The United Nations and Global Security †Political Science Essay

The United Nations and Global Security – Political Science Essay Free Online Research Papers The United Nations and Global Security Political Science Essay The question on whether the UN can provide adequate framework and tools in dealing with global security concerns, presents the complexity of the immense number of variables to be considered. The United Nations have been created according to the realists’ power-politics principles and has progressively covered economic, social and environmental fields. The recent protest at Seattle in December 1999, and in Washington D.C in April this year, showed that the potential impact of globalisation on a very wide range of contemporary social, political, cultural and economic relationships. It represents an issue of considerable importance to the conduct of the international system and the UN, addressing a sustainable human development and the promotion and protection of international human rights. After the fall of the Soviet Union, more than 90 armed-conflicts took place in more than 60 countries, involving more than 60 governments. This means that a third of the States members of the United Nations have been involved in a war in the last ten years. In Rwanda and in the Balkans, we have witnessed atrocities of a horrible and deadly magnitude. In many regions, the exploitation of ethnic and cultural divisions is fostering instability, strangling growth, slowing or stopping reforms and creating refugees and deaths. Even though it can be extremely difficult to identify the deepest roots of these conflicts, there are a series of trends and common points that show the changing of potential threats at global level. The United Nations have shown its limits at Decision-Making level, both with inequalities in composition of the Security Council and deficiencies in power of the General Assembly (it detains only marginal responsibility in security matters), and because of its dependence on finance provided by its members. (Countries, such as US have used the â€Å"weapon† of not paying the supposed fees as tool for influencing the Organisation. At present days, the UN needs to be reformed, the majority of the States, if not all, agree on it. But people disagree sharply on what kind of reform is needed and for what purpose. NGO leaders aim for a more democratic UN, with greater openness and accountability. Delegates favour reforms that follow the realist national interests and promote national power. Idealists offer plans for a greatly expanded body that would reduce State sovereignty, whilst conservatives push for a downsized UN with sharply reduced powers . The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) in its public documents reported that world-wide instability and the increased use of violence for political purposes would continue into the 21st century and these external phenomena will pose, in future, pressure on States and threats on public safety of their citizens . In the first part of this study we will analyse the changes in structure and security matters of the international system after the end of the Cold War and the new threats the UN will be facing in the 21st century. Once done that, we will point at the discussions for reforms of the UN in the last four years and the point 2 of the Millennium Declaration with Kofi Annan’s suggestions. The reform process of the UN and the question on whether it can be an adequate organisation to pursue global security implies a positive approach, as the consequences of its failure will fall on the whole International community. The post Cold war period has seen important changes in the structure of the international system: the step from an ideological bipolarity of the East-West confrontation to a no-ideological multi-polarity has brought to a decrease in importance of military alliances (crisis of identity of NATO and disappearance of the Warsaw Pact) The end of nuclear monopoly of the five recognised powers (China, US, USSR, France, UK) has experienced a dramatic illegal spreading of nuclear components and expertise from the former Soviet Union (Bielorussia, Kazakistan, Ukraine) and from some communist countries (China, North Korea) to several different buyers (countries, terrorist groups). Japan, United States and Europe play the role of world’s superpowers in terms of science, information technology, industry, finance and communication while there is a rise in importance of macro-regional alliances regrouped around recognised, or not recognised economic blocks (MERCOSUR, NAFTA and South Africa, Brazil, India, China). The break of the ideological cohesion of the confrontation capitalism/communism has lead to a new rise of different kinds of identity (race, religion, ethnicity), with different social structures, which, at times threaten the configuration of particular States (Yugoslavia) The explosion within states of wars between ethnic and religious groups results particularly difficult to be addressed. For many countries, the change from interstate to intrastate conflict has increased the danger for the non-combatants. â€Å"At the beginning of the twentieth century between 85 and 90 percent of war deaths were military†¦At the end of the twentieth century, about three quarters of war deaths are civilians† . â€Å"Civilians are no longer just victims of war today – they are regarded as instrument of war. Starving, terrorising, murdering, raping civilians- all that is seen as legitimate† . Ethnic cleansing has been attempted recently in Chechnya, East Timor, Kosovo, Sierra Leone, in conditions described by the former head of Medecins sans Frontieres as â€Å"a new age of barbarism† In addition to that, according to the Interdisciplinary Research Programme on Causes of Human Rights Violations (PIOOM) , the number of Low Intensity Conflict (between 100 and 1000 deaths per year) and Violent Political Conflicts (less than 100 deaths per year) has increased sharply during the past five years. (Respectively from 31 in 1995/96 to 77 in 1999/00 and from 44 to 151 for the same period. Armed conflicts generally occur in the world’s poorest countries, nullifying any chance of improving the already low standards of living. The deliberated destruction of crops or the posing of landmines for strategic purposes can drive into famine (Ethiopia, Eritrea) or impossibility to cultivate vast areas or no access to clean water with the consequent spread of diseases. In some cases, governments are not strong enough to provide Law and Order within their territory to their citizens. This can provide a basis of impunity for criminal organisations dealing with drugs, children and women prostitution, expired medical drugs, (mass destruction, chemical and light) weapons smuggling, that will then influence the global market and the rich Nations. Intra-continental power struggles can also present environment threats. For example, nuclear and missile testing in India and Pakistan, as intensification of the dispute over Kashmir, as well as the ongoing modernisation of China’s military forces and its commitment to use force to recover Taiwan, if necessary. The political instability of a part of that region could seriously damage the whole international community. As tensions and conflicts within States rise, the number of displaced peoples as well as political and religious refugees will also grow, bringing with it social, economic, political and, therefore, security challenges. The globalisation of the world economy can create immense tensions both with and within states, which can pose a serious threat in a long term. Globalisation tends to be selective, jerarchical and leave behind not only entire parts of the globe (Sub-Saharan Africa), but also regions within developed countries. Finance sector liberalisation has opened borders to the free flow of capital (but not free flow of people, for which the visa is needed), so that an estimated $1.5 trillion in world currency markets is been moved. However, 90% of this amount is speculative and benefit mainly the giant hedge funds and banks. These short-term capitals, as Asia found during the financial crisis of 1997, can fly out of a country in a relatively short time and with little warning. This process limits the power of states to protect neither their economy nor their currencies from international speculators. Thanks to the liberal â€Å"contribution† of Reagan and Tatcher in the past two decades, states are facing the impossibility/inability to retain control over their national policies, eroding their in fields traditionally under their direct control: welfare, education†¦ With a quarter of the World’s people (some 1.4 billion) in deep poverty and nearly the same number malnourished and lacking in the most basic health care, the neoliberal system is highly unstable. Currency speculation has created a series of deep crises such as Mexico 1995 and Asian Tigers 1997. The most important factor of the crisis of the modern Sovereign States comes, according to Levi , from the internal contradiction between the national dimension of the State and the internationalisation of production, which, in turn is the consequence of an evolution in the mode of production, based on scientific revolution. The United Nations The Preamble of the UN Charter states that the organisation is â€Å"to employ international machinery for the promotion of the economic and social advancement of all peoples.† Art. 55 says: â€Å"With a view to the creation of conditions of stability and well-being which are necessary for peaceful and friendly relations among nations.† the United Nations shall promote â€Å"higher standard of living, full employment and conditions of economic and social progress and development† as well as †solutions of international economic, social, health, related problems† , as well as (recently) global environmental threats. The founder members (mainly USA, France and England) hoped to create an international structure that could avoid the problems of the League of Nations and the chaos that followed WWI. They believed that, through Keynesian policies of intervention in the world economy, they could deliver a better life-condition to people and so, improving their security . The purposes of the organisation are declared in UN Charter and its structure consists of a Security Council of five permanent members (China, France, Russia, UK and US) and 10 non-permanent members elected for two years term, a General Assembly, a secretary general and a Secretariat, an Economic and Social Council, the International Court of Justice and a Trusteeship Council. Connected to the United Nations there are several specialised agencies and bodies: Food and Agriculture Org. (FAO), International Atomic Energy Agency, the International Labour Organisation, the World Health Org (WHO) and so on. Among them, there are also organisations, whose contribute to a better life quality of the people can be questioned: the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and the WTO. The assumptions on which the rules of WTO are based are grossly unfair. Those rules also reflect an agenda that serves only to promote dominant corporatist interests that already monopolise the arena of international trade If one could say that the principles are agreed by all states, the practices and, at times the goals, have failed to address common threats to security through a unified action. There has been difficulty in reaching and implementing decisions and â€Å"there has been a tendency on the part of the major powers to dominate the economic institutions as well as the Council, rendering it as an institution for the imposition of the will of the strong upon the weak, of the large over the small, and the rich over the poor† While the developed nations have a monopoly of seven permanent and non-permanent seats in the Council of 15 members, the vast majority of developing countries have to share the seven non-permanent seats. Among 185 members of the United Nations, 79 have not served in the Council. The five permanent members along with ten rotating member states do not constitute a representative, legitimate or authoritative voice for a United Nations of 185 . The current permanent membership comes from events that shaped the organisation five decades ago and the political and strategic basis to hold this position no longer exists. Specifically, Britain and France are no longer global powers and therefore any reform should introduce a new balance according to the international realities of today. There are several proposals for reforms. The first proposal consists in giving a permanent seat to Germany and Japan (which are among the biggest contributors). The second is in favour of an enlargement of the Security Council to 5 new members (Germany, Japan, and one state respectively from Africa, Asia and Latin America) without any veto power and an increase of the number of the non-permanent members. The last proposal (presented by Italy) is based on the creation of 10 â€Å"semi-permanent† seats that would cover the main world regions. The common point of these proposals would be to widen the composition of the Security Council to the strongest states that would, in turn, represents as well the interests of the smaller states belonging to the same region (ex. Germany and Benelux, Japan and Philippines). The veto power also creates a sharp disagreement. The right of veto was accorded to a realist view. The main assumption was that one of the Superpowers could stop a resolution or an action (except from particular cases such as the case of one of the member being involved in a dispute) that was in contrast with its national interests, and in doing so, preventing the dispute to escalate to threat international security. Eliminating the veto power looks impossible because any permanent member can block the proposal and, in some cases, blocking any discussion dealing with it (double veto). The failure of the member states, especially the United States, to fulfil their duties in founding the Organisation (for several reasons, strategic, economic and political) has had a particularly severe impact on the solvency of the United Nations. This crisis has been aggravated by what appear to be a â€Å"double standards† of intervention among some of the permanent member countries. (Rwanda, Yugoslavia) â€Å"Some critics were concerned that the concept of â€Å"humanitarian intervention† could become a cover for gratuitous interference in the internal affairs of sovereign states. Others felt that it might encourage secessionist movements deliberately to provoke governments into committing gross violations of human rights in order to trigger external interventions that would aid their cause.† However, the respect for basic Human Rights, in accordance to the principles of the UN Charter, could elevate the quality of life of all people, regardless their race, colour or religion. Our world will be as safe as we will decide it to be The United Nations Charter, for its character of multilateral international Treaty is unique in world affairs and can be described as a real World Constitution. Environmental and political threats, nuclear and biological pollution, massive killings and cleansing have been seen in this century like never before. Globalisation has incremented the inequalities with and within states, the gap between rich and poor is increasing and religious and ethnic extremism have seen a new rise. Global diseases such as HIV are spreading all over the world, but are the poorest countries to pay most and while one part of the world is experiencing the IT era, other parts are approaching the industrial revolution. The United Nations alone are not able to meet these challenges. They affect the entire international community, and they require that all nations sincerely act in accord to the spirit of the Charter. Without a strong and effective Organisation, the whole international community will find immeasurably more difficult to meet these challenges and the consequences will fall on the whole community. The emergence of several new states since the creation of UN shows that the tendency is toward an ever-increasing fragmentation â€Å"Whether the world’s peoples have such an organisation at their disposal depends ultimately, now as in the past, on the commitment of their governments to it. Now, as then, the Member States are the very foundation of the United Nations and its will can traduce in action in the right direction† . Research Papers on The United Nations and Global Security - Political Science EssayAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropePETSTEL analysis of IndiaAppeasement Policy Towards the Outbreak of World War 2Relationship between Media Coverage and Social andThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationDefinition of Export QuotasOpen Architechture a white paperInfluences of Socio-Economic Status of Married MalesBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfBringing Democracy to Africa

Mary McLeod Bethune Quotes

Mary McLeod Bethune Quotes Mary McLeod Bethune was an educator who founded Bethune-Cookman College and served as its president. Mary McLeod Bethune served in several capacities during the Franklin D. Roosevelt administration, including head of the Division of Negro Affairs of the National Youth Administration and advisor on selecting officer candidates for the Womens Army Corps. Mary McLeod Bethune founded the National Council of Negro Women in 1935. Selected Mary McLeod Bethune Quotations Invest in the human soul. Who knows, it might be a diamond in the rough. I leave you love. I leave you hope. I leave you the challenge of developing confidence in one another. I leave you respect for the use of power. I leave you faith. I leave you racial dignity. We live in a world which respects power above all things. Power, intelligently directed, can lead to more freedom. Next to God we are indebted to women, first for life itself, and then for making it worth living. The true worth of a race must be measured by the character of its womanhood. Whatever glory belongs to the race for a development unprecedented in history for the given length of time, a full share belongs to the womanhood of the race. If our people are to fight their way up out of bondage we must arm them with the sword and the shield and the buckler of pride. If we accept and acquiesce in the face of discrimination, we accept the responsibility ourselves. We should, therefore, protest openly everything ... that smacks of discrimination or slander. I do feel, in my dreamings and yearnings, so undiscovered by those who are able to help me. For I am my mothers daughter, and the drums of Africa still beat in my heart. They will not let me rest while there is a single Negro boy or girl without a chance to prove his worth. We have a powerful potential in our youth, and we must have the courage to change old ideas and practices so that we may direct their power toward good ends. There is a place in Gods sun for the youth farthest down who has the vision, the determination, and the courage to reach it. Faith is the first factor in a life devoted to service. Without it, nothing is possible. With it, nothing is impossible. Whatever the white man has done, we have done, and often better. You white folks have long been eating the white meat of the chicken. We Negroes are now ready for some of the white meat instead of the dark meat. If we have the courage and tenacity of our forebears, who stood firmly like a rock against the lash of slavery, we shall find a way to do for our day what they did for theirs. I never stop to plan. I take things step by step. Knowledge is the prime need of the hour. Cease to be a drudge, seek to be an artist. The whole world opened to me when I learned to read. From the first, I made my learning, what little it was, useful every way I could. Related Resources for Mary McLeod Bethune Mary McLeod Bethune BiographyAfrican American Women More Womens Quotes: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z Explore Womens Voices and Womens History Womens Voices - About Womens QuotesPrimary SourcesBiographiesToday in Womens HistoryWomens History Home About These Quotes Quote collection assembled by Jone Johnson Lewis. Each quotation page in this collection and the entire collection  © Jone Johnson Lewis. This is an informal collection assembled over many years. I regret that I am not be able to provide the original source if it is not listed with the quote. Citation information:Jone Johnson Lewis. Mary McLeod Bethune Quotes. About Womens History. URL: http://womenshistory.about.com/od/quotes/a/mary_bethune.htm . Date accessed: (today). (More on how to cite online sources including this page)

Intern #2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Intern #2 - Essay Example I am all for helping them it is part of my responsibility as their manager. However there are those who are harder to teach than others, with this cases I learned to invoke as much patience I could muster. I am the kind of person with an average level of tolerance; it was just then that I realized I had more of it in me than I could ever imagine. Do not get me wrong, I am not ranting, this is a good thing. I would need to be a little bit more patience to deal with employees and also it would help when facing with more difficult clients. My seventh week of internship is a hectic week. This week I was able to fully utilize my multi-tasking powers. It was also the week where I found out that my ability has there off days. As it turns out doing too much at the same time can lead to mediocrity which is very ironic because I was trying to establish the exact opposite. I admit I should have known better though, but I honestly thought I could do it. Thankfully, I did not do much damage but I know I did not produce my best work, despite my intentions. So, lesson learned sometimes less is more (i.e. focus on one task/ activity at a time)†¦ sometimes. This week (i.e. 8th week), I want to expand on what I learned from last week about multi-tasking. I said last time that ‘sometimes less is more’, emphasis on the sometimes. This is because most of the time I do not have the option to postpone my tasks, some matters needs to be dealt with right away even if I am in the middle of doing something else. One of the perks of being a manager is having other individuals working under me; the key here is ‘delegation’. Some might think this is a convenient, it is. But for someone like me who tends to be ‘anal’, it is a dilemma to delegate. I do delegate but sometimes I over-analyze, even when I know that they are capable and trustworthy.

Reading response papers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 8

Reading response papers - Essay Example In the same manner, the individuality of phenomena is not commensurate with the pecuniary  Ã‚  principle. Money is concerned only with what is common to all: it asks for the exchange value,  it reduces all quality and individuality to the question: How much? All intimate emotional relations between persons are founded in their individuality, whereas in rational relations man is reckoned with like a number,like an element which is in itself indifferent. Only the objective measurable achievement is of interest. Thus metropolitan man reckons with his merchants and customers, his domestic servants and often even with persons with whom he is obliged to have social intercourse. These features of intellectuality contrast with the nature of the  small circle  in which the inevitable knowledge of individuality as inevitably produces a warmer tone of behavior, a behavior which is beyond a mere objective balancing of service and return. In the sphere of the economic psychology of the sm all group it is of importance that under primitive conditions production serves the customer who orders the good, so that the producer and the consumer are acquainted. The modern metropolis, however, is supplied almost entirely by production for the market, that is, for entirely unknown purchasers who never personally enter the producers actual field of vision. Through this anonymity the interests of each party acquire an unmerciful matter-of-factness; and the intellectually calculating economic egoisms of both parties need not fear any deflection because of the imponderables of personal relationships. The money economy  Ã‚  dominates the metropolis; it has displaced the last survivals of domestic production and the direct barter of goods; it minimizes, from day to day, the amount of work ordered by customers. The matter-of-fact attitude is obviously so intimately interrelated with the money

Supernatural Drama Media Essay Essay Example for Free

Supernatural Drama Media Essay Essay Explore how far the Vampire Diaries/Being Human/Misfits DVD cover conforms to genre conventionsIn this essay, I will be analysing the DVD cover of the Vampire Diaries which is a television programme in the teen-supernatural hybrid drama genre. I will also be analysing the covers of Being Human and Misfits and I will compare and contrast them with the Vampire Diaries cover. The typical genre conventions of supernatural dramas are that there are supernatural beings such as ghosts. Werewolves and vampires, and ordinary setting, a trigger/event that leads to the creation of supernatural beings. Ordinary people becoming supernatural or finding out about supernatural beings, and the running theme which is good vs bad. On the front of the Vampire Diaries cover, the title is written in bold white writing. The red ribbon wrapped around the white writing could connote the red strangling the white, or rather the bad strangling the good. There is also a drop of blood that can be seen under the V. Blood is conventional of the vampire story. There is a girl in a red dress which could connote lust, blood, love and danger and she is lying in the middle of two men which could connote a love triangle. The bodies look lifeless but they are looking directly at the camera which could connote that they are the living dead. This contrasts to the drooping tree which looks like it has been drained of life which links to blood being drained. The logo on the Misfits cover is separated, and is tinged pink. The Being Human title is written in a plain, simple font. The Misfits title is the only one that uses an unconventional colour scheme. The Vampire Diaries follows the life of Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev) who falls for a century old vampire Stefan Salvatore (Paul Wesley). Their lives grow more complicated as Stefans vicious brother Damon (Ian Somerhalder) returns to town with a vendetta against his brother. The series is set in the fictional town of Mystic Falls, Virginia, a town charged with supernatural history. This cover is the only one that uses conventional colours and gothic themes and the other covers, especially Misfits subvert the genre conventions. The narrative of the Vampire Diaries is very conventional of a supernatural and a teen drama. The elements are there, especially when a love triangle is introduced into the plot. Misfits is a British science-fiction drama television series based on a group of young offenders who obtain supernatural powers after a strange electric storm. The plots of Misfits and Being Human  follow a majority of the genre conventions, but some parts of the narrative completely subvert them. For instance, there is a lightning storm that leads the characters gaining supernatural powers, but they are a group of young offenders and they wouldnt usually be the kind of people to gain powers. On the back cover, there are profile images of each character which are comic-book like, which links with the idea of superheroes which is iconic, but the characters subvert the conventions of superheroes. There is a different colour behind each character which again suggest they are a team of superheroes. In Being Human all three supernatural characters share a flat together in Bristol. The darkness surrounding the characters with some light suggest they are fighting against something evil that is almost taking them in. The messy house suggests chaos and along with the simple font and location suggest the simple they want is not possible. Both programmes would be very ordinary if there was no supernatural element to it. The Vampire Diaires appeals to teenagers, as the characters in it are attractive and are supposed to be around the ages of 17 and onwards. The drama part of the series also deals with some of the social problems and worries teenagers face today. Misfits subverts genre conventions and appeals to its target audience as it contains things like sex, drugs, mystery and action which are endearing to people in this age range and uses the kind of language they would also use which makes the characters seem more realistic. All three programmes have a website where views can interact with each other and can be more involved and learn and watch more about what happens behind the scenes of the shows. The Vampire Diaries is the programme that fully follows the conventions of supernatural drama. The running theme of good vs bad, the colours used and gothic themes. There are lots of different types of supernatural beings involved. The convention of a small historic town is also used. Misfits and Being Human also subvert some of the conventions of supernatural genre. They have ordinary settings but although the narrative revolves around supernatural beings the background of it is quite normal.

The Underworld as the Key to Living the Greek Life Essay -- Odyssey

The Underworld as the Key to Living the Greek Life Beyond relaying a fantastic journey, featuring a glorified hero who embodies to perfection Greek ideals, Homer uses the epic books of The Odyssey to explore all the nuances of Greek culture. Each part of The Odyssey possesses a purpose beyond detailing popular mythology. Book Eleven’s Underworld becomes the culmination of all the values and ideals that Homer touches on in prior books. Homer uses the underworld as a catchall to reinforce societal protocol and religion among other things. Specifically, by focusing on the reason for Odysseus’ journey, the journey itself, the scenery of the Underworld and its occupants, Homer reveals and reinforces views on kleos, the role men and women play in society, the proper hero, religion – especially in conjunction with fate and the idea of death and rebirth. Homer’s carefully crafted views can be experienced relative to Odysseus’ journey, starting on Circe’s island. Homer sets a sumptuous scene, but Odysseus’ men are called by duty and the need to return to their homes. It is the men that spur on Odysseus. Like a responsible leader and hero, Odysseus responds immediately to his men’s pleas and, with the help of Hermes foresight, he makes plans to leave Circe’s island. This shows not only Odysseus’ responsible behavior, but also the gods’ anticipation of Odysseus’ actions. Bit by bit, in scenarios like this, the gods reveal their knowledge of fate, which their actions support. Odysseus requests that Circe â€Å"make good a promise† to which she favorably answers, adding that she will help him (10:532). Beyond the fact that a promise holds Circe to freeing Odysseus, her heritage as a goddess allows her to know that eventually he must... ...ot use The Odyssey as an editorial; rather, his oral epic artfully entwines the desolate landscape of the Underworld, the flitting shades, and Odysseus’ interactions with deeper visions of a well-structured society. As a bard, Homer keenly felt the importance of the host-guest relationship with his aristoi hosts. He achieves his purpose while spinning tales that would be entertaining to his audiences. What Homer leaves behind is a legacy that engages in discourse with the past and present and which future literature will emulate, comment on and celebrate. Works Cited Dimock, George. The Unity of The Odyssey. Amherst: U of Mass. Press, 1989. Foley, John Miles. Homer’s Traditional Art. PA: Penn State UP, 1999. Griffin, Jasper. Homer on Life and Death. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1980. Homer. The Odyssey. Ed. Robert Fagels. New York: Penguin Books, 1996.

Barbara Bush’s address to Wellesley College Graduates in 1990

Barbara Bush’s address to Wellesley College graduates in 1990 has revealed significant inconsistencies in Bush’s ability to evaluate hostile audience. In the light of several critical remarks and the desire to address Wellesley audience on equal terms, Barbara Bush’s commencement address remains a bright example of one’s inability to perform a thorough rhetorical research before a speech is delivered to the target audience.This might sound snobby, but Barbara Bush’s commencement speech at Wellesley did not produce the desired effect: for the audience, the speech has turned into an instrument of ironic evaluation of Bush’s rhetoric capabilities. Mrs. Bush started her speech with a special referral to Robert Fulghum’s story about pastor and a small girl who wanted to be a mermaid. â€Å"Now this little girl knew what she was and she was not about to give up on either her identity, or the game† (Bush).Taking into account that Welle sley College is a purely female environment (female students only), Barbara Bush might have implied that women do have a chance to find their place under the sun; furthermore, women should be able to protect their position and views against all odds.In reality, Barbara Bush was trying to emphasize the importance of diversity in education: dwarfs, giants, wizards and mermaids were used as metaphors and probably referred to different ethnic groups. â€Å"Diversity, life anything worth having, requires effort† (Bush).Taking into account that 6% of Wellesley students are African Americans, and 26% are of Asian Pacific origin (Peterson’s Planner), Barbara Bush might have succeeded in embracing diversity issues in her speech, but she has evidently failed to make her speech humorous.It is very probable that in her speech Barbara Bush forgot that she was speaking to women graduates. Wellesley graduates had passed a long way to getting Bachelor’s degree in arts; they wer e looking forward to finding their social place under sun.For some unknown reasons, Bush has initially placed special emphasis on the importance of marriage and children for women, forgetting about their future professionalism and career growth. Although her referral to â€Å"children must come first† was very objective and correct, Bush seemed to speak about the importance of her own marriage, and not about those who were in front of her. Barbara Bush was trying to expand the boundaries of traditional female social vision: â€Å"for over fifty years it was said that the winner of Wellesley’s annual hoop race would be the first to get married.[†¦] So I want to offer a new legend: the winner of the hoop race will be the first to realize her dream† (Bush). That passage could potentially become a very good ending of Bush’s speech, but it has only created another rhetoric controversy: the linguistic parallel between the hoop race and the future professio nal life opportunities for Wellesley graduates contradicted the previous â€Å"marriage-driven† set of Bush’s thoughts.ConclusionPublic speeches are the instruments of evaluating one’s rhetoric abilities. Speeches are also the keys to one’s true identity. Barbara Bush’s commencement address to Wellesley graduate students is a bright example of how speeches should not be delivered. Various linguistic speech elements should be used appropriately to fit particular audience. Although Barbara Bush was trying her best to encourage Wellesley graduates, her speech has been a set of separate contradicting thoughts.As a result, Bush’s speech has turned into the means of evaluating her weak abilities to speak to hostile audience.Works CitedBush, B. P. â€Å"Commencement Address at Wellesley College†. 1990. American Rhetoric. 15 June 2008. http://www. americanrhetoric. com/speeches/barbarabushwellesleycommencement. htm.Peterson’s Planner. â€Å"Wellesley College: Overview. † 2008. Peterson’s Planner. 15 June 2008. http://www. petersons. com/ugchannel/code/InstVC. asp? inunid=9608&sponsor=1.

Blue Nile Study Questions

Marking Scheme Mid Semester Exams Lecturers: Anthony Oboe Spool and Robert Amok-LIndsay Section A (40 Marks) Provide Short and concise answers 1 Explain the term sustainable competitive advantage and why it is so Important to a winning business strategy. (5 marks) Suggested Answer A company achieves sustainable competitive advantage when an attractive number or buyers prefer its products/services over those of rivals and when the basis for this preference can be maintained over time.Competitive advantage could stem from offering lower prices than competitors for equivalent benefits or providing unique benefits that more than offset a higher price. (3 marks) Sustainable competitive advantage is necessary for a firm to win in the market place. It is required for a strategy to deliver on strategic and financial objectives (2 marks) 2. Using examples briefly explain and state the Importance of each of the following a) Strategic vision Strategic vision represents the destination that mana gement seeks to take a firm.Ford's vision â€Å"A car in every garage† Importance Give the organization a sense of direction Inform company personnel and other stakeholders what management wants Its business to look like Spur company personnel to action Provide managers with a reference point to (2. 5 marks for explanation and any 2 points mentioned as importance of strategic vision) b) Strategic mission Strategic mission of a firm focuses on its present business purpose. Strategic mission highlight the present products and services, types of customers served and how it intends to do that.Examples Beacon Books: â€Å"To inspire and equip business executives and entrepreneurs with essential information and knowledge they require for professional and personal growth† Google: â€Å"To organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful† Importance: It focuses the business by identifying the boundaries of the current business It distinguis hes a firm from others and gives it an identity of its own. (2. 5 marks) (5 marks) 3. Explain the meaning and significance of each of the following: a. Strategic group mapping A strategic group is a cluster of firms in an industry with similar competitive approaches and market positions. Strategic group mapping entails plotting firms in n industry on a two-variable map using pairs of these differentiating characteristics e. G. Product line breadth, distribution channel use, geographic coverage, price, quality etc. It helps firms to know their positions in the industry versus their rivals It helps firms to know which competitors to focus on in their quest to make strategic moves It helps them to know which positions in the market or industry are attractive to players in the market. 2. 5 marks for explanation of strategic group mapping and any of the above points mentioned) b. ) The bargaining power of suppliers Bargaining power of suppliers defines the extent to which suppliers of in puts to competing firms in an industry are able to dictate the price, quality, quantity and even timing of supplies to these firms. The bargaining power of suppliers has an impact on the cost, profitability and a firm's ability to satisfy its customers and for that matter its competitiveness. Powerful 4.Identify and briefly explain any two of the factors that influence the strength or intensity of competitive rivalry among an industry member firms. (5 marks) Factors Competitors are active in making fresh moves to improve market standing and easiness performance Slow market growth Number of rivals increases and rivals are of equal size and competitive capability Buyer costs to switch brands are low Industry conditions tempt rivals to use price cuts or other competitive weapons to boost volume e. . Perishable or seasonal A successful strategic move carries a big payoff Outsiders acquire weak firms in the industry and use their resources to transform new firms into major market contend ers (5 marks for any two of the above factors mentioned and explained) 5†¦ Identify and briefly explain any two factors that lead to strong bargaining power on the part of suppliers. (5 marks)Industry members incur high costs in switching their purchases to alternative suppliers Needed inputs are in short supply Supplier provides a differentiated input that enhances the quality of performance of sellers' products or is a valuable part of sellers' production process There are only a few suppliers of a specific input Some suppliers threaten to integrate forward (5 marks for any two of the above factors mentioned and explained) strength and leverage of buyers. 5 marks) Buyer switching costs to competing brands or substitutes are low Buyers are large and can demand concessions Large-volume purchases by buyers are important to sellers Buyer demand is weak or declining Only a few buyers exists Identity of buyer adds prestige to seller's list of customers Quantity and quality of infor mation available to buyers improves Buyers have ability to postpone purchases until later Buyers threaten to integrate backward (5 marks for any two of the above factors mentioned and discussed) 7.Using examples explain the difference between a core competence, and a distinctive competence. A core competence is a well-performed internal activity central to a company's competitiveness and profitability. It tends to relate to a firm's ability to perform activities that are critical for success in an industry e. G. A better after-sale service capability A distinctive competence is a competitively valuable activity a company performs better than its rivals.For example Toast's low cost, high quality manufacturing of automobiles â€Å"Lean Production† is far superior to that of other automakers, (5 marks for explanation and establishing the difference between core competence and distinctive competence) 8. What is benchmarking and why is it a strategically important analytical tool? (5 marks) Benchmark focuses on cross-company comparisons of how certain activities are reformed and costs associated with these activities. It looks at things such as purchase of materials, management of inventories, getting new products to the market and so on. 2 marks) Identify best and most efficient means of performing various value chain activities Learn what is the best way to perform a particular activity from those companies who have demonstrated that they are â€Å"best-in-industry' or â€Å"best-in-world† at performing the activity Learn what other firms do to perform an activity at lower cost Figure out what actions to take to improve a company's own cost competitiveness (3 marks for NY 2 points identified and explained) Section B (80 marks 1 . Analyze the competitive forces confronting Blue Nile and other online retail jeweler's.Do a five-forces analysis to support your answer. State the relative strength of each competitive force. Below is a representative five -forces model of competition for the online Jewelry business: Rivalry among online Jeweler's?a moderate to strong competitive force that is likely to intensify in the years ahead. Students should conclude that rivalry among Blue Nile and other online Jeweler's is normal to moderate, but it is likely to grow ore intense (owing to the success that Blue Nile is enjoying).Rivalry is centered on such factors as Price and value delivered to customers Selection and breadth/variety of product offerings Ability to customize and customization options The caliber and trustworthiness of the information/guidance provided to online shoppers (educational information, in-depth product information, access to professional grading reports, and so on) Image/reputation Customer service User friendliness of web site?search functionality, ease of browsing through all the selections, finding and understanding the information provided, etc.Refund and return policies Advertising and promotion?Much of the adv ertising/promotion is being done online, but the online Jewelry business is not one that is a heavy user of TV, radio, and newspaper advertising on a regular basis. Word-of-mouth is a fairly big factor Most online Jewelry competitors pursued either a differentiation strategy to try to set themselves apart or else tried to attract shoppers via the appeal of very low prices (which entailed employing a low-cost strategy).Some rivals focused their efforts narrowly on particular Jewelry items/product categories while others had broad reduce lines. Several factors were working to affect rivalry among industry participants: All rivals seem to be actively and busily trying to attract Jewelry shoppers to their websites, partly via online advertising and promotional initiatives (including search engine listings)?fresh strategic initiatives on the part of various rivals heightens rivalry. Low switching costs on the part of buyers?it is simple for people shopping for jewelry online to locate an d visit competitor web sites.Rivalry decreases when the rate of market growth rises?sales of Jewelry online seem o be growing briskly (with the sales increases coming at the expense of brick-and mortar Jewelry retailers). There is reason to suspect that the online Jewelry segment of the overall retail Jewelry industry is in its infancy (an emerging business or industry in its own right); hence, online sales of Jewelry are likely to grow faster than sales of Jewelry in general?a condition which will act to contain rivalry among online jeweler's.Rivalry increases when one or more rivals are dissatisfied with their market position and launch moves to bolster their standing at the expense of rivals. A case can be Dade that Blue Nile and most all of its online rivals are â€Å"dissatisfied† and thus are likely to make further moves to bolster their market standing, image, and sales. Rivalry increases as the product offerings of rivals become more standardized? many of the online J eweler's seems to be offering shopper many of the same things? wide selection, customization, educational information, access to grading reports, and so on.We see the differentiation among online Jewelry rivals as growing smaller/ weaker, not larger/stronger?with the possible exception of reputation/image, where Blue Nile seems to be the standout leader. Threat of entry?a moderate to strong competitive force Blue Niles success and growing reputation will almost certainly draw more competitors into online Jewelry sales. The barriers to entry into the online segment of the Jewelry industry are moderately The costs of developing a Web site.Developing supply chain relationships Developing order fulfillment capability and achieving short delivery times Expenditures for advertising and promotion needed to draw visitors to a web site and build a trustworthy reputation/image. In addition, students should see that the pool of entry candidates is probably fairly rage?especially for brick-and- mortar retailers already in the Jewelry business. Hence, the entry threat in upcoming years should be viewed as fairly strong. There would seem to be ample opportunity for new entrants to gain a market foothold and to achieve a level of sales high to be profitable.But the longer a company delays entry, the harder it will be to compete effectively against online Jeweler's like Blue Nile that have built a clientele and that have formidable images/reputations. Competition from substitute sellers of Jewelry?a very strong competitive force. Obviously, Jewelry shoppers have many other options for buying Jewelry than from online retailers. Traditional brick-and-mortar Jewelry retailers have the lion's share of the market and currently are the retailers of choice for the big majority of Jewelry shoppers. Hence, the competition that online Jeweler's face from other Jewelry retailers is quite formidable.In addition, there are hordes of possible substitutes for Jewelry altogether (but most peo ple are unlikely to see these alternatives as good substitutes). Consequently, students should conclude that substitutes for buying Jewelry online re a strong competitive force, given that Acceptable substitute sources for purchasing Jewelry are readily available and the prices charged by some of these substitute types of Jeweler's are reasonably competitive Buyer costs to switch to substitute types of Jewelry retailers are relatively low Many consumers are familiar with and comfortable with buying Jewelry from other than online Jewelry retailers.The bargaining power and leverage of suppliers to the online Jewelry retailers and jeweler-supplier collaboration?a moderately strong competitive force, especially as encores the suppliers of diamonds/gems and other Jewelry items. Students should recognize that the suppliers of gems/diamonds/]leery items have considerable bargaining power and leverage in determining the prices and terms at which they will supply their products.Yes, there ar e many alternative suppliers, and it would seem relatively easy for a it is doubtful that suppliers compete aggressively with one another on price?in other words, switching suppliers is unlikely to lead to acquiring a particular gem of particular quality at a lower price.There is no evidence in the case that suppliers of monads/gems compete with one another on the basis of price (indeed, with the exception of Blue Nile and other online Jeweler's, there is little evidence that price competition is active in the market for fine Jewelry?that is, rival Jeweler's are not aggressively trying to compete with one another by selling a diamond of given cut, clarity, grade, etc. At a lower price than their rivals). Blue Niles lower prices stem from its lower costs of doing business, not from the fact that it obtains diamonds/ gems at lower prices than do traditional retail Jeweler's.What is important for students to recognize here is that Blue Niles close elaboration with its diamond/gem suppl iers has resulted in giving it a lower cost value chain as compared to traditional Main Street Jeweler's. The distinctive feature of Blue Niles supply chain was its arrangements with leading diamond and gem suppliers that allowed it to display the suppliers' diamonds and gems on its web site; some of these arrangement entailed multi-year agreements whereby designated diamonds of the suppliers were offered to online consumers only at Blue Niles websites.Blue Niles suppliers represented more than half of the total supply of high-quality diamonds in the U. S. Blue Nile did not actually purchase a diamond or gem from these suppliers until an order was placed by a customer; this enabled Blue Nile to minimize the costs associated with carrying large inventories and limited its risk of potential mark-downs. Other online Jeweler's seem to have similar collaborative arrangements with their diamond/gem suppliers.These collaborative arrangements offer a sizable cost advantage over Main Street Jeweler's?these cost- saving arrangements put added competitive pressure on traditional local Jeweler's because such collaboration (and the resulting lower cost business model) puts them t a cost disadvantage. The bargaining power and leverage of Jewelry shoppers?a weak competitive force Individuals have little power to bargain for a lower price on the Jewelry items they are looking to purchase (except perhaps in the case of very expensive items where some price haggling is often fairly normal).Individuals can, of course, choose to buy or not buy at the marked price but no one individual is usually in a position to enter into direct negotiations over the terms and conditions under which he or she will purchase a diamond ring or other Jewelry item from an online retailer. Any individual an certainly opt to buy from one retailer rather than another, but this does not equate to bargaining and exerting leverage.Conclusions concerning the overall strength of competitive forces: Competiti ve pressures in online Jewelry retailing are strong but not overwhelming so (the best evidence for this is Blue Niles record of attracting new customers and growing its sales at a rapid clip?a convincing sign that it is able to successfully contend with the prevailing competitive forces). Currently, we see competition from substitute types of forces.The entry of new competitors could also prove to be significant, if one or more f the new entrants have a well-recognized and trusted brand name and if such entrants opt to price their products competitively versus the prices charged by Blue Nile. Moreover, while competition is fairly strong, it is not so strong as to prevent companies like Blue Nile from being profitable. The online Jewelry retailing portion of the Jewelry industry is rather attractive from the standpoint of promising growth and attractive long-term profitability?Blue Nile is demonstrating that its business model and strategy are quite attractive.This is the big reason why new entry can be expected. But online sales of fine Jewelry is likely to remain a relatively small fraction of total sales of fine Jewelry for years to come?traditional brick-and-mortar local jeweler's are not going to be driven out of business by online Jeweler's in the foreseeable future. (5 Marks for each point well discussed with the appropriate verdict or conclusion on each competitive force) 2. Do a SOOT analysis of Blue Nile. What are key conclusions you can draw about the its situation?Blue Niles Resource Strengths and Competitive Assets the current market leader in the online retail Jewelry segment by a wide margin AAA teeter known brand name and reputation than rivals AAA first-rate strategy and business model AAA broad and attractive product line from customers to choose from AAA user-friendly web site with good search functionality and very good educational information A sizable and competitively potent cost advantage over traditional local Jewelry stores due to lean operating costs and a cost-effective supply chain Its collaborative partnership arrangements with important diamond/gem suppliers Good product customization and order fulfillment capabilities (core competencies) Blue Niles ability o grow sales with very little incremental capital investment Blue Niles Resource Weaknesses and Competitive Liabilities Limited brand name recognition?many shoppers for fine Jewelry have never heard of Blue Nile Limited financial resources relative to bigger and better-known retail Jewelry chains There is nothing proprietary about Blue Niles strategy and business model?both are subject to imitation by rivals Market Opportunities Geographic expansion?entry into the markets of foreign countries Lots of room to grow the business by attracting customers away from traditional local Jewelry stores in the U. S. ?Blue Nile still has such a relatively small market share of the total market for fine Jewelry in the U. S. That it can continue to employ its current st rategy for many years. The more that the word spreads about Blue Niles attractive prices and quality the more it stands to steal away customers from traditional local Jeweler's.Product line expansion External Threats to Blue Niles Future Well-Being The entry of more online Jewelry rivals that opt to employ much the same strategy and business model?especially if these new entrants should be retailers that have a brand name that is more widely recognized and trusted than Blue Niles. Diamond/ gem suppliers either become less willing for Blue Nile to display their inventories on Blue Niles web site or decide not to renew their multi-year agreements with Blue Nile whereby certain designated diamonds in their inventories are offered to online consumers only at Blue Niles websites. (Blue Niles suppliers represented more than half of the total supply of high-quality diamonds in the U. S. Untold numbers of people shopping for fine Jewelry are very leery of buying fine Jewel online and thus a re not likely to ever be customers of Blue Nile Key Pointed and Conclusions Blue Niles strategy, business model, resource strengths, and competitive capabilities put it in a very strong market position to succeed in the online retail Jewelry business in the upcoming years?it is easy to understand why the company has been extremely successful in growing its sales over the past several years. Blue Nile would seem to have a sustainable cost advantage over traditional brick-and mortar retailers of fine Jewelry. Blue Nile has no resource weaknesses that make it highly vulnerable to competitive attack from local Jeweler's.

Lucas teams with ILM essays

Lucas teams with ILM essays Many people know that the movie industry has been revolutionized since the use of computers has been added. Computers allow viewers to see images and places from the imaginations of the writers and directors that were never before possible to create. A recent and very popular film to utilize this new technology is Jurassic Park by director and producer Steven Spielberg. The special effects team for the movie had originally planned to use full size and quarter size models, or puppets, of dinosaurs to create the effect. After weeks of intensive efforts and unsatisfactory results the team needed a new approach to creating such difficult special effects. Their answer would come from the developers at ILM (Industrial Light and Magic) corporation in California. The ILM team has been using computers to create images and video effects in television advertisements for over twenty years. Spielberg and his special effects team had shown ILM their progress so far with the models. ILM was interested in using computers to digitally scan the models into a 3D-computer environment. Spielbergs team was happy to hear that their efforts in the models wasnt a complete waste, and would be delighted to work with ILM in producing realistic images for their computers to scan. ILM and Spielbergs team collaborated on making sure the models and scanned images would produce a believable dinosaur, something no one else had ever attempted. Their results were breath taking and had Spielberg convinced that computers could produce a believable three-dimensional dinosaur that would captivate audiences. ILM began to scan the models into their computers and within minutes produced great results. Their computers would send laser beams over the body of the model from all angles receiving information about its shape in the same manner a police radar gun reads laser signals bounced back to it. The three- ...

Pigment Definition and Chemistry

Pigment Definition and Chemistry A pigment is a substance that appears a certain color because it selectively absorbs wavelength of light. While many materials possess this property, pigments with practical applications are stable at normal temperatures and have a high tinting strength so only a small amount is needed to see the color when its used on objects or mixed with a carrier. Both pigments and dyes absorb light to appear a certain color. In contrast, luminescence is a process by which a material emits light. examples of luminescence include phosphorescence, fluorescence, chemiluminescence, and bioluminescence. Pigments that either fade or else blacken over time or with extended exposure to light are called fugitive pigments. The earliest pigments came from natural sources, such as charcoal and ground minerals. Paleolithic and Neolithic cave paintings indicate carbon black, red ochre (iron oxide, Fe2O3), and yellow ochre (hydrated iron oxide, Fe2O3 ·H2O) were known to prehistoric man. Synthetic pigments came into use as early as the 2000 BCE. White lead was made by mixing lead and vinegar in the presence of carbon dioxide. Egyptian blue (calcium copper silicate) came from glass colored using malachite or another copper ore. As more and more pigments were developed, it became impossible to keep track of their composition. In the 20th century, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) developed standards for characteristics and testing of pigments. The Colour Index International (CII) is a published standard index that identifies each pigment according to its chemical composition. Over 27,000 pigments are indexed in the CII schema. Pigment Versus Dye A pigment is a substance that is either dry or else insoluble in its liquid carrier. A pigment in liquid forms a suspension. In contrast, a dye is either a liquid colorant or else dissolves in a liquid to form a solution. Sometimes a soluble dye may be precipitated into a metal salt pigment. A pigment made from a dye in this manner is called a lake pigment (e.g., aluminum lake, indigo lake). Pigment Definition in the Life Sciences In biology, the term pigment is defined somewhat differently, where a pigment refers to any colored molecule found in a cell, regardless of whether or not it is soluble. So, although hemoglobin, chlorophyll, melanin, and bilirubin (as examples) dont fit the narrow definition of pigment in science, they are biological pigments. In animal and plant cells, structural color also occurs. An example may be seen in butterfly wings or peacock feathers. Pigments are the same color no matter how they are viewed, while structural color depends on the viewing angle. While pigments are colored by selective absorption, structural color results from selective reflection. How Pigments Work Pigments selectively absorb wavelengths of light. When white light strikes a pigment molecule, there are different processes that can lead to absorption. Conjugated systems of double bonds  absorb light in some organic pigments. Inorganic pigments may absorb light by electron transfer. For example, vermilion absorbs light, transferring an electron from the sulfur anion (S2-) to a metal cation (Hg2). The charge-transfer complexes remove most colors of white light, reflecting or scattering back the remainder to appear as a certain color. Pigments absorb or subtract wavelengths and do not add to them like luminescent materials do. The spectrum of the incident light affects the appearance of a pigment. So, for example, a pigment wont appear quite the same color under sunlight as it would under fluorescent lighting because a different range of wavelengths are left to be reflected or scattered. When the color of a pigment is represented, the lab light color used to take the measurement must be stated. Usually this is 6500 K (D65), which corresponds to the color temperature of sunlight. The hue, saturation, and other properties of a pigment depend on other compounds that accompany it in products, such as binders or fillers. For example, if you purchase a color of paint, it will appear different depending on the formulation of the mixture. A pigment will look different depending on whether its final surface is glossy, matte, etc. The toxicity and stability of a pigment are also affected by other chemicals in a pigment suspension. This is of concern for tattoo inks and their carriers, among other applications. Many pigments are highly toxic in their own right (e.g., lead white, chrome green, molybdate orange, antimony white). List of Important Pigments Pigments may be classified according to whether they are organic or inorganic. Inorganic pigments may or may not be metal-based. Here is a list of some key pigments: Metallic Pigments cadmium pigments -  cadmium red, cadmium yellow, cadmium orange, cadmium green, cadmium sulfoselenidechromium pigments -  chrome yellow, viridian (chrome green)cobalt pigments -  cobalt blue, cobalt violet, cerulean blue,  aureolin  (cobalt yellow)copper pigments -  azurite, Egyptian blue, malachite, Paris green, Han purple, Han blue,  verigris, phthalocyanine green G, phthalocyanine blue BNiron oxide pigments -  red ochre, Venetian red, Prussian blue, sanguine, caput mortuum, oxide redlead pigments -  red lead, lead white,  cremnitz  white, Naples yellow, lead-tin yellowmanganese pigment -  manganese violetmercury pigment -  vermilliontitanium pigments -  titanium white, titanium black, titanium yellow, titanium beigezinc pigments -  zinc white, zinc ferrite Other Inorganic Pigments carbon pigments -  carbon black, ivory blackclay  earths  (iron oxides)ultramarine pigments (lapis lazuli) -  ultramarine, ultramarine green Organic Pigments biological pigments -  alizarin, alizarin crimson, gamboge, cochineal red, rose madder, indigo, Indian yellow, Tyrian purplenonbiological organic pigments -  quinacridone, magenta,  diarylide  yellow, phthalo blue, phthalo green, red 170

Feature article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Feature - Article Example If it is a girl, a pick cap is placed on her while a blue one is placed if it is a boy. After this moment, everything else the child will become, the future, education and even the career, will be based on this one quantifier (Leaper & Friedman, 2007). The division of labor based on gender has been a defining aspect of many people’s careers. However, the significance of gender in determining the career path and economic advancement is slowly but surely declining globally. Does this trend imply that men and women’s career roles in life are converging? The traditional division of labor had women taking care of the domestic part of the household while the man working professionally to handle the financial part. Traditionally, the family was supposed to be the primary priority of women and they could not dream about having it all- the family responsibilities and a career. As such, most of the careers were dominated by men. The 21st century has gone through a revolution of gender roles which can be traced from the 70’s and 80’s women’s movement. The women movement during this time was an initial mark into gender crossing in careers as women were able to make great strides in politics, social economics and most importantly, in the workforce. The height of the civil rights movements to eliminate gender segregation led to enforcement of equal employment laws and affirmative action with the hope of not only promoting women to make progressive career choices, but also to prevent employers from discriminating against w omen either in terms of employment or disparity on wages (Kmec, McDonald, & Trimble, 2010). As a result of the affirmative action policy, many women were able to enter the corporate world which had been traditionally dominated by men. Furthermore, many employers encouraged gender equality in the workplace by putting measures such as incentives to promote, hire, and even train women. However, such