Pick five of your favorite fallacies. Find advertisements, short news Essay

Pick five of your favorite fallacies. Find advertisements, short news stories, political arguments, etc (not all of the same - Essay Example One prominent area such logical fallacies occur is in arguments surrounding gay marriage. Increasingly gay marriage has assumed a prominent place in the lexicon of American civil rights challenges. Significant objections have been raised to gay marriage by conservative groups who wish to, as they indicate, preserve the sanctity of marriage. In reality these groups implement a variety of fallacious arguments. One prominent argument is that, â€Å"Marriage, the defenders contend, cannot possibly be treated as a â€Å"fundamental right† open to gays and lesbians because such a right must have a foundation in American history, legal traditions, and practices† (Denniston). The above argument clearly implements the appeal to traditional fallacy. The appeal to tradition fallacy argues that since for a long period of time something has been one way, in the future it will continue to be that way. As the argument is that gay marriage should continue to be illegal because it was h istorically prohibited America, it is implementing an appeal to tradition. It seems that rather than truly believing this argument, the intention of people making the argument is to support their position on gay marriage by bringing people’s attention to such precedent. ... For instance, a recent story about the upcoming National Football League draft implemented the fallacy of confusing cause and effect. Essentially, this fallacy operates by examining the relations between occurrences, and then erroneously arguing for a linkage between cause and effect. In terms the National Football League draft one article has speculated that the Kansas City Chiefs should pick a quarterback – Geno Smith – with the first pick (Kardar). While quarterbacks are frequently chosen with this pick, Geno Smith can arguably be said to not be worth the pick and that instead the franchise should go with a different position. The article is implementing cause and effect because it has considered that since many rookie quarterbacks were successful this year in the National Football League, they will necessarily be good next year. Rather, it is highly possible that the quarterbacks that were successful this year were so because they were all exceptionally talented and their success will not influence the success of future quarterbacks. Ultimately, it appears that the writer’s intention was out of a genuine belief that the National Football League has changed considerably, such that rookie quarterbacks are now able to succeed in ways they previously were not able to. Another prominent area of investigation in contemporary society is drug use. With the advent of designer drugs in the late 20th century, an increasing division emerged between casual drugs and those that were considered exceptionally dangerous. Because of this division many politicians and anti-drug activists have implemented the logical fallacy of the slippery slope. The slippery slope argument considers that if one thing is allowed then it will

Reproductive Technology Essay Example for Free

Reproductive Technology Essay Many people dream of having a house, kids and possible a dog, but sometimes that not something they can achieve on their own. Infertile has become a major issue for women that want kids and is increasing for many males. We also have people from the gay and lesbian community that don’t want to adopt but he children of their own. A growing number of unwed single people want kids with having the relationship or marriage stuff that comes with it. Louis Brown was the first successful test tube baby in 1978, which gave many couples hope of their own. Before this occurred many only had the option of adoption however there is now reproductive technology to help with baby making process. My paper will discuss the pros and cons of reproductive technology. With joys of reproductive technology comes many concerns and issue that have been not deemed moral. How will the child be affected by this? Can the couple or person held all of the procedures and things that need to happen? How much will this cost and is it effect? California has already passed a bill that somewhat takes a little control over the situation. The health department has to give detailed document that explains ART and all the drugs, hormones and high chances of having multiple embryos. The physician is also responsible for telling the couple or people that if they don’t follow the rules set for ART it will be consider a criminal violation. All parties involved need to get an explanation of all the risks involved in any process. There are even considering having a lifetime limit of how many eggs and women can sell and collect monetary values for not exceeding $5000. 00. When it comes to ART California has become proactive with situation and others states or countries should follow their leads. Some feel there should also be screening for women age, race, political affiliation, and sexuality. There are many concerns but so little research on the overall affects it poses.

Pesticides Essay -- essays research papers

Pesticides Problems with formatting There are many important issues in the world regarding the environment and it's affects on the average person. Though, the one that hits closest to home, worldwide, is the trust that individuals have in the food that they consume. Yet pesticides are still found daily in foods all around the world. Pesticides are toxins that are used by produce growers universally to control pests that can destroy crops. These toxins are being ingested by humans in the forms of fruits and vegetables that have remaining toxins on them. How safe are these toxins to humans and what is being done to safeguard the environment as well as the health of individuals? Does the average person consume harmful amounts of poison at every meal? If the levels are unsafe, why is this problem continuing to get a blind eye from the people who are supposed to protect society? These questions when asked only lead to more questions. Until things are done to change the systems of pesticide usage universally, society can never be sure as to the long term effects on our environment and what they are eating or giving to the future of our world, the children. In some foreign countries pesticides are used more frequently with legislative control than in the United States. In Mexico and South America, for example, many of the pesticides that the United States and Europe have banned, wind up being used on a majority of their produce crops. The largest problem with this is that Europe and the United States import from South America for produce all of the time. What good does it do to ban harmful agricultural chemicals to be used on domestically grown crops if crops in other countries are grown with these same harmful chemicals, and are then allowed to be imported? Mexico and South America are the leading suppliers of produce for the earth's population because their climate is very conducive to year around crops. Unfortunately those countries are also known for their large amount of insects of all varieties. These insects are steadily becoming more and more immune to toxins that are sprayed on crops. More than five hundred insects, one hundred and fifty plant diseases and two hundred and seventy weeds are now resistant to pesticides. Results are that U.S. growers as well, are steadily forced to apply more and stronger toxins. As the amount an... ...TM Loops, Marilyn. "Pesticides in the Diets of Infants and Children: What Are the Issues?" National Network for ChildCare Online. Internet. 11 Oct 1998. Available http://www.exnet.iastate.edu/pages/nncc/Nutrition/pestic.infant.html "Our Vanishing Wildlife." In Harmony. Online. Internet. 11 Oct. 1998. Available http://www.inharmony.com./pestwild.htm "Pesticide and Food Safety." California Environmental Protection Agency: Department of Pesticide Regulation July 1997:1-2. Online. Internet. 11 Oct. 1998. Available http://www.cdpr.ca.gov. "Pesticides and Food Safety." IFIC Jan. 1995: 1-13. Online. Internet. 13 Oct. 1998 Available http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/agfacts/pesticides/pesticides.html Pimental, David. "Environmental and Economic Costs of Pesticides." Bioscience Nov. 1998. Online. Internet. 13 Oct. 1998 Available http://207.82.250/251/cgi-bin/getmsg? Wheat, Andrew. "Toxic Bananas." Multinational Monitor Sept. 1996: 9-15 Online. Internet. 13 Oct. 1998. Available http://www.essential.org/monitor/hyper/mm0996.04.html Zuckerman, Seth. "Across the Great Divide." Sierra Sept. 1992: 20-21. Online. Internet. 7 Apr. 1998. Available http://207.82.250/251/cgi-bin/getmsg?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Pesticides Essay -- essays research papers Pesticides Problems with formatting There are many important issues in the world regarding the environment and it's affects on the average person. Though, the one that hits closest to home, worldwide, is the trust that individuals have in the food that they consume. Yet pesticides are still found daily in foods all around the world. Pesticides are toxins that are used by produce growers universally to control pests that can destroy crops. These toxins are being ingested by humans in the forms of fruits and vegetables that have remaining toxins on them. How safe are these toxins to humans and what is being done to safeguard the environment as well as the health of individuals? Does the average person consume harmful amounts of poison at every meal? If the levels are unsafe, why is this problem continuing to get a blind eye from the people who are supposed to protect society? These questions when asked only lead to more questions. Until things are done to change the systems of pesticide usage universally, society can never be sure as to the long term effects on our environment and what they are eating or giving to the future of our world, the children. In some foreign countries pesticides are used more frequently with legislative control than in the United States. In Mexico and South America, for example, many of the pesticides that the United States and Europe have banned, wind up being used on a majority of their produce crops. The largest problem with this is that Europe and the United States import from South America for produce all of the time. What good does it do to ban harmful agricultural chemicals to be used on domestically grown crops if crops in other countries are grown with these same harmful chemicals, and are then allowed to be imported? Mexico and South America are the leading suppliers of produce for the earth's population because their climate is very conducive to year around crops. Unfortunately those countries are also known for their large amount of insects of all varieties. These insects are steadily becoming more and more immune to toxins that are sprayed on crops. More than five hundred insects, one hundred and fifty plant diseases and two hundred and seventy weeds are now resistant to pesticides. Results are that U.S. growers as well, are steadily forced to apply more and stronger toxins. As the amount an... ...TM Loops, Marilyn. "Pesticides in the Diets of Infants and Children: What Are the Issues?" National Network for ChildCare Online. Internet. 11 Oct 1998. Available http://www.exnet.iastate.edu/pages/nncc/Nutrition/pestic.infant.html "Our Vanishing Wildlife." In Harmony. Online. Internet. 11 Oct. 1998. Available http://www.inharmony.com./pestwild.htm "Pesticide and Food Safety." California Environmental Protection Agency: Department of Pesticide Regulation July 1997:1-2. Online. Internet. 11 Oct. 1998. Available http://www.cdpr.ca.gov. "Pesticides and Food Safety." IFIC Jan. 1995: 1-13. Online. Internet. 13 Oct. 1998 Available http://www.cdfa.ca.gov/agfacts/pesticides/pesticides.html Pimental, David. "Environmental and Economic Costs of Pesticides." Bioscience Nov. 1998. Online. Internet. 13 Oct. 1998 Available http://207.82.250/251/cgi-bin/getmsg? Wheat, Andrew. "Toxic Bananas." Multinational Monitor Sept. 1996: 9-15 Online. Internet. 13 Oct. 1998. Available http://www.essential.org/monitor/hyper/mm0996.04.html Zuckerman, Seth. "Across the Great Divide." Sierra Sept. 1992: 20-21. Online. Internet. 7 Apr. 1998. Available http://207.82.250/251/cgi-bin/getmsg?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  

Analyse of the Wind That Shakes the Barley

The Wind That Shakes the Barley The wind that shakes the barley is a film made of Ken Loach, the film are made in 2006 Setting: â€Å"The wind that shakes the barley† takes place in Ireland, during the Irish War of Independence (1919-1921) and the Irish Civil War (1922-1923) and it is a real story. After World war 1. Put a stopper for the home rule bill in Ireland there came English soldiers into Ireland and treated the Irish people really bad. Then some of the Irish people got upset and began to fight back. Resume:The film takes place in the Northern Ireland in the twenties, during IRA's fight against the British invasion of Ireland. The brothers Damien and Teddy O’Donovan join a rebel movement with some friends, after Damien’s failed attempt to escape to London to become a doctor, and after British soldiers killed a very good friend of his. The group is the start of the Irish peoples rise against the British invasion, and many people starts joining groups just like theirs. They get caught by the British, and Teddy gets tortured by pulling out his nails, to make him say names, but he doesn't reveal his secrets to anyone.Afterwards they fetch Damien in. The â€Å"boss† threatens to kill Damien if he does not tell him about who helps them, but Damien is silent and gets thrown back into the cell. The young soldier who were supposed to shoot Damien helps them escape, but since he has no key to the last cell, three of the captives get left behind. The others escape in a horse drawn carriage and stay in a small house while Teddy recovers. When Teddy is ready to travel again, they go to some reliable friends to live for a while.Here they find out that one of Damien’s oldest friends Chris Reilly, a young guy who worked on a British farm to earn money to his family, was the one telling on them, and got them sent to jail. They receive orders to kill both Chris and Sir John, and Damien shoots them. Later he talks to his sweetheart, Sine ad ni Shuilleabhain, about the shame in facing Chris' mother. After IRA's defeat on a British convoy, another detachment sets fire to Sinead's house as payback, and shaves her head while pointing a gun at her. Damien and the others see it all from behind a hill, but there are nothing they can do about it.The British are too many. When the British leave, Sinead is still deeply in shock, and while Damien comforts her, a messenger arrives with the message of a formal ceasefire between Britain and the IRA. The whole village celebrates, but not for long, because they find out about the Anglo-Irish treaty, and the IRA divides in two groups. Teddy is done fighting and accepts the treaty. He and his allies start patrolling in Irish Army-uniforms. Damien and his friends will not accept the treaty and joins the Anti-treaty IRA.Damien gets caught and his Anti-treaty friend Dan was killed in their attempt of stealing weapons from the British army. Characters Damien is a newly graduated doctor f rom college. You can see he is a recent graduate because in the film he is relatively young, and refers to himself as: Medical graduate from college. His brother named Teddy. Individually, they represent a position in relation to how Ireland should be free – Damien will fight through political means, and Teddy will struggle with violence. Which is typical in societies with war, there will always be different opinions on how to solve the conflict.

Odi Case Study

Optical Distortion, Inc. HBS Case Study 9-575-072 Marketing Management MKT 6301. 002 – Fall 2012 Team Members Young soo Han Kevin Yang Jay Chi Lenny Liao Brad Standridge As of 1974 the chicken population in the US is already in excess of 400 million birds, with slow but steady growth expected through 1980. Given that fact that a great many of these birds live in tight quarters on very large chicken farms, a means of combating the chicken’s natural instinct to peck other chickens is needed. Pecking can actually lead to high mortality rates in flocks (cannibalization), which in turn raises the costs of farming.Debeaking has been used for some time with good results, but it has its own set of drawbacks. The lens developed by Optical Distortions, Inc. (ODI) holds the promise of reducing the threat caused by pecking, without some of the issues associated with debeaking. The specific advantages of these lenses will be discussed in the following report, as will a plan for mark eting this new product. By permanently inserting a pair of sight distorting lenses into the eyes of an egg-laying hen, studies have shown that cannibalization can be reduced from 9% to 4. %. Moreover, feed loss due to â€Å"billing† is substantially reduced relative to debeaked birds, allowing for much greater efficiency in feed consumption (less waste). Finally, given that lens insertion does not inflict the same trauma that debeaking does, egg production is not adversely affected. Given the above advantages, it is expected that farmers could increase their profit from egg sales by more than one-third (37%) simply by employing the use of the ODI lenses (Exhibit 1).Although the potential impact of the ODI lenses is substantial, there are some important assumptions underlying the anticipated value to farmers. For example, one of the biggest financial gains could be in the reduction in feed waste, so the assumption that hens with lenses will â€Å"bill† much less is crit ical. Test results have shown that flock mortality can be cut in half relative to debeaking, so another important assumption is that these positive results can be duplicated consistently in the field.Despite its disadvantages, debeaking is a practice which is familiar to chicken farmers, and the labor and cost associated with debeaking a flock is reasonably well known. It is assumed that a team of individuals trained to perform the lens insertion could process approximately as many chickens in an hour as they would if debeaking were done instead. This would keep the cost of insertion on par with debeaking and would thus lessen the concerns of the farmer. Tied to this is the assumption that a farmer’s own personnel could be readily trained in the art of lens insertion.Should this turn out not to be the case, it could prove nearly impossible for a large number of lenses to be deployed – a small team simply could not address the millions of chickens which would need to be targeted. If millions of lenses cannot be sold in the first year of business, ODI would find it difficult to survive against bigger competitors who are waiting to enter the market. This is thus an area of potentially high risk which needs to be addressed as early in the product introduction phase as possible.Bound up in the assumptions listed above is the underlying assumption that all chickens will respond in more or less the same way to the lenses. There are a number of factors which could allow ODI’s lens technology to quickly penetrate the market. One of the most important is the potential for farmers to experience a large profit increase (> 30% increase) through lower operating costs. Chicken farming is very price sensitive due to its low profit margin (roughly 6% profit on a dozen eggs from a debeaked bird).Use of lenses could allow this margin to increase to 8% or more (Exhibit 1); promoting this possibility should entice many farmers to give the lenses a try. Another key to quick market penetration is the achievement of one or two clear success stories. Given its very small size, ODI needs to focus its limited resources on product introduction at one or two large farms, continuing the focus there until the farmer/owner is pleased with the results. The farmer’s future endorsement of the lens approach would then be invaluable in generating interest from potential customers.As a means of attracting the participation of the first one or two trial farms, ODI could offer free lenses for up to 1000 birds, including insertion labor. It should be noted that penetration of the market can only occur if ODI can supply product in sufficient quantities. Given that there are millions of chickens to be serviced, it is imperative that ODI’s supplier be prepared to likewise supply millions of lenses on a consistent basis. The fact that ODI is bound by contract to a single lens supplier is itself a risk which must be analyzed.From a business continu ity perspective, it would be preferable if ODI could obtain its lenses from two different New World Plastics plants. This would then mitigate the risk somewhat should there be, for instance, a serious product quality issue at one of the facilities. As regards target segment, it would seem that the focus should be initially on farms with a flock size of 50,000 and over, since this would limit the overhead (fixed costs) needed to service these accounts (fewer sales and technical experts required).Also, by focusing on large farms, the sales team could interface with the farms directly, and there would be no need for a â€Å"middle man† to be involved in product distribution. Avoiding this intermediary would help keep costs down. Given the density of large farms in California (flock size of 50,000 or greater), it seems prudent not only to perform the initial product introduction there but to focus the entire first year of business in this single West Coast state. The first yearâ €™s planned production volume is approximately 20 million, essentially the same as California’s chicken population.Success in this region could later force farms in other states to implement the lens simply as a means of staying competitive. Rather than relying on word of mouth alone, ODI could promote its lens technology by participating in both industry trade shows and advertising in the leading poultry industry publications. Moreover, it is also possible that California’s Department of Agriculture could become an ally in promotion of lenses as a viable alternative to debeaking. It is proposed that lenses be sold at a price of $0. 09 per pair, which would in turn provide a profit per pair of $0. 026 (see Exhibit 2).Though the lenses appear to have a value to the farmer much greater than 9 cents, keeping the price in the â€Å"single digits† has a beneficial psychological effect and could help foster the perception that they are a good value. Moreover, if t he price grows much beyond this, the product will obviously be less attractive to farmers who might already be uneasy about adopting a new technology. Given a volume of 20 million units, a price of $0. 09/pair would produce an annual profit of $520,000. This sum would easily allow $250,000 to be directed toward future R&D (so the company can become more than a one-product company).Moreover, there would be more than a quarter of a million dollars remaining to fund rapid expansion the following year (to build a new regional office, for example). Exhibit 1 – Monetary Value of ODI Lenses to Farmers As regards putting a monetary value on the lenses, this can be estimated as follows: a. ($2. 50/hr*3 workers)/225 birds = $0. 033 (cost of inserting a pair of lenses in one chicken) This is essentially the same cost involved in debeaking a bird; for this reason it need not be taken into account when considering the benefits of lenses relative to debeaking. . Proposed cost of lenses to farmer: $0. 09 per pair c. ($2. 40*0. 045) = $0. 108 per chicken (savings in allocation for replacing dead chicken, relative to debeaked flock reduction in flock mortality from 9% to 4. 5%) d. ($158 / ton)(ton / 2000 lb)(156 lb per day / 20,000 chickens) (365 days) = $0. 225 per chicken (annual savings in feed assumes elimination of feed loss due to billing) e. Let’s see how b. and c. above translate into cost of production for a dozen eggs (assuming a chicken produces 22 dozen eggs per year): ($0. 108 + $0. 225 – $0. 09)/22 = $0. 11 per dozen eggs Thus, the cost to produce a dozen eggs would drop from $0. 50 (for a debeaked bird) to $0. 489, and a farmer’s profit per dozen eggs increases from $0. 03 for a debeaked flock to an estimated $0. 041 (assuming a selling price of $0. 53). This means a farmer’s profit could increase by approximately 37% if the lenses were used throughout the flock. Exhibit 2 – Pricing Considerations for a Pair of Lenses Fi xed Costs 1) Headquarters: $184,000 annually (for volume of 20 million pair) 2) Regional Office and Warehouse: $196,000 annually 3) Advertising in Trade Publications: $100,000 annually ) Participation in Industry Trade Shows: $100,000 annually 5) Costs of Molds: $12,000 x 3 = $36,000 (3 molds are needed to produce 21,600,000 pair annually) 6) Licensing Agreement with New World Plastics: $25,000 (per year, must be paid for 1st and 2nd year of production) Variable Costs $0. 032 per pair of lenses (cost to purchase from manufacturer, New World Plastics) So, in the first year of production, if 20,000,000 pairs of lenses are sold, the TOTAL COST would be: [($184,000 + $196,000 + $100,000 + $100,000 + $36,000 + $25,000)/20,000,000] + $0. 032 = $0. 064 per pair

Battle of Caen in World War II

Battle of Caen in World War II The Battle of Caen was fought from June 6, to July 20, 1944, during World War II (1939-1945). Situated on the Orne River approximately nine miles from the Normandy coast, the city of Caen was a key road and rail hub in the region. The city was identified by the Allies as an early goal for troops coming ashore during the D-Day invasion. Rather than quickly falling, the struggle for Caen became a bloody, grinding affair that lasted for seven weeks due to intense German resistance. While a costly struggle, the fighting around Caen pinned down German troops which facilitated Operation Cobra in late July. This saw the Allies breakout of the beachhead and move to encircle German forces in Normandy. Background Located in Normandy, Caen was identified early on by General Dwight D. Eisenhower and Allied planners as a main objective for the D-Day invasion. This was largely due to the citys key position along the Orne River and Caen Canal as well as its role as a major road hub within the region. As a result, the capture of Caen would greatly inhibit the ability of German forces to respond quickly to Allied operations once ashore. Planners also felt that the relatively open terrain around the city would provide an easier line of advance inland as opposed to the more difficult bocage (hedgerow) country to the west. Given the favorable terrain, the Allies also intended to establish several airfields around the city. The capture of Caen was assigned to Major General Tom Rennies British 3rd Infantry Division which would be assisted by Major General Richard N. Gales British 6th Airborne Division and 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion. In the final plans for Operation Overlord, Allied leaders intended for Kellers men to take Caen shortly after coming ashore on D-Day. This would require an advance of approximately 7.5 miles from beach. D-Day Landing during the night of June 6, the airborne forces captured key bridges and artillery positions to the east of Caen along the Orne River and at Merville. These efforts effectively blocked the enemys ability to mount a counterattack against the beaches from the east. Storming ashore on Sword Beach around 7:30 AM, the 3rd Infantry Division initially encountered stiff resistance. Following the arrival of supporting armor, Rennies men were able to secure the exits from the beach and commenced pushing inland around 9:30 AM. Their advance was soon stopped by a determined defense mounted by 21st Panzer Division. Blocking the road to Caen, the Germans were able to halt Allied forces and the city remained in their hands as night fell. As a result, the Allied ground commander, General Bernard Montgomery, elected to meet with the commanders of the US First Army and British Second Army, Lieutenant Generals Omar Bradley and Miles Dempsey, to develop a new plan for taking the city. Lieutenant General Sir Miles C. Dempsey (right) with the 21st Army Group commander, General Sir Bernard Montgomery (center), and U.S. First Army commander, Lieutenant General Omar Bradley (left), 10 June 1944. Public Domain Fast Facts: Battle of Caen Conflict: World War II (1939-1945)Dates: June 6, to July 20, 1944Armies Commanders:AlliesGeneral Bernard MontgomeryLieutenant General Miles Dempsey14 divisions, 8 armored/tank brigadesAxisField Marshal Erwin RommelField Marshal Gà ¼nther von Kluge15 divisions, 3 heavy tank battalions Operation Perch Originally conceived as a plan for breaking out of the beachhead to the southeast of Caen, Operation Perch was quickly altered by Montgomery into a pincer attack for taking the city. This called for I Corps 51st (Highland) Infantry Division and the 4th Armoured Brigade to cross the Orne River in the east and attack towards Cagny. In the west, XXX Corps would cross the Odon River, then swing east towards Evrecy. This offensive moved forward on June 9 as elements of XXX Corps began battling for Tilly-sur-Seulles which was held by the Panzer Lehr Division and elements of the 12th SS Panzer Division. Due to delays, I Corps did not begin their advance until June 12. Meeting heavy resistance from the 21st Panzer Division, these efforts were halted the next day. As I Corps rolled forward, the situation in the west changed when German forces, having been under heavy attack from the US 1st Infantry Division on XXX Corps right began falling back. Seeing an opportunity, Dempsey directed the 7th Armoured Division to exploit the gap and advance to Villers-Bocage before turning east to assault the left flank of the Panzer Lehr Division. Reaching the village on July 13, British forces were checked in heavy fighting. Feeling that the division was becoming overextended, Dempsey pulled it back with the goal of reinforcing it and renewing the offensive. This failed to occur when a severe storm hit the area and damaged supply operations on the beaches (Map). Operation Epsom In an effort to regain the initiative, Dempsey commenced Operation Epsom on June 26. Using Lieutenant General Sir Richard OConnors newly-arrived VIII Corps, the plan called for a thrust over the Odon River to capture high ground south of Caen near Bretteville-sur-Laize. A secondary operation, dubbed Martlet, was launched on June 25 to secure heights along VIII Corps right flank. Assisted by supporting operations at other points along the line, the 15th (Scottish) Infantry Division, aided by armor from the 31st Tank Brigade, spearheaded the Epsom attack the next day. An ammunition lorry of 11th Armoured Division explodes after being hit by mortar fire during Operation Epsom, June 1944. Public Domain Making good progress, it crossed the river, pushed through the German lines and began expanding its position. Joined by the 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division, the 15th became engaged in heavy fighting and repulsed several major German counterattacks. The severity of the German efforts led to Dempsey pulling his some of his troops back across the Odon by June 30. Though a tactical failure for the Allies, Epsom altered the balance of forces in the region in their favor. While Dempsey and Montgomery were able to maintain a force of reserves, their opponent, Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, was compelled to utilize his entire force to hold the front lines. Following Epsom, the Canadian 3rd Infantry Division mounted Operation Windsor on July 4. This called for an attack on Carpiquet and its adjacent airfield which were located west of Caen. The Canadian effort was further supported by a variety of specialist armor, 21 artillery regiments, naval gunfire support from HMS Rodney, as well as two squadrons of Hawker Typhoons. Moving forward, the Canadians, aided by the 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade, succeeded in capturing the village but were unable to secure the airfield. The next day, they turned back German efforts to reclaim Carpiquet. Operation Charnwood Increasingly frustrated with the situation around Caen, Montgomery directed that a major offensive be mounted to frontally assault the city. Though Caens strategic significance had lessened, he particularly desired to secure Verrià ¨res and Bourguà ©bus ridges to the south. Dubbed Operation Charnwood, the key objectives of the assault were to clear the city south to the Orne and secure bridges over the river. To accomplish the latter, an armored column was assembled with orders to rush through Caen to capture the crossings. The attack moved forward on July 8 and was heavily supported by bombers and naval gunfire. Led by I Corps, three infantry divisions (3rd, 59th, and 3rd Canadian), supported by armor, pushed forward. To the west, the Canadians renewed their efforts against Carpiquet airfield. Grinding ahead, British forces reached the outskirts of Caen that evening. Concerned about the situation, the Germans began withdrawing their heavy equipment across the Orne and prepared to defend the river crossings in the city. The next morning, British and Canadian patrols began penetrating the city proper while other forces finally occupied Carpiquet airfield after the 12th SS Panzer Division withdrew. As the day progressed British and Canadian troops united and drove the Germans from the northern part of Caen. Occupying the riverbank, Allied troops halted as they lacked the strength to contest the river crossings. In addition, it was deemed inadvisable to continue as the Germans held the ground flanking the southern part of the city. As Charnwood concluded, OConnor launched Operation Jupiter on July 10. Striking south, he sought to capture the key heights of Hill 112. Though this objective was not gained after two days of fighting, his men secured several villages in the area and prevented the 9th SS Panzer Division from being withdrawn as a reserve force. Operation Goodwood As Operation Jupiter was moving forward, Montgomery again met with Bradley and Dempsey to assess the overall situation. At this gathering, Bradley proposed the plan for Operation Cobra which called for a major breakout from the American sector on July 18. Montgomery approved this plan and Dempsey was tasked with mounting an operation to pin German forces in place around Caen and possibly achieve a breakout in the east. A A Canadian soldier moves through Caen, 1944. Public Domain Dubbed Operation Goodwood, this called for a major offensive by British forces east of the city. Goodwood was to be supported by the Canadian-led Operation Atlantic which was designed to capture the southern part of Caen. With planning completed, Montgomery hoped to begin Goodwood on July 18 and Cobra two days later. Spearheaded by OConnors VIII Corps, Goodwood commenced following heavy Allied air attacks. Slowed somewhat by natural obstacles and German minefields, OConnor was tasked with capturing Bourguà ©bus Ridge as well as the area between Bretteville-sur-Laize and Vimont. Driving forward, British forces, heavily supported by armor, were able to advance seven miles but failed to take the ridge. The fighting saw frequent clashes between British Churchill and Sherman tanks and their German Panther and Tiger counterparts. Advancing to the east, Canadian forces succeeded in liberating the remainder of Caen, however subsequent assaults against Verrià ¨res Ridge were repulsed. Aftermath Though originally a D-Day objective, it took Allied forces around seven weeks to finally liberate the city. Due to the ferocity of the fighting, much of Caen was destroyed and had to be rebuilt after the war. Though Operation Goodwood failed to achieve a breakout, it did hold German forces in place for Operation Cobra. Delayed until July 25, Cobra saw American forces knock a gap in the German lines and reach open country to the south. Pivoting east, they moved to encircle German forces in Normandy as Dempsey mounted a new advance with the goal of trapping the enemy around Falaise. Beginning on August 14, Allied forces sought to close the Falaise Pocket and destroy the German Army in France. Though nearly 100,000 Germans escaped the pocket before it was closed on August 22, around 50,000 were captured and 10,000 killed. Having won the Battle of Normandy, Allied forces advanced freely to the Seine River reaching it on August 25.

Empirical inquiry Essay Example

Empirical inquiry Essay Example Empirical inquiry Essay Empirical inquiry Essay Case study research methodology is an empirical inquiry, which is used to study a specific situation within its real-world scenario; in the event that the boundaries between the specific situation and the real-life context are not clear; and in which there are various sources are used (Cavaye 1996). This paper reports on the challenges, both practical and theoretical, experienced when this research methodology was employed in studying the key considerations for a long term success in large family businesses. First, the report describes the research design or approach employed, in this case, the case study approach. It presents the experience of using the case study research design in two real world family businesses, in which, one is our family business which is reaching its third (3rd) generation with me. The report describes the challenges that are faced and state the lessons learned in this experience, that, the case studies are very active and useful aspects of the study, and that the participant or persons in the case studies, influences the research conduct. It offers a critical review and personal reflection with regards to whether and why the research approach applies to the dissertation in question. All research designs, irrespective of where there being applied, have their merits and demerits. Therefore, when choosing a research method/design to be used in a given study, there are many factors that need to be considered. While undertaking a dissertation, several approaches may be considered including evaluation of research requirements and then developing a research plan. This was the approach that preceded the selection of the research approach, the case study method. In this case, the dissertation topic was â€Å"What are the Key Considerations for Long Term Success in Large Family Businesses? † This dissertation explored the challenges that family businesses experience with regards to continuation of the business for the generations that follow. This is because, the number of family members keeps increasing and not all have the same set of required skills and knowledge for working in the family business or getting involved in the family business decisions. The assumption is that, challenges exist with regards to the future of family business unless certain careful measures are taken. This is the purpose of this research, exploring and outline the key steps that would guarantee the success in large family businesses. The goal of this study was to understand how business roots and emotional attachment of family members to the business help in creating and ensuring the continuity of the business, besides the creation of safe jobs and a stable economy. Additionally, the research focuses on how personal interests, family interests and business interests are reconciled, specifically, with regards to how finances are managed, decisions are made, employee evaluation and performance measures are carried out, and new hiring done. Given that focus is more on relationships, emotions, and interests of family members with regards to the family business, qualitative research techniques are employed (Darke et al. 1998). These techniques, according to Myers (2009) were preferred because of the of the research’s goal and purpose, as search, the case study approach was deemed ideal. There were no challenges encountered in selecting the research methodology. However, putting or using the selected/chosen research method in carrying out the case study neither proved unproblematic or simple. Despite taking care with regards to dealing with known methodological and theoretical challenges of the case study approach, its practical application is what proved difficult. This report describes the research design or approach employed, in this case, the case study approach. It presents the experience of using the case study research design in two real world family businesses, in which, one is our family business which is reaching its third (3rd) generation with me. The report describes the challenges that are faced and state the lessons learned in this experience, that, the case studies are very active and useful aspects of the study, and that the participant or persons in the case studies, influences the research conduct. It offers a critical review and personal reflection with regards to whether and why the research approach applies to the dissertation in question. Finally, the lessons learned from the use of case study methodology in carrying out the research are discussed and a conclusion offered discussing how the chosen research methodology would alleviate the envisaged overall challenges in carrying out the dissertation.