Group Interviews Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Group Interviews - Essay Example Also called as focus groups and panel interviews, group interviewing has, still, its own share of advantages and disadvantages. Several suppositions on its advantages as a research method has made group interviewing an extensively used technique (Robinson, 1993). Comparing this technique with individual or one-on-one interview, group interviewing is presumed to generate a wider variety of response, which in turn, is highly valuable in marketing and social researches. Companies use this technique in job screenings as well, to see leadership and character of the candidates in an open discussion. In this way, they could spot the strong and competent ones who are suitable for their open positions. In terms of time, group interviewing is an efficient technique in social researches to meet deadlines yet still generate sufficient and reasonable data set. With these share of positive attributes, the charisma of group interviewing has come to be equated with â€Å"qualitative research† (Robinson, 1993). In most cases, the effect of group interviewing on interview space and environment is treated as an advantage. As most people feel tension when set for an individual interview, the setting of several interviewees at one session somehow relieves the pressure of the situation. The intimidating feel of the one-on-one interview is also lessened during a group interviews as interviewees get the comfortable feeling along with the each other, rather than alone with a respectable moderator. In this case, the apparent view of the moderator or researcher as an authority, which makes the situation intimidating, is avoided. Interaction among the interviewees is also seen as an advantage in many cases, as it not only creates a comfortable environment but rather an opportunity for a sensible discussion and data set. It is in this lively interaction and rich discussion that the data emerges (Cohen & Manion, 1994). Thus, group

Competition to Gain Competitive Advantage among Firms Essay Example for Free

Competition to Gain Competitive Advantage among Firms Essay In the current world market, there are many products and services available to fulfill the needs of individual and businesses. According to Barney, Wright and Ketchen (2001), to succeed in such a competitive market, a competitive advantage is required to provide any firm with necessary tools, useful in increasing sales and market share, improving profit margins for a given period of time in a new existing market, ensure survival of the firm in extremely competitive markets and also develop hard to copy mixes. A firm that lacks competitive advantage can imitate firms that already have an edge in competition, either through direct duplication of resources or substitution (Combe, 2006). The firm can determine which way to go, by first conducting a research of the main competitors, so as to identify the resources they have, that contribute to their success in the market (Porter, 1980). When this is established, the firm should then evaluate itself so as to know the resources it has, and whether it is feasible to invest on these resources so as to improve its competitiveness in the market. Among the things that the firms can do to improve its competitive advantage is to introduce new products and processes, it can also adopt managerial methods and organizational form from the better firms and also engage in timely investment during market entry (Combe, 2006). In addition to this, the firm should learn what the customers want, carefully analyze their competitors and create product differentiation with creative techniques. The goal of any new introduction is to meet consumers’ needs with a quality product at the lowest possible cost in order to return the highest level of profit (Combe, 2006). Introduction of new products can be broken down into five distinct parts which include idea validation, conceptual design, specification and design, prototype and testing and commercialization (Porter, COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE 1980). If the new product satisfies the consumers needs then it going to be appreciated well in the market, and put the company in a good competitive edge. Adopting managerial methods and organizational form is also important. The firm should adopt the managerial methods practiced by the better firm so as to realize a competitive edge (Barney et al. , 2001). This poses some challenges in terms of resources in cases where additional input of capital is required. Nevertheless if the investment is worth, then we should not give up. Also investments in the market should be carried out timely so that the prevailing market conditions do not negatively affect the investments leading to big loses incurred by the firm (Porter, 1980). The firm should investigate to know the best investment periods so that it’s on the correct path of competition. Bad timing of entry into the market can really make any firm to lose grip of the market by incurring great loses that might take time for the firm to recover (Barney et al. , 2001). Thirdly the firm should analyze the market to know what the consumers want and the form in which they want it. If the customer becomes the priority in any firm, then the firm should realize some benefits as a result of customer loyalty (Porter, 1980). The design of the products should also be done creatively in a way that is most convenient to the customers. Products may be similar in all aspects but a small difference in presentation can greatly increase its demand in the market. Competitive advantage can be attained if the current strategy is value-creating and not currently being implemented by present or possible future competitors (Barney et al. , 1991). Competitive advantage has the ability to be sustained but a competing firm can enter the market with a resource that has the ability to invalidate the priors’ firms’ competitive advantage and is COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE therefore independent of timeframe. When imitation actions comes to an end without disrupting the firms competitive advantage then the firms strategy can be called sustainable. Porter (1985) portrays contrary views that competitive advantage is maintained when it provides above average returns in the long run.

Unhappy Countries After Wwi History Essay

Unhappy Countries After Wwi History Essay The end of WWI left many nations unhappy. The Germans were humiliated and lost territory and had war payments. The winning countries such as Japan and Italy did not gain enough land, but the Treaty of Versailles caused the war. Germans owed lots of money but could not pay debt and made only 1 payment 1921. This was three years after the war had ended. France sent troops into Ruhr Valley (rich) in Germany. Their goal was to take wealth from Germany. As a result, many Germans were angry and went on strike. Since the country was in debt, the government decided to print more money. Inflation was a result of too much money being printed. People had to take wheelbarrows of money to buy items because money had lost its value. The U.S and other nations created the Dawes Plan in 1924 to help Germany recover. This plan reduced the payments that Germany was to repay. The American banks loaned Germany $200 million to eliminate their debt. There were some good times that followed but they were sh ort-lived. Charles Dawes was an American banker who wanted to help Germany out of debt.. A depression is defined as a period of low economic activity when many people lose their jobs. Many of the factories during this time closed during the 1930s. Thousands of people were homeless and begged or food. People also started to vote for communist parties as a way to escape the ways of living. The cause o the depression was the stock market crashing. American companies produced much of the worlds manufactured goods. People wanted to make money so they invested their money, and the market boomed. Living was good. As a result, investors bought stock on margin paid a small amount of stock price and borrowed the rest of the money. As long as stock prices kept rising, buying on a margin was safe. Investors would sell stock when price increased, repay their loan, and keep the difference as profit. There were some factories that had problems selling goods. Many workers were not paid high enough wages and overproduction forced factories to slow production. Factories cut back on number of workers, and people were pressured to repay loans. When they failed to repay, the stock market crashed, prices fell and wiped out fortunes, banks collapsed, and people lost savings. Investors withdrew money and caused European banks to collapse. The worst year of depression was 1932 when people were out of work, people had been put out of their homes, and lived in shacks built out of cardboard or tin. Jobs during this time were very scarce, and food was not plentiful. As a way to help people Franklin D. Roosevelt developed the New Deal to provide people with money to buy food and housing and to put people back to work. The Civilian Conservative Corps(CCC) gave jobs to young people to plant trees and build facilities in parks. Also, the Works Progress Administration(WPA) paid jobless workers to build dams, roads, bridges, and hospitals. Roosevelt later convinced Congress to pass the Social Security Act which gave pensions and payments to people who were 65 or retired. This is still enforced today. Americans who were out of work were eligible to receive unemployment insurance which would help them until they could find a job. The New Deal did not completely restore economy but there was hope. The end of _______ left many nations unhappy. The _____ were humiliated and lost territory and had ____ payments. The winning countries such as ____ and _____ did not gain enough land, but the __________ caused the war. Germans owed lots of money but could not pay debt and made only ___ payment _____. This was _____ years after the war had ended. France sent troops into ______ ______ (rich) in Germany. Their goal was to take ________ from Germany. As a result, many Germans were angry and went on _______. Since the country was in debt, the government decided to _____ more ______. _______ was a result of too much money being printed. People had to take wheelbarrows of money to buy items because ________ had lost its _______. The U.S and other nations created the ______ _______ in 1924 to help ________ recover. This plan reduced the ________ that Germany was to repay. The American banks loaned Germany _____ million to eliminate their ______. There were some good times that followed but they were short-lived. ___________ Dawes was an American banker who wanted to help Germany out of debt.. A _________ is defined as a period of low _________ activity when many people lose their jobs. Many of the ________ during this time closed during the 1930s. Thousands of people were _________ and begged for food. People also started to vote for __________ parties as a way to escape the _______ of living. The cause of the depression was the ________ market crashing. American companies produced much of the worlds __________ goods. People wanted to make _______ so they ________ their money, and the market boomed. Living was good. As a result, investors bought stock on ________ paid a small amount of ________ price and _________ the rest of the money. As long as stock prices kept rising, buying on a margin was _______. Investors would sell stock when price ________, repay their loan, and keep the difference as ________. There were some ________ that had _________ selling ________. Many workers were not ________ high enough _______ and __________ forced factories to slow ___________. Fac tories cut back on number of _________, and people were pressured to _________loans. When they ________to repay, the _______ market __________, prices fell and wiped out __________, __________ collapsed, and people lost _________. _________ withdrew money and caused European banks to __________. The worst year of depression was ________ when people were out of _______, people had been put out of their ________, and lived in ________ built out of __________ or tin. Jobs during this time were very scarce, and food was not __________. As a way to help people ___________. Roosevelt developed the ______ _______ to provide people with ________ to buy _______ and _________ and to put people back to work. The __________Conservative Corps(CCC) gave _______to young _______ to plant _______ and build facilities in _______. Also, the Works _________ Administration(WPA) paid ________workers to build ______, roads, _________, and hospitals. _________ later convinced Congress to pass the _____ Security Act which gave _______ and payments to people who were __ or retired. This is still enforced today. Americans who were _____ of work were eligible to receive _________ insurance which would help them ______ they could find a ____. The New ______ did not fully restore the_________ but there was _____.

Epic of Beowulf Essay -- Beowulf Poem Poet Poetic Essays

Beowulf The epic poem Beowulf is a story of heroes and monsters, good and evil. The poem tells about the accomplishments and deeds of a legendary Geatish hero who first rids the Danish kingdom of Hrothgar of two demonic monsters: Grendel and Grendel's mother. Later in the story, Beowulf meets a dragon, kills it with the help of Wiglaf, but dies of wounds. No one knows who wrote Beowulf. It was not really written in the way that literature is written now. It is an epic poem, meant to be spoken aloud, very few of them were ever written down, and very few of them survived into modern times. Known as the first poem of the English literature, Beowulf is the major literary monument of Old English literature and of Anglo-Saxon England. The original work was written around the year 1000. The myth that Beowulf embodies has captured the modern imagination and placed the poem among the masterpieces of world literature. The poem documents the values, questions, and attitudes of the time and explores themes that are still engaging and fascinating. Beowulf is the oldest known piece of literature in English. Main Characters Of The Play Beowulf: The title character and hero. He is first the prince of the Geats and becomes their King. He is often referred to as the son of Edgetheow. Hothgar: The old, once great King of the Danes whose hall, Heorot is attacked by Grendel. Grendel: The monster who attacks Heorot. He attacks Heorot because he is jealous of the friendships and happiness of the Danes. Grendel's Mother: Has no name of her own. She is a monster and gives Beowulf just as difficult fight as her son does. The Dragon: The enemy that finally kills Beowulf. It guards a great tresuarehoard, and when... ...be different. Mothers and fathers will weep again for their dead children. The black raven, the wolf and the eagle will find a feast on the battlefield. The Geats will be people wandering without a homeland once our enemies come in upon us.' It appears that Beowulf's death signals the end of the Geatish people and the glory they won during Beowulf's reign. Works Cited: The Norton Anthology New York, London: W.W. Norton & Company R.D. Fulk (1991). Interpretation of Beowulf: A Critical Anthology Indiana University Press Harold Bloom (1987). Beowulf: Modern Critical Interpretations New York: Chelsea House Publishers Stanly B. Greenfield (1982). A Readable Beowulf Southern Illinois University Press Donald K. Fry (1968). The Beowulf Poet Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, Inc. George Clark (1990). Beowulf Boston: Twayne Publishers

Assignment 2: Reflection Essay

Overall I am doing pretty well with each of the four components of interpersonal effectiveness, competence, emotional intelligence, mindfulness and ethics. The person I interviewed as my partner, was my sister Tanya. This is how she thinks I am doing on each of the four components: She thinks that my interpersonal effectiveness: I have great relationships with family and close friends. She also says that I have a good balance between priorities and self-indulgence. Tanya also says that I have self-respect and I respect others as well. Now with the competence component she thinks that I am successful in everything as long as I stay focused on my goal. Tanya also says that I have accomplished and mastered several things such as earning an Associate’s Degree, a computer skills certificate, an office skills certificate, and I have long time experience in cashiering. She says that I am very in tune to others emotions and that I am a very emotional person myself. My sister also tells me that I instinctively know when someone is happy, sad, angry, or just simply needs a hug. She also tells me that I am very emotional and I outwardly show those emotions. With mindfulness and ethics my sister says that I demonstrate effective mindfulness in my everyday tasks, which leads to good ethical decisions. She also says that I am very mindful when it comes to making all of my decisions. In a nut shell my sister is trying to get across that because I am very mindful of the choices I make, it reflects on my highly ethical standards and practices. The results of the Emotional Intelligence Self-Assessment Test in Module 1 were very accurate. I have learned that what my sister has written about me is very accurate with what the assessment test has informed me of my true emotional intelligence assessment, which I have known all along. Although, I need to work on the competence more. These tenets of interpersonal communication affects me positively in my personal life and my academic life, but my professional life I have some ways to go yet. Two key insights for this assignment for me would be that I found out that I am more competent than I thought I was, (I still need to work on this area.) and I have very good emotional intelligence. Looking back on the goals that I set for myself, the new behaviors that I can practice that will help me reach them are the four  components of emotional intelligence, interpersonal effectiveness, competence, mindfulness and ethics. I take pride in myself because I do my best to always use the above mentioned components all day, every day.

Bailout shq

The research paper sheds light on George W. Bush $700 billion bailout package, the underlying cause of its release, expected effects, achieved results and future implication in mitigating the severity of US economy in particular and global in general What makes it important? Economy contaminated, debts and deficits escalating, spraining military, image tattering, all but accompanied with the emergence of a new league of Global contenders.Is the American capitalism on the recede, do we see the fading American way of life’ the demise of American dream, is the prodigious military might losing its edge, are the very foundations of democracy, freedom and justice debauched, has really the Global American leadership paled, is this the emanation of era of vacuity or does there lie hope of return anew? Thus the bailout package ‘last in line of Bush legacy’ bears importance not only from the economic recovery perspective but by shoring up the financial vessel’ it goe s a long way in retaining the unchallenged posture of USS enterprise globally.It holds importance as it allows continuance of strings of recovery initiatives taken year back, in the absence of which the policy posture would not only lose its luster but the effort being applied to buttress the confidence would rather lose its very ground. What’s going to be done in the paper? This paper would steer by discussing root cause that ruptured the great balloon while taking into account the amount and extent of damage the great spread have unfurled. This discourse would then lead by rounding up possible steps’ those have been taken and are about to be, lead by their results and possible ramification for the future.We would then highlight other venues and alternatives’ featuring their pros and cons’ thus rounding up our discussion with the present situation on ground lead by some anticipated prognostication about the future concurring outlook. What would be the ge neral conclusion? Our general conclusion would be as vague as had been and exists to be the statistical forecasting models across the financial colossal and economic capitals. We are lingering on bits of every day stats and results while hoping to gain and engender confidence across horizon of politics, consumers, producers and investors.We would be hanging around the ray of hope and light coming across the hazy fog of doubt and tentativeness. BODY Issue/problem In current situation when the Bail-out is out in the market to do wonders and clean up the mess created by all the wrongs and blunders of nearly a decade, just weeks into passing and the same ‘gurus’ conceive no less then a miracle from this quarter a trillion short’ to halt free fall of economy into an abyss of recession. Full scale implosion has rendered shock waves that have taken tool on global scale, the burst of sub-prime bubble, spiraling commodity prices, wide scale collapses and deafening bailout s.But pundits are still in a fix, as they state current spade of crumpling dominos as mere preliminary shock, precluding the greater quake yet to come. With nearly a trillion in bank losses, yet accounting for just a portion of the total conclusive damage’ has brought financial juggernauts of the likes of JP, Merrill, Lehs, Fan & Freds on their knees and a long queue still in waiting, followed by staggering multi trillion in bail outs, yet the spiral sees no end. The rootsFor the past two decades, Americans ‘distracted’ by the direction that its government showed, has been spending much more then they own or allowed by their means, which can be seen by a steady decline of their saving rates that stood at 11% in 80s to -1% today (Jeremy, 2009). The total debt owed by the public amounts to massive $2. 5 trillion without accounting the sub-prime fiasco (Stout, 2008). Of consumption patterns, last decade saw an enormous increase in spending’ bumped up by soari ng housing prices’ though this had been the era of shrinking real wages.Without the wage increases’ riches were being made by selling homes without ever thinking that for how long this cycle would swing, as the point would ultimately reach when stalemate would occur, when people would be left with no money to buy expensive properties. Without such logical thinking, things went on moving so much so that the American home owners extracted nearly $5 trillion since 2001 in various forms like refinancing their mortgages (Stout, 2008), home equity and selling till the dooms day occurred, when whole system based on faltered assumption on the lines of Dot Com collapsed.The reason it has been called ‘distraction’ is the fact that the policies engineered by the government wrongly encouraged the public to tow the dangerous path of callous burning up of goods and services while giving birth to a banking system that fueled this trend, thus slowly and gradually the stru cture moved away from the production and sales, to the addiction of free goods and manipulation of debts. Its severityBut what can been seen are just the ripples of a much greater storm brewing underneath. The enormity of discomfiture can be sensed from the fact that; much touted Financial Bulwarks which had been the symbols of robustness of Western financial system’ shattered one after the other under the weight of digressive mass that they them selves had accumulated. It’s not just a coincidence that all major heavy weights’ having Market capitalism worth economies of whole continents fell in a domino fashion.Chain reaction that imploded out of stray atoms of greed and insatiability, proliferated all out radiation that not only destroyed what ever came in its radius of hazard but contaminated the whole environment’ with effects ready to haunt for decades if not generations to come. From appalling fall of the Lehman to assuaging of Freddies, from taking over of Bears to engulfing of Lynchs, from engineering of Wachovia to warranting AIG, this is the League of Extraordinary Lineage that formed the first line of casualties and wiped out of the face of financial global map.Institutions that bore the brunt of world wars, civil unrest and the jolt of nine-eleven couldn’t hold onto the tremors of massive mortgage eruption. So immense had been the awe that the birth place of free market is forced to ‘nationalize’ the juggernauts of its economy, leaving far lasting scars on its own face. Whether they could ever be healed, doubt it! This patient needs an all out surgery†¦ Key players US is the economy that is run by banks and its derivative financial institutions’ thus it’s the bankers economy.This is the heartland of capitalism’ the motherland of free economy and the greatest champion of demos-cracy. All this comes into being and blends up when we have a strong financial system making up its ba ckbone. Banking industry spreading over a century has gradually formulated an environment where the resilience of economy rests on credit ‘the practice of lending’, thus making customers or more appropriately the consumers as being the second important tier of whole system.Third comes the government that regulates, governs and looks after the regulatory fabric under whose auspices the system works. Fourth comes the wealthy foreign governments that lend their excesses to the US government, financial institutions and its people, acting as investors willing to quench unsubsiding thirst of the whole nation. One way or the other’ the complicity of all four players is there behind spurring the situation out of control and ultimately collapse.And so is the ensuing blame game that is engulfing both the side of Pacific, where the Eastern coast (of pacific) blames the monetary glut of the west for the flow of excessive credit and hence slipping the market while commentator s on the western front criticizes lax regulations that let the wall street and its giant entities to wreck internal havoc to their economy but slipping nullifying their own regulatory frame works.Who ever was responsible’ but one ground on which every body concedes is the let-go attitude of US government that let the bubble grow out of proportion’ the blind eye they let to this fiasco to happen. On every front’ it’s the people (American tax payers) those are to suffer. They lost the credit, lost their homes, lost jobs, burdened their future and indebted their children. For all the follies committed on Wall Street ‘under the auspices of government’ and the preceding foreclosures and bailouts’ these are the ordinary people who are going to pay for each penny being spent’ form their own pockets.What are they trying to achieve To intoxicate the contaminated body. Over the years’ under lax or almost no rules and regulations, A merican banks and insurance and ‘pre-insurance’ industries accumulated charges worth trillions on their balance sheets, which were backed by literally nothing. Thus over the time’ as the mortgage advances climbed up’ it began to create a much bigger vacuum on their back that suddenly ended up in Boom! A shock that made the whole structure collapse under its own weight.Now the government is trying to cleanse this mess, by buying mountains of crap ‘bad assets’ to clear up bank’s balance sheets, keep them until the economy recovers and to sell them back to public when crap turns into something worthy! 5 Thus the underlying cause of this whole drill is to lighten up the bank’s load so that they could get stand again and start functioning by lending. This is vital as banking industry forms the very backbone of US economy and without it their can not be any recovery.This would lead of credit that serves as a fuel for other economic act ivities, the eased credit would halt the fall of other financial and industrial units thus containing the contagion from spread, this stabilization would enhance the investor’s confidence that would ease up the investing and buying constraint that is the cause of pain from other side of equation. Thus the whole bailout or Emergency Economic Stabilization act is a move to stabilize the economy and retort the keel to its original location. Approaches Let us first segregate the two approaches being proposed by two different sects of economists into plan A and B.The former being proposed by the Government and calls for its take over of the whole crisis, the later one to give market the stimulus to act and heal by its own forces. Intervention on such a colossal scale is inconceivable in a country which had been the forefather of free-market and founder of capitalism. Instead of protecting the American Tax Payers, the elected lot seems hell bent in protecting a few. Despising any s anity what so ever, the American government is ready to buy the unsecured assets (otherwise valued at zero) for $65, having a floating market value of mere 25 cents, thus paying 3200% more of their worth (Baker, 2008).RTC (Resolution Trust Corp) made to trace and capture companies before they begin to collapse (Wilson, 2009). It has been created in light of the current Bail out bill that would allow the government to buy bad loans directly from lenders at lower rates that would relieve banks from carrying dead weights, restructure them and sell them off gradually as the market heals and stabilizes, thus mitigating an immediate and blunt affect to the economy and public. Yes, it worked in 80s and banking on its legacy it should work according to Government speculations’ who says an agency is needed to oilify the chocked financial engine.But this agency would work if we tow for plan A, the Bail out etc. What conflicts exists Starting form the fact that United States is the most indebted nation, with a burden of $12 trillion and yearly obligations amounting $500 billion (Bebchuck, 2008), having Forex reserves less then the tiny Taiwan, followed by record budget and trade deficits. To square all, United States economy was in a quagmire already and it’s in ruination after the Big Bang. Various moves on part of Fed to lubricate the economic engine by throwing billions into the parched market seems of little or no help at all.Melting down of financial bulwarks one after the other is evidence of enormity of damage followed by the deafening bail out plan. Isn’t it absurd that US with no money of its own to even buy the Chinese toys is reeling towards this colossal move. From where all this money would come? Print it! No way; a near trillion worth of ‘printed’ Greenback into the market is going to burst yet another balloon of Inflation and nose dive the already struggling Dollar, leading to a chocking scenario. So what else? Borrow more !Already a single country like China holding nearly a trillion worth of US securities would further make America’ the world’s strongest democracy defer to the largest communists (Harvey, 2008). But would they be willing to buy more of the crap US assets? Let’s just forget the world, See who is borrowing. The US Government, but the Government earns nothing of its own. These are the taxes that make and run governments, so more borrowing means added obligations upon the people of United States and their Children and their Grand Children who are being held hostage for the blunders of their own obdurate corporations (Harvey, 2009).Look at the Horizon and see the doom and gloom ? Bears Stern taken over by JP Morgan, Bank of America taking over the 94 years old Merrill Lynch, world’s top insurer AIG pledging for its own insurance (Whalen, 2008), collapse of the 158 year legacy the Lehman Brothers, which had survived the Civil war, world wars, the 9/11 but couldn ’t hold on for this swap, all costing Fed hundreds of billions (Demyanyk, Yuliya S. and Van Hemert, 2008).? Fed Liquidity Program, Economic stimulus package, Federal Housing Admin scheme and further injections has already amounted to $1 trillion (Demyanyk, Yuliya and Van Hemert, 2008). ? The Bail out of Fannie and Freddie alone have price tag of $200 billion (Bardhan, 2008). All but excluding yet another $700 billion proposed bail out for ‘securing’ the faltering US institutions, amounting to a staggering total of $1. 8 trillion!! (Davidoff and Zaring, 2008)The new bill is being floated to each American citizen, with the liability of $5000 each, while keeping aside the $11. 8 trillion of ‘previous’ debt (Davidoff and Zaring, 2008). Now as far as the talk holds for going social or keeping the system capitalist, it doesn’t matter which one operates unless the operators are responsible and sincere to the people who let them operate on their behal f. It is said that the corporate America seems best in capitalist mode as long as the system churns profits and it immediately retorts to being Socialized when faults surfaces.In today’s scenario when all the elements of a healthy financial system are showing pathological signatures of ailments which had been there for long time, but was let to grow to extent of tumor. Yes the Government should move forward as it is their job to cleanse the system of toxics and let the body heal by itself, but wait what we are seeing? Instead of letting the body to recover and reform in its very own ‘natural’ way, the surgeon general is transplanting the whole organs with ‘expectations’ that they won’t be rebelled. What if they would!Then hope the patient would survive. Potential remedies/solutions †¢ Of all the argument, nothing said goes against capitalism and the market system whose strength can be seen in the spread of wealth and economic upheaval of billions of people out of poverty, but the most impressive of its geniuses is its greater healing capacity, the savior fair to purge itself of infections if any that might arise in its body. Today its like an ailing body which needs medication to the extent of strengthening itself and to mend in its own ‘natural’ way rather then forced ministration†¢ There needs to be a global ruling body on the lines of UN that should govern and check world economies and corporations from detracting into direction that would cause harm on global scale. So does the question that’ as to why despite all the warnings by European Central Bank officials, no pre emptive or lets say preventive step was taken at first to check the bubble to expand to such explosive levels and then from a sudden burst? (Bardhan, 2008) If so why wasn’t there no such levy erected to counter the incumbent tide of destructive tsunami†¢ There are more doubts then ever before that the market me chanism of supply and demand triggering ‘fears’ and the so called jolting of ‘confidence’ of investors, leading to massive buying or selling sprees have grown to be shadowy. Proven recently from the Oil price fiasco, its rise and maniac fall clearly shows the manipulative force acting in an unruly fashion. Check the trend which is drifting more towards exploitive ness then genuine speculation (Murphy, 2008).†¢ The whole banking system should be re organized and re founded on a more solid and sound foundations, with revised rules and regulations to halt such a scenario from erupting ever again. Reinvigorating this industry could include equity investment, recapitalization of the bank assets i. e. purchasing the bad assets for cash that would help the fledging industry with the much needed cash while letting the government to exercise a limited control to steer the institutions out of the doldrums (Schwarcz, 2008).†¢ And off course the US Tax payers should not have been dragged to bear the brunt of the debacle and wrong practices of corporate world, which had grown to be voracious and hoggish in its never ending appetite of leasing and lending for windfall profits. Instead of throwing trillions into this engulfing black hole, people should be given relief by letting them pay back through jobs, raised salaries, slashed interests and extended pay back periods. In this respect the Mortgage assistance is necessary’ this could be done in any form i.e either the home owners be given leverage to pay back the borrowed credit by lowering of interest rates, making the payment schedule long enough that should not hamper the life style or the credit for ownership be converted into something like monthly rent’ that would be nominal enough to ward off the burden and wouldn’t render homes unoccupied. CONCLUSION General conclusion & Internal/External forces An incident that took place inside the United States has become a global issue. Thus its not the US alone that is shaping its course’ there are multiple forces now acting on it.Internally the new US administration has taken a shift towards more of stimulating the economy then to put all eggs in caskets of fallen juggernauts. There’s more of realization in extending a helping hand to the Main Street then the Wall, as they believe in giving a push to the unconventional engines of economy to burn then to rectify the more conventional powerhouses’ demise of which lead to this failure. Externally’ all those capitals and their financial entities that had any link in one form or the other has bore the brunt of the great crumple.It’s the sheer size of US economy that can not be ignored, the after shocks of the quake that jolted this land are still being felt across the globe, that transpired into several global integrated moves and till now’ two G20 summits. Issues have now metamorphed and transpired into trade, barriers, national bailouts, global credit, energy†¦and is growing more complex. At the time when single combined stance is direly needed, there’s temptation across the horizon for receding back and protecting own borders by raising the levies across frontiers.The US with all its bailouts can not even come into being without foreign government’s nodes to finance them, America can heal without others lending life saving medicament on credit. And as the fears grow for more nationalistic approach by the US government getting protectionist while confining its bailout money only to the made by American’s industry, fears for back lash from across the shore’ specifically the Pacific would be harmful. Today America needs world more then the opposite, the current recession has already altered focus and has dragged it away.World has benefited and lately suffered from what came out of US shores, what matters now is’ what comes in! What’s the prese nt trend? ‘Glimmers of Hope’ can best describe the present situation as stipulated by the current US President’ supplemented by words of caution that the economy still needed time and a zealous effort to heal lest recoil. The statement might be true if put into context that the free fall is not that free now and things have begun to look less awry and not outwardly defiled.Stock exchange can be seen to trek towards damage attenuation, SMEs are showing desire for loans thus setting forth the signs that they have begun to trust the banking entity ‘again’, tax reductions announced in all of previous packages would soon bear fruit by leveraging pay checks to ease’ thus paving way for mortgage industry to palliate as it offers worthwhile deals because of the all-time-low prices (Spetalnick, 2009). Global economy has become immensely complicated to predict, overly complex to control and wild enough to steer, once disturbed’ it listens to its own.Economies have momentum; it can not be stopped and accelerated by the push and pull of pedals. So is the current situation, despite all the predictions and dooms day scenarios sketched by ‘eminent’ economist of the looming Depression’ the fall seems to lose it g! the burst seems to lose its steam and indications. Though the foreclosures are still there and so are the job and credit loses but they have simple lost the glitter. With bailout replaced by stimulus, the ointment has been replaced by healthy diet to kindle the body to heal on its own. What’s speculation for the future?â€Å"The American moment is not over, but it must be seized anew† Barack Obama, (McCain, 2009) divulging the very resolution that United States is not ready to subside rather it is there to retrieve the lost insight. USA stands to embark on a path to New Leadership with new vision suffused by common principles of humanity, security, justice and above all’ equality , but how can it assume the burden of Global Leadership amid haze of thickening economic extremity? The new commander-in-chief has got a colossal task on his hands’ would he be able to mould new leaf among the folio of history?Dispelling the Dooms day prognostication and economy-on-the-rupture speculations’ there exist a fair chance that the United States economy would be saved and so be the world. No matter how deep the fissures go’ sheer size of US economy would render it afloat, the world as we know today could not and would not let the economic colossal to collapse. Nevertheless on the realistic front, yes enormous amount of damage still roams across and severe confidence deficit exists both on the producer and consumer side’ that could only be addressed by bitter short term moves and bolder long term policies.References Admin, â€Å"World banks make emergency rate cuts. † 700billiondollarbailoutplan 08 Oct 2008 Web. 18 Apr 2009. http://www. 70 0billiondollarbailoutplan. com/2008/10/world-banks-make-emergency-rate-cuts/ Admin, â€Å"The 8 trillion dollar bailout. † 700billiondollarbailoutplan 06 jan 2009 Web. 19 Apr 2009. http://www. 700billiondollarbailoutplan. com/tag/700-billion-dollar-bailout-plan/ Baker, Dean. â€Å"An interview with Dean Baker on the US$ 700bn bailout of financial institutions. † global subsidies initiative 6 nov 2008 Web. 19 Apr 2009. http://www. globalsubsidies.org/en/subsidy-watch/commentary/an-interview-with-dean-baker-us-700bn-bailout-financial-institutions Bardhan, Ashok Of Subprimes and Subsidies: â€Å"The Political Economy of the Financial Crisis† SSRN (October 2008): http://ssrn. com/abstract=1270196 Bebchuck, Lucian. â€Å"A Plan for Addressing the Financial Crisis . † SSRN 28 Sep 2008 24. Web. 18 Apr 2009. . Christopher, Lamy. â€Å"The Financial Crisis of 2008:† SSRN 05 Oct 2008 Web. 17 Apr 2009. http://ssrn. com/abstract=1274337 Demyanyk, Yuliya S. and Van Hemert, Otto, â€Å"Understanding the Subprime Mortgage Crisis† SSRN 5 Dec 2008 http://ssrn.com/abstract=1020396 Davidoff, Steven M. and Zaring, David T. ,Big Deal: â€Å"The Government's Response to the Financial Crisis† SSRN (November 24, 2008). : http://ssrn. com/abstract=1306342 Harvey, Campbell. â€Å"The Financial Crisis of 2008: What Needs to Happen after TARP. † SSRN 05 Oct 2008 Web. 17 Apr 2009. http://ssrn. com/abstract=1274327 Jeremy, â€Å"Full Text and Details of the Proposed $700 Billion Government Bailout Bill – Draft Submitted Sunday Evening. † genxfinance 28 sep 2008 Web. 19 Apr 2009. McCain, John. â€Å"An Enduring Peace Built on Freedom Securing America's Future . † Foreign Affairs Dec 2007 Web. 19 Apr 2009. Murphy, Austin. An Analysis of the Financial Crisis of 2008: Causes and Solutions† SSRN (November 4, 2008): http://ssrn. com/abstract=1295344 Stout, david. â€Å"The Wall Street Bailout Plan, Explained. â €  the NYT 20 SEP 2008 Web. 18 Apr 2009. . Schwarcz, Steven L. â€Å"Understanding the ‘Subprime' Financial Crisis†SSRN (October 30, 2008). : http://ssrn.com/abstract=1288687 Spetalnick, Matt. â€Å"Obama sees signs of economic progess. † Reuters 11 apr 2009 Web. 19 Apr 2009. . Ryan , Stephen. â€Å"Accounting in and for the Subprime Crisis. † SSRN 26 March 2008 Web. 18 Apr 2009. http://ssrn. com/abstract=1115323 Whalen, Christopher. â€Å"The Subprime Crisis: Cause, Effect and Consequences. † SSRN 1 mar 2008 Web. 18 Apr 2009. . Wilson, Linus. â€Å"Debt Overhang and Bank Bailouts. † SSRN 02 Feb 2009 Web. 17 Apr 2009. http://ssrn. com/abstract=1336288

Free Essays on Meaningful Change In Education

Teach Institution: Building the Heart of a Teacher â€Å"Restoration, reweaving, is one of the obligations of leadership.† (Max De Pree, 1997) Schools today are being rewoven. The focus on high standards has created a culture of accountability that calls for high quality teaching to help each child reach his or her potential. Unfortunately, schools are also facing a severe shortage of teachers, particularly in middle and secondary schools as well as areas such as special education. One short-term solution has been the use of teachers who are operating with emergency credentials. Leave No Child Behind has said no to emergency certification and legislation to establish Teach Institution has opened a unique opportunity to reweave teacher preparation. Teach Institution, if funded to The University, will examine the in-school supports that need to be provided these alternate-credentialed teachers; most specifically, we will examine how mentors can contribute to greater success. A network of mentors has quietly emerged from prior initiatives of Mississippi legislation via the World Class Teachers program; this program provided a network to mentor Mississippi's best teachers into National Board Certification status. By working with mentors and mentoring for these alternate-credential teachers, the University of Southern Mississippi (UNIVERSITY), in conjunction with the other public IHLs (phased in over time), intend to reweave knowledge and skills standards to address alternate pathways for teacher development. Key to this initiative will be mentoring practices, secured from National Board Certified teachers and post-secondary institutions, in conjunction with school districts throughout the state. Severity of the problem Supply and demand of teachers for America’s schools has entered an era of persistent imbalance, reflecting concerns with unacceptably low salaries, low regard for the profession, and safety for self and students... Free Essays on Meaningful Change In Education Free Essays on Meaningful Change In Education Teach Institution: Building the Heart of a Teacher â€Å"Restoration, reweaving, is one of the obligations of leadership.† (Max De Pree, 1997) Schools today are being rewoven. The focus on high standards has created a culture of accountability that calls for high quality teaching to help each child reach his or her potential. Unfortunately, schools are also facing a severe shortage of teachers, particularly in middle and secondary schools as well as areas such as special education. One short-term solution has been the use of teachers who are operating with emergency credentials. Leave No Child Behind has said no to emergency certification and legislation to establish Teach Institution has opened a unique opportunity to reweave teacher preparation. Teach Institution, if funded to The University, will examine the in-school supports that need to be provided these alternate-credentialed teachers; most specifically, we will examine how mentors can contribute to greater success. A network of mentors has quietly emerged from prior initiatives of Mississippi legislation via the World Class Teachers program; this program provided a network to mentor Mississippi's best teachers into National Board Certification status. By working with mentors and mentoring for these alternate-credential teachers, the University of Southern Mississippi (UNIVERSITY), in conjunction with the other public IHLs (phased in over time), intend to reweave knowledge and skills standards to address alternate pathways for teacher development. Key to this initiative will be mentoring practices, secured from National Board Certified teachers and post-secondary institutions, in conjunction with school districts throughout the state. Severity of the problem Supply and demand of teachers for America’s schools has entered an era of persistent imbalance, reflecting concerns with unacceptably low salaries, low regard for the profession, and safety for self and students...

The Alliance for Retired Americans essayEssay Writing Service

The Alliance for Retired Americans essayEssay Writing Service The Alliance for Retired Americans essay The Alliance for Retired Americans essayThe Alliance for Retired Americans (ARA) is an effective nonprofit, nonpartisan organization specially developed for retired trade union members. The ARA was founded in 2001. This organization is connected with two other organizations, namely the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) and the Change to Win Federation (CtW). It also includes non-union and community-based members. The predecessor of this organization was the National Council of Senior Citizens (NCSC). According to statistical data, in 2012, the ARA had more than 4 million members in the United States. The ARA has developed effective programs, which operate in 33 states.The ARA is considered to be a nationwide organization as it addresses the issues of concern at the national level. According to the information presented on the official website of the organization, for 13 years, the ARA â€Å"has enrolled and mobilized retired union member s and other seniors and community activists into a nationwide grassroots movement advocating a progressive political and social agenda that respects work and strengthens families† (The Alliance for Retired Americans, Official Website, 2014).The ARA office is headquartered in Washington D.C.Membership The ARA involves retired seniors of the United States, as well as different community activist groups, which are focused on addressing the issues of public concern regarding the aged. For example, the members of this organization may voice the discrepancies found in public policies that may have a negative impact on American seniors. Membership in the ARA can be defined broadly because the ARA includes the members of NCSC, who became the members of ARA automatically. Today the ARA invites retired union members from all parts of the United States. At the same time, the ARA invites the retired workers who have never been union members. The ARA’s dues are not too high, only $1 0 a year for a retired union member. According to the national convention, the ARA membership organizes meetings every non-presidential election year in order toparticipate in the election of the governing board members: a President, a Secretary-Treasurer, an Executive Vice-President, and six Board Members.According to the established rules and regulations, every member of the ARA has the rights to attend the national convention as well as to use his/her voting right. The funding unions have the right to send their selected delegates. The membership is responsible for providing the discussion of policies, in order to approve the most effective ones. Besides, the membership is responsible for solving various issues connected with voluntary donations for the organization’s political and social activities (Binstock 267).Funding   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As the ARA’s predecessor was NCSC, it is necessary to refer to its history, which tells much about funding. During th e 1960s -1970s, NCSC was funded by the federal funds, according to the Older Americans Act. Title V of the Older Americans Act provided opportunities for funding part-time employment for under-employed seniors. Today the ARA is a sponsor of Educational Fund, which is focused on research work and production of publications on public policies (Hillier Barrow 23).Governing Board The governing body of the ARA includes the selected members of the organization.   The ARA is governed by the members of the national executive board, which includes six community-based directors and six directors appointed by the affiliated unions (The Alliance for Retired Americans, Official Website, 2014). The Governing Board includes:The ARA President: Barbara Easterling. She held the position of the Secretary-Treasurer of the AFL-CIO.The ARA Community-Based Executive Director: Richard Fiesta. He served at the Departments of Labor and the Interior and the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.The ARA Secr etary-Treasurer: Ruben Burks. He was a Secretary-Treasurer of the United Auto Workers.The ARA Executive Vice-President: Jo Etta Brown. She was a leader of the Alliance for Retired Americans Community Advocacy Network.The ARAExecutive Vice-President: Liz Shuler. She served as a Secretary-Treasurer of the AFL-CIO (The Alliance for Retired Americans, Official Website, 2014).The major goals of the organization The major goal of the ARA is to give American seniors a sound and reputable voice nationwide, as well as within their communities. The ARA is focused on the organization of the effective advocate groups in order to lobby on the major legislative issues associated with the aged, including Medicare, Social Security, long-term care insurance reform plans and affordable housing benefits. Actually, the mission of the ARA is to â€Å"ensure social and economic justice and full civil rights for all citizens so that they may enjoy lives of dignity, personal and family fulfillment and sec urity† (The Alliance for Retired Americans, Official Website, 2014).The ARA members are active participants of the polls. They effectively use their membership rights to educate other seniors of new policies and mobilize them to take an active part in elections of the leaders, who areâ€Å"committed to improving the lives of retirees and older Americans† (The Alliance for Retired Americans, Official Website, 2014). Special attention is paid to social programs, including Social Security and Medicare. For example, in 2013,   the ARA members created Human Chain Against the Chained CPI events in more than 50 cities in order to stop the cut and earn Social Security benefits (The Alliance for Retired Americans, Official Website, 2014). In addition, the ARA members managed to block the privatization of Social Security using the ARA’s Social Security Truth Truck. The ARA provided more than 2.1 million petitions to the US Congress (The Alliance for Retired Americans, Of ficial Website, 2014). In general, the ARA helps current retirees to succeed in protecting their rights.

An Analysis Of Sainsburys Supermarket

An Analysis Of Sainsburys Supermarket Founded in 1869 by John James Sainsbury along with his wife Mary Ann in London and then gradually grew to become the largest grocery retailer by 1922. Sainsbury’s is the UK’s oldest major food retailer with their first store opened in 1869. It strives to keep up with its trusted heritage of quality with best services. Past: In the early 1990’s Sainsbury’s, market leader so far, lost its position to Tesco and in 2004 it came down to no. three after Tesco and Asda. The downfall involved many reasons including changing managements, lack of innovative strategies, failing to assess the impact of loyalty cards scheme, unhealthy acquisition in Egypt and a misleading marketing strategy which failed to communicate the right message to the consumers. Present: Sainsbury’s started to fight back and be noticed after Justin King took over the management role in early 2004 and came up with a revival strategy under the name of ‘Making Sainsbury’s Grea t Again’. The process involved a no. of mergers and acquisitions of small chains in the south east England and the Midlands. The new message of ‘Try Something New Today’ went really well with the media and the consumer led by the famous celebrity chef Jamie Oliver it encouraged buyers to innovate in their kitchens and make their food interesting. Future: The supermarket industry has reached a saturation point in the UK. How long can Sainsbury’s go on opening up new stores at locations such that its stores do not start to cannibalize each other? Using the Ansoff Growth Matrix two future strategies are suggested for Sainsbury’s: Opening up of Sainsbury’s Travels and Tours – Product Development On the basis of the success potential in the travel business, Sainsbury’s might venture into the Travel and Tours business by way of Product Development as per Ansoff Growth Matrix tool for future strategy selection. Sainsbury’s has a very high probability of success as measured with the help of SWOT analysis and assessing the keys to success and the critical factors. Sainsbury’s China – Market Development Sainsbury’s might opt for the Market development strategy by offering the supermarket business to the land of opportunities China. The move will be mad after the necessary PEST analysis has been done and company’s SWT has been assessed with Chinese perspective. Sainsbury’s – Strategic Corporate Development History: 1990 to 2004 Corporations are required to add value by mans of their business. The goal is to manage and control the businesses for a long term and sustainable success. The corporate level strategy deals with the choice of the business and the growth and development related to it. Sainsbury’s enjoyed the position of the leader in the UK supermarket industry up to the early 1990’s. It had sustained its image of a name trusted with quality and se rvice. British like old names with some history behind them. The company started to lose its grip in the early nineties due to a number of reasons. There was a change in management after the longtime CEO John David Sainsbury retired. He was replaced by David Sainsbury who bought about a change in the management style. Although the times were changing and some of the people in the management thought strongly about launching loyalty card schemes and also favored introduction of non-food items in the stores, both the options were rejected by the fresh management.

Three course-changing Events in the history of western technology Term Paper

Three course-changing Events in the history of western technology - Term Paper Example The present superiority of the western world crucially pivots on the excellence of the technological development which mainly starts in the first half of the 18th century. Inventions of new technologies and gradual shift from manual labor to machine for nationwide internal production gradually begin to make the warring nations of the European continent outbound in search of newer supplies of raw materials to feed their gigantic machine-based industries and at the same time newer markets in order to sell the surplus commodities and goods after meeting their national demands. Consequently, Europe-controlled trade and commerce began to expand rapidly all over the world. Therefore, an economically strong militarily superior and Europe began to emerge in world politics. Indeed the West did not achieve this excellence overnight. Rather the west has a long tradition of science and technology and a great deal of course-changing inventions of technology. Among these course-changing events in technology, the inventions of print-machine, dry compass and the birth of Leonardo de Vinci are the most mentionable three. Indeed the chronology of the two inventions is such that the following had been benefitted by the preceding one. Gutenberg’s Invention of Printing Machine in 1436 It will not be an exaggeration to say that an enlightened Europe had been possible to a great extent because of Johannes Gutenberg’s invention of printing technology in 1436. ... According to a study, by the end of the fifteenth century, there were about 236 cities, all over Europe, that established printing machines (Febvre 36). But by the end of the 16th Century the printing presses in the European countries had produced about 200 millions of books. In the 1600s, the printing presses in Europe were â€Å"capable of producing 3,600 impressions per workday† (Wolf 213). Indeed, it is almost impossible to sum up the effects and the aftermaths of the invention of Gutenberg’s printing press. To a great extent, the invention of printing press was one of the direct catalysts of the Reformation. The catholic versus protestant conflict during the Reformation was able to achieve a popular dimension amongst the common people with the blessings of the printing presses. About 750000 pieces of Erasmus’s work, one of the leading figures of the Reformation, were sold in print-format during his lifetime. Again 300000 printed copies of Luther’s tra cts were distributed among the common people. Apart from the Reformation as the direct consequence of the invention of Gutenberg printing press, there are numerous events in the history of western world that can be linked with this invention. The Renaissance, the Enlightenment of Europe, the Age of Exploration and the Industrial Revolution were some of the remote mega events that were engendered by the invention of printing press since it led to the democratization of knowledge while establishing numerous groups of scholars and communities of scientists. Effects of the Invention of Dry-Compass and the Development of Maritime Technology Contemporary to the invention of Gutenberg’s printing press, the invention of dry compass along

Stage of sleep - psychology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Stage of sleep - psychology - Essay Example Going over the information covered in class, â€Å"Stage† 1 and â€Å"Stage† 3 read to me more like doorways to actual stages, instead of being stages themselves. The reason I felt that way was both because of the length of those two stages, and because of the way they seem designed to build up to the next stage. Neither one of them felt like they were defined individually, but were based on the stage that came after them. Stage 1 of the sleep cycle lasts only about 5-10 minutes, and was technically defined as the transition period between wakefulness and sleep. What came to my mind was the short period of grogginess people usually experience when they first wake up in the morning. They’re eyes are open, and they’re obviously not asleep any more. However, their minds and bodies haven’t fully reached alertness, so they’re not fully awake, either. That grogginess is kind of a limbo between being asleep and being awake, and I think that Stage 1 is the same thing, only going the opposite direction. Stage 3 is almost identical to Stage 1, with the only real difference being where it comes in the sleep cycle. It lasts about the same amount of time as Stage 1, and is also a transition period. Thinking of the transitional stages, particularly Stage 1, as being somewhat separate from the rest of the stages should help me get to sleep faster. One way I could to that would be to create a kind of transition period or routine before I try to get to Stage 1. Remembering that Stage 2 is where the body begins to relax and slow down—the heart beat and body temperature, specifically, go down—then Stage 1 can be thought of as designed to take us from being fully alert to being ready for a kind of light hibernation. If I were to spend some time just before going to bed listening to quiet music or reading a soothing book, I could potentially make Stage 1 of sleep easier to get in to and through. I was surprised to learn that t he stages of sleep do not follow a logical, sequential order of 1-2-3-4-5. When we first began covering the stages of sleep, that is the order I thought they would follow, and those five stages would somehow take up a person’s full night of sleeping. It would have made sense to me for some people to need each stage to last longer—meaning that they need to have more hours of sleep at night to feel rested—and others would be able to get by with shorter stages. However, what I learned was that the stages of sleep actually go a little out of order. According to an article entitled â€Å"Stages of Sleep,† the order is more like 1-2-3-4-3-2-5-2 and that order is repeated a few times every night (Cherry, 2011). Realizing that our bodies go through several cycles of the five stages of sleep throughout the night gives me some ideas for what to make my sleeping environment like. In going over the material from our class lectures, as well as reviewing the informatio n providing in the article â€Å"Stages of Sleep,† it’s apparent to me that people go through Stage 2 more times in a night than any other stage. Stage 2 is the one where the body begins to become more relaxed before going in to a deep sleep. In this stage of physiological change, people might be fairly easy to wake. So, I would take that knowledge and create an environment in my room that encourages me to stay asleep once I fall asleep. Maybe I could play some quiet music in the background that would minimize the effect of noises in the night on my subconscious. The idea

Hotel Rwanda Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Hotel Rwanda - Essay Example How a variety of relations turned out between the needy Rwandans and the Whites or the western people in control also possesses a significant level of accuracy as assessed with respect to history which traditionally depicted racial discrimination, whether or not subtle, with an occasional mode of compassion or empathy and recognition for the black people. The apparently accurate emotions portrayed by the actors behind the characters of the oppressed Tutsis channel an amount of distinction apart from any fictitious attempt since the audience can readily engage as measured by the equivalent horrified reactions that manifest anxious imaginings with distressful feeling of helplessness. The director, T. George, might have felt the necessity to not disclose or point out the motivations behind the hostilities of the Hutu extremists for perhaps being such a complex portion able to divert the main objective of building up a one-man hero into the core. By clearly not revealing the truth that t here were only two foreign journalists in Rwanda on stating â€Å"lots of foreign press are arriving for the peace signing,† the film warrants as such that it gives viewers an impression of witnesses and interested parties at supporting the cause of P.

Media, Public Policy and International Politics Essay

Media, Public Policy and International Politics - Essay Example Logically, since big news events can happen on different countries, establishing a global presence has been a very important strategy for the media industry. As with other companies and industries, the media companies have been able to access talents globally. Likewise, the global competition has also increased the level of service quality given by these firms. Indeed, as with any other industry, globalization has been able to help raise the bar of quality products and services to consumers (Khatri & Nanyang 2000). However, has this really been the case for all members of the media industry or has some utilized their power for influencing various policies. Likewise, has some media outfits been remiss of their duties to provide balanced reporting and has indulged too much in politicking. Part 1: Effect of Media: â€Å"The Fox on the Bush† After the September 11 terrorist attack, the Bush administration saw the chance to launch the new policy which was the National Security Stra tegy of the United States. This had been more famously known as the pre-emptive strike policy which was launched by the Bush administration as a means of deterring future terrorist attacks by the simple principle of being able to attack first so that enemies will not be able to launch an attack on all US interests. Shah (2004) reports that under this policy, the US military has been granted the go signal to strike at states perceived to be harbouring threats to national security to ensure that these are neutralized before they become capable of launching an attack on US soil or US interests. This policy has raised many eyebrows since this crosses the line of existing international obligations and treaties including the pull out of the US from the Anti-Ballistic Missile treaty. This likewise paved the way for possible use of nuclear force against perceived threats. It is interesting to note that this policy has been in the works prior to the September 11 attacks as reported by Donnel ly (2000) wherein four pillars have been established for the US military such as the basic homeland defense. However, the strategy also calls for the capability to wage and win big theatre wars which clearly indicates that as a global police, the US must be capable of pacifying different enemies worldwide. Furthermore, it calls for administering security in areas that are critical. These would not have been possible though had it not been for the terrorist attack and the media blitz that accompanied it. Thus, the timing for launching the policy embodying these ideals have been quite perfect especially since public opinion have been swayed so much by the hysteria generated by the much publicized attack on American soil as well as the subsequent retaliatory strategies. Drumming up the War After the September 11 terrorist attack, the rhetoric of the administration has intensified to shore up public support for the war. This was further advanced through the efforts of various media that have portrayed the horrors of the attack so effectively that people have been moved to ask for actions. Although the protection of the innocent citizens as well as the need for justice to be served for the victims, the media

Sexism - Social work Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Sexism - Social work - Essay Example Religious writings the date back two thousand years ago illustrate how women were thought to be of no essence. 1 Timothy 2:16 â€Å" I permit no woman to teach or have authority over men. She is to keep silent.† Thus, the term sexism has been far more associated with discrimination against females. When society began to depict the roles of men as heads of nations and kingdoms, pioneers of expeditions and discoveries, brave heroes of war, engineers of technology and infrastructure, great thinkers and philosophers, etc., it unconsciously instilled prejudicial thoughts -- that there exists an inferior gender, the female gender. In the years to come, the â€Å"battle of the sexes† would not be limited to the male and female genders but to the transsexuals as well. (Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia, 2007) The rise of the feminist movement which began in the late 19th century of the western society was a result of years of suppressed freedom, restlessness, frustration and oppression. As women were labeled by men as the â€Å"weaker sex,† they were denied access to education, suffrage, political representation, employment and equality under the law. The clamor for change and equality became a resounding battle cry of the feminist movement. They protested about double standards dictated upon by society in which, they argued, were exclusively favorable to men. It is not surprising then how the movement has evolved through modern times. When once their sole purpose was focused on creating equal opportunity for women, they became hungry for dominance and authority by suppressing men and propagating negative views about them and thus, have become instigators of sexism as well. Transsexuals are also victims of sexism. They have been openly criticized as having gender identity disorders which are psychological in nature. They are often the recipients of verbal abuse and have been labeled as fags,

Hotel Rwanda Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Hotel Rwanda - Essay Example How a variety of relations turned out between the needy Rwandans and the Whites or the western people in control also possesses a significant level of accuracy as assessed with respect to history which traditionally depicted racial discrimination, whether or not subtle, with an occasional mode of compassion or empathy and recognition for the black people. The apparently accurate emotions portrayed by the actors behind the characters of the oppressed Tutsis channel an amount of distinction apart from any fictitious attempt since the audience can readily engage as measured by the equivalent horrified reactions that manifest anxious imaginings with distressful feeling of helplessness. The director, T. George, might have felt the necessity to not disclose or point out the motivations behind the hostilities of the Hutu extremists for perhaps being such a complex portion able to divert the main objective of building up a one-man hero into the core. By clearly not revealing the truth that t here were only two foreign journalists in Rwanda on stating â€Å"lots of foreign press are arriving for the peace signing,† the film warrants as such that it gives viewers an impression of witnesses and interested parties at supporting the cause of P.

Sexism - Social work Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Sexism - Social work - Essay Example Religious writings the date back two thousand years ago illustrate how women were thought to be of no essence. 1 Timothy 2:16 â€Å" I permit no woman to teach or have authority over men. She is to keep silent.† Thus, the term sexism has been far more associated with discrimination against females. When society began to depict the roles of men as heads of nations and kingdoms, pioneers of expeditions and discoveries, brave heroes of war, engineers of technology and infrastructure, great thinkers and philosophers, etc., it unconsciously instilled prejudicial thoughts -- that there exists an inferior gender, the female gender. In the years to come, the â€Å"battle of the sexes† would not be limited to the male and female genders but to the transsexuals as well. (Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia, 2007) The rise of the feminist movement which began in the late 19th century of the western society was a result of years of suppressed freedom, restlessness, frustration and oppression. As women were labeled by men as the â€Å"weaker sex,† they were denied access to education, suffrage, political representation, employment and equality under the law. The clamor for change and equality became a resounding battle cry of the feminist movement. They protested about double standards dictated upon by society in which, they argued, were exclusively favorable to men. It is not surprising then how the movement has evolved through modern times. When once their sole purpose was focused on creating equal opportunity for women, they became hungry for dominance and authority by suppressing men and propagating negative views about them and thus, have become instigators of sexism as well. Transsexuals are also victims of sexism. They have been openly criticized as having gender identity disorders which are psychological in nature. They are often the recipients of verbal abuse and have been labeled as fags,

Bargaining Essay Example for Free

Bargaining Essay It is often difficult to differentiate whether a particular subject is permissive, illegal or mandatory bargaining subject. The reason as to why this problem emanates is that the bargaining subjects in most cases collide with the rights of the management which often belong to the public employer as a matter of public policy or state law (Geel Imber, 2004). In another observation, it can be seen that the managerial rights and the bargaining rights are inextricably associated. There have been ways of defining different ways of collective bargaining in order to determine whether it is lawful to negotiate the inclusion of the subjects into the agreements of collective bargaining and whether it is lawful to lockout or strike to force proposal acceptance. These classifications of the bargaining subjects include mandatory, illegal and permissive subjects of bargaining. Mandatory bargaining subjects consist of any topic that is directly related to the hours, wages and other employment terms and conditions of the bargaining members (Riccucci, 2007). Some of the topics essential for the determination of employee working conditions and wage levels are also part of the mandatory bargaining subjects (Riccucci, 2007). Examples of negotiated mandatory subjects of bargaining include wage negotiatins such as shift differentials, incentives pay plans, commissions, paid holidays, overtime premiums, stock purchase plans and profit sharing. Work rules, grievances and disciplinary procedures, fringe benefits and work schedules are also negotiated mandatory subjects of bargaining (Riccucci, 2007). In mandatory subjects of bargaining, the two parties have to propose the same subject and it may be lawful to insist to a level of impasse that the mandatory subject of bargaining be part of the contract. It is also lawful to lockout or strike to obtain a mandatory bargaining subject. Illegal subjects of bargaining violate the specific Taft-Hartley provisions or other federal or state provisions (Riccucci, 2007). Illegal bargaining subjects include the hot cargo clauses which violate some sections of the US Constitution, the clauses that illegally discriminate on the basis of sex, race or some other unenviable classifications, the improper union shops or closed shops and the agreements conditioning full union membership representation (Geel, Imber, 2004). It is illegal to negotiate an illegal bargaining subjects and the consequent insisting on illegal subject negotiations. It is also considered illegal to have a lockout or strike to obtain illegal bargaining subject. The last type of collective bargaining subjects is the permissive subjects of bargaining where the subjects are neither illegal nor mandatory (Riccucci, 2007). Although there is a long list of possible subjects of bargaining under permissive category, there are a number of different categories that are commonly proposed or negotiated as permissive subjects. It happens that some bargaining subjects are grouped in the category of permissive since the represent negotiating efforts on behalf of the people not part of the unit of bargaining (Geel, Imber, 2004). Permissive bargaining subjects include pension benefits for individuals who have retired, bargaining unit expansion and the drug testing prior to employment. The classification of a subject as permissive subject means that either party may propose over permissive bargaining subject or in case any of the parties choose to have negotiations, any of the agreement that is reached is always enforceable (Geel, Imber, 2004). In general, collective bargaining subjects are important processes which start from a mere beginning when workers of any organization raise a majority vote in order to be represented (Riccucci, 2007). Although collective bargaining is important in answering the grievances of workers, some of the bargaining subjects are unlawful. Workers should therefore adhere to the classification of bargaining subject which respects the rule of law.

The Third Gender The Hijra Sociology Essay

The Third Gender The Hijra Sociology Essay In western culture, gender and sex have been described under two distinct realms-male and female. These identities to some are determined solely biologically, and many are oblivious to the fact that in many cultures, different genders are present. One of the most prominent third genders is based in South Asia, specifically India. Known as the hijra, they have grown to become a prominent and well-known member of Indian society, but have suffered from discrimination and have struggled for their basic fundamental rights. Based in India, the hijra are physiological males who identify themselves as females at an early age, wearing womens clothing and performing stereotypical female gender roles. Indian society refers to the hijra as a third gender. They are not female nor male, but a separate entity who carries their own culture, values and traditions. In relation to the western world, the closest form to the hijra would be known as a transgender. The hijras trace their origins back to the religious era of the deity Ram. As told in the Ramayana epic, just before his sojourn into the wilderness, Ram instructed all men and women who had come to see him off to return to their village. The hijras, being neither men nor women stayed at Rams point of departure until his return years later. Upon seeing their devotion, Ram blessed them and promised them the right to rule during the final age of mankind (Amisha_2010:835). As religion is a major aspect of Indian culture, much of the hijras history is based off the Indian polytheistic religious era. As religion is of great importance to the hijra, this event historically marked their first interaction with the Indian gods. Many hijra undergo a painful castration process known as nirvan to officially identify as a hijra. This process of the upmost importance as it ends with the new hijra embracing the femininity he has identified himself with his entire life. The process has been documented: His transformation is nearly complete as he prostrates his naked body before the murti of Bahuchara Mata, praying for her blessings. When he stands, his chela (guru) will complete the ceremony with two swift slices of the long blade, permanently severing his manhood. The remaining blood that gushes from the cut is considered the last of the male part. Hot sesame seed oil will be poured over the open wound, which will later be prodded repeatedly to ensure that the urethra remains open. No anesthesia or surgical tools are available, for it is believed that medically performed castration would diminish the spiritual experience of the ritual. (Patel_2010:835) Once the castration process is completed, the hijras both physically and spiritually feel as though they have transformed themselves. As the hijra undergo a physical transformation, they also follow a strict household structure. Members of the gharana, the communal hijra household, ardently support the hijra code. The hijras maintain the basic family hierarchy. The GWU report states, An elder naik oversees the basic running of the household, and chelas initiate hijras and turn over a portion of their earnings for household expenses. In addition, all hijras pay a fee to the jamat, or congregation of hijra house leaders recognized within the larger community. (Patel_2010:836) Many houses are situated relatively close together. As much of Indian society and culture rejects the hijra, the hijra feel it is necessary to isolate themselves from the mainstream culture. Not only does this give the hijra a sense of community, but it also preserves their security and safety. Despite these protective measures, hijras remain a marginalized group in a country that continues to ostracize them. India is two-sided in its social perception of the hijra lifestyle. As a community, Indian society treats hijras with a combination of fascination, revulsion, and fear (Patel_2010:836). As a means of survival, hijras predominantly participate in begging and prostitution. For a small fee, they also perform badhai-local families sometimes welcome them into their homes to bless auspicious births or weddings (Patel_2010:836). For the most part, however, sex work is the most profitable option for the hijra. As a result, Indias hijras struggle as an ostracized social class, subject to gender violence and various other human rights violations. There are very few domestic policies protecting hijras. Although there have been recent pushes for their rights, few have been successful. The hijra have struggled to enjoy the basic human rights many Indians enjoy. Most importantly, Indian law does not recognize them as a third gender. This denies them the right to vote, the right to own property, the right to marry and the right to claim formal identity through any official documents such as a passport or driving license. Accessing healthcare, employment or education becomes almost impossible. In the face of such odds they are forced to earn money any way they can (Harvey_2008:html1). Hijras are regularly robbed and sexually assaulted on the street at the hands of gangs and other local thugs. A hijra who served as chairperson of a human rights organization said, We have no constitutional rights. That is the problem. We dont have voting rights; often we cannot get housing. This is not allowing us to have an identity of our own (Harvey_2008:html1). Reports show however, that attitudes are gradually beginning to change. An initial difficulty in addressing the rights of sexual minorities is in recognizing the differences between the concepts of sex and gender. Sex, by definition, operates within the classic binary biological model, in which the human species is clearly divided into neat categories of either male or female (Patel_2010:836). Gender, however, is a more inclusive term, which includes social constructs of personal belief and sexuality that have deeper meaning than the traditional biological sex distinction (Patel_2010:836). In addition, the classic Western binary models of sex-male and female-and sexuality-homosexual and heterosexual-do not fit neatly into Indias traditional concepts of gender and identity. As a result, hijras are the unknown-the intersex gender between male and female in India. Although the hijra have been ostracized for many years, conditions are slowly starting to improve. As technology and media communication have vastly improved in India, more people are beginning to not only notice the presence of the Hijra, but also appreciate it. The Hijra have formed unions to organize protests for their human rights and will continue to fight for legislation until they are satisfied. India has taken many steps toward recognizing transgender rights. In recent years, hijras have become increasingly visible in the political arena. After gaining the right to vote in 1994, a few have held political office in various states in India, and often have the support of religiously affiliated majority parties as safe candidates. In 2000, Kamla Jaan, a hijra in the state of Madhya Pradesh, was elected mayor of Katni after running as an indepen- dent. Indian society perceives hijras as un-entrenched political candidates-secular, casteless, and asexual-simultaneously able to understand the plight of the downtrodden and able to gather the support of outsiders. Furthermore, mainstream society has recast these candidates as embodiments of respect and morality, above traditional corruption that permeates Indian politics. As a result of their improved prominence, India has taken some effective measures in acknowledging the legal status of hijras. For example, there are three distinct gender classification choices available on the Indian Passport-ma le, female, and others' (Patel_2010:836). In addition, the prominence of hijras in the media has fostered increased social acceptance of transgendered individuals. Thus far, the state of Tamil Nadu seems the most accepting. There, a transsexual hosts a local talk show called Ippadikku Rose. The state also hosts an annual transgender festival to facilitate accept- ance of hijras into mainstream society. In addition, hijras are making appearances in the fashion industry, and recent Bollywood films portray them in a positive light. In 1994, the South Indian film Tamanna portrayed the life of a hijra who saves a young girl from life on the streets and later adopts her. In 2008, a hijra was cast as the first transgender in the country with a lead role in a mainstream Tamil movie. Despite receiving some recognition and social acceptance, hijras remain an ostracized and differentiated social class. Hijras struggle to reconcile their physical visibility with the invisibility of their community as a whole. In the end, however, community invisibility makes hijras susceptible to gender violence and other human rights abuses. By creating and recognizing transgender rights, India has the capacity to battle its current HIV/AIDS epidemic in a meaningful way, give real effect to the human rights of sexual minorities, and serve as a model for other nations to recognize gender-based rights. In order to accomplish these goals, however, India must repeal current discriminatory laws and enact equal opportunity legislation on the basis of gender and sexuality. In order for there to be meaningful change, formal legislation must be passed, and with the help of the human rights activists and unions, the legislation could very well happen. Works Consulted Amisha, R. P. (2010). INDIAS HIJRAS: THE CASE FOR TRANSGENDER RIGHTS[dagger]. The George Washington International Law Review, 42(4), 835-863. Nick Harvey http://www.newstatesman.com/world-affairs/2008/05/hijras-indian-changing-rights (Hijras Indian Changing Rights) The Hijras of India http://lisa.cs.duke.edu/~john/finalproject/ Khan, S. I., Hussain, M. I., Parveen, S., Bhuiyan, M. I., Gourab, G., Sarker, G. F., . . . Sikder, J. (2009). Living on the extreme margin: Social exclusion of the transgender population (hijra) in bangladesh. Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition, 27(4), 441-51. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.proxy.library.vanderbilt.edu/docview/202996682?accountid=14816

Review of Research Paper on RNA in Mammalian Cells -- Biology

Review of Research Paper: Duplexes of 21-nucleotide RNAs mediate RNA interference in cultured mammalian cells Overview The significance of this experiment is that it shows how siRNA suppresses the expression of genes in different mammalian cells. It was known previous to the experiment that dsRNA can trigger apoptosis in cells- this is an automatic defense mechanism that mammalian cells use to protect against the dsRNA possessed by viruses. The dsRNA can cause RNA interference when it is taken into the cell by a transgene or a virus. The dsRNA is then cleaved by ribonuclease III enzyme into 21-22 nucleotide siRNA's. The siRNA's joins a nuclease complex to form an RNA-induced silencing complex. This complex then cleaves and degrades mRNA. The question was, could transfecting the cell directly with siRNA produce RNA interference? This experiment was performed to test whether siRNA's are capable of RNAi in mammalian cell cultures. (The idea to test gene silencing on mammalian cells sparked from a petunia-darkening experiment.) To do this they synthesized siRNA duplexes against genes that coded for sea pansies and two variants of firefly luciferases. Luciferase is used because it emits light so it's easy to see if the genes are turned on or off, and by what degree. The luciferase activities were recorded 20 hours after transfection and it was seen that the specific inhibition of luciferase was complete, which is similar to the results obtained for dsRNA. In mammalian cells where the reporter genes were more strongly expressed, the ability of the siRNA to completely suppress the gene was reduced. Background Information So, what's with all these petunia flowers anyways? Gene Suppression Within Plants Plant scientists ... ...nderstanding of the significance of genes. Primarily, by silencing a given gene of the genome using a transfected siRNA, geneticists can quantifiably study the properties of the gene and the allele it encodes. This knowledge can then be applied to the pharmaceutical industry to identify "druggable" gene targets. Plants RNAi can be used for multiple purposes in plants. Among the most notable, it can be used to control insect viral vectors and improve the tolerance to pests and stress so that crops do not need to be destroyed regularly by insecticides. It can also cure plants by potentially eliminating toxins and allergens. Finally, RNAi employment can create perfection by extending flowering and fruit setting periods. References Duplexes of 21-nucleotide RNAs mediate RNA interference in cultured mammalian cells published in Nature (Vol. 411, 24 May 2001).

Aztec Warrior Essay -- History, Aztec Military Training

According to the legend, the Aztecs, who referred to themselves as the Mexica, spent years wandering through central Mexico in search of a homeland. In AD 1325, the Aztecs founded their new capital Tenochtitlan (Moctezuma, 9). Years later, the Aztecs started to build their renowned empire. The Aztec Empire was made up of the Triple Alliance: Tenochtitlan, Texcoco, and Tlacopan (Moctezuma, 55). Agriculture was the basis of the Aztec’s economy, but conquest and warfare lead to economic expansion and the accumulation of tributes from conquered towns (Moctezuma, 21). War was vital, for it maintained and expanded the economic and religious basis (Moctezuma, 55). The Aztec warriors were the driving force of much of the Aztec empires success because of their training, weaponry, wardress, sacrificing, and combat. Aztec military training starts when a male child is twenty days old. There are two separate military training schools, Telpochcalli and Calmecac, whichever school the child entered was weighted heavily by heritage. Commoners usually went to Telpochcalli, to become soldiers, or Calmecac, to become a priest. Nobles, (privileged status from heritage), could become a priest, political, or military leader at Calmecac, which involved rigorous training of intellect and the training taught at telpochcalli. From here the youths would train until ready to be sponsored by veteran warriors that would take the youths to battle and watch over them. The youths would experience the war early to learn to courageously face death on the battlefield. Warfare provided commoners an opportunity for social advancement. Achievement on the battlefield would offer elevation of social status, honor and material awards. A distinguished military care... ...presenting Aztec gods). The eagle represented the images of the sun while descending and the jaguar represented the death of the sun (when the sun was not present in the sky). â€Å"This solar association refers to the Aztec warrior’s primary function, acquiring victims to nourish the sun† (Pasztory, 82). The ixcahuac, obsidian stone knives can be found in the Museo Nacional de Antropoligia, Mexico. Atzec Atlatls can be found at the Museo Nacional de Antropologia, Mexico two feet in length and one and a half inches thick with a hook at the upper end (Hassig, 76). The darts used with the atlatl, where made of wood and the butts were feathered, they would be fire hardened, and had obsidian, fishbone, copper, or flint points. Stone engravings of a warrior with an atlatl, dart, and shield originally from Tenochtitlan, Museo Nacional de Antropologia, Mexico, (Hassig, 78). Aztec Warrior Essay -- History, Aztec Military Training According to the legend, the Aztecs, who referred to themselves as the Mexica, spent years wandering through central Mexico in search of a homeland. In AD 1325, the Aztecs founded their new capital Tenochtitlan (Moctezuma, 9). Years later, the Aztecs started to build their renowned empire. The Aztec Empire was made up of the Triple Alliance: Tenochtitlan, Texcoco, and Tlacopan (Moctezuma, 55). Agriculture was the basis of the Aztec’s economy, but conquest and warfare lead to economic expansion and the accumulation of tributes from conquered towns (Moctezuma, 21). War was vital, for it maintained and expanded the economic and religious basis (Moctezuma, 55). The Aztec warriors were the driving force of much of the Aztec empires success because of their training, weaponry, wardress, sacrificing, and combat. Aztec military training starts when a male child is twenty days old. There are two separate military training schools, Telpochcalli and Calmecac, whichever school the child entered was weighted heavily by heritage. Commoners usually went to Telpochcalli, to become soldiers, or Calmecac, to become a priest. Nobles, (privileged status from heritage), could become a priest, political, or military leader at Calmecac, which involved rigorous training of intellect and the training taught at telpochcalli. From here the youths would train until ready to be sponsored by veteran warriors that would take the youths to battle and watch over them. The youths would experience the war early to learn to courageously face death on the battlefield. Warfare provided commoners an opportunity for social advancement. Achievement on the battlefield would offer elevation of social status, honor and material awards. A distinguished military care... ...presenting Aztec gods). The eagle represented the images of the sun while descending and the jaguar represented the death of the sun (when the sun was not present in the sky). â€Å"This solar association refers to the Aztec warrior’s primary function, acquiring victims to nourish the sun† (Pasztory, 82). The ixcahuac, obsidian stone knives can be found in the Museo Nacional de Antropoligia, Mexico. Atzec Atlatls can be found at the Museo Nacional de Antropologia, Mexico two feet in length and one and a half inches thick with a hook at the upper end (Hassig, 76). The darts used with the atlatl, where made of wood and the butts were feathered, they would be fire hardened, and had obsidian, fishbone, copper, or flint points. Stone engravings of a warrior with an atlatl, dart, and shield originally from Tenochtitlan, Museo Nacional de Antropologia, Mexico, (Hassig, 78).

External Environment Analysis Essay

The Coca-Cola Company owes the success of its internal operations to its principles of corporate responsibility. The firm has incorporated an apt ethics program; this will guide their employees, and ensure them growth, achievement, and satisfaction for their jobs. In order to make this possible, The ideology of corporate responsibility is moderated and promulgated by the Public Policy and Corporate Reputation Council. The Council is comprised by a group of senior managers from each beverage and bottling company in the industry. It ascertains the risks and opportunities that each company in the industry encounters. The PPCR Council advises beverage companies in their employee management and operations. Feasible business strategies are generated in order to achieve growth and progress for beverage companies like the Coca-Cola Company (The Coca-Cola Company,2008). The firm believes there is no Coke without the presence of its prolific employees, which is the major force behind more than satisfactory results for the growth and progress of the company. Its operations are bolstered by innovative thinking, unique perspectives, and operational excellence of the workforce, which sustains profit margins of the firm as well as its image. With this in mind, the company recognizes the crucial role of its workforce plays in its worldwide operations. The Coca-Cola Company puts a premium on job satisfaction. The firm ensures that the Coca-Cola workplace is an environment where people can generate excellent input and augment their performance while enjoying what they do (The Coca-Cola Company,2008). Porter’s Five Forces Analysis Supplier Power Coca-Cola’s suppliers have been clamoring for increased prices for raw materials used in manufacturing their products. Usually, these suppliers are responsible for the prices of raw materials to increase. Suppliers have gained the notoriety of manipulating the cost of raw materials, which generates a deliberate effect on the firm’s part. Suppliers are more manipulative whenever the number of suppliers is low. This gives the handful of suppliers to raise the price of raw materials, which in turn leaves firms line Coca-Cola’s no further options to purchase commodities of lower cost. An international brand like Coca-Cola’s is usually responsible for improving the working conditions within their factories (Foust, 2006). The firm provides the much-needed technical assistance, which help augment the performance of both factory workers and shop floor employees. Buyer Power Buyer power is also considered the spending capacity of the consumer. In the athletic shoe industry, the buyer power is strong. This aspect simply states that the buyer or the consumer has always has a â€Å"say† on the price of particular good. Furthermore, buyer power is considered crucial due to the fact that it has a deliberate impact on the industry. However, softdrink companies like Coca-Cola’s has a discreet mutual arrangement regarding the aspect of buyer power. These intangible mutual contracts between the firm and its consumers have been apparent for quite some time now (Foust, 2006). Firms have been empowering consumers to augment their buyer power. Buyer power has a relationship with supplier power as well. A firm like Coca-Cola’s opines for the cost of raw materials it acquires from its suppliers. Buyer power is quite a delicate matter to elaborate on. The asymmetry between the buyer and the industry generates a bevy of discrepancies, which contributes to an inconsistent market condition and prevents forward integration. Barriers and Threats of Entry Perennial rival companies like PepsiCo and RC Cola are not the only ones who pose a threat for the company. Neophyte softdrink companies both domestic and international are always attempting penetrate the industry will also have a deliberate effect in the industry. The outcome will be a fluctuation in percentage of the market share of softdrink companies. Coca-Cola’s does its part through studying potential market segments to entice. Firms that tend to enter and exit a market are subjected to nominal profits (Foust, 2006). Competitive Rivalry Coca-Cola’s always strives to survive in a competitive industry through the aid of its competitive advantage. For the plethora of softdrink companies, competition always matters in order to bolster profitability. Coca-Cola’s augments their advertising and marketing strategy by its charismatic approach to its advertising. The global softdrink industry is highly competitive (Foust, 2006). The company has to compete with national and domestic retailers such as discount store chains, department stores, independent retail stores, and internet retailers that cater to a particular market segment of similar merchandise. The company has encountered stiff competition in Asian markets, which range from regional to national chains. Threat of Alternative Products & Substitutes The apparent threat of alternative or substitute products is a common adversity for Coca-Cola’s. A number of softdrink companies have always attempted to overwhelm Coca-Cola’s ‘s market share through attempts in cheaper price movements in order for consumers to consider other brands aside from Coca-Cola’s. The subject of price elasticity surfaces whenever the price change of an alternative product affects as the demand for such product. The industry where Coca-Cola’s thrives is saturated by a bevy of substitute products, which to tend to constrained the ability of these companies to make an increase in prices. The softdrink industry is always sporadic and innovative in terms of manufacturing products, which can draw consumers to purchase their products. The outcome is a letdown in sales for the Coca-Cola Company (Foust, 2006). Reference The Coca-Cola Company. (2008). Governance & Ethics. Retrieved June 29, 2008, from http://www. thecoca-colacompany. com/citizenship/governance_ethics. html The Coca-Cola Company. (2008). Engagement. Retrieved June 29, 2008, from http://www. thecoca- colacompany. com/citizenship/engagement. html Foust, D. (2006). Queen of Pop. Business Week. New York: Aug 7, 2006. , Iss. 3996; pg. 44 Foust, D. & Byrnes, N. Gone Flat. (2004). Business Week. New York: December 20, 2004, Issue 3913: page 76