The First Persian Gulf War Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The First Persian Gulf War - Essay Example The main battles were aerial and ground combat within Iraq, Kuwait, and bordering areas of Saudi Arabia. The war did not expand outside the immediate Iraq/Kuwait/Saudi border region, although Iraq fired missiles on Israeli cities.The Iraqi seizure of Kuwait was of immediate interest to the western capitalist societies because Iraq and Kuwait together would control approximately 20 percent of the world's known oil reserves (Kellner 9). With the potential wealth generated from future oil sales and control over oil prices, Saddam Hussein could play a major role on the world's political and economic stage. Consequently, Iraq's invasion of Kuwait produced a crisis for the world capitalist system, for U.S. and European economic interests, and for the stability of the Middle East. Iraq was not able to get control of Kuwaiti investments because much of their money had been transferred out of the country. Yet, rather than encouraging a diplomatic solution to the crisis that would return Kuwai t's sovereignty and secure the region, George Bush responded with a military intervention, which inexorably led to the Gulf war itself. Interest in the crisis increased when the U.S. claimed that Iraq might also invade Saudi Arabia, which was said to control 20 percent of the world's known oil reserves and an investment portfolio even larger than Kuwait's. George Bush, who had initially attacked the invasion as "naked aggression," heated up his rhetoric and declared on August 5 that the invasion "would not stand." Two days later, he sent thousands of troops to Saudi Arabia. The Bush administration had thus set the stage for the Gulf war by failing to warn Iraq of the consequences of invading Kuwait and then by quickly sending troops to Saudi Arabia while undercutting diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis (Frank 20). There was no single reason why the United States relentlessly pursued the military option in the crisis of the Gulf. Dissection of the underlying forces that led the Bush administration to pursue the war option reveals a complex web of political, economic, and military considerations. The Gulf war was not solely a war for oil, for the greater glory of George Bush and the Pentagon, or for the promotion of U.S. geopolitical supremacy in order to bolster a faltering U.S. economy, although all of these factors played a role in producing the war. Instead, the Gulf war was "overdetermined" and requires a multicausal analysis (Kellner 11-12). In 1990, Bush's presidency was facing severe domestic economic and political problems, including: a sky-rocketing deficit caused by Reagan's and Bush's astronomical defense-spending; a severe S&L, banking, and insurance crisis caused by Republican deregulation policies; and proliferating public squalor marked by growing homelessness, unemployment, economic deprivation, deteriorating cities with epidemics of crime and drugs, health problems such as AIDS, cancer, and the absence of a national health insurance program. These and many other problems were in part caused, or aggravated, by the policies of George Bush and his predecessor Ronald Reagan. Consequently, it was in George Bush's interest to divert attention from current crises and the potentially deteriorating economy with a scapegoat for the economic imbroglio produced by Republican economics. That is, Bush could claim that the economic problems were caused by Saddam Hussein's invasion of Kuwait and the ensuing crisis that drov e up

Life Developed Only on Earth Essay Example for Free

Life Developed Only on Earth Essay Life developed only on this one small planet in this one small galaxy. There are several reasons to explain this and some of these are the following: First of all, water is sufficient on Earth making it fit for life to exist (BBC, n. d. ). Second, oxygen is available on Earth for a life to carry on living (BBC, n. d. ). Third, neither earth is too close nor too far from the Sun, thus neither it is not too warm nor is it too cold to live in (BBC, n. d. ). Fourth, the chemicals necessitated to create a living cell are more than enough (BBC, n. d. ). Fifth, a considerable amount of plant and animal species have already developed and adjusted to the environment (BBC, n. d. ). Sixth, the surface of the Earth is perfectly designed since it amazingly protects it from the rays of the Sun (BBC, n. d. ). This is the same reason why the Earth gets the right temperature while other planets are either extremely hot or excessively cold (BBC, n. d. ). Consequently, this also made it possible for water to be available in its liquid state (BBC, n. d. ). Seventh, even if it has been said that life exists in Mars, there are no evidences that support such yet (Fisher, 2005). Furthermore, telescopes are not that good enough to provide details as to whether life really exists there or not (Fisher, 2005). Moreover, to declare such a statement would entail a closer scrutiny of the aforementioned (Fisher, 2005). Eighth, unfortunately, nobody from Earth can leave for Mars (Fisher, 2005). In fact, even NASA say â€Å"no such mission will be attempted for several years† (Fisher, 2005). Last but not least, the Earth is the only planet which has a magnetic field that â€Å"turns away dangerous particles of space radiation† (Fisher, 2005). This means that other planets have a much lesser air and have a much colder temperature, thus living will be quite impossible (Fisher, 2005). References BBC. (n. d. ). Why is There Life on Earth? Retrieved August 22, 2007 from http://www. open2. net/science/finalfrontier/life/why. htm Fisher, D. (2005). Is there Life on Mars. Retrieved August 22, 2007 from http://spaceplace. nasa. gov/en/kids/phonedrmarc/2002_june. shtml

Leeches :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Leeches   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The leech is a segmented worm that in all actuallity has a very vivid life. From being used by doctors to just being blood-sucking parasites, the leech is a true wonder of the mind.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The leech has a series of ring-like segments that make up its body structure. They maybe from 2 to 20 centimeters long and have the ability to shorten or lengthen their bodies. They mostly come in colors of black, red or brown, sometimes with stripes or spots. They are extremely sensitive to touch, temperatue, and drying out. Also, they have clusters of cells on the front end thatare light-sensative, almost like eyes. Leeches usually live in dark, damp areas such as the bottoms of lakes, jungels, or shallow streams. Finally, the leech is a Hermaphrodit, containing bot male and female sexual reproductive organs.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  With a sucker at both ends of it's body, the leech usually lives as a parasite, feeding upon the blood and tissue of other animals, or on decaying plant and animal materials. It has a mouth centered on the front sucker with teeth in some cases. Leeches, that are parasites, attach to their victim with the front sucker, create a wound, then suck out blood with, usually, both suckers. Blood-sucking leeches give out a liquid substance called Hirudin. This chemical prevents the blood from thickening and enables the blood to be easily sucked by the leech.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Doctors once used leeches, or what they called medicinal leeches, to remove blood from patients in an orderly manner. The first clinical use of leeches in this fashion occured approximatly 2,500 years ago. Since the leeches bite produces a small cleeding wound ,that mimics a venous circulation in an area of compromised tissue, the leech is particlarly valuable for reconstruction surgery. Special properties of the bite, such as the chemical hirudin, allow continued bleeding for up to 48 hours after the leech

Professional Products Essay

Case Study 1 1. How does Accenture People site help Accenture better serve its customers? a. It helps in the sense that it makes the other people who are working in other countries to help with getting information easier. They are able to share information easily of different projects and are able to communicate directly rather than waiting. This will help consumers with their output and they will receive things on time or even early. 2. How successful do you think Accenture will be at getting its employees to create their profiles? b. I think Accenture will be very successful in getting their employees to create their profiles. This social network will be an easy use for all employees and will play a major role in communication between all the employees in all the different countries. 3. Can you see any drawbacks related to employees creating their own profiles? c. One drawback that I see with employees creating profiles is lack of time. They will spend a lot of time just like people spend on Facebook and that can take time away from doing important things. This can delay production and projects. Case Study 2 1. How would you describe Professional Products’ growth strategy? a. I think that there strategy is very good. They hire enough people to get the job done and don’t have to deal with the hardship of laying people off. They work enough so they don’t overwork their employees. 2. Why would Professional Products’ commit to no layoffs in its expansion? Is this a positive move, or could it be detrimental to the company? b. Because if the company is expanding in other countries then there needs to be workers that can look after the work of those workers and make sure the work is being done right. It will not be detrimental to the company because if they layoff employees and they are loaded with more work then they will let go of experienced employees which can be harmful to them 3. In addition to training employees for other jobs, what other HR strategies might the firm employ to maintain its relationship with its domestic employees? c. They might try and send trained employees from the U.S.A. to the other countries; outsource them and work with them to make domestic employees more comfortable at what they do and need to be doing. They can also try holding annual meetings at a center location and doing focus groups in order for all the employees around the world communicate with one another and learn everything together.

Being and becoming

In order to be human, not only the idea of reflection upon life is necessary but in emphasizes of the use of the Socratic method in that reflection and in the course of finding the truth, questions are paired with such reflection. At this level, questioning and reflection are the apex of what it means to be human.Socrates however had some varying views on philosophy that opposed some of what Plato believed. Socrates was a skeptic, as was Plato, and as can be exemplified in the cave metaphor, but Socrates also believed that a person can be convicted of their own beliefs even if they cannot find their pathway of truth.Plato, in contrast, believed that philosophers were the delegates who maintained what was and was not truth, and led the way to such truth for the common man. It is not then self-interest that leads a person to happiness, and there is a definite equilibrium between the allowance of each part of the soul guided by reason, and asceticism. Plato was a not a Sophist. Without the guidance of moral reason then a state of chaos would ensue entailing an everyman for himself type of attitude.It is a bitter debate on whether or not Socrates was a Sophist, he himself vehemently denied it but some of his philosophies correlated with Sophist thinking (i. e. the issues of ethics, and living a good life, each Sophist preoccupations). Morality must then be shown as adhering to individual interests. Plato did not agree with the type of hedonism exhibited by the Sophists, who thought human nature was an extension of the animal world. Instead, Plato states that the nature of man is reason; and in this reason exists an organized society constructed by reason.Happiness for the rational man then comes into fruition by governing their more base, animal, desires, which are irrational. This morality is extended into the realm of society because of human interaction. Therefore, if a man is to be the pinnacle of reason, and morality, and happiness, then the society that he li ves and associates must then also exhibit such a moral temperance. If then a society is blinded by hedonism, or pure desire of self, a man in that society has no hope for personal happiness because of lack of morality, reason, and thus fully succumbing to akrasia.In order to be human, not only the idea of reflection upon life is necessary but in emphasizes of the use of the Socratic method in that reflection and in the course of finding the truth, questions are paired with such reflection. At this level, questioning and reflection are the apex of what it means to be human. Socrates however had some varying views on philosophy that opposed some of what Plato believed. Socrates was a skeptic, as was Plato, and as can be exemplified in the cave metaphor, but Socrates also believed that a person can be convicted of their own beliefs even if they cannot find their pathway of truth.Plato, in contrast, believed that philosophers were the delegates who maintained what was and was not truth, and led the way to such truth for the common man. It is not then self-interest that leads a person to happiness, and there is a definite equilibrium between the allowance of each part of the soul guided by reason, and asceticism. Plato was a not a Sophist. Without the guidance of moral reason then a state of chaos would ensue entailing an everyman for himself type of attitude.It is a bitter debate on whether or not Socrates was a Sophist, he himself vehemently denied it but some of his philosophies correlated with Sophist thinking (i. e. the issues of ethics, and living a good life, each Sophist preoccupations). Work Cited MacDonald, Ross. Socrates versus Plato. Aspects of Education. P9-22. 1996. Plato. Phaedo. Plato. Crito. Translated by Benjamin Jowett. < http://classics. mit. edu/Plato/crito. html>

Is Richard III a hero or a villain Essays

Is Richard III a hero or a villain Essays Is Richard III a hero or a villain Paper Is Richard III a hero or a villain Paper The play would probably not be a black comedy in this case. But as it is, Richmond is almost portrayed as a villain due to the fact that the audience has not had a chance to build a relationship with him, so does not know him, he brings the downfall of the male lead, the audiences friend. In many stories plays, the world may be peaceful, with no faults whatsoever; until the villain starts causing chaos. In these stories the people are happy, but there is one jealous bitter villain who is determined to spoil their fun. Richard perfectly fits the bill of this villain. Not only is he bitter jealous, but instead of isolating himself from society, he chooses to spoil everyone elses lives I that am rudely stamped want loves majesty since I cannot prove a lover I am determined to prove a villain and hate the idle pleasures of these days (lines 16-31, act 1 scene 1). This language shows his jealousy want loves majesty, his deep resentment rudely stamped, how instead of living letting live, he is determined to spoil the lives of others enjoy himself in the process since I cannot prove a lover I am determined to prove a villain, showing how he is vindictive, certainly a villainous quality. I think it is important that he uses the word determined, showing it is his true intent, more importantly, all this language shows his actions were not spur of the moment, but pre-meditated, well thought through. I know it is off the subject but Ian Mckellen gave this impression on screen- intelligent, not insane, thinking very clearly, showing his true intent. This is the way I perceive Richard, these qualities are villainous. In his pleading ( twisting) conversation with Anne, Richard shows he is manipulative audacious. He says to her Your beauty was the cause of that effect; your beauty: which did haunt me in my sleep he has the audacity to turn his heinous crimes around on her, when a real hero would show remorse, be pleading for forgiveness, having told the truth. This language is manipulative because not only does he blame the crimes on her your beauty but this is also a huge compliment, and thus an advance on Anne, achieving one of his aims. He even calls her bluff, when a real hero would be true Lo, here I lend thee with this sharp pointed sword. He is saying Here, kill me, if you dont love me. Richard knows she is not heartless enough to commit the crime, and knows that she loves him, and gains evidence of this through his calling her bluff. I dont think this calling her bluff is particularly villainous. It certainly shows him to be intelligent, as it shows he can read her emotions, but I think it does show a certain amount of risk, and therefore courage, on his part. There is every chance in the adrenaline of the scene that she could cut him, and his plan would have failed. However, he does have the courage to take risks, which could be perceived as a heroic or villainous quality. However, the main attribute he shows in this conversation is his manipulation, which most certainly is villainous. Richard is a war hero. He fought for his house in the war of the roses, and would not surrender his kingdom lightly to Richmond, even though he was eventually killed by him. This courage is a heroic quality, but perhaps an essential quality in a worthy villain. The courage in this case could prove to be of a worthy villain, rather than a valiant hero. An important factor, I feel, is the view of Niccolo Machiavelli, whose book of 1513, The Prince met much controversy. It stated that an ideal ruler should be ruthless controlling rather than religious and moral. Richard certainly does fit the bill of Machiavellis ideal ruler. So does that make him a hero? Perhaps it does, but perhaps Machiavelli acknowledged that a good king shouldnt be a hero, but a tyrant instead. It seems likely that Shakespeare will have based his play on Machiavellis work, thus making Richard suitable for the role of an ideal ruler in Machiavellis terms. Since this is most probably the case, this would count against Richard being a hero, since Im sure Machiavelli would not state that the ideal ruler is a hero. Over the course of the play, perhaps the main reason why Richard is a villain, he is directly responsible for the deaths of many people. He even betrayed his brother Clarence into having his confidence, then having him imprisoned then killed. All this time, he didnt even have the courage to admit what he was doing. He made him defenceless, by locking him in the Tower of London, and then had him killed; all the while leading him to believe Richard was his closest friend. He was also responsible for arranging the murders of: King Henry VI, Prince Edward, Rivers, Grey, Vaughn, Hastings, Lady Anne; although there was no evidence of this Richard implies it Rumor it abroad That Anne, my wife, is very grievous sick Anne, at this time of the play is his wife. This language Im sure is delivered in a very brazen fashion, with sarcastic emphasis on the word very. It shows how he is too lazy to even say goodbye to his wife before he has her killed, she is no more use to him, just an obstacle in his way, therefore one that must be removed. This shows his determined ruthless side once more. He is prepared to have his wife murdered at the drop of an eyelid, in one quick request, no sweat, no regrets. Im sure he does not pause to think as he delivers this request, showing it does not take him long to decide other peoples fates, he is ruthless, decisive, with no remorse. It is merely another human being he has killed. Perhaps most importantly, he has Buckingham murdered. Up until Richard tells Buckingham he plans to murder Edward (a child) Buckingham had been his advisor, partner in crime, but as soon as he found out about this plot, Richard suspected him, outcast him, eventually had him killed. After Buckingham questioned Richards plot, Richard responds with a cold High reaching Buckingham grows circumspect which is saying You want the power yet this is a problem for you? Richard questions Buckinghams manhood from this point on suspects him up until he kills him. This is perhaps a main factor in whether Richard is a hero or a villain. Because he is so ungrateful, ruthless backstabbing to kill the person who did a lot of work in getting him where he is, it could classify him as a real villain. However, Buckingham could have been perceived by the audience as a sly, greedy character who had no relationship with the audience, so deserved his death for being ambitious, yet not completely unflinching. The audience may take Buckinghams murder as a sign of Richards ruthlessness, or slight cheekiness, so does not classify him as an outright hero or villain in itself. Overall, my personal verdict is that Richard III is a villain. His evil actions two-faced character contribute to his being a villain. His brazen evil his relentless back stabbing cannot possibly classify him as a hero. Granted, he can be an endearing character to the audience, but Elizabethan audiences would have regarded his deformity as a curse, would have ridiculed him for this. I believe Shakespeare wrote the character of Richard as a villain, someone who the audience hate to love, it does portray the Tudors as the rightful heirs to the throne.

Mandatory College essays

Mandatory College essays Today, many institutions face several problems such as low graduation rates, below average or failing academic marks, and students who simply do not want to focus on school anymore. A solution to the unemployment crisis and as a means of raising the standard of education in the Unites States, a bill being sponsored by several senators would entail two years of college for all students in search of employment after college. As a result, more effort would be applied in school resulting in better marks for the student and for the institution. Students would have the opportunity to focus more seriously on school rather than being concerned about seeking employment because one would almost be guaranteed an occupation after college. This bill would have all future high school graduates head off directly to college decreasing the drop-out rate and developing a sense of responsibility and maturity. Also, better jobs with higher pay would be easier to take hold of by better-qualified, educate d persons. Therefore, a bill proposing three years of mandatory college would not only help solve the unemployment problem in the United States, it would raise the standard of education and help qualified persons find employment after a strong educational background has been established. If students would be aware of the consequences of dropping out of high school or college before the third year of college, they simply would not do it. The bill would clearly state that no students would be allowed to drop out of high school or college before the third year of college, and no one would be permitted to hold a job unless he or she has completed two years of compulsory college. In this case, more effort would be applied toward finishing well in school with good enough marks to attend college. This would not only help the students but the institution, as well, because high marks from students equal a higher success rate for the school. It is like many other...

Cute and Funny Baby Quotes for Every Occasion

Cute and Funny Baby Quotes for Every Occasion Like it or not, babies have a hold on your life like nothing else. They can send you into a tizzy with their incessant bawling, or they can tug at your heartstrings with their soft cooing. A baby can make you forget your worries, or add to them they so desire. However, you cant help falling in love with your baby, notwithstanding the smelly diapers. Here are some baby quotes to bring all those beautiful feelings flooding back. Funny Baby Quotes Henry RobinEvery baby needs a lap.Barbara Lazear AscherThe hot, moist smell of babies fresh from naps.Ruth Bell GrahamAs a mother, my job is to take care of what is possible and trust God with the impossible.Susan SarandonChildren reinvent your world for you.Charles DickensIt is a pleasant thing to reflect upon, and furnishes a complete answer to those who contend for the gradual degeneration of the human species, that every baby born into the world is a finer one than the last.Queen VictoriaAn ugly baby is a very nasty object, and the prettiest is frightful when undressed.Hal BoyleDoes Grandpa love to baby-sit his grandchildren? Are you kidding? By day, he is too busy taking hormone shots at the doctors or chip shots on the golf course. At night, he and Grandma are too busy doing the cha-cha.Mark TwainAdam and Eve had many advantages, but the principal one was that they escaped teething.Ed HoweFamilies with babies and families without babies are sorry for each other.John WilmotBefor e I got married I had six theories about bringing up children; now I have six children and no theories. Martin H. FischerGods interest in the human race is nowhere better evinced than in obstetrics.Barbara Kingsolver, Animal DreamsIt kills you to see them grow up. But I guess it would kill you quicker if they didnt.P. J. ORourkeGetting down on all fours and imitating a rhinoceros stops babies from crying. (Put an empty cigarette pack on your nose for a horn and make loud snort noises.) I dont know why parents dont do this more often. Usually it makes the kid laugh. Sometimes it sends him into shock. Either way it quiets him down. If youre a parent, acting like a rhino has another advantage. Keep it up until the kid is a teenager and he definitely wont have his friends hanging around your house all the time.H. Jackson Brown, Jr.Always kiss your children goodnight- even if theyre already asleep.Loretta LynnI didnt know how babies were made until I was pregnant with my fourth child.

Free Market Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Free Market - Essay Example It has been highly controversial whether free market is suitable for the present world economy. It is still unknown which economic policy would solve the fundamental economic problems of the present economy. It is time to analyze whether the concept of mixed economy would find success in this present world. It is again controversial up to what extent the governmental regulation must be allowed in a mixed economy. Moreover, it is also important to review the amount of access of free market and its validity and significance in the present world economy. It will be useful if we analyze the concepts of Adam Smith and Milton Friedman and the opposition of Keynes and Karl Marx in the context of the present world economy. Adam Smith advocated the concepts of free market and explained in his work An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations the mechanism that he believed being operated in the economic society. According to Adam Smith, individuals strive to attain wealth by aiming only on their personal gain. These individuals however cannot consume everything that they produce and has to share it with others who value it and pay the price for it. So the public interests of the society can be satisfied by this system of division of labor and free market. Smith, the father of economics, have authored the invisible hand which is able to explain all sorts of economic phenomena in all fields. The book has included the valuable views of Adam Smith about free market. Adam Smith explained the concept and told that businessmen or entrepreneurs always aim for the best profit and consumers always do aim for the lowest price. Consumer choice thus would become the force that influences the price in the market. Consumers would demonstrate their demand or negligence towards products that appear in the market. These consumer demand or pressure would thus encourage entrepreneurs or producers to invest more on the same product and bring more of them into the markets. T hus it is nothing but the consumer demand that pressurize the producers to invest their money into the profitable industry. Thus industry brings the most demanded goods to the markets and consumers also receive their favorable products, thereby resulting in the general economic well being of the society. Adam Smith considered this market-based system as a great advantage as people are forced to respond (producers) according to the want and demands of other people. Free market is the concept in which price is regulated by the corresponding demand or supply. Trade and business would be completely voluntary in free market concept without any interference from force, rule or fraud. In a free market system, the theory of supply and demand would rule the economy bringing the prices of the products towards a typical equilibrium state that would balance the demand and the supply. Another major advocate of free market system is Milton Friedman. He opined that that there is a close and direct relationship between economic freedom and economic growth. Milton Friedman, the American economist (famous for his macro and microeconomics) was of the opinion that free markets would challenge and destroy away political centralization and political control completely. In his book, Capitalism and Freedom he mentioned that the role of a government in free market economy is to maintain political and social freedom. Freidman highly supported free market concept and explained several of its advantages. According to him, â€Å"The most important single central fact about a free market is that no exchange takes place unless both parties benefit.† He opined that the one and only way to get a lot of people cooperate together jointly is through free market. As a

Comparative Religions, Christianity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Comparative Religions, Christianity - Essay Example When I do my ablutions and bow down, at the point my forehead touches the ground I have a sense of the greatness and might of Allah, and a sense of how irrelevant I really am. This propels me to adhere to the requirements the Prophets laid out for us in the Koran and the Sunna. There is a time I had a deeper religious experience. This was when all the men in my family circle did a pilgrimage together. Having prepared us through fasting when we chanted and prayed together I really felt that a real person gripped me. The other religious experience I had was when I was faced with some difficulty in completing my studies. Some friends and family of mine got together and helped me out. All of them coming together at this point, I felt there was a common bond that Allah has set for us which can never be broken, and nothing should be allowed to ever break it. My Encounter: I have been around Christian people for some time now. This special encounter started when I was seated at a diner alone and the person who was seated opposite me bowed his head and said something. I realized he was praying. When he finished I told him that he must be a really religious man. He said that he tried to do what is right but that he really wants to be thankful for what he has, because there was a time he did not have much. So every time he eats food he thanks his God, because he remembers a time where he did not have much food. That seemed a really sincere answer, so I asked him as to whom he prays to. He replied that he prayed to God in Jesus name. I was confused because I thought that the Christian God was Jesus. So I inquired along those lines and he said that Jesus was the Son of God. This is a very blasphemous thought. How could God have a Son? So I gestured in a flustered way and said you cannot do this. You are making God to look like humans with a f amily. I did not tell him

Strategic Analysis Report on a company Research Paper

Strategic Analysis Report on a company - Research Paper Example The criteria on which these initiatives are based can be differentiated under the influence of the internal and the external organizational environment. Current paper focuses on the strategic positioning and decisions of a specific company: Macquarie Group, a leading Australian bank. The firm has managed to keep its competitiveness despite the pressures of the global economic crisis. The examination of the firm’s environment but also of its strategies led to the conclusion that the company’s growth has been mainly based on the continuous update of its strategic decisions and the close monitoring of its strategies’ development. It is concluded that through the above strategies the firm has achieved the continuous increase of its competitiveness towards its rivals in the Australian and the international banking industry. 1. Introduction Banks have a key role in the development of Australian economy; in fact, in accordance with a report of the Australian Bankersâ₠¬â„¢ Association, in Australia banks are ‘the third largest contributor to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product’ (Australian Bankers’ Association, 2011). It is for this reason, that in these institutions, ‘the staff enjoy excellent pay and flexible workplaces’ (Australian Bankers’ Association, 2011). ... has been kept high mostly because of the support offered by the country’s banking industry – the shares of which achieved a high increase (Banking Industry Today, 2011). In order to minimize the potential threats from the global crisis, the Australian government has announced in December its intentions to support the specific industry in case that such need emerges (Bloomberg, 2011). Moreover, in the report published in June 2010 by ‘Austrade’s Financial Services division’ (GovMonitor, 2010) it is noted that banking industry in Australia is facing a significant growth while ‘its collective financial wealth is predicted to surpass that of North America by 2013 and be worth US$13.5 trillion, accounting for 28 per cent of the world’s total’ (GovMonitor). 2. Macquarie Group - Overview Macquarie Group is one of the leading firms in the Australian banking industry; the firm was first established in 1970; currently, it operates in about 28 countries and the number of its employees has been estimated to ‘14,600 people’ (Careers, in the firm’s website, 2011). The alignment of the firm’s strategies with the business ethics and values is ensured and controlled through a detailed code of conduct; moreover, the monitoring of organization’s operations has been delegated to specific groups of persons, ensuring that all business practices follow the principles described in the firm’s corporate governance statement and its Goals and Values statement; the latter emphasizes on the promotion of six principles/ values through the organizational activities: ‘a) integrity, b) client commitment, c) strive for profitability, d) fulfillment for our people, e) teamwork and f) high standards’ (Goals and Values, in the firm’s website, 2011). The firm’s key

Finace Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Finace - Essay Example Moreover, by selling their stocks public, the company’s innovation sector might be affected (Hinchcliffe 25). With this, company will have a large management structure which could impair the level of innovation hence reduce the development of new products that are demanded by the users (Healey 13). On the other hand, the IPO will assist the company in acquiring more capital that could improve the level of innovation and improvement of the infrastructure which would therefore translate into better users’ services. The manner in which innovation will be unveiled by the company will could also change in order to protect the users from hackers. In addition, the IPO will imply that the company’s culture has to change (Healey 14). A public company has to adhere to the several regulations of the commission in terms of its management and the manner of operation. This will then affect service delivery to the users who might expect delays in launching new products or brands. By going public through the offering, face book will be in a position to become accountable to the users. A public company is obliged to make public their financial statements and their undertakings (Hinchcliffe 25). Users, whose expectations and rights are violated will therefore get the opportunity to seek remedy and would get the support of the regulators. In summary, face book IPO impacts on the users even though majority is not concerned with the potential outcome and impacts. The major impact will however be on the users’ privacy rights. An IPO enables a company to attract more capital that can be used for expansion or improvement of services and these would be felt by the consumers. Healey, Jon. "Facebook IPO Disappoints, to the Delight of Many - latimes.com." Los Angeles Times - California, national and world news - latimes.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 May 2012.

Oscar Wilde Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Oscar Wilde - Essay Example His father was a surgeon and his mother was a renowned poet and writer herself(Merriman, 2008). Due to this upbringing, Wilde was educated at the prestigious Trinity College in Dublin and then went to England to study at the Magdalen College(Merriman, 2008). At this latter school, Wilde studied classic literature and poetry. One of Wilde’s major influences while at school was Walter Parker who had founded the Aesthetic Movement which Wilde soon became a part of (Merriman, 2008). The Aesthetic Movement is a lifestyle known as â€Å"arts for art’s sake†(Merriman, 2008). Perhaps it was this movement that was responsible for Wilde’s eccentric personality. Wilde was not only eccentric, but also very talented, which came to light around the same time. During this particular period, Wilde wrote several award winning poems and began a life in London, England and published his first book of poems in 1881(Merriman, 2008). In 1884, Wilde married and had two children (â€Å"Oscar Wilde Biography†). He spent several years traveling around the western hemisphere and lecturing. Once he became a bit more settled with his family, he became the editor of a magazine known as â€Å"Woman’s World†(â€Å"Oscar Wilde Biography†).

Finace Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Finace - Essay Example Moreover, by selling their stocks public, the company’s innovation sector might be affected (Hinchcliffe 25). With this, company will have a large management structure which could impair the level of innovation hence reduce the development of new products that are demanded by the users (Healey 13). On the other hand, the IPO will assist the company in acquiring more capital that could improve the level of innovation and improvement of the infrastructure which would therefore translate into better users’ services. The manner in which innovation will be unveiled by the company will could also change in order to protect the users from hackers. In addition, the IPO will imply that the company’s culture has to change (Healey 14). A public company has to adhere to the several regulations of the commission in terms of its management and the manner of operation. This will then affect service delivery to the users who might expect delays in launching new products or brands. By going public through the offering, face book will be in a position to become accountable to the users. A public company is obliged to make public their financial statements and their undertakings (Hinchcliffe 25). Users, whose expectations and rights are violated will therefore get the opportunity to seek remedy and would get the support of the regulators. In summary, face book IPO impacts on the users even though majority is not concerned with the potential outcome and impacts. The major impact will however be on the users’ privacy rights. An IPO enables a company to attract more capital that can be used for expansion or improvement of services and these would be felt by the consumers. Healey, Jon. "Facebook IPO Disappoints, to the Delight of Many - latimes.com." Los Angeles Times - California, national and world news - latimes.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 May 2012.

The Core Competence of the Corporation Assignment - 1

The Core Competence of the Corporation - Assignment Example Effectively, the authors stress on the collective learning of the organization, juxtaposed with technical competencies and production technologies as drivers of core competence. They suggest simple tests that can help assess the construct: i) does the competence help the firm in addressing diverse markets, ii) is it easily imitable? and iii) does the customer perceive a benefit from the end product? In the second part of the report, we apply the learnings to a civil engineering situation where there are two organizational actors: BBCL and El Dorado. We find that the potential Joint Venture could lead to development of core competencies. In the current scheme of things, both companies do not have any clear core competencies. We also analyze the firms in terms of the capabilities that they have developed over the years. The Core Competence of the Corporation 1. ... firms that have helped them differentiate their firm’s advantages from others; additionally, these key strengths, which Prahalad & Hamel (1993) term as core competencies have enabled the companies to make their mark in several products. These strengths have led the firms to sustained and profitable growth. 2. Key definitions The authors begin with an introduction to two different companies operating in the telecommunications space: GTE and NEC. The time frame studied is 1980 to 1988. While NEC started small, it ended up bigger in revenues and market share during the end of the period. This provided an impetus for the authors to try and identify what lay behind the scenes at these two telecommunication giants. One of the definitions put forth by the authors is the term ‘core competence’ itself. A core competence could be something similar to a capability developed by a company that could help establish a sustainable, defensible and profitable market position. In a competitive environment, a core competence could be a strategic asset. The next question this leads us to is this: if a capability needs to be defined as a core competence, then what criteria can be used to test it? The authors recommend three tests: 1) Does the capability help the firm compete in several product markets? 2) Can the competence or capability be easily imitated by rivals and 3) Is the customer capable of perceiving a difference because of the company’s competence in a particular domain? If the answers to all three questions are in the affirmative, then the particular competence could be termed a core competence. 3. Key Insights & Takeaways To explain with the help of an analogy, the authors use a tree with its roots, branches and fruits. The roots are akin to the core competence. They

Mumbai-the City of Dreams Essay Example for Free

Mumbai-the City of Dreams Essay Mumbai – the city of dreams, the city of broken dreams. Millions go unnoticed like sand castles washed away at the beach, millions are attracted by the skyscrapers of Elphinstone, and millions are immortalized like the Elephanta-s. From Haji Ali to Siddhivinayak, from local trains to the Vada Pav, from the boulders of Bandstand to the sands of Juhu, from Mangeshkar to Tendulkar, from the Khans to the Bachchans, it is ‘Aamchi Mumbai’ all the way. From the trawlers’ struggle for fresh catch to the country’s top CEO-s’ meetings, India’s business capital doesn’t seem to sleep. With fruit juice at Rs. 5 a glass outside railway stations, to Rs. 200 a cappuccino at the Trident, life in Mumbai sails smooth with all its diversity. The night remains young from DJ jamming sessions to ek chaalis ki last local. Almost a hundred Bollywood movies have had as their opening scene a long shot of Victoria Terminus, introducing Mumbai as sapno ki nagari. Arvind Swami’s lovelorn ‘Tu Hi Re’ on old fort reminds us of Bombay, whereas Ranbir Kapur’s ‘Wake up Sid’ sketches Mumbai on a realistic canvas. Dreams come true here, dreams shatter here, but life doesn’t go off the tracks. The locals move on, carrying few lakh dreaming hearts every day. The Churchgate slow local arrives on platform 3 of Lower Parel station at 11am with about a dozen hanging on each footboard; the ladies compartments have decked up corporate women in formals and topknots to Marathi fisherwomen rushing to the markets to sell their fresh catch. In fact, Mumbai traffic compels few office goers to park their cars at stations and take the reliable local to office everyday! ‘Bombay to Goa’ to ‘Saathiya’, the local train has repeatedly come on the silver screen. Even the Oscar winning Indian movie ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ had one of its popular songs shot at the famous Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus platform. Over the decades, it has turned out to be Mumbai’s lifeline. The tracks take a three hour daily break from 1:40am to 4:45am, CST to Khopoli, Churchgate to Dahanu. There are three main lines — the Western, Central and the Harbour line. Life in Mumbai revolves around local trains; the truth about which was felt when the Motormen strike on May 3rd, 2010 had left Mumbai chaotic and overturned. Another thing that raises tourist’s eyebrows is the ‘on-track’ vendors and their items. The ladies on their way buy household items to earrings to kurti-s. There is trial option also; anyone can try a kurti before choosing to buy! Another familiar face in the 9:01am Ambernath-Lower Parel II class ladies compartment is a lady who sells home-made sweets. She has an amazing style of calling out the names of the sweets, a shrill loud voice coming unexpectedly out of her frail structure, and women indeed go berserk buying her delicacies. It is perhaps correctly said, â€Å"You will find answers to all the mysteries of the world, except one— What does a woman want?† The engine siren pierces through the silence of the night, the bogies rattle on the tracks, the signals go red and green, the pebbles on the fishplates turn and overturn, and the Mumbai locals go on and on.

Questions on analysing red bulls marketing strategies

Questions on analysing red bulls marketing strategies Red Bull is a highly successful branding story. The brand came to India in 2003. Although the brand has been keeping a low profile compared to the Cola majors , Red Bull has created a category of energy drinks in the Indian market. According to Economic Times ( 30.05.08) the energy drink market in India is estimated to be around 100 crore. The market now has two main players Red Bull and Power Horse. Energy Drinks are not much popular in India or it can be said that this product is used mostly by sport persons hence a niche. So far the use of these kind of drinks has not percolated to the mass market.. The energy drink broadly comes under the category of functional drinks which is a bigger market estimated to be around Rs 543 crores. Q1. Argue for the most relevant segment criteria to be used in the international market selection process? Red bull has consistently worked on growing international sales. Red bull has a well developed network of local subsidiaries set up in key markets to oversee distribution in any given region. Instead of targeting largest distributors with greatest reach, red bull targets small distributors who often become exclusively red bull distributors. Small independent venues are also the first targets. Red Bull does not use traditional market the local subsidiaries are responsible for local marketing content such as oral marketing, bill boards and radio. Q2.Which changes would you suggest for red bulls future global marketing mix in order to make future challenges? Have an ability to gain new customers and retain current customer loyalty: With Red Bulls target market currently aimed at the Generation Ys (15 30 year olds) there is the question of whether this generation will continue to drink Red Bull as they grow older.  And will the next upcoming generation accept this product as their own. They should segment the market in two difeernt ways, one relating to the youth. Second to the older generation Have Health and Social Implications: Due to growing pressure on organisations in society, Red Bull now promotes their product with current societal and health issues in mind. Childhood obesity and type 2-onset diabetes has become a major issue across western developed nations. By introducing sugar free Red Bull will open up a new opportunity to the health conscious and diabetics. Managing this issue will be a constant process and Red Bull must be seen to be adjusting their product to suit society. By not having only one product: One particular issue Red Bull has to consider is their limited product range. Unlike their major competitors such as Coca Cola and Pepsi, who have various different products in different beverage classes (water, soft drinks, electrolytes) Red Bull does not. Only having one product can be a positive however, for example Red Bull can concentrate 100% effort on their product while not being distracted by other influences, however the downside is that should the market share of that product decrease in the future, Red Bull has no back up product to cover the loss. Q3.How will you categorize red bulls oral global marketing strategy? Red Bull globally is known for buzz marketing. It is a brand which has built its equity through careful below the line marketing. During the initial launch time, Red Bull used to invest heavily in buzz marketing . Some of the famous marketing strategy adopted by Red Bull is given below : Student Brand Managers : The brand tried to reach the trend setters and opinion leaders by appointing ( informal agreement ) student brand managers across campuses. These members were given free Red Bull cans and was encouraged to organize parties for other youngsters. Identify Hot Spots : The brand identified hot spots where the majority of consumers /opinion leaders gather. This could be a bar or a party area. Once these hotspots are identified, the brand campaigns in that spot. Red Bull has the famous slogan Red Bull gives you wiings . The ads are revolving round this theme of the brand giving a high. One fact is that Red Bull need not do much of a product advertisements because the brand was confident that once the customer tries the product, he will start understanding the benefits of this product. Q4.Red bulls is available in large cities in India across supermarkets, restaurants and bars. Evaluate for opportunities for market expansion in India? In India which is a market which is characterized by heavy duty advertisements, high profile celebrity endorsements and mouth watering sales promotions, Red Bull has managed to take the different route. Since the launch the brand has managed to dominate the Indian market with more than 60 % market share . The popularity of Red Bull has prompted many cola majors to launch their energy drinks brand in India. There are news reports of Coca Cola and Pepsi bringing their global brands in this category into the Indian market. Despite the success of Red Bull and Power Horse, there are stumbling blocks in the development of this category . The main issue is regarding the perception of consumers towards this category. Energy drinks are usually viewed this type of drinks with suspicion. Frankly speaking they have an attached perception that this energy drinks are associated with alcohol ( it was a perception). I was surprised to find that these products are targeted towards youth.And these products are more found in pubs and bars which further reinforced the perception that these drinks have parity with products like beer.India, the culture is different. The consumption of these beverages are not considered a part of social living. There are restrictions in consumption and availability of these beverages. Red Bull is marketed heavily through pubs and bars across the western markets. But in India , Red Bull should keep away from associating itself with these kind of beverages. Because such an association will repel many customers especially ladies. Having said that, this category also offers excellent growth potential also provided the brand rationalizes the price. The price of energy drinks vary between Rs70-95 per can which can restrict the frequency of purchase of this product.  

The Russian Avant Garde and the Bolshevik Revolution Essay -- Art Russ

The Russian Avant Garde and the Bolshevik Revolution The Russian Avant Garde began in Russia in about 1915 It was the year that Malevich revealed his Suprematist compositions that reduced painting to total abstraction. and rid the pictures of any reference whatsoever to the visual world. He is credited with being the first artist to do this; that is, forsake the visual world for a world of pure feeling and sensation. This was the first movement originated by Russians and the birth of several other Avant Garde movements. Probably the most popular piece at his 1915 exhibition was â€Å"BLACK SQUARE† (real name â€Å"suprematist composition†. It’s basically a black square on a slightly larger white square that forms a border around it. It was hung in the exhibition in the way an icon would be hung in a peasant’s home; ie top corner of the room. Malevich saw Suprematism as representing a yearning for space, an impulse to break free from the globe of the earth. It a spirit, a spirituality that went beyond anythin g before it. Among Malevich’s students and contemporaries were such names as El Lissitzsky, Alexsandr Rodchenko and Vladimir Tatlin who were, of course, to lead the Constructivist movement which started in the same year as Malevich’s exhibition. Tatlin had returned from studying art in Paris in 1913 where he had seen a series of relief constructions by Picasso. Tatlin became very interested in form and message rather than representation and so he himself made a series of constructions. They were in the same vein as Picasso, but they were framed within a space and jutted out of the picture plane into the space of the observer. They created a lot of interest and he coined the term Constructivism. Tatlin and Malevich, who had been ... ...er had a base. A few caved in and became correct thinkers. A few escaped to other countries in Europe. Some stayed in Europe and some ended up in America. They have developed and grown. Along with Gabo and Rothko and Kandinsky and numerous others, they are still having a profound influence on art. There were many parallels between the Russian Avant Garde and the two revolutions in 1915. The big difference between them in 2001, is that the art survives and grows stronger; while the other is seen for what it is, a pathetic pseudo despotism run, for a lot of years by a sociopathic mortophile. BIBLIOGRAPHY Russian Constructivism. Christina Lodder. Yale University Press. 1983. Art Spoke. Robert Atkins. Abbeville Press. 1993. Art and Revolution. John Berger. Pantheon Books. 1969. The Struggle for Utopia. Victor Margolin. University of Chicago Press. 1997.

Standards Based Education: The Base for Improving Schools

Since nearly twenty years, education in the United States has been strongly impacted by â€Å"standards movement†. Linked proximally to evaluation and answerability, standard-based reforms, not like most other educational systems like open education, behavioral goals, and least ability, has gained ground in an extremely severe and all-encompassing manner. Right from parents to policy-makers, there is an ardent countrywide support to use standards as the base for improving schools. (The Virginia Standards of Learning) As per Collins Cobuild dictionary, â€Å"a standard is a stage of quality or achievement, particularly a stage which is considered to be good enough. It is something used to calculate or approximate the quality or degree of something, for instance, the degree of superiority of a piece of work. † In the sphere of education, a standard is a word that describes a growing body of knowledge and set of expertise which is the foundation for quality education. They put across what every student must know and be capable to perform, however do not state pedagogy. Why have a standards-based curriculum and what are the implications for the teaching-learning-assessment process? ) The quintessence of a â€Å"standard† is to depict a level of knowledge or performance that is necessary for some reason. For instance, there is a standard fixed by the telephone companies relating to the manner operators communicate with the customers, by the State Government to deliver driving licenses, a intensity of accuracy is necessary for building autos, and a set of unambiguous strategy for assessing gymnastics, diving, and ice skating. In an identical manner, teachers employ objectives of the students to find out what will be imparted, and as a criterion for making grades for student†s work. Each of these â€Å"standards† has two parts: an account of what will be recognized or performed, and a suggestion of quality of its performance. In education, these two magnitudes have been pointed as content standard and performance standards, and they point out to fairly diverse concepts, each having a separate set of connotation. (The Virginia Standards of Learning) Discuss the positive effects and attributes of standard-based education. In standard-based education, the syllabus and units of study are distinctly delineated, comprehended by the teachers and students and conveyed to every employee, families and the community. Standard-based education system will promote fair play, foster learning of students and strengthen answerability. (Standards-Based Education: www. thompson. k12. co. us) Establishing standards is a vital and efficient learning instrument as they state distinct prospect of what every student must have an understanding and capable of doing with the language. They can be supportive to various populations like the state, districts and school, teachers, student and parents. Establishing a national standard lets to setting aside for identical chance for every student. To start with every student is evaluated against the same standards. In the absence of a universal standard and every teacher establishing his or her independent standard, the expectation of the school on their student will be diverse. As there will be no element for comparison, instruction as well as assessment cannot be unswerving. Secondly, in the event of establishing a national standard, it is obvious what the students will be learning at various stages of their education. Examination provided by the state can assess the development of the student towards achievement of the standard. The students who are failing in achieving the standards can be given preliminary, efficient help. (Why have a standards-based curriculum and what are the implications for the teaching-learning-assessment process? ) Discuss the benefits for both educator and student. Standards set students to fix particular objectives with understanding of the particular prospect and norms for success. This lets to set objectives that are attainable. The evenness of a standard based procedure currently opens opportunities to individuals. Customized learning methods, learning at one†s independent speed, identification of the specific learning that requires to happen, aids in describing the manner in which and what students are required to be aware and be capable to perform to attain the age suitable standard, as observed by several remarks. (Standard-based Education: schools. coventryschools. net) The transition to standards-based evaluation aids in building a culture of success in which every student can attain a satisfactory standard. In case of students, standard established apparent performance prospects, aiding them to comprehend what they are required to do so as to fulfill the standards. These works lets the students to exhibit their knowledge, including the norm for evaluation. This gives students and parents with valuable data regarding the performance towards fulfilling the standards. Besides, while dealing with standards based syllabus, schools will be competent to report the growth of the student towards attaining the standards by stating the yardsticks they have attained. Why have a standards-based curriculum and what are the implications for the teaching-learning-assessment process? ) Standards are very impartially described. This lets teachers to employ their ingenuity and expertise to find out which strategies function optimally with both individual as well as a group of students. (Standard-based Education: schools. coventryschools. net) Standards assist teachers devise syllabus, guidelines and evaluation on the basis of what is vital to have knowledge about. Standards gives the information required to train educators in shaping the development of students in achieving the standards, as stated in the syllabus. Teachers, the educational institution and the state are responsible for the education of the student based on the achievement of these standards. As the standards give a transparent and structured perspective for evaluation, it is thus likely to find out the degree to which the standards have been achieved. (Why have a standards-based curriculum and what are the implications for the teaching-learning-assessment process? ) How does standard-based education improve education? Standard-based education has come to be widespread political reform group as it mingles a lot of factors that concentrates on what is normally construed to be a â€Å"failing public school†. This has resulted to provide an importance on â€Å"high† standards that means improved or more challenging or â€Å"world class† standards. During 1999, the National Education Summit evaluated the standards association since 1996, deciding that the danger of deteriorating quality of education be first of all found out in A Nation at Risk in 1983 stays in 1999. The report states, the American citizen†s exhibit that it evidently comprehends that our persistent economic strength, social permanence, quality of life is dependent on our capability to radically progress our schools. The report further declares that the promises to increased standards have unambiguously come to be a central factor in a countrywide movement to enhance school performance. Of late, the research undertaken by an institute ‘Public Agenda† point out to a popular displeasure among college teachers and employers of students† fundamental skills. A second feature of standard-based improvements stresses superior performance of every student. This is a matter of fairness. Supporters of standards-based education consider that poor performing students did not have access to equal education as persistent abysmal expectations from these students have been responsible for their low performance. Therefore, it is reasoned that standard-based improvement will enhance education in case of financially deprived and minority group students by increasing the prospects. (The Virginia Standards of Learning) The rising difference in the earning levels in US will be lessened as the existing gap as regards education between low and high performing students is lowered. Standards, it is debated, â€Å"smoothens the playing field,† and will result in less sorting based for the most part on social class and ethic category which they belong. In the event students do not display achieving the standards, then in that case solution and withholding might be suitable. A third feature is the manner in which the standards are linked to rewards and encouragement. As against much of the research that has stressed the significance of child-centered, developmentally suitable procedures to education, standards-based supporters consider that rivalry and external rewards will encourage students and enhance performance. This is founded mostly on edginess with earlier â€Å"movements† aimed by educators, and the activity in other nations, together with international studies, which imply American students trailing. Fundamentally, the contention is that American schools and students require external inducements to endeavor for higher levels of performance. At present, 20 states give financial help to schools wherein students perform in a better manner on standard-based tests. Fourth, there is an increased statewide and federal evaluation and influence over schools is required. The seeming urgency is to set up a single set of standards and one wide-ranging vision in case of all students cutting across all grade levels. The thrust for national standards during the mid-1990s has resulted to an ardent involvement across the state since the stage at which standards-based educational policy is made and executed. Due to this, a lot of meetings, publications, and reports regarding standards-based improvement have been produced by organizations which are responsive to the requirements of the policy-makers of the state. (The Virginia Standards of Learning) What is the best process for developing an effective curriculum when dealing with the standard-based education. The goal of the curriculum as per the Standards is to execute certain jobs within a specific time frame. These jobs must be accomplished in a specific order. At the time a student learns a subject in this way, he/she builds on existing knowledge. It becomes simpler in case of students to go on learning, when they have a basis of knowledge. As Maurice Johnson describes in his Schema, â€Å"Structure is a fundamental feature of curriculum† (EDE 6205: Elementary School Curriculum) I think that there is an urgency on our part to perform more to assess our curriculum. In case we are adhering to the Standards as outlined, our assessment of the results has to be more proficient. The Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test — FCAT gives scanty information on the efficacy of the Standard based curriculum. To evaluate learning appropriately, it is required that we are capable of accessing what background knowledge a student is equipped and what knowledge he has amassed after the training. Iowa State University administers a program in which they supply syllabus written in accordance with the standards the school desires. The effectiveness of that particular curriculum is assessed two times in a year. Students are tested initially in the beginning of the year as also during the end of the year. This testing is done annually. This method gives a more efficient manner of estimating the quantity of learning that is being imparted. (EDE 6205: Elementary School Curriculum) FCAT in all means cannot be a productive instrument in calculating the quantum of learning which is happening. The calculations are extended out and accidental. Prior to the establishment of the Sunshine State Standards in May 1996, the primary state curriculum guidance was the Minimum Student Performance Standards. These standards gave the source for the Statewide Student Assessment Tests. With a view to raising the academic challenge in Florida, the Sunshine State Standards were formed. They were supposed to attain over the minimum capabilities to challenging academic standards. According to Tyler, while formulating any curriculum plan of instruction one should choose what the educational objective must the school look for to achieve. Subsequently, what are the educational experiences which can be given which are expected to achieve these objectives? Thirdly, the manner in which these educational experiences be efficiently managed, and lastly how we can resolve these objectives are being achieved. The Sunshine State Standards gives an excellent catapulting point in presenting course of action for curriculum development. (EDE 6205: Elementary School Curriculum) What are and justify the positive contributions of standard based education. â€Å"Need is the mother of all inventions†. (Standard-based Education: schools. coventryschools. net) This sums up a declaration made by an observer. Standard based education is countrywide crusade because of the countrywide requirement. Of course there is present and there has been extensive apprehension over the quality of public education. Several people mentioned that they identified that it was crucial that education is standardized so that regardless of the place children received education, regardless of what socio-economic or cultural backgrounds that they possess, the scope to get knowledge which is at par and good education as everybody others. One of the member commented â€Å"School A should not be deprived compared to school B. † Correctly declared by one parent, the job force has undergone a transformation. This transformation effected by an international economy and international economic rivalry has compelled our nation into the embarrassing state of being second category. Education in our nation did not modify along with the economic modification. This has brought governmental concern with education to light. Students should be given the proficiency and knowledge to compete in the world in a better manner. Standard-based Education: schools. coventryschools. net) How does the no child left behind act is associated with the standard-based education plan. Widely recognized as the ‘No Child Left Behind†, — NCLB Act of 2001 was the collective consequences of a standards-and-testing transition that was initiated with the publication of the report A Nation at Risk by the Reagan government in 1983. The movement attained due impetus with the 1989 education summit in Charlottesville, Virginia, at which the President George H. W. Bush and the governors of the nation fixed extensive performance objective for the American Schools. The ‘America 2000†³ proposal of President Bush by the end of 1991 incorporated the voluntary national testing associated with the ‘world class† standards. This provision gives rise to termination of the Bill by the opposition exerted by Republican radicals. President Clinton accorded assent to the ‘Goals 2000†³ in 1994 that provided grants to assist states in devising academic parameters. Widespread change was visualized with the 1994 reauthorization of the Elementary and secondary education Act that indicated a nationwide commitment to the standard-based reform. The re-sanction necessitated states to generate content and performance parameters in respect of the K-12 schools. (The Politics of No Child Left Behind) Congress also implemented the notion of ‘adequate yearly progress† which afterwards become the key player of liability in No Child Left Behind. However, the 1994 re-sanction started the process of devising standards and tests in most of the states. (The Politics of No Child Left Behind) The federal government anticipates more liability from state education systems and the assurance that no child will be left behind. States are to enhance the student testing, collect and disseminate subgroup consequences assuring a highly skilled teacher in every classroom and assuring that all students irrespective of their socio-economic conditions attain a proficient level of education by the 2014-2015 academic years. No Child Left Behind Act of 2001) NCLB thus reinforces the federal pressure on all states to pursue a standards-based reform agenda. This incorporates a high academic standard for all students; extra supplementation to assist the students and schools to cater to such standards; enhanced suppleness for local schools in order for them to do so; and greater liability for the consequences especially calculated by the activities of the students on standardized assessments.

Domestic Animal Abuse Essay

Domestic animal abuse is a difficult topic to separate from the agendas of those who would prevent it. The reports are certainly horrible enough on their own: a husband and wife are arrested for shipping 182 animals—mostly collies–in a tractor-trailer truck, a house is found filled with filthy, dying cats, dogs, and birds; hundreds of dogs die annually from being left unattended in the cars during the summer heat. Of course, animals do not need to die en masse for abuse to take place. Every day, family pets are forced to suffer abuse that would be otherwise aimed at human family members, they are tied outside without food and water, or they are simply ignored to death. Combating animal abuse can be difficult, however. In addition to the agendas shaping any efforts against it, no single legal definition exists for what constitutes domestic animal abuse. Because of this lack of a single definition, there can be no single form of prosecution. Yet, the significance of animal abuse goes far beyond that of the obvious cruelty to animals. It can be used as a predictor for people who develop sociopathy and has been connected with the occurrence of domestic abuse in the home. This paper will be used to discuss some of the difficulties that are associated with defining and legislating domestic animal abuse. It will also offer some discussion of the effects of this pervasive problem. Defining Domestic Animal Abuse Despite all of the annual occurrences of domestic animal abuse, there is no single definition for what constitutes such abuse. Animal rights extremist organizations, such as the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PeTA), the Humane Society for the United States (HSUS), and the Doris Day Animal League (DDAL) all believe that any use of animals constitute animal abuse. Ultimately, according to these organizations, any â€Å"use† of domestic animals constitutes abuse; even merely keeping a pet in one’s home is an abusive act. Using this reason any animal husbandry, from raising chickens for eggs, to keeping cows for milk, or any participation in the meat or fur industry constitutes abuse. Medical science represents the worst of these abuses, since it â€Å"takes away the rights† of an animal by sacrificing its health or life in favor of preserving human health or lives (Goodwin and Morrison). Legal definitions of domestic animal abuse, or animal cruelty, are much broader than this very narrow stance. Many state laws define animals as being â€Å"vertebrate animals† that are not human beings, although some states also include birds such as parrots or sparrows, as well. Other states do not refer to what defines an animal at all. In addition, some states do not permit fish or shellfish to be included in the discussion. If the laws concerning the definition of â€Å"animal,† â€Å"pet† or â€Å"companion animal† are so variable, then it should come as no surprise that laws defining abuse itself are varied, as well. However, it is common to break cruelty to animals down into two broad categories: passive (acts of omission) and active (acts of commission). Although there are no clearly defined categories for these acts or inactions, there are certain â€Å"patterns of behavior† that occur under the overall umbrella of â€Å"animal cruelty† or abuse (â€Å"Animal Cruelty,† n. d. , par. 1). Passive acts of cruelty are sometimes called â€Å"animal neglect. † These kinds of cruelty usually involve withholding something from the animal, such as food or water. In addition, passive acts might include failure to act if a pet becomes infested with any kind of parasite or if a collar becomes embedded into a pet’s skin due to the growth of the pet (Pet-Abuse. com pars. 4-5). In general, neglect is treated as a minor offense if only one animal, or a small number of animals, is involved. The severity of the crime increases, however, with and increasingly large number of animals involved. Neglect cases may also be divided between unintentional neglect, caused by ignorance, and intentional or â€Å"willful† neglect, caused by knowingly mistreating an animal (Lockwood, 2006, p. 19). Active acts of cruelty include violence against animals, often referred to as â€Å"torture,† â€Å"malicious intent,† or â€Å"non-accidental injury† (â€Å"Animal Cruelty,† n. d. , par. 6). Such abuse is of greater concern than is passive animal abuse. Some forms of violent active animal abuse is associated with other crimes, such as domestic abuse or child abuse. These abuses can also be used as a predictor of other crimes. Both of these observations will be expanded upon in a later section of this paper. Animal hoarding, organized â€Å"sporting† abuse, ritualistic abuse, and the use of animals for sexual gratification are all forms of active animal abuse (Lockwood, 2006, pp. 20-23). All of these forms of animal abuse are serious issues, causing both concern and expense for the community as a whole. Even animal hording, which is sometimes caricatured in movies–perhaps with an elderly female character with a house full of skinny, yowling cats–should be a matter of concern for society. Due to the hidden concerns of this form of abuse somewhat more discussion will be given to this form of abuse than the other three mentioned. Animal hoarding is a familiar to many of us; however, it is not always recognized for the problem that it is. It seems to be increasingly common to hear about a raid on a home that contains dozens, if not hundreds, of malnourished and half-wild animals, even if it is only reported as a â€Å"human interest† story or in the late-night television comedian’s monologue. However, according to Patronek, Loar, and Nathanson (2006) animal hoarding: is an important, misunderstood, and under-recognized community problem that affects both human and animal welfare. It is responsible for substantial animal suffering and property damage. Often associated with adult self-neglect, animal hoarding can also place children, elders, and dependent adults at serious risk and can be an economic burden to taxpayers. (p. 1) Although not always recognized as a problem, animal hoarding is relatively easy to identify. It is characterized by four factors: 1) the lack of the minimum physical care needed by the animals, 2) the abuser’s inability to recognize the abuse, 3) the obsession to continue collecting animals even when the number of animals housed exceed the ability to provide ideal living conditions, and 4) the abuser’s denial that the declining conditions exist (Patronek, Loar, & Nathanson, 2006, p. 1). Despite these common factors, however, animal hoarding is not a simple problem to contain. Several different kinds of animal hoarding exist, from the fairly benign â€Å"overwhelmed caregiver† to the person who acquires animals only to exploit them. Because of the variability of situations in which a person might begin hoarding animals, these classifications are fluid and characteristics might overlap. Sporting abuse is, fortunately, not as widespread as it was even 100 years ago. However, although most people think automatically of dog fighting and chicken fighting when animal â€Å"blood sports† are mentioned, others also exist. Despite their cultural acceptance, blood sports such as bullfighting in Spain and pit sports, such as fighting dogs and wild hogs in the Southeastern United States, might still be considered animal abuse. Ritualistic abuse is considered above and beyond the ability to sacrifice animals in the practice of a religion. While religious animal sacrifice is not included in most animal abuse statutes, it is often carefully defined and controlled by the law. Other forms of ritual animal killing is considered abuse and may be an indication that person committing the act has other serious psychological issues at work. This kind of abuse is incites communities to an emotional furor, due to the association that it has with allegedly satanic rituals and other â€Å"hot button† issues. For this reason, this kind of abuse is particularly disruptive to the community. Finally, some people find sexual gratification in congress with animal â€Å"partners,† known as â€Å"bestiality. † In truth, there is no â€Å"partnership† between the human abuser and the animal being abused in such a manner. Animals cannot voluntarily decide to take a human being as a mate or not. Therefore, they must be forced to act against their instinctive drives in order to comply with their human â€Å"partner’s† desires. This act of force is a violation of animal abuse laws in many nations (Lockwood, 2006). However, it should be noted that stimulation of an animal to collect sperm for frozen or cold storage for the purposes of artificial insemination is not considered bestiality. Other Laws Concerning Animal Abuse Not all nations agree on what constitutes animal abuse. While tail docking and ear cropping is currently legal in the United States, it is considered a form of animal mutilation in the United Kingdom. The Animal Welfare Act, signed by Elizabeth II in 2006, extends animal abuse laws to include invertebrates and gives municipalities to include animals in their â€Å"foetal or embryonic form,† should they choose to do so (p. 1). However, they may only do so as long as â€Å"the appropriate national authority is satisfied, on the basis of scientific evidence, that animals of the kind concerned are capable of experiencing pain or suffering† (Animal Welfare Act, 2006, p. 1). This act also clearly defines the terms â€Å"protected animals† and â€Å"unnecessary suffering† for the purposes of the law, as well as the manner by which individuals can be held responsible for that suffering (Animal Welfare Act, 2006, p. 2). It is interesting to note that only domestic animals are defined as â€Å"protected† animals; no matter what the behavior perpetrated upon them, wild animals, by definition, cannot be abused. Germany, like the rest of the European Union, attaches a moral stance to the protection of animals through their laws. This stance is in contrast to that of the United States, which protect animals in terms of property laws. Although the European perspective may appear to be superior to some, both positions have some advantages. Moral stances are not always objective ones; however, objective stances sometimes reduce decisions to a quantifiable decision-making process, which does not always allow for human needs and opinions to enter into the equation. In addition to laws concerning the abuse and husbandry of all domestic animals, the German law also defines limits for those individuals who wish to breed domestic animals. However, with all of these limitations, The German law does not specifically cover the hoarding of animals. The Significance of Animal Abuse Animal abuse is not only significant because it brings harm to sentient beings that humans should have an obligation to protect, it is also significant because of its relationship to other problems that plague society. These issues are not limited to any one race, ethnic group, religion, age, or income level. According to Lockwood (2006) juveniles perpetrate approximately one third of all animal abuse crimes (p. 33). In such cases, animal abuse might be indicative of abuse being perpetrated within the home, either against the juvenile or another family member, or it may indicate mental disease on the part of the juvenile him or herself (Lockwood, 2006). Lockwood identifies 15 major factors in determining the danger that the animal abuser presents to society. This list includes the vulnerability and the number of the animal victims, the severity and the repetition or number of forms of abuse on the victim(s), any threats that the animal abuse might have been meant to reinforce, and the manner of recording, if any, of the abuse (p. 35). Research reported in the Juvenile Justice Bulletin (JJB) (2001) indicates a link between conduct disorder in children and animal abuse. â€Å"Conduct disorder† as defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSMIV) is â€Å"a repetitive and persistent pattern of behavior in which the basic rights of others or major age-appropriate societal norms or rules are violated† (par. 1). In addition, the child must conform to at least three of 15 other indicators for the disorder. One of these 15 indicators is animal abuse, which may range in intensity from mild teasing to torture and killing beginning at the age of approximately 6. 5 years of age (Juvenile Justice Bulletin, 2001, par. 2). Children with Operational Defiant Disorder (ODD) or Conduct Disorder (CD) often go on to become serious offenders as adults. Children with CD often go on to be described as sociopaths later in life, as well. According to the JJB, the differences between children who abuse animals and non-abusive children are significantly different when tracked for adult arrests for violent crimes, property crimes, drug offenses, and public order offenses. The JBB concludes that â€Å"these results make it clear that animal abusers are not only dangerous to their animal victims but also may jeopardize human welfare† (par. 7). This research is backed up by â€Å"Understanding the Links,† a pamphlet put out by the British National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, which states that: If a child is cruel to animals this may be an indicator that serious neglect and abuse have been inflicted on the child. While recent research in the UK suggests that animal abuse by children is quite widespread, in a minority of more extreme cases it appears to be associated with abuse of the child, or subsequent abusive behavior by the child. (Understanding the Links, n. d. p. 5). In addition to the issue of conduct disorder, there is a definitive link between animal abuse and other forms of domestic abuse. Animal abuse is at times part of the â€Å"constellation of family violence,† although by no means is it definite that an adult who harms animals will also harm their domestic partners or their children (p. 5). Although this observation is indeed true, it is also true that animal abuse is sometimes used as a form of coercion in abusive relationships. Regardless, it appears that: o Serious animal abuse in a household may indicate the occurrence of other domestic violence o Animal abuse might be done for coercion and intimidation of family members to keep them from leaving or speaking about an abusive domestic situation. o Sexualized or aggressive behavior toward animals on the part of a child may indicate the possibility of later animal abuse when that child matures (Understanding the Links, n. d. , p. 5). Conclusion Animal abuse is a difficult crime to describe and to define. Many different forms of abuse occur under the single umbrella term. Abuse can be passive or active. Passive abuse takes place when people withhold care from animals and can range from simple ignorant (and therefore correctible) acts to malicious neglect. Active abuse, however, does not typically occur out of ignorance. Due to its effects on the human psyche, particularly in terms of young children, animal abuse is not a stand-alone issue. When domestic violence is found in a home, animal abuse is often found as well. When animal abuse occurs, it may also indicate other, serious problems in

Pornography and Sexual Violence Essay

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Human Resource Management (case study) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Human Resource Management (case study) - Essay Example Moreover, the furniture will be standardized and customer’s requirements will not be met because it can probably increase the cost. However, the company is not in a position to cope up with any unplanned change because it can’t afford any changes in the production process and the design of product due to the excessive cost of implementing the changes. Question 2: Based on your evaluation of the strategy approached by each organization what would be the most likely HR strategy? Answer: The working conditions and job descriptions will be fixed and rigid. The job descriptions will cover clearly defined tasks and responsibilities with no room for flexibility. The job duties will give little or no room for career progression to the employees because the tasks will require specialization in one specific area and the employees will not be able to learn new skills and abilities. The chances for training and development are extremely limited because the furniture is manufactured on basic standards which don’t require updating the skills. As a result, the performance appraisal will be done on efficiency and effectiveness of the employees. In other words, the employees will be evaluated on the quantity of items produced irrespective of quality. The wages of front line employees will be based on number of items produced each hour and bonus/rewards can be expected on overproduction. The salary structure of the employees will be competitive and company will pay at/below the industry standards. Efforts will be made to recruit cheap labors and the jobs of highly paid workers will be unsecured so that cost can be minimized and the supervisors will ensure that labor productivity is enhanced and employees don’t sit idle. Overall, a short term profit making approach is adopted. Question 3: Is this approach of linking Porter’s competitive strategy to HR strategy has its limitations? Evaluate what you consider these limitations can be. Answer: the porter’s competitive strategy is very generic and its approach is very limited and narrow. Porter says that the company should follow only one strategy at a time so that it doesn’t lose focus. On one hand, Benchill & Sons uses tight cost control to reduce prices but on the other hand, it needs to change its policies with the changing trends in the market and the economy. For e.g. the company can go for technological advancement or may be it can purchase raw materials form cheap countries like china or India, in order to reduce cost. However, this approach is very practical for non-profit organizations because their sources are limited but for benevolent owners this approach is not good for the reputation of the company. On the other hand, for profit making companies, the background of entrepreneur, the nature of industry, competitors, buying patterns of customers, technology and minimum standards set by ISO are important factors to consider before adopting any competit ive strategy. The best employment practice is to ensure better utilization of resources while not exploiting the workers, maintaining a fair quality standard and using relationship marketing approach to ensure repeat sales in order to beat the competitors. SPEKE FURNISHINGS Question 1: evaluate which of the Porter’