Enterprise Systems and Its Benefits

Table of Contents Introduction Benefits of enterprise systems Challenges in the application of enterprise systems Conclusion Works Cited Introduction Enterprise systems are software packages that use information technology in data storage, computation, and transmission of internal and external communication structures of an organization. Many organizations use this system in the supply chain management, customer relationship management and knowledge management.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Enterprise Systems and Its Benefits specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Management is very crucial for any organization since all decisions are from the top to the bottom. Wrong decisions affect the overall operation of the organization leading to the downfall of the business. The management therefore, should ensure that their supporting processes, data analysis, reporting, and information flows are in their best practices to survive in the market (Tarn 5). Benefits of enterprise systems Enterprise systems bring together all the processes and workflow of the organization making it easy to communicate the activities and programs to be undertaken. This improves the efficiency of the employees, as they are aware of their expectations and duties. The system allows storage of all the data allowing the organization to file only the necessary data. This makes the organization to improve its data entry strategies (Tarn 17). The system matches the organization and its objectives with its customer requirements leading to an overall improvement in its activities. This stimulates the productivity and development of the organization. The system demonstrates the connection between the organization performance and the employees. They provide a response to the demands and concerns as they occur to improve visibility into the end counts and delivery errors resulting into faster and improved organization performance (D avenport 230). This system ensures coordinated interdepartmental flow of information. This enables the management and their employees to develop skills necessary for handling their work responsibilities. It therefore becomes easy to manage functions and policies of the work force in a way that contributes the success of an organization (Tarn 20). The organization is able to improve its customer satisfaction through enhancing customer experience, relationship during product or service delivery. They ensure their services are available whenever the customer needs it by allowing the customers and the employees to have access to the required information of the organization (Tarn 22). This system helps achieve a consolidated picture of the objectives, policies, and plans of the organization linking all the activities from the top management to the employees. This leads to a better planning and follow up of the organization strategies and performance reducing costs of operation and invent ory to maximize the organizations production and developments (Davenport 240).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Challenges in the application of enterprise systems The system stores all the information entered by the user. Some of the users avoid summarizing their reports and records making it difficult for the management to access all the key concepts in the data. This leads to delay or wrong decision making due to information overload. The organization may end up delaying their products and services to their customers due to the organizations inability to fulfill its activities on time. This leads to customer dissatisfaction affecting the organization image and volume of sales (Davenport 246). This system is prone to errors and omissions during its analysis and application. It provides the management and the business analysts with reports and records on electronic technolog y. This data is very confidential and any mistakes affect the overall activities of the organization. Some of the top management officials have taken advantage of this system to involve in corruption reducing growth of the organization (Davenport 283). The benefits derived from the system are by how well the management is able to use it. It becomes very difficult in determining the capabilities of employees during hiring and firing, decentralized decision-making, and standards of reliance on the technology. The management has to keep pace with the changes in the technology and the organization to benefit from the system (Tarn 27). Conclusion Enterprise systems are very useful in the day-to-day activities of an organization as they ensure appropriate communication and operations that enable profitability and survival in a competitive environment. Works Cited Davenport, Thomas. Mission critical: realizing the promise of enterprise systems. New York: Harvard Business Press. 2000. Tarn, Michael. Enterprise systems education in the 21st century. New York: Idea Group Incorporation. 2007. This essay on Enterprise Systems and Its Benefits was written and submitted by user Freddy T. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

An Overview of Costa Rica essays

An Overview of Costa Rica essays A chain of rugged mountains divides Costa Rica, which is an extended part of the Andes-Sierra Madre chain. Costa Rica is in Central America and is surrounded by Nicaragua to the North and Panama to the south. Costa Rica is approximately 19,730 square miles, which is slightly smaller than the state of West Virginia. Bordering the country to the east is the Caribbean Sea, and to the west is the Pacific Ocean. Costa Rica's total coastline distance is 1,290 km. The highest point is Mt. Chirripo, which stands at 3,797 meters high. Costa Rica is included in the Pacific "Ring of Fire" with seven out of forty-two active volcanoes on the chain. The population of Costa Rica is something around 3,534,174, which was taken in July of 1998. The country is marked with a 2.4% population growth rate, which increases annually. 96% of the Costa Rican natives are Caucasian (including mestizos), 2% are African American, 1% are Chinese, and 1% are Indian. Over 90% of the people in Costa Rica believe the faith of the Roman Catholic Church. The official language is Spanish, but English is spoken in parts around Puerto Limon. Costa Rica has a 95% literacy rate, which is from both males and females over the age of fifteen that can read and write. San Jose is not only the capital of Costa Rica; it is also the country's largest city with a population of 300,000. Most of the economic, political, and social events of the country take place in the capital of San Jose. In colonial times, the main industry was tobacco growing and processing. By the mid-1800s, the city (along with the entire country) became a coffee producing area. San Jose was founded around 1738 some two hundred years after Spain's Westward expansion for Cartago. San Jose gained independence from Spain in 1821. It later went on to become the country's political base, and in 1823 it became the country's capital. San Jose is a modern city with parks and fine buildings open to the public. The cap...

Preparing the marketing audit for market entry Essay - 1

Preparing the marketing audit for market entry - Essay Example Contents Executive Summary 2 Introduction 6 Main Findings 6 Product 7 Price 8 Place 8 Promotion 8 People 9 Processes 9 Physical evidence 9 McKinsey 7S of Sony Corporation 10 Strategy 10 Structure 10 Systems 11 Style 11 Staff 12 Skill 12 Shared Values 12 Value Chain Analysis of Sony Corporation 12 Firm Infrastructure 13 Human Resource 14 Technological Development 14 Procurement 14 Inbound Logistics 14 Operations 14 Outbound Logistics 15 Marketing and Sales 15 Service 15 SWOT analysis of Sony Corporation 15 Strengths 15 Weakness 15 Opportunities 16 Threats 16 CIM Model of Sony Corporation 16 Political Forces 16 Economic Forces 17 Social Forces 17 Technological Forces 17 Legal Forces 18 Conclusions 18 Recommendations 18 Reference List 19 Introduction Sony Corporation or Sony as it is known commonly is a Japanese multinational conglomerate which is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. The company primarily focuses on electronic products in the consumer and professional markets. Sony has enough experience in launching new products in the overseas market. As the firm gains experience, it understands the global strategy more clearly. Early in his tenure Akio Morita, the founder of Sony developed business skills which allowed Sony Corporation to enter into foreign markets successfully. Initially he didn’t have such global strategy in his mind. ... In this paper we will look at Sony’s Strategy in entering into Indian market with new Refrigerator. The name of the refrigerator is ZKool. Main Findings In my opinion Sony should sue segmentation approach to target the Indian market. Through mass marketing they can create the largest potential market, which will lower their cost and hence their margins will improve. Hence it is better that Sony use Segmentation approach which will create a product which can be more fine-tuned according to the target segment. Also this strategy will enable them to choose the best distribution and communication channels. Figure 1: 7Ps of Sony Corporation Product Sony’s product strategy is to deliver the best quality product with the latest technology. Hence it will support features like Frost Free, Refigerent-134a, 2 door bottom freezer, Triple Ice tray, Twin Bio attacker, Premium look and design, Quiet and more reliable compressor etc. Sony has to spend money on their R&D department who are mainly responsible for their innovation. Sony’s multimedia features in other characteristics which have to meet the needs of the customers. Sony refrigerators will be designed such that they work on five power levels, compared to one power level of common refrigerators. It will enable it to run the refrigerator on low power during the nights or times when it is used less (Luh, 2003, p. 128). There will also be an automatic system which will adjust the power according to the usage. It will have e a combination of temperature sensor, inverter compressor, microprocessor technology etc. It will give best cooling sensation at minimum power usage. Price Sony will offer best of technology with plenty of new features which will make its price more expensive as compared to its

Dance 234 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Dance 234 - Assignment Example The dance is about the event that brought together various choreographers and performers who took part in the performance. The BoSoma2 created the choreography for the dance as created by the directors of the dance company. The leadership of the company consists of three members of the company. The company seeks to utilize the rigorous athleticism that exists within the entertainment industry. Judging by the movie, the dance was on 27th of February 2015. The show presented is the Third Life Choreographer that involves several performers including Rowan Salem, Bosama 2 Dance, Jennifer Farrell, Kelley Donovan, Bryce dance company, Olivia Coombs, Catherine Wagner and Kelly Engel. The program involves performances including the Real Rosie that involved several performers. Variations on the story were a performance choreographed by Kelly Engel. The performers included Kelly Engel, Malone Thermitus, Previlu, Lisa Lin and Erica Lin. The performers dance to music by Susie Suh and Koch Robert. The Hunt was the performance that followed and choreography of Shannon Luchs. The dancers in the performance include Grace Stauffer, Tessa Hamza, and Sahaiyai Khalili. The dancers performed music by Bjork, which was a remix of the song, Cover me. The Freedom Dances was an exceptional performance that presented sections of work in progress. The choreography was by Laliberte Nicole instructing several dancers including Stephanie Walsh, and Luciana Lyans. The performers danced to music by Antonio Vivaldi and Vann Teirsen. Madeline Douglas and Elizabeth Griffin appeared courtesy of the spindle city Ballet Jr.Co. The second section was an untitled dance by several performers such as Erin Gridea, Tara Gragg, and Lauren Difede. The appearances were courtesy of the Island moving company that presented a great performance. The dance tells a story that provides the audience with an

Homeland Security Preparedness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Homeland Security Preparedness - Essay Example â€Å"The role of state and local governments as well as the nation's first responder community has been viewed largely as providing quick reaction and consequence mitigation to any attacks that occur despite the best effort of the federal system to prevent it...In fact, this image is not correct; local governments must do a great deal more than prepare for the consequence management role. In particular, they must also pay a great deal of attention to prevention efforts. To date they have not done nearly enough in this regard† (O'Hanlon, 2005). O'Hanlon recommends that state and local governments can be first responders in all arenas. The Governor's office should make sure that there is a dedicated anti-terrorism task force at the state level, and any sufficiently large cities should have an anti-terrorism task force operating out of a major crimes unit. Local miscommunication and planning was part of the slow response to 9/11. According to the 9/11 Commission Report, â€Å"[ A] 'generic' flight plan – prepared to get the aircraft airborne and out of local airspace quickly – incorrectly led the Langley fighters to believe they were ordered to fly due east... for 60 miles... the lead pilot and local FAA controller incorrectly assumed the flight plan instruction to go '090 for 60' superseded the original scramble order† (p. 27). Inadequate protocols for communication and coordination between local, state and federal authorities can have lethal consequences. Similarly, the FBI's limited terrorism response pre-9/11 was due to their being tied too closely with state and local agencies such that they were only interested in pursuing the needs of state and local areas such as organized crime and white-collar offenses (p. 74). O'Hanlon notes that state governments do not have to do everything and be everywhere. â€Å"it is not necessary to equip all three million first responders in the United States with state of the art chemical protective gear or interoperable communications systems. Equipping specialized teams within each major jurisdiction with such capabilities, and creating several mobile communications headquarters with interoperable technology, are less expensive and more quickly doable propositions. It is not necessary that every fireman’s radio can talk to every police officer’s radio; a certain number of mobile interoperable communications vans that can be quickly deployed to a problem site are a more cost-effective solution. They can allow quick coordination and cross-communication through the squad or team leaders of each type of organization (that would have been enough to save many firefighters on September 11, 2001 in New York). A large city could purchase several dozen, at $1 million each, for a reasonable cost of several tens of millions of dollars† (O'Hanlon, 2005). The Governor's Office should follow this approach. While all EMS and medical responders, police units, hospitals an d other state agencies do not need to have extensive anti-terror preparation, specialized units should and should have access to top-of-the line gear. As O'Hanlon illustrates, doing so not only is cost-effective but in any respect is often fungible to every day operations: Communications vans like the one above can also be used in major crimes like bank robberies. O'Hanlon recommends $5 billion

Challenges Faced by Multinational Corporations

Challenges Faced by Multinational Corporations Multinational Corporation (MNC) is one of type of potential firm in the world nowadays. A corporation can be categorized as MNC if there are 20% to 50% or more of its net profit from directs investment in one or more in foreign countries. (Iamsam, n.d).[ http://hubpages.com/hub/Multinational-Corporations-MNCs]MNC are managed from one home country. With well- manage structure and due business firm good performance, it able to expand its products and services to foreign country. The growth of multinational corporations is measured by Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). When business firm make an investment in a second nation, the investment is counted as part of the outward direct investment from the source country. FDI is an investment in foreign firms where the foreign investor owns at least ten percent of the ordinary shares. 1.2. Coca-Cola Company History Coca-Cola is the largest manufacturer, distributor and marketer of non-alcoholic beverage concentrates and syrups that invented by Dr. John Stith Pemberton in Midtown Atlanta, Georgia in 1886. Today, Coca-Cola owns or licenses more than 500 brands, including diet and light beverages, waters, juice drinks, tea, coffees, and energy and sports drinks. It has already marketed 2400 beverage products in more than 200 countries globally at a rate of approximately 1.5 billion servings each day. E. Neville Isdell leads the Coca-Cola Company into the new century with a firm commitment to the values and spirit of the worlds greatest brand. Today, Coca-Cola is recognized as the world s most valuable brand. Coca-Cola Enterprises established in 1986, is a young company by the standards of the Coca-Cola system. Yet each of its franchises has a strong heritage in the traditions of Coca-Cola that is the foundation for this company. The Coca-Cola Company traces it s beginning to 1886, when an Atlanta pharmacist, Dr. John Pemberton, began to produce Coca-Cola syrup for sale in fountain drinks. However the bottling business began in 1899 when two Chattanooga businessmen, Benjamin F. Thomas and Joseph B. Whitehead, secured the exclusive rights to bottle and sell Coca-Cola for most of the United States from The Coca-Cola Company. The Coca-Cola bottling system continued to operate as independent, local businesses until the early 1980s when bottling franchises began to consolidate. In 1986, The Coca-Cola Company merged two large ownership groups which are John T. Lupton franchises and BCI Holding Corporations bottling holdings to form Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc. In December 1991, a merger between Coca-Cola Enterprises and the Johnston Coca-Cola Bottling Group, Inc. (Johnston) created a larger, stronger Company, again helping accelerate bottler consolidation. As part of the merger, the senior management team of Johnston assumed responsibility for managing the Company, and began a dramatic, successful restructuring in 1992. 1.3. Management Structure To create an effective organizational structure is one of the important tasks for top managers. In the International division structure, the abroad branch of the company is the attachment of the parent company. The international unit is responsible for controlling all of the international activities of the company. The division can be based on geography, product or function. There is an international division head which is responsible for controlling all of the activities of these units. This division structure allows the multinational companies to freely explore resources internationally. Whenever there are changes in internal business environment, the companies which have this structure undergo some changes.   Coca-Cola Company as the biggest non-alcoholic beverage concentrates which also a multinational company has to handles the enormous capacity of its business by international division structure. Coca-Cola is geographically operating segments; the five groups are North America, Africa, Asia, Europe, Eurasia and Middle East and finally Latin America. These five groups can explore their own ideas as to upturn the performance and continue success of Coca-Cola. 2. Globalization The process of globalization has impacted on the world s business operation which is mostly driven by the development of MNCs. According Macmillan Dictionary, term of globalization defines as concept a single economy and culture are developed as a result of advance in technology which easier the communications between two corporation and globalization mostly influence by multinational companies toward economic, financial, trade and communication. Besides, the United Development Program (1999) announces globalization is the most important integration of economy, political and cultural phenomenon across nation frontiers. (cited in Kiggundu 2002). Our world is increasingly becoming global, not only has increased in interconnected of countries in the area of economics and political but also culture Coca-Cola is a good example of a business which truly international in scope. Coca-Cola reported that 67% of its total net income from non- U.S. source. Various tactics used to expand globally: By setting up facilities and developing a global market which gives foreign markets easier access to our goods. Establishing transnational corporations to reduce production costs, and gives the companies cheaper labor. Competition-based pricing Product branding and positioning The idea of globalization can be simplified by identifying several key characteristic: Improved technology in transportation and telecommunications Movement of people and capital Diffusion of knowledge Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and Multinational Corporations Impacts of Globalization 1.) Establishment of international alliances The establishment alliances or coalitions which link firms of the same industry based in different countries. MNCs commonly engage in international alliances such as joint ventures and licensing agreements with foreign firms. Coca-Cola formed global joint venture with many industries to strengthen its company buy launching new products. These are the few joint ventures for Coco-Cola which doing well and earned huge profit on it. a. Coca-Cola joint venture buys Philippine drink company San Miguel, the Philippine food and beverage company, and its joint-venture partner Coca-Cola agreed yesterday to pay 14 billion pesos ($269 million) for the Philippines second-largest soft drink company, Cosmos. The purchase, which defeated a bid by PepsiCo, will give the joint venture, Coca-Cola Bottlers Philippines, a 90 percent share of the Philippines $1-billion-a-year soft drink market. The deal was approved when Cosmoss majority owner, the RMF Corporation, agreed to accept a lower offer after San Miguel discovered that some Cosmos equipment was below Coca-Colas standards. Wayne Arnold (NYT) b. Joint venture between Coca-Cola and Nestle to tap rapidly growing beverage segments   Coca-Cola and Nestle Refreshments (CCNR) is their highly successful joint venture formed on 1991 which operates directly in 24 countries and enjoys a strong position in the ready-to-drink tea category. On 30Jan2001, CCNR rename as Beverage Partners Worldwide (BPW) function as an entrepreneurial unit dedicated to tapping the growth potential of emerging beverage segments, actively expand into new beverage particularly ready-to-drink coffee, teas and beverages with a healthful positioning. BPW also focus on expanding its geographical with existing products include Nestea and Nescafe and new products inclusive of Tian Yu Di tea and Yang Guag tea businesses undertaking by Coca-Cola. c. Joint venture of Coca-Cola Company and Illycaffe Spa They introducing three premium ready-to-drink (RTD) espresso-based coffee products. The products are: Caffe full-bodied character, real Italian chilled caffe. First ready-to-drink coffee to offer black (no milk) espresso-based coffee. Cappucino intense uplifting aromas of illy espresso, blended with milk and dark cacao. Latte Macchiato smooth fresh illy espresso experience, swirled with milk. The product will be available in stylish premium can to attract the consumer. The RTD first launch in 10 European countries including Austria, Croatia, Greece and the Ukraine as the firm aim of their joint venture. After 1 month, the additional countries in Asia, North America, Eurasia and the Pacific as the expansion of the sales and will be delivered through the Cola-Cola system. The highly profitable RTD coffee category globally is valued at just under $16 billion and has experienced several years of growth that is expected to continue. Globally (excluding Japan), the ready-to-drink coffee category has grown at an average rate of 10.1 percent over the past five years.

Essay --

The chemical reaction between 2 different metals and the juices in the potato generate enough voltage to actually make a clock run or a light bulb a small one. The whole experiment should produce about 1.5 volts DC. You might need to use more than one potato but one should power a small light bulb. It works because the phosphoric acid (H3PO4) in the potato. The potato acts more as an electrolyte not really having a role in the chemical reaction itself. This is why it’s very important to make sure that the pennies and nails never directly touch each other inside the potato. Zinc is an active metal which reacts readily with acid to liberate electrons. The acid’s active ingredient is positively charged hydrogen. So a transfer of electrons takes place between the zinc and the acid. The zinc is oxidized and the acid is reduced to hydrogen gas which you can see bubbling out around the electrodes. The reaction at the penny electrode depletes the electrons from the copper and attaches them to the hydrogen ions in the phosphoric acid. Researchers found that a potato boiled for 8 minutes can make for a battery that produced ten times the power of a raw one. They tried to power a LED light bulb for 40 days and it worked. the cost is around 1 tenth the cost of a typical AA battery. A potato could be used to charge a phone and other electronics. This would be good for regions without a power grid. The potato is not a power source it is the action called salt-bridge between the two metals allowing the electron current to move freely across the wire to create electricity. Numerous fruits rich in electrolytes like banana and strawberries can also form this chemical reaction. Besides being rich in phosphoric acid spuds are ideal in that they’re ... ...e electrons away while other metals accept extra electrons. Electrons are subatomic particles that zoom around an atoms center and make up the part of the atom that is negative charged the lemon batteries is a type of battery called a voltaic battery. These batteries are made up of two different metals which act as electrodes or places where electrons can enter or leave a battery. All voltaic batteries need their metals to be placed in an electrolyte. An electrolyte is a substance that can carry electrical current when dissolved in water. The tiny bit of salt in your saliva makes your saliva an electrolyte and other sour citric acid does the same thing for lemon juice. Batteries stop working when there is not enough of the electrolyte to react with the metal or not enough metal left to react with the metal or not enough metal left to react with the electrolytes.

Grave of the Fireflies

Tim Yang 4/2/13 JPN 211 During the Buffalo Film Seminar of Grave of the Fireflies by Isao Takahata, one can see World War II from the viewpoint and experiences of a Japanese survivor (Akiyuki Nosaka). The movie is about Seita, a sixteen years old boy, and Setsuko, his younger sister, and how they were forced to struggle in order to survive in the widespread famine and the heartless indifference of their extended family members and countrymen. Their mother died early in movie, after suffering burns and injuries from a firebombing related to the US B-29s and they were forced to live with their indifferent—inattentive aunt.After taking his aunt’s insults for some time, Seita finally decided that he had enough and left with Setsuko. They found an abandoned bomb shelter nearby and decided to live there by themselves with some money they took from the bank from their deceased mother. Once they ran out of money, Setsuko started to become extremely malnourished and sick; so as a way to cure Setsuko, Seita resorted to stealing crops from farmers. Soon after, Seita learned that Japan lost the war and that his father died, losing all morale, his only purpose in life left was to make sure his sister survives.Ultimately they both died, due to malnutrition and negligence of their countrymen. The movie shows how a society can become helpless and weak, and also fail to protect one another. Since the movie is a foreign film it also shows another perspective from a different culture and race. Grave of the Fireflies was beautiful made and it can bring better understanding, appreciation, and reflection upon the horrors of war and its aftermath as experienced by the Japanese people in WWII.

Platos Meno Plot, Analysis, and Commentary on virtue

Plato's Meno Plot, Analysis, and Commentary on virtue Although fairly short, Platos dialog Meno is generally regarded as one of his most important and influential works. In a few pages, it ranges over several fundamental philosophical questions, such as: What is virtue?Can it be taught or is it innate?Do we know some things a priori (independent of experience)?What is the difference between really knowing something and merely holding a correct belief about it? The dialog also has some dramatic significance. We see Socrates reduce Meno, who begins by confidently assuming that he knows what virtue is, to a state of confusion–an unpleasant experience presumably common among those who engaged Socrates in debate. We also see Anytus, who will one day be one of the prosecutors responsible for Socrates trial and execution, warn Socrates that he should be careful what he says, especially about his fellow Athenians. The  Meno  can be divided into four main parts: The unsuccessful search for a definition of virtueSocrates proof that some of our knowledge is innateA discussion of whether virtue can be taughtA discussion of why there are no teachers of virtue Part One: The Search for a Definition of Virtue The dialog opens with Meno asking Socrates a seemingly straightforward question: Can virtue be taught? Socrates, typically for him, says he doesnt know since he doesnt know what virtue is, and he hasnt met anyone who does. Meno is astonished at this reply and accepts Socrates invitation to define the term. The Greek word usually translated as virtue is arete, although it might also be translated as excellence.  The concept is closely linked to the idea of something fulfilling its purpose or function. Thus, the arete of a sword would be those qualities that make it a good weapon, for instance: sharpness, strength, balance. The arete of a horse would be qualities such as speed, stamina, and obedience. Menos first definition: Virtue is relative to the sort of person in question. For example, the virtue of a woman is to be good at managing a household and to be submissive to her husband. The virtue of a soldier is to be skilled at fighting and brave in battle. Socrates response: Given the meaning of arete,  Menos answer is quite understandable. But Socrates rejects it. He argues that when Meno points to several things as instances of virtue, there must be something they all have in common, which is why they are all called virtues. A good definition of a concept should identify this common core or essence. Menos second definition: Virtue is the ability to rule men. This may strike a modern reader as rather odd, but the thinking behind it is probably something like this: Virtue is what makes possible the fulfillment of ones purpose. For men, the ultimate purpose is happiness; happiness consists of lots of pleasure; pleasure is the satisfaction of desire; and the key to satisfying ones desires is to wield power- in other words, to rule over men. This sort of reasoning would have been associated with the sophists. Socrates response: The ability to rule men is only good if the rule is just.  But justice is only one of the virtues.  So Meno has defined the general concept of virtue by identifying it with one specific kind of virtue. Socrates then clarifies what he wants with an analogy.  The concept of shape cant be defined by describing squares, circles or triangles.  Shape is what all these figures share.  A general definition would be something like this: shape is that which is bounded by color. Menos third definition: Virtue is the desire to have and the ability to acquire fine and beautiful things. Socrates response: Everyone desires what they think is good (an idea one encounters in many of Platos dialogues). So if people differ in virtue, as they do, this must be because they differ in their ability to acquire the fine things they consider good.  But acquiring these things–satisfying ones desires–can be done in a good way or a bad way.  Meno concedes that this ability is only a virtue if it is exercised in a good way–in other words, virtuously.  So once again, Meno has built into his  definition the very notion hes trying to define. Part Two: Is Some of Our Knowledge Innate? Meno declares himself utterly confused:   O Socrates, I used to be told, before I knew you, that  you were always doubting yourself and making others doubt; and now you  are casting your spells over me, and I am simply getting bewitched and  enchanted, and am at my wits end. And if I may venture to make a jest  upon you, you seem to me both in your appearance and in your power over  others to be very like the flat torpedo fish, who torpifies those who come  near him and touch him, as you have now torpified me, I think. For my soul  and my tongue are really torpid, and I do not know how to answer you. Menos description of how he feels gives us some idea of the effect Socrates must have had on many people. The Greek term for the situation he finds himself in is aporia, which is often translated as impasse but also denotes perplexity.  He then presents Socrates with a famous paradox. Menos paradox: Either we know something or we dont.  If we know it, we dont need to inquire any further.  But if we dont know it if we cant inquire since we dont know what were looking for and wont recognize it if we found it. Socrates dismisses Menos paradox as a debaters trick,  but he nevertheless responds to the challenge, and his response is both surprising and sophisticated.  He appeals to the testimony of priests and priestesses who say that the soul is immortal, entering and leaving one body after another, that in the process it acquires a comprehensive knowledge of all there is to know, and that what we call learning is actually just a process of recollecting what we already know. This is a doctrine that Plato may have learned from the Pythagoreans. The slave boy demonstration:  Meno asks Socrates if he can prove that all learning is recollection. Socrates responds by calling over a slave boy, who he establishes has had no mathematical training, and setting him a geometry problem.  Drawing a square in the dirt, Socrates asks the boy how to double the area of the square.  The boys first guess is that one should double the length of the squares sides.  Socrates shows that this is incorrect.  The slave boy tries again, this time suggesting that one increase the length of the sides by 50 percent.  He is shown that this is also wrong.  The boy then declares himself to be at a loss.  Socrates points out that the boys situation now is similar to that of Meno.  They both believed they knew something; they now realize their belief was mistaken; but this new awareness of their own ignorance, this feeling of perplexity, is, in fact, an improvement. Socrates then proceeds to guide the boy to the right answer: you double the area of a square by using its diagonal as the basis for the larger square. He claims at the end to have demonstrated that the boy in some sense already had this knowledge within himself: all that was needed was someone to stir it up and make recollection easier.   Many readers will be skeptical of this claim. Socrates certainly seems to ask the boy leading questions. But many philosophers have found something impressive about the passage.  Most dont consider it a proof of the theory of reincarnation, and even Socrates concedes that this theory is highly speculative. But many have seen it as a convincing proof that human beings have some a priori knowledge (information that is self-evident).  The boy may not be able to reach the correct conclusion unaided, but he is able to recognize the truth of the conclusion and the validity of the steps that lead him to it.  He isnt simply repeating something he has been taught. Socrates doesnt insist that his claims about reincarnation are certain.  But he does argue that the demonstration supports his fervent belief that we will live better lives if we believe that knowledge is worth pursuing as opposed to lazily assuming that there is no point in trying. Part Three: Can Virtue Be Taught? Meno asks Socrates to return to their original question: Can virtue be taught?  Socrates reluctantly agrees and constructs the following argument: Virtue is something beneficial; its a  good thing to haveAll good things are only good if they are accompanied by knowledge or wisdom (for example, courage is good in a wise person, but in a fool, it is mere recklessness)Therefore virtue is a kind of knowledgeTherefore virtue can be taught The argument is not especially convincing.  The fact that all good things, in order to be beneficial, must be accompanied by wisdom doesnt really show that this wisdom is the same thing as virtue.  The idea that virtue is a kind of knowledge, however, does seem to have been a central tenet of Platos moral philosophy.  Ultimately, the knowledge in question is the knowledge of what truly is in ones best long-term interests. Anyone who knows this will be virtuous since they know that living a good life is the surest path to happiness.  And anyone who fails to be virtuous reveals that they dont understand this.  Hence the flip side of virtue is knowledge is all wrongdoing is ignorance, a claim that Plato spells out and seeks to justify in dialogues  such as the Gorgias.   Part Four: Why Are There No Teachers of Virtue? Meno is content to conclude that virtue can be taught, but Socrates, to Menos surprise, turns on his own argument and starts criticizing it.  His objection is simple.  If virtue could be taught there would be teachers of virtue.  But there arent any.  Therefore it cant be teachable after all. There follows an exchange with Anytus, who has joined the conversation, that is charged with dramatic irony.  In response to Socrates wondering, rather tongue-in-cheek query whether sophists might not be teachers of virtue, Anytus contemptuously dismisses the sophists as people who, far from teaching virtue, corrupt those who listen to them. Asked who could teach virtue, Anytus suggests that any Athenian gentleman should be able to do this by passing on what they have learned from preceding generations.  Socrates is unconvinced.  He points out that great Athenians like Pericles, Themistocles, and Aristides were all good men, and they managed to teach their sons specific skills like horse riding, or music.  But they didnt teach their sons to be as virtuous as themselves, which they surely would have done if they had been able to. Anytus leaves, ominously warning Socrates that he is too ready to speak ill of people and that he should take care in expressing such views.  After he leaves Socrates confronts the paradox that he now finds himself with: on the one hand, virtue is teachable since it is a kind of knowledge; on the other hand, there are no teachers of virtue. He resolves it by distinguishing between real knowledge and correct opinion.   Most of the time in practical life, we get by perfectly well if we simply have correct beliefs about something. For example,  if you want to grow tomatoes and you correctly believe that planting them on the south side of the garden will produce a good crop, then if you do this youll get the outcome youre aiming at. But to really be able to teach someone how to grow tomatoes, you need more than a bit of practical experience and a few rules of thumb; you need a genuine knowledge of horticulture, which includes an understanding of soils, climate, hydration, germination, and so on. The good men who fail to teach their sons virtue are like practical gardeners without theoretical knowledge. They do well enough themselves most of the time, but their opinions are not always reliable, and they arent equipped to teach others. How do these good men acquire virtue?  Socrates suggests it is a gift from the gods, similar to the gift of poetic inspiration enjoyed by those who are able to write poetry but are unable to explain how they do it. The Significance of the  Meno The  Meno  offers a fine illustration of Socrates argumentative methods and his search for definitions of moral concepts.  Like many of Platos early dialogues, it ends rather inconclusively.  Virtue hasnt been defined.  It has been identified with a kind of knowledge or wisdom, but exactly what this knowledge consists in hasnt been specified.  It seems it can be taught, at least in principle, but there are no teachers of virtue since no one has an adequate theoretical understanding of its essential nature.  Socrates implicitly includes himself among those who cannot teach virtue since he candidly admits at the outset that he doesnt know how to define it.   Framed by all this uncertainty, however, is the episode with the slave boy where Socrates asserts the doctrine of reincarnation and demonstrates the existence of innate knowledge.  Here he seems more confident about the truth of his claims.  It is likely that these ideas about reincarnation and inborn knowledge represent the views of Plato rather than Socrates.  They figure again in other dialogues, notably the Phaedo.  This passage is one of the most celebrated in the history of philosophy and is the starting point for many subsequent debates about the nature and the possibility of a priori knowledge. An Ominous Subtext While the content of Meno is a classic in its form and metaphysical function, it also has an underlying and ominous subtext. Plato wrote Meno about 385 BCE, placing the events about 402 BCE, when Socrates was 67 years old, and about three years before he was executed for corrupting Athenian youth. Meno was a young man who was described in historical records as treacherous, eager for wealth and supremely self-confident. In the dialogue, Meno believes he is virtuous because he has given several discourses about it in the past: and Socrates proves that he cant know whether hes virtuous or not because he doesnt know what virtue is. Anytus was the main prosecutor in the court case that led to Socratess death. In Meno, Anytus threatens Socrates, I think that you are too ready to speak evil of men: and, if you will take my advice, I would recommend you to be careful. Anytus is missing the point, but nevertheless, Socrates is, in fact, shoving this particular Athenian youth off his self-confident pedestal, which would definitely be construed in Anytuss eyes as a corrupting influence. Resources and Further Reading Bluck, R. S. Platos Meno. Phronesis 6.2 (1961): 94–101. Print.Hoerber, Robert G. Platos Meno. Phronesis 5.2 (1960): 78–102. Print.Klein, Jacob. A Commentary on Platos Meno. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1989.Kraut, Richard. Plato. The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University 2017. Web.Plato. Meno. Translated by Benjamin Jowett, Dover, 2019.Silverman, Allan. Platos Middle Period Metaphysics and Epistemology. The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Metaphysics Research Lab, Stanford University 2014. Web.Tejera, V. History and Rhetoric in Platos Meno, or on the Difficulties of Communicating Human Excellence. Philosophy Rhetoric 11.1 (1978): 19–42. Print.

About the movie Pulp Fiction and why its great.

About the movie Pulp Fiction and why its great. PULP FICTIONThe film Pulp Fiction is incredible. The movie impresses me in so many ways. In 1995 it won an Oscar for Best Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen. It surely deserved such an honor. Never before has a movie been made with such uniquely twisted displays of plot and story combinations. This film links three interconnected stories that take place in a modern-day apathetic world.Bad language excess violence are the trademarks of this movie but despite how negative they are, they make Pulp Fiction the awesome flick that it is.Pulp Fiction's three intertwining stories are structured to meet and overlap at key points, even though they are not presented in chronological order. Tarantino, the director, writer, genius, arranges his initial scene to merge with his final one in an outstanding conclusion. This is one of the things that got people's, and my, attention. It may or may not have been the first time is has been done but the thing that makes the first scene so differe nt from the last scene, even though they are the same situation, is that it is seen from different points of view.Pulp FictionBeing that you see the same scene from different character's point of view it's almost as if the seen didn't happen before. It's completely different and the viewer isn't left bored.As said, this film is a combination of three main stories. The first one focuses on the "date" between Vincent Vega (John Travolta) and Mia Wallace (Uma Thurman). The second story is about a boxer named Butch Coolidge (Bruce Willis), a boxer who is paid to take a fall during a fight but at last minute decides not to, thus making him a target by the mob boss, and husband of Mia Wallace,

Professionalism in context Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

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Change Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

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