Biography of Constantin Brancusi, Romanian Sculptor

Constantin Brancusi (1876-1957) was a Romanian sculptor who became a French citizen shortly before his death. He was one of the most important and influential sculptors of the 20th century. His use of abstract forms to represent natural concepts led the way toward minimalist art in the 1960s and beyond. Many observers consider his Bird in Space pieces to be among the best abstract representations of flight ever created. Fast Facts: Constantin Brancusi Known For: SculptorStyles: Cubism, minimalismBorn: February 19, 1876 in Hobita, RomaniaDied: March 16, 1957 in Paris, FranceEducation: Ecole des Beaux Arts, Paris, FranceSelected Works: The Kiss (1908), Sleeping Muse (1910), Bird in Space (1919), Endless Column (1938)Notable Quote: Architecture is inhabited sculpture. Early Life and Education Born into a farming family in the foothills of Romanias Carpathian Mountains, Brancusi began working at age seven. He herded sheep while showing early skills at carving wood. Young Constantin was a frequent runaway, attempting to escape abusive treatment by his father and brothers from an earlier marriage. Brancusi finally left his home village at age 11. He worked for a grocer, and two years later he moved to the Romanian city of Craiova. There, he held a range of jobs, including waiting tables and building cabinets. The income allowed him to enroll in the School of Arts and Crafts, where Brancusi became a skilled woodworker. One of his ambitious projects was the carving of a violin out of an orange crate. While studying sculpture at the National School of Fine Arts in Romanias capital, Bucharest, Constantin Brancusi won competitive awards for his sculptures. One of his earliest works still in existence is a statue of a man with skin removed to expose the muscles underneath. It was one of his first attempts to show the internal essence of something instead of merely the outside surfaces. After first moving to Munich, Germany, Brancusi decided to further his art career in 1904 by moving to Paris. According to legends surrounding the artist, he walked most of the way from Munich to Paris. Reportedly, he sold his watch to pay for the boat crossing across Lake Constance where Germany, Switzerland, and Austria meet. Brancusi enrolled in the Paris Ecole des Beaux-Arts from 1905 through 1907. It served as a ticket into the circles of some of the eras most famous artists. Constantin Brancusi in 1905. Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain Rodin Influence Constantin Brancusi began working as a studio assistant to Auguste Rodin in 1907. The elder artist was by then recognized as one of the greatest sculptors of all time. Brancusi only lasted for a month as an assistant. He admired Rodin, but he claimed, Nothing grows under the shadow of big trees. Although he worked to distance himself from Rodin, much of Brancusis earliest Parisian work shows the impact of his short tenure in the famed sculptors studio. His 1907 sculpture, titled A Boy, is a powerful rendering of a child, emotional and realistic in form. Brancusi had already began smoothing out the edges of the sculpture, taking him away from Rodins trademark rough, textured style. A Boy (1907). Nina Leen / Getty Images One of Brancusis first important commissions was a funeral monument for a wealthy Romanian landowner in 1907. The piece, titled The Prayer is a young girl kneeling. It is perhaps one of the best examples of a bridge between Rodins emotionally powerful gestures in carving and Brancusis later simplified forms. Echoes of Primitive Art Brancusis first version of The Kiss, completed in 1908, is notable for a significant break from the work of Auguste Rodin. The two figures embracing each other are highly simplified, and they fit into a suggested cube-like space. Although it would not become the main thrust of his work, many observers see Brancusis The Kiss as an early form of cubism. As with other works, the artist created many more versions of The Kiss throughout his career. Each version simplified the lines and surfaces more and more to move closer and closer to abstraction. The Kiss (1916). Francis Miller / Getty Images The Kiss also echoes the materials and composition of ancient Assyrian and Egyptian art. The piece is perhaps the best representation of Brancusis fascination with primitive sculpture, which followed him throughout his career. Late in his active career, Brancusi explored Romanian mythology and folklore with wood carvings. His 1914 work The Sorceress is carved from a tree trunk at the point where three branches met. He drew inspiration for the subject matter from a tale about a flying witch. Clean, Abstract Shapes in Sculptures Brancusis most celebrated and influential sculptural style appeared in his first version of the Sleeping Muse, created in 1910. It is an oval-shaped disembodied head cast in bronze with the details of the face modified into polished, smooth curves. He returned to the subject many times, creating works in plaster and bronze. The 1924 sculpture titled The Beginning of the World represents a logical conclusion to this line of exploration. Its an entirely smooth oval shape without any details to disturb the surface. Impressed by the beauty and peaceful appearance of Sleeping Muse, patrons requested commissioned heads, busts, and portraits by Brancusi throughout his career. Baroness Renee-Irana Frachon was the subject of the first version of Sleeping Muse. Other notable abstract sculptures of heads include 1911s Head of Prometheus. Birds became an obsession in Constant Brancusis mature style of work. His 1912 work Maiastra, named after a bird from Romanian legends, is a marble sculpture with the birds head raised as it flies. Twenty-eight other versions of Maiastra followed over the next 20 years. Perhaps Brancusis most celebrated sculptures are from his series of polished-bronze pieces titled Bird in Space, which first appeared in 1919. The form is distilled so precisely that many observers believed Brancusi accurately caught the spirit of flight in a still form. Another concept that Brancusi frequently explored was the stacking of rhomboid pieces, one on top of another to create a tall column. His first experiment with the design appeared in 1918. The most mature example of this idea is the Endless Column completed and installed outdoors in the Romanian city of Targu Jiu in 1938. Standing nearly 30 meters tall, the sculpture is a memorial to Romanian soldiers who fought in World War I. The height of the column stretching into the sky represents the infinite connection between heaven and earth. Endless Column (1918). Ion Gheban / Wikimedia Commons / Creative Commons 3.0 Although Brancusis most important work points in the direction of complete abstraction, he considered himself a realist. He was continually searching for the inner reality of his subjects. He believed that every object had a fundamental nature that could be represented in art. Peak Career Success Constantin Brancusis work first appeared on display in the United States at the landmark 1913 Armory Show in New York. Dada artist Marcel Duchamp drew some of the most strident criticism from art critics. He became a significant collector of Brancusis work and helped introduce him to many more fellow artists. Photographer Alfred Stieglitz, later husband of Georgia OKeefe, hosted Brancusis first solo show in New York. It was a success and positioned Brancusi as one of the most acclaimed rising sculptors in the world. George Rinhart / Getty Images Among Brancusis expanding circle of friends and confidants were the artists Amadeo Modigliani, Pablo Picasso, and Henri Rousseau. Although he was a vital member of the Parisian avant-garde, Brancusi always maintained strong connections with Romanian artists both in Paris and in Romania. He was known for frequently dressing in the costume common to Romanian peasants, and his studio echoed the design of peasant homes from the area where Brancusi grew up. Constantin Brancusi was unable to avoid controversy as his star rose. In 1920, Princess X, his entry into a Parisian Salon show, caused a scandal. While abstract, the sculpture is phallic in form. When public outrage caused it to be removed from display, the artist expressed shock and dismay. Brancusi explained that it was merely designed to represent the essence of womanhood. He later explained that the sculpture was his depiction of Princess Marie Bonaparte looking down with the founded base representing her beautiful bust. A version of Bird in Space caused controversy in 1926. Photographer Edward Steichen purchased the sculpture and had it shipped from Paris to the United States. Customs officers did not allow the usual duty exemption for works of art. They insisted that the abstract sculpture was an industrial piece. Brancusi ultimately won the ensuing legal proceedings and helped set an important standard that sculpture did not have to be representational to be accepted as a legitimate work of art. Later Life and Work By the 1930s, Brancusis fame extended around the world. In 1933, he earned a commission from the Indian Maharajah of Indore to build a meditation temple. Unfortunately, when Brancusi finally traveled to India in 1937 to begin construction, the Maharajah was away on travels. He ultimately died before the artist could construct the temple. Brancusi visited the United States for the last time in 1939. He participated in an Art In Our Time exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. The sculpture Flying Turtle was his last major completed work. La Negresse Blonde II (1933). Sissssou / Wikimedia Commons / Creative Commons 4.0 The first major retrospective of Brancusis work took place at the Guggenheim Museum in New York in 1955. It was a significant success. Constantin Brancusi died on March 16, 1957, at age 81. He bequeathed his studio, with carefully placed and documented sculptures, to the Museum of Modern Art in Paris. It can be visited in a reconstructed version in a building outside the Pompidou Center in Paris. Brancusis caretakers in his later years were a Romanian refugee couple. He became a French citizen in 1952, and that allowed him to make the caretakers his heirs. Legacy Constantin Brancusi was one of the most important sculptors of the 20th century. His use of abstract forms derived from natural concepts influenced a wide range of future artists such as Henry Moore. Works like Bird in Space were landmarks in the development of minimalist art. Head of Prometheus (1911). Nina Leen / Getty Images Brancusi always maintained a secure connection to his humble beginnings in life. He was a skilled handyman, and he made most of his furniture, utensils, and home carpentry. Late in life, many visitors to his home commented on the spiritually comforting nature of his simple surroundings. Sources Pearson, James. Constantin Brancusi: Sculpting the Essence of Things. Crescent Moon, 2018.Shanes, Eric. Constantin Brancusi. Abbeville Press, 1989.

The Presidential Election Made History - 1252 Words

The 2016 presidential election made history when Donald Trump won against Hillary Clinton in a campaign like no other. Mr. Trump, who has never served in a political office, was able to steal the presidency from Mrs. Clinton, although she won the popular vote by a landslide. Along with the new president, there will be new policies and regulations put in place as well as modifications to existing ones. What does this mean for America’s and the world’s economies though? Some experts believe that Trump’s economic policies will increase the inflation rate. Trump’s considered spending on infrastructure will potentially lead to an enlarged employment rate and a larger money supply within the economy. If exchange wars with China and Mexico actually happen, import prices could increase, which will lead to inflation. For example, just after the election results were broadcasted, the Mexican peso plummeted 7.3% opposed to the US dollar. 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Strategic Management Ideas of Qantas Airways

Question: Discuss about the Strategic Management Ideas of Qantas Airways. Answer: Introduction The study investigates the strategic management ideas of Qantas Airways, the largest airline company in Australia to determine how the strategic moves of the management have led the growth foundation of the airline company. Throughout the study the application several theoretical concepts has been addressed to find out the impact of the same of the management practices of the corporation in the target market (O'Sullivan, 2014). Interestingly, the company is one of the oldest airline corporations of the world set up in 1920. In the recent past, tough market competition from other domestic as well as international airlines companies has created substantial issues for Qantas Airways. Primarily, Air New Zealand, Singapore Airlines, and Virgin Airways can be identified as the leading market rivals affection the business structure of Qantas Airways. In the study, suitable theoretical concepts have been drawn into conclusion to identify the industry attractiveness, companys resource-based views based on Barneys concept, and competitive advantage of Qantas. Application of Theoretical Concepts Industry Attractiveness In order to identify the concept of industry attractiveness in the Australian Airlines industry, first of all, the competitive structure and potential market for the business participants must be determined. Currently, the growth outlook of international as well as domestic airlines is increasing in rapid order. Due to increasing number of customers, a number of airlines companies are participating in the market (Dawid, Reimann, 2015). Therefore, the strategic industry analysis based on Porters five forces of competition has been included in the study to identify the market positioning of Qantas Airways. Apparently, Porters Five Forces describes the economic environment and industrys framework based on components such as purchasers bargaining power, suppliers bargaining power, threats of latest market entries, and substitute services. Precisely, each of the determinants has convincingly identified the level of competition and market orientation of a company (Rotha?rmel, 2017). Based on Porters Five Forces, the industry attractiveness for Qantas has been briefed in the underlying section. The analysis of the industry based on Porters Five Forces has represented fierce market competition for the Australian Airlines company, Qantas. Due to the substantial number of airlines services, the buyers bargaining power is comprehensively high creating significant rivalry and price war. Following that, the suppliers bargaining power is relatively controlled, to say the least. In the recent time, Qantas has managed to merge with a number of suppliers that impact the services of the airlines (Korporaal, 2016). As a result of the same, the position of the airline company is strong in the industry. Alternatively, due to increasing infrastructure and technological development, threats of current participants are high. On a comprehensive note, new substitutes do not make a massive impact in the airline industry (Ethiraj, Gambardella, Helfat, 2016). By considering Porters Five Forces, the industry attractiveness can be easily pointed out. Moreover, the challenging market has created a number of management problems for Qantas as well. Resource Based View On the basis of Resource Based View (RBV) Theory of Jay Barney, the resources, capabilities, and core competencies of Qantass business structure have been described as follows. Resources Identifying the available resources has been the crucial factor leading to the successful business environment. According to Barneys Resource Based View (RBV) Theory, an organisation must constitute a human resource pool that cannot be substituted or imitated by the competitors (Ray, Barney, Muhanna, 2013). Thus, utilisation of human resources can lead to competitive advantage on a long-term basis. Based on this concept, Qantas Airways has created a well-trained and knowledgeable workforce to deliver quality services towards the customers. In this way, resources can be turned into capabilities of the organisation. Capabilities Decisively, employees of an organisation can be identified as the leading sources of organisational capabilities. Qantas Airways has influenced the customers through the brand identity. Clearly, the brand name of Qantas Group has supported the business environment. Moreover, the services quality, facilities given to the target demographics, and employee attributes have worked in favour of the firm to stay ahead of the rivals. Additionally, the corporate social responsibility towards the community has also listed as the capability leading to success. Core Competencies By understanding the resources and capabilities, Qantas has featured two core competencies i.e. loyalty of the target demographics and satisfaction of the clients in the business dimension. Through value creation, the company has utilised the capabilities to meet the satisfaction level of the domestic as well as international passengers. By following the RBV theory, Qantas Management has created a unique employee portfolio in the services sector that cannot be matched by the competitors. Such quality of services has impressed the target demographics to prefer Qantas achieving loyalty of customers. Competitive Advantage The concept of competitive advantage presents the factors that help a firm to stay ahead of its rivals. The competitive advantage theory has been developed Michael Porter that explains that factors leading to comparative advantage of a nation over any other nation. The same theory has been used by modern management professionals to evaluate the factors leading to the competitive advantage of an organisation (Oxenbridge, Wallace, White, Tiernan, Lansbury, 2010). It is important to note that an individual firm competes in the international market and a collection of firm forms an industry. Hence, the collective performance of the industry is used to judge the competitive edge of an economy. According to Porter, there are four major determinants of competitiveness that are used to plan the strategy of a firm or economy as a whole (LaPlaca, 2008). The factors influencing the competitive advantage of Qantas in the international market has been discussed herein below: Demand Conditions: Qantas is the number one airline company in Australia with its operations spread all across the globe. The developing economy of Australia has resulted in the growing demand for airline businesses that has further leaded to the competitive advantage of the business (Qi, Zhao, Sheu, 2011). But, the recent boom in the Australian inflation rate has resulted in the rise of aggregate price of different products and services resulting in the fall of demand for the airline businesses. Factor Conditions: Qantas employs the best talent in the market leading to an effective workforce and knowledge resource that acts as a competitive advantage for the organisation. On the other hand, the company has the best physical resources to support the changing needs of the consumers (Godet, 2009). Additionally, the financial position and modern infrastructure of the organisation has also supported the firm to seek competitive advantage in the international market. Supporting and Related Industry: The chaining price of oil and raw materials directly impacts the profitability of the firm. Recently, Qantas has signed several contracts with the suppliers to stabilise its procurement processes and improve the quality of its services. On the other hand, the changing policy of the government related to carbon emission and environmental conservation has become a primary challenge for the organisation. Firms Structure, Strategy and Rivalry: Qantas has a horizontal organisational structure that makes the decision making process faster and effective (McGee, 2014). On the other hand, the flexible business strategy of the firm supports the changing needs of the market. Furthermore, the growing rivalry of the business has emerged to be a current challenge for the firm. Recommendation Qantas has been quite successful in meeting the growing competition and changing factors in the international market. But, there is a need of certain changes in the strategy of the firm to enhance its growth in the long run. Therefore, the following recommendations are suggested to the management of Qantas on the basis of the above analysis: Focus on Corporate Social Responsibility: Qantas needs to focus on corporate social responsibility policy to seek a competitive advantage in the market. For example, the management must focus on reducing the pollution occurred due to the operations of the firm (Maritan, 2011). The improved CSR policy will help the firm stay safe from legal obligations and financial losses in the future. Improve Pricing Policy: The management of Qantas needs to make changes in the pricing policy in order to meet the changing demand of the market. The competitive pricing policy will be helpful to seek competitive edge. On the other hand, the company can make use of premium pricing policy for its business class services. Market Expansion: Market expansion can be another strategic change that can be implemented by the management of Qantas to seek competitive advantage in the international market (Maritan, 2011). For example, the company can introduce new routes and flights in the emerging markets to expand its business territory. Service Diversification: Service diversification is required to meet the growing competition in the market. For example, Qantas has introduced new catering service to meet the growing needs of the consumers. On the other hand, the company can consider home pickup services for the premium clients to enhance its market positioning. Conclusion The current strategic management practices of Qantas have been quite effective in meeting the changing needs of the markets. But, the company needs to consider several changes in its operation strategies in order to meet the growing competition and changing external market factors. There is a need of service diversification, better pricing policy, market expansion strategy, and improved CSR policy to enhance the grow rate in the international market. Conclusively, the firm requires a flexible strategic management policy in order to survive and seek growth in the competitive business environment References Dawid, H., Reimann, M. (2015). Evaluating Market Attractiveness: Individual Incentives Versus Industry Profitability.Computational Economics,24(4), 321-355. Ethiraj, S., Gambardella, A., Helfat, C. (2016). Replication in strategic management.Strategic Management Journal,37(11), 2191-2192. Godet, M. (2009). Effective strategic management the prospective approach.Technology Analysis Strategic Management,1(1), 45-56. Korporaal, G. (2016).Women fly Qantas higher.Theaustralian.com.au. Retrieved March 2017, from https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/aviation/qantas-alan-joyce-diversity-is-making-the-difference/news-story/176faa7ef737b8ba36819efbc37a2ba7 LaPlaca, P. (2008). Industrial marketing management.Industrial Marketing Management,37(3), 245-246. Maritan, C. (2011).Competitive strategy(1st ed.). Cheltenham: Elgar. McGee, J. (2014).Strategic management(1st ed.). Chichester: Wiley. O'Sullivan, M. (2014).Qantas unveils big management reshuffle.The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved March 2017, from https://www.smh.com.au/business/aviation/qantas-unveils-big-management-reshuffle-20141212-1262q5.html Oxenbridge, S., Wallace, J., White, L., Tiernan, S., Lansbury, R. (2010). A comparative analysis of restructuring employment relationships in Qantas and Aer Lingus: different routes, similar destinations.The International Journal Of Human Resource Management,21(2), 180-196. Qi, Y., Zhao, X., Sheu, C. (2011). The Impact of Competitive Strategy and Supply Chain Strategy on Business Performance: The Role of Environmental Uncertainty.Decision Sciences,42(2), 371-389. Ray, G., Barney, J., Muhanna, W. (2013). Capabilities, business processes, and competitive advantage: choosing the dependent variable in empirical tests of the resource-based view.Strategic Management Journal,25(1), 23-37. Rotha?rmel, F. (2017).Strategic management(1st ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.

Wright And Wrong Essays - Oaths, Scout Promise, DraftCarson Hill

Wright And Wrong old brain acquired any knowledge from was my parents. They were my soul teachers on what was and what was not ethical. Then one brisk fall day my tiny right foot hit the bus steps and I was off to my first day of school. It was in this one isolated incident in wh Beginning from birth until I was about five years old the only source that my five-year ich my brain began to fog up from the entire worlds views on ethics. Basically in the fraction of a second that it took my foot to make contact with the rubber stuff on the bus steps, I became perpetually confused as to what was right and what was wrong. As I made my way down the aisle of the bus I found a seat with a very scruffy little kid (Danny McCormick), whom would soon become my partner in crime. This was my best bud back in the day when days lasted weeks and weeks lasted years. Now being an extremely shy child I was his lackey, he said jump and I responded how high? We were that children who always had to sit on the wall during recess for throwing dirt at little Billy or for teasing little Susie about her stupid pink bow. To this day the smell of Windex will send me straight back to the days of cleaning the chalkboard and the desks during recess. Also we were the well-published chalkboard names with the vivacious yellow check mark strategically placed directly following. The two of us could be found at any given time together and probably causing trouble. So my best bud until about fourth grade basically taught me to be a little punk. Which totally went against everything my parents had taught me. Here is where I need to flashback to fill you in on my parent's background and what they had taught me until I started attending school. My parents are the basic run of the mile middle class parents. They are not: drug addicts, alcoholics, quick-tempered, violent, or in any way emotionally scaring. To sum it up my parents are the Huxtable's without all the sappy make you want to vomit scenes. They had always grilled a sense of love everyone, treat others the way you want to be treated view into my head. So meeting my little scruffy Danny was something extremely new and exciting to me. He taught me it could be fun to get in trouble, my parents of course thought otherwise and would try at all lengths to keep us apart. This was like trying to keep Bert away from Ernie. During the summer before fourth-grade Danny and his family moved to the upper- peninsula and we lost contact after about five years of what seemed like an everlasting friendship. I'm sure my parents were pained to see me hurt by the whole ordeal of losing my best buddy, but I also believe that they jumped for joy internally when he left in his parents beat-up old station wagon that day lost so long ago. The memory lives on and what he taught me will always be apart of what I hold ethical. Upon returning to school in the fall of the fourth grade I found myself surrounded by all the familiar faces minus one. I realized all these kids were the ones that we had tormented for so many years, why would they ever speak to me. So for a few days I basically kept to myself, went back to being really shy and I spoke to no one. My whole personality had changed into something these kids had never seen; I was not being a little bad ass. And one day a little curly-headed girl, (Heather Ross), whom we had repeatedly tormented, approached me and asked me to come over to her house and play and I did. This was the beginning of my second most beautiful friendship. Heather and I would do everything together just as Danny and I had, but this relationship was quite different. We didn't do everything to physically or emotionally injure another person, which was what I basically was doing for

Descriptive vs. Inferential Statistics

Descriptive vs. Inferential Statistics The field of statistics is divided into two major divisions: descriptive and inferential. Each of these segments is important, offering different techniques that accomplish different objectives. Descriptive statistics describe what is going on in a  population  or  data set. Inferential statistics, by contrast, allow scientists to take findings from a sample group and generalize them to a larger population. The two types of statistics have some important differences. Descriptive Statistics Descriptive statistics is the type of statistics that probably springs to most people’s minds when they hear the word â€Å"statistics.† In this branch of statistics, the goal is to describe. Numerical measures are used to tell about features of a set of data. There are a number of items that belong in this portion of statistics, such as: The average, or measure of the center of a data set, consisting of the mean, median, mode, or midrangeThe spread of a data set, which can be measured with the range or standard deviationOverall descriptions of data such as the five number summaryMeasurements such as skewness and kurtosisThe exploration of relationships and correlation between paired dataThe presentation of statistical results in graphical form These measures are important and useful because they allow scientists to see patterns among data, and thus to make sense of that data. Descriptive statistics can only be used to describe the population or data set under study: The results cannot be generalized to any other group or population. Types of Descriptive Statistics There are two kinds of descriptive statistics that social scientists use: Measures of central tendency  capture general trends within the data and are calculated and expressed as the mean,  median, and  mode. A mean tells scientists the mathematical average of all of a data set, such as the average age at first marriage; the median represents the middle of the data distribution, like the age that sits in the middle of the range of ages at which people first marry; and, the mode might be the most common age at which people first marry. Measures of spread  describe how the data are distributed and relate to each other, including: The range, the entire range of values present in a data setThe  frequency distribution, which defines how many times a particular value occurs within a data setQuartiles, subgroups formed within a data set when all values are divided into four equal parts across the rangeMean absolute deviation, the average of how much each value deviates from the meanVariance, which illustrates how much of a spread exists in the dataStandard deviation, which illustrates the spread of data relative to the mean Measures of spread are often visually represented in tables, pie and bar charts, and histograms to aid in the understanding of the trends within the data. Inferential Statistics Inferential statistics are produced through complex mathematical calculations that allow scientists to infer trends about a larger population based on a study of a sample taken from it. Scientists use inferential statistics to examine the relationships between variables within a sample and then make generalizations or predictions about how those variables will relate  to  a larger population. It is usually impossible to examine each member of the population individually. So scientists choose a representative subset of the population, called a  statistical sample, and from this analysis, they are able to say something about the population from which the sample came. There are two major divisions of inferential statistics: A confidence interval gives a range of values for an unknown parameter of the population by measuring a statistical sample. This is expressed in terms of an interval and the degree of confidence that the parameter is within the interval.Tests of significance or hypothesis testing  where scientists make a claim about the population by analyzing a statistical sample. By design, there is some uncertainty in this process. This can be expressed in terms of a level of significance. Techniques that social scientists use to examine the relationships between variables, and thereby to create inferential statistics, include linear regression analyses,  logistic regression analyses,  ANOVA,  correlation analyses,  structural equation modeling, and survival analysis. When conducting research using inferential statistics, scientists conduct a test of significance to determine whether they can  generalize their results to a larger population. Common tests of significance include  the  chi-square  and  t-test. These tell scientists the probability that the results of their  analysis of the sample are representative of the population as a whole. Descriptive vs. Inferential Statistics Although descriptive statistics is helpful in learning things such as the spread and center of the data, nothing in descriptive statistics can be used to make any generalizations. In descriptive statistics, measurements such as the mean and standard deviation are stated as exact numbers. Even though inferential statistics uses some similar calculations - such as the mean and standard deviation - the focus is different for inferential statistics. Inferential statistics start with a sample and then generalizes to a population. This information about a population is not stated as a number. Instead, scientists express these parameters as a range of potential numbers, along with a degree of confidence.

Great Communicators in History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Great Communicators in History - Essay Example He served eight years in Illinois legislature and also served as a captain in the Black Hawk War. Lincoln began his political career at the age of 23 as a member of Whig Party but his beginning campaign for the Illinois General Assembly was unsuccessful and he left politics for the time being. He resumed his political career after the passage of the Kansas – Nebraska Act in 1854 which repealed the limit on slavery and recognized the right of people to decide whether to allow slavery in their area or not. From his stand strongly opposite slavery he rejoined politics but his first bid for US senate was unsuccessful. He received some support for the Republican vice-presidential nomination in 1856 and started his move against slavery as public speaker and prominent debater. The nation began to listen to his views from famous speeches like Lost Speech, House Divided Speech, etc. one after another. He received national recognition as a public speaker with his successful speech in th e Cooper Institute, New York in 1860 (â€Å"An overview†¦Ã¢â‚¬ , n.d.). He won the Presidential election in 1860 to become the 16th President of the nation. As the President he faced immense crisis in saving the union from falling apart. He decision continued Civil Wars for four years and Emancipation Proclamation was declared in 1863 declaring the freedom of the slaves. His famous Gettysburg Speech is still remembered as his gratitude to the dead soldiers in the War and as his effort to inspire the nation to follow the path of anti-slavery and unity, the cause for which the soldiers sacrificed their lives. He was re-elected as President in 1864 and initiated the peace activities. He took a more flexible and generous approach to ensure the unity of the nation and encourage the rebels of the south to join the peace mission. He clearly communicated this approach of him in his second inaugural speech. But somehow he was misunderstood as a supporter

Strategic management of Tesco Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4750 words

Strategic management of Tesco - Essay Example Inbound logistics include the receiving, warehousing, and inventory control of input materials. Superior supply chain management has always been Tesco's core strength. Stockholding and distribution costs were minimized by constantly replenishing stocks. The new Tesco stores were built so as to facilitate reconfiguration (for e.g. walls in the warehousing area could dismantled to make for additional selling space) and minimum warehousing space. Operations are the value-creating activities that transform the inputs into the final product. Outbound logistics are the activities required to get the finished product to the customer, including warehousing, order fulfilments, etc. Marketing & Sales are those activities associated with getting buyers to purchase the product, including channel selection, advertising, pricing, etc. Service activities are those that maintain and enhance the product's value including customer support, repair services, etc. The elements of the value chain describe d here have been dealt with in the earlier discussion. 1.2. Antecedents: The first three letters 'Tes' that form the name Tesco come from the founder Jack Cohen's first tea supplier, T. E. Stockwell and the 'co' from his surname - supply chain management has always been prominent in the company's scheme of things. ... They were; direct delivery of the supplier to the retail store; centralised distribution system for ambient goods to be supplied to regional centres, which began in the 1970s but continued to evolve over the years; a composite distribution system developed in 1989 and vertical collaboration in the supply chain to achieve better operational efficiencies. The 'reconfiguration of distribution and operational strategies' helped the company to achieve sustainable competitive advantage. The company's fortunes changed dramatically during the 1992-2002 decade. The top six retailers in the UK up to 2002 were Tesco, Sainsbury's, Gateway (now Somerfield), Argyll (now Safeway), Asda (acquired by Wal-Mart) and Kwik Save. Tesco was far ahead of its competitors in 2002 with sales worth ' 15.6 billion - her nearest rival Sainsbury's had sales of ' 6.4 billion. In 2002 W. M. Morrison arrived as a new entrant to the top six claiming a place above Safeway with sales of ' 3 billion in that year and in the process dislodging Kwik Save. 1.3. Strategic challenges: The strategic issues that the food retailing industry faced in the last decade of the twentieth century were challenging. As all of them offered - more or less - the same goods it was difficult to create a sustainable competitive advantage over an extended period. The differentiator was to be service and to beat competition businesses had to constantly evolve a process of innovation in their service offering. One of the consequences of this evolving process of innovation was to diversify product offerings that made food retailers move into non-food businesses like clothing, electrical goods, petrol, financial products and insurance apart from