Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond - 825 Words

Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond - A Systematic Summary and Review (Book Review Sample) Content: Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond - A Systematic Summary and ReviewNameInstitution AffiliationGuns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond- A Systematic Summary and ReviewIn Guns, Germs and Steel, bestselling author Jared Diamond puts up a spirited argument in providing explanations of the wealth disparity in the world today. The book is an argument laced with literary artisanship with the main preoccupation of providing justifications of why some communities are more successful materially than others. In this endeavor, Diamond suggests that the current world inequity can be conceived historically in the context of the use of steel, animal domestication, food production and geographical disparities. In offering an account of more than 13,000 years, Diamond puts up a convincing case that geography and the environment in general (and not race or biology) are the most significant variables that can be used to explain regional socio-economic disparities. The writer uses a variety of writing techniques including narrations to provide insights and offer a fresh access to reality by espousing the specific mechanisms through which some communities amassed material wealth more than others and sometimes, at the expense of others.One of the key ideas in the book that has also subjected it to intense criticism is the argument that European powers never obtained the systemic power through the greatness of skill or mind. Drawing from the perspectives that shaped world history, Diamond gathers evidence relating to settler colonialism and its associated hazards, which ostensibly led to what he refers to as "geographic luck." According to him, the systemic powers characteristic of the most developed parts of the world was not acquired through deliberate effort, but a pure chance occasioned by the functional mechanisms of racism. Moreover, Guns, Germs and Steel discusses the various factors that led to Eurasia getting ahead of the rest of the world especially envi ronmental differences. The book gets more interesting at the point where Diamond singles out the differences between flora and fauna that are fit for domestication as a factor that explains socio-economic disparities between Eurasia and the rest of the world. International geographical barriers, isolation of some sections of the world and axes are some considerations Diamond also appeals to as possible explanations for wealth disparities.From a general perspective, it is easy to see that Diamondà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬s major concern in the book is to provide not only an explanation for world inequity based on geographical and environmental differences but also squash any such arguments that are hinged on racial differences. More aptly, Diamond argues that there is no fundamental difference between races. To support his arguments, he draws a comparison between individuals living in harsh conditions in New Guinea and those living lavish lives in Europe to make the point that living in harsh condi tions require more intelligence. Using a narration to this effect, Diamond appeals to the laws of social Darwinism to explain that if any explanation of racial superiority as a basis for world inequality is to be accepted, New Guinea must be justified as among the richest since its peoples are "more intelligent" based on the fact that they can survive harsh climatic conditions. From the second chapter of the book, Diamond unsurprisingly adopts an anecdotal approach discussing some of the tenet themes of the book through his encounters with the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"primitive people especially with the manner in which they adapt to technology. The major argument that Diamond succeeds in providing in the narrations of his encounters is that technology is essentially due to innovativeness and that given similar conditions, all races can be equally innovative.In the last half of the book, Diamond provides the specific agricultural, cultural and social practices that led to world inequality. Ea ch chapter of the book addresses a specific mechanism providing the situational factors that led to gross economic disparities on the planet. In chapter 13, Necessityà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬s Mother, Diamond puts forth one of his clearest explanations of world inequality by explaining how early models of inventions were received differently in different parts of the world. He argues that in the ancient times, early forms of civilization (technology) were incorporated into the society based on their social prestige, economic significance, visibility of its proceeds and its compatibility with the status quo. Further, he explains how the successful adoption of technology can make a community more superior than the other and this explanation is a microcosm of the larger story in Guns, Germs and Steel that seeks to answer Yalià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬s question: Why are some communities more prosperous than others are? The chronology with which Diamond explains technology, its reception in the society and how this influences that particular society with respect to the other is a systematic and structu... Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond - 825 Words Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond - A Systematic Summary and Review (Book Review Sample) Content: Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond - A Systematic Summary and ReviewNameInstitution AffiliationGuns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond- A Systematic Summary and ReviewIn Guns, Germs and Steel, bestselling author Jared Diamond puts up a spirited argument in providing explanations of the wealth disparity in the world today. The book is an argument laced with literary artisanship with the main preoccupation of providing justifications of why some communities are more successful materially than others. In this endeavor, Diamond suggests that the current world inequity can be conceived historically in the context of the use of steel, animal domestication, food production and geographical disparities. In offering an account of more than 13,000 years, Diamond puts up a convincing case that geography and the environment in general (and not race or biology) are the most significant variables that can be used to explain regional socio-economic disparities. The writer uses a variety of writing techniques including narrations to provide insights and offer a fresh access to reality by espousing the specific mechanisms through which some communities amassed material wealth more than others and sometimes, at the expense of others.One of the key ideas in the book that has also subjected it to intense criticism is the argument that European powers never obtained the systemic power through the greatness of skill or mind. Drawing from the perspectives that shaped world history, Diamond gathers evidence relating to settler colonialism and its associated hazards, which ostensibly led to what he refers to as "geographic luck." According to him, the systemic powers characteristic of the most developed parts of the world was not acquired through deliberate effort, but a pure chance occasioned by the functional mechanisms of racism. Moreover, Guns, Germs and Steel discusses the various factors that led to Eurasia getting ahead of the rest of the world especially envi ronmental differences. The book gets more interesting at the point where Diamond singles out the differences between flora and fauna that are fit for domestication as a factor that explains socio-economic disparities between Eurasia and the rest of the world. International geographical barriers, isolation of some sections of the world and axes are some considerations Diamond also appeals to as possible explanations for wealth disparities.From a general perspective, it is easy to see that Diamondà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬s major concern in the book is to provide not only an explanation for world inequity based on geographical and environmental differences but also squash any such arguments that are hinged on racial differences. More aptly, Diamond argues that there is no fundamental difference between races. To support his arguments, he draws a comparison between individuals living in harsh conditions in New Guinea and those living lavish lives in Europe to make the point that living in harsh condi tions require more intelligence. Using a narration to this effect, Diamond appeals to the laws of social Darwinism to explain that if any explanation of racial superiority as a basis for world inequality is to be accepted, New Guinea must be justified as among the richest since its peoples are "more intelligent" based on the fact that they can survive harsh climatic conditions. From the second chapter of the book, Diamond unsurprisingly adopts an anecdotal approach discussing some of the tenet themes of the book through his encounters with the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‹Å"primitive people especially with the manner in which they adapt to technology. The major argument that Diamond succeeds in providing in the narrations of his encounters is that technology is essentially due to innovativeness and that given similar conditions, all races can be equally innovative.In the last half of the book, Diamond provides the specific agricultural, cultural and social practices that led to world inequality. Ea ch chapter of the book addresses a specific mechanism providing the situational factors that led to gross economic disparities on the planet. In chapter 13, Necessityà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬s Mother, Diamond puts forth one of his clearest explanations of world inequality by explaining how early models of inventions were received differently in different parts of the world. He argues that in the ancient times, early forms of civilization (technology) were incorporated into the society based on their social prestige, economic significance, visibility of its proceeds and its compatibility with the status quo. Further, he explains how the successful adoption of technology can make a community more superior than the other and this explanation is a microcosm of the larger story in Guns, Germs and Steel that seeks to answer Yalià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬s question: Why are some communities more prosperous than others are? The chronology with which Diamond explains technology, its reception in the society and how this influences that particular society with respect to the other is a systematic and structu...

The Promotion Of Oral Language - 1561 Words

The last forty years have brought sweeping changes in literacy education with constant new information available on how children learn language and become literate (Fountas Pinnell, 1996). But the grounding for all progression, as asserted by Browne (2001) is that ‘learning to read and write are founded upon children’s oral language†¦pupils learning depends on growing competence in language modes (read and write) which grow out of their ability to speak and listen’. This is also advocated by Fricke et al (2013:280) stating that the promotion of oral language skills are a secure foundation to build on for literacy. The quality of the child’s language is determined by the stimuli of experiences and interests, from both outside and inside the school, which can be used by the teacher to support the child’s involvement with literacy by providing those interests with meaning and purpose, and by explicitly linking them ‘between spoken and writt en language in order to effect the bridge that is so powerful for literacy development’ (Reid, 1993 cited Riley, 1996). So what is reading? It is a highly complicated process involving how to make meaning from printed symbols and understanding the black marks on the page and the demanding knowledge of syntax (sentence structure). Recognising the small round letters is not easy as upper case letters are different to lower case, so there are actually 43 letters to recognise. Additionally, there are 44 letter-sound relationshipsShow MoreRelatedTanglewood Case 41587 Words   |  7 Pagesexam, and personality exam. All stores, including those employing the traditional selection method, collected on education, work experience and interview score correlation to the four indicators of success: citizenship, absence, performance, and promotion potential. Assessment of the practical and statistical significance of a proposed set of hiring tools and recommendations regarding how adopting these new hiring methods might benefit stores It is important that any set of hiring tools adoptedRead More Colgate-Palmolive 778 Words   |  4 PagesAccording to Kotler and Keller (2009) â€Å"sales promotion is a key ingredient in marketing campaigns, consists of a collection of incentive tools, mostly short term, designed to stimulate quicker or greater purchase of particular products or services by consumers or the trade.† Colgate-Palmolive offers several promotions to increase sales. Consumers can find coupons and special offers on the company’s website. Consumers can also find sweepstakes and special promotions on the company website (Colgate, 2011)Read MoreHow Dental Caries Is A Disease Associated With Social Deprivation1488 Words   |  6 PagesAppendix 5 14 Appendix 6 15 Appendix 7 16 Appendix 8 17 Appendix 9 18 Appendix 10 18 Abstract Improvements in children’s oral health in Scotland, is evident. However, it is clear inequalities remain â€Å"It has become apparent that dental caries is essentially a disease associated with social deprivation† (Childsmile, 2013). According to current statistics, particularly those relating to oral health in children; compared children in primary 1, in the most and least deprived areas of Scotland with no obviousRead MoreThe Effects Of Deafness On Deaf Children1669 Words   |  7 Pagesidentity, transnationalism, community, and Deaf Space. American Sign Language is a visual-based language that is the primary language used by Deaf individuals. American Sign Language benefits our society due to the language’s visual nature, which produces a creative expression that is otherwise not experienced in oral languages. Research done by Bauman and Murray has shown that â€Å"Deaf individuals who use American Sign Language have more well-developed peripheral vision, a greater ability to formRead MoreDeafness Has Been A Negative Label. Being Deaf Is Considered1528 Words   |  7 Pagesidentity, transnationalism, community, and Deaf Space. American Sign Language is a visual-based language that is the primary language used by Deaf individuals. American Sign Language benefits our society due to the language’s visual nature, which produces a creative expression that is otherwise not experienced in oral languages. Research done by Bauman and Murray has shown that â€Å"Deaf individuals who use American Sign Language have more well-developed peripheral vision, a greater ability to formRead MoreNational Advisory Council On Dental Health1246 Words   |  5 Pagesbarrier to improving oral health in Australia where many Australians find it difficult to access dental services. Currently, targeted schemes have directed focus and funding towards delivering comprehensive dental care to disadvantaged Australians including persons with a current concession card and/or health care card. Many of these people have poor oral health and access dental care through the public system. A great burden for resources and funding is placed on the oral health care system byRead MoreThe Importance Of Oral Health In Ibero-American Region817 Words   |  4 PagesOral health in Ibero-American region deserves a space for discussion, reflection and primary cooperation to research. There are many aspects in common, besides the language, and it needs to demonstrate knowledge and practice in order to search for solutions to public health problems in our region. The Ibero-American Observatory of Public Policies in Oral Health, created in December 2016 in Mexico City, aims to bring together researchers from Latin America, Central America, and Spain CANADA? thatRead MoreBilingual Vs. Bilingual Education1283 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"engage† academic content in both languages. Not only can a bilingual education help ELL students academically, it can also teach students about diversity. Research shows by using the student s’ native language, it boost students’ self-esteem, identity, and encourage student to develop resources in their native language. Therefore, this program does not isolate students rather it embraces their culture and native language to achieve proficiency in both languages (Rolstad, Mahoney, Glass, 2005). InRead MoreGuide To Living With An Ileostomy : Article Review910 Words   |  4 Pagesadults aged between 20 to 50 years old, who require surgery for both inflamed bowel diseases such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, or for familial adenomatous polyposis, cancer, trauma or birth defects. According to Bastable (2014) â€Å"health promotion is the most neglected aspect young adulthood stage (20-40) readiness to learn needs to be actively fostered through experiences the nurse initiates based on individualized needs† (p.193). Bastable (2014) explains that in young adults, teachingRead MoreOccupational Therapists And The Occupational Therapy1301 Words   |  6 Pagestherapy is to help return the patient to their original participation in sports and to improve their ability to complete their everyday tasks that they perform throughout their day. Occupational therapists also play an important role in mental health promotion and prevention with children and youth. Children and youth with or without disabilities or mental illness can benefit from occupational therapy in the schools and in their everyday life. Occupational therapy can help all children â€Å"develop and maintain

The Strategy And Priorities Of The Product Service

1. SUMMARY The base line of this case study is to identify a service along with three different providers of that service and compare the different competitive priorities and operating strategies such as cost, quality, time, flexibility, product range†¦ etc. for these three different service providers with the help of â€Å"COMPETITIVE PRIORITIES BY KRAJEWSKI RITZMAN† and â€Å"ORDER WINNING CRITERIA BY T. HILL† . Each and every corporate objectives and marketing strategies are taken into deliberation to comprehend how the services win orders in the market place, by taking source from the particular provider’s promotional information and reviews. Every service developers comes up with disparate new ideas to provide best service quality to the costumers. Some of the provider’s concentrate on wide range of the services and some on low cost and some of them concentrate on quality in the service, because every costumer will have different personalized priorities. In this study we are going to compare operations strategy and priorities of the product service that is being provided to the costumer. The below disquisition depends predominantly on the advancement information of the manufacturer and costumer reviews on the service. 2. SERVICES A service is an activity or series of activities of more or less intangible nature that normally, but not necessarily, take place in interactions between costumer and service providers or physical resources or system of the service providers which areShow MoreRelatedOperation Strategy Within an Organization1287 Words   |  6 PagesOperation Strategy within an Organization Raven Davis MGT 4850 Operation Strategy within an Organization Operation strategy has been defined as â€Å"the development of a long term plan for using the major resources of the firm for a high degree of culpability between these resources and the firm’s long term corporate strategy.† (Davis, 2007) Operation strategy is a very important function for any organization. Operation strategy is the link that brings all of an organizations processes and valueRead MoreSupply Chain Strategy1576 Words   |  7 PagesSupply-Chain Management Supply-chain management consists of developing a strategy to organize, control, and motivate the resources involved in the flow of services and materials within the supply chain. A supply chain strategy, an essential aspect of supply chain management, seeks to design a firm’s supply chain to meet the competitive priorities of the firm’s operations strategy. 1 Supply Chain Strategy Across the Organization Supply chains must be managed to coordinate the inputsRead MoreWhat Was Lasik Visions Competitive Priority1019 Words   |  5 PagesLasik Vision’s competitive priority focused on the financial perspective of the management. The strategy design was diverted to improving the revenue and profitability aspects of the business. Prior to Michael Henderson joining the company, Dr. Hugo Sutton managed to integrate all elements of operations and utilized a comprehensive strategy for the company. Though being a medical practitioner and surgeon, his area of expertise was more of the strategic competencies and technologies of the com Read MoreEssay On Foundation For Success1726 Words   |  7 Pageswins. †¢ It is on me to accelerate the transition, I will need to hit the ground running, accelerate my learning and create value as early as possible. †¢ I will look to build early momentum, aligning strategy, structure, systems and skills. WHAT ARE MY OBJECTIVES †¢ Implementing the vision and strategy set by the CEO. †¢ Become a valued trusted member of the team. †¢ Managing business-specific objectives for delivery. †¢ Setting key metrics for the business and ensuring they are met. †¢ Ensuring new systemsRead MoreCase Study : The Pizza Wars Come At Campus968 Words   |  4 Pagescompetitive advantages or core competencies? The mission, the essence of BSB Inc. on campus, would be to provide food services to the students, faculty and staff of campus, efficiently and effectively to ensure customer satisfaction. BSB, enjoys a number of competitive advantages with their locations, options for food, being an established business on campus, and delivery services. BSB is strategically located on campus in three locations, each with a different set of food delivery methods, BSBRead MoreStrategic Role of Operations in Ecolab’s Corporate Strategy Essay1428 Words   |  6 Pagesmanagement should plan its long-term future. Corporate strategy is a management plan, which defines its business activities, prospects and development objectives. It also includes organization’s business strategy as a main choice of means and methods of competition (Griffin, Pustay, 2005). This may be production of standardized products or delivery-on-order products/service, competition based on lower prices or rapid delivery of products. Corporate strategy provides overall direction, which provides theRead MoreLom Assignment850 Words   |  4 Pagessite enjoys millions of â€Å"hits† each day and put s customers in touch with millions of services and products. What are Amazon.com’s competitive priorities and what should its operations strategy focus on? The competitive priorities of Amazon are †¢ Variety ( it offers millions of services and products),. †¢ Low-cost (online sales), †¢ consistent quality †¢ delivery speed In my opinion its operations strategy should focus on Customer relationship-Variety. Amazon.com uses information technologyRead MoreLom5 Chapter 61519 Words   |  7 PagesLOM 5 A Question 2: What are Amazon.com’s competitive priorities and what should its operation strategy focus on? Competitive priorities: - Keep the position of market leader. - Maintain the fast delivery. - Low price focus - User friendly website. Operational strategy: Promote the website, especially in this time of the year, during the holidays. People will be reminded of the website, and maybe visit the website because of the promotion. When the visitorsRead MoreMarketing Framework Of Southwest Airlines1044 Words   |  5 PagesMarketing is about an exchange between a company and its customers. A company offers products or services and customers are in need of those products or services. A trade takes between both entities as a win-win transaction. The customer receives those product or services and the company in return in compensated. Southwest Airline, with over 34000 employees and covering more than 64 cities, offers its â€Å"low-fare† flights to customers for the past 49 years (Southwest Story, 2016). The highly spiritedRead MoreCompetitive Priorities of Amul1092 Words   |  5 PagesDefinition of Operations Strategy: Operations strategy is the total patterns of decisions and actions which set the role, objectives and activities of the operation so that they contribute to, and support, the organization’s business strategy. Operations strategy addresses very broad questions about how these major resources should be configured to achieve the desired corporate objectives. Some of the major long-term issues addressed in operations strategy include: * How big to make

Gut Feeling free essay sample

My friend Jerome called me talking about a party that was supposed to be the party of the year across town. My gut was telling me it was a bad idea, because across town were our rivals, Alcovy. A lot of animosity was built up from the game the other night. The game was so intense the basketball teams were even getting hostile towards one another. Once again that was my gut. My mind was telling me to go have fun. â€Å"What can possibly happen? I told myself. â€Å"My boys are going to be there. † As it got closer to the afternoon, more and more people began to tell me about this party. So my mind was made up that I was going. Problem was I didn’t want to tell my mom. She’s the type to go into a lecture about fighting, curfew, all the stuff mothers worry about. We will write a custom essay sample on Gut Feeling or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Honestly I wasn’t trying to sit through or hear all that, but I couldn’t lie to her so I told her. Two hours later I’m getting off the couch trying to shake out the cob webs from my ears. Some of what she was saying was processing in my head, but my main focus was on how the girls were going to look at the party.So you know I had to bring out one of my best outfit. As it came closer and closer to party time I began to think about what my gut was telling me earlier. â€Å"Don’t go† is what I kept hearing in my head. All I repeated to myself was that nothing was going to happen and I have nothing to worry about. My friend Jerome called me again and asked can he ride with me. Of course with him being my friend I said yes. I hopped in the shower, threw on my clothes, and was on my way to pick up Jerome. When I pulled up, his mother answered the door. When I walked through the door I saw Jerome on the couch.His mom was giving him the same lecture my mother gave me. When she was done we jumped in my beat up Ford Explorer. As we pulled up to the party I could see something hanging out his pants where his waist was. It was a gun. I pulled into the parking lot and before he could step out the car I grabbed him. I asked him why he brought the gun. He told me just in case anything popped off. I shook my head and got out the car. I told him to keep it in the car. The party was on point like I knew it was going to be. Then I saw my crush, Taija Bradley. I’ve had a crush on her since 9th grade.She had short hair with beautiful brown eyes. Her body made everybody double-take. This was my chance to actually talk to her face to face. As I approached her Tamarco Robins intercepted. Tamarco was the man at Alcovy. But with me being who I am I didn’t let that stop me. As he was talking to her I grabbed her hand and pulled her my way. Tamarco was heated. The whole part he began to mug me as I was dancing with Taija. The party was coming to an end, and I had got Taija number. When I turned around Tamarco was standing in my face. He pushed me and his boys surrounded me. I looked and my boys rushed in.Next thing I know there is a big brawl inside the party. Security got between us and broke us up. All I could hear was Tamarco and his crew talking about continuing the fight outside. So my friends and I looked at each other and proceeded outside. When we got outside Tamarco’s brother was at his car. As I turned around Tamarco punched me. I fell to the ground. When I got up I saw everybody fighting. Then I turn around and seen Tamarco’s brother coming towards the crowd with a gun. Before I could say anything he began to shoot. Everybody started to scatter. When he was done shooting, Tamarco and his boys got in their cars and left.I began to look around and saw somebody lying on the ground. â€Å"Jerome† I said to myself. I ran to him screaming his name. As I got to him I rolled him over and I could see he was shot twice. He was shot in the back and the chest. My friends and I put him in my truck and we took him to the hospital. Two hours had past, and his family and friends were in the waiting room. As we waited all I could think about was him. This was my fault for getting into it with Tamarco. All I wanted was revenge. When the doctor came out everyone stood up and waited for him to tell us what condition Jerome was in.Jerome didn’t make it he told us. It was like the world came to an abrupt halt. I had lost my best friend to nothing. My friend I had known my whole life was gone in one night. I turned to his mother and hugged her real tight as tears ran down my face onto her shoulder. To this day I think about him. The brother I always wanted. My gut feeling was right. I should have never gone to that party. Nothing was worth losing my best friend. He taught me a great lesson. Before you make an important decision, think about all the consequences. You never know how severe they may be.