Definition of Portmanteau Words in English

Definition of Portmanteau Words in English A portmanteau word is a word formed by merging the sounds and meanings of two or more other words. More formally known as a blend. The term portmanteau word  was coined by English writer Lewis Carroll in Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There (1871). Later, in the preface to his nonsense poem  The Hunting of the Snark (1876), Carroll offered this explanation of Humpty-Dumptys theory of two meanings packed into one word like a portmanteau: [T]ake the two words fuming and furious. Make up your mind that you will say both words, but leave it unsettled which you will say first. Now open your mouth and speak. If your thoughts incline ever so little towards fuming, you will say fuming-furious; if they turn, by even a hairs breadth, towards furious, you will say furious-fuming; but if you have the rarest of gifts, a perfectly balanced mind, you will say frumious. Examples and Observations: Brangelina (Brad Pitt Angelina Jolie)bromance (brother romance)Cronutâ„ ¢ (croissant doughnut)dramedy (drama comedy)Frankenfood (Frankenstein food)infomercial (information commercial)motel (motor hotel)netiquette (net etiquette)Oxbridge (Oxford Cambridge)pixel (pic element)quasar (quasi-stellar star)sexpert (sex expert)sexting (sex texting)smog (smoke fog)splatter (splash spatter)statusphere (status atmosphere)Tanzania (Tanganyika Zanzibar)telethon (television marathon)Viagravation (Viagra aggravation)A word formed by fusing elements of two other words, such as Lewis Carrolls slithy from slimy and lithe. He called such forms portmanteau words, because they were like a two-part portmanteau bag. Blending is related to abbreviation, derivation, and compounding, but distinct from them all.(Tom McArthur, Blend. The Oxford Companion to the English Language. Oxford University Press, 1992) The Sound Bites of Modern English [D]ancercise, simulcast, Frappuccino  -   they wear their meanings on their shortened sleeves. Portmanteau words are the sound bites of modern English, calculated to catch on the first time people hear them.(Geoffrey Nunberg, The Way We Talk Now. Houghton Mifflin, 2001)Smirting happens when two people, smoking outside, fall to flirting, and discover that they have more in common than simply nicotine. In Ireland, where the term originated after the ban in 2004, there is even evidence of non-smokers joining the smoky throng outside because the atmosphere there is more flirtatious.Smirting is a portmanteau word, formed by packing parts of two words together to create another, combining the sense of each.(Ben Macintyre, Ben Macintyre Celebrates the Portmanteau. The Times, May 2, 2008) Portmanteau Survivors:Dumbfound, Flabbergasted, Gerrymander Portmanteau words are frequently more whimsical than useful and dont survive, but many exist. ...  Dumbfound, from dumb and confound, was put together in the 17th century. Flabbergasted, one of the more contrived, is apparently an 18th-century blend of flabby and aghast. Gerrymander combines the name of Governor Elbridge Gerry and salamander, referring to the shape of a redistricted Massachusetts county. Anecdotage, adding the implication of dotage to anecdote, and Clifton Fadimans hullabalunacy from hullabaloo and lunacy, are clever enough to deserve survival.(Robert Gorrell, Watch Your Language!: Mother Tongue and Her Wayward Children. University of Nevada Press, 1994) Portmanteau Games Two games can be played with portmanteau words. In the first game, one player thinks of a portmanteau word and asks the next player to say which words are blended to create it. In the second game, players try to make up new, humorous portmanteau words and give their definitions. Thus you might blend the words hen and endurance to make hendurance, meaning the patience of a hen trying to hatch out an egg. Or you could blend the name of the dog Rin-tin-tin (who starred in films) and the word tintinnabulation to get Rin-tin-tintinnabulation: a very loud ringing of bells.(Tony Augarde, The Oxford A to Z of Word Games. Oxford University Press,1994) The Lighter Side of Portmanteau Words So a blog is a web log? Is there an apostrophe, or do you guys not even have the strength for that? You’re just going to jam two words together?(Stephen Colbert, The Colbert Report, Feb. 2006)In her first tweet, [Sarah] Palin didnt write speak out; she used another term  -   refudiate. A few minutes later, the Tweet was rewritten with refudiate  -   which is not actually a word -   removed,  replaced by refute. ...The word caught someones attention, because a few hours later Palin refused to refute refudiate, she tweeted that shes just following in Shakespeares footsteps.Refudiate, misunderestimate, wee-weed up. English is a living language. Shakespeare liked to coin new words too. Got to celebrate it!(Carolyn Kellogg, Wherefore Art Thou, Refudiate? Sarah Palin as Shakespeare. Los Angeles Times, July 19, 2010) Pronunciation: port-MAN-tow Also Known As: blend

Test your proofreading - Emphasis

Test your proofreading Test your proofreading Taking the time to proofread your writing whether its a letter, report, proposal or even just an email shouldnt be an optional extra. After all, it can mean the difference between sending Ill definitely be done by five and Ill defiantly be gone by five. But proofreading is a skill and it can take a bit of practice. So why not test your ability on our example? Simply copy and paste the text into the comment box below, and correct all of the mistakes. Well mark them on Friday, and send the five people who spot the most mistakes a free copy of our style guide, The Write Stuff. From: Anna Gooding To: All office staff Subject: The need for poofreading Hi eveyrbody As your probably aware, its become apparant that weve recently been sending out a lot of letters and emails wih an umber of typos in them Their is no excuse for this this and it really cant goon, as it makes us look utterley unprofessional. From now on, lets make sure that nothing is snet out with out first being proof read (this includes email.) To begin with, Id like to see how we get on checking each others work. If neccessary, we may look into some traning . If anyone has any question about this, please bring them up at the staff on meeting tuesday. Many Tanks Anna Test your proofreading Test your proofreading The proofreading competition is now closed. Taking the time to proofread your writing – whether it’s a letter, report, proposal or even just an email – shouldn’t be an optional extra. After all, it can mean the difference between sending ‘I’ll definitely be done by five’ and ‘I’ll defiantly be gone by five’. But proofreading is a skill and it can take a bit of practice. So why not test your ability on our example? Simply copy and paste the text into the comment box below, and correct all of the mistakes. We’ll mark them on Friday 7 October, and send the five people who spot the most mistakes a free copy of our style guide, The Write Stuff. From: Anna Gooding To: All office staff Subject: The need for poofreading Hi eveyrbody As your probably aware, it’s become apparant that weve recently been sending out a lot of letters and emails wih an umber of typo’s in them Their is no excuse for this this and it really can’t goon, as it makes us look utterley unprofessional. From now on, lets make sure that nothing is snet out with out first being proof read (this includes email.) To begin with, Id like to see how we get on checking each others work. If neccessary, we may look into some traning . If anyone has any question about this, please bring them up at the staff on meeting tuesday. Many Tanks Anna The proofreading competition is now closed. Thanks to all those who took part. The winners and the corrected email can be found here and our tips for better proofreading are here.

Test your proofreading - Emphasis

Test your proofreading Test your proofreading Taking the time to proofread your writing whether its a letter, report, proposal or even just an email shouldnt be an optional extra. After all, it can mean the difference between sending Ill definitely be done by five and Ill defiantly be gone by five. But proofreading is a skill and it can take a bit of practice. So why not test your ability on our example? Simply copy and paste the text into the comment box below, and correct all of the mistakes. Well mark them on Friday, and send the five people who spot the most mistakes a free copy of our style guide, The Write Stuff. From: Anna Gooding To: All office staff Subject: The need for poofreading Hi eveyrbody As your probably aware, its become apparant that weve recently been sending out a lot of letters and emails wih an umber of typos in them Their is no excuse for this this and it really cant goon, as it makes us look utterley unprofessional. From now on, lets make sure that nothing is snet out with out first being proof read (this includes email.) To begin with, Id like to see how we get on checking each others work. If neccessary, we may look into some traning . If anyone has any question about this, please bring them up at the staff on meeting tuesday. Many Tanks Anna Test your proofreading Test your proofreading The proofreading competition is now closed. Taking the time to proofread your writing – whether it’s a letter, report, proposal or even just an email – shouldn’t be an optional extra. After all, it can mean the difference between sending ‘I’ll definitely be done by five’ and ‘I’ll defiantly be gone by five’. But proofreading is a skill and it can take a bit of practice. So why not test your ability on our example? Simply copy and paste the text into the comment box below, and correct all of the mistakes. We’ll mark them on Friday 7 October, and send the five people who spot the most mistakes a free copy of our style guide, The Write Stuff. From: Anna Gooding To: All office staff Subject: The need for poofreading Hi eveyrbody As your probably aware, it’s become apparant that weve recently been sending out a lot of letters and emails wih an umber of typo’s in them Their is no excuse for this this and it really can’t goon, as it makes us look utterley unprofessional. From now on, lets make sure that nothing is snet out with out first being proof read (this includes email.) To begin with, Id like to see how we get on checking each others work. If neccessary, we may look into some traning . If anyone has any question about this, please bring them up at the staff on meeting tuesday. Many Tanks Anna The proofreading competition is now closed. Thanks to all those who took part. The winners and the corrected email can be found here and our tips for better proofreading are here.

History (Biography Reviews) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

History (Biography Reviews) - Essay Example In describing his earlier campaigns, I have had recourse to much fuller material than in the latter portions. The reports of many subordinate commanders, Union and Confederate, have been published, and there are even critical commentaries upon these, which guard the historian against error. 1 The book gives presents only the military career of Grant although there are some parts that touch upon his personal life such as Chapter II which gives a background of his childhood and Cadet Life. Somehow, there is a good rationale for covering only Grant’s exploits since he is a very private person . Although there are times where his ethics have been questioned, that has happened after the war. Like any individual who has been popular, there is always an inclination for politics. The book’s sequence of events is arranged chronologically with the sequence of events beginning with the start of the war. However, the author’s main purpose was not really to go into much detail of the war as expressed in the Preface. His writings were mainly focused on the plans made by the General, the way the plan was executed as well as the results of his campaign. Perhaps, the author’s motive is to show the readers the General’s plans and his achievements. Unfortunately, the author cannot discuss completely the topics without getting into many details such as dates and names of people involved. The book was almost a journal that reported the daily battles of the subject. This makes the biography very authentic since it was written during the time that it happened. Moreover, the author personally knew the subject which makes the book a good primary source. The author’s main point of view is that Grant was a successful General as he said â€Å"Grant is the first soldier of the age, and the most distinguished American of the Regenerated Republic†2 . The biography is recommended for readers who are interested in a detailed narration of military

Coca Cola Buy, Sell or Hold Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Coca Cola Buy, Sell or Hold - Essay Example the year 1886, but even though John had great pharmaceutical capabilities, he lacked marketing skills due to which he was not able to create the kind of hype of this non – alcoholic drink as we know today, thus realising Coca Cola as a remarkable and an extraordinary product Asa Candler purchased the formula and the Coca Cola brand from John realising this as the perfect business opportunity. Candler was born in Georgia and had great motivational capabilities, prior to purchasing Coca Cola he was a pharmacist and had purchased this soon to be the most renowned brand - name for just $2,300. And not long after that he became a millionaire and became to be known as one of the top most business tycoons in the United States. He was also elected as the Mayor of Atlanta in 1916 just when he retired from Coca Cola. The most amazing performance of his management skills were displayed when he successfully launched his marketing campaign and distribution channel for the Coca Cola brand name. He decided that it was best to only create the raw soft drink and instead of appointing the company’s executives to market the product the company would appoint various bottling plants as their ‘C & F’ or Carrying and Forwarding agents. The strategy was a success since the early launch and this marketing strategy boosted the sales of Coca – Cola not only in America but throughout the whole wide world. Even today the Coca Cola Company administers its marketing operations in the same way, although with minor adjustments, such as they purchase most of the stake in most of the bottling plants to remain in power. Coca – Cola is the most renowned brand name through out the whole world with an established market base in over 200 countries and in possibly every corner of this world. But recognition has its shortcomings, and one of the negative sides of recognition is that it brings controversies along with it. This is especially true in case of the Coca – Cola Company; it is a

Ivan Ilyitch and Wasted Lives Essay Example for Free

Ivan Ilyitch and Wasted Lives Essay The stories dealt with in this paper seek happiness in the wrong places. They stress the failures of modern life, the falsity of success and the elusiveness of happiness when it is not grounded in virtue. Virtuous and simple living are the last things to be discussed in these stories, but happiness is searched for according to the easiest and most sensual manners possible. Modern society has failed to bring happiness and fulfillment, and these stories speak as to why. What is terrible about modern life is the definitions of happiness and fulfillment based on money and social standing. It is roundly condemned by journalists and moralists, but remains as powerful as ever as motivating factors in behavior. In Tolstoy’s famous Death of Ivan Ilyitch, the film’s hero, Ivan, is a lawyer, a member of the prestigious judicial council (127) who has recently taken ill, as lies in his last few hours considering his life. His main concern throughout his life is what Tolstoy calls comme il faut, that is, the maintaining of appearances regardless of circumstances. Even his marriage was based on social standing and on the opinions of high society, rather than love (130). In â€Å"The Necklace,† the young woman wants the necklace that nearly destroys their life solely so that she will look like a successful person at the party given by the Ministry of Education. It ends in disaster as the necklace is lost. After being passed over for several promotions, Ivan was sent to a remote outpost in â€Å"the country,† where he quickly fell into boredom and ennui. He then left his family to go back to his Petrograd post, because high society is the only place he felt comfortable. His social cues came from that society. After falling while decorating his house–decorating solely for the approbation of the same society–he developed what appears to be cancer, and quickly died, mirroring the life and death of Aurora in Terms. The will cannot bring happiness and human life often has a rhythm of its own that cannot be controlled by the state, social institutions or an overprotective mother. It is in this interval that he meets Gerasim, a simple peasant without pretense or guile, the opposite of Ivan (148). Gerasim was Ivan’s assistant when he was ill. Gerasim cared not for society, but for the simple hard work that typified the peasant. He was a â€Å"natural† man rather than Ivan, the â€Å"artificial† one. But in Chapter IX is where a â€Å"voice† begins to speak to Ivan, speaking to him about life. Happiness is based on simplicity, not on the worship of the status quo and the domination of social norms. The artificial world of high society was not joyous, but merely a set of obligations. â€Å"And that deadly official life, and anxiety about money and so for one year, and two, and ten, and twenty, always the same thing† (157). But this was the life of success, of high society, of the elite: and it failed to make Ivan happy. The move from childhood, with its simple joys, to that artificial world of elite adulthood was correlated with the falsity of his happiness and the deadening of joy. This is also to be seen in â€Å"Araby,† where children are the only ones left with imagination as they come of age. The complex and hypocritical world of high society deadened him and his life. This story about a dying man looking at his life seems to be well read, but never heeded. Ivan is all of us who equate success with money and social standing, who view childhood as â€Å"trivial† and the approbation of institutions as central. Ivan conformed his entire life, from his marriage to political views, around what was dominant in high society. In this process, he was successful, but not happy. If anything, the two concepts exist in an inverse relation. Success in modern life is not a happy life. It is unhappy because ultimately, it is one set of obligations after another. Money is always a problem–investments, the market, inflation, taxes, economic cycles all contribute to the anxiety of all but the most wealthy of moderns. Social life, as in Ivan, is a bore, with a set round of obligatory social relations and gatherings, all of which seem to set the â€Å"success† class apart from the commoners. But Ivan, through the example of Gerasim, sees that the simple peasant, the agriculturalist, without the social obligations of the Petrograd lawyer, is happy, joyful and finds a great deal of satisfaction in labor and its invigorating aspects so common in farm work. But labor, in modern life, is something to be avoided rather than embraced and farm work is seen as â€Å"backward† in the prejudice of moderns. In the film Terms of Endearment, the parallels are subtle, but present. Aurora is the protective mother, always concerned for the ultimate happiness of her daughter, Emma. Once’s Emma’s first romance fails, and Aurora seems pushed out of her life, the latter finds romantic comfort with a married, â€Å"successful† man, a banker, Sam Burns. At the same time, Aurora, after remaining sexless for many years, has a whirlwind relationship with an ex-astronaut, Garrett Breedlove. It is hard to see the placement of the false society here, as is the case with The Necklace and A Good Man. Both Emma and her mother live within the false society of modern life, believing that sex and finding the â€Å"right† man will bring happiness. Virtue is not mentioned, nor the life of the mind, but happiness is defined solely in respect of an other, a romantic, sexual relationship that is supposed to make people happy. Both characters, Aurora and Emma, are trapped and the free sex that exists throughout the movie is a conformist device, not a rebellious one. If anything, the fact that Aurora dies of cancer tells her that happiness cannot be found in this life, for even if Aurora was right all along, and Emma was her best friend, she still would have died a miserable death. Having sex with the drunken Breedlove has changed nothing. This film seems to be a set of negative examples: overprotection does not lead to protected children, and sex does not lead to happiness, nor does romance. If anything, it is a veiled attack on the modern obsession with the sexually carnal, that promises pleasure and happiness but usually ends with emptiness. Such is also the final scene in â€Å"Araby,† where the fair itself, symbolizing all sexual and sensual, is a disappointment. The build up the young boy has created in himself was far too high for actual reality. Sex is modern life is often considered this Holy Grail of acceptance that often leads to disappointment. The Necklace, a short story by Guy de Maupassant, has far more parallels with Tolstoy than Terms. The single reality is that the necklace is part of the world of falsity within which Ivan and his ilk live. The very fact that the necklace itself is a cheap fake is part of the scheme–it matters not if the object is genuine, it does its job of making the world think that you belong and that you’re part of the â€Å"successful† club. The obligation that Ivan finds in his life is mirrored in the couple’s having to work for a decade to repay the alleged price of the genuine necklace, which never even existed. The necklace is the ultimate attack on the falsity of â€Å"successful† life–the necklace exists solely to convince others of something, but it is not even real. At the same time, the labor that has gone into paying for the non-existent real necklace speaks of the waste and profligacy of the wealthy, who normally pay huge sums for such trinkets, and call it happiness or success. The young boy in â€Å"Araby† though that his love interest and the fair at Araby would provide this. All these sorts of things provide is emptiness. â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† is a far more subtle work, centering around a self-centered grandmother that speaks of The Misfit, a killer who is allegedly making his way though to Florida, where her family wants to go on vacation. The family eventually makes their way to Tennessee where, in an accident caused by a hidden cat, the disabled car is sat upon by the Misfit and his group, who eventually murders the entire family when the grandmother yells out that the Misfit is here, hence, necessitating the Misfit’s murder of his identifiers. There is a hint that the Misfit is in fact the grandmother’s son, and the grandmother, possibly attempting to save her own life, attempts to calm of Misfit by touching him, which leads to a scene where the murderer hesitates, but soon steps back to shoot her. It seems that Terms and Good man are highly parallel, showing an overprotective parent seeking happiness in all the wrong places. Where The Necklace and Ivan are centered around the concept of falsity and the lies and hypocracy of modern life and its arbitrary definition of â€Å"success. † All four are concerned with happiness broadly speaking, but only Tolstoy holds out the hope for any real happiness, a happiness that can only be gained by simplicity and a return to the land. Modern behaviors cannot understand this.

My Philosophy of Education Essay -- Philosophy on Teaching Statement

Philosophy of Education Norms and values are a reflection of society’s standards of behavior. Since society evolves from each generational perspective, the â€Å"norm† is continuously changing. As a result, the rising adults have a grave influence on how the world will evolve into the next generation. What we teach our students today will reflect the success of our future. How we, as teachers, get our messages across will definitely influence the student’s ability to apply that knowledge. From my experiences and what I have encountered I intend to incorporate the Pragmatic and Idealistic philosophies into my classroom, based on my predictions on how to be a successful teacher. The Pragmatic approach to education involves placing the students as a number one priority. This type of classroom environment would give the child an opportunity to make decisions, which is a crucial part of living a successful life in today’s societies. I would provide a classroom with a helpful and productive atmosphere. This would transform the classroom into a community of learners. This would give the children hands on experience with a project that needed solutions and the idea of how important â€Å"team work† can help in solving difficult situations. Students in my eyes will absorb a greater amount of material if they are actively involved in its processes. I concede with the theories of social reconstructionism in that I truly feel that in order to make a group successful, each individual that is apart of that group must be successful. This idea promotes human growth and development with the incorporation of flexibility in a student’s educatio n. This flexibility will help the student deal with and be able to overcome conflicts within t... ...cation pole, and I believe that the Idealism approach should also be incorporated into the classroom. There is no right or definite way to do anything; this should be kept in mind while performing any task. I feel like focusing on children and being a positive influence does nothing but benefit the child and the future of our world. That after all is what teaching is about, providing the tools to keep the world running. I think sometimes the foundation of teaching is repressed in the minds of teachers, do to the overload of stipulations placed on them daily. Whom are we really hurting here? The children are the ones who suffer. If the children stay as the focus in each classroom and are positively influenced by the teacher then education, what it truly means, will be reached. I plan to incorporate all of this into my everyday classroom. I hope others do to.

Ducati Paper

Margaret DeWitt Ducati Turnaround The turnaround success of Ducati was the direct result of Federico Minoli’s implementation of a differentiation strategy. As a company that was heading towards bankruptcy, Ducati was saved and revamped by Minoli’s specific vision for the company that were precisely presented in an extremely realistic manner. These goals for the company included double-digit growth for Ducati and equaling Harley-Davidson’s profit level. After reading the success of this turnaround, one point that I found very interesting and contributed to the company’s success is Minoli’s staffing method for Ducati.Not only did he strive to acquire intelligent and qualified workers, but also he emphasized passion and creativity in the workplace. The article refers to this â€Å"structured chaos† as the primary source of creativity. Another unique staffing method using by Minoli was that none of the new staff had previous experience in the mot orcycle industry. According to Minoli, even though they had no previous experience they were still capable of becoming passionate about this company and its products and would therefore be a successful management team.It is apparent Minoli views everyone involved in the production of Ducati’s products as a key success factor in its turnaround. In choosing the right strategy for Ducati, Minoli debated between standardizing the engine, which would result in better efficiency, or to remain true to what the motorcycle represented. He wanted the brand name to appeal not only to extreme motorcycle riders but also so other segments of buyers. By implementing a differentiation strategy, Minoli was able to position Ducati in a way that showcased its uniqueness as a motorcycle.It was also a way to separate it from other motorcycle companies such as Harley-Davidson and Honda. The specific features of their product are so unique to the brand name that it would be difficult and expensive for competitors to try to mimic. The company has moved from a â€Å"product-centered† company, as many of its competitors are categorized as, to an â€Å"experience-centered† company. It is not only focused on producing and selling motorcycles, but also focused on selling the lifestyle benefits of owning a Ducati motorcycle and being part of the Ducati organization.This was a smart move on behalf of Ducati for two main reasons: to increase sales due to product uniqueness and the building of customer loyalty through repeat customers. As customers buy into a lifestyle, they are more likely to continue to purchase that product. Two of the factors that Ducati possess that contributes to its differentiation from other companies are its top engineering team and increased investment in research and development.As a result of the company ‘s product development and research and development sectors become more open structures, there have been tremendous cost savings and qu icker product launches. Also, as technology is a growing asset to the motorcycle industry, Ducati’s success can be a direct result of the expertise taken from their racing division. Another attribute that supports the differentiation strategy of Ducati motorcycles is the creation of the â€Å"World of Ducati† in addition to â€Å"Ducati Stores†.Through the several activities including racing, advertising in specialized magazines, the Ducati museum, Ducati owners clubs, and Ducati special events, the company successfully built an atmosphere unique to Ducati that customers can buy into. This not only creates brand loyalty for the product but also gives the owners of Ducati motorcycles the feeling that they have something special or unique that cannot be purchased elsewhere. By using the differentiation strategy to position itself as â€Å"the sport bike company†, Ducati, in my opinion, will be able to sustain its position in the market.By strictly competing in the sport bike segment of the market, Ducati makes it difficult for threats by all other competition. Even though companies such as Honda and Harley- Davidson also produce motorcycles, they are not specialized in sport bikes and do not sell â€Å"the lifestyle† of having their particular product. I think by sticking to one specialty, Ducati has more power over its customers than all other competing companies. This does not however eliminate rivalries between companies altogether.Even though Ducati may have the advantage of differentiation, this particular industry is continuing to grow and with that comes more competition for customers. I think that one tradeoff that Ducati has to face is staying focused on the sport bike segment rather than branching off into other segments of the market. Even though branching into other product lines may be beneficial in the short-term aspect, I think that by sticking to what they have already successfully built and expanding their curr ent market segment will eventually lead to higher long-term profitability.They could possibly achieve this by expanding distribution. Ducati can offer its product and all of the benefits that come with purchasing one in more locations. The only thing Ducati should be careful of is that they do not over-expand. They want to make their product more available for new customers but not in a way that makes the lifestyle of owning a Ducati as â€Å"normal† as owning maybe a Harley-Davidson. They need to make sure they still have the advantage of having that differentiation factor that sets them apart from the competition.Overall, Minoli’s implementation of the differentiation strategy was critical to the turnaround of Ducati. By focusing in on what they are good at and building a brand upon those elements, this company was able to go from almost bankruptcy to an extremely profitable company in the sports bike industry. Also, by distinguishing itself from just a motorcycle co mpany to an â€Å"experienced-centered† company that offers customers a particular lifestyle and the chance to be part of a community also plays a role in the success of its turnaround.This important element brought in new customers and increased the likelihood of repeat customers. Even though competition in the motorcycle industry is tough and continues to get even more competitive, Ducati will continue to set itself apart from the rest with it’s ability to sell not only a sports bike but a product lifestyle as well. I think that if Ducati continues to successfully use its resources in the future, they will sustain their share in the market and have the opportunity to even expand it.

Weber’s social psychology and tonnies gemeinschaft

Weber was one of the first modern thinkers who attempted to evolve a rational perspective in understanding social phenomenon. He perpetually fostered the theory of objectivity in all human action. Thus he often states that in all sciences where human action is involved it is essential that those occurrences which are without subjective meaning should be given priority. (Weber, 1994). He frequently contended that without the basic form of a thing, its physical quantity, it had literally no meaning. He emphasized that from birth to mortality it is facts that dictated human action. Weber went to the extent of indicating that even those facts which were psycho physical or social including reactions of individuals should be understood by taking into account the data within. Thus while Weber disavowed the use of psychological methods in society, there is an implicit social psychology in Weber’s work.   This is evident through an in depth analysis of his works which indicate many hints of social psychology implicit in the subjective understanding of phenomenon, in the functioning of public bodies and the concept of charisma. The first indication of the same is his distinguishing understanding of observable and non observable phenomenon. While understanding of observable phenomenon is easier, he indicates that there is another type of recognition that is explanatory in nature. This comprises of actions and emotions that are displayed by individuals in society over incidents which cause rage, joy, jealousy, pride and so on, in which the motives are not rationally explainable and for which a subjective meaning for the action may have to be sought as an intended meaning. Thus for correct interpretation of an event or a fact he denotes that it is essential to understand the covert motive behind that act or event and link one to the other. The motive is the subjective part of the meaning which can be found not just in the factual display but would be in the psycho social content of the message that each is attempting to convey. The social psychological context of Weber’s views is further crystallized when he explains the functioning of public bodies. These need to be treated as individuals when they are performing normal cognitive purposes such as juristic and should have the same rights and duties. In subjective interpretation these are considered as sociological formations, the resultants of collectivities arising from constructs from other disciplines. (Weber, 2005). Thus these organizations become the epitome of social action of individual persons in collectivity and the psychological influence cannot be undermined in their actions. The final interpretation of the impact of psychology on sociology in the works of Weber is found in his concept of charisma, which he states as psychic contagion and creates a number of social processes which are understood only in terms of subjectivities in small fragments of transfer from biological interpretation. This is a minor concession that Weber attempts to make towards accepting non scientific phenomenon as a basis for understanding human social behavior. Toennies considered that change is an intrinsic part of human nature. Change comes from the two facets of human nature one that is dialectical and the other that is contradictory. Thus human evolution as per Toennies has passed through various stages of individualistic and communal feelings which are shared with others. Individualistic strain is stronger in trade and politics and is the lowest in science. These are the concepts of evolution aptly summarized in two German words of gemeinschaft and gesellschaft.   (Toennies, 1954). Toennies society evolved from a social context in which human beings were enemies of each other and extensive law was essential to preserve order. Gradually communal life gained primacy and order overcome anarchy. However Tonnies indicates that this order in turn led more people to come together with the aim of gaining prosperity which is again as per him a sign of the class struggle which destroys society that is being transformed. Thus the cycle seems to continue interminably. The essence of Tonnies process of evolution of Western civilization lay in the two phases of being communal to being associative. The Gemeinschaft or communal in German was characterized by geographically isolated communes where all members virtually appeared to of the same stock, lived by tradition and maintained consanguine ties within the families. Labor was cast on pre industrial mode without any division and there was greater emphasis on primary relationships based on the importance of status and a respect for sacredness. This phase lasted till the entry into the industrial age when from small commune’s mass heterogeneous groupings of people emerged. This was the associative or Gesellschaft mode of social living.  Ã‚   There was greater geographic mobility as more and more people mixed with each other, tradition declined and heterogeneous relationships developed. Conjugal ties were greatly emphasized during this period and there was a division of labor. Status was not bestowed on people due to birth but due to their own achievements. There was greater dependence on secondary relationships and building a secular society. These two stages in which human societies evolved are indicative of the industrial and the post industrial World. Toennies theme was further elaborated by Emile Durkheim who indicated how forms of Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft emerged. The homogeneity and lack of division of labor were attributed to the pre industrial society. The cohesiveness of tribalism to Tonnies was a mechanistic mode of congruity. Collective conscience and representations through means such as common flag were another form of community feeling and provide indication how it developed over the years. However as society grew, an heterogeneous sense of bonding developed into what Tonnies has described as the Gesellschaft in which more and more relationships were secondary and impersonal. In some forms slavery and feudalism is a part of the community that existed in the pre industrial age and was only eliminated after the industrial age came to dominate the human activity spectrum. The industrial capitalist society also greatly revolutionized social conditions as the capitalist forces attempted to expand beyond their boundaries in search of trade so did the assimilative values were transferred between different societies which mingled with each other. Reference: 1.Toennies, F. (1957) Community and Society. East Lansing, MI. 2.Weber, Max. (1999). Sociological Writings. Edited by Wolf Heydebrand, published in 1994 by Continuum. Transcribed: by Andy Blunden in 1998, proofed and corrected 1999. 3.– (2005). The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism. 1905. Translated by   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Talcott Parsons and Anthony Giddens. London : Unwin Hyman.      

I got 99 problem but a wall aint one Professor Ramos Blog

I got 99 problem but a wall aint one As the President of the United States you are the most powerful man on the planet, and with great power comes great responsibility. â€Å"Build the wall† was your slogan during campaigning, However, one must understand that you have surmounted a larger following who live off the ideologies you preach. There are more progressive issues at hand that are not getting the attention they need, due to the fact that you are imposing the wall as the main issue America should be dealing with. Instead of focusing on a minuscule problem such immigration, why not first fix the internal problems at hand. Flight Michigan has not had clean water for years, there are problems in lower socioeconomic classes, and communities are close to poverty. Your main focus as president of the united states should be first to internally better the country, then focus on global institutional policies. From the outside countries view America for the multiple internal problems they are facing. We must first be tter this country then the country itself will improve globally.    Fresh water is a limited yet significant product of survival. Economist and socialist have   classified countries into first world, second word and third world based on the countries GDP and natural resources. First world defined by worldpopulationreview.com is a country with a high standard of living, high life expectancy and stable economy. A third world country defined by worldpopulationreview.com is a country with weaknesses in areas including: nutrition, education, literacy, economic vulnerabilities, and have widespread poverty. In American right now there is a city with third world problems. Flint, Michigan has been without fresh water resources for years now. Their living arrangements are inadequate and no First world country such as the United States should have this problem. It started off when officials looking to save money switched Flints, drinking water supply from the Detroit city system to the Flint River. This new water was highly corrosive due to the fact that city and state officials broke federal law by failing to treat the water properly. lead leached out from aging pipes into thousands of homes. The water was dark-colored with an atrocious smell and taste. The citizens of Flint suffered many skin conditions such as hair loss and rashes. Its been five since this catastrophe event started and has yet been solved. I believe with the collective effort of the county, state and federal government we can eradicate this issues that is causing citizens to live with in humane conditions.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚      This world is facing a major problem when it comes to our future. There is problem with our limited nonrenewable energy. Non renewable energy is a resource of economic value that cannot be readily replenished by natural means at the pace of its consumption. These energies are coil, natural gas and oil. Nonrenewable energy is a big contributor to greenhouse gases which is the lead cause for global warming. As a nonrenewable energy depletes we will have to come up with other ways to find energy. This is why funds need to be invested into efficient ways to find means of renewable energy. Not only will it save America money in the long run, it will also preserve and save our planet.There are also economic benefits from transferring to renewable sources. According to ucsusa.org solar and wind energy will bring over 300,000 jobs compared to coal which only produces 160,000 jobs. Growth in clean energy can create positive economic â€Å"ripple† that create more jobs and increas es income. One of your political stances was the need to create more jobs, this will do just that. For example, industries in the renewable energy supply chain will benefit, and unrelated local businesses will benefit from increased household and business incomes. America could be the forefront pioneer that not only saves the Planet but leads the world it into the next clean energy era. The public image of America would be admirable because initiating these reforms will save the country money and create sources of clean energy that will improve the eminent issue of global warming. There is a significant problem that is affecting our nation and can lead to social tension. This Problem is the economic division between the upper and low class. According to the New York Post, the five reasons for poverty is criminal justice, education, housing policy, savings, and Inclusive economic growth. Lets start with our education system because changing the youth changes the future. Instead of using our funds on the wall we could use that money to fix our Public school system, especially in low-income areas. Impoverished Students not only face economic hardship but a low budget for education. Since the majority of the student are In impoverished, they lack the necessities such as food, clothing, books and internet essential that a student needs to become successful. A low budget makes it challenging to achieve basic educational standards. In 2013 the U.S government spent eight percent of its budget on education for all levels. The Problem is that its still not enough; there is still not enough money to go round, but 25 billion could be a start.   The money could go towards school in lower economic areas such as Chicago for food transportation, Proper clothing, updated books, and technology. In closing, I believe the funds being used to build the wall could be used to better our Economic problems and social tensions.   By helping the city of flint get back to suitable drinking water, you would become a humanitarian. Changing our nation to renewable energy would not only save us money but create new jobs. We would be preserve the world, our future and lead a technological frontier for ages to come. Increasing funds in the Education system would close the economic gap between the upper and lower class by giving the youth a chance to better their social standing through education. Lastly, by doing all three task your approval rating exceptional and you would genuinely make America great again.    Work sited â€Å"Federal Role in Education.† Home, US Department of Education (ED), 25 May 2017, www2.ed.gov/about/overview/fed/role.html. â€Å"Flint Water Crisis.† NRDC, 30 Apr. 2019, nrdc.org/flint. â€Å"Local Renewable Energy Benefits and Resources.† EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, 19 Apr. 2019, epa.gov/statelocalenergy/local-renewable-energy-benefits-and-resources. Nationsonline.org, Klaus Kstle -. â€Å"___ First, Second and Third World.† First, Second, and Third World Nations Online Project, nationsonline.org/oneworld/third_world_countries.htm. Tanner, Michael, and Michael Tanner. â€Å"How the Government Helps Keep People Poor.† New York Post, New York Post, 6 Dec. 2018, nypost.com/2018/12/05/how-the-government-helps-keep-people-poor/.

5 Tips for LGBTQ Students How to be Gay at College

5 Tips for LGBTQ Students How to be Gay at College 5 Tips for LGBTQ Students: How to be Gay at College The focus of the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (May 17) this year is â€Å"mental health and wellbeing.† This is particularly relevant to students, as college is a place of self-discovery, and somewhere many LGBTQ people choose to come out or experiment with their identity. Photo: William Murphy As such, we’ve got a few tips for making your college experience a happy one, as there’s no reason you shouldn’t enjoy your education just because you’ve rejected the norms of heteronormativity. 1. Research Different Colleges If you’re thinking of applying to college but want to study somewhere that welcomes LGBTQ students, it pays to do a little research beforehand. One way to do this is to ask current students about their experiences, but there are plenty of online resources if you’re not sure who to ask. 2. Look for Funding College can be expensive, so any financial help is usually welcome. What you might not know is that there are scholarships available specifically for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students. 3. Meeting New People Making new friends is part of the college experience for any student. But when you’re LGBQT, or simply want to explore that side of your personality, you might be particularly keen to meet like-minded people. A good option is to join an LGBTQ advocacy group. Most colleges these days will have at least one LGBTQ group on campus, often affiliated with national organizations like the Gay-Straight Alliance. Likewise, look out for LGBTQ events at your college. Photo: Wikimedia Alternatively, you could venture off campus to find any LGBTQ community centers in your local area. It also helps to research gay-friendly businesses, such as bars, cafes and shops. 4. Get Online Of course, if you don’t have any luck meeting people in meatspace, you always have the World Wide Web as a backup source of awkward first dates (a characteristic feature of any college romance, straight or gay). More seriously, the internet is also a great resource for advice on LGBTQ issues, as well as message boards and forums where you can ask for guidance on just about any topic imaginable. 5. Try Not to Worry†¦ It’s natural to feel a little freaked out when you first go away to college, especially if you’re not sure how other people in your dorm will react when they find out you’re LGBTQ. The first thing to remember here is that you’re under no pressure to reveal anything about your sexuality to other people if you don’t want to. It is entirely your decision when and with whom to discuss your personal life, so move at a pace with which you’re comfortable. The second thing is to realize that most people will support you when they do find out – or simply won’t care! Your friends should always accept you for who you are.

The Restructuring Sony Corporation Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 4

The Restructuring Sony Corporation - Case Study Example Another reason was to adjust the corporation to market changes. The 2001 restructuring is an example of a restructuring that was done to adjust to new market realities. 3. The restructuring efforts at Sony were realized to make the company more flexible and adaptive. As a conglomerate, the different types of businesses needed their own autonomy. The restructures at Sony decentralized the decision-making process. The unified dispersed management model was very effective at creating greater autonomy. 4. At Sony due to the segmentation of businesses and the decentralized nature of the operation, there was a lot of cultural diversity. Each business unit had its own corporate culture. The managers operated each business unit in an independent manner to a certain degree.  5. I believe that the dominant business culture at Sony is innovation. The reason for innovation and research and development is so important for Sony is because the company has so many different types of products and services.