MOD 2 ETH501 - Business Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

MOD 2 ETH501 - Business Ethics - Essay Example The heart pacemakers were made because several people were in need of the equipment. The pacemakers helped people in maintaining proper heart beat rate to avoid deaths (Shanks, 1996). Although some people died out of incompetency of certain doctors while installing the gadgets, the risks and negative consequences were minimized. The pacemaker company maximized on the good it offered to its client, helping avoid deaths because of inability of the heart to beat. The deaths that occurred because of the lack of pacemakers were more than deaths due to the challenges of installing the pacemakers. This exemplified the need to maximize the greater good of pacemaker business while minimizing on the dangers faced. Saving human life is better than the financial gains that the transistor manufacturing company is against (Shanks, 1996). Utilitarian ethics is demonstrated by the transistor manufacturing board when they accepted to supply the heart pacemakers with the transistors they needed becaus e of a responsibility and duty to protect the rights of individuals in need of the pacemakers. Further, the board ensured that they minimized the negative implications of the business so that they balanced their trust responsibility to the company (Melvin, 2005). They did the right thing with maximum good in supplying the transistors to save lives and developed appropriate technical as well as testing standards to hold the pacemaker company against in an effort to minimize the harm. They reduced harm in the business and maximized on the utility while accomplishing the common good and protecting rights of people (Shanks, n.d.). What Jeremy Bentham, the father of utilitarianism, would have said about the Case Bentham would have argued that the board agreeing to supply the company making pacemakers was based on utilitarian business ethics because it satisfied human nature by avoiding pain that patients would undergo without pacemakers (Jones, 2005). In addition, he would have asserted that the appropriate action on the case would be for the transistor company to supply the other company as it was the right action based on the principle of utility. The good effects in the case involved supplying the transistors with a commitment to improving the testing and technical standards to balance the good and bad effects. This was a much better alternative than declining to supply the transistors to the pacemakers (Driver, 2009). Letting the pacemaker company not to run out of business by supplying the transistors was an instance of utilitarianism because it was a consideration of the good of all the involved parties without any partiality. How Bentham's suggestion that "We seek pleasure and the avoidance of pain..." might apply The board of the transistor making company demonstrated ‘seeking pleasure and avoiding pain’ when it initially declined that it would not supply transistors to pacemakers because it would face legal suits and challenges. The absence of appropriate standards by the pacemakers to measure their electronics would cause pain to the transistor company. The business deal would cause pain to the transistor company, and the board initially opts out of the deal. This would have not been proper for the welfare of the involved stakeholders (Shaw, 2011). In addition, all the other transistor making companies that pulled out of business with the pacemakers were avoiding pain in their business pursuit by trying to

Politics International Security Why did North Korea aquire Nuclear Essay

Politics International Security Why did North Korea aquire Nuclear Weapns - Essay Example From the start, a state that would become a nuclear-armed state would begin with a nuclear-energy program. Then on and on, after acquiring the capability and material to produce energy, that state would proceed, secretly or clandestinely, to produce other materials to produce nuclear weapons. A question maybe asked here: is there a precise reason why states want to acquire nuclear weapons Or is it the ambition of non-nuclear power states to acquire nuclear weapons or become nuclear-powered states Erich Marquardt (2003) in his Asia Times on-line article - Why states want nuclear weapons - has this intriguing thesis: When a state acquires nuclear weapons, the cost of invading that state increases, making it more difficult and expensive for the invader to gain a military edge. There are a number of examples to connect with this statement. ... Since Iraq did not yet have nuclear weapons in 1981, Israel was able to launch a successful military strike on the Iraqi nuclear reactor without the fear of a powerful retaliation. (Marquardt, 2003) Iraq then hastened to develop nuclear weapons to increase its leverage with their rivals Iran and Israel. Acquiring nuclear weapons would make it much more difficult for rival states to threaten or attack Iraq. This could be the reason why, according to Marquardt, the Ba'ath Party leadership was unwilling to allow United Nations weapons inspectors complete access to every part of Iraq. The ambiguity surrounding its weapons program could have theoretically increased Baghdad's foreign-policy negotiating power. (Marquardt, 2007) In the same manner, Marquardt relates, North Korea is sending confusing signals regarding its nuclear program to the U.S. or the outside world regarding its nuclear program, the purpose of which is "likely to create the perception that North Korea is possibly a nuclear-armed state" because US President George Bush is opt for a "regime change" in Pyongyang. As long as powerful rival states, such as the United States and Japan, are unclear about North Korea's nuclear program, they will have to be careful before deciding to take military action against that country (Marquardt, 2007). In this case Bush and his military would have second thoughts of attacking North Korea. Siegfried S. Hecker, researcher at the Center for International Security and Cooperation at Stanford University says that the October 9, 2006 nuclear test and the subsequent DPRK's Feb. 10, 2005 announcement of having manufactured nuclear weapons, make it much more difficult to convince the DPRK to give up its nuclear weapons. Nuclear-armed states work to

Hiroux's Basic Principles of Morality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Hiroux's Basic Principles of Morality - Essay Example When we evaluate the United States through the lens of Thiroux's basic principles, we find a country that is striving for moral idealism and compromising to satisfy reality. When considering the United States, it needs to be defined as a culture and society of people, religion, and laws. It is not the canyons, mountains, and buildings. The morality of the United States extends to the people, their laws, and the philosophical underpinnings of the constitution. Giving a moral standing to the inanimate objects within our borders would go beyond the traditional boundaries of the moral universe (MacNiven, 1993, p.204). When we apply Thiroux's five principles, we examine the people, the law, and the principles as they are applied to the people in our own country and around the world. When evaluating a situation or a people for its ethical nature it is critical that we have the truth. Honesty, one of the five principals, is the foundation that morality is built upon. Our major religions embody the principle in the ninth commandment of 'thou shalt not bear false witness'. It is reflected in our expectation of truth from our leaders and courtroom testimony. However, the US is inundated with false and misleading advertising, and our country goes to war based on a deception. In the US, honesty is generally valued only so long as it is in our own self-interest. In the long term, the self-interest of corporations and politicians can become the illusion of honesty (Mansbridge, 1990, p.151). While the US embraces honesty as a concept, the principal is often overrun by self-interest. A fundamental moral principle is the sanctity of life and the belief that we should celebrate life and accept death (Thiroux, 2007). The United State's Declaration of Independence expresses the similar belief when it says that one of our inalienable rights is our right to life. This moral principle is reflected in our laws that prevent assault or murder, as well as the fundamental respect for life that is practiced by our mainstream religions. Still, abortion laws, lack of child health care, and militaristic adventures call into question whether this is a guiding principle of the US or merely words to strive for. Here we see our principles overlapping and contradicting one another. Freedom of choice and a right to privacy impede the idealism of the value of life in regards to health care and abortion (Thiroux, 2007). It is also argued that military action serves to save a greater number of lives than it takes. No system of laws or government has a greater respect for individual freedom than the democracy of the United States. Once again, the principles are valid only within a well defined context. If questioned, many Americans would express the feeling of exploitation and slavery to the economic system. Personal freedom is only attainable if the freedom is in itself moral. The United States has made incremental progress towards individual freedom, though we do not have the absolute freedom to do as we please. Our morality may be at odds with someone else's value system. Henry David Thoreau (1892) said, "The progress from an absolute to a limited monarchy, from a limited monarchy to a democracy, is a progress toward a true respect for the individual" (p.151). While the United States has the ideal of a universal morality, our diversity challenges our individual freedo

Civil Disobedience Essay Example for Free

Civil Disobedience Essay Based on the writings of Henry David Thoreau it is very relevant that he is very opposed to government involvement of any kind. He doesn’t believe that the government should be involved in everyday life. Thoreau doesn’t understand the point of having a government system that will be useful to everyone and not just a select few. Thoreau proceeds to explain his many reasons as to why the â€Å"government is best [when it] governs [the] least.† He thought people should stand up to the very ones that made society so corrupt and weak. Thoreau believes the government puts personal selfish interests on a pedestal. Thoreau’s opening statement set the tone for his entire essay. He begins his essay by saying that the government, so far, has rarely proven to be useful. He believes that the power the government has derived from the majority rather than the few. This is mainly because the majority is the strongest group not because their viewpoint is right but because they have many in numbers. He then continues to express the fact that many people do what they believe is right and not to just follow the law created by the majority. He insists that people should do away with the law all together when the legal system becomes unjust. Thoreau then states that the United States is a perfect example of an unjust government. He believes that is because of the fact that they have shown support of slavery and they have participated in the practice of aggressive war. In regards to a man following his first obligation, Thoreau believes that a man isn’t obligated to get rid of the evils of the world, but he is obligated not to take part in these evils. This means that no man should feel the need to participate in an unruly government if he does not choose to do so. Thoreau asks, â€Å"Must the citizen ever for a moment, or in the least degree, resign his conscience to the legislator? Why has every man a conscience, then? I think we should be men first, and subjects afterward.† He is basically stating that it is far more important to develop respect for what is right, rather than a respect for law. Thoreau sets a very powerful and aggressive tone by choosing to open his essay this way. Thoreau doesn’t see the effectiveness of reform within the US government. Thus, he wants his readers to feel the same way. He then says that he is convinced that petitioning and voting for change achieves very little. Thoreau uses a wide variety of examples, some personal, that depict the unjust system that he discusses. By using his own personal experiences, he is allowing the reader to fully understand everything he is trying to depict. He speaks on the fact that during a protest against slavery, he refused to pay the taxes that were issued to him. Because of his refusal to pay the taxes, he spent the night in jail. But, overall his thoughts and opinions dissociated him from the government because he chose not to participate in its institutions. He then states that one can’t see the government for what it really is because one is still working within it. And, in this way they believe that everything is justified because they are a part of the strong majority. He feels that having too much respect for law causes people to do wild things. For example, he believes that the government has turned soldiers into machines for their own personal use making them a shadow of what is real. Thoreau is very passionate and honest about everything that he says. He wants the reader to know exactly where in his heart these words are coming from. He never uses a harsh syntax or diction when writing because he doesnt want to sound angry. Throughout his essay, Thoreau uses an intense appeal to pathos. He mostly uses pathos when he describes a conversation with his cell mate. Thoreau asks his fellow prisoner what he got put in jail for and the man replied saying, they accuse me of burning a barn; but I never done it. Thoreau does this to appeal to the emotion of his readers by showing them that what the government does isnt fair. He also shows this when he says that he has been waiting 3 months for his trial, and he will probably have to wait another 3 months before he actually gets his trial. Thoreau describes the conversation to paint a picture in the minds of his readers, of an innocent man that had to wait a half a year to attempt to prove innocence. The fact that this innocent man was spending his waiting time in jail, draws a lot of sympathy from his readers. Thoreau also uses a great deal of imagery in this essay. When describing his  jail cell, he used the rooms were whitewashed once a month He was doing this to show his audience that his punishment really wasnt as bad as most people thought it would be. Thoreau even said that he viewed his cell almost as if it were an apartment, and the jail house, a city. This supports his idea that jail technically isnt a punishment for those in it. Thoreau, here, is trying to persuade the readers to stand together and revolt against the government because it is their duty to do so. He then goes on to say that neither him, nor his cell mate pose any real threat to society. This makes the reader question his place in jail. If he really wasnt a threat, then why was he locked up? Thoreau is very opinionated about his very broad views of the government. He believes that the government has only lasted this long because people refuse to execute their own will. And, until this happens, no changes will ever be made. Thoreau wishes for a society in which man makes decisions of his own mind and not the mind of those that are trying to suppress the truth. In some aspects Thoreau is right. Some current laws are not honorable. Overall, Thoreau just wants to conform to the laws set in place, but he feels that that phenomenon won’t happen. In his essay, Thoreau makes it very clear of his idea that government is best [when it] governs [the] least. He uses many rhetorical strategies such as imagery, symbolism and pathos as an effort to persuade the readers that the best kind of government is one of laissez-faire. His main ideas were present in his writing. He wanted to show people that a hands-off government is not the best thing for everyone. Because if he was thrown in jail for one night due to the fact he didnt pay poll tax for six years, then why dont people step up and revolt against the government? He wanted the reader to feel empowered by his words so that there could truly be a change in government policies.

Why Do The Sociologists Need Theories?

Why Do The Sociologists Need Theories? In simple terms, theories are used by sociologists to explain how social phenomena has occurred. A theory is used as an explanation by sociologists as to why something occurs in society. Durkheim quotes, sociology is a way to discover ultimate truths about society, for the purpose of social improvement (Seidman, 2008). For most sociologists this quote summarizes the reasons they study society and in turn use theories to explain social phenomena. Theories offer people in sociology and outside sociology another view or take on a certain aspect of society. The more theories there are, the more choice and freedom of thought there is for someone looking for answers as to why society is the way it is. Hence theories are essential to the continuing development of society, providing potential answers to those who seek them. It is natural for humans to ask why and seek answers. Sociologist also use theories to abstract particular information and convert it into more general material, so that others can make sense of it. Further more they use theories to categorise and group sociological happenings into a specific class. In order to illustrate the above, the Neo-Marxist theorists Althusser and Gramsci will be compared, seeing as they both have their own unique approach to Marxism and interpreted Marxs ideas in different ways. Gramsci was the humanitarian Neo-Marxist while Althusser was more of a scientific Neo-Marxist (Kellner, 2005). With Althusser being a structuralist he in turn rejected Marxs Hegelian essentialism, the two kinds of which being economism and humanism (Scott, 2007). Hence Althusser was very much an anti-economist and anti-humanist. Althusser viewed ideology itself a determining inflection that moulds consciousness and ultimately represents a considerably large swerve away from economic determination (Scott, 2007). For Althusser ideology portrayed the relationship between the persons imagination and their actual conditions of existence. He felt that ideology transformed humans into subjects of ideological process that shaped them while at the same time they are conned into viewing t hemselves as self- determining agents. (Benton 1998). Further more Althussers theories can often relate to functionalism (Swingewood, 2000). Gramsci was also a strongly influential Marxist thinker. Like Althusser, he rejected economism, but also rejected crude materialism and instead offer a humanist version of Marxism which focused on human subjectivity (Nield Seed, 1981). He adopted the term hegemony to depict the supremacy of social classà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ over others which in essence referred in particular to the bourgeoisie dominance over the working class (Nield Seed, 1981). As well as hegemony being used as an economic and political tool, he felt it gave the dominant bourgeoisie class the ability to project its own way of viewing the world upon the lower classes who then accept this as common sense and part of life. A key difference between the two Marxist theories is that contrary to Althusser, Gramsci highlights struggle and conflict (Nield Seed, 1981). He claimed that common sense was not a solid state and constantly transformed itself. Gramsci s theory meant a rejection of economism due to th e fact it saw the struggle for ideological hegemony as a major factor in social change. Overall, there were more criticisms of Althussers theories that in turn led many to favor Gramscis theories, with particular credit given to his theory of hegemony. A number of strengths can be found across the board of Marxist theory. Contrary to the mass media, Marxism takes into account the importance of explicit theory (Swingewood, 2000). The Marxist critical theory attracts consideration to the matter of political and economic interests in the mass media and emphasizes the social inequalities in media representation whilst revealing the myth of value-free social science (Swingewood, 2000). Whilst Althussers theories help to attenuate the allegory of the absolute individual, other Marxist attitudes see the media as a site of struggle. Marxist theory accentuates the importance of social class in relation to the media and the publics understanding of media, which remains a valuable factor in media assay (Kellner, 2005). This Marxist analysis is useful in that during the distribution of power in society, certain types of reality end up with more influence than others, which in essence means Marxist theory reveals how the media makes less import ant new seem far more important that it is. Meanwhile more serious and important news is sometimes swept aside and not focused on by the media for a tactical purpose. While the strengths of Marxist theory seem to outweigh the limitations, some limitations can be found. Some contest that Marxism is just another ideology, with some Marxists being accused of being too doctrinaire (following the theory regardless of its practicality). Fundamentalist Marxism is crudely deterministic, allowing not much amplitude for human agency or subjectivity (Swingewood, 2000). Another point is that Marxism is often seen as an elevated form of theory which concentrates on the grand scheme and in turn averting empirical research. This means Marxist analysis of media does not include vigorous enough studies. In conclusion, sociologists need theories to explain social phenomena and explain how the sociological world has come to be like it is. Theories offer people another view on a certain aspect of society. We all think theoretically in our own way, although the key difference that sociological theorists use is that they think theoretically in a systematic manner. Sociological theorists will arrive at different explanations for events than the theoretical approach of a normal person, and therefore will need to create a theory to explain it. Using the example of Marxist theories and theorists, in particular Althusser and Gramsci, it is possible to see why sociologists need theories. Praktische opdracht A.K: Nike Praktische opdracht A.K: Nike Inleiding: Ik heb dit merk gekozen omdat ik er graag meer over wil weten. Ik weet wel dat het eindproduct heel mooi is, maar wat voor soorten textiel ze gebruiken en hoe de import en export wordt geregeld weet ik allemaal nog niet. Ik hoop dat ik doormiddel van dit onderzoek er wel achter zal komen. Deelvraag 1: Hoe is Nike ontstaan? Het begon allemaal toen de vrouw van bouwerman tijdens het ontbijt altijd wafels bakte. Bill kwam op het idee dat je de zelfde manier ook bij schoenen kan doen zodat de schoenen dan ook lichter worden. Hij maakte een paar stuks met de hand, en zag dat er veel vraag was naar de schoenen. Toen dacht hij er aan met Phill om van China de schoenen te exporteren.Toen begonnen ze met hun bedrijfje. Johnson begon een winkeltje met de geà ¯mporteerde schoenen. Het logo Swoosh werd in 1971 ontworpen en kwam op alle artikelen van Nike. De Moon Shoe is de eerste schoenen collectie werd in 1972 geà ¯ntroduceerd, speciaal gemaakt voor atleten, omdat ze lichte schoenen nodig hadden. De schoenen werden ook verkocht in Verenigde Staten. Toen werd ook de eerste sponsorcontract getekend met de Roemeense tennisster Emma Ballard. Er werden een jaar later ook fabrieken en bedrijven geopend in Taiwan en Zuid-Korea. De eerste air schoenen werden in 1979 gemaakt, de schoenen zijn gevuld met gas zodat je je makkelijker kan bewegen met de schoenen. Vanaf de jaren 80 werd Nike het grootste sportmerk ter wereld. Deelvraag 2: Waar wordt Nike geproduceerd: Nike is Amerikaans, maar laat haar producten vooral in Azià « produceren. Nike wordt geproduceerd in landen waar de productiekosten heel laag liggen en de arbeiders het minimumloon krijgen en zo weinig mogelijk rechten hebben, zoals: Zuid-Korea, Taiwan, Filippijnen en Maleisià «. Later werd ook in Vietnam geproduceerd, omdat Nike nog meer landen zocht met lage lonen, maar de fabrieken werden onderneemt door Zuid -Koreaanse en Taiwanese ondernemers. Nu worden Nike producten vooral geproduceerd in China, Vietnam, Thailand en Indonesià «. Maar voor moeilijkere werk ook in Zuid-Korea en Taiwan en in Cambodja, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Mexico, El Salvador, Dominicaanse Republiek enz De productie van nike wordt op de volgende manier gemaakt: 1 de model wordt eerst ontworpen. 2 dan wordt het uitgewerkt bij onderaannemers. 3 de onderaannemers produceren het product in fabrieken in lage loonlanden zoals: Thailand, Indonesià «, China of Vietnam, de onderdelen van à ©Ãƒ ©n product worden vaak in verschillende landen gemaakt. Nike wordt natuurlijk in heel Europa verkocht, maar de hoofdkantoor van Nike ligt in Oregon in VS en in Europa ligt de Kantoor in Hilversum. In Australià « Nieuw-Zeeland en verschillende Aziatische landen heb je ook een Nike -Kantoor. Deelvraag 3: Is er een verband tussen globalisering en de verkoopcijfers van het merk? Er is wel een verband tussen de globalisering en de verkoopcijfers van het merk Nike. Sommige landen hebben betere eind producten dan andere landen. Doordat ontstaat er concurrentie. De globalisering speelt een rol bij vestigingsfactoren. De globalisering heeft ook invloed op de economie. Als de globalisering zich ontwikkeld dan wordt het economie ook mee ontwikkeld. Zoals we weten heeft Nederland kwalitatieve concurrentiefactoren, zoals op het gebied van arbeid en kwaliteit. Er is een zeer grote verband tussen globalisering en de verkoopcijfers van Nike. Nike is een succesvolle merk dat bekend is over de hele wereld. Het wordt overal verkocht je hebt in veel landen fabrieken die Nike kleding en schoenen produceren de hoofdkantoor ligt in Hilversum, en de verkoophandel gaat heel goed. Zoals u ziet draagt bijna iedereen Nike kleding. Er zijn fabrieken in verschillende landen in Azià « waar Nike kleding wordt gemaakt. mensen kopen steeds meer merk kleding dat komt omdat het steeds pop ulair wordt voor jongeren die een grote belangstelling hebben voor merk kleding. Of sommige mensen willen daar mee laten zien dat hun welvaart goed is en daar door ze het ook kunnen kopen. Deelvraag 4: Wat zijn de gevolgen voor de lokale economie en lokale milieu in de productielanden? De economie wordt juist beter, want er is dan minder werkloosheid in die landen omdat Nike ook een bekend merk is over de hele wereld en goed wordt verkocht wordt er ook meer geproduceerd en stijgt de economie. Zoals je weet is Nike een Amerikaanse merk en in Amerika is de economie niet zo slecht. Jaarlijks wordt er steeds meer verkocht dan er voor, maar er wordt ook in landen in Azià « Nike geproduceerd en in die landen gaat het een stuk minder met de economie. Als de fabrieken de kleding maken, dan kan het milieuvervuiling groter worden. Hoe meer ze kleding produceren hoe meer de fabrieken voor vervuiling zorgen. Gevolgen voor de milieu: Meer fabrieken in een gebied. Meer vervuiling. Meer grondstoffen in een fabriek. Meer grondstofvervuiling. Luchtvervuiling. lucht wordt vervuild door uitlaatgassen en andere gassen. Watervervuiling. is altijd vervuild door afval en fabrieken. Bodemvervuiling. De fabrieken vervuilen de omgeving. Meer fabrieken werden geplaatst op een plek. Omdat er weinig plekken zijn voor de fabrieken. In fabrieken worden producten gemaakt, en bij het maken van producten komen er schadelijke stoffen vrij. En al die stoffen komen in de lucht terecht, daarom wordt er een doorlopentijd gemaakt zodat het product niet schadelijk kan zijn voor ons als we het inademen. Bij die landen waar producten worden geproduceerd is de grond verzilt waardoor er confectiekleding wordt gebruikt tegen die stoffen. De vezels worden gebruikt voor het maken van touw. Het water stonk, het was te vies om te drinken en het was gevaarlijk. De vervuiling was dat er teveel natuurlijke stoffen van de productie in het water kwamen waardoor er een bodemerosie ontstaat. Bodemvervuiling ontstaat doordat de mens zomaar dingen op de grond gooit die hij niet nodig heeft. En daardoor wordt de bodem vervuilt en als het door gaat zal het erger worden. Deelvraag 5: Waarom verkoopt dit merk goed? Nike is een merk dat heel bekend is geworden naar mate de tijd. Dat komt natuurlijk vooral doordat bekende sporters die merk dragen. De Nederlandse elftal loopt in T-shirts van Nike. Veel voetballers, tennissers, atleten, golfers, voetbalelftallen dragen die merk. En vooral nadat de Nike -sneakers kwamen dat heeft er voor gezorgd dat de verkoop met 25% is gaan stijgen ook de winst is hoger geworden dan was verwacht. Het steeg van 261,2 miljoen dollar naar 326,8 miljoen dollar. De aandelen stegen natuurlijk ook mee van 0,98 dollarcent naar 1,21 dollar. Nike heeft Adidas als de grote concurrent, vooral nadat Adidas-Reebok kwam is de concurrentie nog meer geworden. Puma, Asics en Fila zijn 3 andere merken die het ook moeilijk maken voor Nike. Nike wordt verkocht onder de namen Nike, Air Jordan en Nike Air. Converse, Bauer en Cole Haan, dat zijn de dochterondernemingen van Nike. De actie van back-to-school seizoen van Chuck Taylor Convers zorgde voor een verkoopstijging van 12% in de VS. Doordat bekende sporters zoals Serena Williams de merk Nike dragen vooral tijdens de olympische spelen is dat een steeds betere succes voor Nike. Een paar namen die worden gesponsord en een contract hebben met Nike: Ronaldinho, Tiger Woods, Roger Federer en Michael Jordan. Ook Fc Barcelona, Real Madrid, Juventus, Manchester United en PSV. Nike heeft over de hele wereld 26.700 werknemers in dienst.In 2006 heeft Nike een winst gemaakt van 15 miljard dollar. Zo kun je zien dat het wel goed gaat met het bedrijf. Hoofdvraag: Is Nike de Belangrijkste merk op de markt? Als we ons meer gaan richten op de sportmerken dan is Nike à ©Ãƒ ©n van de topmerken over de hele wereld. Dat komt natuurlijk vooral doordat bekende sporters die merk dragen. De Nederlandse elftal loopt in T-shirts van Nike. Veel voetballers, tennissers, atleten, golfers, voetbalelftallen dragen die merk. Er is een zeer grote verband tussen globalisering en de verkoopcijfers van Nike. Nike is een succesvolle merk dat bekend is over de hele wereld. Zon wereldberoemd merk als Nike word al snel door vele mensen gedragen. Vanaf de jaren 80 werd Nike het grootste sportmerk ter wereld. Nike heeft Adidas als de grote concurrent, vooral nadat Adidas-Reebok kwam is de concurrentie nog meer geworden. Puma, Asics en Fila zijn 3 andere merken die het ook moeilijk maken voor Nike.

The Scarlet Letter - Impact of Sin on Dimmmesdale, Chillingworth and He

The Scarlet Letter - Impact of Sin on Dimmmesdale, Chillingworth and Hester   Ã‚   Charles Haddon Spurgeon, a seventeenth century Baptist preacher, commented that, "Trials teach us what we are; they dig up the soil, and let us see what we are made of." An individual either faces their actions or runs from them, and Gothic Romance authors often write about the evil that emerges in people when they conceal their sins. Throughout the novel The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne demonstrates this idea through the actions of his three main characters, Hester Prynne, Arthur Dimmesdale and Roger Chillingworth. In spite of the nearly equal severity of their sins, Dimmesdale, Chillingworth and Hester react to their dilemmas in varying ways such as guilt, revenge and reconciliation.    Although he portrays the pious pastor, Arthur Dimmesdale handles his sin, adultery, by hiding this fault from everyone and in turn destroys himself with his guilt. Beginning in chapter three, the townspeople constantly see Dimmesdale with his hand over his heart. He does not posses the courage to show his shame openly, so he decides to punish himself through physical pain and nightly vigils. This torture becomes evident in chapter ten when Chillingworth removes Dimmesdale's garments and rejoices at the image of a scarlet letter, along with other markings, upon the preacher's chest. His strong sense of guilt also becomes apparent when he takes a midnight walk to the scaffold, where Hester and Pearl join him. At this point, Dimmesdale still cannot truly endure the shame in front of the real crowd. Ironically, the more guilt he feels the more compelling his sermons become. He attempts many times to indirectly tell his congregation... ... differently towards sin and Hester proves reconciliation as the best response to wrongdoings. Through Hester, Hawthorne successfully conveys his theme that concealing a person's faults draws forth more evil than imaginable, but bearing the consequences leads to salvation. Indeed, life's difficult trials bring out the true essence of a person, and one must exhibit inner strength while facing their shame in order to survive these trials.    Works Cited and Consulted:    Brown, Bryan D. "Reexamining Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter. http://www.usinternet.com/users/bdbournellonie.htm. July 1, 2003.    Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Scarlet Letter. New York: Penguin Books USA Inc., 1996.    Smiles, Samuel. "The Scarlet Letter." The Power of Sin. Ed. Martin Tucker. New York City: Frederick Ungar Publishing Company, 1962. 266.   

Myth and Romance in Star Wars :: Star Wars Film Movie Movies Essays

Myth and Romance in Star Wars Pure science fiction is rarely written. Science fiction is often blended with elements of other genres from horror to fairy tales. The movie Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope is one example of this. It contains a combination of science fiction with mythical and romantic elements. Contributing to this combination are the main characters Luke, Leia, Han, and Obi-wan, the movie’s setting in a galaxy far, far away, and Luke’s great quest. Luke Skywalker is a mythical character. Luke is orphaned as a child and is taken in by his aunt and uncle. He is hidden away from his father and his father’s cohorts to protect him from the dark side. Luke is only one of many mythical heroes that are reared by someone other than his own parents. Oedipus, a Greek mythological hero, was hidden in another kingdom and raised by the king and queen there to protect him from his parents. Luke is portrayed as a savior that will bring balance to the Force and will help the Rebellion beat the evil Galactic Empire. He is completely pure and sinless because he is so naà ¯ve about the ways of the galaxy. Luke strives to save the souls of those around him.[1] For example, his friend Han Solo is a greedy man that looks out only for himself. Only by offering a reward does Luke convince Han to do the right thing and help him save Princess Leia. At the end of the movie, however, Luke causes Han to experience a change of heart. Han willingly puts his life on the line to protect Luke and destroy the Death Star, without looking for some reward. This is similar to the stories told in Scripture about Jesus. He attempted to teach the others around him to lead a good life in service to others. Myths generally involve some religious aspect. Myths always tell the story of some god or goddess that walks among the mortals to teach them a lesson, as Jesus and Luke do. Resembling other mythical heroes, Luke is gifted with divine powers. Luke is able to use these powers, called the Force, to influence the actions and thoughts of others and to manipulate his surroundings. This makes him better than the average man because he can use these powers to his advantage against any enemy. These powers make him impossible to beat unless one also has the same powers.