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Challenges in Dealing with My Selected Topic

Challenges in Dealing with My Selected Topic

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Challenges in Dealing with My Selected Topic

The topic that I will research in my final project is the role of leadership in the management of disasters and emergencies. As I prepare to tackle this subject matter, I anticipate facing several challenges, one of which is the relative overabundance of reading materials and scholarly works relating to leadership. Thus, sorting through them to identify those that will be relevant and specific to my research area will be somewhat challenging in that it will require establishing a particular set of inclusion criteria. Also, this will be a challenge in that it will complicate the scoping of my literature review. Scoping the literature review is crucial in identifying its linkage with the research questions, especially when qualitative research methods are adopted, as Fellows and Edwards (2014) suggest.

The second challenge is the quantity of literature. Given the potential of the overabundance of sources and reading materials on the construct of leadership, the quantity of literature that I will likely access will be overwhelmingly large. Dealing with such literature quantity will be a challenge for me because a literature review is usually an iterative engagement rather than a linear process. By iterative I mean that literature review entails managing the quantity of literature accessed, retrieving data that will support the framework of my research, and determining the keywords and alternative search terms while constantly looking for new research sources to validate findings (Hagen-Zanker & Mallett, 2013; Lentz et al., 2016). For this reason, I will most likely find myself revisiting each of the literature-review steps multiple times before I can complete my literature review.

The third challenge I anticipate to encounter is the concern relating to the narrowness or broadness of my study focus. I see this concern as inevitable because I have to balance the focus to ensure that it is neither too narrow nor too wide, as Donahoe and Ross (2013) advocate. On the one hand, a study focus that is too narrow will imply possibilities of covering little about the topic because I cannot find enough information to work with (Fayetteville State University, 2020), hence missing out on the real impact of the research. One the other hand, a study focus that is too broad will be deemed vague while leading to the problem of overabundance of information that can overwhelm my research efforts. For this reason, I will be obliged to prepare myself for adapting my research as I skim through literature to ensure I maintain the desired level of study focus and make my research manageable.

The fourth challenge that I expect to face when researching my selected topic is the time management issue. As I grapple with attaining a balance between my part-time job commitments and research efforts, meeting research project deadlines, and juggling other tasks, I will need to manage my time better. A significant amount of time will be necessary for me to conduct an in-depth inquiry into literature, engage in an intense exploration, and draft and polish my research project paper. Accomplishing these research steps without proper time management will be impossible.

The last challenge will entail choosing the right research methodology that appropriately aligns with the scope and design of my research. While the research methodology is the necessary procedure for moving forward with my research topic, getting it to align with my research question will be challenging because it will require considerations of three factors. These factors will include honing my research design, soliciting feedback from my instructor, and deciding whether a qualitative or quantitative orientation or a mixture of both approaches will best work for my research methodology.

References

Donahoe, D., & Ross, J. (2013). Chapter 7: Student scholarly writing: The seminar paper. Legal Writing Pedagogy: Commenting, Conferencing, and Classroom Teaching. Pressbooks.

Fayetteville State University. (2020). Develop a research topic. Fayetteville, NC. Fayetteville State University. Retrieved June 06, 2020, from http://library.uncfsu.edu/reference/intro-to-library-research/develop-a-research-topic.

Fellows, J., & Edwards, M. (2014). User guidelines on qualitative methods in health workforce planning and forecasting. London: Centre for Workforce Intelligence.

Hagen-Zanker, J., & Mallett, R. (2013). How to do a rigorous, evidence-focused literature review in international development: A guidance note. London: Overseas Development Institute.

Lentz, J., Kennett, M., Perlmutter, J., & Forrest, A. (2016). Paving the way to a more effective informed consent process: Recommendations from the clinical trials transformation initiative. Contemporary clinical trials, 49, 65-69.

Challenges in Establishing a company

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Strategic Human Resource Management

Establishing a company is never a smooth sailing affair as one has to be prepared to deal with different challenges. The management plays a critical role on how a company progresses since they are mandated to set both short and long term goals for the company. Positive attitude and determination to succeed should always be the mission of every individual or group of people who want to start a company despite the challenges that may come up.

Capital is the major challenge that any person or groups of individuals would face when starting a company. Murphy and the six who quit their job in the public sector to start an IT company were not spared of this challenge either. This was made difficult by the fact that their family members were against their resignation from the job they had got in the public sector and family support being important in any project undertaken by anyone proved to be the first great challenge they faced. However the determination to succeed enables any management team to achieve their set objectives. Murphy and the six having that determination to see their company grow never even listened to their ill-wishers who expected them to fail. They also faced challenges such the bureaucracy in government at that time, difficulty in importing computer and telephone lines but this made them more determined. This was an excellent attribute shown by this management team. Keeping the company’s goals and hope alive proved to be the determination of all the six members of the company. This enabled them encourage each other in the meetings that they regularly held to be strong and determined. This is what is expected of any management team.

Secondly, any management team has to develop a vision and mission statements for their company. These statements motivate both the management and other staff to work harder in order to achieve the set objectives. Infosys group had a vision creating wealth in a legal and ethical manner and become a global company. Their aim was to work transparently and in accordance with the set laws of their country. They also strived to be unique and different from other firms in India which were dominated by family members in their management teams. Their company was to be managed by professions and in professional manner. The current C.E.O reaffirms this by noting that they wanted to build a professionally owned company managed by professionals with good cooperate governance, good employee management and good ethics.

The management should also be able to review its strategies when need arises in order to improve the quality of services they provide as well as expand their customer market. Infosys’ initial vision was to offer services to foreign clients in their own country but they later reversed this and in subsequent years, they sent their employees to the clients in different foreign countries to offer direct services to them. This improved their customer base as well as the quality of their services. They were able to value added services such as IT design and IT strategy.

The management team has to be able to work on how to branding quality of their goods and services to make their product competitive in the market. This is a great challenge that every company faces especially when the said product is manufactured by several companies and every company has to stand out.

The management is also bound to face several challenges within the company and should establish clear mechanisms to deal with the challenges. Bonding between the employees and the management should be prioritized as well as bonding among the employees for example, offer support services to its employees in emergency situations.

The management shout also be able to find ways of managing employee discontent by making the work place more fun as well as offering good pay for the employees. Good remuneration increases work morale among employees.

Challenges managers face in companies

Challenges managers face in companies

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Managers are the foot solders of directors in a company any happening or event must be recognized by the managers. Any loss or tragedy that befalls the company is usually taken to be the manager’s fault. According to (Punch 2014) the Power Holding Company of Nigeria was privatized and the lead reason was managers. Managers are faced with the task of always achieving a stretch goal by being aggressive .The new CEO of Apple Tim cook apologized after the company promised that the Maps application would be ready. His dreams were shuttered after the internet was outraged about the mapping errors prompting him to apologize (Nnodim, 2014).

Continuous improvement

Manager should ensure constant improvement through change in process, embracing new technology embracing change in owner. In PHCN the privatized firm that took over wanted to change its operation to technological thus would retrench people as they would not have any work to do. Large organizations manage performance and provide feedback thanks to online applications Apple has not embraced the evolution and it would be better if they would purchase twitter and integrate it to IOS5 and it would take advantage of the evolution. This is also done by keeping up with technology especially with growth of new devices everyday and managers should instill constant improvement in all employees. Managers should also foster next generation talent to get better success rate as they are the future.

Responding to a crisis

In PHCN there was the striking loom that would cause a shutter in the production industry. Managers should find alternative solutions to beat such occurrences. The crisis in Nigeria was brought about by retrenchment policies that would cause 40,000 employees to be jobless. Managers should have organization plans that will response to change in the environment conditions such as strikes. Creative management should anticipating the trend, companies should spot potential customer groups and new channels of distribution that would improve sales and new technology that make company more efficient to reduce such instances.

Employing the right employee

Private investors who took over the company also required labor personnel who had experience in the power field. The reason for retrenchment was to hire personnel who could perform work, with qualification in the energy industry. Human capital management is a challenge that the human resource goes through. Constant change in the technology field needs skills from employees and constant training to enable them adjust to change. Online human resource services such as cloud based services can provide much higher security than paper kept in file cabinets which Apple Company adopted. The traditional interviews are not practical anymore and managers should adapt technology.

Resource allocation

Managers are faced with the task of allocating resources to ensure success rate is constant. Human resource was lacking in the Nigerian industry as they retrenched most of their personnel. They required recruiting more individuals to be given roles and responsibilities. Resources should not be wasted but choices have to be made to allocate the financial and human resource. Financial resource should be allocated to major departments to develop products that would improve a company’s profit ratio. This can be done by controlling costs and identifying opportunities to build profitability in equities

Reference

Nnodim O (2014, 04 23) Strike looms in power firms over job losses. Punch

Connor, T (2014) how are you handling the five biggest challenges facing managers and business owners today? Employee Performance

Challenges of Joining Old Westbury College

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(Instructors’ name)

(Course)

(Date)

Challenges of Joining Old Westbury College

Joining Old Westbury College has been a dream for me since the days of my childhood. My desire to immerse myself in the prestigious learning environment that characterizes Old Westbury College has driven me to apply for a degree course in the college. This is my second degree in accounting, which comes after 8 years of rest from the college curriculum and syllabus. In addition to being renowned as one of the leading faculties in the world today, Old Westbury College will present me with a number of opportunities, as well as, challenges. At the outset, the first challenge I expect to face while studying at the college relates to the fact that I have been out of school for 8 years. I am well aware of the changes that have taken place in the college curriculum especially the incorporation of technology in the classrooms but my experience out of school has exposed me to the technological world hence my adaptation in school. Joining college after eight year of break also implies that my fellow students may be younger than me. For that reason, I will be required to improve my communication and interpersonal skills so as to socialize with the younger age groups for the promotion of group edification initiatives.

Old Westbury College is also recognized for its commitment towards maintaining a diverse student population, and for that reason I expect to intermingle with a number of student from diverse communities and cultures. This poses as a challenge because of the different cultural backgrounds that is characteristic of the college’s student population, which will demand awareness of the different cultures from the world. For example, I need to familiarize myself with the various ethical principles of each community to facilitate harmony with other students and reduce the risks of conflict in the college environment. Awareness of the diverse cultural backgrounds will demand research and compliance, which may be time consuming but extremely necessary. Additionally, the College’s diverse student population commands familiarization with different foreign languages to ease communication with other students in the school. This will, in turn, oblige me to take up one of the foreign languages as an extra course, which will demand additional time and commitment.

The last challenge I expect to face in Old Westbury College relates to my preferred degree course, which is accounting. As it is my second degree in accounting, I am well aware that the curriculum will be much tougher than my previous accounting curriculums in other schools. Because of the probability that the accounting curriculum maybe much broader and harder, I am aware of the requirement to commit plenty of my time, as well as, my resources if I am to attain success in my educational pursuit. I will be required to suspend some of my commitments so as to give full attention to my studies in the college, which will force me to defer my current employment. I am an ambitious individual who understands the challenges that may face me in my pursue for education in the College. My dreams and goals for the future motivate me to work harder for the achievement of an accounting education despite the potential challenges of pursuing this course at Old Westbury College.

Starbucks Coffee Company is the largest retailer and roaster of specialty coffee in the world

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Introduction/BackgroundStarbucks Coffee Company is the largest retailer and roaster of specialty coffee in the world. It was established in 1971 by three partners in the US and has since then spread its operations in over 50 countries globally (Seaford & Brooks, 2012). It expanded tremendously and tripled its stores between 2002 and 2007 from 5,886 to 15,011 respectively. However, its rapid expansion was altered by the recent economic crisis that peaked in 2008. Despite this, the company continued to focus on its expansion goal into the international market. Strong and persistent focus on international sales led to significant growth and expansion of this company during the subsequent years. During the second quarter of 2010, for instance, Starbucks’ profits increased eightfold to $217.3 million. Currently, this company has more than 1700 stores in various locations in the world. It distributes its products in terms of stores and does not sell franchises (Gossage, 2011). Apart from specialty coffee, this company owns other two brands, namely, Tazo Tea and Seattle’s Best Coffee. The company has also invested in the music industry and has been offering various music products and services to customers. This paper presents an analysis of Starbucks through the following topics:

Starbucks environment

Furniture/Decoration inside the company,

Music of Starbucks (background music and how they market the music)

Marketing strategies

Advertisement strategies

Use of Gift Cards/E-Cards

The company’s Technology)

Social responsibility

Global Responsibility,

Community

Environment

Starbucks EnvironmentFurniture/Decoration inside StarbucksStarbucks’ stores have small, circular chairs and tables that are designed to occupy minimum space. This makes it appear as if there are no empty seats and customers dining alone do not feel or appear lonely. As Simmons (2012) explains, round tables are more informal and comfortable for customers. According to Simmons (2012), Starbucks decorates store interiors to reflect appearance of surrounding neighborhoods. Depending on the character of the surrounding neighborhood, Starbucks selects themes for decoration from: heritage (factory-inspired lighting, metal stools, tile floors or stained concrete and worn wood); artisan (hand-polished woodwork, factory casement glass, masonry walls and exposed steel beams); and regional modern (culturally relevant fabrics and bright, light-filled spaces) (Simmons, 2012).

Music of Starbucks

Starbucks uses music to create an environment that entertains customers. As Simmons, (2012) explains, the company believes that listening to great background music while sipping coffee heightens customer’s enjoyments. The company has invested heavily in entertainment and has even established a music division called Starbucks Entertainment. Starbucks has also been selling compact discs since 1995 (Hajdu, 2006). The company expanded its investments in the music industry in 1999 after acquiring a music company called Hear Music. Today, Hear Music is the sound of the company. Hear Music has bee partnering with famous and emerging artists to provide variety of music to Starbuck’s customers. Hear Music’s compilations and hand-selected CDs are featured in the company’s cafes around the world, at the four Starbucks Hear Music Coffeehouses and online. In 2006, Starbucks teamed up with Apple Inc. and established Starbuck’s section of Apple’s iTunes, offering video downloads and music. The company has also established wireless communication between some of its stores and Apple through AT & T Wi-Fi technology. This implies that customers with computers can download music while listening in the Starbucks stores (Simmons, 2012). Generally, music is one of the key entertainments that coffee lovers enjoy at Starbucks.

MarketingAdvertisement

Starbucks uses various strategies to advertise its products and services. One of the main marketing strategies used by the company is in-house advertising within the company’s stores. The company has established a unique network that provides unique entertainment and news through its free in-store Wi-Fi service. As well, Starbuck advertises its products and services through the media, mainly through newspapers and televisions. The company has also been advertising its products and services through the internet (Bussing-Burks, 2009). For instance, Starbucks has established a website where they give descriptions of their products and services. The web page is designed in a way that allows visitors to share their experience of Starbucks products and services and to post their own product and service preferences. Starbucks has also been utilizing social media sites such as FaceBook, FunSpace and Twitter to advertise its products and services. For instance, the company has opened a FaceBook account through which they interact with millions of customers who share their experiences of the company’s products and services. The company has also been sending informative messages to consumers through mobile phones and emails (Bussing-Burks, 2009). The main goal of Starbucks in utilizing the above strategies is to gather enough information regarding consumer preferences and to use that information in improving their products and services. Apart from enhancing customer experience, Starbucks focuses on promoting its brand across the globe, to establish binding relationships with customers and to enhance customer loyalty (Bussing-Burks, 2009).

Starbucks’ Gift Cards/E-CardsStarbuck has established a program which allows customers to load money in terms of dollars into Starbuck cards to be used for future purchases (Gordon, 2011). The amount of money loaded into the card is a prepayment for products and services offered Starbucks stores and in other participating stores, such as Tezo, Teavana and Evolution fresh stores. As part of the program, the company has established Starbucks Card eGift which allows customers to buy and send virtual Starbucks Card through email and social sites. Customers can make purchases using Paypal, debit card or credit card account. The cards make it easier and more convenient for customers to purchase Starbucks’ products and services (Gordon, 2011). Starbucks uses this program mainly to enhance customer experience and loyalty.

Technology of StarbucksTechnological advancement has been changing at an average pace in the food and beverage industry. However, for business organizations to achieve success, they need to follow technological trends consistently and exploit any opportunity that may result from any change or advancement in technology. According to Technorati (2011), Starbucks adopted the recently introduced phone payments system which helps to reduce long queues during peak times.

The use of Starbucks Card is another example of how Starbucks has been taking advantage of advancement in technology. Technological advancement has led to a new platform in form of social media where business enterprises relate with consumers and share ideas and experiences with them. Business organizations are now able to acquire useful data such as consumer interests, tastes and preferences and responses to organizational products and services (Gossage, 2011). Starbucks has exploited this opportunity by creating accounts in the social media sites such as FunsPace and FaceBook where it runs forums to discuss important issues with consumers and communities (Technorati, 2011).

Social responsibility:Global Responsibility

Starbucks is one of companies operating in the global market that have been responsible when dealing with all stakeholders. Starbucks’ key stakeholders include customers, employees, suppliers, shareholders and governments. According to Lawrence and Weber (2011), Starbucks has always been committed to provide its customers with quality specialty coffee. They practice fair trade and provide impressive services to customers that give them as a sense of belonging. Employees of this company fully engage with customers to learn and respond to their requests and interests. The company is committed to providing customers with healthy food with low level of calories such as reduced fats breads. They also entice customers by offering them gift cards and other gift items such as mugs and cups with the company’s logo. In response, consumers in many pars of the world have developed loyalty to the product of this company.

Starbucks’ employees are treated well, as partners of the organization. The company has established the Recognition Awards Employee Benefits Package that provides of various gifts for workers in recognition for good performance. They are offered attractive salary and benefits. The company also provides free training to its employees to equip them with valuable skills needed in the cafe industry (Lawrence & Weber, 2011). The coffee master program and the servant leadership workshops are examples of career development programs sponsored by the company to support employee training.

Additionally, Starbuck has always been committed to ensure that they attain a level of success that rewards the shareholders. They allow the shareholders and new investors to purchase and sell shares of Starbucks common stock Dividends (Lawrence & Weber, 2011). They pay shareholders’ dividends on its common stock at specific set rates on quarterly basis. Starbucks also ensures that there is fare trade between them and suppliers. They encourage coffee farmers to adopt measures that help to protect the environment. They also train them to develop business skills by compelling them to be accountable for their business activities. However, suppliers are required to put in place safety measures for workers that will lead to fair and human working conditions. They are also required to protect the rights of workers through addressing child labour and discrimination and complying with minimum wage requirements.

However, Starbucks has in the past been accused of evading paying corporate taxes in various countries in Europe, an issue that could have an adverse effect on its reputation in the European market (Kole, 2011). Recently, this company has bowed to pressure from the UK government authorities to pay taxes from 2013 henceforth. It is vital for Starbucks should be compliant to such government requirements in all countries where it operates to avoid damaging its image.

CommunityStarbucks has enhanced its reputation to the community as a team player. In all places where it does its business, Starbucks has always been striving to make positive contributions to the communities. The company has been contributing by offering employment opportunities to neighboring communities (Ruzich, 2008). Starbuck’s offers a sizeable work force to volunteer in various community services. In 2007, for instance, the company’s workforce, partners and customers in Canada and United States logged 320,000 volunteer hours. The company has plans to increase its contribution to community services. By 2015, Starbucks expects to have capacity contribute more than 1 millions hours of community service annually across the globe. Starbucks has also been providing support to neighboring communities and has been addressing areas such as poverty elimination, literacy and environment (Ruzich, 2008).

EnvironmentEnvironmental sustainability is one of the key objectives of Starbucks. Since 1992, the company has been establishing innovative ways of minimizing waste from their operations. The company has also been recycling waste products, as a way of reducing environmental pollution. They company has also established “green teams” that develop and implement environmental sustainability initiatives (Lawrence & Weber, 2011). However, concerns have been raised since Starbucks customers often leave shops with their cups and dispose them off in the streets, hence creating a lot of waste. As National Coffee Drinking Trends (2011) explains, cups should be made up of material that is as degradable as possible

ConclusionIn conclusion, Starbucks is one of the successful retailers of coffee at global scale. The success of the company stems from its innovative business and marketing strategies that enhance customer experience. Furniture in the company’s store is designed in a way that makes customers feel more comfortable and less lonely. Decorations are mainly designed based on the characters of the neighboring communities. The company uses a combination of strategies to advertise its products to customers. The use of Starbucks Card is one of the innovative marketing strategies used by the company to enhance customer experience and loyalty. The company has been taking advantage of improvement in technology by adopting the latest technology available in the food and beverage industry to enhance customer experience. As noted in the analysis, Starbucks is one of the companies operating at global scale that have been showing responsibility to stakeholders. The company has also been showing responsibility when dealing with neighboring communities and through active involvement in environmental sustainability. However, the company needs to avoid engaging in issues that could damage its reputation, such as tax evasion. Also, the company needs to consider making cups using material that is as degradable as possible.

Works CitedBussing-Burks, Marie. Corporations that changed the world. Carlifornia: ABC

CLIO, 2009

Gordon, Rose. “Bracing pae for Starbuck’s CMO.” Spotlight, 16 March, 2011: 22-23.

Gossage, Bobbie. “Howard Schultz, on Getting a Second Shot.” Inc, 33.3, (2011): 52-54

Hajdu, David. “The Music of Starbucks.” The New Republic, 7 August, 2006: 21-23

Kole, William. J. Go east as European Union. 9 April. 2011. Web. 19 Nov. 2013

<http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=20040409&slug=neweurope11>

Lawrence, Anne & Weber, James. Business and Society Stakeholders, Ethics, Public Policy.13th ed. NY: McGraw-Hill, 2011

National Coffee Drinking Trends. National Association of Coffee. Starbucks Coffee

Company. 2013. Web. 19 Nov. 2013. <www.starbucks.com>

Ruzich, Constance M. “For the Love of Joe: The Language of Starbucks.” The Journal of

Popular Culture, 41.3, (2008): 428-442

Seaford, Bryan C. & Brooks, Robert W. “Starbucks: Maintaining a clear position.” Journal of

the International Academy for Case Studies, 18.3, (2012): 39-57

Simmons, John. The Starbucks Story: How the brand changed the world. New York:

Marshall Cavendish International Asia Pte Ltd, 2012

 Technorati. Starbucks Pay-by-Phone. 19 Jan. 2011. Web. 19 Nov. 2013.

<http://technorati.com/technology/article/new-starbucks-pay-by-phone-will>

Three Identical Strangers

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Three Identical Strangers

The 2018 film ‘Three Identical Strangers’ is a critically acclaimed film that follows the lives of triplet boys born in the United States in 1961. The boys were born to a single mother as quadruplets, but one of them died at birth. At six months, the boys were placed for adoption to different families. They then led their separate lives unaware of each other’s existence until they became aware by chance when they were nineteen years old. They were separated as part of a scientific study mostly on the nature vs. nurture argument.

The main question in the film is the question of nature vs. nature as regards child psychology. This is a particularly exciting theory as there are many differing opinions on whether human behavior is determined by the environment of upbringing or is a result of genetic disposition. The nurture side of the debate asserts that human behavior is exclusively determined by the surroundings in which one grows up. A human being is a clean slate which is then filled by what they experience in their environment. Nature, on the other hand, explains that genetics play the most significant role in the development of human beings. Some parts of the debate combine the two arguments and asset that human behavior is a result of both genetics and the surroundings.

The film sought to explore these two sides by placing the boys who had identical genetic makeup in different environments to study whether they would behave similarly or differently. They were deliberately put in families of different economic backgrounds to ensure that their upbringing would be entirely different. Later in life, the boys were found to have common interests and similar mannerisms even though they had grown up differently. This is intriguing since the research on nature vs. nurture has been going on for a long time and putting it to rest would put many minds at ease.

Another question that comes to mind about psychology when watching the film is the ethical standards when it comes to researching human subjects, especially children in this case. The children had no choice in taking part in the research as they were too young. Their parent had the right to consent, but perhaps she did not consider the full ramifications that separation would have on the boys. This is evident in the fact that they suffered from mental illness that led to one of them committing suicide in the end. The question of ethics in research is one that has been in question. On the one hand, research, especially in humans, leads to great strides in different areas of life. On the other hand, the welfare of the human subjects has to be taken into consideration. Hence this is a debate that elicits strong reactions both ways and makes the film all the more eye-opening.

The change vs. stability question in psychology also arises in the film ‘Three Identical Strangers’. Stability entails those traits a person possesses at infancy stays with them until they reach adulthood. Change, on the other hand, explains that these traits tend to change as a person interacts with others as they grow up. The film, in this case, can be said to lean more towards the stability theory, the boys were found to possess many similar characteristics when they reconnected in adulthood.

The film is no doubt quite educative and eye-opening with regards to child developmental psychology. Watching the movie calls to mind many questions such as ethics in research and proves to be quite enlightening.

Kenya

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Date:

Institutional Affiliation:

Kenya

The freedom and ability to travel to any country in the worlds is a very enticing prospect to me. Different people have different countries and parts of the world that they wish to visit. Some dream of pristine beaches and warm tropical waters, some dream of dense forests and lush hills while others yet dream of steep mountains, deep valleys, and wild animals. Others still envision bustling cities, humongous towers and a vibrant nightlife. The motivation for traveling to these destinations also varies. They include the desire to sample different cuisines, cultures, histories, religions, among many others. Some people travel as a hobby or as a way to relax and unwind. Whichever the incentive, taking a trip to a part of the world that you have never been to before should be an experience of a lifetime.

My dream is almost a combination of all these. If I were to travel to any country in the world, I would not want to choose a cliché destination. I would visit Africa, the cradle of humankind. An African safari, in my opinion, is the epitome of adventure, discovery, and fun. To be specific, I would choose a country known as Kenya that is located to the eastern part of the African continent. I first learned of this country from my friend whose family spent some time there over the holidays last year. I could not get over the lovely photos that they took and the more unusual stories that I heard. Since then, Kenya has become my new dream holiday destination. I set about finding out all the information I could find over the internet so that I would be as ready as possible to travel there.

Kenya is an average sized country located to the east of the African continent. It is located right at the equator so the weather there is mostly pleasant and warm all year round. The climate there is tropical which means that there is a danger of contracting some tropical diseases such as malaria. There are some medications that one can take before traveling so that they cannot contract such diseases. The country has a population of roughly forty million people, and these people come from different ethnic groups. Because of this, there is great diversity among the Kenyan people (Schaeffer 31). It must be quite interesting to live in one country that is made up of so many different people who each have a unique culture.

The ethnic groups have different names and mostly live in one geographical area. However, the people are free to live in any part of the country hence the cities and towns are cosmopolitan regions in which the different ethnic groups converge. These groups have cultures dating back to the times of their ancestors, and this is expressed regarding the food they eat, the clothes they wear, the way their hair is braided and in their religious beliefs.

My friend told me that they visited the Masai Mara Game Reserve in which there are many wild animals (Grünewald et al 61). The reserve is situated in the land of the Masai people, whose culture is by far the most interesting I have heard of. What most captivated me was a painting that he had brought back that featured an extraordinarily tall man that had jumped some feet into the air. I was mesmerized. This was a Masai warrior or a ‘Moran’ as they are referred to.

They are usually very tall and dress in traditional regalia including colorful wraparounds. These are generally red. They wear sandglass on their feet that are made of rubber. Their hair is also dyed red which is from some special clay that is found in their land. In the past, these warriors were tasked with protecting their people, their cattle and the womenfolk. They would go out on cattle raids and conquer their enemies in far lands. In recent times, however, these wars do not exist anymore, but the Masai people have not abandoned their traditional ways of dressing. Their women are also a sight to behold. Around their necks, they wear intricately woven beads and necklaces that are quite marvelous.

The country has many wild animals, chief of who are the big five namely the lion, buffalo, leopard, elephant, and rhino. To start off the topic of wildlife, there are many endangered animals throughout and the white rhino is under threatened in Kenya. There are many conservation efforts to curb poaching especially of the elephants and rhinos that are killed for their horns that fetch millions of dollars on the black market. The conservation is, therefore, a significant concern, these animals should be preserved so that future generations can be able to go on safaris and see the many animals in their natural homes.

Wildlife is a major tourist attraction in Kenya. Aside from the big five, there are many other animal species such as gazelles, antelopes, hyenas, zebras, monkeys, snakes, crocodiles, hippos; the list is endless. I have never seen most of these animals at close range hence to see them would be quite a dream come true. These animals are found in game parks, conservancies, game reserves and sometimes even roaming about the wild primarily in the forests and savannah (Van Wijk et al 209). The capital city of Kenya is Nairobi which is also famed for the fact that there is a national park right outside the city. Visitors, therefore, do not have to travel too far out to get to see the animals.

Kenya has several geographical regions including the mountains and hills, valleys, the coastal area, and the plains. The beaches are among the significant attraction to visit the country. The coastline is quite expansive, and the lovely beaches are like something out of a fairy tale. Many of the sandy beaches remain conserved and unpolluted hence they are quite a sight to behold. The hotels at the coast are world-class and would make the visits to the coast a very comfortable and enjoyable one. The water there is warm and clear, and I would love to swim there among the many fish species (Mwaipopo & Mwanahija 249). There is also a marine park, and one can go scuba diving and explore the sea life. I would be delighted at this opportunity.

Another attraction at the coast is the culture of the people who live there. Their cuisine is quite delectable, and I would like to sample some foods that I have never tasted before. There are also many prehistoric sites such as the Gedi ruins and Fort Jesus. These sites would give a taste of the rich history that the coast has to offer. I would not miss the chance to visit some of the places in which there remains of the ancestors of man were found. World-renowned scientists of the Leakey family set up camp there to search for and study the remains of the earliest human species.

The rift valley region also offers some of the most spectacular views. During the formation of the rift valley, there were formed very steep sides which today are escarpments. From pictures, they look breathtaking and many adventurers have gone there to paraglide and bungee jump. There are also waterfalls that fall off some steep hillsides. Climbing the tallest mountain that is named after the country is one of the adventures that I would like to add to my bucket list. I have never climbed any mountain before but from reviews, it is quite scenic and reaching the mountaintop is a gratifying achievement.

I would also spend time in the cities to see how different or similar they are to ours. The pictures that I have seen from the internet of the capital city’s skyline especially by night show a vibrant city that does not want for entertainment. To cap it all off, the Kenyan people are amiable and welcoming. Should you have any questions or need directions, you have only to turn to the nearest person who will be more than willing to help you out. The warmth and friendliness of the people are undoubtedly one of the best feelings about visiting a new place that will leave you wanting never to leave.

Works Cited

Grünewald, Claudia, Matthias Schleuning, and Katrin Böhning-Gaese. “Biodiversity, scenery and infrastructure: Factors driving wildlife tourism in an African savannah national park.” Biological conservation 201 (2016): 60-68.

Mwaipopo, Rosemarie, and Mwanahija Shalli. “Aesthetic, cultural and spiritual services from coastal and marine environments.” Regional State of the Coast Report (2016): 242-250.

Schaeffer, Merlin. Ethnic diversity and social cohesion: Immigration, ethnic fractionalization and potentials for civic action. Routledge, 2016.

Van Wijk, Jakomijn, Machiel Lamers, and René van der Duim. “Promoting conservation tourism: The case of the African Wildlife Foundation’s tourism conservation enterprises in Kenya.” Institutional Arrangements for Conservation, Development and Tourism in Eastern and Southern Africa. Springer, Dordrecht, 2015. 203-218.

Letter from a Birmingham Jail

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Letter from a Birmingham Jail

I decided to write about Dr. Martin Luther King’s ‘Letter from a Birmingham Jail.’ This letter was written by Dr. King from his cell in a Birmingham jail where he had been jailed for taking part in peaceful protests against racism. The reason as to why I chose to write on this particular piece of work is because I am a big believer in human rights and equality. Dr. King is a well known historical figure who fought for equality especially among African Americans at a time when racial segregation was the order of the day. Dr. King’s efforts and actions are an inspiration to many people throughout the world, and I am no exception.

The letter was written as a response to the concerns of some elitist white leaders of the church who deemed the peaceful protests to be against the law. The peaceful protests that had been organized by Dr. King and his fellow blacks were intended to shed light on the issue of segregation of black people in the United States at the time. Even though they had sought legal and peaceful means to have their concerns addressed, their plea had either been postponed or outright dismissed (King Jr, 7). It was, therefore, a matter of necessity that they identify other avenues through which to air their grievances. The local people of the city of Birmingham had called upon their compatriots from other regions, and Martin Luther King was among those who heeded their call.

Police brutality and the demeaning of black people by the whites were other issues that were raised by Dr. King. The letter was meant to shed more light on what the protests were about and how the people had come to the decision that to carry out a demonstration was the only means to make their voice heard. Dr. King also expressed his disappointment with the white members of the clergy. While a few of them had stood with the blacks in their quest for justice, most had chosen to remain silent which can be equated to them being complicit with the actions of the racists.

My overall impression of the work was that Dr. King made an eloquent and well thought out response to his accusers. The moral message that is passed across is that all people are created equal, and no one could exercise any form of dominance over another human being. The moral theme that emerges throughout the letter is the fight against injustice and oppression of the weak based merely on the color of their skin. The setting is a Birmingham jail which emphasizes the fact that the black people had been oppressed and put in prison for speaking out against discrimination. This is obvious use of pathos where the reader sympathizes with the author. Dr. King also uses a vivid description of scenes such as “Daddy, why do white people treat colored people so mean?”; when you take a cross-country drive and find it necessary to sleep night after night in the uncomfortable corners of your automobile because no motel will accept you; when you are humiliated day in and day out by nagging signs reading “white” and “colored” (King Jr, 5)

The author accomplished his mission in getting the reader to see his point of view using the argumentative devices such as pathos. He also uses relevant examples to show just how much the black people have suffered as a result of legal segregation. Dr. King’s letter shows how appalled he was by the state of affairs and that he was willing to go to whatever lengths to make sure that the black people were treated in an equal, fair and just manner

Work Cited

King Jr, Martin Luther. LETTER FROM BIRMINGHAM JAIL. PENGUIN BOOKS, 2018..

Short Analysis of Shakespeare’s Hamlet

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Short Analysis of Shakespeare’s Hamlet

William Shakespeare wrote a well-known play. In various ways, Hamlet exposes the complexities of human nature, deepens each character, and encourages readers to focus on the game. Shakespeare’s insights into humanity are shown by the use of characters with different motifs. Men’s external and internal contradictions are expressed at the end of the game, resulting in several people’s deaths.

Soliloquies are also used in Shakespeare’s plays to express the characters’ inner feelings. “To be or not to be” and “O, what a rogue and rural slave I am!” are two of Hamlet’s significant soliloquies. These soliloquies illustrate the defining features of the characters. The Prince of Denmark, the Hamlet, is a hesitant character who hesitates several times before acting. In his testaments, Hamlet expresses his fear. When reading Hamlet’s “To be or not to be,” readers will observe his disturbing conduct.

Dante and Virgil are defeated in a much shorter second round than the first. It marks the start of Hell, where sinners are punished for their transgressions. Dante sees Minos, a giant beast, testing each soul in preparation for the final judgment. After hearing the souls confess their guilt, Minos sprawls his tail around him to determine the sinner’s circle size. Minos warns Dante to be cautious about where he is going and where he is going. Minos warns Dante not to enter, but Virgil silences him by asking Dante (as Charon did) why he asks Dante, and then by telling him, in the exact words as Charon, that he is willing and that what he desires must occur. (The term “heaven” is not used in this or any other place in Hell).

Dante is about to enter a completely dark world filled with an evil roar that rivals a sea storm. The relentless wind shook and whirled spirits, lamented, screamed, and shouted. Dante learns that these spirits are fated to become flesh. He inquiries about some of those who were blown away, and Virgil responds with their names and some detail.

Then Dante expresses a desire to converse with two sinners simultaneously, and Virgil, in love, advises him to do so. They arrive, and a man expresses gratitude for Dante’s kindness and wishes for peace before Dante tells her story. She first reveals that the murderer will be punished in the lower Hell circle. In this second circle, where proper Hell penalties begin, Minos, the mythological King of Crete, judges the maligned souls. The second circle is a need for flesh. The sinners waver in the winds of anger at creation when they feel powerless. Anything Francesca says in response. Lancelot and Guinevere’s death was hastened by the publication of their romantic novel Lancelot and Guinevere’s death (contour). They read the story on their own, and some parts seemed to reflect their excitement. They were by themselves as well as the book was kissed and almost forgotten. We had finished reading on that particular day.

Minos, the mythological King of Crete, sits in this second circle, where the proper Hell sanctions begin, to judge the cursed souls. The second circle is a fleshly wish. The sinners are shaking and wavering in the winds of anger of creation because they felt helpless. In this canto, the circles devoted to incontinence sins such as famine, self-indulgence, and passion are also identified.

Dante sees Paolo and Francesca at Virgil’s call and summons them to him for a gentle conjuration in the name of devotion. It was predicted that Paolo and Francesca would take ten years to marry, a problematic task alluded to in the poem. Gianciotto was now incarcerated in Hell’s lower circle for murdering them both locally (fochi).

Work cited

Cantor, Paul A. Shakespeare: Hamlet. Cambridge University Press, 2004.

Fochi, Anna. “Through Hamlet, With Hamlet, Against Hamlet: Giovanni Testori’s Translation Of The Ultimate Character”. New Readings, vol 12, no. 0, 2012, p. 73. Cardiff University Press, doi:10.18573/newreadings.87.

Intelligence is shown through a range of talents at different ages

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Intelligence is shown through a range of talents at different ages. For example, language ability at six months of age is not the intelligence component since babies cannot make or understand words. Still, it is an intelligence component at six years since children cannot generate or understand terms. The intelligence testing items designed to evaluate intelligence at various ages reflect several intelligence components. For example, two-year-olds on Stanford Binet must identify items shown in line drawings, discover the object they have before seen but forgotten (learning and a memory test), and put all three things in the corresponding form hole. Suppose the Stanford Binet is ten years old. In that case, it is requested that word (verbal testing of ability) be defined, why certain social institutions existed (general test of knowledge and reasoning) and blocks are counted in a picture where the existence of certain blocks must be determined.

Children aged 5 to 6 years old have had the most success and the most diverse variety of applications for IQ testing. The specific talents tested and the questions used to measure them differ substantially from one test to the next. However, the most often used assessments share several similarities (Kovacs 189-194). General intelligence is a concept that encompasses a wide variety of cognitive talents and capacities. People can gain information and solve issues by employing these talents. This fundamental mental ability serves to develop particular mental skills such as spatial, numerical, mechanical, and linguistic abilities. Without intellect, it isn’t easy to learn anything.

Intelligence serves as the foundation for learning. The efficiency of the learning process is influenced by one’s degree of intelligence. In several settings, it is commonly accepted that students with high intelligence are easier to educate, lead, and guide than those with low intelligence.

I compared two of my close friends on the amplitude of learning and learning and general intelligence. To reach the two, I looked at the characteristics of intelligence from Stanford-Binet, one of the intelligence scholars (Baum 17-21). My main aim was to look at the cognitive abilities of both students. The results were not the same as the students with cognitive students had traits that were not the same as general intelligence students had very high cognitive abilities instead of learning intelligence.

The tests were critical as I understood the meaning of intelligence more profoundly, precisely, the general and learned intelligence quotient. I took this as a positive way even to handle the practical tests on intelligence. I was able to utilize my critical and critical thinking abilities as well as cognitive abilities to make the final decision on the test. I was not particularly eager to do an online test since the results were invalid, but all in all, they were meant to make us understand the topic of intelligence. On the other hand, the results were a good measure of intelligence as they incorporated all we learned in class. I recommend them as they prepared us for future physical testing on intelligence.

In a nutshell, the class has taught me so much about intelligence; I understood the measures of intelligence and how it can be compared with different factors. I have also learned that environment has a significant impact on one’s intelligence as well. For example, factors like the home environment and parenting of a kid, schooling and the availability of learning tools, and nutrition all have a role in a child’s intelligence.

Work cited

Baum, Seth. “A survey of artificial general intelligence projects for ethics, risk, and policy.” Global Catastrophic Risk Institute Working Paper (2017): 17-21.

Kovacs, Kristof, and Andrew RA Conway. “What is iq? life beyond “general intelligence”.” Current Directions in Psychological Science 28.2 (2019): 189-194.