My Quest to Visit Every Bookstore in NYC

My Quest to Visit Every Bookstore in NYC It started with a map; well, it started with a love of bookstores and a desire to go to a new one every time I was in New York City. So I began to compile a Google Map of all the bookstores I knew of. Then I dug deeper, googling best bookstores of nyc, nyc indie bookstores and going 20 pages deep in Yelp for bookstores near Manhattan. I started to color-codeâ€"orange are bookstores which require an appointment, red means they serve alcohol (see below for full color key). Once I visited a bookstore, the marker became a star. I think it was then I decided I wanted to visit every single bookstoreâ€"I wanted to see my map filled with stars. See, like many readers, Im kind of obsessed with bookstores, and indie bookstoresâ€"with their very human curation, cozy atmosphere, and knowledgable staffâ€"especially. If I visit a new city, I want to go to their bookstore. Nine times out of ten I can tell you what store a book on my shelf came from because the purchase is intricately linked to the memory of shelving units, table displays, and staff recommendations. I love the potential of every bookstore visit. And, as a New Yorker, I was driven to know my citys bookstores intimately. I made a lot of progress, but before I could finish my quest I moved across the country for a job in Seattle. My map languished. Bookstores closed, bookstores opened; my map did not change, and I despaired that my quest would never be complete. I still feel that wayâ€"like my TBR list, my NYC Bookstore map is something Ill likely never get all the way through. So, I wanted to share it; I want others to take up my quest. Below, youll find my map (and full color key), but first Id like to point out a few of my favorites: Argosy Books They specialize in used and rare books, but without that out-of-reach expensive/everything lives behind a glass case feel. What I mean to say is its still very browsable and holds a ton of reasonably priced gems. I found a copy of  The Bread We Eat In Dreams, an out of print short story collection  by Cat Valente. The Pin Bluestockings A volunteer-run, collectively-owned radical, feminist, all-around amazing bookstore.  Whether youre interested in politics, activism, or are just looking for a great novel, Bluestockings has you covered. They have an eclectic selection including a lot of harder-to-find small press books and some wonderful zines. This is one of the stores I miss most. The Pin Three Lives Company The small space, dark wood shelves, and dusky lighting create such a cozy atmosphere; this bookstore feels like home. Ask any New York bookseller, and I bet theyd leave their current job for a chance to work at Three Lives. And, despite their size, their inventory is so well-curated, their staff so friendly and knowledgeable, I always leave with something new to read. The Pin Archestratus A delicious cookbook bookstore and cafe. Is there anything better than browsing a bookstore that smells like a bakery? And they dont just sell cookbooks, they also have food essays and fiction thats at least food-adjacent. The Pin WORD I would be remiss if I didnt have the bookstore that kickstarted my career on this short list of favorites. Located in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, and Jersey City, New Jersey, WORD isâ€"in my totally unbiased opinion as a former employeeâ€"one of the best indies in the country with its highly curated selection, and intelligent and hilarious staff. Also, WORD instilled me with a respect for and love of Romance novels, which you cant say for most bookstores. The Pin I could go on, detailing what books I discovered where, who has the best used selection, and who the comfiest chairs. But I think I want you to discover that on your own. So here is my map. Feel free to add bookstores to it, or to copy it and change the markers to represent which stores youve visited. I hope you find some new favorite places. Color Key: yellow: general indie bookstore orange: by appointment only red: serves alcohol green: specialized (feel free to change these, youll see I began to subsection, but it is quite a projectâ€"Id love to know which stores specializing in cooking, which in sci-fi) brown: used and rare violet: specializing in kids books navy: specializing in travel books light blue: specializing in religion spirituality pink: specializing in fashion, art, photography

Freedom Vs. Free From Oppression - 1094 Words

While learning world history, there is a point when one encounters the question of freedom. What is freedom? Different meanings are attached to freedom, especially when one questions what exactly they are free from. Free from slavery? Free from dept? Free from oppression? There are so many different types of freedom, that it s hard to just give out a sentence and claim that s freedom . However when looking at America a clear vision of freedom appears and it does so mostly because of its history. The United States prides itself in being a free nation. Murica and freedom, are words tied to each other, especially now in the twenty first century. But is America free? Throughout American history, the notion of freedom has changed†¦show more content†¦Most Colonizers were sent over by a monarch or a government that had control over their actions in America. They were there under orders but they clearly shared the view of the Natives when it came to the land considering history s hows they treated land as if were there, free for the taking. Regardless, the main form of freedom present was freedom of religion. Which colonizers demanded but gave none to the Natives; â€Å"preachers and magistrates refused to grant freedom of worship to those who held different beliefs†2. After all, must colonizers had gone to America to free themselves from religion oppression. A Spanish monk tried to preach acceptance; â€Å"God has created all these numberless people to be quite the simplest... without strife nor tumults; not wrangling, nor querulous, as free from uproar, hate and desire of revenge, as any in the world.†3 But those words were mostly rejected, possibly underlining a problem that would grow in the following years with the forming of the United States. Race. It s when trade begins with West Africa that there is a clear definition of what freedom is not; slavery. Slavery is the dark past the States will probably never escape from. Though it has bee n a part of many nations, it holds so much more significance in the United States due to its ties with the shaping of the nation. At first, â€Å"Europeans Christians justified enslaving

Foucault - Power/Knowledge - 2372 Words

Foucault’s theorisation of the power/knowledge relationship Foucault in theorizing the relationship between power and knowledge basically focused on how power operated in the institutions and in its techniques. The point is how power was supported by knowledge in the functioning of institutions of punishment. â€Å"He places the body at the centre of the struggles between different formations of power/knowledge. The techniques of regulation are applied to the body† (Wheterell et al., 2001: 78) Power is the ability to control others or one’s entity. Accordingly it can be defined as a kind of strength or as an authority. There are various theorisations about the meaning of this term in sociology thus it would be hard to give a comprehensive†¦show more content†¦When plague turned up the old system followed the then methods of observation and surveillance, plague was everywhere thus the supporting power must have been mobilized. In this case â€Å"power is mobilized; it makes itself everywhere present and visible; it invents new mechanism; it separates; it immobilizes† etc. to make people act as it was expected in these conditions (because of the plague almost every interactions must have been stopped in the interest of getting rid of the disease). (Foucault, 1975) The Panopticon instead of exercising power from several sides emphasises the importance and perfection of the surveillance focus from one place. The Panopticon is a building which has an annual part in the periphery and a tower in the centre. Next to omitting little details its most important feature is the ability to see into every cells without being visible. â€Å"The panoptic mechanism arranges spatial unities that make it possible to see constantly and to recognize immediately.† (Calhoun et al., 2007: 209) The consciousness of being watched make people put on their best behaviour, their best way of acting thus the inmates do not commit any further crimes as it usually occurs that could happen without being watched. The operation of this building gives theShow MoreRelatedFoucault s Theory Of Individual Power And Knowledge1596 Words   |  7 PagesTheory of Individual Power and Knowledge have allowed one to see the other side of arguments with more posing questions. Domestic Violence is now resulting in a spouse being labeled with the brand of â€Å"battered woman’s syndrome† and it opens the door for a many unanswered questions, and is debatable at best. In the case of Francine Hughes Wilson, â€Å"The Burning Bed† shed new light on the ever growing problems within a domestic abusive relationship and gave way to social change, knowledge and empowermentRead MoreA Few Ways That Foucault s Conceptualization Of Bio Power And Of Disciplinary Knowledge And Practices976 Words   |  4 PagesThere are a few ways that Foucault’s conceptualization of bio-power and of disciplinary knowledge and practices may be evident in college settings. One example of bio-power in a colle ge setting might be birth control and sex education at my university. Another example of bio-power in our colleges is a requirement of a health credit, such as basic health or physical education, in order to graduate. Like bio-power, disciplinary knowledge and practices are used in our university and other community collegesRead MoreThe Philosophical Methodology of Geneaology1395 Words   |  6 Pagesevents. Fueled by Nietzsche’s sense of deconstruction, Foucault also sought to deconstruct all metaphysical ideas and disregard the belief of perpetual truths. His idea of genealogy operates under the assumption that the facts are to be interpreted as opposed to accepted, for facts can be created by the will to truth, or the need for truth at any price. This concept originally belonged to Nietzsche, borrowed and expanded on by Foucault. Foucault provides greater insight to genealogy thanks to the workRead MoreBird’s Eye- view of Foucauldian Perspective to Commercial Hiera rchies and Confrontation1510 Words   |  6 PagesMichel Foucault was a French philosopher or a historian of systems of thought. His theories addressed the relationship between power and knowledge, and how they are used as a form of social control through societal institutions. Through his impressive career Foucault became known for his many demonstrative arguments that power depends not on material relations or authority but instead primarily on discursive networks. The sole purpose of the present research paper is to evaluate the power relationsRead MoreRelationship Between Sex And Power955 Words   |  4 PagesIntroduction Michel Foucault was a French philosopher, historian, social theorist, philologist and literary critic whose work had a tremendous impact on several disciplines. He was not a sociologist by training, but he worked diligently on sociological issues and otherwise had significant influence on the work of other sociologists. One of his most famous works is the The History of Sexuality, in which he examines the emergence of sexuality as a discursive object and separate sphere of lifeRead More The Introduction to the History of Sexuality by Foucault Essay1118 Words   |  5 PagesSexuality, Foucault explains how during the 19th century with the raise of new societies, the discourse or knowledge about sex was not confronted with repulsion but it â€Å"put into operation an entire machinery for producing true discourses concerning sex† (Foucault 69). In fact, this spreading of discourse on sexuality itself gives a clear account of how sexuality has been controlled and confined bec ause it was determined in a certain kind of knowledge that carries power within it. Foucault reflectsRead MoreGramscis And Foucaults Notions of Power1471 Words   |  6 PagesPower is a concept that is at the core of issues regarding social stratification (Scott Marshall, 2009). Therefore there have been many debates regarding what this concept of power actually means. For Gramsci, power needs to be considered legitimate by those who are subject to it, and the legitimacy of power is gained through the manipulation of social norms (Scott Marshall, 2009). This manipulation of social norms, links to Gramsci’s notion of ideological hegemony. Gramsci uses hegemony to showRead MoreSocial Order (Foucault and Goffman)1463 Words   |  6 Pagesas among various individuals. In any society, people must acquire knowledge of how to relate to one another and their environment. Order is then established by a normalisation and standardisation of this knowledge. This essay will examine tw o views on social order, applied to social sciences, and embodied in everyday life. It will compare and contrast a Canadian sociologist, Erving Goffman, and a French philosopher, Michel Foucault. Through an analysis of these two figures, the text will present differentRead More Panopticism Essay753 Words   |  4 PagesIn his essay â€Å"Panopticism,† Michel Foucault introduces the Panopticon structure as proof of modern society tending toward efficient disciplinary mechanisms. Starting with his example of the strict, intensely organized measures that are taken in a typical 17th-century plague-stricken town, Foucault describes how the town employed constant surveillance techniques, centralized a hierarchy of authorities to survey households, partitioned individual structures to impose certain behavior, and record currentRead MoreThe Theory Of Knowledge And Power1131 Words   |  5 PagesPost-Foucauldian theory of knowledge and power, knowledge has been used as a synonym fo r power. In 21st century they are considered as two sides of the same coin. Power gives an individual the ability to make others obey in a social relationship irrespective of the basis. As per Foucault power is not only brutal physical force rather an invisible form of network that operates. At times, the operator has no knowledge of this invisible power which controls others. Similarly, knowledge is defined as a belief

Child Support Enforcement One Law Does Not Fit All Free Essays

Single parents are becoming the norm these days and the government has stepped in to assist these custodial parents to make things fair. It takes two people to make a child so it seems only fair that two people support the child financially, right? I am a single mother. My daughter’s father, Donnie, and I were never married and weren’t together at the time of her birth. We will write a custom essay sample on Child Support Enforcement: One Law Does Not Fit All or any similar topic only for you Order Now He wasn’t around to sign the birth certificate so I had to go through DFS to fill paperwork out to get support payments from him after our daughter (Nathalia) was born. When I filled out the CSE (Child Support Enforcement) paperwork the case was being handled by a caseworker in Jefferson City, MO. I gave the caseworker Donnie’s address about four months after our daughter’s birth. Nothing was done and I assumed they were having trouble getting hold of him. When Nathalia was five years old my case was moved to a caseworker in Columbia who called and got the information from me again and I received paternity paperwork within the month. The way it works is the noncustodial parent only has to pay from the time the paperwork showing paternity was sent. I had tried to contact Nathalia’s father to start visitation. He came around for one hour a week for about two months then just stopped. He paid the arrearage for support payments after facing criminal charges for non-payment of support payments, and being threatened with a year in jail if the support was not paid. I feel no sympathy. Now he is back to not making the payments. On the other hand I have a friend (Jessica, fictional name) who has a five year old daughter (Hannah, fictional name) whose father has been in and out of jail for child support non-payment. He has a relationship with Hannah and has care of her fifty percent of the time. The government wants to put him back in jail for arrearage on Hannah and two of his other children. Jessica has lost her health insurance due to not signing papers that would have him arrested. With these two cases the fathers are very different. One is an absentee father who quits jobs to avoid paying his support payments, the other a father who is very much in his child’s life and is a positive influence. Both fathers are being treated equally in the eyes of the State. But which father deserves the jail time? In an article by Jeff Minerd, â€Å"A Kinder, Gentler Look at ‘Deadbeat Dads’,† he states â€Å"In 1950, about 20% of children lived apart from their father; that figure is now approaching 50%† (8). This article was printed in 1999 so the percentage of children not living with their father has likely increased. The increase is due to many reasons. Some of the reasons may include death, divorce, and never-married couples. With the number of children who do not live with their fathers rising it only stands to reason that the number of cases the CSE (Child Support Enforcement) is handling is increasing as well. According to the Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families Office of Child Support Enforcement, one of their goals is â€Å". . . to emphasize that children need to have both parents in their lives. . . † (Handbook). If this is true then why is the father who is a positive influence and is present in his child’s life having to deal with the possibility of going back to jail for past child support non-payment, but the father who wants nothing to do with his daughter and doesn’t pay his child support as ordered gets off with a slap on the wrist? Child support enforcement should look more in depth at each case before taking actions against a non-custodial father. The Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families Office of Child Support Enforcement states â€Å"Although the function of the CSE program is to collect and distribute child support payments, throughout the Handbook [sic]we hope to give the message that children fare best when both parents play an active, supportive role in their lives† (1). The government claims that the actions they take against non-custodial parents are to assist in getting families to work together to make children’s lives better. But according to Jeff Minerd, â€Å"Government enforcement of child support can have the effect of separating fathers from their children† (8). Minerd also states that it is more supported to go after the â€Å"low-income† fathers because it gets the mothers off of State welfare monies. With â€Å"middle-class† mothers it isn’t so supported to go after the fathers because it doesn’t help the State with the amount of money being paid out because they aren’t on welfare (8). So is their mission to help keep families connected or is it to get the money back that they are giving to the low-income families? The first reason CSE should handle these cases case by case is that if actions are taken that cause the father to be resentful it could harm the relationship between the parents and the child. Actions taken by the state can come between the custodial mother and the non-custodial parent. As Cindy Elmore states in her article â€Å"On and On, Over and Over: The Gender War in Child Support Enforcement Court,† â€Å"We’re all crowded together waiting for the courtroom doors to be unlocked, but the women don’t talk to the men, and the men ignore the women† (397). The line of communication between the parents is destroyed by feelings of resentment and arguments that arise from court dates and state demands. Arguments between the parents also harm the child. Even if the parents do not argue in front of the child, the child will still feel the tension and know something is wrong. Feelings of resentment toward being forced to do something may also disturb the relationship between father and child. If the father is arguing about how much to pay and how often with the mother it may cause the father to stop coming around the child. In my situation Nathalia’s dad, Donnie, got upset about the amount and when I couldn’t change it he just cut all contact. The way his support amount was determined was a paper was filled out on the amount of money it took to raise Nathalia. Then the amount I made and the amount he made were taken into consideration. Since I made more my percentage of responsibility was larger. Then they take the percentage left to raise her after subtracting mine and he is responsible for that. So there was nothing I could do to request they lower the payments. We had many arguments relating to this. Another was that he was afraid the State would go after property that he owned. According to the Handbook on Child Support Enforcement liens can be placed on property the non-custodial parent owns in the county (26) and can also take State and Federal Income Tax refunds to pay back child support (29). So it could happen but not if he pays his support payments on a regular basis. When I kept refusing to ask if his payments could be lowered he stopped calling Nathalia and stopped coming to visit her. Second, if a father is active in a child’s life and is a positive influence leniency should be given. Pushing a father to make payments higher than he can make then sending him to jail until it is paid, when he is active in the child’s life, will only harm the child. In â€Å"Child Support Enforcement and Father Involvement for Children in Never-Married Mother. Families† Chien-Chung Huang states, â€Å"Although there are no studies on changes in father-child contact for children in never-married mother families over time, studies find that about one-third of children saw their fathers at least once a month but another third of children had no contact at all with their fathers† (99). If there are such big chunks of the population receiving child support that have similar situations with the non-custodial parent, shouldn’t the different types have different ways of handling the cases? A father that is helping his child with homework every other week shouldn’t be held to the same treatment as a father who has no contact with his child by his own choice. Speaking from experience, I know that if I my daughter’s father was involved in my daughter’s life in a positive way and they had a healthy relationship I would not mind so much if there was a payment missed here or there. A child’s life can be so much fuller with positive influences from both the mother and the father figures in their lives. Third, if the system states that they are trying to get fathers more active in the child’s life through child support enforcement then if they don’t see what is going on before ordering something to be done, they won’t succeed. Jeff Minerd does not think that child support should not be enforced, â€Å"However, the harsh treatment of low-income fathers may make them hostile and resentful of the mothers, children, and government authority† (8). If a low-income father is ordered to pay what the CSE considers to be fair what happens if the father isn’t even making enough to make the payments? Is he to be held to the same standards as a father that keeps quitting his job to avoid making his payments? What if the father gets remarried? According to Hans and Coleman in the article â€Å"The Experiences of Remarried Stepfathers Who Pay Child Support,† â€Å"Remarriage magnified feelings of disempowerment and introduced additional complexities to existing child support arrangements† (613). When fathers remarry it adds more financial responsibility, especially if they have more kids in the new marriage or if there are stepchildren in the marriage. When the Child Support Enforcement Agency takes harsh actions against non-custodial parents it starts a chain of events that can destroy the relationship between the parents. The resentment the father feels for being forced to comply with what the state orders can cause a rift between the father and the custodial mother. In cases like mine it may have caused a rift so large that my daughter may never see her father again. She doesn’t understand why her father doesn’t come and see her any more. A couple of months ago she made up a reason of her own, it was because he was sick. Just last week a new reason came up. She told me he died and that is why he doesn’t come over anymore. I don’t know where she got this but I do know that it is her way of dealing with her feelings. I don’t know what to tell her when she says this. If I tell her that he is alive what reason do I give her when she then asks why he doesn’t see her anymore? Perhaps if the enforcement of the child support was handled differently she would still have a father that was active in her life. How to cite Child Support Enforcement: One Law Does Not Fit All, Essays

Components of the Research Methodology-Free-Samples for Students

Questions: 1.How would an understanding of research philosophy benefit organizations prior to, during and after the research project? 2.What are the key components of the research methodology? 3.Why is it important to address all the key components when writing a research methodology? 4.How might omissions within a research methodology flaw a research project? Answers: 1.Research philosophy refers to the development of knowledge related to the research. Research philosophy helps the organizations prior to research project by indicating all the methods used while conducting the research process that are dependent upon the research philosophy. The understanding of research philosophy is extremely useful for the organizations as it enables the researchers to select the most appropriate type of research methodology during the research project and helps them in avoiding inappropriate as well as unrelated works (Mackey and Gass 2015). It helps the researcher to develop his or her knowledge in a particular field, which ultimately results in more appropriate and reliable research results after the research project. Therefore, research methodology helps the organizations to obtain appropriate and reliable information from the researchers. 2.The following are the key components of research methodology: Research approach: Research approach refers to the manner in which the researcher advances towards during the research process. Research approach is basically of two types namely inductive and deductive. Research design: Research design refers to the manner in which the researcher interprets the results obtained from the data analysis process, which is dependent upon the aims and objectives of the research. It is basically of three types namely exploratory, explanatory and descriptive. Data collection process: Data collection process involves determining the sources from which the data shall be collected. Data can be collected basically from two sources namely primary source and secondary source (Flick 2015). Sampling method: In case of primary data collection method, it is necessary to determine the appropriate sampling method so that the most relevant data is obtained from the most suitable respondents chosen for the research process. 3.It is necessary to address all the key components when writing a research methodology as the relevancy of the information obtained from the research process largely depends on the selection of the appropriate key components. The researcher is required to choose the most appropriate research approach, design, data collection method and sampling method so that the most appropriate and relevant data is obtained after the completion of the research, which fulfills the aims and objectives of the research (Silverman 2016) 4.The errors of omission refer to the situations wherein someone or something is missed, which was necessary to be considered or included in the research process. Error of omission has a negative impact on the reliability of the data or information obtained from conducting the research process (Lewis, Thornhill and Saunders 2012). Omissions challenge the authenticity of the data or information obtained from conducting a research process and the entire effort of the researcher becomes vague (Smith 2015). Therefore, it is necessary for the researchers to ensure that the research process is free from the error of omission so that the authenticity and reliability of the research can be maintained. References: Flick, U., 2015. Introducing research methodology: A beginner's guide to doing a research project. Sage. Lewis, M., Thornhill, P. and Saunders, A., 2012.Research Methods for Business Students. 6th ed. London: Publisher: Pearson; 6 edition (2012), pp.Pages: 126 -137; Pages: 143 -149; Pages: 158 - 196; Pages: 208-219. Mackey, A. and Gass, S.M., 2015. Second language research: Methodology and design. Routledge. Silverman, D. ed., 2016. Qualitative research. Sage. Smith, J.A. ed., 2015. Qualitative psychology: A practical guide to research methods. Sage

Porters 5 Forces for Car2go Project in Osaka, Japan

Introduction The use of Porter’s five forces in analyzing the business plans is something that is today almost synonymous to the process of strategic marketing planning. These five forces, advanced by the renowned macroeconomist and Harvard scholar; Michael E. Porter in 1979, essentially help in guiding business planners on what to expect in their new business ventures and how they should handle their challenges as well as opportunities.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Porter’s 5 Forces for Car2go Project in Osaka, Japan specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More These forces are: Threat of New Entrants, Bargaining Power of Suppliers, Bargaining Power of Buyers, Rivalry among Existing Competitors, and Threat of Substitute Products or Services as summarised in the diagram below. A circumspective analysis of these forces, in relations to the proposed Car2go project in Osaka, Japan, is succinctly done below. Main Discussion Threat of New Entrants In essence, the arena of transportation (both public and private) is flooded with constant entry of new entrants based on the ever increasing need for people to move from one place to another. As a result, there is always a ready market for new entrants. Osaka, Japan being a reportedly business hubbub, entry of new competitors is bound to happen and we therefore have to be ready and prepared to deal with that. To deal with the above challenge, Car2go plans to widen the scope of its businesses such that the entry of new competitors will not have much effect to their business endeavors. Pilot programs of these new diversifications are already underway in the current branch in terms of their products and services. By the time we move into Osaka, Japan, the company will have already known the relevant and fitting plans to put in place while also being aware of the ones to be ignored. Bargaining Power of Suppliers In assessing the aspect of d ealing with the bargaining power of suppliers, we have to chiefly consider the elements of cost and time to be utilized in the project. Given the fact that Car2go already has working system of suppliers that get to internationally supply the company in countries and regions like U.S.A, U.K, Canada, Germany, France, Austria and Netherlands; the company intends to use the same suppliers for purposes of cost and time efficacy.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More However, there are instances that there may be complications like delays by the suppliers or even jurisdictional restriction by traffic laws thus limiting some transportations (Watanabe 4-7). In times like these, new suppliers will be required so that the company is able to duly serve its new customers at Osaka, Japan. To this regard, Car2go will therefore have to increase the number of suppliers so as not to be af fected by any market fluctuations. Bargaining Power of Buyers Studies by our market researchers indicate that a good number of public and private transportation and car rental companies exist in Osaka, Japan. With the rise in the number of outlets offering products and services similar to Car2go, customers will have a wide range of options to choose from. In effect, this will result into a price war ultimately favouring customers. In other words, the customers will have a high bargaining power thus making cost-plans for quite challenging for service providers. In regard to our case, Car2go is renowned for having good prices for its buyers. This good price system will be replicated in the Osaka, Japan so no difficulty is expected. Rivalry among Existing Competitors As glimpsed in the previous section, Osaka, Japan already has a significant number of companies offering products and similar to ours. Rivalry from these existing competitors is bound to fierce and expectedly tough. Howeve r, scholarly and market reports from various quarters indicate that Car2go is reputed for having good relations with other market players so very minimal challenges are expected. Even more importantly, the existing players only act as a motivation for Car2go to work extra hard—something which is bound to ensure that continuous progress ensues. Our good brand name in car rentals services as well as in both public and private transportation will also be a plus for Car2go in edging off the competition from the existing competitors. Threat of Substitute Products or Services In today’s fast growing and highly competitive market of transportation, there is need for organizations to adopt an effective strategy for marketing in order to gain revenues and gain competitive advantage as well as meet its operational goals (Czinkota Ronkainen 186-190). This is driven by the presence of competition among companies for the already relatively-full market. A company that has inferior products and services rarely attains success, or survives in such a market (Porter 201-205). This occurs since those companies that have effective marketing strategies win a large pool of customers in comparison to those companies that have weak marketing strategies.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Porter’s 5 Forces for Car2go Project in Osaka, Japan specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Over time, success in Car2go is usually measured in terms of gains (market share, revenues), and meeting operational goals. So, in order to fulfil these vital aspects of success, we intend to implement a diversification plan which entails venturing into other regions while bettering its product and services. In effect, the threat of substitute products or services will be thwarted while the company’s targets are met thus ensuring that we achieve overall success. Summary Just like most business ventures, our pro ject plans, in regard to Porter’s 5 Forces, may result in success or failure. It is for this reason that this plan calls for everyone involved to ardently play his/her part. It is only by doing this that we can have some assurance that our plans will be foolproof of the usual market hiccups and the never-ending economic challenges. Additionally, as seen in many other companies who have followed the formula we are proposing to institute the new branch in Osaka, Japan; we expect some copycat competition from our numerous competitors after we launch our branch. So in order to stay a step ahead of such competitors, we are planning to periodically revolutionize our operations after commencement in Osaka, Japan. Revolutionizing and bettering the myriad of facets entailed in Porter’s 5 forces will definitely offer Car2go competitive advantage over other market players. Finally, it is worth noting that the Japanese market, to be specific, and the Asian market, in general, is h ighly dynamic and sophisticated. In order to survive in it, we not only intend to use strategies that have previously worked in our other branches but we also intend to customize and adapt our transportation products and services to the existing market intricacies. This way, our success will be highly guaranteed. Works Cited Czinkota, Michael R., Ronkainen, Ilkka A. International Market. 8th Ed. 2007. London: Cengage Learning, Print. Porter, Michael E. Competitive Advantage: Creating and Sustaining Superior Performance: with a New Introduction. New York: Free Press, 1998. Print. Watanabe, Ryo. Overview of the Public Transport System and Policy in Japan. 2-3 Mar. 2005. Web. https://www.itf-oecd.org/.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This research paper on Porter’s 5 Forces for Car2go Project in Osaka, Japan was written and submitted by user Cayson Nolan to help you with your own studies. 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Syntax

Syntax Introduction to semantic roles Semantic roles are parts that participants play in certain circumstances (Dang Palmer, 2005, p.42). They express the relationship that a constituent has with the rest of the clause. The main verbs in a clause are normally responsible for expressing this relationship. Semantic roles include; agents, patients, location, instruments, causer, experiencer, theme, benefactee, source, and goal (2005, p.43).Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Syntax-Semantic Roles specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More An agent is the participant that the verb describes as doing or intentionally causing something (Gildea Jurafsky, 2002,p.249). Kim ate the food hurriedly. The boy hit the wall. In the sentences above, Kim and the boy are the agents. Kim does the act of eating while the boy intentionally hits the wall. The causer, on the other hand, is the participant that the verb identifies as causing someth ing but not intentionally (Gildea Jurafsky, 2002,p.250). In the examples shown below, the stone does not have any intention to destroy the house; neither does the fire in burning the crops. The stone destroyed the house.Advertising Looking for critical writing on linguistics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The fire burnt the crops. According to Gildea and Jurafsky (2002, p.250), the instrument is the medium which the agent uses to carry out the action the predicator denotes. The bat in the sentence below is the instrument. Humphrey hit the ball with a bat. The experiencer is the participant who is aware of something or experiencing something. This participant is normally animate and unintentionally perceives sensory stimuli or state of mind (Gildea Jurafsky, 2002, p.251). The student felt uncomfortable in church. The student unintentionally feels bad while in church. The patient is the participant to whom an actio n happens (Gildea, Jurafsky, 2002,p.249). The action that the verb denotes affects the patient. In the sentence â€Å"The boy hit the ball,† The ball is the patient because the action of hitting affects it directly.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Syntax-Semantic Roles specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Gildea and Jurafsky (2002, p.249) define a theme as the participant whom the verb describes as being dynamic or in a state or position. â€Å"Post† is the theme in this sentence. The post rolled into the river. The Recipient is an endpoint of the act of transferring an item (Gildea Jurafsky, 2002, p.249). John is the recipient in this sentence. He receives a letter from Amos. Amos sent a letter to John. The Benefactee is the participant who benefits from the results of an action (Gildea Jurafsky, 2002, p.249). John is a benefactee in this sentence. John benefits from the act of buying the sh irt. I bought a nice shirt for John. Location is normally a noun phrase that specifies the position of an item (Gildea Jurafsky, 2002,p.250). A location verb normally accompanies the agent in specifying this position. In the sentence, â€Å"Jim put his books on the table.† â€Å"Put† is the verb of location while the table is the location.Advertising Looking for critical writing on linguistics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The source is the participant from which motion originates. It is, therefore, the starting point of a movement or action (Gildea Jurafsky, 2002, p.250). When someone says, â€Å"We expect to get a loan from the bank.† Then â€Å"the bank† becomes the source in this sentence. Gildea and Jurafsky (2002, p.249) define the goal as the destination or the end point of a movement or an action. The bank is the goal in the sentence below since the participants direct their action towards the bank. We took the director to the bank to withdraw money for the salaries. Semantic roles and Passive constructions The GB theory argues that there is a similarity in both active and passive constructions (Black, 1999, p.29). According to this theory, the semantic roles of the lexicons in the sentence can help bring out these similarities in active and passive constructions. This means every constituent has a semantic role and an extra role for the subject (1999, p.30). The theory further observes that some verbs do not give a semantic role to the position of the subject. The GB theory also proposes that forms that relate to each other share a sub categorization frame and, therefore, there ought not to be cross linking of semantic roles and syntactic categories. This means that it is a crime to assign the theme to both the subject and the object in entries that relate to each other (1999). Black (1999, p.30) argues that the theme is always the direct object while the indirect object is always the recipient. Another assumption allows an item to move out of a position but forbids the replacement of another item in that position (Black, 1999, p.30). This, therefore, means, the semantic role remains in its former position and does not move with the outgoing phrase. The semantic role is, therefore, a constituent of the lexical sub categorization (1999, p.30). This theory forbids an element from moving into a position that relates to a semantic role because it makes the ne w occupant of the position take over that role, thus changing the linking that was originally there. The proponent of the GB theory agrees with earlier theorists that only transitive verbs have passive forms (Black, 1999, p.31). Therefore, no lexical rule can generate a passive form from intransitive verbs. Lexical rules normally help in illustrating generalizations such as this one about the relationship between passive forms and transitive verbs. In a sentence like; John was invited to the party by Jane, a rule like this one below can help illustrate the generalizations. V [+pass], [_ NP X (PP [to]) (PP[by]) ] Theme Goal Agent Sometimes, there is the need for interchanging the subject and object positions. This is possible especially when the subject position has no semantic role at the D-structure and has no lexicon to fill it (Black, 1999, p.32). This agrees with the Principle of No Loss of Information. Normally, a trace remains behind to retain the link between the object and t he related semantic role (1999, p.32). Unaccusative Clauses There is the need to distinguish between categories of intransitive verbs. To do this, it is important to determine whether the noun phrase in the position of the subject does the action or the action affects it (Black, 1999, p.32). John feels good. Jean collapsed. The plate broke. John broke the handle. In the first example above, feels is an ordinary intransitive verb whose subject, John, is an Agent. On the other hand, John just collapsed. He did not do anything to make himself collapse. Therefore, in the second example, the subject has the role of the theme. In the third and fourth examples, the breaking affects â€Å"the plate† and â€Å"the handle†. â€Å"The plate† and â€Å"the handle† take the theme role. In the third example, the action is unaccusative while, in the fourth, it is transitive. The verb â€Å"Feels† has an Agent in the position of the subject, while â€Å"collapseà ¢â‚¬  has nothing in this position but has a theme object and â€Å"break† has an agent that is optional. Raising constructions This category involves verbs that have a finite or non-finite complement, but do not give semantic roles to their normative positions (Black, 1999). Raising verbs include likely and seem (1999, p.33). The use of the pronoun â€Å"it† shows the lack of semantic roles especially in cases when a complement that is finite is in use. In cases where a complement that is non-finite is present, the subject of the dependent clause takes the position of the independent clause. Conclusion The most important part of this topic is the meaning of the various semantic roles; agent, source, goal, theme etc. The other thing is to know the rules that guide the movement of lexical items from one position to the other. It is important to know that there should be no cross linking of semantic roles and syntactic categories in related forms. This topic also stress es that an item is free to move out of a position, but the position should not be filled by another item. This helps avert the problem of altering the semantic role of that position. The semantic roles discussed should be used to bring out the similarities between active and passive constructions. This work also reveals that the noun phrase occupying the subject position does not have to be doing an action. Sometimes the action of the verb affects it. The NP can, therefore, be an agent or the theme. References Black, C. A. (1999). A step-by-step introduction to the Government and Binding theory of syntax. Summer Institute of Linguistics-Mexico Branch and University of North Dakota. www. sil. Org/americas/mexico/ling/E002-IntroGB. Pdf. Dang, H. T., Palmer, M. (2005, June). The role of semantic roles in disambiguating verb senses. In Proceedings of the 43rd Annual Meeting on Association for Computational Linguistics (pp. 42-49). Association for Computational Linguistics. Gildea, D., Jurafsky, D. (2002). Automatic labeling of semantic roles. Computational linguistics, 28(3), 245-288.