Nucor Corp Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Nucor Corp - Essay Example The invisible competition is potential in large companies vertically integrating into steel production. This is the competitor environment in which Nucor Corp. strives to maintain an advantageous market position. Facing three categories of competitive tension, Nucor must formulate goals, objectives and strategies accordingly. Nucor Corp. can mitigate some of the competitive tension by acquiring other steel manufacturing companies. In that case the organizational culture of the company must be ready for the social-demographic tension resulting from unionization in the foreign companies. However acquisitions enable the company to get a technological edge as it integrates the operations of the acquired companies into its own operational framework. This is one of the key success factors of operating in the steel industry since the technology is constantly evolving while Nucor is not investing in R&D. Therefore acquisitions provide an effective means of maintaining the company’s te chnological base at the latest standards. There is economic tension in the form of plummeting prices of steel, scrap metal and iron ore. Increased environmental regulation is also adding to the cost of operations. Political regulations such as tariff withdrawal by the World Trade Organization have increased the competitive tension as the industry has been more exposed to foreign competition. The uncertain economic environment is a favorable factor in terms of enabling Nucor to acquire competitors who do not have the resource capabilities to sustain the economic difficulties. The result of acquisitions is further consolidation of the industry leading to reduced competitive pressure. The weak dollar also makes the company more competitive internationally. The marketplace is highly competitive. The competitive tension is increased by the economic uncertainty having repercussions on pricing, demand and access to capital. The companies operating in this environment can address the reperc ussions by achieving economies of scale. However all companies have similar capacities, thereby enhancing the competitive tension. The tension also results from the three buckets of competitors: immediate, impending and invisible. This competitive environment is the result of a highly fragmented industry. The highly fragmented global steel market place leads to an unattractive industry structure. Porter’s 5 forces analysis shows that the industry has high buyer power and competitive rivalry. The supplier power is medium. The high buyer power results from a commodity market in which the suppliers are price takers. Therefore buyers are able to pit suppliers against each other as they are price takers. Companies operating in the commodity market are unable to differentiate their products. As a result industry rivalry is high. It is also important to consider supplier power since the decreasing availability of scrap metal raises their price. As a result the suppliers are gaining greater bargaining power. Suppliers also present invisible competition since they have the ability to vertically integrate into steel manufacturing. Taking these factors into consideration, Nucor Corp. has to formulate strategies which are customized to an industry which has high buyer power and rivalry and medium supplier power. These are the three most important factors to be taken into consideration in determining the attractiveness of the steel industry environment.

Women Are Essentially Different Because Of Their Biology Sociology Essay

Women Are Essentially Different Because Of Their Biology Sociology Essay Gender is a range of characteristics of masculinity and femininity. It can refer to both sex (being male or female), social roles such as gender roles or gender identity. Gender and gender development originate from the moment of conception. When a female egg joins with a male sperm to for either a XY or XX chromosome pair, determining which developmental pathway will be taken (male or female). This will determine the physical sexual characteristics. Our sexual appearance as male or female has a significant and powerful influence on how we perceive ourselves and how others perceive us, which is essential when we later develop our gender identity (our inner sense of being male or female). Your gender determines your (expected) behaviour and the characteristics you are socialised into. However there are some disagreements of whether men and womens gender is resultant of their biology, or the socialisation process they have been through. This is also known as the nature vs. nurture argu ment, whether gender and your gender identities and roles are constructed biologically and naturally or through the effect that people in your life have had over you growing up. In this essay I will be discussing how gender can be explained from both the biological perspective and the social perspective in order to answer the question of whether sociology can in fact explain it. Clearly there is no doubt that females and males differ biologically, however do we form our gender roles according to the influence and ideas of our society, or do the biological predispositions outweigh the cultural influence? Biological psychology regards gender identity as a resultant from our biological processes. Gender differences are seen as resulting from sex differences. In other words, women and men act, think and feel differently because of differences in how their brains work. These brain differences may result from chromosomal differences and may also be the result of hormonal differences. Women and men produce different sex hormones in varying quantities. Besides affecting the functioning of various bodily organs (e.g. causing the menstrual cycle in women) these sex hormones appear to have an effect on behaviour. Testosterone, which is produced in greater quantities by men, affects several types of behaviour, some of which are regarded as typically male. For example, Dabbs et al (1995) found that violent offenders had higher testosterone levels than non-violent offenders and Coates et al (2008) found that financial traders with higher testosterone levels took greater risks. Women have higher levels of oxytocin than men. Some researchers have linked this to increased sociability. Oxytocin seems to affect the formation of bonds and attachments between people and Klaver et al (2009) found that higher levels of oxytocin are linked to improved memory for faces. Gorski et al (1985) injected female rats with testosterone for a period prior to birth. After they were born their appearance and behaviour was compared with a control group of females whose testosterone levels had been normal. The experimental group had masculinised genitals (e.g. an enlarged clitoris) and showed masculine behaviour (e.g. trying to mount other females). This showed that male sex hormones had both physiological and behavioural effects, in rats at least. It is clear from a range of studies involving humans and other animals that chromosomal and hormonal differences between males and females affect a range of masculine and feminine behaviours, which supports the biological view. The biological view of gender is supported by those cross-cultural studies that have found universal features of gender. For example, in all cultures studied, men are found to be more aggressive than women, which suggest an innate, biological difference. Similarly, Buss et al (1990) studied wha t women and men look for in a potential mate in a large number of cultures and found that whilst men consistently prioritised youth and physical attractiveness, women placed a higher premium on wealth and status. These differences may reflect biological differences between women and men that have arisen because of evolutionary processes. The definition of gender states that it is typically used with reference to social and cultural differences rather than biological ones. It can be argued that gender is the socially constructed expectation placed on a person as a result of their sex. We are born male and female but this does not make us a guy or a girl. Femininity and masculinity do not come from our genetic make-up, therefore the distinction between boy and girl is taught. If this was not the case then surely in every culture and society, every male and female would have the same masculinities and femininities? In 1935 Margaret Mead conducted a field trip to Papua New Guinea for 2 years in attempt to discover what extent temperamental differences between the sexes were culturally determined rather than innate. Mead found a different pattern of female and male behaviour in each of the cultures she studies which were different from gender role expectations in the US at that time. Among the Arapesh the temperament for both females and males was gentle, responsive and cooperative. The Mundugumor (now Biwat), both males and females were violent, aggressive, seeking power and position. For the Tchambuli (now Chambri), males and females temperaments were distinct from each other. The women were dominant, impersonal, and managerial. The men were less responsible and more emotionally dependant. Through this study Mead separated biologically-based sex from socially constructed gender, demonstrating how individuals gender roles were part of our socialization process as if this was not the case, each o f the tribes she studied although they were not close to each other, would have the same gender roles. Findings like this suggest that even though biological factors influence gender behaviour, they are heavily modified by learning. Parental influences have a significant role in the formation of our gender roles. From the very first day of our lives, boys and girls are treated differently. Parents perceive boys to be stronger and rougher than girls, and girls to be prettier and more delicate than boys. Parents hold boys closer to their body than they do girls. They hold boys closer to their body and spend more time verbalizing and cooing to girls than boys. Parents are acting on their stereotypes of male and female behaviour. Myers (1995) suggests that gender socialisation gives girls roots and boys wings. This suggests that girls are socialised to stay at home and boys are socialised to have adventures. Studies of childrens books over the last 50 years have shown that girls are four times more likely to be shown using household objects (e.g. pots and pans) than boys who are five times more likely to be shown using production objects (e.g. machinery) than girls (Crabb Beilawski 1994). The result is, according to a United Nations study (1991) everywhere cooking and dishwashing are the least shared household chores and everywhere, woman do most of the household work. These expectations define gender roles. Lytton Romney (1991) found that there was a significant difference in terms of encouragement of sex-typed play activities which reinforces the fact that girls and boys are treated differently from a young age. Will et al (1976) gave a boy aged 6 months to adults who he then observed whilst they played with the infant. The child was presented in sex-typed clothes, half the adults met the boy dressed in pink and known as Beth and half met Adam dressed in blue. Three toys were available: train, doll and fish. They found the doll was most often passed to Beth and she got more smiles, showing the typical gender stereotypes. Smith Lloyd (1978) extended this study and found that boys were most likely to be handed a toy hammer whilst girls were given a doll, as well this, the boys were encouraged in physical action more than girls. Parents were also found to give more positive non-verbal responses to their 18-23 month-old children for picking up toys when the selected object was sex approp riate and a more negative response if the object was associated with the opposite sex (Caldera et al 1989). Children are differentially reinforced with smiles and praise for the kinds of activities associated with their sex. Fagot (1978) found that girls were positively reinforced for activities such as dancing, dressing up and assisting with domestic tasks whilst boys were reinforced for more gross motor activities. To parents, gender is important. Behaving and acting in a way that fits with the femininities and masculinities that come with being a boy or girl. Facially and behaviourally it is often difficult to tell the different genders apart, especially with young babies, this leads to parents dressing their children differently, for example the tradition of girls in pink and boys in blue (Jackson 1992). Although parents play a significant part in the formation of gender roles, the effect of the media must not be underestimated. Of the many influences of the portrayal of men and woman, the media is the most persuasive and one of the most powerful, woven throughout our daily lives and putting ideas and messages into our conscience at every turn. A primary way that the media distort reality is through underrepresenting women. In prime-time television there are 3 times as many white men as woman (Barsow 1992), or in childrens programs in which males outnumber females by two to one, or newscasts in which woman make up 16% of news-casters in which stories about men are included 10 times more often than ones about woman (Study Reports Sex Bias, 1989). This constant distortion persuades and tempts us to believe that there are more men than women and further to this that men are the cultural standard. According to J.A. Doyle (1989) childrens television often portrays males as dominant, aggressive and engaged in exciting activities in which they get rewards from others for their masculine accomplishments. Television programmes for all ages disproportionally show men as serious, competent, powerful and with a high status position. Highly popular films such as Lethal Weapon, Die hard and all of the James Bond films star men who embody the extreme stereotype of masculinity, reinforcing the long-standing cultural ideals of masculinity with men being tough, sexually aggressive, unafraid, violent and totally in control of all emotions. In no way feminine. On the other hand, males are also underrepresented in many ways through the media. J.D. Brown and K. Campbell (1986) point out that they are typically represented as incompetent at homemaking, cooking and childcare. Each seasons new adverts for cooking and cleaning supplies include several that capture and portray men as incompetent foo ls, who are clumsy and no better at taking care of children. Media images also reflect cultural stereotypes of woman. Media has created two images of woman: good and bad. Good women are pretty, deferential, and focused on home, family and caring for others. Subordinate to men, they are normally cast as victims, angels or loyal wives and helpmates. The other image of women in the media offer us an evil homebody, being seen as a witch, bitch or sexual character who is represented as hard, cold aggressive, all the things a good woman is not meant to be. A good example of this bad woman character is Alex in Fatal Attraction who is an extreme version of how bad women are generally portrayed. In childrens literature, we encounter witches and mean stepmothers as villains, with beautiful passive females like Snow White and Sleeping Beauty as their good counterparts. These reinforce the social norms for the role of being male or female, from a young age and throughout individuals lifes. Having seen the Medias stereotypical portrayals of woman and men, we find that the relationship between both sexes is similarly portrayed in ways that reinforce stereotypes, starting with womens dependence and mens independence. The Little Mermaid significantly highlights females dependence on males for identity, with the Little Mermaid giving up her identity to be accepted by her lover. Analysis of MTV revealed that it portrays females as passive and waiting for mens attention, while males are shown ignoring, exploiting and directing women (Brown, Campbell Fisher, 1986). In rap music videos and many advertisements, womans primary roles appear to be objects of male desires. Manifesting male dominance and female subservience. Men are usually shown positioned above women and women are more frequently pictures in varying degrees of undress. The media often uses gender as a tool for comedy. The television series Two and a Half men is almost completely about gender, and represents women as objects of sexual pleasure for the main character. Even the theme song men, men, manly men foreshadows the overall theme of gender stereotypes. The final 2 significant ways the media portrays women and men is with mens authority and womens incompetence and woman as the primary caregivers and men as breadwinners. One of the most persuasive ways in which the media do this is through commercials. Woman are shown routinely anguishing over dirty floors and bathrooms only to be relieved of their distress when Mr Clean shows up and tells them how to keep their homes spotless. Magazines play a key role in promoting pleasing others as a primary focus of womens lives. K. Pierces study (1990) found magazines aimed at women stress looking good and doing things to please others. Telling women how to be me, only better by dyeing their hair to look younger, how to lose weight so youll still be attractive to him and how to prepare gourmet meals so hes always glad to come home. Constantly these advertisements emphasize pleasing others, especially men, as central to being a woman and the message is lined with the warning that if a woman fails to look good and please, her man might leave (Rakow, 1992). In conclusion it can be argued that sociology will never fully be able to define gender as we are born with certain biological traits that will always be there and unarguably play a part in our gender. However in answering what gender is, there is constant recognition of our gender roles that come with our gender. The masculinities and femininities of being a man or a woman. These are significantly influenced by our exposure to certain socialisation tools starting at a young age with our parents to then being influenced by numerous external forces throughout our lives such as the media. Sociology is not able to provide a clear definition of our gender as it is primarily biological but gender could be seen as irrelevant without our gender roles which come with our sex, which in theory sociology can help explain and define.

Impact of the Chinese Exclusion Act Essay -- Chinese Immigrants, Americ

Impact of the Chinese Exclusion Act â€Å"Many Chinese immigrants falsely claimed American citizenship during the exclusion era†¦I’ve considered this question†¦ever since I learned that my American last name was different, in spelling and meaning, from my Chinese last name†¦ What’s in a name?† said Karen Lew, a community anchor at the Museum of Chinese in America. She discovered that her ancestors were forced to change their last names during the Chinese Exclusion Act to prevent deportation. Most believe that the Chinese Exclusion Act was a mistake from the American government. The Chinese Exclusion Act had an impact on not only the Chinese, but also most Asians Americans’ lives. In the year of 1848, a significant amount of gold was discovered in Sutter’s Mill. The gold rush not only made Eastern American labors to come to the West, but also caused a large amount of people in China to immigrate over in hopes of a fortune (Tien, Kelly). â€Å"Chinese workers then were willing to take jobs that no one else really wants to do,† stated Munson Kwok, president of the LA chapter of the Chinese American Citizens Alliance (qtd. in Los Angeles Times). As stated in Menlo’s Sun Server, when the American economy became unstable during the Panic of 1873, labors thought that the "working and low-paid" Chinese were receiving more money than they should, therefore reducing the non-Chinese workers’ wages. The Chinese eventually became scapegoats for the economic downfall, and the non-Chinese workers started propaganda against the Chinese, making cartoons and slogans like â€Å"Mark the man who would crush us to the level of the Mongolian slave.â €  Immigration taxes and laundry-operation fees were passed to limit Chinese population (Menlo’s Sun Server). Ultimately, ... .... "Undergraduate Research Journal for the Human Sciences." Undergraduate Research Journal for the Human Sciences. University of Chicago, n.d. Web. 10 Feb. 2014. United States v. Wong Kim Ark. United States Reports 169. Northern District of California. 28 Mar. 1898. United States v. Wong Kim Ark - 169 U.S. 649 (1898). N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Feb. 2014. "UNITED STATES v. WONG KIM ARK." United States v. Wong Kim Ark. The Oyez Project at IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law, n.d. Web. 12 Feb. 2014. Wing, Bob. "Crossing Race and Nationality: The Racial Formation of Asian Americans, 1852-1965." Monthly Review 7 (2005): 1. ELibrary. Web. 12 Feb. 2014. Wong, William. "The Citizenship of Wong Kim Ark." San Francisco Examiner 08 Apr. 1998, Second Edition ed., News sec.: A-19. Print. Yokoi, Iris. "CHINATOWN Exclusion Law's Effect Examined." Los Angeles Times 12 Dec. 1993: n. pag. Print.

Presentation of witches in Macbeth Essay

Macbeth is a play written by William Shakespeare in 1606 during the reign of King James I. This infernal play tells the story of a man who commits regicide in order to gain power himself. Not only does this drama deal with the age-old morality tale of good versus evil but it also deals with what is right and what is wrong. In this essay I will discuss and analyze Shakespeare’s presentation of the witches in Macbeth. At this time witchcraft was feared and it was seen as a real threat. The witches did not fear Christ and this meant they basically had no fear that was outside the moral, religious and social boundaries of 17th century Britain. Catholics in England were seen as outsiders, hated and seen as a threat, this was a lot like the position of witches. Witchcraft was also used as an excuse for bad happenings like natural disasters or deaths. It was usually old women who lived on their own who got accused of being a witch. Many believed accusing these single women was a way of discouraging women from living alone outside the authority of a male-dominated household. Men wanted masculine superiority to remain unchecked. In a way men were scene as good and women were scene as evil. If these women accused of being witches were found guilty they would be tortured into a confession and then murdered. King James I was just one of the people who had strong feelings on witchcraft during this era. He believed that once he was nearly killed by the evils of witchcraft. The original play featured nymphs but Shakespeare changed it and included witches to not only impress and interest King James I but also to warn him of the danger of these evil witches. Involving witches also includes fears of that time and would frighten the audience more than nymphs. Introducing witches also gives the play an excuse for more dramatic stage play and more shocking scenes and was a necessity in the attempt to hasten the plot of Macbeth. The witches feature at the very beginning of Macbeth in Act One, Scene One. They enter to the elements of thunder and lightning in a deserted place that has a significant meaning. The thunder and lightning puts the main focus on the entrance of these witches. This dramatic scene suggests evil and highlights the threat of these witches. They enter from a deserted place that highlights their isolation and avoids distraction to the entrance of these witches. They then talk of what the future holds showing their gift of foresight that is supernatural and against Christian believing. This is an example of the witches going against the beliefs of 17th century Britain that is shown almost straight away. There is also a mention of â€Å"Greymalkin† and â€Å"Paddock† which are the witches’ familiars and part of the criteria of being a witch was having a familiar that confirms the strange sisters are witches. The scene ends, â€Å"Fair is foul, and foul is fair: Hover th rough the fog and filthy air.† All three of the witches say this together like a spell would be said. Here the witches heighten the sense of mystery in the play by confusing the audience by dealing with opposites. This rounds off the spooky scene with a dramatic ending. In Act One, Scene Three the witches also enter to thunder as they meet again as planned. It is not as dramatic and there is no lightning but evil and fear is still present. One of the witches talks about getting revenge on a sailor by killing him. King James I believed the witches attempted to kill him with makes it relevant to the King. Macbeth and Banquo are introduced in this scene. Macbeth comments on the day by saying â€Å"so fair and foul a day I have not seen.† Then Banquo notices the â€Å"so withered, and so wild in their attire† witches with beards and is utterly shocked. Macbeth then asks them â€Å"What are you?† and he is also horrified. The witches then together say a verse hailing Macbeth, flattering him sarcastically. The witches talk in riddles and say make some confusing comments like, â€Å"Less than Macbeth, and greater. Not so happy, yet much happier.† The characters of the witches are still quite mysterious but in this scene they have shown some emotions that support the view that they are evil, as they involve murdering and other terrible things. In Act Four, Scene One the witches once again enter to the thunder that suggests evil is coming and they then begin casting an evil spell. They put lots of different things in a cauldron and chant together, â€Å"Double, double toil and trouble, fire burn, and cauldron bubble.† Saying the verse together creates an aural effect that would scare the audience. A â€Å"scale of a dragon† and a â€Å"tooth of a wolf† are just a couple of things that go into this cauldron of evil. When they have their potion ready they â€Å"cool it with a baboons blood.† This is imagery of blood and it has a sickening and shocking effect. Throughout the play the impact of the witches is developed and strengthened by the reactions of the other characters. The witches have a major impact on Macbeth and he believes what they are saying. This makes us ask the question of whether Macbeth is under a spell of the witches making or whether he is acting under his own free will. The witches do not harm Macbeth therefore he is an agent of God, but he does destroy himself. That corresponds with the Christian notion of made in God’s image but with the power of free will. The witches use the weakness of Macbeth to their advantage and to show they can have control over people but they cannot move Banquo to the dark side. Banquo is stronger then Macbeth and does not just believe whatever the witches say. He doubts the reality of his senses and is skeptical. The witches use language in this play to get across their point in a strong way. They use plenty of repetition. â€Å"I’ll do, I’ll do, I’ll do† they repeat three times and three is widely seen as the magic number. They also use a lot of imagery in the play. For example they put in the cauldron, â€Å"A finger of birth-strangled babe† which makes you think of innocence and the witches are creating drama by including something harmless and loved. The witches’ dramatic rituals reinforce their sisterhood as they speak together and work together. They are completely original and together they are isolated from the rest of society but they have each other. The rhyming couplets help make the chant more flowing. The witches also say, â€Å"I’ll give thee a wind.† This suggests the witches can control the weather and the natural environment. The witches in these plays are warning King James I that witches can manipulate people to kill the King even though he is saw as untouchable. Shakespeare allows the audience to see that the witches do have this influence and they can cause evil through other people with Macbeth being an example. The witches tie in with the established idea that women could be harmful to men at this time as they have the power of manipulation. I think the witches work very well in Macbeth. They create fear and drama throughout the play. They can be linked with terrorists in our society today. Terrorists are now feared and they have the power to get their own way because of their evil to a certain extent. Women were seen as a threat in the 17th century as witches were usually women now Muslims are scene as a threat as a lot of terrorists are Muslims.

Our Town vs. Steel Magnolias Essay

To the casual observer, Our Town, the theatrical piece by Thornton Wilder, is very different from the cinematic production entitled Steel Magnolias (based on Robert Harling’s original stage play). Due to their differences in setting, characters, and mood, it can be difficult to see the obvious parallels. A more in-depth look at both pieces reveals many similarities in different areas, such as daily life, love, marriage, and death. Despite the fact that Our Town takes place between 1901 and 1913 and Steel Magnolias is set in the late 1980s, an average day in Grover’s Corners is much like one in Chinquapin. Both of these fictional cities demonstrate small-town life. On an ordinary day, in both cities, the newsboys make their morning rounds delivering the daily newspapers to the townspeople. In Chinquapin, the delivery man distributes parcels to their recipients, while the milkman in Grover’s Corners delivers his goods. A skirmish between George and Rebecca Gibbs corresponds to that of Shelby’s brothers, Jonathon and Tommy. This pair of presentational life dramas is alike in relation to love and marriage as well as daily life. Both stories, as a result of love, have wedding components. In both weddings, the grooms feel nervous about their futures. They are overcome by potential feelings of sorrow and abundant happiness. Both of the men want to see their brides on the day of the wedding, and are told that it is bad luck to do so. The parents also demonstrate â€Å"cold feet† by showing that they, too are nervous not only for their children, but also for themselves and the part of their lives that their children occupy. The final way in which these pieces are alike is the most important and profound way. It pertains to life and death, and is expressed in both instances. Both Shelby and Emily die in childbirth, and are succeeded by their husbands, parents, and one child. Though both Our Town and Steel Magnolias are alike in the aforementioned ways, this is also where they differ greatly. It is here that the â€Å"aura† or mood differs. In Our Town, the  tone is sorrowful and shows despair that Emily didn’t stop to notice things she should have. Steel Magnolias did not have what I would describe as a â€Å"happy ending,† but it does give a positive outlook with a â€Å"life goes on† message. In spite of the differences that are obvious between these performance pieces, they are undoubtedly alike in many ways. With the elements of daily life being as they are, the morning commotion and behavior of siblings, each resembling its counterpart, it is safe to say that both authors thought of the same thing when they thought of â€Å"small town life.† The substance of the stories that relate to love and marriage are also like each other, which is no surprise, because it is expected that the bride, groom, and parents are nervous when being part of such a large decision. Also the part death played had a lot to do with the lesson or message that was to be conveyed by these stories. Both of the wives dieing young and leaving behind almost all of their families, especially their children, which are an important factor in the deep-seated message from the authors, shows the value of life and abstruse value of people and nature. For Our Town this message can be simply stated as â€Å"you’ve got to love life to have life, and you’ve got to have life to love life.† Steel Magnolias moral can be expressed by saying that life should be enjoyed while it can, and when it can’t, life goes on.