Enterprise and Entrepreneurial Management Assignment

Enterprise and Entrepreneurial Management - Assignment Example It is very important that linkages between strategic planning and performance are addressed. The business planning process should take into account the organizational performance. Also planning should not be rigid and formal. The business planning process should not be idealistically rational, rigid, bureaucratic and a dysfunctional exercise. The planning process should be drawn in such a way that management are actively involved in the actual decision making process. The strategic plans and objectives formulated should be flexible. Hence, there is an element of intuition in the business planning process. In order to attain strategic competence, it is very necessary that the intuitive judgment taken in the plan is successful (Hodgkinson et al. 2009). They may change in the course of time in order to meet the final goal. An ideal business plan consists of long term and short term goals which needs to be attained. These strategic objectives should be flexible and accordingly the strate gic plans may change to meet requirements (Shrader et al. 1984). Market analysis and research – Most organizations draw up a marketing plan in order to attain the formal goal. Unfortunately, only few strive to develop a comprehensive plan which entails to research and analyze the product and service market before implementing it. Most organizations shy away from developing a comprehensive marketing plan as they may face a lot of hurdles which may be in the form of procedural, cognitive, research, cultural, informational, environmental and organizational aspects (Wilson & McDonald 1994). One of the procedural benefits of planning is that it helps in attaining realistic and attainable goals. However, in... From this paper, it is clear that modern researchers assert that sole emphasis on entrepreneurial characteristics does not completely attribute to entrepreneurial success. Researchers are more interested in evaluating and researching on the thinking doing nexus of entrepreneurial behavior. Managers interact with the environment and make decisions with reference to success factors. Most of the times, entrepreneurs have to make decisions with limited or ambiguous data. Hence they have to possess the knowledge to assess, judge and decide depending on the creation of ventures, opportunities, and growth. Hence, action and thought are important components of the behavior of an entrepreneur and play an important role in determining successful decision making.All in all, a successful entrepreneur have a diverse set of qualities which includes personality traits.According to me, an entrepreneur needs to manage certain important areas like risk management, planning for new ventures, networking , learning, financial management and human resource management. In order to handle all these aspects in a successful manager, the entrepreneur must take the right decision at the right time. Hence, in order to be a successful manager, an individual needs to have the skills, experience and personality traits to manage a venture successfully. This includes problem-solving and decision-making skills, strategic thinking, capacity to close deals successfully, time and project management, selling, negotiation, persuasion, and motivation.

Strategic Management Unit 3 IP Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Strategic Management Unit 3 IP - Research Paper Example First, such firms benefit from gaining market share and further positioning themselves in best locations. This could affect the theory in that higher market share could cause an increase in cost of operation thus diluting the associated high returns. Secondly, first movers gain new knowledge relevant for success in their fields (Li, Lam, Karakowsky & Qian, 2003). Changes in the knowledge could cause the first mover to find ways to fast learn the emerging knowledge. Being the first, such firms also secure resources and commitments for their provision (Eggers, Grajek & Kretschmer, 2011). This impacts the theory in the context where there is limited information on the resources available. Finally, they have the advantage of establishing and securing long-term relationships with investors, suppliers, customers and distributors, an important concept for firms seeking to develop long lasting business entities. However, Hill, Jones and Schilling (2013) observe that first movers suffer cost disadvantage as they have to establish most of the infrastructure from scratch. This affects the theory in that organisation that requires high set-up capital shy away from pioneering markets, products or services. There is a high uncertainty associated with first movers. This would particularly impact on the theory if the entity is not familiar with the regulations, needs and culture of the target geographical regions. Thirdly, first movers face the risk of adopting a losing strategy that would make them fail and leave opportunities for late entrants who would have learnt from their mistakes (David, 2013). This would be the case if the first mover would not be able to make predictions on their investments. Finally, first movers could invest in obsolete or inferior technology, making this theory particularly unappealing to entities in businesses where technology advances

Summary of Frank Sinatra Essay Example for Free

Summary of Frank Sinatra Essay Growing up on the streets of Hoboken, New Jersey, made Frank Sinatra determined to work hard to get ahead. Starting out as a saloon singer in many down-trotted bars, he got his first major break in 1935 as part of The Hoboken Four on a popular radio show, Major Bowes Amateur Hour. In 1939 Sinatra caught the attention of Tommy Dorsey and his orchestra. He sang the first ever No. 1 song on Billboard, Ill Never Smile Again. That same year he married Nancy Barbato with whom he had three children, Nancy, Tina and Frank, Jr. Sinatra. In 1942 Sinatra started his earnest solo career and instantly found fame as the number one singing star among teenage music fans of the era, especially the young women and girls who were referred to as the Bobbysoxers. In 1944 Sinatras acting career was beginning and he made a statement with a lead role in Anchors Aweigh (1945) alongside Gene Kelly. The following year Sinatra was awarded a special Oscar for his part in a short film against intolerance called The House I Live In (1946). His career on high, Sinatra went from, recording his first album (The Voice of Frank Sinatra) at Columbia and starring in several movies. A scandalous public affair with Ava Gardner broke up Sinatras marriage. A second marriage to Gardner followed in 1951 was the start of a down spiral. Record sales dwindling, live appearances failing to sell out, and Sinatras vocal chords hemorrhaging live on stage their toll. Sinatra continued to act. Receiving the musical drama Meet Danny Wilson (1951) and fighting for, and winning, the coveted role of Maggio in From Here to Eternity (1953) increased popularity. He won an Oscar for Best Supporting actor and followed this with a profound performance as the deranged assassin John Baron in Suddenly (1954) and Academy Award nomination for Best Actor, in the powerful drama The Man With the Golden Arm (1955). On record Sinatra was also back on a high having signed with Capitol records and riding high on the charts with the album In the Wee Small Hours ( 1953) and the single Young at Heart (1954). Throughout the 1950s Sinatra not only recorded a slew of critically and commercially successful albums, his acting career remained on a high as he gave strong and memorable performances in such films as Guys and Dolls (1955), The Joker is Wild (1957), Kings Go Forth (1957) and Some Came Running (1958). He also dabbled with producing in the 1950s, first bringing the western Johnny Concho to the big screen and, along with Frank Capra, A Hole in the Head (1959), in which he co-starred with Edward G. Robinson. Continuing this trend into the 1960s, Sinatra produced Oceans 11 (1960), Sergeants 3 (1963, and Robin and the 7 Hoods (1964) as well as starting his own record label, Reprise Records, in 1961. Sinatra turned 50 in 1965 and, in many ways, his career once again peaked, recording the album September of My Years which won the Grammy for album of the year and making his directorial debut with the anti-war film None but the Brave (1965) His final acting performance in 1987 was as a retired detective seeking vengeance on the killers of his granddaughter in an episode of Magnum P.I. entitled â€Å"Laura†. On stage, Sinatra was as prolific as ever, playing both nationally and internationally to sold out crowds in stadiums and arenas. In 1993 Sinatra stepped back into Capitol studios to record his final albums, Duets and Duets II (both of which were highly successful) Sinatra passed away on May 14th 1998. Frank Sinatra was a legendary Hollywood icon, a profound film actor, an iconic musician, and a well known ladies man. There were so many sides to Sinatra, that it’s hard to categorize him under any label. He was always himself, always living to the fullest. He was (like many celebrities) loved and hated, but that never mattered to him. Frank didn’t need anyone to like him. All he wanted was someone to listen and someone to care. That’s exactly what he got. â€Å"You gotta love livin, baby, cause dyin is a pain in the ass.† -Frank Sinatra

Working and Non Working Mother Health Comparison

Working and Non Working Mother Health Comparison Chen and Lin (1992). Daily life demands, social support, life satisfaction and health of working women and housewives. To see the stress related to daily work overload, the Daily Life Demand scale, Social Support Scale along with the Life Satisfaction Scale and the Symptomatic scales are used to make comparisons between working women and housewives. A survey was conducted on 444 Taipei women revealing that daily life demands are experienced more by working women than housewives but also they have more support in dealing with these demands. The results showed high stress levels to be reported by all women being little more in working women than in housewives. Higher life satisfaction was reported by housewives and a higher degree of depression was experienced by working women. Mukhopadhyay et al (1993). Working status and anxiety levels of urban educated women in Calcutta. A study group from Calcutta resident working mothers was compared with a socioeconomically similar group of non-working mothers with respect to their anxiety level, measured by the Anxiety Scale Questionnaire. The relationships between anxiety score and age of these women were studied. Non working mothers showed higher anxiety levels than their working counterparts with respect to the total anxiety score as well as components, although the differences were statistically non-significant. Doby Caplan (1995). Organizational Stress as Threat to Reputation: Effects on Anxiety at Work and at Home. The results of this study showed that high threat stressors were most likely to generate the anxiety experienced at home and for this the anxiety experienced at work was the key mediator. Rout et al (1997). Working and non-working mothers: a comparative study. This study examines whether positive or neutral effects on women’s health are found in employed mothers by comparing working and non-working mothers. The results showed that working mothers reported less depression and had better mental health than non-working mothers. Major stressor for working mothers was a lack of social life whereas not having enough time to do everything was reported as a source of stress for working mothers. This study emphasizes on the benefits than costs of multiple role involvement. Welch Booth (1997). Employment and health among married women. Sample of 500 urban married women was used to evaluate the possible effect of outside-the-home employment on the mental as well as on physical health of married women. It was found that wives who had been employed for more than a year were healthier than wives not employed outside the home and wives who had worked less than one year. Whereas, housewives who had never worked outside the home were healthier, on the whole, than wives who had been employed at some time in the past. Poor marital relationships and having no preschool age children seemed to increase the health advantage of long term employed wives over those in the housewife categories. Whereas the occupational status of wife and husband did not seem to change these health differences very much. Macewan Barling(1998). Inter role conflict, family support and marital adjustment of employed mothers: A short term, longitudinal study. This was done basically to address the two issues, the effect of inter role conflict on marital adjustment and the moderating role of social support and hardiness being considered within the same analysis. To the inter role conflict, family support, personality hardiness and marital adjustment of 51 employed mothers were assessed twice, three months apart. Using hierarchical regression analyses, inter role conflict and family support exerted main effects on marital adjustment at time 1. More importantly, a significant inters role conflict/family support interaction predicted change in marital adjustment over three months. High family support exerted a negative impact on marital adjustment when inter role conflict was high. Greenhaus Beutell (2000) Sources of Conflict between Work and Family Roles. This study examined the literature on the conflict between work and family roles and found out that work-family conflict exists when: (a) time devoted to the requirements of one role makes it difficult to fulfill requirements of another; (b) strain from participation in one role makes it difficult to fulfill requirements of another; and (c) specific behaviors required by one role make it difficult to fulfill the requirements of another. Birch Kamli (2000) Psychological stress, anxiety, depression, job satisfaction, and personality characteristics in preregistration house officers. This study got lifestyle questionnaires filled by the officers and measured the self rated psychological stress, state anxiety, job satisfaction, and personality characteristics. It was seen that more of women suffered psychological stress, possible anxiety and possible depression. Nelson Quick (2000). Professional Women: Are Distress and Disease Inevitable? This study states that discrimination, stereotyping, the marriage/work interface, and social isolation are a source of stress for professional women. The study also identified a mentor, locus of control, self-confidence, and self-awareness as moderators for a stress-strain relationship. Paterniti et al (2002) Psychosocial factors at work, personality traits and depressive symptoms, Longitudinal results from the Gazel Study. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between psychosocial factors at work and changes in depressive symptoms, taking into account personality traits. The results showed that irrespective of the personality traits high scores were seen in both the genders when the job demands were high with low social support at work. Krantz et al (2003).Total workload, work stress and perceived symptoms in Swedish male and female white-collar employees. This research studies how the perceived symptoms of the white collar employees are associated with paid work, unpaid household tasks, child care, work–child care interactions and perceived work stress. Singapore Management Reviews published an article (2003) on work family conflict of managers by survey approach. Work and family are two important aspects of man’s life. The paper examined the nature of the conflict and its effects on manager. An empirical survey was described, aimed at enhancing the understanding the conflict that the individual experienced. This showed that although most of the respondent would trade some learning for family time, job related issue, investing security, flexible working hour and high profile for value ahead of laser activity but at a cost of behavior based, time based and strain based. Twenty percent of respondents strongly agreed that they would trade their income for lesser hour at work to spend time with their families, thirty percent of the respondents were neutral, forty percent of the respondents agreed that their family will accept and adjust to any necessary arrangements required. Iqbal et al (2004). Anxiety in non-working women with reference to their education, family system and number of children. The objective of the study was to observe the presence of anxiety in working and non working women with reference to their education, family system and the number of their children setting. Purposive sampling technique used to select the sample of 50 working women and 50 non working women. Taylor Manifest Anxiety Scale was administered on all women to assess on their anxiety level. Anxiety was observed more in non working women than in working women. A statistically significant association was found between anxiety in women and education. It was concluded that all non-working women should be supported morally and socially to spare some time for their entertainment and pleasurable activities outside homes to distract the monotony of routine work. Hashmi et al (2006). Marital Adjustment, Stress and Depression Among Working and Non-Working Married Women. This study explores the relationship between marital adjustment stress and depression. Results also show that working married women have to face more problems in their married life as compared to non-working married women. Also it was seen that highly educated working and non-working married women can perform well in their married life and they are free from depression as compared to educated working and non-working married women. Melchior et al (2007) studied depression and anxiety in young, working women and men due to work stress. The results showed that participants exposed to high psychological job demands (excessive workload, extreme time pressures) had a twofold risk of major depression or generalized anxiety disorder compared to those with low job demands. The study stated that in previously healthy young workers, diagnosable depression and anxiety is precipitated by work stress. Aleem and Danish (2008). Marital satisfaction and Anxiety among single and dual career women at JamiaMilliaIslamia, New Delhi. The sample was selected by using purposive sampling 60 single and dual career women whose age group ranged from 25 to 45 years were studied using purposive method of sampling from Delhi. A Marital Satisfaction Scale was used to see the level of marital satisfaction among the two groups of women whereas; Sinha Comprehensive Anxiety Scale was administered on the sample to examine their level of anxiety. It has been found that pressure and hassles of jobs not only affect marital life but also proved to be a major source of anxiety particularly among women and also marital satisfaction among working women hardly get disturbed due to their multiple role but the thought processes seemed to be disturbed that is manifested in the higher anxiety among women. Netterstom et al (2008) The Relation between Work-related Psychosocial Factors and the Development of Depression. The study found moderate evidence for a relation between development of depression and the psychological demands of the job. Also it was seen that social support at work decreased the risk for future depression. Weiclaw et al (2008) Psychosocial working conditions and the risk of depression and anxiety disorders in the Danish workforce. This study examined the relation between psychosocial working conditions and the risk of anxiety and working conditions. The results showed high risks of depression but decreased risk of anxiety disorders related to high emotional demands and working with people. Dew et al (2009) studied mental health effects of job loss in women. This study reviews literature on involuntary job loss and its effects on mental health among women. The occurrence and duration of lay-off was significantly associated with increased depressive symptoms, but not anxiety-related symptoms. Results showed that among women who were laid off, those who had poor levels of support from their husband and those experiencing more financial difficulties reported higher levels of depression. Kaur et al (2011). Comparative study on working and non working married women: effect of anxiety level on life satisfaction. The objective of the study was to find out whether the anxiety level has any significant impact on the life satisfaction of the working and non-working married women. Research investigated the effect of anxiety level on the â€Å"life satisfaction† among the working and non working married women. â€Å"Satisfaction with Life Scale†, and â€Å"State-Trait Anxiety Test† was administered on an equal sample of women participants (n=45) from both the groups. Two way ANOVA was used for data analysis. The result showed that anxiety and life satisfaction are experienced differently by working and non-working women. The results of the study show that females those who are working and married, are low on anxiety with higher life satisfaction in comparison to the non-working married females. They perceived their life as challenging and secure. They fe el more comfortable with their life situations. On the other hand, the non working married females are less satisfied with their lives and their anxiety level is also higher than the anxiety level of working females. LilhareBorkar (2011). Comparative study on Stress and Anxiety in Working Women Performing Clerical and Shift Hour Duties. The study was designed to compare the stress, and anxiety level among different profession of working women. The study was an exploratory study. The Stress, Anxiety and Status test were administered on 200 samples, 100 for clerical working women and 100 for shift hour duty working women. The data was obtained and was analyzed using mean, standard deviation and t tests and compared. The findings of the research indicates that the working women performing Clerical and Shift Hour duties have significant difference on the measure of Stress,Status but do not have significant difference on the measure of anxiety. Virtanen et al (2011). Long working hours and symptoms of anxiety and depression: a 5 year follow up of the Whitehall II study. This study examined how long working hours are associated with the onset of depression and anxiety symptoms in middle aged employees. The results showed two fold risk of developing depressive and anxiety symptoms in employees working for more than 55 hours a week as compared to those working 35-40 hours a week. Also sex-stratified analysis showed that women are more prone to depression and anxiety than men. Revati and Jogsan (2012). Mental Health and Depression among Working and Non-Working Women. Total number sample taken was 80 women. The research tool used for mental health was measured by Dr. D.J. Bhatt and Gita R. Geeda (1992). Whereas the tool for depression inventory was used which was made byBeck (1961).t test was applied to check the significance of mental health and depression in working and non working women to check the correlation method was used. And results revealed that significance difference in mental health and depression with respect to both working and non working women on mental health and depression. Adhikari (2012) conducted a study on Anxiety and Depression: Comparative Study between Working and Non-Working Mothers. A significant number of mothers are working and playing the dual role of an employee and housekeeper to provide financial help to their families. These mothers experience anxiety and depression regarding the time they spend with their children and child care method. The results showed significant differences in degree of depression and anxiety of working mothers but no significant difference in that of non-working mothers. Bhadoria (2013). Level of Anxiety and Depression Among Working Women and Non Working Women of Gwalior. As today’s women have a whole set of responsibilities and problems involving the professional and family life, this study tried to compare the levels of depression and anxiety among working and non working women. The results obtained showed significant levels of difference between working and non working women. Fall et al (2013). Comparative study of major depressive symptoms among pregnant women by employment status. This study compares the prevalence of major depressive symptoms between subgroups of pregnant women: working women, women who had stopped working, housewives and students; and to identify risk factors for major depressive symptoms during pregnancy. Prevalence of major depressive symptoms was the lowest for working women as compared to housewives. Multivariate analyses showed that other factors such as low education, low social support outside of work, having experienced acute stressful events, lack of money for basic needs, experiencing marital strain, having a chronic health problem, country of birth, and smoking were significantly associated with major depressive symptoms Balaji et al (2014). A Comparative Study on Depression among Working and Non-Working Women in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. This study was done to assess the burden of depression its risk factors among adult female working and non working population. The results indicated that working women suffer more from depression than non-working women. The risk factors for depression were identified as economic problems workplace problems, relationship problems and no personal life satisfaction.

The Last Of The Mohicans Essay -- essays research papers

In The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper, historical romance is apparent through settings, characters and plots. Cooper is considered by many critics to be the father of the American historical romance. Fred Lewis Patee said, 'Not only was Cooper the pioneer (of the historical romance) in America, and thus worthy of the highest praise, but in many respects his romances have never been surpassed.'; (212) Cooper celebrated the creative spirit of the individual and had a deep appreciation for nature. He was a romantic who enjoyed the mysteriousness and exoticness of the frontier. He favored the use of emotions over reason. Through his romantic writings, Cooper is able to captivate the reader and led them on journey through his imaginary world.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The setting in The Last of the Mohicans exhibits Cooper's historical romantic writing. The novel takes place in the American frontier. It is a place of '…wild and virgin nature.'; (Roundtree 52) The immense beauty and threat of danger from its' terrain creates an exotic impression on the reader. The mystique of the frontier entices the reader and allows their imagination to soar. Fred Lewis Pattee expresses his feelings on the use of the setting in 'The Historical Romance: Cooper's The Last of the Mohicans,'; when he says: At every step throughout the romance the reader finds himself in dim, mysterious forests that stretch on every side into the unknown. All of the nameless thrills of a wild life under the open sky sweeps over him. In some mysterious way Cooper makes us feel his environments, and catch to the full all that they hold of mystery and romance. It is a new world that he takes us into, with a language all its own. We are permitted to learn the alphabet of this language… We are taught to catch the sounds of wild life in the woods; and we tremble to feel that perhaps all about us are malignant beings from whom it is impossible to hide… His descriptions are in reality lyric poems. (213) Cooper's descriptions of the natural scenery is picturesque and striking. (Parkmam 194) Cooper describes the frontier so vividly that the reader feels transported into the novel. Through his descriptive writings of nature, Cooper shows his deepened appreciation of nature. His descriptions create '…an atmosphere that is vast and satisfying.'; (Pattee... ...ories of heroism and fighting. Critic Fred Lewis Pattee calls the novel a 'book of rescues in the nick of time.'; (212) This nick of time rescue can be seen when Hawkeye, Chingachgook, and Uncas save Alice and Cora on the summit of a mountain. (212) As one of the Huron Indians raises his knife to kill Heyward, Hawkeye fires his rifle to save the girls. This last minute rescue is not logical to the reader. However, the reason is not questioned because the reader is engrossed in the emotions from the chase scene. Cooper portrays his characters to do impossible feats. His plots favor emotions over reason. James Fenimore Cooper captivates the reader by his use of a romantic plot. James Fenimore Cooper is considered by many to be the father of the American literary movement. His writings put American literature on the level of the distinguished European literature. His romanticism was seen through plots, settings, and characters. Through these techniques, Cooper was able to express his romanticism in a new American way that still fascinates critics all over the world today. James Fenimore Cooper is one of the greatest American literary figures the world has ever seen. Word Count (1033) The Last Of The Mohicans Essay -- essays research papers In The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper, historical romance is apparent through settings, characters and plots. Cooper is considered by many critics to be the father of the American historical romance. Fred Lewis Patee said, 'Not only was Cooper the pioneer (of the historical romance) in America, and thus worthy of the highest praise, but in many respects his romances have never been surpassed.'; (212) Cooper celebrated the creative spirit of the individual and had a deep appreciation for nature. He was a romantic who enjoyed the mysteriousness and exoticness of the frontier. He favored the use of emotions over reason. Through his romantic writings, Cooper is able to captivate the reader and led them on journey through his imaginary world.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The setting in The Last of the Mohicans exhibits Cooper's historical romantic writing. The novel takes place in the American frontier. It is a place of '…wild and virgin nature.'; (Roundtree 52) The immense beauty and threat of danger from its' terrain creates an exotic impression on the reader. The mystique of the frontier entices the reader and allows their imagination to soar. Fred Lewis Pattee expresses his feelings on the use of the setting in 'The Historical Romance: Cooper's The Last of the Mohicans,'; when he says: At every step throughout the romance the reader finds himself in dim, mysterious forests that stretch on every side into the unknown. All of the nameless thrills of a wild life under the open sky sweeps over him. In some mysterious way Cooper makes us feel his environments, and catch to the full all that they hold of mystery and romance. It is a new world that he takes us into, with a language all its own. We are permitted to learn the alphabet of this language… We are taught to catch the sounds of wild life in the woods; and we tremble to feel that perhaps all about us are malignant beings from whom it is impossible to hide… His descriptions are in reality lyric poems. (213) Cooper's descriptions of the natural scenery is picturesque and striking. (Parkmam 194) Cooper describes the frontier so vividly that the reader feels transported into the novel. Through his descriptive writings of nature, Cooper shows his deepened appreciation of nature. His descriptions create '…an atmosphere that is vast and satisfying.'; (Pattee... ...ories of heroism and fighting. Critic Fred Lewis Pattee calls the novel a 'book of rescues in the nick of time.'; (212) This nick of time rescue can be seen when Hawkeye, Chingachgook, and Uncas save Alice and Cora on the summit of a mountain. (212) As one of the Huron Indians raises his knife to kill Heyward, Hawkeye fires his rifle to save the girls. This last minute rescue is not logical to the reader. However, the reason is not questioned because the reader is engrossed in the emotions from the chase scene. Cooper portrays his characters to do impossible feats. His plots favor emotions over reason. James Fenimore Cooper captivates the reader by his use of a romantic plot. James Fenimore Cooper is considered by many to be the father of the American literary movement. His writings put American literature on the level of the distinguished European literature. His romanticism was seen through plots, settings, and characters. Through these techniques, Cooper was able to express his romanticism in a new American way that still fascinates critics all over the world today. James Fenimore Cooper is one of the greatest American literary figures the world has ever seen. Word Count (1033)

asteroid defense :: essays research papers

The U.S. federal government is summoning the world's top scientists to an urgent conference this summer to plan defenses against an attack that could wipe out an American city or disrupt the whole country's infrastructure. No, it's not global terrorism. The scientists will map ways to combat an asteroid attack, a cosmic sucker punch like the collision that killed the dinosaurs 65 million years ago and flattened a Siberian forest in 1908. While the world's attention is focused on the real threat of terrorism, the theoretical asteroid menace has been garnering a surprising amount of behind-the-scenes attention. Britain's Royal Astronomical Society hosted an international meeting of experts on the asteroid impact threat in December. In January the world's astronomers petitioned Australia's government to fund a special asteroid-detecting telescope. In February NASA announced the "Workshop on Scientific Requirements for Mitigation of Hazardous Comets and Asteroids," which will be conducted in Washington in September. In March, NASA activated "Sentry," a new system to monitor near-Earth objects (NEOs) and assess their threat to Earth. NEOs are small objects—asteroids and certain comets—that orbit in the solar system relatively close to Earth and could one day collide with Earth. "We've had a couple of close shaves during the past few months," says Brian G. Marsden, with the Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge, Massachusetts. One asteroid caused public jitters when discovered March 12. Named 2002 EM7, it came from the direction of the sun—an astronomical blind spot where objects are hidden in the sun's glare. Astronomers didn't detect 2002 EM7 until four days after it came within 288,000 miles (460,000 kilometers) of Earth, which they regarded as a close encounter. [The moon is about 239,000 miles, or 385,000 kilometers, from the Earth.] The asteroid was about 200 feet (60 meters) in diameter—big enough to fill two-thirds of a football field—and could have flattened a city, unleashing the energy of a five-megaton nuclear bomb. "I think Mother Nature has given us yet another wake-up call," says Donald K.

Man’s Existence Defined by Being and Nothing Essay

I. Introduction What makes a person alive? Should existence be defined simply by a person’s biological and physical ability to move and breathe? Is existence proven by the mere physical presence of a living person? Philosophers down the ages have advanced many theories of how human existence is defined. Some have advance theories based on the establishment of â€Å"being† after the fulfillment of a life’s purpose. Others opined that a person’s fear or experience of dread and nothingness defines existence. Some however believe that it is a combination of these yin/yang forces that define human existence. II. Discussions on Existence, Being and Nothingness People are defined as human beings in Biology.   It is what separates humans as a specie from animals.   But shouldn’t the word â€Å"human† be enough? What is the significance of the verb â€Å"be?†   Several theories have been advanced to define the tangible things one sees in life but as philosopher Martin Heidegger noticed, they have forgotten to ask what to â€Å"be† really is (Philipse. 1998. p18). The question of what defines human existence has intrigued philosophers over the ages. Theories have gone beyond the basic qualification of life as the simple and obvious ability to move and breathe. Existentialism however, puts forward the more abstract concepts of defining one’s being as influenced by boredom, freedom, commitment and alienation (Warnock.1970.p.4).   It separates the human existence into â€Å"being† and â€Å"nothing.† What makes a human a â€Å"being†? According to Heidegger, a de-constructional view of existence is necessary to include the essence of human’s â€Å"being† as opposed to the classical thought of the obvious and therefore unexplored being (Philipse, 1998.p.3). One of Heidegger’s main influences, Edmund Huserll (Grimsley.1960.p.37) said that philosophy should be described in the context of human experience and goals.   People do and live in accordance with one â€Å"plan† or goal.   Heidegger modified this with his theory of â€Å"care,† (Cochrane. 1956. p112) which, simply stated means that a person’s priorities or what he or she considers important defines their existence.  Ã‚   For him, it is the motivation and the individual needs that define a person’s existence and thus shapes them into what they are. In his work â€Å"Being and Time,† Heidegger created the representation â€Å"Dasein† of the individual that seeks to answer the question as to why he exists.   He states the Dasein is â€Å"thrown† into a world of possibilities and responsibilities, and to account for his existence, the Dasein must take responsibility for all these possibilities (Cochrane, 1956 p. 136). Another philosopher who advances the notion of a reality governed by consciousness, Rene Descartes in his â€Å"Meditations on First Philosophy† states that in human existence, the only thing that cannot be doubted is consciousness.   Reality can have many illusions, but a human being’s consciousness is constant which therefore makes it the only truth (Snooks, 1998.p 26). The famed German philosopher George Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (Stace,1955. p. 44) summed it up in the statement â€Å"the rational alone is real† which presented the idea that everything can and will only be expressed in rational categories His various works reflected methods predominantly rooted in logic According to Hegel,   the degree of comprehension of concepts is only limited or expanded by the standards of knowledge a person possesses and the level of society he belongs to (Stace,1955. p. 46)   . The ideas of existentialism contradict this. The definition of a person’s existence is not dependent on rational thinking but rather their individual â€Å"beings† in the world they were born in.   Reality in reference to one’s existence is subjective. In Sartre’s â€Å"Being and Nothingness,† he defines the actuality of man’s ideal of completion as the fulfillment of state of â€Å"Being† while nothingness is the failure or lack of this actuality (Schilpp. 1997.p.48) Like Hegel, Sartre also used the concepts of â€Å"Being† in terms of â€Å" in itself†, â€Å"for others†, and â€Å"for and in itself.†   Unlike Hegel however who defined these as organizational thought processes and logic in the individual, Sartre stated these terms with definitions done to identify and qualify the subjective and objective facets of human existence. Regarded as the â€Å"Father of Existentialism,† and one of Hegel’s greatest critics, Soren Kierkegaard (Malantschuk, 2003.p.11 )was a Danish philosopher who proposed that it is an individual’s feelings such as dread and anxiety that lead to making choices that define a person’s life. Kierkegaard believed that the difference between an individual’s self-perception of being and nothingness stems from the â€Å"individuality† of a person and that includes emotions and passions. A person’s existence therefore, is brought about by his fears. He cites a parallel of faith and atheism.   In his theories that were viewed as â€Å"anti-organized religion,† Kierkegaard states that for a person to be able to â€Å"make a leap of faith,† one must first have doubt. Otherwise, one may not be able to differentiate â€Å"faith† from everyday emotions. In the same way, Being cannot exist without â€Å"Nothing† and vice-versa (Malantschuk, 2003.p.90) Kierkegaard also advanced the   paradoxical theory of the Concept of Dread (Ussher, 1968.p. 52). According to Kierkegaard’s concept of Dread, it is only when one has experienced total misery that one can recognize and experience life and living. â€Å"Only by being a sacrificial Isaac would he recognise himself for the beloved of Abraham: and no miracle (he knew in the end) would intervene.† (Ussher, 1968.p. 27). It is not unusual in today’s times to hear the maxim â€Å"You never know what you have unless you’ve lost it.†Ã‚   The misery or anxiety at the thought of losing something makes one realize how much value they have truly assigned to something. The thought of this is echoed in German journalist Helmut Kuhn’s â€Å"Encounter with Nothingness: An Essay on Existentialism† (1949): â€Å"The question of existence is urged upon us chiefly by our interest. We raise it when we care for the existence or the nonexistence of something. When darkness closes down, we do get excited about the existence of light† (Kuhn, 1949) Immanuel Kant presented a style of inquiry that takes to consideration the physiological and empirical facets of a person’s state of Being. Kant believed that an introspective approach was necessary for one to understand and make sense of one’s own being (Kant, 1965). Sartre, one of the strongest critics of Kantian theory argues that the notion that human emotions are insignificant and occasional â€Å"situations† that occur of an individual’s behavior is unacceptable. â€Å"Moreover, emotion must not be considered as a set of empirical facts gained through introspection or as a â€Å"corporeal phenomenon† , but rather as â€Å"an organized form of human existence†Ã‚   (Schilpp, 1997.p.13) As a person’s existence and state of â€Å"Being† are subjective, so is the definition of â€Å"nothingness.† The lexicon meaning of the word â€Å"nothing† is given as â€Å"1 : not any thing : no thing; 2 : no part;   3 : one of no interest, value, or consequence† In philosophy however, despite the many theories that sought to define existence, the definition of the word â€Å"nothing† seems to be universal.   It simply means failure to attain a state of Being through lack of fulfillment and failure at the attainment of purposes or goals. III. Summary The human being and existence is a complex and paradoxical concept.   All the concepts are true in a sense, but were never really complete in describing or pinpointing the meaning of life. Different schools of thought range from describing human existence in a mathematical sense then evolving into the more abstract consideration of complex human emotions. Classical philosophy in its rational and logical basis, says it is â€Å"Mind over matter.† Sartre, Hegel and Heidegger’s philosophies are summed up in â€Å"the End justifies the Means.† Kierkegaard’s neurotic view of the existence as a result of anxiety and dread is summed up in â€Å"You don’t know what you have until you’ve lost it.† IV. Conclusion Given the many points of view advanced, there remains a constant, and that is recognition of the human free will. It is the will that makes a choice that rational, experiential or pessimistic, influences the â€Å"End† that defines and justifies a person’s existence. A person’s experience of past and present in addition to his perception of what the future could be are subjective.   The significance people place on certain things is also subjective.   Reactions are subjective.   Life is subjective.   One can choose to define existence in the manner of different philosophies. However, it is important to note that these schools of thought are not rules that encompass every person’s experience of life.