Dick Spencer Case Essay

Spencer was a plant manager of Modrow Company, a Canadian Branch of the Tri-American Corporation. Tri-American was a major producer of primary aluminum with integrated operations ranging from mining of bauxite through the processing to fabrication of aluminum into variety of products. The company had also made and sold refractories and industrial chemicals. The parent company had wholly owned subsidiaries in five separate United States locations and had foreign affiliates in fifteen different countries. Tri-American employed approximately 22,000 employees in the total organization. The company was governed by a board of directors. The board set general policy, which was then interpreted and applied by the various plant managers. This decentralization in organizational structure increased the freedom and authority of the plant managers, but increase the pressure for profitability. Spencer started his career in Tri-American Corporation as salesman and he succeeded. After two years of successful work as salesman, he became the symbol of what salesman have to be. In his career in Tri-American, he had worked as salesman, troubleshooter, assistant plant manager in English branch in London UK, plant manager in Birmingham in UK and his last position was plant manager of Modrow company in Canada. It was another challenging position in his career and he had faced few problems regarding to management, organization culture, organization conflict and organization innovation. †¢ Spencer was a plant manager of Modrow Company, a Canadian Branch of the Tri-American Corporation. †¢ Tri-American was a major producer of primary aluminum with integrated operations ranging from the mining of bauxite through the processing to fabrication of aluminum into a variety of products. The company had also made and sold refractories and industrial chemicals. The parent company had wholly owned subsidiaries in five separated US locations and had foreign affiliates in 15 different countries. Tri-American employed approximately 22,000 employees in the total organization. The company was governed by a board of directors, which included chairman, vice chairman, president and 12 vice presidents. Subsidiaries and branches are organized as independent companies and decisions are decentralized. †¢ The Modrow Branch was located in a border town in Canada. The total work force in Modrow was 1,000. This Canadian subsidiary was primarily a fabricating unit. Its main products were foil and building products such as roofing and siding. Problem: 1. Resistance to change by employees, this problem shows when Dick as the plant manager asked the worker why he was using the saw when the material could easily be bent fifted into the barrels, resulting in saving time and equipment. And then the worker said â€Å"We’ve never done it that way, sir. We’ve always cut it†. After all the power saw are removed from the scalp area in order to adjust new method of bending rather than cutting. A few day later Dick find out that workmen using hand shears to cut each strip to cut. 2. Process of Production Problems. In his new position as Plant Manager at Modrow, he found that construction was slower in completion than originally planned; equipment arrived before the building was finished, employees were upset about the extent of change expected in their work routines with the installation of additional machinery, and in general morale was at low ebb. 3. Culture Change Problem; there is the difference between American and British philosophy and performance within the plant. Here, he also found that his power and authority were less than those of his superiors, so he constantly found himself in the position of having to soft pedal or withhold suggestions that he would have liked to make, or innovations that he would have liked to introduce. After a frustrating year and a half, Dick was suddenly made plant manager of an old British company which had just been purchased by Tri-American. He left his first English assignments with mixed and moved from London to Birmingham. In Birmingham, he become a plant manager and operated much as he had in his troubleshooting job for the first couple of years of his change from sales to administration. He did some changes in Birmingham. Training and reduction programs were instituted for all supervisors and managers who survive the initial purge. He tried to focus/ control on relationship between production and the needs from sales by simplifying and redesign in order to increase profit. Later the company showed a small profit for the first time in many years. For this successfulness, then he requested transferred back to United States. 4. Cost Reduction Problem, by the end of his first year at Modrow, the building program had been completed, although behind schedule, the new equipment had been installed, and some revamping of cost procedures had been incorporated. But, the financial picture at this time showed as a loss. Later, all managers of the various divisions had worked closely with their supervisors and accountants in planning the budget for the following year. 5. Human Relations/ Interaction Problems When he worked through his first year as plant manager, Dick developed the habit of strolling around the organization. He was apt to leave his office and appear anywhere on the plant floor, in the design office and at the plant cafeteria rather than in the executive dining room, or wherever there was activity concerned with Modrow. At first his presence disturbed those who noted him coming and going, but later, the workers came to accept his presence and continue their usual activities. Supervisors, managers, and foreman, however, did not feel as comfortable when they saw him in the area. 6. Different corporate culture in Canada, even though Canada is located in same geopolitical areas, geographically and nationally Canada is different country and corporate culture is bit different from USA. And Dick Spencer is American manager who started his career in USA. As we can see from the case, Dick Spencer is basically very stunning to adapt different corporate culture in different countries such as UK and Canada plant career. We can see it from this sentence: ‘†¦ In recalling his first year at Modrow, Dick had felt constantly pressured and badgered. He always sensed that the Canadians he worked with resented his presence since he has brought in over the heads of the operating staff’. At the same time he felt this subtle resistance from his Canadian work force†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢. 7. Organization conflict in Modrow plant, there was an obvious conflict between workers and Dick Spencer. We can see it from this sentence: ‘†¦ In recalling his first year at Modrow, Dick had felt constantly pressured and badgered. He always sensed that the Canadians he worked with resented his presence since he has brought in over the heads of the operating staff †¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢. In the other words, other workers couldn’t live up with Dick’s arrival in the company. 8. Corporate innovation management, at the time of Dick Spencer’s arrival in the Modrow Branch, there was a lack of good corporate innovation management. We can see it from this sentence: ‘†¦ Prior to Dick’s appointment as plant manager at Modrow, extensive plans for plant expansion and improvement had been approved and started. Altough he had not been in on the original discussions and plans, he inherited all the problems that accompany large-scale changes in any organization. Construction was slower in completion than originally planned, equipment arrived before the building was finished, employees were upset about the extent of change expected in their work routines with installation of additional machinery, and, in general, morale was a low ebb†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ 9. Decentralization, basically this is American organization type and American one is more formalistic than European. Decentralization is basically increase the pressure from parent company management. We can see it from this sentence: ‘†¦ This decentralization in organizational structure increased the freedom and authority of the plant managers, but increased the pressure for profitability†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ 10. Lack of leadership for Dick Spencer, in terms of organization leader Dick Spencer shouldn’t include the all the works in the organization. He tried to do it by himself every single things and he aimed to attend every action. In terms of HRM, this is not good character for the good Leader. We can see it from this sentence: ‘†¦ As he worked through his first year as plant manager, Dick developed the habit of strolling around the organization†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢. This created the conflict between him and workers. Also this creates dis-approvement from workers. We can see it from this sentence: ‘†¦Supervisors, managers and foreman, however didn’t feel as comfortable when they saw him in the area†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ 11. Lack of knowledge in Human resource and accounting knowledge, these two courses were disadvantage for Dick Spencer in this study in MBA and these two are very important for any organization. In the other way, he can find and hire someone who can do his unknowledgeable fields such as accounting and HR. 12. Too high expectation from management made pressure, we can see it from this sentence: ‘†¦he believed that the president and his friends in the home office were constantly on the alert, waiting for Dick to prove himself or fail flat on his face†¦

Sexuality on Television and Teen Pregnancy Essay Example

Sexuality on Television and Teen Pregnancy Essay Example Sexuality on Television and Teen Pregnancy Essay Sexuality on Television and Teen Pregnancy Essay By Nichole Crawford We live in a society that is fueled by instant gratification, exaggerated sexuality and an ever-increasing lack of moral values. Through both poor role models and a highly sexualized media, the adolescents of today are constantly presented with a â€Å"lassiez-faire† projection of sex. Rarely do these images accurately portray the very real damage that irresponsibility and a lack of planning can do to the lives of young adults. In fact, some of the portrayals in today’s media do just the opposite, by encouraging teens to behave irresponsibly in regard to their sex lives. This is evidence in reality-style shows like â€Å"Teen Mom† and â€Å"16 and Pregnant†, which glorify teen sexuality and the consequences it can lead to. By airing television shows about teen moms on television, we are encouraging our young girls to repeat the behavior they see. Glorifying these girls’ choices to have unprotected sex at such a young age is irresponsible. There is little doubt in anyone’s mind of the turbulence that accompanies adolescence. It is a hormone-filled roller coaster of confusion, excitement and increased interest in sexuality. In recent years, with the internet boom and the increase in available television channels, it has become the norm for sex to be the topic in almost any available programming. From regular primetime shows to cable shows to commercials, sex can be found as a central theme. With children, teenagers, and young adults being exposed to so much sexuality, we can assume that it must have an impact on the development of their sexuality and their sexually-based decisions. The parents of teenagers and their children participated in one study in which they were asked questions in an attempt to determine how the media influenced them sexually (Werner-Wilson 303-311). The results were conclusive, and showed that teens did not believe the media had much influence of their decisions. Their parents, however, expressed more concern. As one parent put it the images on television were â€Å"pornography set to music† (page 310) and the concern was widespread that it would have a negative impact on their children’s’ choices. This is a concern that should not be easily dismissed. The study concluded that the teens were essentially unaware of the influence the media had on their decision making (311). Because it is unlikely for teenagers to be able to make a distinction on their own, parents should make an effort to sit with their children on occasion and observe their television choices, to monitor their intake of televised sexuality and discuss the unhealthy or dangerous decisions being made in the programming. Essentially, parents should assume a watchful and careful role in their children’s television decisions. We can hope that by taking such an interest in the television programming their children watch, parents can ward off any negative influence that sexually-charged programming can have on behavior. Another such study performed in a Northeastern high school had a goal of profiling television use among high school television viewers, with a specific interest in the sexual content in these programs (Schooler, pg. 484-508). The study divided the participants into groups and measured the amount of sexual content in each group’s television consumption. They found that the programs with higher sexual content was viewed by more of the study participants as a whole then were the programs with low sexual content, regardless of the genre of the show (503). This finding suggests that these adolescents do not realize the extent to which they are influences by the sexual content, because they believed that they were choosing the shows based on the genre, not the sexual content. As the author of the study findings puts it: â€Å"it appears that some teens who regularly watch higher levels of sexual content may be doing so somewhat inadvertently (504). This finding further emphasizes the need for parents to take an active role in helping their teenagers become aware of what they are watching, and how it impacts their thinking and behavior, because if they are unknowingly watching these highly sexualized shows, they may also unknowingly behave in a way that is portrayed in these programs. When taking these facts into consideration regarding teen sexuality and teen pregnancy, it can be safely assumed that these shows play at least a small role in the way that today’s teens view sexuality and, in turn, their own sexual behavior. One form of sexual content that poses a particular problem is so-called â€Å"reality† television. Shows that show romantic and sexual themes, presented in a realistic format give teenagers, especially female teenagers, a false sense of reality. The shows fail to depict accurate scenarios in the dating world, which leads to unrealistic expectations. When combined with insufficient knowledge about the dangers of risky sexual behavior, the shows perpetuate the possible problems that exist for teenagers in both romantic and sexual scenarios. These shows, while being called â€Å"reality TV† are unrealistic about the actual dating world as it exists today. Rarely do the characters on these shows experience real consequences from their behavior, such as pregnancy or STD’s, and in that sense, they fail to prepare the viewers for what is actual reality. This leads teens into situations with unrealistic expectations for their own encounters. In a study performed to determine the correlation between romantically themed reality television and teenage behavior, it was found that â€Å"[Romantically themed reality television] is a significant of girls’ frequency of sexual conversations with their peers and boys’ perceptions of the sexual experience levels of their peers (Vandenbosch, page 578). When these shows are viewed adolescents who watch them talk about sex more frequently with their friends; without also increasing the frequency of educational conversations about sex, this increases the risk of sexually irresponsible behavior. These shows do not depict sex and romance in a way that encourages furthered learning abo ut responsible sex, rather, it depicts sex as having little or no consequences in the lives of the people engaging in it. It is human nature that the things to which we devote our energy become increasingly a part of our lives, so if the adolescent’s time is increasingly spent watching sexually themed television, and then subsequently talking about it, they will spend an increasing amount of time involved in related behaviors. This leads to an increased risk of unplanned pregnancy and STD’s simply because the amount of sexual experiences should increase according to the amount of time spent watching and then discussing sexually themed television and other media. Not only does a sexually-themed medium increase the likelihood of sexual behavior in adolescents, but it also increases the likelihood that teens will experience consequences or regrets after such behavior. For example, after watching and discussing a show with a high amount of sexual content, a female teenage viewer may go and behave similarly to a character on the show. She may be misguided in her expectation because of the outcome on the show, and when her encounter fails to meet her expectations, she may come to regret her experience. Not only is regret a very real risk, but if the shows fails to depict necessary protection use by the character, it is likely that the teen may not think to use such measures in her own encounters. In this way, television content about romantic and sexual encounters sets adolescents for disappointment and an increased risk of unwanted consequences. According to one study involving teens’ media exposure to sex and the likelihood of regretting their first sexual encounter: â€Å"teenagers exposed to high levels of sex on television will be more likely than their peers to regret their first sexual experience† (Berry, page 93). While this may be related to an emotional aspect of the encounter, it is also fairly likely that it is due to the experience of unwanted consequences to the sexual behavior such as pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases. The study found also that increased television exposure led to earlier sexual experiences and also states that â€Å"earlier age at first sex is correlated with elevates risks of both pregnancy and STD’s. (Berry, 97)† Given these findings, as well as the findings in other studies regarding the media influence on adolescents, we can draw the following conclusions. First, teenagers who watch television programming are largely unaware of the influence it has on their own personal sexual behavior. Parents of such teens seem to be more aware of the influence it can have, although are unlikely to try to change the media intake of their children. Secondly, the viewing of sexual media leads to an increase in discussions of, and possibly involvement in, sexual activity. The involvement in such activity is rarely paired with education about sexual safety when it is influenced by sexual media. Lastly, teens who watch a high volume of sexually themed television are more likely to regret their first sexual experience. This can be because of unrealistic expectations, or can come from unwanted consequences such as STD’s and pregnancy. All of these facts should be taken into consideration when choosing what to allow our children to watch. While it would be nearly impossible to completely eliminate sexual content, it is possible and probably necessary to attempt to regulate it for children and teenagers. By oing so, we can probably reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases. Berry, Sandra H et al. â€Å"It’s Better on TV: Does Television Set Teenagers Up For Regret Following Sexual Initiation? † Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, Volume 41, Number 2, June 2009. Pages 92-96. Academic Search Premier. Web. 1 Nov. 2012 Schooler, Deborah et al. â€Å"Beyond Exposure: A Person-Oriented Approach to Adolescent Media Di ets† Journal of Research on Adolescence; Volume 19 (3) 2009, Page 484-508. Academic Search Premier. Web. 1 Nov. 2012 Vandenbosch, Laura, and Steven Eggermont. Temptation Island, The Bachelor, Joe Millionaire : A Prospective Cohort Study On The Role Of Romantically Themed Reality Television In Adolescents Sexual Development.   Journal Of Broadcasting amp; Electronic Media  55. 4 (2011): 563-580. Academic Search Premier. Web. 1 Nov. 2012. Werner-Wilson, Ronald Jay et al. â€Å"Adolescent and Parent Perceptions of Media Influence on Adolescent Sexuality† Adolescence; summer 2004, Vol. 39 Issue 154, p303-313. Academic Search Premier. Web. 1 Nov. 2012

PROJECT 1- DERIVING MEANING Example

PROJECT 1 PROJECT 1 Deriving meaning Deriving meaning form an art Figure Reference art: Relief caving from the Kandarya Mahedeva temple Khajurao India on page 177The strategies in deriving meaningFormal analysisElements in this picture comprise images of people enjoying sexual contacts evident from images of men masturbating besides other related acts (Arntz, n.d.). It shows a form of togetherness among the people in the societal setting. Masturbating people in this portrait embrace women and men whereby they seem to be in a state of celebration intended to please each other. Hence, integrating with each other to show heightened level of fantasies, which the involved parties seem to enjoy. The other idea in the art according to the combination of the elements is the sign of pleasure and reunion among the people addressed by the presentation art.Psychoanalytical strategyThe art in this situation also shows the culture of people within a given community. It clearly shows that there was an element of meani ng of sexuality in the previous times. It shows that there was past experience in terms of lack of freedom to enjoy certain elements of life (Arntz, n.d.). The picture also shows an element of reunion to show in the past separation of people within a given community.Feminism criticismThe art also shows an element of gender in the art. It explains the roles of women and men in their line of marriage. It exploits the relationship that the community expects from a man and woman who are together in marriage (Arntz, n.d.). This shows they have the role of satisfying one another in their marital life though one aspect is more of erotic than it ought to be, which masturbation. In addition, it shows the aspect of feminism that exists in terms of gender interactions whereby each woman within the society in question ought to be submissive to their polygamous husbands.Personal interpretationWhen I look at the picture, what comes into my mind is the perception of people towards sexuality. The e rotic practices shown in the picture dictates the current society that consists of exposure of certain social evils. Hence, aligning with the current society’s perception towards sexuality whereby most people term sex as an art of celebrating amongst themselves by pleasing each other with their bodies, which is evident in the above portrait. ReferencesArntz, C. (n.d.). Reproduction & Sexuality.

Battle of Stoney Creek in the War of 1812

Battle of Stoney Creek in the War of 1812 The Battle of Stoney Creek was fought June 6, 1813, during the War of 1812 (1812-1815). Having conducted a successful amphibious landing on the Lake Ontario side of the Niagara Peninsula in late May, American forces succeeded in capturing Fort George. Slowly pushing west after the retreating British, U.S. troops encamped on the night of June 5-6, 1813. Seeking to regain the initiative, the British launched a night attack that resulted in the enemy retreating and the capture of two American commanders. The victory led Major General Henry Dearborn to consolidate his army around Fort George and largely ended the American threat on the peninsula. Background On May 27, 1813, American forces succeeded in capturing Fort George on the Niagara frontier. Having been defeated, the British commander, Brigadier General John Vincent, abandoned his posts along the Niagara River and withdrew west to Burlington Heights with around 1,600 men. As the British retreated, the American commander, Major General Henry Dearborn, consolidated his position around Fort George. A veteran of the American Revolution, Dearborn had become an inactive and ineffective commander in his old age. Ill, Dearborn was slow to pursue Vincent. Finally organizing his forces to chase Vincent, Dearborn delegated the task to Brigadier General William H. Winder, a political appointee from Maryland. Moving west with his brigade, Winder halted at Forty Mile Creek as he believed the British force was too strong to attack. Here was joined by an additional brigade commanded by Brigadier General John Chandler. Senior, Chandler assumed overall command of the American force which now numbered around 3,400 men. Pushing on, they reached Stoney Creek on June 5 and encamped. The two generals established their headquarters at the Gage Farm. Scouting the Americans Seeking information on the approaching American force, Vincent dispatched his deputy assistant adjutant general, Lieutenant Colonel John Harvey, to scout the camp at Stoney Creek. Returning from this mission, Harvey reported that the American camp was poorly guarded and that Chandlers men were badly positioned to support each other. As a result of this information, Vincent decided to move forward with a night attack against the American position at Stoney Creek. To execute the mission, Vincent formed a force of 700 men. Though he traveled with the column, Vincent delegated operational control to Harvey. Battle of Stoney Creek Conflict: War of 1812Date: June 6, 1813Armies Commanders:AmericansBrigadier General William H. WinderBrigadier General John Chandler1,328 men (engaged)BritishBrigadier General John VincentLieutenant Colonel John Harvey700 menCasualties:Americans: 17 killed, 38 wounded, 100 missingBritish: 23 killed, 136 wounded, 52 captured, 3 missing The British Move Departing Burlington Heights around 11:30 p.m. on June 5, the British force marched east through the darkness. In an effort to maintain the element of surprise, Harvey ordered his men to remove the flints from their muskets. Approaching the American outposts, the British had the advantage of knowing the American password for the day. Stories regarding how this was obtained vary from Harvey learning it to it being passed on the British by a local. In either case, the British succeeded in eliminating the first American outpost they encountered. Advancing, they approached the former camp of the U.S. 25th Infantry. Earlier in the day, the regiment had moved after deciding that the site was too exposed to attack. As a result, only its cooks remained at the campfires making meals for the following day. Around 2:00 a.m., the British were discovered as some of Major John Nortons Native American warriors attacked an American outpost and noise discipline was broken. As the American troops rushed to battle, Harveys men re-inserted their flints as the element of surprise had been lost. Battle of Stoney Creek, June 6, 1813. Public Domain Fighting in the Night Situated on high ground with their artillery on Smiths Knoll, the Americans were in a strong position once they had regained their poise from the initial surprise. Maintaining a steady fire, they inflicted heavy losses on the British and turned back several attacks. Despite this success, the situation began to quickly deteriorate as the darkness caused confusion on the battlefield. Learning of a threat to the American left, Winder ordered the U.S. 5th Infantry to that area. In doing so, he left the American artillery unsupported. As Winder was making this error, Chandler rode to investigate firing on the right. Riding through the darkness, he was temporarily removed from the battle when his horse fell (or was shot). Hitting the ground, he was knocked out for some time. Seeking to regain the momentum, Major Charles Plenderleath of the British 49th Regiment gathered 20-30 men for an attack on the American artillery. Charging up Gages Lane, they succeeded in overwhelming Captain Nathaniel Towsons artillerymen and turning the four guns on their former owners. Returning to his senses, Chandler heard fighting around the guns. Unaware of their capture, he approached the position and was quickly taken prisoner. A similar fate befell Winder a short time later. With both generals in enemy hands, command of the American forces fell to cavalryman Colonel James Burn. Seeking to turn the tide, he led his men forward but due to the darkness mistakenly attacked the U.S. 16th Infantry. After forty-five minutes of confused fighting, and believing the British to have more men, the Americans withdrew east. Aftermath Concerned that the Americans would learn the small size of his force, Harvey retreated west into the woods at dawn after carrying off two of the captured guns. The next morning, they watched as Burns men returned to their former camp. Burning excess provisions and equipment, the Americans then retreated to Forty Mile Creek. British losses in the fighting numbered 23 killed, 136 wounded, 52 captured, and three missing. American casualties numbered 17 killed, 38 wounded, and 100 captured, including both Winder and Chandler. Retreating to Forty Mile Creek, Burn encountered reinforcements from Fort George under Major General Morgan Lewis. Bombarded by British warships in Lake Ontario, Lewis became concerned about his supply lines and began retreating towards Fort George. Having been shaken by the defeat, Dearborn lost his nerve and consolidated his army into a tight perimeter around the fort. The situation worsened on June 24 when an American force was captured at the Battle of Beaver Dams. Angered by Dearborns repeated failures, Secretary of War John Armstrong removed him on July 6 and dispatched Major General James Wilkinson to take command. Winder would later be exchanged and commanded American troops at the Battle of Bladensburg in 1814. His defeat there allowed British troops to capture and burn Washington, DC.

Postural Changes associated with Pregnancy Dissertation

Postural Changes associated with Pregnancy - Dissertation Example INTRODUCTION Posture is defined as the arrangement of body parts with reference to each other. Thus a good posture refers to the optimum alignment of musculoskeletal system so as to enable body movement with maximum efficiency (Britnell et al., 2005). Pregnancy brings about multiple changes in the women’s body affecting almost every biological system. While some of these changes go with pregnancy, others continue to affect for longer duration. There is an increase in body mass and dimensions with non-uniform distribution of both of these parameters. Thus the centre of gravity of the body and therefore, its equilibrium is disturbed and in order to regain it the body must lean backwards. The skeletal and muscular system of the women’s body undergoes several biomechanical changes to accommodate the growing uterus, maintain body balance and facilitate smooth delivery. Moreover the hormonal changes during pregnancy too affect the musculoskeletal system. Later weeks of pregna ncy are characterized by lordosis or a significantly increased curvature of the spine. Thus changes are observed in both the static and dynamic posture of the women during pregnancy. Along with these postural changes are observed discomforts such as low back pain which may or may not be associated with the postural changes. Moreover the postural changes have also been linked to increased vulnerability to fall incidences. Research has shown that the major postural adaptations associated with pregnancy include forward shift in centre of gravity, and subsequent anterior pelvic tilt, with some cases of lumbar lordosis and thoracic kyphosis. Approximately 75% of women exhibit a more posterior posture wherein the mass of the expanding uterus with the fetus is shifted posterior to the prior centre of gravity (Britnell et al., 2005). While pregnancy itself is associated with different levels of multiple discomforts both physical and mental, an understanding of the mechanism and nature of ch anges associated with pregnancy is imperative for developing measures to deal with these problems. This literature review aims to study the various aspects of postural changes associated with pregnancy. 2. PURPOSE Bipedalism is a distinguishing character of hominids and the human skeleton has developed several adaptations to enable it. One of the chief adaptations was an elongated lumbar region with both an increased length of individual vertebra and also increase in number of vertebra. Besides this, the lumbar vertebra are also arranged in a significantly concave curve, the feature being specifically termed as lumbar lordosis. As a consequence of lumbar lordosis the trunk’s centre of mass (COM) is shifted to a position above the hips thereby imparting stability to the upper part of body (Whitcome et al., 2007). The second major adaptation is sagittal pelvic tilt. Human posture and motion is thus defined by two biomechanical components responsible for imparting stability viz lumbar lordosis and sagittal pelvic tilt. However, pregnancy related marked changes in body shape and mass pose significant challenges to the bipedal stability (Whitcome et al.

Is the US still a global hegemonic power Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Is the US still a global hegemonic power - Essay Example The break-up of the Soviet regime in the late twentieth century, however, changed all that, leaving the United States in a uniquely powerful position in the world. This situation has been labelled a â€Å"global hegemony† based on the Greek word hegemon meaning leader. A hegemony demonstrates supremacy and leadership, but it also implies that there are others who more or less willingly follow this leadership and sustain the hegemony with their support. In modern times the phrase â€Å"global hegemony† the phrase has been defined with an emphasis on economics as a situation which â€Å"requires a preponderance of material resources, in terms of raw materials, sources of capital, market dominance and advantages in the production of highly valued goods.† (Kehoane, 1984, p. ) The supremacy of the United states in technology and its ability to influence international organizations such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund , which support capitalist fr ee market economy ideals, has helped to ensure that America maintained a hegemonic position in the mid twentieth century. Other analysts view the situation of the United States in terms of a â€Å"theory of hegemonic stability† which maintains that â€Å"the presence of a single, strongly dominant actor in international politics leads to collectively desirable outcomes for all states in the international system.† (Snidal, 1985, 579) Snidal argues that the dominance can be exercised in both coercive leadership and benevolent leadership and of course the leader can determine at any point which type to apply. There are two ways in which such a hegemonic power can decline: â€Å"the absolute decline of the dominant actor (e.g. Spain beginning in the late 16th century) or from positive but differential growth rates through which secondary powers ‘catch up’ with a former leader (e.g. the ‘decline with growth of the United States after 1960).† (Snida l, 1985, 585) It seems that in the new millennium a number of other players have finally begun to â€Å"catch up† with the United States, notably the European Union which increasingly acts in a unified strategy on international issues, and China, which is emerging as a new world economic power which has the potential to dwarf even the United States. American hegemony is now being questioned both in terms of its current ability to provide benefits for other countries lower down in the hierarchy, and in terms of its ability to sustain itself in the face of emerging competition. This paper starts from the assumption that the United States was a global hegemonic power, jointly with the U.S.S.R. from 1945 and then in its own right from the late 1980s at least. It then examines arguments which support the idea that the United States is still a global hegemonic power and arguments against. Economic, political, military and cultural factors are considered in turn, and then the argume nts are discussed, explaining why the hegemonic power of the United States is currently under threat, and concluding in the end that the United States is still a hegemonic power, but that this situation is not likely to last very much longer. 2. Arguments

Pop Culture Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Pop Culture - Research Paper Example The young ones like to connect with the pop music because they believe this is them when they hum along to songs, attend concerts, be a part of the karaoke nights and basically have a good time within the pop domains. The pop culture within music has always been a good subject to comprehend because the pop music is more about loudness and bang-bang than any other thing. They focus less on how things are followed by the book but understand how things are done in a quick and hassle-free way. This is, therefore, some of the best-known reasons why pop music has been able to showcase the young artists, the teenage sensations, and so on and so forth. The pop music and indeed the pop culture does not represent or take into consideration the people from the older age segments or the ones who are facing mid-life issues. Lady Gaga’s influence on the pop music and indeed the generation of present times is something to write home about. She is one pop singer that has touched the zenith of success during her brief pop career. However, she has touched hearts of millions around the globe and has represented the pop culture in a way that has not been known to be linked with others in the pop music industry. Therefore the role of pop music within the popular culture of present times is an acknowledged one and is manifested for a number of different reasons. People have started to think that pop culture will basically put the young ones on the right track, whereby the latter can listen to songs all day long and remain calm all this while. If they indulge in some other activities which are unbecoming of their own selves, then that would not be a pardonable excuse at all. So it is always an appreciable act on the part of the elders in the current times to allow the manifestation of the pop music in its diverse forms. Pop Culture on Television How programming has been affected with television and how the same has been inter-linked with the pop culture is somewhat of an inter esting debate. This is because the pop culture has brought about a number of programming advancements within the realms of this select audience (McNicol, 2009). The young ones now feel that they have a separate and unique identity of their own, which is being represented through the different pop music channels and distinctive programs – all of which cater to the needs and requirements of the time. The children and teenagers know that they need to keep a close track of what is happening within the pop culture regimes so that they can come along well with the changing times and be considered hip and happening within their respective social circles. The need is to remain fast track with the amending technological documentations and this has been in the form of immense progress that has come about with the advent of the pop culture. The pop culture on