An Analysis of Mel Lazarus’ Angry Fathers

Mel Lazarus, writer of Angry Fathers, showed by describing his relationship between him and his father, as he recalled an incident that happened when he was 9 years old, back in 1938, when corporal punishment was most used to correct bad behavior, â€Å"They’ll live, don’t worry â€Å", was the common idea, that event marked his relationship and trust with his father for life. Lazarus’ family stayed at a boarding house in Catskills for the summer during school vacations, and he and two buddies were hanging out one August afternoon, bored. So what they decided to do was engage in a little remodeling, as the owner of the place was furious, the three mothers basically decided to let their husbands discipline the boys. The bingo players felt a strong lust for vengeance; they wanted to see some beatings. As Lazarus tells it, his friends' fathers came home first, one at a time. The first dad, took off his belt and began whipping his son, the second father came home and when he learned what happened, began thrashing his boy, slamming him to the ground and kicking him. Lazarus was now terrified; his father had never raised his hand in violence, but after seeing this, the young boy was truly afraid that he'd crossed the line. His father came home; the owner explained what had happened. Lazarus's dad stared at his son for a moment. Then he suddenly left. He got back into his car and drove off. He returned an hour later with a stack of Sheetrock boards tied to the top of his car. He took the sheetrock into the remains of the casino, and then took a hammer he'd bought at the hardware store out of the front seat, and went to work. He said not a word to anyone; he just rebuilt the casino, taking most of the night to do it. Lazarus was still worried about retribution in the morning, but none came. The father never mentioned the incident and the weekend went perfectly fine. Lazarus says that, while he knew his father was angry, the father also believed that beating one's child is criminal, that children â€Å"always remembered the pain but often forgot the reason. † The father also understood that a child learns nothing by humiliation – he was not going to â€Å"play into a conspiracy of revenge and spectacle† by publicly flogging his own son. That was not his way, Although many years has passed since then, corporal punishment still being used sometimes with hard consequences, often we notice on television real cases of parents going too far, they are different ways that corporal punish is used, the most popular is within the family, typically children punished by parents or guardians; within the schools when students are punished by teachers or administrators’ or as part of a criminal sentence ordered by a court of law. Corporal punishment of minors within domestic settings is lawful in all 50 states and widely approved by parents. â€Å"They’ll live, don’t worry â€Å", Stanishly the consequences of corporal punishment are vivid, a 14% of all men in prison in the USA were abuse as children, 36% of all women in prison were abused as children and of course children who experience child abuse are 59% more likely to be arrested as a juvenile, and 28% more likely to be arrested as an adult. On the other hand we were very fortunate that my parents had the same level of understanding when it came to punishing us, (we were five kids growing up together), I called my sisters Nora and Veronica, to asked them if they recalled my parents ever punishing us that way, but they told me as I remembered, our parents used discipline on a different way, even then, almost 30 years ago, they lead us the way by using the scriptures,(Jehovah Witnesses), always talking to us, showing up â€Å"The bible’s way† and when, there was something very bad they showed us how to work, replace, put together, apologize, return anything that we just may had broken or misplaced. The golden rule, according to my parents must live in my mind and heart â€Å"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you†, somehow it work for all of us, finally Angry Fathers, show us just how important is that parents understand their children and find other ways to make sure their children are safe and trust in them. It’s a good example for all of us to see the father's refusal to get into a psychodrama are the fact that he also solves the problem of the destroyed casino. The other fathers, likely just as capable of putting up Sheetrock as Mr. Lazarus was. And Mr. Lazarus obviously understood that hitting his son was not going to fix the casino. And that the sound of the hammer banging on sheetrock not only allowed him to get out some aggression, but also served as a stern reminder to the young boy about what he did to the building, and how that lesson lasted a life time.

Similarities Between Men and Women

Sociology of Women October 18th, 2012 Are men and women more similar or different from each other? What are the strengths and weaknesses of each position? If not a gender dichotomy (male/female), then what? Can we unlearn, as a culture, the ins and outs of gender? Is gender a question of exclusion or is it a question of difference? Women and Men are more similar than people believe them to be. People focus on the evident physical differences we see on a daily basis in men and women.Women are commonly described to have breasts, a vagina, and are considered more â€Å"voluptuous† or curvy than men, Whereas men are known for their manly tools, their penis, and all the preconceived social and cultural notions that go along with that. However, aside from these minor physical differences men and women are innately the same. Although most people do not realize this, the only legitimate difference that is scientifically proven between men and women is that a woman’s body contai ns two X chromosomes and a man’s contains an X and Y chromosome (Connell, 2012, pg. 1). This biological difference then allows a woman’s body to develop slightly differently to enable reproduction, such as a womb, breasts, and wider pelvis. A man then develops testes but surprisingly both men and women’s genitals come from the same embryonic tissue. In other words biologically a penis and clitoris, scrotum and labia, come from the exact same starting place, and until people age these physical characteristics aren’t drastically visibly different (Connell, 2012, pg. 52).One of the most ridiculous arguments about the differences between men and women comes back to our hormones. Many people are taught the differences between men and women throughout popular culture and education but not similarities. We are taught that our gendered bodies do not share any of the same physical characteristics. Men should be buff, taller, and able to do more in terms of strengt h while women should be graceful, dainty, caregivers that are objects to look at. Most people are unaware of all the commonalities that men and women share.In fact our hormones function in the same ways, and there are not â€Å"male† or â€Å"female† hormones. The difference is the levels and patterns our hormones take on. Men generally have higher levels of androgens such as testosterone whereas women have higher levels of reproductive organs at certain points. What most people are unaware of is that the same reproductive hormones present in women also work in men to enable the process of sperm production (Women's Studies Collective, 2005, pg. 87). There is a huge overlap in the levels and process our bodies take on.As explained in the text, â€Å"Even in early adulthood the physical characteristics of males and females as a group overlap extensively† (Connell, 2009, pg. 52). Height is used as an example, because adult men are generally slightly taller than adu lt women, but the variety of heights within each biological group is large, in relation to the average difference. Many argue that the build of a man and a woman are completely different. It is true that men on average grow about 10 to 15 percent larger than females and tend to have more upper body strength, but in comparison to other mammals the margin is slim.Universities across the United States are providing new research that suggests it was similarities among men and women of our early ancestors, not differences which helped early humans evolve to become the dominant species that we are. To understand the similarities of men and women you must understand that sex is a biological categorization based primarily on reproductive potential, whereas gender is the social elaboration of biological sex. Not surprisingly, social norms for heterosexual coupling and care of any resulting children are closely intertwined with gender.But that is far from the full story. Gender builds on biol ogical sex, but it exaggerates biological difference, and it carries biological difference into domains in the world which it is completely irrelevant. There is no biological reason, for example, why women should take more delicate roles in the world and men should dominate in society, or why women should have red toenails and men should not, but as we consider sex as biological and gender as social, this difference is not clear-cut.Men and women require the same types of emotional and physical care from the time of birth to adulthood, in order to remain healthy and functioning members of society. Both male and female brains are exactly the same. An argument that is commonly seen about the male and female brain is that on average a man’s brains grows for a bit longer and are a bit larger than females, but aside from the slight size difference both a male and females brain can function the same way. Size does not relate to function. Both men and women go through life trying to fulfill a desire to have emotional connections with others.Whether these are positive or negative emotional connections based on the persons experiences, men and women still try to fulfill the same voids. Men and women also require the same physical care from birth to adulthood. Both men and women need to be physically cared for in order to survive. Men and women both require the basic needs to have food, water, shelter, and personal hygiene in order to maintain their health. Without one of these things either sex could die. This is explained clearly is Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs which explains that you satisfy your biological needs before your personal and social needs.According to Maslow, when it comes to satisfying your needs, you begin at the bottom of the needs hierarchy, with physiological needs, and then work your way toward the top. Every level on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs explains needs that both men and women require such as Level 1-Physiological needs: Food, water, sex, and sleep, Level 2-Safety needs: Protection from harm, Level 3- Love and belonging needs: Affiliation with others and acceptance by others, Level 4-Esteem needs: Achievement, competency, gaining approval and recognition, Level 5- Self-actualization: Fulfillment of one’s unique potential (Plotnik ; Kouyoumdjian, 2011, pg. 33). Another huge argument regarding the differences between men and women is sexual behaviors and urges. However, it is becoming more obvious that both men and women have the same sexual desires and urges and it’s becoming more socially acceptable for both man and woman to engage in these behaviors in Western Society. In previous times men were described to have more sexual urges and behaviors than women which excused them from any promiscuous behavior they engaged in. However, if a woman chose to do similar things she ould be shunned and looked down upon because she was being â€Å"too promiscuous† or a â€Å"whore. à ¢â‚¬  Reality is that both men and women have very complex sexual lives, with few major differences. Often time’s differences are seen across sexes because of societal and cultural beliefs within that community. If a woman having sex with more than one partner is considered a sin and dirty in many cultures these instances are kept quiet to keep order. The same goes with a man, but often only men’s sexual tales are spoken of as less sinful.Society proves time and time again to be sexual biased on what is acceptable for men and women. Men and women are both simply results of societal and cultural upbringing. A woman in a Western society versus a Middle-Eastern society would behave differently due to family, beliefs, values, and Religion. Strengths for a man versus a woman are based on personal beliefs. I think that both men and women have too many similarities to not be considered equal, but there are not enough strong-willed women such as myself with the same thought p rocess.Western culture presents men as stronger physically, and ultimately the bread winner, where a woman is considered a caregiver, and delicate. It’s very hard to explain the strengths and weaknesses of two different sexes that are innately the same. A dichotomy is any splitting of a whole into exactly two non-overlapping parts, meaning a gender dichotomy is a procedure in which biological sex is divided into two parts, male and female. Societies around the world use a gender dichotomy to keep order and help better organize and understand sex and gender.Although with how much evidence there is on both man and woman overlapping we have no use for a gender dichotomy, and yet society remains the same to keep gender in order. With the elimination of a gender dichotomy society may eventually be able to see both man and woman as equal, but truth is we are still so far from that. In order to eliminate the separation of biological sex into two parts people would need to unlearn wh at they know about gender, which is far from happening. As a culture to unlearn something mass groups of people need to step forward with new information proving the previous to be wrong.However, feminism is still a growing movement with small numbers, and in order to make social change, sadly enough, we need large numbers of people to explain the facts. If people understood the real depths of feminism and what it entails in a positive way, The Feminist movement could help move forward how people view men and women as more similar than different. Human beings are like sponges for knowledge, and are able to obtain new information to help remove the old, so I am not saying that it is impossible to unlearn the ins and outs of gender, I am simply saying that as most progression does, it will take time.References Connell, R. (2012). Short introductions gender. (2nd ed. , pg. 50-71). Massachusetts, USA: Polity Press. Women's Studies Collective, H. C. (2005). Women's Realities, Women's Cho ices- An Introduction to Women's Studies. (3rd ed. , pg. 85-87). New York, New York: Oxford University Press. Plotnik, R. , ; Kouyoumdjian, H. (2011). Introduction to Psychology. (9th ed. , p. 333). Belmont, CA, USA: Wadsworth- Cengage Learning.

Interest Rate Risk

INTEREST RATE RISKQ1. Which of the following correctly defines Basis Risk? (MCQ)A company having a variable interest rate for a specific loanA company having a fixed interest rate for all loansThe risk of the difference of interest rate amount set on assets & liabilitiesA company has a similar quantity of assets & liabilities, having a different basis for their floating rate(2 marks) This information relates to Q2 & Q3.Rotec Co wants to borrow $30,800 in two months' time ; is seeking to save them from any interest risk. The bank has explained an agreement to provide hedging for Rotec Co. This agreement can lock interest rates for future. The borrowing will be for three months. The forward rate agreement is as follows: 2 months V 3 months 3% – 4.5%2 months V 5 months 4.2% – 5.1% Q2. Calculate the interest amount to be paid if the actual rate will be 3% in two months' time? (MCQ)$161.7$231$392.7$924(2 marks) Q3. Calculate the refund amount by the bank if the actual rate will be 6.3% in two months' time? (MCQ) $46.2$92.4$138.6$161.7(2 marks) Q4. A company is looking at the following options to hedge itself from interest risks. Which of the following will support the cause? (MRQ) SmoothingMoney market agreementsMatchingDealing with home currency(2 marks) Q5. A yield curve is a relationship between yield ; maturity dates of similar bonds. Select the appropriate yield curve. (P;D)Short-term bonds have lower yield due to their risk Long-term yields have lower yield due to the downfall in the economy Short/Long – term bonds provide a close equal yield FLAT YIELD CURVE NORMAL YIELD CURVE INVERTED YIELD CURVE(2 marks) Q6. Select the appropriate theories in relation to different interest rates on different securities. (P;D)Investors needing high returns for long-term security contracts The assumption by an investor that higher interest rates are due to future inflation Security markets are separate from each other ; have distinct customers GOVERNMENT POLICY MARKET SEGMENTATION THEORY LIQUIDITY PREFERENCE THEORY EXPECTATION THEORY(2 marks) Q7. Select the appropriate option relating to the usefulness of the yield curve. (HA)Yield curve may indicate the economy position TRUE FALSEYield curve may be helpful in decision making with respect to loan ; but not interest TRUE FALSE(2 marks) Q8. Which of the following contract have long-term validity? (MCQ)Currency FuturesInterest rate OptionsInterest rate Swaps Forward rate agreements(2 marks) Q9. Select the appropriate option in relation to interest rate futures. (HA)If the need for Borrowing, Selling the futures now ; Buying them back at the close date TRUE FALSEIf the need for Deposit, Selling the futures now ; Buying them back at the close date TRUE FALSE(2 marks) Q10. Which of the following statements is correct? (MCQ)Currency futures have a range of closeout datesInterest rate options are cheaper than Forwarding rate agreementsForward rate agreements lapse if unused in the given time periodSwaps are unable to be exercised if the amount ; time periods are different(2 marks) Q11. Yakut wants to borrow money from the bank in three months' time by using a collar transaction. Which of the following statements are true in relation to the collar transaction? (MRQ) Yakut will buy a cap agreementBank will buy a cap agreementYakut will sell a flooring agreementBank will sell a flooring agreement(2 marks) Q12. Uma Co wants to deposit money into Hale Ltd, a banking institution. Hale has offered a collar transaction. Which of the following statements are correct? (MRQ) Bank will sell a cap agreementUma Co will sell a cap agreementUma Co will sell a flooring agreementBank will buy a flooring agreement(2 marks)INTEREST RATE RISK (ANSWERS)Q1. DA company having a variable interest rate for a specific loan (Floating interest rate risk)A company having a fixed interest rate for all loans (Fixed interest rate risk)The risk of the difference of interest rate amount set on assets & liabilities (Gap risk)A company has a similar quantity of assets & liabilities, having a different basis for their floating rate (Basis risk) Q2. CInterest Payment = [30,800 Ãâ€" (3% Ãâ€" 3/12)] = $231Payment Extra = [30,800 Ãâ€" ({5.1 – 3} % Ãâ€" 3/12)] = $161.7Total cost = 231 + 161.7 = $392.7 Q3. BInterest Payment = [30,800 Ãâ€" (6.3% Ãâ€" 3/12)] = $485.1Refund = [30,800 Ãâ€" ({6.3 – 5.1} % Ãâ€" 3/12)] = $92.4Total cost = 485.1 – 92.4 = $392.7 Q4.Smoothing, Maintaining a balance between fixed & floating borrowing rates (Correct)Money market agreements not exist (Incorrect)Matching, Matching assets & liabilities with same interest rates (Correct)Dealing in home currency, the technique of dealing foreign currency risk (Incorrect) Q5.Short-term bonds have lower yield due to their riskNORMAL YIELD CURVE   Long-term yields have lower yield due to the downfall in the economy INVERTED YIELD CURVE Short/Long – term bonds provide a close equal yield FLAT YIELD CURVENORMAL YIELD = Sign of economic boom INVERTED YIELD = Sign of economic recessionFLAT YIELD = Sign of transition from boom to recession or vice versa Q6.Investors needing high returns for long-term security contracts LIQUIDITY PREFERENCE THEORY The assumption by an investor that higher interest rates are due to future inflation     EXPECTATION THEORY Security markets are separate from each other & have distinct customers   MARKET SEGMENTATION THEORY The government policy of keeping interest rates high may effect in keeping short-term interest rates higher than long-term rates. Similarly, a government may also keep very low short-term interest rates. Q7.Yield curve may indicate the economy position TRUE Yield curve may be helpful in decision making with respect to loan & but not interest FALSEYield curves help in both loan & interest decision making. Q8. CAll other agreements are less than a year. Q9. If the need for Borrowing, Selling the futures now & Buying them back at the close date TRUE If the need for Deposit, Selling the futures now & Buying them back at the close date FALSEIf the need for Deposit, Buying the futures now & Sell them back at the close date Q10.Currency futures have a range of closeout dates, has specified date (False)Interest rate options are cheaper than Forwarding rate agreements, are expensive (False)Forward rate agreements lapses if unused in the given time period, have to close out at the given time (False)Swaps are unable to be exercised if the amount & time periods are different, it can only be exercised if timing & the amount are same hence (True) Q11. Yakut will buy a cap agreementYakut will sell a flooring agreementCap is an interest rate ceiling limiting the interest rate. Floor sets a lower limit of interest rates. Q12.Bank will sell a cap agreementBank will buy a flooring agreementCap is an interest rate ceiling limiting the interest rate. Floor sets a lower limit of interest rates.

Importance of a Global Approach to Regulating Corporate Governance Essay

Importance of a Global Approach to Regulating Corporate Governance - Essay Example Multi National Corporations needs to introduce excellent business practices, enhance their decision making and give valid reasons for people to invest in the company. Many companies around the world have failed due to lack of proper corporate governance. The global crisis is an example of how failure of executive and boards to manage the financial institutions, banks and other organization using proper corporate governance. The corporate governance problems are mostly experienced in countries where legal environment provides incredibly few corporate government strategies and practices, few shareholders right and few disclosure requirements. Companies can efficiently compete, and the economies can prosper well if they adopt the practices, and strategies recommended by International Corporate Governance Network. Multi national corporations should ensure that the shareholders exercise the rights through effective and open conversing and communicating information as well as engaging them in general meetings. This will be very useful and effective as it will lead to growth and expansion of companies. Transparency and disclosure of material matters concerning the Multi National Corporations should be balance and timely. Everybody interested in the company gains confidence because he or she will note the areas that need improvement or are well managed. Multi National Corporation should be aware that, disbursement of resources in proper corporate governance will inexorably bring good returns on investment and hence the corporations’ survival. They will be very successful when they adopt and implement good corporate governance strategies and practices. INTRODUCTION As corporate governance persists to be an area of spotlight for most companies especially Multi National Corporation, there are many issues and questions that firms still fight with:Â   what it is and what it is concerned with; the reason many governments and firms promoting advanced tactics in corpor ate governance (Ghosh and Chakraborti, 2010). Corporate governance is how the companies or firms make decisions, how they manage and organize themselves and how they converse with shareholders and the entire world. It deals with issues like how executives and boards are chosen, what responsibilities and mandate executives and boards have, whether shareholders and stakeholders have rights to get involved in some types of corporate decisions through participating in voting and if they have, what form they take. These issues are crucial because they endorse excellent business practices, good opportunities and decision making for investors to make certain the integrity of their investment. Since these issues are very important to improving and developing good businesses and best businesses environment, policy makers and companies are much interested in ensuring that excellent corporate government is widely adopted and is successfully institutionalized throughout the firm. Many companies and firms identify that good corporate governance is a good business strategy and good commerce practice (Bitanga and Bridwell, 2010). What many companies are focusing on is to advance their businesses specifically in the promising global market place where companies are repeatedly trying to outdo each other to ensure their businesses are effective and to magnetize new investors. Companies and firms especially the well managed ones, want to introduce

International business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

International business - Essay Example Within this block are countries like Brazil, Russia, India and China, which have distinguished themselves as some of the promising and alternative markets to the developed economies (O’Neill, 2001). Emerging markets are characterized by a growing fraction of middle-income consumers, demand for goods, services, technological advancements, and discoveries. However, entry into such markets cannot be an overnight decision, as it requires planning, strategic understanding of the market dynamics and cultural differences. Issues related with intellectual property rights, taxation, employee salary packages and other market jurisdiction factors must be considered before initiating entry into the business. Brazil has distinguished itself as a major member within the BRICs block with its dynamic and promising market structure and dynamics. The country has a strong currency against other international currencies like the dollar, aptly controls its inflation rate and has an expanding middl e class population. With a steadily increasing population and a stabilized GDP, Brazil is an economy worth considering among the BRICs members. In this report, an advisory description of the Brazilian market and economy will be provided for a company that is seeking entry into the market (Cui, 2005). The factors to consider and the key areas to develop before entry into the market will be described in detail, providing an understanding of this market structure as compared to a developed economy like the United Kingdom. A Danish owned production company seeks to establish an autonomous production subsidiary unit in this country and this paper will highlight how the company can establish a strong company despite the market challenges. Brazil has cut a niche for itself among the emerging economies and as a member of the BRIC economies by developing into a country with greater purchasing power. However, as present in all emerging economies, entry into the Brazilian market is never smoot h sailing and foreign organizations must develop proper strategies to succeed. A number of issues exist in this market and economy that every new entrant must encounter and address to succeed. The government regulatory measures and programs however make new entrants into this market undergo tough challenges including high taxation and bureaucratic setting (Teixeria & Grande, 2011). Factors to consider before entry Danish business environment differs significantly from the Brazilian economy in terms of tax regimes, bureaucratic procedures and other government related factors. As such, a multinational with operations in a different country must be in a position to evaluate both the internal and external factors, which may affect the successful operation of the business. A poor understanding or underestimation of these factors has contributed to the failure of a number of multinationals across the world. A number of internal and external factors exist that are specific to Brazil as an emerging economy. In evaluating the external factors that may affect the success of Danish based multinational

Communication, Conflict and Decision-Making Essay - 1

Communication, Conflict and Decision-Making - Essay Example This essay discusses that in every society, communication is the backbone of professional and social relationships. Communication facilitates the flow of ideas and/or concepts from one given source to the other. The best process of communication needs the existence of a message sender, as well as the receiver. Individuals share the views and ideas through the thriving process of communication. For any communication process to be regarded as thriving, the receiver must comprehend the message content in accordance with the sender’s aim. This means that certain processes of communication lead to unsuccessful ends. Thus, it is worth noting that communication process encounters some hindrances that deter efficient information delivery to the anticipated parties. No matter the effort put in to evade a conflict, it appears to always arise at the worst moments. Thus, ineffective communication leads to a conflict of views or ideas among the parties involved. During communication, confl ict begins from a merely simple flicker of emotions or varies all the way to supportive proof that one presents. While conflict may lead to both positive and negative impacts, this social disagreement may boost maturity of social abilities among the individuals involved. Conflict management involves the application of measures that promote the advancement of positive effects forms a social discord. Efficient conflict management process promotes learning among parties involved and the entire society on how to address incompatible vies in the future.

Alcatel-Lucent merger Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Alcatel-Lucent merger - Coursework Example Lucent feared Alcatel’s takeover and thus the deal came to a halt on May 29, 2001. It is still not discovered that which company begin the negotiations but Lucent ended them on the basis that Alcatel was not agreeing on equals. Looking into the case, I believe may be the negotiations styles were not accurate for the scenario. According to Anatomy of a merger by James C. Freund, there are two ways of negotiating which let you go no where. One is doing what comes naturally to your mind, not thinking about the other party and doing and saying only what you want. Credibility and sincerity should be prominent in your negotiations and this style of doing what naturally comes to your mind is the worst style of negotiating. The second style is practice what I preach. You should not just read books for the sake of reading them. Practicing all negotiation styles in your merger is important. In 2006, the companies decided to merge again. Co operations begin to build up between the two co mpanies. According to Paris and Murray Hill, N.J., April 2, 2006- Alacatel and Lucent Technologies announced that they are together as an ultimate merger now which is unbreakable. They are creating a genuinely global communications key provider for the entire world with the widest wire line, wireless and services collection in the market. The major reason of this merger is to increase revenues and profits based on market chances for the next-generation services, applications, and networks. The joint company’s scope, scale and global competencies will improve the long term value for customers, shareowners and employees. The contract, which was endorsed by the boards of directors of each company, will build upon the corresponding strengths of every company to generate a global market leader in the alteration of upcoming wireless, wire line and congregated networks. The shareholders in France accepted the merger in September 2006. The CEO of Alcatel invested 10.6 billion euro ($ 13.5 billion then) into the business at that time and remarked that Alcatel- Lucent â€Å"has no equivalent today or in future†. The combined sales of the company mounted to $25 billion in that year and it was believed that Alcatel-Lucent will be the biggest merger of communications in the world with its ongoing success. But mergers aren’t easy to handle! Conflict of interest, different cultural backgrounds and different attitudes towards work were the causes of divergence between the chief executives of both companies. Things start to take a pessimistic turn. Patricia F. Russo (chief executive of Lucent) also believed that things would start to work better for the both companies but they did not. Even though the regulatory hurdles were cleared in both U.S and European markets by the U.S State department and EU regulations but things didn’t take a positive turn. Both the CEO’s tried hard to cooperate with each other but was restricted by their French and American styles. According to an analyst, the corporate culture of Lucent’s clashed with Alcatel’s business model. In July 2008, Lucent’s CEO Patricia F. Russo resigned. She claimed that she could not get along with Serge Tchuruk, her fellow board member. He too resigned after some time. Both of the CEOs were not able to get along with each other. Even though the company official language was proposed to be English, Patricia spoke French as well to be conversant in the

Public criminal investigations and private security investigations Research Paper

Public criminal investigations and private security investigations - Research Paper Example This research will begin with the statement that public criminal investigation relates to the process through which the government through one arm of the police department that is charged with the responsibility of investigations takes up initiatives aimed to collect crime related pieces of information and to gather them to form concrete evidence. The evidence is then used to apprehend the perpetrators through the initiation of court proceedings. The police department applies the use of small pieces of evidence such as fingerprints, traces of blood, use of eyewitnesses to gather information as well as the items located at the scene of the crime. On the other hand, a private security investigation is a form of investigation that is undertaken by private individuals known as private investigators who are available for hire by the government or by private individuals who are after some information that they feel no need to inform the police. Private investigators who carry out private s ecurity investigation usually work closely with the defense attorneys working on capital punishment as well as other criminal defense cases. They must be licensed by the licensing authority who are available in every state so that their operations can be regarded as legal and not infringing on the rights and freedom of other citizens. They answerable to the individuals who have employed them to carry out the investigations as well as the registering body that may call them from time to time in order to keep track with their operations.  

Is justice for all possible in America Research Paper

Is justice for all possible in America - Research Paper Example This research will begin with the statement that for all the legal bodies of the world providing fair and equal justice to all is an ethical and mandatory responsibility; the same holds true for United States of America (USA) as well. The USA follows a federal set up in governance and federalism and dual sovereignty have always remained two mutually conflicting aspects for the United States of America. Though in course of time most of the federal-state conflict attained an agreement on both part, perfection remained a mirage. Within a federal-state set up the state witnessed a declining supremacy, yet the criminal law remained a domain where the state sustained to enjoy the final say. However, Supreme Court kept the states under strict vigilance and often corrected their action in case it deemed necessary. Questions however pierced through the surface that what does fairness actually stands for and what is the true standard for the same. As usual, these couple of questions have also given birth to another; who would be the determining body for fairness. The first amendment and the fourteenth amendment to the USA constitution determine the concept of fairness of justice for the federal and the state government respectively. Historically the USA has remained a multi-ethnic country; from the Red Indians to the Afro-Americans, USA history is all about friction and conflict among people heralding from the different ethnic background. At this background providing justice for all becomes necessary but upholding equality among USA nationals is challenging as well.

Professional Studies Essay Example for Free

Professional Studies Essay The word ethics originates from the Greek term ethos. Ethos means customs, habitual usage, conduct, and character. The study of ethics has led to establishing key nursing principles such as, autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, justice, veracity, confidentiality, accountability and fidelity. These key principles help nurses deal with ethical or legal dilemmas. Ethics help by identifying standards, create a framework for ethical dilemmas and maintain human rights, and ethical values. Ethics help to make nurse practice safe, but also promote a positive outcome for the patient. This essay explores and identifys legal and ethical issues, from a case study, that nurses are faced with every day. The Code of Ethics for Nurses in Australia was first developed in 1993 under the auspices of the Australian Nursing Council Inc. , Royal College of Nursing, Australia and the Australian Nursing Federation. In 2000 these peak organisations agreed to undertake a joint project to review the Code of Ethics. The Code of Ethics is supported by the Code of Professional Conduct for Nurses in Australia. While the Code of Ethics focuses on the ethics and ideals of the profession, the Code of Professional Conduct identifies the minimum requirements for practice in the profession, and focuses on the clarification of professional misconduct and unprofessional conduct. The two Codes, together with published practice standards, provide a framework for nursing. Individuals have the right to make decisions related to their own health care, based on accurate and complete information given by health care providers. Nurses must be satisfied that they have the person’s consent for any care or treatment they are providing. If individuals are not able to provide consent for themselves, nurses have a role in ensuring that valid consent is obtained from the appropriate substitute decision- maker. Nurses have a responsibility to inform people about the nursing care that is available to them, and people are entitled morally to accept or reject such care. Nurses have a responsibility to respect the decisions made by each individual. his principle states that an ethical theory should allow people to reign over themselves and to be able to make decisions that apply to their lives. This means that people should have control over their lives as much as possible because they are the only people who completely understand their chosen type of lifestyle. Each man deserves respect because only he has had those exact life experiences and understands his emotions, motivations and body in such an intimate manner. In essence, this ethical principle is an extension of the ethical principle of beneficence because a person who is independent usually prefers to have control over his life experiences in order to obtain the lifestyle that he enjoys The principle of beneficence guides the ethical theory to do what is good. This priority to do good makes an ethical perspective and possible solution to an ethical dilemma acceptable. This principle is also related to the principle of utility, which states that we should attempt generate the largest ratio of good over evil possible in the world (2). This principle stipulates that ethical theories should strive to achieve the greatest amount of good because people benefit from the most good. This principle is mainly associated with the utilitarian ethical theory found in the following section of this paper. An example of doing good is found in the practice of medicine in which the health of an individual is bettered by treatment from a physician (1,2).

The New Oil: Castrol

The New Oil: Castrol Castrol was originally an oil company set up by Charles Cheers in the year 1899. Within 10-years, he managed to develop a new lubricant named The new oil Castrol which significantly benefits the transportation industry in the twentieth century (Castrol, 2011). The internationalized of Castrol of as a motor oil lubricant brand began in 1966 when Burmah Oil bought over to it become renamed Burmah Castrol, (BP , 2012) and their success in Thailand encouraged them to venture Vietnam in 1991 through a joint venture Saigon Petro (Dodd, 2005) which had a large motorcycle population. They were also the very first foreign lubricant joint-venture operating in Vietnam (NA, 2001). Later in 2000, British Petroleum (BP) acquired Burmah Castrol merging all operations with BP. However, BP still continued to retain Castrols identity as the company had long established brand reputation as a premiere motor oil lubricant. As an international business, Castrol, like any other international firm, were faced with key issues surrounding both formal and informal framework, and they tackled these issues by adopting, adapting and diffusing institutional elements in their strategies to succeed in the Vietnamese market. Vietnam: Key Issues for Castrol Cultural Environment Hostedes Cultural Dimensions (1980) shows the Vietnameses culture (Asia-Pacific) and Castrols native cultures (Anglo-American) are on opposing ends, which means that in order to succeed in Vietnam Castrol had to overcome these cultural barriers. Vietnam is heavily influenced by the Confucian values and ideals, beliefs in a high hierarchal structure, which means they have high power distance, are collective decision making and focus on the relationship element rather than a business transaction (Dong, Liem, Grossman, 2010). Face saving is a core concept practiced, as such maintaining relational harmony is more important than integrating and domination confrontations, which are deemed inappropriate (Oetzel Ting-Toomey, 2000). The Vietnamese tradition strongly emphasizes trust, which can be only obtained through earning peoples respect and affection (Dana Dana, 1999), in other words established through relationships. The relationship emphasis is clearly illustrated in dealing with the government bureaucratic system in which a request can have a long turnaround time and to expedite, an international manager would have to have a strong local network which helps reduce the governments uncertainty about your intentions (Smith Pham, 1996). Relationship also value is vital for Vietnamese manufacturers and distributors as it can enhance product quality, information, and smoother delivery processes (Nguyen Nguyen, 2011). In addition, the ability to grasp language could somehow ease communications as language influences peoples view of the world (Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis, as cited by Kay, P Kempton 1984). And because linguistically, Vietnam largely differs from Castrols native home, Britain, as such; Castrol had to overcome the language barriers in their business negotiations with Vietnamese who prefer to have an interpreter even though if the Vietnamese can converse in the foreign language that was used (Bouchart Swierczek, 1994). Halls (1976) polychornic and monochornic concept of time is another significant difference between Castrols home practice and traditionally Vietnamese who see time more seasonal rather than by the clock (Smith Pham, 1996). This perception of time may be changing in todays environment, but Vietnamese can take longer to weigh decisions (Smith Pham, 1996), and because they are collective and have high power distance, it is customary for them to get consent from their superiors beforehand. While, Vietnam was once colonized by the French and Americans, Vietnams socio-cultural orientation substantially varies from their colonizers. Clearly, cultural differences can pose the underlying cause conflict. After all, culture is the collective programming of the mind, which distinguishes one human group (Asia) from another (US), (Hofstede, 1980, as cited by Beaman, 2008) and Castrol had to take these variations into account from the very beginning of market entry in to Vietnam. Ethical standard There is no clear definition of ethics, as the great divide between universalism and relativism explains. Universalists believe that ethical moral standards are universally the same throughout with no regards to culture and moving time; whereas relativists argue that perceptions of right and wrong differ from culture and individuals and tend to evolve with time (Bigambo, 2011). As such, in favor of the relativism approach, the ethical and moral perceptions are perceived differently, in regards of corruption. According to the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) assessment, pre National Strategy for Preventing and Combating Corruption toward 2020 introduction, World Banks Worldwide Governance Indicators rank Vietnam CPI level at 22.9 in 2004 and post the policy, in 2010, the country ranked 33 (Martini, 2012). Castrol had entered Vietnam pre-government policy, as such the Company had to ensure they adhered to policies at all times, to perhaps like Intel who actively cooperated with the government to combat corruption and improper business conduct (Deresky, 2011) Because Castrol had entered the country before establishment of formalized policies, the Company was forced to successfully adopt and adapt to Vietnams standards at the time, while still trying to hold on to its own corporate culture. As such, beyond the reasons of initial foreign direct investment (FDI) required a local state owned company (Schaumburg-MÃ ¼ller, 2002) it was only rationale for Castrol to enter Vietnam with joint-venture with a local player, Saigon Petro in 1991. Political Environment As a result of the fall of the Soviet, Vietnam was forced to undergo an economic reform in the 1980s (Speece, Quang, Huong, 2003). In 1986, the Economic Reform Policy, Doi Moi, removed trading barriers including liberalization of the domestic market and encouraged foreign investments and foreign privatizations of firms (Nguyen Bryant, 2004), an open economy. Through Doi Moi, the country gradually progressed from a command- economy toward a market economy (Van Arkadie and Mallon, 2003), through tax incentives to foreign firms. However; this increased, competition within the nation; hence, Castrol had to up their game to succeed in the country. In many aspects, like China and Laos, the Vietnamese government is communist in only name sense, as they tend to be more inclined toward market-based economic reform practices. Vietnam; however, remain as totalitarian state that deny many basic civil liberties to the people (Hill, 2007). Meaning, the government remains communism, but in reality, the market is similar to capitalism. Only, key industries such as water, electricity communication, logistics (road system, ports, and aviation), are owned by the government. In general, the communist political ideology governs every aspect of the country by holding key industries while maintaining its market-based economy. The country also introduced a new state constitution in 1992 that introduced a more formalized legal system and increased economic freedom (Costello, Nash, Kavanagh, Smyth, Boyce, 2010).The government also offered more tax incentives to attract more foreign oil companies. Castrol benefited from these practices as they took advantage of the first-mover as they entered the Vietnam market in 1991, after seeing great success in Thailand and they also benefitted from local insight with their partnership with Saigon Petro. Competition Castrol entered Vietnam prior to the establishment of the Competition Law, in which there were no formalized practices to regulate domestic competition (Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, 2005). In this sense, Castrol could be vulnerable to being dominated by stronger players and fair trade was unheard of. As the country moved toward a market-oriented economy, the Vietnam Law on Competition 2005 established fairground for all types of enterprises and offered legal protection for fair competition (Harvie, 2001), leaving types and pricing to be determined by the market. The law controlled any potential market monopolies and offered a leveled playing field for market access and fair competition as it encourages consumer choices (Le, 2003); hence; giving Castrols competitors such as Shell, Caltex and Vietlube a better chance to succeed. While Castrol has the first-moved advantage as an already a well-established brand, with Vietnams formalized policies and the country joining the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2007, to sustain its success, Castrol would have seek ways to reposition itself and use its premium quality against the growing price sensitive and quality conscious Vietnamese consumer behavior. Vietnam: Castrol Succeeds It can be inferred that Castrols success is related to their strategic market entry in Vietnam along with their ability to systematically create marketing mix that customized an advertising and branding, distribution, pricing strategy to fit in the Vietnamese economic landscape. Market Entry Castrols rationale for entering Vietnam was clearly for the purpose of market seeking and strategic asset seeking to which they intended to capitalize on Vietnams Doi Moi policies rather than lose out to their competitors. One of the key advantages Castrol had above everyone else was its first mover advantage in Vietnam and how the company had taken advantage of Dunnings OLI framework (1980). The OLI framework provides great insight on factors that affect a companys ability to enter a foreign market. In Castrols case, the company benefitted largely from ownership and location advantage, through which the company leveraged on its firm specific advantage in lubricant oil knowledge and exploited Vietnams already established motorcycle market. To reduce transaction costs relating cost of negotiating, contract enforcement while gaining a strong foothold in the domestic market it is likely the reason Castrol chose to partner Saigon Petro, illustrated by in Burmahs profits in 1996, to which more than 20 percent of its profits came from India and Vietnam, even in an era where car ownership was growing (Stevenson, 1996). The Company internalized its distribution through establishing its own transportation channels to reach its distribution points (NA, 1998). While this is a costlier route, this help Castrol closely monitor and manage its distribution. Marketing Mix Globally, Castrol offers its consumers one homogenous product lubricant oil. However, the Company varies its product strategy to reach its market segment, motorists who want quality lubricants for long-lasting care of their motorcycles. Coming off their success in Thailand, Castrol wished to establish brand loyalty in Vietnams motorcycle segment in hopes, the loyalty will continue on upon upgrading to a car. The Company reinforced the fundamental need for a reliable mode of transport motorcycle, as Castrols Asia Director, Ian Pringle states the Company focused on turning near haves into have somes (NA, 2010). Being a premium lubricant, Castrols prices was significantly higher than most, and the Company adopted that same strategy in Vietnam, three times the cost of cheaper oil imports from Taiwan and Thailand, while aiming to maintain its strong brand image of superior quality, Dau nhot tot nhat. In terms of promotion, Castrol supported its premium pricing strategy by utilizing the push communications strategy in traditional media such as billboards, bumper stickers and roadside garages and motorcycle cleaning shops signs to establish initial consumer awareness. And as Castrols position in Vietnam strengthened, the company leveraged on its global marketing campaign, which featured David Beckham. On reason for this is perhaps the Vietnamese are the second biggest football fan-following in the Asian region (NA, 2010), and in 2008, Castrol also went on to sponsor the UEFAs European Championships in Vietnam in hopes to drive revenues through brand recognition and recall in Asia (NA, 2008). Vietnam was a strategic decision on Castrols part as not only did the country closely resemble its neighboring Thailand in terms of motorcyclist population, it was a less risky decision for Castrol, as similar successful strategies could easily and inexpensively be exported to Vietnam. In terms of distribution, given Vietnams political divide, Castrols distribution strategy focused on two distinct distributors- stated owned customers, primarily Communist in practices and private customers. While this was costly, this method gave Castrol more control in terms of managing their distributors in terms of corporate practices reduce the risk of illegal practices or other such brand tarnishing practices (NA, 1998), though in the long term Castrol should consider more viable inexpensive measures. Opportunities and Challenges SWOT Matrix As first movers, Castrols strength lays in their success in developing a solid brand strategy that effectively captured a large market share. Today, the Company offers lubricants for the purpose of motorcycles, cars, commercial vehicles, industrial and even professional car repairs. In looking at Vietnam as a fast growing economy, the country is taking major measures to liberalize trade, through which can be seen by the countrys admission to WTO and even trade agreements such as Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Free Trade Area (AFTA) and U.S.- Vietnam Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA). Clearly, Vietnam is on its way toward a more transparent, less corrupted in its practices, which will largely benefit foreign companies like Castrol in their dealings in the country. The setback would be these liberalization practices will eventually increase competition for Castrol as Vietnam becomes a more attractive FDI destination. In terms of weakness, Castrols pricing strategy could be seen as a weakness as Vietnams urban market becomes more price- sensitive toward consumer goods (Speece Nguyen, 2005). Furthermore, Vietnams lack of domestic infrastructure capacity as well as enforced regulations (Pham, 1998), forces Castrol to internalize its distribution strategy, which is less risky; however, the line cost may be transferred to the end customer. In 2000, BP had acquired Burmah Castrol, and this in turn gives Castrol the ability to leverage on its parent companys core competencies from oil and gas production to distribution and supply chain management. Furthermore, the establishment of two refineries provide local source for petro products as well as increase interaction between the northern and southern Vietnam. Despite being a first-mover, Castrol may have already established its competitive edge; however, with the introduction of more structured open-market policies and trade agreements, Castrol will be faced with competition such as Shell and ExxonMobil. While, the country rapidly increased with an average 5.9% GDP growth in 2011, the inflation rate based on consumer prices was extremely high at 18.7% versus Chinas 9.2% GDP growth and 5.5% inflation rate (CIA, 2012). And in recent times, Vietnam has incurred international debt as high as USD12billion which could result in the collapse of the countrys banking system (Nyuen, 2012), and create a ripple effect for Castrol who already operate in the country and region. Recommendations As a dominant player, Castrol has an ample of opportunities to exploit and continue being a leader in Vietnam. Castrol could seek growth through expanding its current offerings in the automobile industry and relying on the existing Vietnam market. Castrol can seek to broaden its product base beyond offering light and heavy automotive lubricants and so forth by offering automobile batteries. While diversification could pose a threat to economies of scales and even increase marketing costs of the new product, by introducing a complimentary and complementary product, Castrol would not face such an issue. Castrol could also extend their strategic global partnership with leading automobile manufacturers such as Honda in Vietnam as they had in the United Kingdom (Castrol, UK and Ireland, 2012). By doing so, the automobile manufacturer can benefit from the tangible value of the ingredient brand which in this case is Castrol to enhance the customer experience. Similarly, Castrol can build a more efficient distribution network by collaborating with partners to share distribution channels and establish value chains as they had intended to with local tire manufacturer, Casumina and local battery manufacturer Pinaco (Phi, 2011). However, a much rationale route would be to leverage off parent company BPs resources including financial, logistics and research and development (RD). Castrol could also choose to adopt its loyalty program from Malaysia as regional strategy in Vietnam, by rewarding returning customers (Castrol, Malaysia 2012). With the establishment of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MONRE) in 2002, the country has intensified its environmental practices. In 2007, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) worked with MONRE to train southern, central and northern Vietnam environmental inspectors (EPA, 2012). In being a responsible corporate citizen, Castrol should adhere not only to Law on Environmental Protection; the Company should also consider measures to create a sustainable environment. For example, Castrol could offer consumers incentives to return their bottled packaging to distributors rather than self-disposing or offer refill-packaging options at a cheaper rate than purchasing the entire bottled package. Conclusion Even though globalization does reduce barriers, its not always as simple as Friedmans (2005) flat world as illustrated by Castrol in Vietnam. While, globalization may standardize selected practices such as consumer product needs; however, in going deeper, motivators tend to differ. In Castrols case, the variation of Vietnams norms both formal and informal from its home country resulted in the Company customizing practices to fit the national culture, and proactively streamlining processes and operations to sustainably grow within its host country.

Business Intelligence :: essays research papers

Business Intelligence for competitive advantage In the beginning, businesses used information technology for automating the processes primarily to reduce labor costs. Subsequently, information technology is used for delivering information with speed and accuracy. Currently, businesses want to use the information effectively for competitive advantage to make better decisions that improve and optimize business processes, predict the market dynamics accurately, optimize forecasts to adequately maintain resources to name a few reasons. Businesses reached a critical juncture in global competition and the business intelligence capabilities and analytic prowess will play critical roles in the most competitive sectors of global economy. First of all, business intelligence analysis requires the capturing of information and storing in a single location for effective data analysis. Currently, data analysis is supported by transactional systems, business specific data marts, and other ad-hoc processes. Information is distributed making it difficult and time-consuming to access. Business teams have adapted to this environment by creating user maintained databases and manual â€Å"work-arounds† to support new types of reporting and analysis. This has resulted in inconsistent data, redundant data storage, significant resource use for maintenance, and inefficient response to changing business needs. A data warehouse comprised of disparate data sources enables the â€Å"single version of truth† through shared data repositories and standards and also provides access to the data that will expand frequency and depth of data analysis. Due to these reasons, data warehouse is the foundation for business intelligence. As a Technical Architect, I am involved in the design and development of the Enterprise Data Warehouse at Target. I and many of my colleagues worked hard to make the business case of the importance of the data warehouse and its value addition to the company.

Intriguing Camera Work in Zeffirelli’s Film, Hamlet Essay example -- M

Intriguing Camera Work in Zeffirelli’s Film, Hamlet The three-dimensional camera work of Zeffirelli in Hamlet emphasizes the surveillance methods and intrigues carried out by the forces of good and of evil. In the opening scene, Elsinore Castle looms over the soldiers and people standing outside. The camera angle forces one to look up at the dark castle; then the camera surveys the people, revealing that the evil from witnhin the castle is not self-contained but looms over and affects everyone in Denmark. Inside the castle during the funeral, Claudius, the man who exemplifies evil, is focused on several times by the camera. The first picture of him is from a short distance, minimizing his presence. As the funeral proceeds, however, three closeups make him appear more evil for there is no sorrow in his face, only a scheming, hawklike look as he watches every movement of Gertrude and Hamlet. The closeups also bring him from a distant observer to one that is in control, having taken the place of King by ruline over his dead brother. As the King and Queen are sitting on the throne announcing their marriage, the camera gives a distant, roaming observer view by circling the room while continually having them, especially Claudius, as the focal point. This emphasizes once again that his evil ways are spread throughout the kingdom and aren't easily contained in one person or one location. There are several times in the movie when the camera shows surveillance done by Hamlet, who represents good, of those who are opposed to him. The action of focusing on Hamlet from his vantage point also emphasizes that he's one step ahead of everyone else because of his insight, and this also helps him in his cause. For example, when ... ...ly. This will be the final test in the war between good and evil, though Hamlet doesn't have the advantage this time of knowing the depth of the plot, despite his suspicions. After the fatally wounded Laertes points the finger at the king, Claudius, who has been a silent observer to Laertes' confession, backs up, trying to distance himself from being the focal point responsible for the evil that has taken place. However, he is unsuccessful, as a raging Hamlet follows him. The closeup of Hamlet killing the king twice amplifies his triumph. After the final closeup on Hamlet lying in Horatio's arms, the camera draws back to include the whole company of people looking on what has just taken place. The viewpoint might be seen as that of heaven, emphasizing that though in the beginning evil had loomed over the kingdom, now righteousness has been restored in Denmark.

Qualitative and Quantitative Research Essays -- Evaluation Methods

Introduction This essay aims to cover two main focus points. The first section of this essay will take an in depth look at the major differences between two research methods – Qualitative and Quantitative. I will explore when and why they are used for specific types of research and how they apply to some types of work more effectively. The second area for this essay will be based around the research question- what factors contribute to you feeling anxious during sport or exercise? I will then go on to show that the best method to use to analyse this will be by using qualitative research, and then how it can be applied to it to extract all relevant information from it. Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods The qualitative and quantitative research methods are divided by many fundamental differences. You could suggest that these two research methods represent the two different ends of a linear spectrum. Qualitative research looks to deal with the in depth, word based side of research whereas on the other end of the spectrum quantitative research works predominantly with number based research and statistics. Birley and Moreland (1998) support this by saying that â€Å"the two methodologies reflect various paradigms and that the theoretical model that each method uses to conduct the research come from different areas†. Qualitative research involves the consideration of emotions and thought processes concerning certain situations, whilst quantitative data collection sets about using statistics and numbers to determine the results (Mosby's Dictionary of Medicine, Nursing, & Health Professions). In addition, qualitative research gives a more detailed view of a situation compared to quantitative, which only collects discrete d... ... European Journal of Sport Science. 8 (3), p143. Holt, N.L and Mandigo, J.L. (2004). Coping with performance worries among youth male cricket players. Journal of sport behaviour. 27 (1) p39-57 Kerr, J and Grange, P. (2010). Physical aggression in Australian football: A qualitative study of elite athletes. Psychology of Sport & Exercise. P11 Open Coding (No date). Available from http://www.researchproposalsforhealthprofessionals.com/open_coding.htm(06/03/12) Patton, M.Q. (2002). Qualitative Research and Evaluation Methods. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. ‘quantitative analysis’ 2009, in Mosby's Dictionary of Medicine, Nursing, & Health Professions, Elsevier Health Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, USA Silverman, D: (2006) What is qualitative research?. Interpreting qualitative data: methods for analyzing talk, text and interaction. 3rd ed., London: Sage. p.48

Gettysburg

Charles Esquivel Pritchett History 1301 Nov. 25th 2010 Civil War Project Located 50 miles northwest of Baltimore, the small town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania was the site of the largest battle ever waged during the American Civil War. Fought in the first three days of July 1863, the Battle of Gettysburg resulted in a hallmark victory for the Union â€Å"Army of the Potomac† and successfully ended the second invasion of the North by General Robert E. Lee's â€Å"Army of Northern Virginia†. Historians have referred to the battle as a major turning point in the war, the â€Å"High Water Mark of the Confederacy†.It was also the bloodiest single battle of the war, resulting in over 51,000 soldiers killed, wounded, captured or missing(Coddington 21). On July 1, Confederate forces converged on the town from west and north, driving Union defenders back through the streets to Cemetery Hill. During the night, reinforcements arrived for both sides. On July 2, Lee attempted t o envelop the Federals, first striking the Union left flank at the Peach Orchard, Wheatfield, Devil’s Den, and the Round Tops with Longstreet’s and Hill’s divisions, and then attacking the Union right at Culp’s and East Cemetery Hills with Ewell’s divisions.By evening, the Federals retained Little Round Top and had repulsed most of Ewell’s men. During the morning of July 3, the Confederate infantry were driven from their last toe-hold on Culp’s Hill. In the afternoon, after a preliminary artillery bombardment, Lee attacked the Union center on Cemetery Ridge. | | The Pickett-Pettigrew assault momentarily pierced the Union line but was driven back with severe casualties(Bachelder 47) . Stuart’s cavalry attempted to gain the Union rear but was repulsed. On July 4, Lee began withdrawing his army toward Williamsport on the Potomac River.His train of wounded stretched more than fourteen miles. | Gettysburg Campaign (June-August 1863) Battle: July 1-3, 1863 Principal Commanders: Maj. Gen. George G. Meade, US; Gen. Robert E. Lee, CS Forces Engaged: 158,300 total (US 83,289; CS 75,054) Estimated Casualties: 51,000 total (US 23,000; CS 28,000) The Battle of Gettysburg began on July 1, 1863, when a Confederate brigade searching for a badly needed supply of shoes in the small town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, ran into Union cavalry(Nielsen 12).After the three days of battle were over, Union forces claimed victory, although both sides suffered heavy casualties. | | While Grant slowly strangled Vicksburg and Rosecrans feinted Bragg halfway across Tennessee, Lee decided to march his troops north toward Pennsylvania. There were several reasons for this bold move. The Confederate government hoped that a decisive victory on Northern soil would win foreign recognition of the Confederacy. In addition, Lee argued that an invasion of the wealthiest urban area of the North would probably lessen the pressure on Confederate force s in Tennessee and at Vicksburg.Perhaps most important, the lush Cumberland Valley would yield food and clothing for Lee's ragged and hungry army(Fransanito 6). On June 3, 1863, Lee began to move his Army of Northern Virginia across the Rappahannock. Hooker, who was aware of Lee's movements, shifted the Army of the Potomac northward, using it as a shield between Lee and the capital at Washington. Late in June, Hooker resigned his command, convinced that he had lost the confidence of the administration. On June 28, General George G. Meade replaced Hooker. Meade had been one of Hooker's corps commanders.On July 1 advance units of the two armies stumbled into each other near the little town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, 16 km (10 mi) north of the Maryland border. Both Lee and Meade realized that a battle was unavoidable. Fighting began that day. Union troops, after early reverses, managed to hold a strategic position on Cemetery Hill. The second day, July 2, saw confused fighting on bot h Union flanks. Generals Longstreet and John B. Hood assaulted high ground at the Peach Orchard and Little Round Top, but by night the Federals held key positions.The most dramatic action of the battle came on the third day, when General George E. Pickett led a gallant but hopeless charge against the Union center, â€Å"the bloody angle. † (Nielsen 184) Pickett's drive tried to charge across an open field at Cemetery Ridge, but concentrated Union fire stopped him. The battle was a decisive Union victory, but both armies suffered very heavy losses. Meade's casualties numbered 23,000 and Lee's about 25,000. Lee began his retreat on July 4. | To the great disappointment of President Lincoln, Meade did not pursue the Confederate army and make Lee stand and fight(Coddington 12).By July 14 the Confederate commander had brought the remnant of his army back to the safety of Virginia. Gettysburg had been a severe defeat for the South, both in terms of men lost and the army's morale. I n November 1863 President Lincoln dedicated a national cemetery to those who had died in the Battle of Gettysburg. His speech, known as the Gettysburg Address, became famous as an expression of the democratic spirit and reconfirmed Lincoln's intention to reunite the country.

FedEx Process Strategy

FedExis the leading global provider of supply chain management services to corporate customers It maintains a fleet of more than 665 aircraft and more than 41,000 motor vehicles and trailers. To complement the express delivery business, FedEx Ground provides small-package ground delivery in North America, and less-than-truckload (LTL) carrier FedEx Freight hauls larger shipments. FedEx Office stores offer a variety of document-related and other business services and serve as retail hubs for other FedEx units. Hoover, n. d. ) I will discuss the process strategies I think FedEx is using in its business operations as well as the location of the company’s headquarters and the benefits to being located there. In reviewing the four types of process strategies; it seems that FedEx uses a combination of all four strategies. Firstly, in looking at the Process Focus, since FedEx provides a variety of different services, their facilities seems to definitely be organized around the differ ent services that FedEx provides.The FedEx office stores are not setup to receive bulk or large freight mail like a FedEx hub. The offices stores are setup like a retail store since the majority of the business would come from providing document related and other business services. Each offices store is also setup as a retail hub for other FedEx units. FedEx Freight haul hubs are setup and designed to ship and receive larger shipments and would have a warehouse look rather than retail store look. The product flow would vary in amounts each day as well as during different times during the day.Looking at the Repetitive Focus strategy, FedEx hubs would definitely have an assembly line type machine involve which would typically scan items being shipped and received and then send them to different areas of the hubs to be shipped out to different locations. In the Product Focus, FedEx would have high volumes of items being shipped and received, but low variety of the types of items being shipped. I say low variety because I would classify what FedEx receives and ships as letter mail, box mail, large freight items etc.The letters, boxes and freight items may have a variety of sizes, but I am looking at the basic classification. Working for FedEx would not require a lot of skilled labor, being that one only needs to learn what part of the operation they are doing, which they then would be doing repetitively. With the different types of items being shipped through FedEx and the different countries these items may have to be shipped to or from, some Mass Customization has to be employed.Some items require special shipping precautions, some customer request certain shipping options, and some countries have different shipping standards. Shipping must be customized for the customer, the items being shipped and the country of origin and destination. In making his dream a reality, Frederick W. Smith; the founder of FedEx; selected Memphis as his hub: it was centrally located and despite inclement weather its modern airport rarely closed. (ASK, n. d. Due to the nature of this type of business, any city with a major airport that’s opened 24 hours a day would be sufficient. As stated above, because of Memphis’s central location in the U. S. I would tend to agree to locate my headquarters in Memphis as well. I have discussed the types of process strategies I think FedEx uses in its business operations. I have identified the location of its headquarters, and the reason why this location was chosen as well as the location’s benefit.

Advertising & Alcohol Products Essay

People’s life are built and protected by both us and society. We make our life happiness by enjoy as much as possible qualified products and society which is represented by government ensured the life quality by regulation requesting the obligation from all people towards product’s usage. Nevertheless, in some cases, government has to control and put the enforcement on consumer even if people like to use that product. Alcohol can be seen as a very popular example. People feel excited when use it, but, what will happen if the alcohol consumption increases year by year. As cited by Hall in his research this year, there was 25% increase in liver deaths which is caused by alcohol in last ten years. Not only alcohol beverages but alcohol advertising is interesting as well in attracting people. Therefore, alcohol advertising is now controlled strictly to prevent its bad impact. Government is allowed and able to do this for a better life to UK people. See more: Is the Importance of being earnest a satirical play essay Binge-drinking can be listed as a trouble for middle-aged, middle-class and out-of-control youth in UK. It is worth noting that UK people are one of groups consuming alcohol most in Europe (British Medical Association, 2009). Since, UK government has to consider and find solution for this problem. It can be known that the effect of alcohol is similar to drug as well as tobacco although it depends on the quantities of usage. However, according to BMA board of science, it can be denied that not only drinker but also their relatives are affected by harmful consequences from alcohol such as contributory factor and violence at home. At first, advertising is same as other marketing tools with the aim to persuade people use product as much as possible. In the situation of alcohol, Advertisement increases consumer’s conceptions about alcohol which can promote them buy more. The journal of British Medical Association in 2009 cited the research conducted by Anderson and other researcher s that â€Å"alcohol marketing and promotion relate to the likelihood that adolescents will begin to use alcohol and drink more if they are already using alcohol†. Jernigan (2010) suggested that a mix of unmeasured activities relating to cultural, religious and regulatory context is used by alcohol companies. Advertising approach consumer, especially the Youth in many ways: marketing on Television, newspaper, sponsorship for sports, music, and cinema. The image of alcohol impresses people day by day encouraging them use it naturally. As a result, these activities impacts making decision of the youth in alcohol purchasing because culture, religion and regulation contribute strongly to the growth process of young people. Moreover, The high rate of alcohol beverages advertising’s appearance in public encourage people use it regularly for entertainment and daily usage which will result in bad effect on people life and society. This present can make people see wine, beer as a daily product. The greater availability of alcohol advertising is the reason why people under 23 years old continue to raise their drinking behavior (Jernigan, 2010). The high alcohol consumption of much means their health will have problem as well as the ability of causing violence or crime can be increased in society. Therefore, alcohol advertising should be limited like tobacco so that people will realize that the former also has bad effects as the latter. Although alcohol is still a product and beverage companies have right to advertise, this is sensitive one so that government should control for a safety of people life. The limitation of alcohol advertising will help government protect people’s health and social security. There will be no more crime which is relevant to alcohol. The health of people will be ensured. Let’s take Denmark as an example, this country only accepted broadcast advertising on low alcohol-content products and the rates of alcohol intoxication was reported highest rates at that time among European countries (International Center for Alcohol Policies) Wilby (2008) proposed that people are heavily impacted by advertising due to they are freely to accept information provided by other agents. Therefore, governments should be allowed to control advertising and able to manage the advertising of alcohol beverages companies by using advertising regulation, sign agreement with alcohol beverage companies and advertising agency or control newspaper and broadcasting agencies. He also suggested that governments can put enforcement on the advertising of cars, alcohol, junk food and other potentially dangerous products as the same way they used to work towards tobacco advertising. For example, as established in Advertising Standard Authority, in UK, â€Å"alcohol marketing is required that ads not link alcohol with sex, social success, youth culture or juvenile behavior.† (Hall, 2012) Enjoy the life as well as using entertaining product freely is demand of all most every people. On the other hand, alcohol beverage companies are also absolutely right when they want to provide as much as possible good alcoholic beverages for their consumer. Nevertheless, it is necessary to have a third party which is governments of countries in general and U. K government to put alcohol advertising under the control. They can set regulation and request that alcohol companies follow it strictly.

A Clinical Psychology

Clinical psychology is just one of several subdivisions of psychology, focusing on mental disorders and emotional instabilities. A clinical psychologist prevents, evaluates, and treats these problems in individuals. Clinical psychology is an important profession nowadays. Looking back, the thought of school shootings were unthinkable. Back then, the children who exhibited severe emotional/mental problems were identified and referred to for help. Now they are ignored until they come to school with guns and kill people. Then, instead of being seen as a mental health problem, it becomes a legal problem. Unfortunately, it's become quite difficult to prosper in this profession. Managed care has cut reimbursement for psychology to such an extent that private practice is becoming almost unfeasable. It is possible, though. Depending on the state, there are licensing requirements. Here in Ohio, that means taking a rigorous exam, and having the educational and supervisory requirements. For instance, one will need a Ph.D. and one year of supervised experience before being able to even sit for the exam. It's difficult to receive a Ph.D. One must graduate college with virtually straight A's, and then it's 4-6 years of graduate school. Once the person is fianlly licensed, they can set up their practice. The Federal Government recognizes education and experience in certifying applicants for entry-level positions. In general, the starting salary for psychologists having a bachelor's degree was about $20,600 in 1999; those with superior academic records could begin at $25,500. Psychologists with a master's degree and 1 year of experience could start at $31,200 . Psychologists having a Ph.D. or Psy.D. degree and 1 year of internship could start at $37,800, and some individuals with experience could start at $45,200. Beginning salaries were slightly higher in selected areas of the country where the prevailing local pay level was higher. The average annual salary for psychologists in the Federal Government was $66,800 in early 1999. The working conditions for a clinical psychologist is the same as a psychologist in any other field of study. Clinical psychologists work in comfortable office settings, classrooms, or laboratories. Some that are in a private practice choose to set their own hours, but may have to work evenings and weekends to accommodate client schedules. For clinical psychologists that teach at places of education, they might divide their time between teaching, research, and administrative responsibilities. The types of jobs available are working in counseling centers, independent or group practices, hospitals, or clinics. As you can see, there's a wide variety of places to work, it's based on the person's preference. In conclusion, clinical psychologists might have a rough time making it to the top, but once they do, it'll be worthwhile in both pay and experience. A Clinical Psychology Clinical psychology is just one of several subdivisions of psychology, focusing on mental disorders and emotional instabilities. A clinical psychologist prevents, evaluates, and treats these problems in individuals. Clinical psychology is an important profession nowadays. Looking back, the thought of school shootings were unthinkable. Back then, the children who exhibited severe emotional/mental problems were identified and referred to for help. Now they are ignored until they come to school with guns and kill people. Then, instead of being seen as a mental health problem, it becomes a legal problem. Unfortunately, it's become quite difficult to prosper in this profession. Managed care has cut reimbursement for psychology to such an extent that private practice is becoming almost unfeasable. It is possible, though. Depending on the state, there are licensing requirements. Here in Ohio, that means taking a rigorous exam, and having the educational and supervisory requirements. For instance, one will need a Ph.D. and one year of supervised experience before being able to even sit for the exam. It's difficult to receive a Ph.D. One must graduate college with virtually straight A's, and then it's 4-6 years of graduate school. Once the person is fianlly licensed, they can set up their practice. The Federal Government recognizes education and experience in certifying applicants for entry-level positions. In general, the starting salary for psychologists having a bachelor's degree was about $20,600 in 1999; those with superior academic records could begin at $25,500. Psychologists with a master's degree and 1 year of experience could start at $31,200 . Psychologists having a Ph.D. or Psy.D. degree and 1 year of internship could start at $37,800, and some individuals with experience could start at $45,200. Beginning salaries were slightly higher in selected areas of the country where the prevailing local pay level was higher. The average annual salary for psychologists in the Federal Government was $66,800 in early 1999. The working conditions for a clinical psychologist is the same as a psychologist in any other field of study. Clinical psychologists work in comfortable office settings, classrooms, or laboratories. Some that are in a private practice choose to set their own hours, but may have to work evenings and weekends to accommodate client schedules. For clinical psychologists that teach at places of education, they might divide their time between teaching, research, and administrative responsibilities. The types of jobs available are working in counseling centers, independent or group practices, hospitals, or clinics. As you can see, there's a wide variety of places to work, it's based on the person's preference. In conclusion, clinical psychologists might have a rough time making it to the top, but once they do, it'll be worthwhile in both pay and experience.

Manifestations of Personal Freedom in Protagonists with Differing Essay

Manifestations of Personal Freedom in Protagonists with Differing Backgrounds - Essay Example On the one hand Jake’s frame of mind and his priorities do not change at all while Nea’s relationship with Sourdi changes but does not end altogether. Jake is portrayed as a typical suburban white teenage boy in the story â€Å"Love in L.A.† and his projection on life and its problems does not change from start to end. In the start Jake â€Å"needed an FM radio in something better than this ’58 Buick he drove† as well as a â€Å"crushed velvet interior with electric controls for the L.A. summer.† After his encounter with Mariana, Jake relapses into his previous train of thought as â€Å"he couldn’t stop the thought about that FM stereo radio and crushed velvet interior and the new car smell that would even make it better.† In contrast Nea can be seen developing new perspectives on the relationship between her sister and herself without changing the basic framework of the relationship. The knife attack on the customer in the rest aurant reflects that Nea was ready to go to any length to protect her sister. Moreover the author reflects on their closeness by commenting that both sisters planned to run away with Sourdi being her legal guardian. However as the story develops, Nea realises that her relationship with Sourdi is coming to â€Å"a fork† and not to â€Å"crossroads† which signifies that their closeness is evaporating. Although this dimension of the relationship modifies but Nea’s protectiveness of her sister does not change at all. In fact Nea goes to great trouble to visit Sourdi’s house â€Å"a good six hours drive† through rain and snow to see if she has been beaten by her husband. Another noticeable difference between Jake and Nea are their reactions to social stimuli. As noted before Jake encounters Mariana and then persists in his frame of mind without modifying his attitude or perspective on life. On the other hand Nea eventually comes to the realisation that she can do little to change the existing circumstances. May Lee Chai signals this behaviour at the end of her chapter â€Å"Saving Sourdi† by commenting that Nea wished she â€Å"was a Naga† who â€Å"would have swallowed the whole world in one gulp† but she realises that she has â€Å"no magic powers†. The contrast between both characters reveals that Jake is hardly prepared to modify his life while Nea is on the track to adulthood and has begun to change her ideas as she encounters new experiences. It can also be reasoned that the actions and reactions of Jake and Nea are a product of their individual backgrounds. Jake has been portrayed as a person with little ambition in life except for changing his car, a â€Å"’58 Buick†. Moreover he is seen turning a car accident into an opportunity to flirt with a Cuban woman which is an indication of his priorities in life. Jake is also portrayed as a young person with little experience in life as h e directly asks Mariana for her phone number right after the accident. His use of informal language with Mariana such as his musing that Mariana should give her number so that he wouldn’t â€Å"have to lay his regular b.s.† on her to get it later shows that his social interaction is largely limited to people his age only. Furthermore Jake does not seem to have either a stable career or a sense of direction for the future. He tells Mariana that he is a singer and then tells her that he acts and has a few movie appearances as a means of

Personal Professional Development Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Professional Development - Personal Statement Example To this end, I have conducted a study and analyzed my own case, which will help me to take proper career decisions throughout my life and to achieve my professional ambitions. b. Investigation of career options: The second step is to become a career researcher. This involves identification of resources, market information, evaluation of career options and determining target organizations The following points need to be addressed: c. Focus and goal setting: The purpose of self-assessment and collection of market information is to find a focus for one's career interests. This focus emerges from the interplay of one's self-assessment and the opportunities realistically available. When one is prepared to compare how well one's skills, accomplishments, values, interests, and needs match the organization, one will then be ready to identify your career goals. One will also know the training, skills, and competencies required for his/her career, and the kinds of organizations and positions that are a good "fit" for him/her. The synthesis of information one has collected thus far will require self-reflection. d. Networking: It is an important aspect of the modern job market. ... lso know the training, skills, and competencies required for his/her career, and the kinds of organizations and positions that are a good "fit" for him/her. The synthesis of information one has collected thus far will require self-reflection. d. Networking: It is an important aspect of the modern job market. Developing, expanding and maintaining this network is a critical career development skill. It helps in remaining abreast of the current and changing environment as well as in maintaining contacts with the right persons at the right time. e. Job search skills: Apart from networking, some other important job searching skills are essential. These are resume, CV, cover letter writing, presentation, interviews and job negotiation skills. These skills enable us to properly project our strong points to the prospective employers and in getting the best possible deals. f. Career management: Managing a career is a life long process. With the job market constantly changing, we need to continuously reassess our professional development vis--vis market requirement and make up the shortcomings by following a 'learn while you earn ' approach. According to Robert H. Rouda, and Mitchell E. Kusy, Jr (Career development, personal career management and planning, Tappi journal, 1995-96), "There is an increasing need for individuals to take charge of the development of their own learning and careers for a variety of reasons: There is increasing rate of change of our organizations and in the knowledge and skills we need to perform our jobs. Career ladders are rapidly shrinking or disappearing as reorganizations lead to flatter structures. There is an ever-increasing need for us to keep learning to keep up with the rapid growth in knowledge and the rate of change of our workplace

Damas Jewellery Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Damas Jewellery - Coursework Example The prime objective behind implementation of the strategies is to amplify the productivity and market share of Damas Jewellery as compared to many other rival players. In addition, by evaluating the upcoming opportunities, the organization might plan its approaches in an efficient way so as to enhance its customer base and position that may restrict the entrance of other new players. Damas Jewellery has positioned itself as one of the reputed international Jewellery and watch retailer, being headquartered in the region of Dubai of United Arab Emirates. The organization came into existence in the year 1907 and within few years, it expanded itself in more than six countries such as UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and others. It mainly specializes in artistic jewellery of gold, diamond and pearls as well as designed watches. Damas Jewellery includes various brands such as Ananya, Farasha, Hayati, Mira, spring, Farfasha, Fior, Legacy, Navaratna, Rangoli, as well as many international brands like Baraka, Givori, Utopia, Garrard and others. All the above mentioned brands are available in all the 300 stores of Damas Jewellery and it tries to offer them at best prices. Moreover, the organization also tries to design, develop as well as distribute gold and diamond jewelleries to different parts of the world and as the organization desires to sell the jewelleries directly to the customers with the help of jewellery galleries, art fairs, shows as well as online sites so its rate of accessibility is extremely high as compared to many others jewellery retailers. The company also tries to sell its designed goods through B2B retailer, franchises as well as distributors. Therefore, these types of selling strategies provide highest advantage to the organization that amplifies its total sales and profitability as compared to other rival players. Damas Jewellery became successful in amplifying its customer base as it

The Hunger Games Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Hunger Games - Essay Example The young characters have been depicted as heroes and heroines when some of them are seen reflecting on happier moments in the past, a good example being the main character, Katniss. This essay will critically analyze the book, giving a breakdown of the main ideas found in each of the chapters. In the first chapter, the author introduces Katniss Everdeen, the narrator and the main character. The teenage girl sets out on a gathering and hunting expedition with her friend Gale as they await for the reaping in the afternoon. Katniss has been forced to take part in a fighting tournament against other teenagers. The government has forced children to fight each other to death on TV, the winner taking home prizes. The fights are usually broadcasted to the entire world. Katniss does not enjoy the fights, but she kills with a lot of professionalism and finesse, just to stay alive. From the story in the book, it can be analytically noted that the author has used Katniss to show a transformatio n from a difficult life to one where she experiences pleasure. Katniss lived a life that was full of poverty and suffering. Due to her efforts in hunting and gathering, she used her skills to later enjoy her life by experiencing pleasures which she never knew of before. These pleasures include pretty clothes, food and warmth. However, it is important to note that the author has not in any way depicted sexual pleasure. This shows that the book is very chaste and non-erotic, making it very appropriate for its target audience, young adults (Grossman 1). The story also focuses on the life of a teenage girl who gets stung to death by a mutant swarm of hornets. The author has used violence in a very hypnotic way, unlike other books on violence which tend to be very repellent. This is because violence has been used amidst a fairy tale, making the book very unique. The violence is not merely a cheap thrill. It is something deeper in the sense that the author condemns violence and the action s that take place in the arena but invites readers to enjoy the violence that has been narrated in the story (Sperling 1). ‘The Hunger Games’ exposes children readers to the violence against which society tries so hard to shield them. The author uses this strategy to show adults that they should not forget their experiences as children. They wanted to enjoy the same things against which they are shielding the children. The author supports the fact that children are not stupid, and they are physical creatures. This makes them aware of the fact that violence raw emotions, power and violence exist. The author is really saddened by the fact that adults choose to pretend that these things are not in existence and that children should not know about them (Grossman 1). The book is a bloody, horrifying and chilling one because of the violence depicted through the actions of the characters. The author shows a lot of bloodshed and ruthless killing, especially among children. The setting of ‘The Hunger Games’ is an unspecified time in the future, where such violence seems to be the order of the day (Grossman 1). This shows just how bad the author thinks things will be for humanity in the future. The world that the author has depicted is one whereby a ruling caste dominates the people. In the story, this ruling caste lives in a city known as Capitol (Sperling 1). The rest of the vulnerable population that is being dominated by

Franchising of SMEs in China Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Franchising of SMEs in China - Essay Example Franchising in China proposes great opportunities for local businesses and international small and medium-size enterprises to expand their activities and enter new markets. Following Welsh et al (2006): "franchising is seen as a means of obtaining scarce capital, as the franchise is generally required to make a substantial investment in the business. Franchisees share risk with the franchiser. Franchising is also identified as a way of addressing the agency problem, specifically, the issue of monitoring managers" (2006, p. 130). In China, key to the success of the organization is the mutually dependent relationship between the two companies-the franchisors and the franchise. Miller and Grossman (1986) described franchising as an organizational form structured by a long-term contract whereby the franchisor (usual owner) of a product and service grants the non-exclusive rights to a franchise for the local (in this case Chinese) distribution of the particular product or service. The franchise has to pay a fee and ongoing royalties and agrees to follow to quality standards. Also, a franchise can be defined as "an incentive distribution system for organizing individual firms pursuing their own rewards" (Abbott 1998, p. 76). Taking this perspective into account, researchers determine the phenomenon as an inter-organizational form. A possible, roughly natural rate of SME density also has limited implications for policies designed to promote 'entrepreneurship'. The logic is as follows: Let's assume that heading a small firm is an important mark of entrepreneurship, since the founder of a firm that quickly disappears may be less entrepreneurial than the leader of an SME that exists and survives, whether or not the leader was the original founder. In this analysis, the number of SMEs then becomes a proxy for the number of 'entrepreneurs': Entrepreneurs are the independent leaders of SMEs (Abbott 1998). Once economists accept that this assumption is one logical proxy of entrepreneurial activity (although by no means the only one), we can then say that a roughly natural rate of SME density implies there is little that can help, or hinder, ent repreneurship at the national level in a broadly liberal trading environment (Ambler & Witzel 2003). Ratios of 'entrepreneurs' (leaders of SMEs) are somewhat constant across European national populations. If one measures entrepreneurial activity by the rates of start-ups, then the analysis would change; but it is not clear that high start-up rates on a national scale really correlate with economic success either. The lowest start-up rates in Europe are in rich Sweden, the highest are in southern Europe, where unemployment is high and GDP per capita is lower. Definitions of entrepreneurship should encompass success measured by economic production and profits, and not just frenetic activities, primarily in the low-tech service sector (Justis & Judd 1999). In China, the majority of franchising companies operate as SMEs. In emerging markets like China, "retail franchising can sometimes supplant traditional and local cultural elements, which over time can lead to homogenization and westernization of preferences, especially among the youth. The older generations and the political establishments often resist such cultural shifts" (Welsh et al 2006, p. 132).