Plato s Allegory Knowledge And How New Knowledge Can...

In Plato’s allegory there are many major concepts of knowledge and how new knowledge can alter a person’s entire life. One of Plato’s points is that people will cling to what they have always been told when presented new knowledge and may terrify them. Plato says: â€Å". . . you must not wonder that those who attain to this beatific vision are unwilling to descend to human affairs; for their souls are ever former state he had seen the shadows . . . that what he saw before was an illusion . . . Will he not fancy the shadows?†(Plato’s Allegory pg. 4) Another point Plato made is that the truth, more times than not, is painful. Plato says: â€Å"And if he is compelled to look straight at the light, will he not have a pain in his eyes which will make him turn away...† (Plato’s Allegory pg. 3) Plato also makes the point that sometimes knowing the truth and trying to break people who stay firm to their old beliefs may be strenuous and will be cast out. Plato says: â€Å". . . if there were a contest . . . in measuring the shadows with the prisoners who had never moved out of the den . . . would he not be ridiculous? Men would say of him that up he went and down he came without his eye . . . and if any one tried to lose another and lead him up†¦they would put him to death.†(Plato’s Allegory pg. 4) These points can be seen in students life’s as they grow in knowledge. A student, who has been told something the totality of their life, is suddenly confused when new information isShow MoreRelatedReading Reflection1647 Words   |  7 PagesI’ve read articles and novels that have broadened my horizon about how things are different than what someone may be used to. I learned how life experiences can shape your future and the choices you make. Not only did I learn things through the books and articles we have read, but also from my professor and his own life experiences that he was br ave enough to share with the class. I have never had a teacher who wanted to share knowledge as much as O’Hara does, and for that I am extremely grateful that

The Nsw Government And Medically Supervised Injecting Centre

The NSW government and ‘Medically Supervised (Heroin) Injecting Centre (Kings Cross): 1998-2010 This case study is based on results obtained from the public injecting site in the urban location of Sydney’s Kings Cross between 1998 and 2010. In exposing and analysing the history behind the initiative of the NSW Governments harm minimisation program of ‘Medically Supervised Injecting Centres’ (MSIC). This paper offers a snapshot into the public policy and responses associated with public injecting and metanarrative directions of the program management and evaluation methods that were applied to how this program unfolded. Agenda-setting The NSW Government recognised that a new approach was needed to reach marginalised and long-term injecting†¦show more content†¦There was a great push for a non-judgmental approach that would ‘reduce physical, social and psychological risks to individuals who use drugs and to society as a whole’ (McCann Temenos, 2015, p. 217). Never the less, this was a highly contested set of policy formulation across all levels of governance. Policy actors and institutions Health services for people who inject drugs are subject to ‘considerable community concern and media and political attention’ (MSIC Evaluation Committee, 2003, p. 177). The development of a policy network, in July 1997 involved a multiplicity of actors who played an important role in the policy process. A NSW Parliamentary Joint Select Committee of ‘public and private spheres’ (Dennis, 2013, p. 78) was established to consider the feasibility for a trial of a MSIC. The Committee extensively reviewed the arguments contending for and arguing against proposals for a trial, and a suitable location. Copious submissions and evidence was put forward to the Committee with many advocators endorsing the action commenting that ‘injecting rooms may contribute to the reduction in the number of fatal and non-fatal overdoses by providing access to resuscitation and disseminating information about safer using practices’ (Parliament of New South Wales, 1998, p. 82). For the most part, government law enforcement and health organisations worked in partnership to support the panoply of programs of legally

Porter Argues That If a Firm Is to Attain Competitive Advantage Free Essays

Porter argues that if a firm is to attain competitive advantage; it must choose between the types of competitive advantage it seeks, discuss using an industrial example? An industry can be defined as a group of companies offering products that are closely substituting for each other in order to satisfy customers. Competitive advantage can be defined as when a firm sustains profit which exceeds the company’s average; it automatically possesses competitive advantage over rivals. The business strategy for most companies is to achieve a sustainable competitive advantage. We will write a custom essay sample on Porter Argues That If a Firm Is to Attain Competitive Advantage or any similar topic only for you Order Now This essay aims to discuss why firms must choose between types of competitive advantages using an industrial example. Michael Porter indentified that there are 2 basic types of competitive advantage, cost advantage and differentiation advantage. A competitive advantage exists when the firm is able to deliver the same benefits as competitors but at a lower price (Cost Advantage) or deliver benefits that exceed those of the competitors (Differentiation). Thus, the firm creates superior value and products for customers whilst it gains superior profit for the company. A resource based view emphasizes that a firm utilizes its resources and capabilities to create a competitive advantage that results in creating superior value thus the firm must have resources and capabilities that are superior to those of the competitors. Resources are the firm specific assets used for creating either a cost advantage or differentiation advantage, examples of resources are brand equity, reputation, installed customer base. While, capabilities refer to the firm’s ability of utilizing its resources, an example is the ability to bring out a product or market before competitors. Thus, the resources and capabilities together result in distinctive competencies which allow innovation, efficiency, creativity, quality and customer responsiveness which can be leveraged to create cost advantage or differentiation. Essentially, a firm’s relative position within its industry determines whether its profitability stands above or below industry average. Porter states that there are 2 types of competitive advantage a firm can possess as mentioned above however , there are 3 generic strategies for achieving competitive advantage in an industry; cost advantage/leadership, differentiation and focus. The first type of competitive advantage is cost advantage /leadership, it is when a firm becomes low cost producer in its industry. It minimizes the cost to the organization of delivering products and services. According to Porter (1985) , there are two ways of achieving cost leadership either by increasing profit by reducing costs while charging the average price. Or by increasing market share through charging lower prices while still achieving a reasonable profit on each sale because your cost has been reduced. Furthermore, companies that are successful in achieving cost leadership usually have an access to the capital needed to invest in technology which helps reduce the cost. Also, they have very efficient logistics and a low cost base such as labor, materials and facilities (Ibid, 1985). Essentially, if a firm can achieve and maintain cost leadership, it can obtain above average performance whilst the prices are still affordable in that industry. Hence, the cost leader does not try to be the industry innovator, it seeks to position its products to appeal to the average customer taste. The aimed goal is to increase efficiency and lower its costs in relation to competitors. Some of the advantages of the cost leadership strategies are it is protected by industry competitors by cost advantage, purchases in large quantities which increases bargaining power over supplier. Also, it has the ability to reduce price to compete with substitute products, less affected by a fall in the price of inputs as it has powerful buyers. Some of the disadvantages are competitors may lower their cost structure, they may imitate the cost leaders method and cost reductions may affect demand. Furthermore, Porter argues that a low cost position acts to a firm’s benefit against rivalry, and it can act as a defense against powerful suppliers by providing more flexibility to cope with input increases. The car industry has always been one of the most competitive industries because of the huge revenues and profits available at stake. The competition has increased drastically in this industry as there has been a constant need to continuously develop new kinds of car models to satisfy the needs of particular groups of buyers. For example, Toyota has used its low cost structure to produce efficient and increasing ranges of vehicles tailored to different segments of the car industry. Its ability to move from the design to production stage in two to three years gives it the benefit of bringing out new models faster than its competitors and capitalize on the development of new market segments or niches. Also, Toyota has been a leader in positioning its range of vehicles to take advantage of emerging market segments. For example , in the sports utility segment, it offers six models of sports utility vehicles each offering a combination of price, size, performance, styling and luxury that appeals to different sets of buyers. The second type of competitive advantage addressed by Porter is differentiation. As opposed to cost leadership approach, differentiation does not seek to lower prices in order to gain competitive advantage. Porter states that by using differentiation approach, a firm seeks to be unique in its industry alongside some attributes that are greatly valued by buyers. An industry selects few attributes that most buyers in an industry perceive as vital and aims to uniquely present and position itself to meet those needs. Differentiation approach is usually rewarded for its uniqueness with a premium price and to make a successful generic strategy, organizations need to have good research, development and innovation. They need to have the ability to deliver high quality products and services and have an effective sales and marketing team in order to understand the market demands. Usually, companies that follow differentiation strategies create a product that is distinct for its competitors in an important way. Therefore, a differentiator strives to differentiate itself in as many dimensions as it can, it seeks to segment the market in many niches , and it focuses on the organizational functions that provide a source of distinct advantages. According to Porter, there are several sources of product differentiation that a firm must look at. Firstly, firms should focus on the product and highlight which features they want to change, how complex they want the product to be, when they would like to introduce the product and the location. Secondly, firms should focus on their relationship with the customer, product customization, and consumer marketing and product reputation. Lastly, firms should focus on linkages within and between firms, linkages among functions within a firm, linkages with other firms, product mix , distribution channel and service and support. Some of the advantages of differentiation strategy are customers develop brand loyalty. Also, differentiators could pass price increases onto customers, powerful buyers are not a problem because the product is distinct and differentiation and brand loyalty are barriers to entry. Some of the disadvantages of differentiation strategies are difficulties maintaining long term distinctiveness in consumer’s eyes, competitors can quickly imitate and difficulty maintaining premium price. For example, American Express carefully differentiated its product using famous people to advertise the virtues, exclusivity, and distinctness of possessing those cards. Amex cards were premium products that allowed the company to charge both customers and merchants more because it offered quality service and conferred status on the user. By 2002, it offered 9 kinds of charge cards and 14 kinds of credit cards seeking to expand the market reach. The third strategy Porter mentions is the focus strategy which concentrates on particular niche markets and tries to understand the dynamics of that particular market. Alongside, the unique needs of customers in those markets, it seeks to develop low cost and well specified products for the market. Usually, it results in strong brand loyalty amongst customers which makes their market segment less attractive to competitors. Focus strategy usually combines with either cost leadership or differentiation as it is not enough on its own. In addition, the focuser strives to serve the need of a targeted niche market segment where it has either a low cost or differentiated competitive advantage. In cost focus, a firm seeks cost advantage as its target segment. In differentiation focus, firms choose differentiation as their main approach. Some of the advantages of focus strategy is the focuser is protected from rivals by providing a product or service that they cannot offer, the focuser has power over buyers because they cannot get the same service from anywhere else. Also, the threat of new entrants is limited by customer loyalty to the brand and customer loyalty lessens the threat from substitutes. Some of the disadvantages of focus strategies are differentiators will compete for a focuser’s niche and the focuser’s niche may disappear because of technological change or changes in customer’s tastes. How to cite Porter Argues That If a Firm Is to Attain Competitive Advantage, Essay examples

Anne Frank Remembered Essay Example For Students

Anne Frank Remembered Essay Gies, Miep., Gold, Allison. Anne Frank Remembered Essay. New York: Simon and Schuster Inc., 1987. 220pp. Anne Frank Remembered is the autobiography of Miep Gies, the woman who helped the Frank family survive during their two years in hiding. Her book is a primary source or first hand account of the persecution of Jewish people in Nazi occupied Holland during the second world war. It is also the first hand account of the hiding of Jews such as the Frank family, the Van Daan family, and Dr. Albert Dussel during this time. In regard to the books autobiographical format, the author, Miep Gies, does not present the reader with a clear thesis statement. Instead, throughout the book the author discusses her main views toward the actions of the Nazis and their oppression of the Jewish people. Her disapproval of German Nazi actions is evident in the following quotation, when she was asked to join the Nazi Girls Club: How can I join such a club? I icily asked. Look at what the Germans are doing to the Jews in Germany. Let her take a good look at me and see with her own eyes that some Aryan woman was not to be swept in by the Nazis. (Gies, p. 41, 1987). The main source of background to the authors viewpoint is her own story. In order to further discuss her main points and views, a summary of her story must be given. The book began with a brief history of the childhood of Miep Gies. She was born in Vienna, Austria in 1909, where she lived with her parents until the age eleven year. She was then sent to Amsterdam by a program in the aid of undernourished and sick children and was to be adopted by a Dutch family. She became used to the Dutch way of life as she grew older and soon she began to consider herself Dutch, not Viennese. Her association with the Frank family began when she was given a job with the Pectacon Company, owned and operated by Mr. Otto Frank. His company made and sold pectin, which was used for making jam. Mieps first part of the job was to make jam with different formulas of pectin. After becoming an expert jam maker, she was placed at a desk in the office to do office work. She became very close to the Frank family and was invited to their home regularly for meals. She also began a relationship with a man named Jan, whom she later married. Throughout her book, Miep incorporated much information on Hitlers Nazi movement in both the Netherlands and the rest of Europe. She described the slow persecution of the Jews and the various restrictions placed upon them. In July of 1942, Miep and her husband helped the Frank family move into a hiding place named the secret annex, located in secret rooms of the Pectacon company building. It had become too dangerous for the Frank family to live as Jews in Amsterdam. An order came for the Pectacon company to be liquidated as a Jewish business, so Mr. Frank turned it over in the names of his trusted, Christian business associates: Mr. Kraler and Mr. Koophuis. Although legally Mr. Frank had no ties with the business, it was still secretly directed by him with the means of clandestine meetings between the three men. Miep described her responsibilities in shopping for the family and providing them with the necessities of life. She and her husband came up with plans to get extra ration cards in order to feed the Franks, the Van Daans, Dr. Dussel, and themselves. All of the things she did for the families put a risk on her own life; even providing them with her companionship was illegal. .u4490a9042f8d16f5027a83b231650ab3 , .u4490a9042f8d16f5027a83b231650ab3 .postImageUrl , .u4490a9042f8d16f5027a83b231650ab3 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u4490a9042f8d16f5027a83b231650ab3 , .u4490a9042f8d16f5027a83b231650ab3:hover , .u4490a9042f8d16f5027a83b231650ab3:visited , .u4490a9042f8d16f5027a83b231650ab3:active { border:0!important; } .u4490a9042f8d16f5027a83b231650ab3 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u4490a9042f8d16f5027a83b231650ab3 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u4490a9042f8d16f5027a83b231650ab3:active , .u4490a9042f8d16f5027a83b231650ab3:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u4490a9042f8d16f5027a83b231650ab3 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u4490a9042f8d16f5027a83b231650ab3 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u4490a9042f8d16f5027a83b231650ab3 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u4490a9042f8d16f5027a83b231650ab3 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u4490a9042f8d16f5027a83b231650ab3:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u4490a9042f8d16f5027a83b231650ab3 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u4490a9042f8d16f5027a83b231650ab3 .u4490a9042f8d16f5027a83b231650ab3-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u4490a9042f8d16f5027a83b231650ab3:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Essay However, Miep and her husband became one of the only links the families in hiding had to the outside world. On the morning of August 4, 1944, the efforts of Miep and the families failed when their hiding place was raided by Nazi officials. The families were arrested and sent to prison camps. The only thing left for Miep to do was retrieve some of their belongings. During her quick surveyance of the .