Feminism and Postmodernism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Feminism and Postmodernism - Essay Example In particular, the so-called postmodernist feminism has challenged the claims that observed differences between men and women are necessary and that women have an essence that justifies their subordinating position in society. Central to the postmodernist understanding of society is the belief that the grand or totalizing principles of modernity and the Enlightenment - including appeals to rationality, progress, humanity, and justice - have been completely undermined. This line of reasoning emerges from poststructuralist critiques of language, subjectivity, and representation. In other words, where poststructuralists criticized the foundations of modernism, postmodernists read these critiques as mandates for rejecting foundations altogether (Stabile 1995). European postmodernists, like Jean-Francois Lyotard, have expressed the belief that Marxism, like the Enlightenment in general, culminated in Stalinism because of its totalizing impulses. Some postmodernists have gone much further than this identification of Marxism with Soviet-style systems, holding Marxism responsible for all kinds of oppression. Twentieth-century Marxism has used the generalizing categories of production and class to delegitimize demands of women, black people, gays, lesbians, and others whose oppression cannot be reduced to economics. This kind of judgment dramatically displays yet another feature of postmodernism: its historical amnesia. Marxism and socialist organizations in general have been repeatedly marginalized and delegitimized by capitalism. Postmodernism is full of confusions and contradictions, nevertheless, it is based on some unifying principles such as non-critical and idealistic focus on the construction of real as well as examination of the concept of difference. For example, if the society is not able to identify any interests which might unite it, then the only mean to unify people is based on identity differences. This Marx's so-called unity in differences or the identity of interests shared by people and represented by the political institutions was rejected by postmodernists who did not accept any form of presentation in favour of the particular difference (Stabile 1995). Feminism From the first glance, feminism seems to be more accessible than postmodernism and refers to the females as the political unity with the identifiable electorate. Feminism shares with postmodernism the idea of rejection of historical materialism. Notably, the contemporary theories of feminism do not reject the idea of system and totality, but rather elaborates its own analysis in which male domination is seen as the alternative or confederate of capitalism. Thus, women, being oppressed by male dominating system, share the common interest to oppose it. At its beginning, feminism was both intellectual and political movement: to help women in understanding their oppressed position and to promote the changes in society in terms of gender issue. Early feminists organized as the distinct class with radical intentions (Tong 1989). Essentialism argument (the foundation of category "women" from biological perspective) and anti-essentialism argument ("women" seen as the historically and socially constructed group) are essential to understanding feministic assumptions. Essentialists believed that women have similar characteristics upon which political action can be founded. While, anti-essentialists claimed that labels "male" and "female" were not fixed

Cost of capital Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Cost of capital - Essay Example e returns to the company and the risks involved in the investment on purchasing the supplier has to be analysed and this process is known as the investment appraisal. Investment Appraisal is defined as; â€Å"Evaluation of the attractiveness of an investment proposal, using methods such as internal rate of return (IRR), net present value (NPV), or payback period (PP). Investment appraisal is an integral part of capital budgeting, and is applicable to areas even where the returns may not be easily quantifiable such as personnel, marketing, and training† (Gotze, Northcott, & Schuster, 2009, p24). Payback period, as the name indicates, computes the time taken for the project to generate cash flows to break even. In other words, it is the number of years that will be taken by the project to pay back the initial investment to the company (Emery, 2007). The payback period for this proposal is found to be 4 years (4 * $ 500,000). Net Present Value utilizes the discounted cash flows and computes the total worth of the project to the company. The cash flow estimates for the life of the project are discounted to present values and the net sum of the cash flows (including any outflows) provides the Net Present Value of the project (Gillespie, Lewis, & Hamilton, 1997). It indicates that the project will increase the worth of the company by this value. In this case, the NPV of the proposal is computed as shown below: The cost of capital in most cases is volatile and changes during the life of the project. This can affect the returns and the Net Present Value computed during the project start up. The internal rate of return is used to compute a maximum discount rate that can be applied to the project without incurred any losses and gives an indication of the margin of safety of the project (Emery, 2007). IRR calculation works on trial and error basis. Initially the NPV for an assumed rate is determined and based on this value; another rate is selected so that the new NPV

Fund an exploration program for a Search for Life Term Paper

Fund an exploration program for a Search for Life - Term Paper Example ehab Inc., NASDAQ: ASTC) is an example of a small, publicly traded company involved in the business of space exploration, mission supplies, research and development of space exploration technologies. One of the greatest successes of supra-national cooperation in space exploration is the International Space Station (ISS), built and developed in coordination with advanced scientific teams from over 15 different nations. (NASA, 1998) In order to develop and plan for the search for life in our solar system, as well as to fund this search through private investment that is sustainable and profitable for shareholders over time, a private company should be formed that seeks to replicate the facilities, research, and success of the International Space Station in orbital locations across the solar system. The company should also engage in the production of â€Å"interplanetary gliders† powered by solar sails and ion drives that are able to travel through the low gravity environments be tween the planets. By establishing orbital communities around the other planets in our solar system, as well as the moons of these planets, the company can used already known and developed technologies to innovate and make the current plans more efficient, that human colonies can be established around the solar system to be dedicated to the search for life on other planets and moons. Due to the benefits of specialization and cooperation, the â€Å"heavy lifting† of escaping the Earth’s gravity system and transporting goods, people, and equipment into space via rocket or shuttle systems should be sub-contracted initially to other companies such as SpaceX, while the company under proposal, to be named initially the SpaceHub Investment Group (SIG), should specialize in building fully complete and replicable ISS-style space habitation units. In order to attain an advantage in research, intellectual property, press exposure, and experienced personnel for this venture, SIG should first attempt a

BUSINESS ETHICS PAPER WALMART (UNCLASSIFIED Essay

BUSINESS ETHICS PAPER WALMART (UNCLASSIFIED - Essay Example This essay will discuss Wal-Mart’s success as an organization and its ethical problems and conflict with the rest of the consuming public. We will also discuss other complaints and so-called human rights violations committed by the company, and how this huge-sized company is able to proceed working and operating for its consumers with its everyday low price strategy. Success comes in many forms, and not without sacrifices and a price. For Wal-Mart, this happens in the course of suits, public hatred at times, and more and more complaints coming from the very core of its business, the public. How Wal-Mart overcame and reached to where it is now is the subject for this paper. Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is a success story as we all know. Its accelerated rate of growth is phenomenal that after it opened its first variety store in 1945 and successive opening of other variety stores, discount store, supercenters, and supermarkets, the family of Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton has now a combined fortune of about $90 billion. (Ferrell, Fraedrich, & Ferrell, 2008, p. 394) In its website, the story is told that Wal-Mart began when it opened its first discount store in Rogers, Ark. in 1962. Five years later, there were 24 Wal-Mart stores ringing up $12.6 million in sales. In 1972, when it opened its stocks to the public in the New York Stock Exchange, it had 276 stores in 11 states. (Wal-Mart History Timeline, 2008) Wal-Mart Stores comes in three sizes: discount stores, which are about 100,000 square feet; supercenters, which are about 187,000 square feet; and the neighborhood markets, which are about 43,000 square feet in size. (Ferrell et al., 2008, p. 293) Wal-Mart’s critics include feminists, human rights activists, anti-sprawl, activists, and labor unions. The controversies are its alleged â€Å"not-so good† treatment of its employees, suppliers, the environment, and the overall economic impact on communities. One major issue: Wal-Mart has engaged in

Hospitality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

Hospitality - Essay Example F&B division ensures the achievement of a forecasted sale through suggesting promotional, selling and administrative strategies it ensures the implementation of internal control programs of company, also coordinate with the kitchen department and discuss the matters related to services and food preparations (Walker, 2010). F&B division manager is responsible for planning, organizing, directing and controlling the delivery of services in all required divisions and monitors that all services are performed well. Outlet’s supervisor is liable for the supervision of operations and makes sure that services are performed according to the prescribed policies and standards. Captain of waiters is legally responsible for the administration of service delivery and arrangements to the assigned location. Receptionist is responsible for greeting and escorting customers. Waiter is responsible for taking of the order and serving these orders to the customers on committed time. And the success of full service operation is not possible without the successful completion of each activity (Walker, 2010). The front office is the hub of communication for the hotel. The guests drive the communication as their actions trigger most communication. Describe how and for what purposes the front office and other areas in the Rooms Division communicate. In any hotel Room division plays very important role in the process of hotel working. The dining room managers are responsible for services, seating arrangements, and for the supervision of staff and have direct contact with visitors. This department is a combination of housekeeping and front desk. Room division and front office can have communication regarding the hotel’s promotional plans, cost cutting activities, and they can discuss the marketing and operational strategy, and both departments can have communication related to the hotel’s problems and their solutions (Walker,

Right Testicular Pain Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Right Testicular Pain - Case Study Example Just as Brown-Guttovz (2007) states, to eradicate chances for misdiagnosis, I may have to: observe the patient’s gait and resting position; the natural position of the testis in the scrotal sac when the patient is standing; the presence or absence of cremasteric reflex; determine whether the swelling is reducible; check and compare the palpitation of the scrotum, scrotal contents of the affected Hemi scrotum against the affected Hemi scrotum; and analyze palpitations in the lower abdomen and the inguinal and cord canals.Nevertheless, from the foregoing, the absence of the cremasteric reflex make it clear that the patient is suffering from testicular torsion and not any other testicular conditions that are also accompanied with pain, The evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of the patient is required and should be done very fast because if testicular torsion goes untreated for 6 hours, the affected testis may be lost. In this respect, blood tests will not be considered at this stage. Radionuclide scanning is very accurate but may not be applicable at this stage since time will be of the essence. In light of the recommendation put forth by Somani, Watson, and Townell (2010), Doppler tests may be used to identify the absence of the patient’s blood flow in the affected or twisted testicle. The Doppler ultrasound scan on the scrotum is 90% accurate in detecting testicular torsion and differentiating testicular torsion from other sources of testicular pain and complications such as epididymitis.

Management accounting and control (5-8) Coursework

Management accounting and control (5-8) - Coursework Example In this context we can comfortably say that knowledge and insights from budgeting are helpful in designing budgetary systems and setting of budgets for organizations (Wildavsky & Swedlow 2001). The ability to effectively formulate budgetary systems and set budgets through insights from budgets is very important for any given form of organization. This is because such tools can be used in the setting of standards of performance, motivating the stakeholders of the organization and providing the tools used for the measurement of results which are direly needed in the fulfillment of the organizational goals. The process of budgeting normally begins from a zero based perspective (Wiseman 2010). The organization starts from zero and determines the need of each department and program. This approach tends to provide a more accurate budget as opposed to an allowed incremental increase each year. Budgets are meant to be conservative hence there needs to be an overestimation when it comes to th e expenses while the revenues require to be underestimated. This is for the sake of flexibility required in the system hence assisting in the design of a budgetary system. Insights from the knowledge of budgeting plays a critical roles in supporting the strategic plans of organizations where many factors like technology needs, capital improvements, overhead needs, planned giving and capital campaign revenue and borrowing funds. These are key components when it comes to formulation of budgeting systems and setting of budgets (Wildavsky & Swedlow 2001). Annual budgeting is a must for organizations as technology in form of software and hardware becomes more sophisticated. Budgeting and budgeting systems for technology requires that the organization realizes and sets budgets for the replacement of computers. Taking care of such grand company costs requires that there is a plan ahead to save on costs which may otherwise go to a waste if there are no proper budgetary systems and accurate budgets set (Wildavsky & Swedlow 2001). Knowledge from budgets is useful in the determination of funding required for capital improvements and this is important for organizations across the divide (Seal & Garrison 2009). Knowledge from budgetary costs are applicable in the realization that utility costs are not a constant factor despite the fact of impossibility of prediction of fluctuations and in establishing budgetary systems and setting of budgets, the economic conditions of the time are much applicable. Budgets in the are used in the formulation of budgetary systems through an in depth look at the expenses by the organization (Wiseman 2010). Borrowing though not considered as a part of any financial strategy in the organization. The use of borrowed funds helps organizations be in the position of undertaking a lot in terms of the organization growth. Generally, budgeting involves a complete process which ranges from identification, collection, summarization and communication of financial and non-financial information of a given organization. In managerial accounting process the budgeting system helps in the planning of the course of action that can be undertaken by an organization to help in seeing through future transactions (Wildavsky & Swedlow 2001). The budgets and knowledge of budgets enables corporations to formulate some form of common goals for the sake