achieved by providing a safe environment. The teachers therefore have to be concerned about the safety and health of their students. These includes bullying whereby some students especially those with disabilities will be targeted by others. (Dimmock and Donoghue, 1997). This may be in form of aggression, abuses, use of threats or psychological abuse. In addition, the students have to be protected against homophobia. Other protection may be in riding in the school buses, cyber cafe protection having video surveillance in the schools among others. The relationship between the schools and the local police and other departments is that each works independently and there is no cooperation in undertaking their functions in the community. Helping the students learn and improving the quality of education is one of the main priorities of many school districts. This can only be achieved by having an effective working relationship. (Dimmock and Donoghue, 1997). This mainly begins by having a clear commitment that will help to discover the community’s assets and capabilities. This relationship requires the cooperation of the schools with many sectors. This process involves public inquiry and the community members who participate in the inquiry increases the quality of beliefs, ideas and actions that develops. The school should ensure that it has a written and prevention and mitigation plan. This plan consists of the strategies to keep bad things from happening in the school and it clearly outlines how the impacts of the negative impacts that could not be avoided be minimized or mitigated. The school should also have preparedness plan to help the students and the teachers to respond to some forms of crisis. To ensure the safety of the students at security crisis, various measures could be put in place which includes raising adequate money for the management of the security department involves evaluating and updating the school safety plan as often as possible. The school staff should receive trainings regularly on how to ensure that the students are safe. The school should develop an efficient safety plan for the students and include a security consultant if necessary when designing the school safety plan. The school can also partner with the law enforcers to identify possible threats that could pose security concerns to the students. Therefore security hazard analysis would be vital. (Dimmock and Donoghue, 1997).

Chaucer on marriage

Chaucer looks at male and female perspectives on marriage and shows the entire institution to be a farce, stereotyped by wealthy, flaccid old men and young, beautiful, deceitful wives. January, the old man in the merchant's tale, says â€Å"wedlock is so easy and so cline† (1264), which is sarcastic as the merchant has already spoken out against marriage, and women in particular. Yet January's motivations to get married are hardly pure, but more practical and shallow.For â€Å"sixty year a waffles man was heel and followed ay his bodily delete/ on women† (1248-50); after sixty years of fooling around with numerous women, he is ready to have a wife â€Å"on which he mighty engender hymn an heir† (1272). Rather than choosing a wife who is wise and loving and would care for him in his old age and sickness, he makes his decision as if he were choosing livestock, saying â€Å"l wool noon Old ‘. Nary Han†¦ / she shall Nat passe twenty year†¦ /and bet t han old beef is the tender feel† (1416-20).What is ironic is that January sees this way of approaching marriage as pure because it was so normal and standard. The purity of marriage would come if it were based on love and mutual respect, but instead for most men it is about having an heir and a beautiful wife. January can't see that he's leaving himself vulnerable to a young wife that will be deceitful and seek pleasure from younger more attractive men, instead thinking he can â€Å"a young thing may men gee,/ right as men may warm hex with handed Pyle† (1429-30).In the wife's tale, she shows that old men cannot actually mold their young wives into good, loving creatures. Although the wife of Bath â€Å"sits [she] twelve year was of age†¦ ‘ housebound at creche door [she has] had five† (4-6), she is no innocent. She manipulates and terrorizes her old husbands with her sexuality to gain money and control, until they are her â€Å"[detours] and†¦ [ thralls]† (155). She ends up molding her old husbands to her will.For her a husband is a source of income, and she always sakes sure she has one lined up on the sidelines. She had her fifth husband ready to marry her by the time her â€Å"fourth housebound was on beer† (587), and she â€Å"wept but small' (592), being already â€Å"purveyed of a make† (591). Even though the fifth husband that she takes is younger than her and she is now in the old man's position, she is still able to control her young husband to a certain degree, although it is much harder.It seems like an innate ability that women have to control their cabanas because its more than a survival method, but a way to find pleasure despite being in a technically submissive role. But a true marriage shouldn't be about control. This is what makes marriage such a Joke to Chaucer, and he is very cynical towards it. The tradition and sanctity of marriage means nothing because it is based on a foundation of lying and shallowness. Men and women conform to their stereotypes because of how society has shaped them and made marriage such a necessity.

The Entrepreneurial Qualities of Richard Branson and Their Impact to Business in the Virgin Group

The Entrepreneurial Qualities of Richard Branson and Their Impact to Business in the Virgin Group Introduction It is evident that modern business firms operate in an increasingly complex and competitive environment. Many companies are dealing in the production of either similar products or services or close substitutes. Therefore, business leadership has become one of the most admired qualities in doing business.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Entrepreneurial Qualities of Richard Branson and Their Impact to Business in the Virgin Group specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Modern business leaders are called upon to be more proactive and more entrepreneurial so that that they can be able to drive the business companies that they are leading to success. Success here refers to leading the company to make profits and attain a strong competitive edge over other companies. There are many Chief Executive Officers leading several companies in the world today. However, all of these CEOs cannot be termed as having the qual ity of entrepreneurship (Clark, 2009). According to Fletcher, 2002, entrepreneurial Chief Executive officers are those who are able to seek and build opportunities for the company using well informed business strategies. In the context of business leadership and management, an entrepreneur can be defines as a person who is able to lead the business to mold a business from scratch to greater heights. The entrepreneur develops unique qualities that steers the business through different business environment situation and ensures that the business attains success. An entrepreneur is the main defender of the business and the source of all the growth and success of the business. In other words, the success of the company lies on the shoulders of the entrepreneurial chief executive officer (Shaw, n. d).This paper is thus is going to discuss Richard Branson as one of the entrepreneurial chief executive officers in the world. The paper will discuss the personal and business qualities that de fine Branson as an entrepreneurial Chief Executive Officer. These qualities will be contextualized in order to clearly link Branson to the growth and business success of the Virgin Group. It is going to be argued in this essay that as an entrepreneurial CEO, Branson has become a main pillar of the Virgin Group. Therefore, without Branson, the company can hardly maintain the levels of achievement it has attained today. Brief history of Branson and entrepreneurship Grant, 2005 ascertains that Branson began showing his entrepreneurial qualities in the year 1967 when he quitted schools to launch a magazine. By then, he was only 16 years old. He believed in himself and in the idea that his magazine was going to help young activists in raising their voice. As is with many businesses, the magazine business had a lot of challenges. The business was not fetching money as had been expected.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your fir st paper with 15% OFF Learn More However, as a young entrepreneur, Branson did not give up in business. He quickly resorted to the business of selling records via the mail. He sold the records at highly discounted prices. He integrated the magazine business with the record selling business by running advertisements of the mail orders. Therefore, the magazine business was enhanced in that the adverts on the record mails attracted more people into buying the magazines. It is through this that Branson managed to rent a shop above a store that sold shoes where he opened a store that sold discount records. This store was dubbed ‘Virgin’ because it was a unique store in an area where such business has not taken place ever. Also the name ‘Virgin’ resonated from the fact that all the people involved in starting this business were brand new entrepreneurs who had not engaged in business before (Grant, 2005). As the store picked up, Branson faced many more hurdles one of them being an arrest for evading taxes. He was released on condition that he was going to pay taxes. Branson learnt from this experience. He began to formalize his business by introducing accounting and bookkeeping functions to help in monitoring and managing revenues. He continues in sourcing for opportunities and expanding his business. By the year 1983, the virgin business had grown to comprise approximately 50 companies with more prospects of growth. The business had diversified into different ventures. This is what Branson sought to achieve. Branson was also motivated by his spirit of anxiety which propelled him into wanting to do new and challenging things. Branson dared to do many things that seemed challenging and impossible according to his friends. However, his motivation and hardened spirit led him to achieving even in the most daring business activities. One of the most daring activities which Branson engaged in was the idea of launching an airline co mpany. This was also one of his biggest challenges (Grant, 2005). Overview of entrepreneurship qualities of an entrepreneurial chief executive officer It is important to understand the qualities that help CEOs to run firms to success. Chief executive officers are main strategists of companies. This means that they are the major determinants of the success of a business firm that they are leading. Therefore, a great chief executive officer is the one who crafts the vision of the firm and sets effective strategies that will help the organization to realize the vision. The CEO should be able to set a healthy environment which encourages creativity from the top managers of the company. The CEO sets and determines the business direction to be taken by the company. The CEO helps the firm in identifying the best market that the firm can enter and the best business opportunities for the company to venture into. The chief executive officer studies the market and the competitors and identifie s the best line of products that can bets suit in the market and bear profits for the company (Fletcher, 2002).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Entrepreneurial Qualities of Richard Branson and Their Impact to Business in the Virgin Group specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The other important role that has to be played by the CEO is the identification of differentiation and diversification strategies for the company. These are the major competitive strategies that help the company to gain a strong position in the market. All these lead to the establishment of strong brands for the company which results in great business achievements. Entrepreneurs go beyond the expectations as they do not peg on the statistics or common views about business but believe in making attempts in every venture. They do not rely on the interpretation of statistics but believe in risking to invent new ideas and moves in business (Fletcher, 2002). Richard Branson and the Virgin Group of Companies – initiating and controlling business growth Borowiec, 2008, argues that successful business leadership starts with entrepreneurial minds. Talking of entrepreneurial minds, Richard Branson had an elaborate entrepreneurial mind which led him to starting the Virgin Business. Richard Branson is undoubtedly one of the best known entrepreneurs not only in the United Kingdom but also the entire global scene. Branson is the brainchild behind the virgin business. He has propelled the Virgin business to what is today. He is argued to be the man behind all the products and services that bears ‘virgin’ as a brand name. Richard Branson has played a lifelong role in the success of the Virgin business making it tom produce brands that are now recognizable globally like the Virgin Airways. Branson has transformed a single business into a conglomerate of businesses under the Virgin banner. These businesses are now sprout all over the globe and are performing well. This is one of the most competitive brands in the world’s airlines industry which challenges even the oldest airline companies that began their yeas way longer before the commencement of the Virgin business. One of the greatest challenges of a business is to venture and succeed in a business field that is dominated by well-known world-class firms. The Virgin Group has panoply of business which range from wedding gowns to condoms, airlines and even financial services. Both of these businesses offing by the Virgin Company have proved competitive in that they are wrestling a market share from companies that produces similar or complement goods. The giant companies are feeling a pinch from the market competition generated by Virgin Group products. Branson has grown into a flamboyant business leader who commands enormous publicity for the Virgin Group. He is an admired entrepreneur and business leader in the entire world. He has been the base on which the Virgin Group business has expanded its reach and luster in the global business (Borowiec, 2008).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Branson and his tenure of management at the Virgin Group: a combination of entrepreneurial and leadership skills As mentioned earlier, the name Richard Branson cannot be separated from the Virgin Group of companies. Burns, 2008, supports the observation that Branson began this business and has been a major contributor in each and every development that takes place in the company. As it is now, the Virgin group is now comprised of over four hundred firms which have come courtesy of Richard Branson. Branson has ascertained that cultivating entrepreneurial spirit in the company is not a simple exercise. It needs hard work and commitment all of which he has put in the company. To sustain the running of the four hundred companies, Branson came up with a very brilliant strategy which has sustained good running of individual companies making up the Virgin Group (Mills, 2007). As the president and the chief executive officer of the Virgin Group, Branson sought to ensure that all the compani es making up the groups are run well. To achieve this, Branson realized the need to have motivated directors to run these companies. He crafted a strategy which ensured that each of the individual directors has a certain percentage of shares in the company which he or she is managing. This is a motivator of performance in the companies. The directors ruin the companies with passions knowing that the outcomes are beneficial not only to the companies but also themselves. This has really boosted the performance outcomes of the individual firms of the Virgin group. Branson ensures that the directors are well guided on how to drive business in the companies that they are running. Therefore, he does not just expect outcomes but he ensures that he sets necessary business steps to help in getting positive outcomes. Being entrepreneurial means that one is always busy with coming up with thinking and rethinking strategies of improving performance. One must be ready to fully commit him or hers elf to the business as he also embraces the aspect of delegating duties (Burns, 2008). As an entrepreneur, one must ensure that all the staffs of the company get to understand the vision and objectives of the company. It is easy to work on course especially so when all the employees and organizational leaders are aware of the course that they are working for. The chief executive officer in any company is the vision holder of the company. Branson ensures that all the employees of the company are on course by organizing for transformational seminars. In these seminars, they get to discuss the progress of business. They identify the hitches of doing business and the remedies possible to beat the hitches. He uses these meetings to challenge the staffs on how to work towards attaining the goals of the company. Transformational meetings and seminars have proved to be effective for the Virgin Group. They portray the business as it is and lays down the possibilities of changing or adjusting the course of working (Howard, 2010). Brands and branding is an important tenet of business more so in this competitive era. One of the most important roles of an entrepreneur is to brand the company as this is what will position the company in the competitive global market. If there is any are in which Branson has been successful both as a chief executive office and an entrepreneur, then it is his ability to brand the Virgin Group. First of all, Branson has ensured that he is the ‘first’ brand of the company. Branson has patented himself to the company and carries the company on his shoulders. Whenever he appears anymore, he is not just as a CEO or president. He is seen in terms of the company itself. This has helped in easing marketing and the conducting of public relations for the company (Kapferer, 2008). Branson has this character of pulling the media to the company and thus publicizing the company and its products. This resonates from his personal characteristics which he tailor makes to work in favor of the business. While many other companies spend a lot of resources in creating an image for their products and services, Branson only dedicates time to public relation thereby highly saving on business expenses (Borowiec, 2008). Branson is argued to spend a quarter of his time in conducting both direct and indirect public relations. He does this with vigor such that he fully attracts the media thence the public and by effecting attracting free advertisement of the Virgin Group and its products. This is contrary to many other Chief Executive Officers who dedicate huge sums of money for advertising and public relations. Branson is creative and innovative and always devices means of attracting the attention of the public without spending financial resources. The Virgin Groups has found an easy way of marketing and public relations which is its CEO (Dearlove, 2007). Branson has driven the company into fully discharging corporate social activitie s. In the recent years, Branson has been setting aside huge sums of money to help in fighting the effects of climate change and other corporate social activities. Corporate social responsibility has come to be an important parameter on which companies are judged by the public. Full participation and discharge of corporate social duties work to the advantage of the company (Dearlove, 2010). Branson has instilled the principle of time management in the Virgin business. He emphasizes a lot on the skill of good management of time in order to achieve the objectives of the business. Branson spends most of his time; about a third troubleshooting, a third on developing and enforcing charitable work and the remaining third on inventing new business projects for the company. He has fully put the company at the center of his plans with the company taking the highest priority (Brook-Hart, 2008). Rifkin, n. d, observes that Branson loves challenges in business and takes them as opportunities for growth. This is a rare phenomenon as most Chief Executive officers view challenges as obstacles to business which have to be fully fought using organizational resources. He is a daring business leader who approaches and confronts challenges head on. He is courageous and daring. This quality enabled him to initiate the Virgin Airlines which according to many was considered to be an overambitious and unattainable business for the Virgin Company. As of today, the Virgin Airlines is one of the most outstanding Airlines in the world’s aviation industry with big shares in the US, UK and Europe. He is guided by the motto of being the bets in each of the business which the company ventures into. He works on a conclusive assumption that significant profits prevails in even the smallest potions of the expansive business in the market. The success of Branson can also be associated with his ability to attract customers by taking their points of view and personalizing them. This makes it easy for him to introduce and implement these viewpoints (Haig and Haig, 2011). According to Mitchel who wrote in the British management journal, the winning formula used by Branson is found in the clashing business values of the 1960’s. These are money versus morality, company versus consumers, profit versus people, formal versus informal and big business versus the small consumers. Others are conventionality versus novelty, planning versus spontaneity, secrecy versus openness and hierarchy versus egalitarianism. Branson has always chosen the humanistic path and has managed in turning to the Virgin business. These values are synthesized in the five basic criteria of the Virgin products. These include high quality, innovation, good value for money, challenging to the prevailing alternatives and lastly is that the products must have a sense of fun. This has driven the venturing into several businesses with success being attained in every business that is ventured into. Busine ss Implications to the Virgin Group if Branson Leaves the Company Well, there are no prospects of Branson leaving the company. However, many people argue that the Virgin Group can suffer from major business shocks if Richard Branson was to leave the company today. Their argument is that the virgin business has so much been centered on Richard Branson to an extent that no other person is known who can publicize the company in the Absence of Branson. This according to marketing and branding experts was is one of the major shortcomings of Branson. Building the business around his name alone an overshadowing all other people in the company thereby making the now and the future of the company to revolve around him. This has risked the future of the business. There are a number of serious implications is at all Richard Branson was to step down as the CEO of the Virgin Group of Companies (Kapferer, 2008). The first significant effect will be a drop in business due to the shock and the effo rt to choose a person to replace him who may not match even a half of his impact. Therefore, the confidence of customers in the company will significantly drop followed by lapses in the share prices of the company products on stock exchanges. This can be equated to the case of Apple Incorporated and the death of Steve Jobs, its long serving ad most trusted CEO. The company shares dropped significantly as it struggled to cope with the reality of the demise of Jobs (Lynch, 2012). The other serious business implication will be a significant loss of publicity for the Virgin Group business. A lot of public relations duties are accomplished by Branson. Therefore, finding another person to conduct publicity the way Branson did can be quite challenging. Branson is known to be the main representative of the Virgin Business in the public domain. The Virgin Group may also be forced to pump huge sums of money in advertising the brands of the company; an activity that was easily accomplished by Branson at very minimal costs. The cost of running the business will thus shoot up resulting in the reduction of profits that are made by the company. This will also be combines with other disorientations in the company leading to a period of underperformance. The company can take a long time to learn to deal with the situation. However, the major supportive thing for the company to peg on will be the strong brands that have been developed by Branson. This was the case in Apple where the strong brands of products developed under Jobs helped the company to pick upon the demise of Jobs (Lynch, 2012). Conclusion The entrepreneurial qualities of CEOs are essential in business growth of any company. Richard Branson is among the most outstanding entrepreneurial CEOs. Branson started the Virgin business and through a powerful combination of leadership and entrepreneurial qualities has managed to develop ecstatic brands which cut across business borders globally. The Virgin Group can suffer from major business shocks if Branson leaves the company. Reference List Borowiec, A 2008, Facets model based on an entrepreneur Richard Branson. Web. Brook-Hart, G 2008, Business benchmark: Students book, Cambridge Univ. Press. Cambridge [u.a. Burns, P 2008, Corporate entrepreneurship: building the entrepreneurial organization, Palgrave Macmillan, New York. Clark, T 2009, Demystifying Business Celebrity: Leaders and Gurus. New York, Routledge Publishers Dearlove, D., 2007, Business the Richard Branson way: 10 secrets of the worlds greatest brand builder. John Wiley Sons, Hoboken, NJ: Dearlove, D., 2010, The unauthorized guide to doing business the Richard Branson way: 10 secrets of the worlds greatest brand builder, Capstone, Chichester. Fletcher, H 2002, Entrepreneur to CEO: The difficult transition, Harvard Business Review. Grant, R, M., 2005, Richard Branson and the Virgin Group of Companies in 2004, Case Fifteen. Web. Haig, M and Haig, M 2011, Brand success how the worlds top 100 brands thrive and survive, Kogan Page. London. Howard, C., 2010, Instant wealth, wake up rich!: Discover the secret of the new entrepreneurial mind, Wiley, Hoboken, N.J. Kapferer, J N, 2008, The new strategic brand management: Creating and sustaining brand equity long term, Kogan Page, London. Lynch, G 2012, Apple lacking quality control after Steve Jobs death, says ex-employee. Web. Mills, A. J 2007, Organizational behaviour in a global context, Broadview Press, Peterborough. Rifkin, G n. d., How Richard Branson Works Magic. Web. Shaw, B G, 2012, Entrepreneurs and enterprise. Web.

How to Use Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS)

How to Use Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) A Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) is a written document that provides product users and emergency personnel with information and procedures needed for handling and working with chemicals. MSDSs have been around, in one form or another, since the time of the ancient Egyptians. Although MSDS formats vary somewhat between countries and authors (an international MSDS format is documented in ANSI Standard Z400.1-1993), they generally outline the physical and chemical properties of the product, describe potential hazards associated with the substance (health, storage cautions, flammability, radioactivity, reactivity, etc.), prescribe emergency actions, and often include manufacturer identification, address, MSDS date, and emergency phone numbers. Key Takeaways: Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) A Material Safety Data Sheet or is a summary of the key properties of a substance and the hazards associated with its use.Material Safety Data sheets are not standardized, so its important to consult one provided by a respected source.Two chemicals that have the same name may have very different MSDS sheets because the particle size of the product and its purity may significantly affect its properties.MSDS sheets should be kept in an easy-to-find location and made accessible to all persons dealing with chemicals. Why Should I Care About a MSDS? Although MSDSs are targeted at workplaces and emergency personnel, any consumer can benefit from having important product information available. An MSDS provides information about proper storage of a substance, first aid, spill response, safe disposal, toxicity, flammability, and additional useful material. MSDSs are not limited to reagents used for chemistry, but are provided for most substances, including common household products such as cleaners, gasoline, pesticides, certain foods, drugs, and office and school supplies. Familiarity with MSDSs allows for precautions to be taken for potentially dangerous products; seemingly safe products may be found to contain unforeseen hazards. Where Do I Find Material Safety Data Sheets? In many countries, employers are required to maintain MSDSs for their workers, so a good place to locate MSDSs is on the job. Also, some products intended for consumer use are sold with MSDSs enclosed. College and university chemistry departments will maintain MSDSs on many chemicals. However, if you are reading this article online then you have easy access to thousands of MSDSs via the internet. There are links to MSDS databases from this site. Many companies have MSDSs for their products available online via their websites. Since the point of an MSDS is to make hazard information available to consumers and since copyrights dont tend to apply to restrict distribution, MSDS are widely available. Certain MSDSs, such as those for drugs, may be more difficult to obtain, but are still available upon request. To locate an MSDS for a product you will need to know its name. Alternate names for chemicals are often provided on the MSDS, but there is no standardized naming of substances. The  chemical name  or  specific name  is used most often to find MSDSs for health effects and protective measures.  IUPAC  (International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry) conventions are used more often than  common names.  Synonyms  are often listed on MSDSs.The  molecular formula  may be used to locate a chemical of known composition.You can usually search  for substance using  its  CAS (Chemical Abstracts Service)  registry number.  Different chemicals  may have the same name, but each will have its own CAS number.Sometimes the easiest way to locate a product is to search by  manufacturer.Products may be found using their  US Defense Department NSN. A National Supply Number is a four-digit FSC class code number plus a nine-digit National Item Identification Number or NIIN.A  trade name  or  product name  is the brand, commercial, or marketing name the manufacturer gives the product. It does not specify what chemicals are in the pr oduct or whether the product is a mixture of chemicals or a single chemical. A  generic name  or  chemical family name  describes a group of chemicals with related physical and chemical properties. Sometimes an MSDS will list only the generic name of a product, although in most countries laws require that chemical names also be listed. How Do I Use a MSDS? An MSDS might appear to be intimidating and technical, but the information is not intended to be difficult to understand. You might simply scan an MSDS to see if any warnings or hazards are delineated. If the content is difficult to understand there are online MSDS glossaries to help define any unfamiliar words and often contact information for further explanations. Ideally you would read an MSDS before obtaining a product so that you could prepare proper storage and handling. More often, MSDSs are read after a product is purchased. In this case, you can scan the MSDS for any safety precautions, health effects, storage cautions, or disposal instructions. MSDSs often list symptoms that might indicate exposure to the product. An MSDS is an excellent resource to consult when a product has been spilled or a person has been exposed to the product (ingested, inhaled, spilled on skin). The instructions on an MSDS do not replace those of a health care professional, but can be helpful emergen cy situations. When consulting an MSDS, keep in mind that few substances are pure forms of molecules, so the content of an MSDS will depend on the manufacturer. In other words, two MSDSs for the same chemical may contain different information, depending on the impurities of the substance or the method used in its preparation. Important Information Material Safety Data Sheets are not created equal. Theoretically, MSDSs can be written by pretty much anyone (although there is some liability involved), so the information is only as accurate as the authors references and understanding of the data. According to a 1997 study by OSHA one expert panel review established that only 11% of the MSDSs were found to be accurate in all of the following four areas: health effects, first aid, personal protective equipment, and exposure limits. Further, the  health effects  data on the MSDSs frequently are incomplete and the chronic data are often incorrect or less complete than the acute data. This doesnt mean that MSDSs are useless, but it does indicate that information needs to be used with caution and that MSDSs should be obtained from trustworthy and reliable sources. The bottom line: Respect the chemicals you use. Know their hazards and plan your response to an emergency before it happens!

Saint John Convention Center Project Research Paper

Saint John Convention Center Project - Research Paper Example Among the top five convention centers by floor space size, Toronto holds the top four spots. Convention centers in Calgary, Montreal, Vancouver, Regina and Edmonton are also represented in the top 15 largest convention centers by floor space. The table below details the rest of the top convention centres in Canada by floor space, together with mean and median figures for floor spaces and meeting spaces (Red7Media, 2010): Table Source: Red7Media, 2010 In the table above, the mean and median figures are markedly different, indicating that on the whole the conference spaces are smaller compared to the average by a factor of two. When it comes to total floor space though, the mean and median figures diverge less, meaning that on the whole there is some similarity in the total space available for many of the conference centers on offer in the list (Red7Media, 2010). On the other hand, such data excludes hotel capacity, and does not include prospective data on planned development, which ar e also key data for this particular part of the study. Moreover, the data above does not cover Atlantic Canada exclusively, which strictly must include data on New Foundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and New Brunswick. Fast forward to 2012, and among the biggest that have cropped up in Atlantic Canada is certainly the World Trade and Convention Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia, certainly likewise getting a lot of attention and debate regarding the merits and long-term value of such a large convention/conference centre in the area. This space is the subject of proposal requests from the government authorities for a new facility measuring 120,000 square feet of convention space (Trade Centre Limited, 2010). The existing facility in that place, aged 25 years, has a total floor space of about 50,000 square feet. To put this in perspective, the total floor space for the conference centers industry is pegged currently at 70 million square feet in 2012, increasing from 53 million square feet at the turn of the millennium, and up from 40 million square feet from twenty years prior to the present estimate (Power, 2012). The table below, meanwhile, details capacity expansion for the facility through to 2014, alongside revenue and takeup projections matching the increase in capacity and in step with the planned capacity additions for that centre (PKF Consulting, 2009): Table Source: PKF Consulting, 2009 As can be gleaned from the above table, capacity additions will be made up in justification by increases in demand and in actual consumption of capacity space, even as in the short term the capacity additions will result in operating losses. Given that the time span for revenue and income projections justifying the expansion of space is for a time period much longer than what the table covers, the investment in new capacity makes sense (PKF Consulting, 2009) In New Brunswick the lone convention centre is located in St. John, called the Saint John Trad e and Convention Centre, with a total floor space of 17,000 square feet, and with additional space for meeting rooms totaling 6,464 square feet (The

Case analysis of National Logistics Management Essay

Case analysis of National Logistics Management - Essay Example The company was founded in 1991 by Taylor, right from the start the company implemented an innovative approach- premium shipments were put by bid to the definite group of carriers. The former had to respond quickly in order to receive the order. Once several responses had been obtained the contract was awarded to the best bidder (the winner was determined by the number of factors: the price, the quality of the services provided and etc). NLM tracked the status of the order until the goods had been delivered, keeping all parties informed. Despite the obvious fact that this system was more convenient and more efficient, some carriers as well as plant managers were dissatisfied with it, but NLM took several steps to remedy the situation. The company has maintained its approach since 1991.The innovative strategy implemented by company has several important advantages: it saves time and money by allowing all parties involved in the process to communicate instantaneously without making sev eral phone calls and by expediting the process of premium freight. By now the company has managed more than 1.3 million of shipments, it has extensive network in North America and has build steadfast group of carriers. Environmental analysis. In today's world of ecommerce and internet, when goods and services can be purchased instantaneously online, only those companies that implement new technologies will be able to survive; thus the logistics companies have had to use internet to inform their clients about quotes, facilitate the shipments of the goods and track other information. Moreover, transport companies combined their resources with manufacturers and internet companies to expedite the delivery of their goods and improve the efficiency of the shipment. One of the most famous examples is the alliance of Ryder System Inc with Toyota, which was formed in order to increase the quality of transportation management. This process was also evident in airline industry where airlines use web-based systems in order to expedite business transactions. The implementation of high technologies into logistics industry has improved the quality of its business enormously. The notable reduction of the costs of logistics companies from 20% of GDP in 1960 to 10.5% of GDP in 1996 is one of the few results of this process.By 1999, internet based logistics companies had become ones of the most important players in the industry, and the shares of non-asset based carriers traded higher than the shares of asset based ones. Such companies as Celarix introduced new services such as g lobal tracking and landed cost assessment. Transplce, another player in the industry, increased the freight density across the carrier base of the company. Several other companies implemented new strategies as well. From the examples mentioned one can see that internet technologies have been playing one of the