Defending Barbie

When I was young, one of the most favorite songs I usually listened to is â€Å"Barbie Girl†. The song started with funny melodies about a blonde single girl named Barbie. She lived in her dream house with swimming pool, convertible and lovely things. She also had a boyfriend named Ken. She was not a girl coming from this song but a doll who was created in 1959 by Mattel. Until now she is over 50 years-old but her beauty and her lifestyle are always the dream of children. She does not look like the fashionable trends which will be old-fashionable after a short period. Her influences to children never decline. Barbie is not only a plastic doll that cannot talk and interact but also a friend who plays an inspiring role in their life. In my experience with playing and owning Barbie's, Barbie has had nothing but the fun and positive impacts on my life. First of all, the most positive impact of Barbie is the meaningful messages which she brings to us through her story. Barbie is famous with her dream house, convertible, beautiful outfits, luxurious jewelries and expensive shoes. She owns the luxurious things which she acquires them all by herself from being a career woman. She is a symbol of a successful woman by working in a wide range of jobs such as a dentist, a teacher, a police, a chef, a baby-sitter, a fire-fighter, an artist and so on. For this reason, she can earn a lot of money by her own capacity and buy everything she likes. Not just that, Barbie is also a fashionmonger. She always appears in the most beautiful outfits with different styles and she will be the person who updates the newest fashionable trends of famous brands. She has a boyfriend but she does not dependent on his bank account. She is depicted as an independent girl who does not rely on a man to take care or support for her. By her own way, Barbie becomes an ideal model of women, a public idol who many children want to become. They all want a Barbie to play with and to be like her because of her meaningful message that Barbie can be anything she wants and so do they. Besides that, there are countless valuable messages she brings to children such as being feminine, living independent from man, doing anything you want, working any kind of jobs which you like, achieving your dreams by putting your heart and mind into it, being fashionable†¦ hrough her special and unique lifestyle. Secondly, Barbie helps children develop their creation. Owning a Barbie doll is not a simple work. When we buy a Barbie, she just looks like the other Barbie dolls with same faces, same body shapes, same outfits or even same colors of hair. However children have their freedom to make her become different. Whether she will become a unique doll depends on children's hands and minds. If they want Barbie to be different, they have to figure out and act. It is the way Barbie motivates children's minds in imaginative acts. Holding Barbie in their hand, they can start to change the appearance of Barbie by typing her hair up with rubber brands, make braids or change Barbie hair lengths by cutting shorter too. Besides that, they can also try to replace the set of her outfits by the other one. It is not compulsory that Barbie has to wear this T-shirt with his trouser. Children can combine the t-shirt with a long skirt and create a new style. Moreover they can modify the length of her dresses as they might like or they can even try to sew a new dress or a T-shirt for her. The ideas to imagine the context which Barbie belongs to is not a bad ideas. For example, Barbie who wears a gorgeous dress may attend in a prom party. Not just that, due to her flexible body children can modify the position of her arms, bend her legs or sink her head like she is greeting someone for their ideas. Barbie makeovers are not only fun, but also creative. It step by step helps children show their own style. Barbie successfully shows her power in promoting the children's imagination and creation. Moreover Barbie is a friend who inspires children to show their own identity. Playing with their Barbie, children have a chance to show their dream, their lifestyle and their personalities. The children would like to spend many hours to take part in a role play that Barbie is the main character. The context is one of the necessary elements in their imaginative play. Nothing is scripted in their imagination; it includes children's pretended role play. In their play, Barbie will be a reflective image of children. For example, if the child considers Barbie as a teacher, she may create a play that Barbie goes to the school and works at 7 a. m. At 5 p. m, she comes back her home and plays with her children. Then there are some conservation between Barbie and her children†¦ In this case, perhaps the child has a dream to be a good teacher in future. She also thinks about her future as a kind mother with a lot of children around her. Besides that, the child shows her time for Barbie going to work and coming back home means that she is very good at managing her time. However the role of Barbie in these plays is not fixed. Children usually change Barbie's careers and extend the plots as well as the conservation to illustrate their family life, imagine adolescent life and glamorous events. Barbie will be the copy of children which helps them show their dreams, their personalities and their real life. Since I was 12 years old, Barbie was always appeared in my wish lists. That was the time when I came to my friend's house and saw her doll. Her Barbie's beauty going along with her beautiful outfits and accessorizes makes me fall in love with her. However it was not easy to own a Barbie doll due to its price and its market distribution. I remember at that time it is very difficult to find the original Barbie in Vietnam. The only way to own a Barbie doll at that time was you had to buy in America and send back. My dream only came true when my uncle came back to Vietnam in 2009. He brought a Barbie doll as a gift for me. Although it was not a right time for me to play Barbie due to my busy schedule and my age, I still felt very happy when owning such a beautiful doll. Every weekend, I have to go to Ho Chi Minh City and I take a bus to come back my hometown. When I leave, my younger sister usually stays at home alone. As the result, Barbie became my younger sister's friend whom she could spend for hours to play with. One day when I came home from Ho Chi Minh City, my sister asked me to design some clothes for Barbie. I accepted her request because I thought this was a good chance to me for practicing my sewing skills. We came to some tailor shops asking for scarps of fabric together. Then we tried to sew the simplest outfit for Barbie without taking her measurements or sketching out her outfit including a strapless shirt and a mini skirt. Although they were not really excellent, it was an unexpected success and it made us feel really satisfied for our efforts. By sewing the outfit for Barbie, we together stimulate our creation. Not just that, she also enjoyed changing Barbie's appearance for example the hair. Thanks to the long and straight hair, my sister created many different hairstyles as far as she could imagine. Sometimes Barbie becomes a charming girl with the small lovely braids, another time she turned into an active girl with the basic horse-tail style. Besides that as far as I know, she also had a schedule for taking care of Barbie. She usually changed Barbie's hair and her outfits every day and cleaned the dirt in Barbie every weekend. Taking care of Barbie shows how thoughtful and careful she was. Barbie somehow helps me realize my sister's identity. Sometimes when I came home and saw my younger sister was talking to Barbie. She often played a role as a teacher and Barbie was her student. She had her own classroom map which included the position of her friends and Barbie in class. She taught Barbie the subjects she studied such as Math, Literature or Music. Thanks to the plays she performed together with Barbie; I realize many potential capabilities of my younger sister as well as her identity and her thoughts. While many people today only pay attention to Barbie's unreal body shape and argue about her negative influences she may bring to children due to her story and her lifestyles, they seem to forget her positive impacts. In my opinion, instead of complaining about Barbie and her body measurements, we should reinforce the facts that Barbie helps life of children become more beautiful and lively. By the time when children grow up, Barbie will help them figure out their career, their characteristics and their lifestyle. She is not a plastic doll who was named Barbie but a bridge and an instructor guiding children to their future. What a wonderfully full and imaginative world we enjoy with Barbie!

Pros and Cons of Partnership as a Form of Ownership Essay

Q.1 Identify the pros and cons of the partnership as a form of ownership? A partnership is formed when two or more people engage in a business activity and share investment, profit and loss. Just like any other form of ownership, it has its advantages and disadvantages. Following we discuss some of the pros and cons of a partnership. Pros of the Partnership (1) Ease of Formation: Partnership is comparatively simple to form. All you need to form a partnership is an agreement. A verbal agreement is enough to start a partnership however it is much recommended that partnership be formed based on a written legal partnership agreement. (2) Funding: Partnerships generally have a low startup cost. With two or more people investing capital in the company, the business will have a much stronger financial ground. Two or more people can also have better access to outside funds needed to run the business (3) Divided Responsibility: In a partnership responsibilities of running a business are shared by the owners. Shared responsibilities ease the work load on individuals and can also increase productivity by splitting responsibilities in a way that individuals can use their special skills to maximize the output. (4) Support: Owning and running a business can be very demanding, challenging and stressful. Having a business partner can give you a little peace of mind because a partner can provide moral support when needed. (5) Taxation: The income profit/loss in a partnership flows through the business to individual partners for taxation. In other words the partners are taxed only on the basic of personal income i-e how much loss or profit a partner endured. Cons of Partnership: (1) Liability: In a partnership both partners have un-limited liability (not in LP and LLP). Both partners are responsible for not only their own actions but also the actions of their partners. So, if your partner fails to pay a debt, you personally are responsible for paying that debt and vice versa. If someone sues the partnership and the business doesn’t have enough money to cover the expenses than the partners personal assets will be at stake. (2) Conflicts and Disagreements: Partnerships are for the long term and over the course of time conflicts arise and disagreement happens. Whether these are personal or management style conflicts. They can adversely affect the business. When general partners don’t agree it can delay the decision making time of the company and a bad conflict is enough to dissolve a partnership. (3) Dependence on Partners: The success of any partnership depends heavily on contribution from all partners. If a partner withdraws the business will be crippled, if a partner dies the partnership can die with him. Moreover you can’t make any business decision on your own you’re dependent on your partner. (4) Difficulty Withdrawing: It is not that easy to get out of a partnership. Whoever needs to withdraw will be personally liable for any monetary obligations due at the time of withdrawl. Q.2 Discuss funding options for small business? In order to run a business you need capital. Getting the money together to start a new business is the top priority of any entrepreneur. There are several ways to finance a small business. Following are some options for financing a small business. (1) Personal Resources: Using your own assets is the most common form of small business financing. You can use money from your saving, ask family or friends for capital or use a credit card. (2) Loans: In order to startup a new business, entrepreneur borrows money from the banks. The banks charge an interest rate on the money lent. The business owner must pay the original money borrowed plus the accumulated interest over the life of the loan. In today’s economy it is not easy to secure a commercial loan with the bank. A better and easier way for a new business to get a bank loan is with loan guarantee from the SBA. (3) Angels Investors: Another way to fund a small business is by private investors. Angel Investors are individuals who have a lot of money and are looking to invest a large amount into a profitable business for financial gain and profits. (4) Venture Capital: The companies who fund promising and high potential companies in exchange for ownership shares are known as venture capital firms. Venture capital is the money provided by venture capital firms to startup businesses that are perceived to have a long term growth potential. It has a high risk for investor but also has potential for above average profit returns. 3. Determine and discuss how managerial accounting can help managers with product costing, incremental analysis and budgeting? Managerial accounting provides accounting information needed by managers inside an organization to run its day to day operations. It provides managers with financial information’s needed to make sound business decisions. Managerial accounting information includes budgeting, product costing, performance reports, variance analysis and financial ratios. Following we look at three managerial duties that rely on information received from managerial accounting: (1) Product Costing: Product costing is the process of accurately determine the cost of a single product, by analyzing all the expenses that accrued from the beginning (raw material) to the end (sale). In traditional costing method indirect costs are applied to products, based on an overhead rate that is predetermined. The traditional costing system is easier and much simpler but fails to add the cost of non-manufacturing goods that are associated with the production of that item. (2) Activity Based Costing: Activity Based Costing is a new method in costing. It’s much more complicated that the traditional costing system. ABC gives a much more accurate product cost. Under activity based accounting associated with production of an item is determined and priced. This priced activity is than assigned to every product that requires the prices activity for production. Managerial accounting provides managers with the financial information needed to determine the cost of a manufactured product. (3) Incremental Analysis: Incremental Analysis is a decision making tool. It is used for the analysis of financial information needed to make an informed decision. In incremental analysis two different alternatives are weighed out in terms of cost/profit and the impact of the outcome of this analysis will have on a particular decision. It basically points our related cost and revenue of each alternative and the impact this alternative will have on future income. After using incremental analysis and choosing one alternative over the other. The cost change that occurs due to choosing the alternative is called incremental cost. Managerial accounting provides us with the numbers needed to compare two different alternatives, pick the right one and analyze the difference in cost. Budgeting: It helps managers plan and control costs and revenues. Budgeting is a tool for managers to determine how much money needs to be spent in order to generate a certain level of income. Budgeting in simple terms can be called forecasting; in budgeting we prepare a very detailed statement of financial results that are likely to happen in a time period to come. Companies use budget to plan for a future period based on financial statements. Managerial accounting provides managers with the financial statement for budgeting. Q4. Discuss the basic components of the marketing process using the product or service of your choice as an example? Marketing strategy can be described as an activity to position a product, attract customers while promoting the interest of stakeholders in a business. Marketing makes it possible to communicate the value of a product or service to consumers. Following the basic components of marketing process is explained briefly using artificial jewelry as a product. (1) Product Strategy: Methodologies, tools and technology used by a business to differentiate and distinguish its product from its competitors, is called product strategy. In terms of artificial jewelry my strategy would be to describe my product in full detail including where it was made, who it was designed by and what metals were used in its formation. I would also set my product apart by choosing appealing packaging and I would back the quality of my product by giving guarantees. And above all I would provide exemplary product designs and excellent customer service. (2) Pricing Strategy: Pricing Strategy is very important in marketing because it generates a turnover for the company and it’s also important because it affects other components of marketing as well. In terms of artificial jewelry first I would do a thorough research on competition prices, than I would calculate my final cost and select a pricing objective. I would compare my sale price with that of my competitors, and make sure that my price is lower than the competitors and value of my product is higher than the competition. Initially, I would keep my profitability low and will try to build clientele base by providing unbeatable prices. (3) Distribution Strategy: Distribution plays a very important role in marketing strategy. It involves how well the final product is delivered to the consumer. The product must be delivered to the end user in the right quantity, at the correct date and time. In terms of artificial jewelry most of my sales will be distributed at shows and festivals organized by different entities and a major part of my sales is also going to be web based. I will contact different shipping companies to find out the best courier in terms of price and value. And ship my jewelry through the best medium, at minimum amount of tie. (4) Promotion Strategy: Promotion Strategy is also vital part of marketing. A promotion strategy includes all the ways used by companies to provide information about their product in such a way that it would ultimately increase the company’s sale. In terms of artificial jewelry I would offer some sort of coupon and advertise my discount. Offer free shipping (when possible), maintain customer relations and send out promotional information to existing clients. Q.5 Discuss the role of social responsibility and technology in the marketing function. Social Responsibility in Marketing: Being socially responsible for an organization means that it cares and shows concerns about the people and environment in which they conduct business. Marketing can be described as promotion, selling and distribution of a product. Social responsibilities in marketing would first of all include truth telling about their product , all the information about the product should be correct and up to date. Companies should be concerned about their environment and take steps to make a cleaner. Companies should also show support for social causes in marketing. Company should market their product in a way that it doesn’t offend any group of people. Technology in Marketing: The technological boom in the past years had definitely revolutionized marketing. The internet has created numerous marketing opportunities for businesses. Now days there are numerous marketing firms that work exclusively on the internet. At first radio changed marketing, than TV and now it’s the age of hand held devices and internet. Marketers now days know that constant technological advances require evolution in the marketing process. With technological advances it’s much simpler and quicker to get customer feedback. It is much simpler to deliver the product to the customer and to do market research and maintain your brand reputation. Technology had had a great impact on marketing.

Achievements Towards Wawasan 2020 So Far Economics Essay

Achievements Towards Wawasan 2020 So Far Economics Essay The implementation of such a great idea was and is still thought to be impossible by many Malaysians. The skepticism of many was understandable, but, as the saying goes, â€Å"Rome was not built in one day†. The initial efforts needed to bring the Wawasan 2020 vision to life had already been started since the early nineties. Many if the challenges set by Tun  Dr.  Mahathir have seen light in various forms, starting with some of the main challenges, being â€Å"Establishing a united Malaysian nation made up of one Bangsa Malaysia† and â€Å"Establishing a matured liberal and tolerant society† One Malaysia (1Malaysia) This particular goal is being implemented through the 1Malaysia programme, which is mostly being used as a catalyst for the Wawasan 2020 idea. The 1Malaysia programme was designed by Malaysian Prime Minister  Najib Tun Razak  on 16 September 2010, calling for the cabinet, governmental agencies, and civil servants to more strongly emphasize on ethnic harmony, national unity, and efficient governance. An official logo and slogan has been introduced along with the commencement of 1Malaysia concept. The logo is the symbol of ‘1’ which includes the national  flag and the word Malaysia. The Malaysian government has spent RM 38 million to promote the 1Malaysia concept in 2010 (Joseph Sipalan, April 2011). http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4b/1Malaysia.svg/100px-1Malaysia.svg.png The 1Malaysia Logo Moreover, the slogans for the 1Malaysia concept have been changing each year. The slogan for the beginning of the promotion campaign for the program, in 2009, was: † Rakyat Didahulukan, Pencapaian Diutamakan  (People First, Performance Now)† In 2010, it had been changed to: â€Å"Menjana Transformasi  (Generating Transformation)† In 2011, the slogan was: â€Å"Transformasi Berjaya, Rakyat Sejahtera  (Transformation Successful, People Prosperous)† For 2012, the slogan is: à ¢â‚¬Å"Janji Ditepati  (Promises Fulfilled)† Many of the other challenges stated by Dr.  Mahathir in his Wawasan 2020 concept have been implemented through the 1Malaysia initiative. For example, the 1Clinic programme was implemented under the 1Malaysia initiative and goes in line with one of the challenges set by Dr. Mahathir, being, â€Å"Establishing a fully caring society†. 1Malaysia Clinics have been launched in several areas across Malaysia and provide basic medical services for illnesses and injuries such as fever, cough, colds, wounds and cuts, diabetes, and hypertension. Malaysia citizens are charged RM1 for treatment and medication. Non-citizens are charged RM15. There currently are 119 1Malaysia Clinics in Malaysia so far, and the Malaysian Ministry of Health is planning to increase this number to 175 by the end of 2012. (Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, The Star, September 2012) Malaysian Economics One of the important points in the Wawasan 2020 project is the 7% per annum growth over the 30-year period. If the targeted growth is reached within the planned timeframe, the Malaysian GDP or gross domestic product would increase from RM115 billion in 1990 to RM920 billion by 2020 (â€Å"The Way Forward†, Prime Minister’s Office, November 2008), in increase nearly by eight. Alongside, the population is estimated to have a slow increase to around 32 Million at an average of 1.9 percent per annum during the period. This wished-for increase in output and the slower expected growth of the population will result in the per capita income steadily rising from RM 6,180 to RM 26,100 by 2020- ranking Malaysia among one of the high income nations.

Organizational Change Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Organizational Change Paper - Essay Example This vision must encompass a vision for future - a vision which can virtually transforms people to be more enthusiastic. Further, to achieve transformation of an organization, it is critical that the same vision must be successfully sold to all stakeholders i.e. to employees as well as shareholders and consumers who must accept how their future is going to look like if that vision is going to be followed. It is also critical that the transformational change must find its way i.e. strategies must be developed to realize that vision and change besides ensuring that leadership must take charge of the transformation taking place within the organization. Apple Computers or Apple is one such company which completely transformed itself during last 10 years by adopting innovative and transformation business practices. This paper will analyze how the transformational changes impacted its workforce and external stakeholders besides analyzing how those changes took place within the context of transformation. Apple has a very troubled history as it failed to achieve market share despite being one of the early pioneers in computer hardware and software manufacturing. With the removal of Steve Jobs, founder of Apple Computers, company further plunged into crisis and were virtually on the brink of collapse when return of Steve Jobs resurrected the company and transformed it into one of the best consumer brands in the world. Apple's transformation is the result of visionary leadership and a marked change in the way company was operating. It transformed itself from a mere computer manufacturing firm to a firm which is now more of a consumer electronics goods manufacturer. This transformation was the result of drastic changes into cost cutting and control, rationalization of existing product lines, improving upon the distribution system of the company as well as introducing new products. (Hays, 2007). However, above all there was complete transformation into two of the following key areas: Employee Skills & Stakeholders One of the earliest impacts of such transformation at Apple was the fact that employees of the organizations were taken on-board regarding the change i.e. they were involved in the whole process of bringing that change. One of the actions which Apple took while starting transformation was the fact that they radically changed the designs of its products to make them more sleek and attractive. This was done basically to create luxurious products for masses however, what is most important is the fact that employees were part of that whole process of design especially engineers at the firm were involved heavily in the process. Therefore, the skills required by management and employees to accommodate change were to be part of that process. Steve Jobs achieved the same by involving employees into this supposed transformation. Further, as a leader and manger, Steve Jobs communicated that change internally as well as externally i.e. to external stakeholders such as shareholders and consumers where as employees as internal stakeholders. Further, it is also critical to understand that as a transformational process was under its way, Apple also implemented programs to continuously grow and learn in order to anticipate market changes more easily. Support Systems In order to accommodate ch

Drama Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Drama - Essay Example Much can be discerned about the nature of average lifestyles in post-World War II America through an examination of the play’s plot structure, other sensual elements, language, contextualization and form. Tennessee Williams’ play A Streetcar Named Desire is based in post World War II New Orleans, specifically the French Quarter, where a mixed ethnic and social working class group attempt to live in close proximity to each other without coming to blows. It is a noisy, sometimes violent and always busy neighborhood that opens up to Blanche Dubois at the opening of the play. Blanche is a retiring former Southern Belle now attempting to pick up the pieces of her shattered life and shattered psyche to make a new start. She arrives at her sister’s tiny apartment, consisting only of two rooms separated by a flimsy curtain, explaining how she has been given a lengthy leave of absence from her teaching position in Laurel, Mississippi in an effort to provide her the time she needs to restore her nerves. From here, Blanche only becomes more complicated, complicating the lives of her sister and Stanley Kowalski, her sister’s husband, as she attempts to secure a small, quiet place on earth to call her own. From this mystifying opening, the play begins to illustrate how the two women and the man interact as they attempt to find a peaceful means of co-existence. This is made exceedingly difficult as Blanche cannot accept or understand how Stella might possibly be happy in such surroundings and married to such a ‘common’ brute man. Shortly after her arrival, she is attempting to encourage Stella to run away with her to somewhere nicer, perhaps to the home of an old beau of hers by the name of Shep Huntleigh, who is now a millionaire. It is never determined whether this individual actually existed or would have recognized Blanche had

Brain Drain and Brain Gain In Asia (India, South Korea, China) Research Paper

Brain Drain and Brain Gain In Asia (India, South Korea, China) - Research Paper Example However, a different trend was noted towards the turn of the millennium where many immigrants from these Asian countries embarked on a reverse mode to their countries of origin (Lien & Wang 156-157). In this regard, the return channel of the immigrants meant substantial brain gain for the developing countries and absence channel for the western countries. It has been noted that professionals from China and India who have acquired higher education in the western countries are increasingly been forced back to their homelands. This is as a result of the economic instability and changing immigration laws in the western countries such as the United States. On the other hand, it is plausible that about 55% of Indian immigrants and about 80% of their Chinese counterparts return to their homelands due to the availability of equal business and employment opportunities back home. On a specific basis, about 30% of these immigrants have returned home due to increased job security. In addition, 2 8% have been attracted back by brighter future prospects, and 25% have been attracted by enhanced education systems and options. Furthermore, about 12% of the immigrants have cited attractive employment packages as their major reasons for opting back to the motherland (Paldam 458). Within the Asia-Pacific region, immigration and emigration of professionals and skilled workers has become as a pivotal point for some of the world’s economic movers including China and India. It has been noted that some of the major reasons that initially contributed to the movement of professionals from India and China included shortage of skilled labor, changing demographic patterns and rising costs of living. It is noteworthy that enhanced social, economic, political, and educational environment in the Asian region are churning new opportunities for migrant students, talented individuals, and skilled labor (Paldam

Compare and contrast analysis paper Term Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Compare and contrast analysis - Term Paper Example These three articles present three different cultural settings each with a particular cultural background ranging from human relations to animals and objects culture. Geertz (2005) "Notes on the Balinese cockfight", the author presents a community deeply rooted cultural observance despite the educational purpose of the cockfight function. As a way of raising school fees a role that government should have undertaken, this closely-knitted community comes together through a cultural event. In this article, symbolic interactionism theory plays out quite well. The community is united, and as theory suggests, they should be understood at their social level. In addition, ethnographic communication of the community need for school is clear. Through a cultural cockfight, the community communicates the social philosophy called verstehen that emphasizes on understanding the event from participants point of view (Geertz 2005). Certainly, Geertz knowledge on social theories in practice was put to test. In addition, the Actor-Network Theory (ANT) significantly applies to the cultural event. As this social theory suggests, the objects and animals use ought to be understood as part of the community communication and social network. Unlike Phillipsen and Hernandez articles, this article focuses on a cultural communicative ritual that is viewed noble and undertaken to pass crucial message. Besides, the article by Fordham Hernandez " A white Mothers muse" brings into light intercultural interaction theories. Certainly, a Mexican raising American-Mexican children present a sociological challenge. According to the social construction theory, the philosophy of typification bedevils the character of this article. As a product of a different culture in a totally new environment with a varied background of the children, she is prone to create cultural standards. However, the challenge of ethnocentrism would not allow the children to adopt their mothers culture. Perhaps,

Banking - the way forward Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Banking - the way forward - Research Paper Example There is a paucity of good data as to why newer and more effective computerized banking technologies were not utilized in the first place when these technologies are readily available. It is just a matter of re-programming their IT structures and software to make these anti-money laundering efforts more effective. The present methods allow too many loopholes for bank officers to be complicit. This is a good reason why anti-money laundering should have a minimum of human interventions in place of adopting newer technologies to remove the human elements in the detection and reporting of possible money laundering. The authorities are looking into alternative banking and remittance systems a bit more closely through the Serious Organized Crime Agency (SOCA) as good avenues for money laundering (Burns & Peel, 2006:1). Ironically, Col. Qaddafi and his family have billions stashed away in UK banks. The question is how were they able to move such huge sums without triggering the anti-money l aundering laws of the country? Private banking involves investing for select individuals sizable assets in businesses where large sums of money are normal. Examples are insurance, stock investments and building societies (Bicker, 1996:143). A new troubling area in money laundering in the UK is the use of private trusts (OECD, 2006:30). Private banking plays a big role in the setting up of various trusts (Kalin and Goldsmith, 2007:28) for property ownership and wealth management but pose big risks. The present anti-money laundering technologies produce mostly a bunch of data that relies to a great extent on human interventions. Again, these reports are reliable only to the extent on how reliable are the people who reviewed these reports. In other words, the degree of human intervention in reporting makes these efforts to control dirty money mostly wasted efforts because the humans involved (bank officers) compete in an environment that is not very conducive to compliance with anti-mo ney laundering regulations. When the dirty money amounts to substantial sums, and banks are in need of liquidity, the incentive to comply with the laws and regulations is much lessened. The more crucial priority is the survival of the banking institution itself and so the â€Å"dirty money† continues to flow and bank officers turn a blind eye. There is a need to inject a sense of urgency to anti-money laundering efforts because the survival of society itself is at stake. It has social, political, legal and economic implications which are mostly adverse to the well-being of the people. If these efforts fail, it can mean only that crime really pays. It will also encourage other people to commit the same crimes and get rich themselves. Money laundering threatens and undermines the thread that keeps a society functioning because of its corrosive effects on the moral values of people. Its tentacles are slowing finding its ways into various aspects of daily life. A review of existi ng literature on money laundering will indicate that people are aware of the seriousness, magnitude and urgency of the problem (ADB, 2003:5) but there is a lack of materials on why money laundering continues to proliferate. Most literature materials on this topic have not discussed or investigated why present anti-money laundering efforts have largely failed to stop the flow of illegal funds around the world

Employee relations Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Employee relations - Coursework Example The relationship at workplace can be between any person in the organization, between coworkers, between workers and their superiors, between members who are in the same management among others. In any working environment, it is mandatory for employees to share a relationship that is healthy with one another so that they can ultimate product of their input is done to their best. In any workplace, the relationship that exists between the top management and the employees are of great value. Human relations starts from the starting point of employee training, addressing the needs of the employees, fostering an employee working place culture and resolving the conflicts that arises at the working environment between employees or employees and the top management. Every individual at working place shares a particular relationship with his or her fellow workers. Human beings at places of work are not machines who begin working at the press of a mere button. The employees need fellow workers whom they can talk to and share ideas, happiness and sorrow with each other. A healthy relation of employees reduces problems of absenteeism at the places of work when there is a good relation, individuals tend to be serious and put more effort towards their work. They do not take frequent leaves and do enjoy their work and the working environment. Employees’ incidents of complaints will reduce and start giving inputs to their best. Unitarist perspective This perspective assumes that an organization is an integrated and harmonious whole that deals with ideal of "one huge happy family". Its assumption is that the top management in the organization and other staff members all share a common purpose, emphasizes cooperation and have similar set of values, objectives and interests.

History of Brazil Essay Example for Free

History of Brazil Essay Brazil the only Portuguese speaking country of South America, was founded by Spanish and Portuguese in the same year of 1500, but was handed over to the Portugal in the agreement of Torsdesillas (Bamber Gascoigne,gtu). Since the time of its colonization from 1500 until the late 1930, export of principal products has been subjected. Joao VI the sole sovereign when returned to Portugal, his apparent to the throne was Pedro, who surged a sequence of progressive political differences, which ultimately led to the independence of Brazil by 1822, leading to an era of kingship by Dom Pedro. His son Pedro II continued his legacy and led a more efficient government more than his father till 1889, where he was deposed by military coup. After that there were two more military coups in 1930 and later in 1964, but since 1985, democracy slowly returned to the snagged state. But in the midst of all the political and military drama, somehow the country’s economy was on the move. The history of the country indicates of its troubled pasts, and its love affairs with military coups, but since the last three decades, the country’s political frame has been stable, leading to ample opportunity for company like ours. Brazil Demography and Economy Brazil today has a population of more than 183 million people, with a high literacy rate of more than 86% (BIGS, Brazil today). A very strong positive indication, of a healthy literate population, briefly a very lucrative consumer mass for our product. Brazil comes in one of the front leaders of a leading economy in the world. It is an elite member of trillion dollar GDP group of the world. It is one of the fastest growing economies of the world, and slowly but surely, this country has become members of varied monetary unions, like Mercosur, and G-20. Brazil’s GDP has grown at an alarming 5. 1 % in the financial year of 2007, and with a very strong GDP per capita income of $8800 and also the Brazilian currency BRL$ is very strong, as 1 USD is near about less than BRL$ 2. This 8th largest economy of the world would prove to provide substantial buyers of our product in due course of time. Brazil’s Lifestyle Brazilian culture is a very open culture, with very less of taboos, and from the early times has been into music, and dance. Being a highly diversified culture with a huge mix of ethnic groups, Brazil has a very rich heritage. Music is one of the lifelines of Brazilians, and it can be stated form the fact that, way before their independence, Brazil had its own set of music schools, set up in different part of the country . This 5th largest population of the world is very inclined to towards singing and dancing customs, and being a prosperous nation 98% of the large population has access to television, where their local movie industry which also being the 10th largest in the world is highly well-liked and watched. Brazil’s inclination towards sports is not hidden from the world, and especially their superior liking for football. The population in general is known to be very hard working, but very apposite to recreation in sports and music. Status of demands of subwoofer in cars Brazil has a very large automobile industry, and in the year 2005, Brazil manufactured more than 1.65 million cars only for its domestic market (Elisangela Cordeiro), also according to the Euro monitor consumer electronics reporting Brazil, the in-car electronics such as woofers and media players along with other electronics in the market are available at cheap installment schemes, which are luring the common man into packing his car with accessories, like car speakers and woofers. Brazil has got a very huge young population, which would be our main targets for our products, as woofers are a very mandatory thing for the young generation of Brazilians. Recommendation Our first strategy to enter Brazilian woofer market is to tie up with the local car manufacturers, and to fit in our woofers in the local brands at reasonable prices. Since Brazil has a huge automobile market, we can tap into its boom and accessories the cars with our woofers. Secondly, the basic nature of a Brazilian is very open, and everyone has very strong interest in the different genres of music, we can capitalize on this nature of theirs and we can have ads on the lines of their open nature along with, their music, being played by our subwoofer. The only competition from a brand as repute as ours is from the company â€Å"BOSE†, but it only has its sales distributors, retail and commercial in Sao Paulo, if we can pull up our regional centre in Sao Paulo as well as the capital Brasilia , then we would be miles ahead of BOSE in the Brazilian sphere, as we would be able to reach a lot of people with our products, also these two cities are the main hotspot places for tourists, mainly coming from other regions of Latin America, and we would start catering to the domestic as well as the other Latin American mass would enhance the company’s reputation in nationally as well as in other neighboring countries. We can have our shops in malls and in different youth oriented streets and places, apart from having our outlets at car showrooms. Another thing that is strongly recommended is to tap into local manufacturing structure as Brazil has a very high amount of labor population who work at remunerations which are much aff ordable to us than the labor unit in the US, also the transportation costs would exceed cost price of our product. It is more suitable to link up with government in Brazil for facilitating us with the required formalities, and also the required waivers being handed out to us, in return for the unit which would commence in Brazil, in turn handing out jobs to the local population. Once we establish our market in the region, we can market our product more to the masses by making changes in its core design and, we can create an innovative JBL series subwoofer, which can be in a shape of a football (sphere), which would woo youngsters and football lovers. Further details regarding this matter will be mailed to you from the Research Development wing. Conclusion Brazil has a very booming economy, and it is being rated with countries like India and China who are, the fastest growing economies of the world. This country has a very reasonable labor population which would cut down our costs by a huge margin, when we start manufacturing here. The regional centers which I have recommended would enhance our market in the country, and we if we can tap into the free nature and love of music of the Brazilians , then we would have not only a huge market in this country but also other Latin American countries who would follow Brazil’s in pursuit. Apart from Brazil’s distressed past of military coups, there is nothing else that negates Brazil as one of the prime future market for our company Work Cited Bamber Gascoigne, â€Å"History of Brazil†, Jan 14th 2008 http://www. historyworld. net/wrldhis/PlainTextHistories. asp? historyid=aa88

Truman Doctrine And The Marshall Plan History Essay

Truman Doctrine And The Marshall Plan History Essay On the eve of their victory in World War Two, the leaders of the so-called Big Three nations (Winston Churchill from Britain, Joseph Stalin, from the Soviet Union, and Franklin Roosevelt from the United States) met to negotiate the post-war administration of the vast European territories liberated from Nazi occupation and the captured territories of the Axis nations themselves. The two meetings at Potsdam and Yalta were actually the second and third (respectively) following the first of the Big Three meetings at Teheran in 1943. At the time of the final meeting at Yalta, all three leaders expressed genuine optimism that a peaceful and fair collaboration that had begun of necessity in their combined effort to defeat Hitler could last beyond the war years and into a prolonged period of international peace thereafter (Alterman, 2004). However, there were fundamental conflicting interests and concerns that had begun to develop even before the conclusion of the war. Both the United States and the Soviet Union had already begun to view one another as rivals in Europe, both for territory captured from the Germans as well as for the technological spoils of war, such as German aviation and ballistic rocket technology in particular (Roberts, 2000). During the last year of the war, the Western Allies had feared that Stalin would continue his advance well into central and western Europe and all the way to the Mediterranean (Alterman, 2004). To a large degree, those fears were unfounded as Soviet troops halted after occupying the Baltic States and territories in Germany, Poland and the Balkans (Alterman, 2004). Nevertheless, the Soviet Union did also exert continual pressure elsewhere, particularly in Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Greece, and Turkey. When Britain could no longer afford to support the needs of Greece and Turkey, the U.S. stepped up and in 1947, announced a broad approach to providing economic support to those regions (and others believed by the Truman administration to be potentially at risk of Soviet domination) economically in what came to be referred to as the Truman Doctrine (Gaddis, 1997; Judge Langdon,). That same year, U.S. Secretary of State, General George C. Marshall, introduced an even broader approach, that came to be called the Marshall Plan which included all of the mechanism outlined in the Truman Doctrine, in addition to a comprehensive fight against hunger, desperation, poverty, and chaos and whose aims included the revival of a working economy across the European continent but also in all the nations of the world ( Gaddis, 1997; Judge Langdon,). In fact, the principal motivation for this plan was a policy analysis authored by George C. Kennan, counselor in the U.S. embassy in Moscow entitled The Sources of Soviet Conduct (Roberts, 2000). That analysis led directly to the adoption of a containment policy by the Truman administration (and subsequent U.S. presidential administrations designed expressly to oppose perceive Soviet expansionist aims everywhere in the world (Goldfield, Abbot, Argersinger, et al., 2005; Roberts, 2000). Throughout the Cold War, the official position of the U.S. was that its policies with respect to the U.S.S.R. were strictly defensive and designed, of absolute necessity, to prevent the global domination sought by Soviet Communist leaders (Alterman, 2004; Gaddis, 1997; Judge Langdon, ; McNamara, 1995). In truth, the U.S. policies to oppose Soviet Communist expansion and the imposition of Communism beyond Soviet borders were not unfairly viewed by the U.S.S.R. as an expansionist attempt to export and impose Western Democracy beyond U.S. borders. The Deterioration of Relations between the U.S. and U.S.S.R. after 1945 Even before the end of World War II, the provisions of the February 1945 Yalta Conference set in motion conflicting priorities and zones of occupation that helped trigger the eventual deterioration of the wartime alliance between the Western Allies and the Soviet Union (Goldfield, Abbot, Argersinger, et al., 2005). Specifically, the agreement left Britain, France, and the United States in charge of Western Germany, Italy, and Japan while the Soviets controlled Eastern Germany, Bulgaria, Romania, and Hungary. By comparison, the territory controlled by the Western Allies was much more valuable in terms of its economic potential than that held by the Soviet Union. The same was largely true in connection with the relative economic potential of Western and Eastern Germany. Under the terms of the Yalta Agreement, the Western Allies administered what later became West Germany and the U.S.S.R. controlled what later became East Germany. Even the capital city of Berlin was divided into zones o f occupation; within a few years, the geographical layout of Berlin and the shared occupation between the Western Allies and the U.S.S.R. would trigger a prolonged crisis as well (Goldfield, Abbot, Argersinger, et al., 2005). Although perceived by the West as being stubborn and acting out of a specific motivation to dominate Europe, Stalin expressed genuine confusion over the inability or unwillingness of the Western Allies to appreciate the importance of Eastern Europe from the Soviet perspective, particularly with respect to Poland (Alterman, 2004; Judge Langdon, ). Recent and not so recent history demonstrated full well the vulnerability of the Soviet Union to hostile invasion through Poland. Moreover, Stalins liberation of Poland from the Nazis had cost the Soviet Union as many as 20 million dead, making it the costliest war campaign in the entire history of warfare, by far. From the Russian point of view, Poland should rightfully have remained under Russian control for those two specific reasons alone (Alterman, 2004; Judge Langdon, ). In other respects, the Western Allies may have been right to question Stalins motives. During the war, both Churchill and Stalin had sent troops to occupy portions of Iran to prevent their rich oil fields from falling into the hands of the Nazis (Alterman, 2004; Roberts, 2000). Already at Yalta, Stalin had begun demanding oil concessions as a condition of removing Russian troops from Iran. Likewise, Stalin had insisted that Turkey permit the Russian Navy permanent unrestricted passage from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean through the Dardanelles. Stalin yielded on both accounts only after the U.S. expressed its intentions to back Iran and after the U.S. sent its own Naval warships to the region. Nevertheless, U.S. foreign policy thereafter would reflect the growing fears over such incidents that Stalin expressly intended to capitalize on any perceived weakness on the part of the West to oppose Communist grabs for global territories and resources (Roberts, 2000). The Importance of Kennans The Sources of Soviet Conduct In 1946, the U.S. State Department received a very long telegram from George C. Kennan, counselor in the U.S. embassy in Moscow, detailing his analysis of what he called The Sources of Soviet Conduct (Gaddis, 1997; Goldfield, Abbot, Argersinger, et al., 2005; Judge Langdon, ; Roberts, 2000). Among other conclusions, Kennan wrote that the Soviet Union was eternally committed to global expansionism and to the spread of Communist ideology at all costs. Kennan warned that the Soviet Union would never stop probing non-Communist societies for weaknesses and that the Western democracies had no other choice but to remain vigilante in their opposition to Communism lest is spread throughout the entire world to the extent efforts toward that end were not opposed appropriately by the West (Gaddis, 1997; Goldfield, Abbot, Argersinger, et al., 2005; Judge Langdon, ; Roberts, 2000). Kennan concluded that what would be necessary and appropriate to prevent Communist expansionism from dominating the word would be a comprehensive policy of global containment of any efforts toward that end by the Western democracies (Gaddis, 1997; Goldfield, Abbot, Argersinger, et al., 2005; Judge Langdon, ; Roberts, 2000). At approximately the same time, also in 1946, Winston Churchill delivered his infamous Iron Curtain speech in which he warned of the same danger with respect to the European continent and advocated a strong opposition on the part of the Western democracies. (Gaddis, 1997; Goldfield, Abbot, Argersinger, et al., 2005; Judge Langdon, ; Roberts, 2000; Westad, ). In principle, this containment strategy would be adopted by the West, most immediately in the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan. The Truman Doctrine By 1947, Greece was in the midst of internal warfare between the government and Communist rebels (Alter, 2004; Goldfield, Abbot, Argersinger, et al., 2005; Roberts, 2000). Britain had been funding the counterrevolutionaries but eventually announced that it could no longer do so for economic reasons. The U.S. administration argued to Congress (and to the American people) that the fall of Greece to Communism would lead inevitably to the subsequent fall of Italy, France, and the entire Middle East to Communism as well (Gaddis, 1997; Goldfield, Abbot, Argersinger, et al., 2005; Judge Langdon, ; Roberts, 2000). Truman succeeded in obtaining congressional authorization for $400 million to fund anti-Communist rebels in both Greece and Turkey as well. This was the first implementation of what came be known as the Truman Doctrine, according to which It must be the policy of the United States to support free people who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pres sures. Truman went on to say that this support from the U.S. should be primarily through economic and financial aid, which is essential to economic stability and orderly political process (Goldfield, Abbot, Argersinger, et al., 2005). Officially, the Truman Doctrine focused on economic assistance to the needy populations of the struggling nations; unofficially, the real purpose of the Truman Doctrine was to fund anti-Communist forces and virtually any related effort to undermine Soviet attempts to spread Communism anywhere in the world. While being promoted primarily as a humanitarian gesture, the principal purpose of the Truman Doctrine and the reason for its existence was to oppose Soviet Communism (Gaddis, 1997). To be fair, there were reasons that the West was right to be so concerned about Soviet Communist expansion but there were also reasons that, with the benefit of 20/20 hindsight, the West in general and the U.S. in particular overreacted in implementing the Truman Doctrine. The Western Allies had only recently learned a very difficult lesson after failing to respond appropriately to the rise of Nazism throughout the 1930s and to the expansionist aggression demonstrated by Hitler for years before the outbreak of World War II. Undoubtedly, that was foremost on the minds of Churchill and Truman and everyone else in foreign policy-making positions in the post-war era (Alterman, 2004; Roberts, 2000). The Soviets were hardly innocent either. In addition to the attempted exertion of influence in Iran over the removal of their troops and over control over shipping lanes in the Dardanelles, they also aggressively supported Communist revolutions anywhere they could in Eastern Europe, particular ly in Bulgaria and Romania in connection with Communist takeovers and in Poland by helping to eliminate the last source of political opposition to Communism (Goldfield, Abbot, Argersinger, et al., 2005). On the other hand, and again, in retrospect with the benefit of 20/20 hindsight, the Western Democracies were also somewhat blind to apparent signs of Soviet restraint and concessions to the West. After initially insisting on shared control over defeated Japan, the Soviet Union eventually accepted exclusive American control over that nation (Gaddis, 1997; Goldfield, Abbot, Argersinger, et al., 2005; Judge Langdon, ; Roberts, 2000). Likewise, they withdrew their troops from Manchuria, allowed free elections in Hungary and Czechoslovakia and a neutral democratic Finnish government, and they also withdrew significant numbers of their forces that had been assembled in Eastern Europe since the end of the War (Gaddis, 1997; Goldfield, Abbot, Argersinger, et al., 2005). It may be unfair to re-evaluate tensions of the time with the benefit of historical records available today (including those pertaining to Stalin that only became available after the collapse of Communist Russia). However, objectively, and with the benefit of hindsight, it would seem that a more measured and objective response on the part of the U.S. and her allies in the post-war years other than the full implementation of the Truman Doctrine might have allowed for a much less costly and potentially dangerous outcome than a four-decade-long Cold War with the Soviet Union. The Marshall Plan One of the major initiatives implemented within the general framework of the Truman Doctrine was General George C. Marshalls European Recovery Plan, which quickly became known as the Marshall Plan (Gaddis, 1997; Goldfield, Abbot, Argersinger, et al., 2005; Judge Langdon, ; Roberts, 2000). In principle, the Marshall Plan aimed to do the same thing (i.e. contain Soviet Communism from global expansion) although through incentivizing cooperation and conciliation on the part of foreign nations in return for U.S. economic assistance. It was, in essence, a tremendous carrot instead of a stick-based approach to encouraging foreign nations to implement democratic governments and to reject Communist overtures (Roberts, 2000). The U.S. even invited the Soviet Union to participate but they refused, believing (probably correctly, given the overall objective of the Truman Doctrine) that the terms in connection with which Soviet participation was being welcomed would have undermined Soviet control over the Eastern European countries under Soviet influence (Goldfield, Abbot, Argersinger, et al., 2005; Judge Langdon, ). Two years later, the Soviet Union would create Comecon, their own plan for an Eastern European Mutual Economic Assistance organization. The Marshall Plan was an unparalleled success in Western Europe: it facilitated infrastructure recovery in war-torn countries; it enabled economic growth while simultaneously reducing class conflict. More importantly, from the U.S. perspective, it established an economic dependency for U.S. goods and industrial machinery and for the U.S. goods, services, and labor to support it (Goldfield, Abbot, Argersinger, et al., 2005). Certainly, the Marshall Plan was a more humane approach to expanding U.S. influence and discouraging Communist tendencies among Western European populations than the Soviet Union had employed in Eastern Europe. However, its fundamental purpose was much more similar. Moreover, the U.S. was guilty of the same degree of meddling in the domestic affairs of sovereign nations as was the Soviet Union, albeit through much more peaceful means that relied upon the carrot rather than the stick. Nevertheless, from the point of view of exporting its own political ideology to other nations, the U.S. was actually engaged in the same business as the Communists that the West continually portrayed as expansionist (Hunt, 1987; LeFeber, 1994; McDougall, 1997). For example, because of the dependence of Italy on American foreign economic aid and supplies of goods and services, the U.S. was able to convince the Christian Democrats to oust the Communist Party out of it governing coalition. In fact, General Marshall personally warned the Italians that continued economic aide was directly dependent on the Communists not succeeding in the elections of 1948. At the same time, the U.S. State Department recruited Italian relatives in the U.S. and Italian-American organizations in the U.S. to influence Italian political outcomes as much as possible (Goldfield, Abbot, Argersinger, et al., 2005; LeFeber, 1994; Hunt, 1987; McDougall, 1997). Ultimately, the U.S. cannot claim to have meddled or micromanaged Western European political affairs any less than their Communist counterparts in Moscow. While there is a strong argument that the methods chosen by Moscow were less humane, it would be a fiction to suggest that the Soviet Union exported Communism and was expansionist while the U.S. merely supported political self-determination and opposed the imposition of political ideology from abroad. Certainly, from the Soviet perspective, Washington was engaged in very similar processes that differed much more in their means than in what they hoped to achieve. Moreover, whereas the U.S. had the choice between brutality and economic pressure and incentivization, the U.S.S.R. had no such choice, at least not that could have competed against the economic and industrial strength of the U.S. Conclusion Throughout the Cold War, the predominant view in the Western hemisphere was that the Soviet Union was continually engaged in an aggressive campaign to export Communism while the West, led by the U.S. was merely resisting that expansion by supporting the freedom and self-determination of those nations that would otherwise have been at the mercy of Communist takeover. In reality, the U.S. was no less aggressive in exporting Democracy, although it had the economic means to do so much more gently and humanely, and by inviting membership in their democratic vision rather than by coercion and brutality. However, in terms of precipitating what became a four-decade-long Cold War between East and West, the Truman Doctrine, the Marshall Plan, and the policy of containment first articulated and promoted by George Kennan in 1946 were no less responsible than Soviet expansionism through intimidation and force. The Cold War eventually resulted in the collapse of the Soviet Union by virtue of the strength of the U.S. economy and industrial capacity. However, it was really only a matter of luck and restraint on the part of Soviet leaders that prevented the Cold War from suddenly becoming anything but cold particularly in connection with the Bay of Pigs fiasco and the Cuban Missile Crisis. In both cases, Soviet forces were armed with tactical battlefield nuclear weapons and authorized to use them on U.S. forces. Ironically, those facts only became public as a direct function of the fall of the Soviet Union and the doctrine of Glasnost instituted as a result (Gaddis, 1997; Judge Langdon, ). The Cold War grew out of a combination of factors and was probably not as inevitable or as much the result of aggressive Soviet expansionism as is widely believed in the West. To be sure, its roots were partly the result of the paranoid personality of Joseph Stalin. Similarly, the U.S.S.R. had given the Western Allies reason for concern over Stalins intentions in the Middle East (and elsewhere) even before the end of the war. The historical record suggests that at the time of the final Big Three meeting at Yalta, Stalin genuinely hoped for a collaborative and cooperative relationship with the American and British governments. On the other hand, even during those most hopeful of times, Soviet spies were busily at work successfully and thoroughly infiltrating the Top-Secret U.S. Manhattan Project at Los Alamos. However, the relative insensitivity of Western leaders to appreciate the legitimate historical basis and geographical realities facing the Soviet Union, especially in Eastern Europe is equally to blame. To a much greater degree than is often acknowledged by Western historians, the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan were, in fact, less about achieving the specific objectives laid out publicly as their fundamental purpose than they were about implementing a global containment strategy designed expressly to counter perceived Soviet expansionism. It is likely that but for paranoia and overreaction on both sides, the legitimate geopolitical concerns of both the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. could have been negotiated more successfully and at far less cost to both sides. In that regard, the long-term effects and consequences of the American foreign policy approach with respect to the U.S.S.R. that was outlined and established by the Truman Doctrine and by the Marshall Plan within the first few years after the cessation of World War Two hostilities would have to be considered as responsible for the development of the Cold War as Soviet Communist expansionism.

Essay Comparing Macbeth and Lady Macbeth -- comparison compare contras

William Shakespeare’s Macbeth tells the story of a general who commits regicide in order to become king. Early in the play, Macbeth is conflicted as to weather or not he wants to kill his kinsman the king. In the first two acts Macbeth is not portrayed as a ruthless killer; he is a sympathetic character who succumbs to the provocation of his wife and a prophecy foretold by three mysterious witches. In contrast, Lady Macbeth is a manipulative, immoral woman. Her ambition is so strong that she is willing to do anything to see her husband succeed. However, in the third act things begin to change. The death of the king and lord and lady Macbeth’s rise to power catalyze profound transformation in their personalities.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Before Macbeth enters the stage his reputation as a prestigious general is established. In the second scene of the play men who have fought with Macbeth rant about his courage in battle. The first account of Macbeth’s bravery comes from an injured captain. He says: â€Å" But all’s too weak/for brave Macbeth (Well he deserves that name)/ Disdaining fortune, with his brandish steel/. (1.2.17) The rest of the scene consists of other recounts of Macbeth’s success; the thane of Ross informs the king that Macbeth has successfully suppressed the joint efforts of the thane of Cawdor, and the king of Norway. Furthermore, in this scene the king announces that Macbeth is to be promoted as the new thane of Cawdor. In this scene Macbeth is portrayed as a mighty, patriotic, warrior and a loyal subject to the king. However as the play progresses Macbeth deviates from these traits. Macbeth’s encounter with the three witches c onfuses him. He begins to decide on a course ... ... to kill Banquo he says â€Å" Not I’ th’ worst rank of manhood say ‘t And I will put that business in your bosoms†(3.1.115) This was the same technique that Lady Macbeth used when she was persuading Macbeth to kill Duncan; she questioned his manhood. While Macbeth is loosing his morals, Lady Macbeth is developing hers. After Macbeth reveals his plot to kill Banquo she is reluctant to add another murder to those already committed: â€Å"You must leave this†(3.3.40)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In act three another prophecy foretold by the witches comes true. The paradox â€Å"fair is foul and foul is fair† characterizes the changes the protagonists undergo in acts one, two and three. Throughout the play Macbeth, the â€Å"fair† one, becomes overcome by guilt and becomes â€Å"foul†. While Lady Macbeth who was â€Å"foul† in her instigations becomes â€Å"fair†. Essay Comparing Macbeth and Lady Macbeth -- comparison compare contras William Shakespeare’s Macbeth tells the story of a general who commits regicide in order to become king. Early in the play, Macbeth is conflicted as to weather or not he wants to kill his kinsman the king. In the first two acts Macbeth is not portrayed as a ruthless killer; he is a sympathetic character who succumbs to the provocation of his wife and a prophecy foretold by three mysterious witches. In contrast, Lady Macbeth is a manipulative, immoral woman. Her ambition is so strong that she is willing to do anything to see her husband succeed. However, in the third act things begin to change. The death of the king and lord and lady Macbeth’s rise to power catalyze profound transformation in their personalities.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Before Macbeth enters the stage his reputation as a prestigious general is established. In the second scene of the play men who have fought with Macbeth rant about his courage in battle. The first account of Macbeth’s bravery comes from an injured captain. He says: â€Å" But all’s too weak/for brave Macbeth (Well he deserves that name)/ Disdaining fortune, with his brandish steel/. (1.2.17) The rest of the scene consists of other recounts of Macbeth’s success; the thane of Ross informs the king that Macbeth has successfully suppressed the joint efforts of the thane of Cawdor, and the king of Norway. Furthermore, in this scene the king announces that Macbeth is to be promoted as the new thane of Cawdor. In this scene Macbeth is portrayed as a mighty, patriotic, warrior and a loyal subject to the king. However as the play progresses Macbeth deviates from these traits. Macbeth’s encounter with the three witches c onfuses him. He begins to decide on a course ... ... to kill Banquo he says â€Å" Not I’ th’ worst rank of manhood say ‘t And I will put that business in your bosoms†(3.1.115) This was the same technique that Lady Macbeth used when she was persuading Macbeth to kill Duncan; she questioned his manhood. While Macbeth is loosing his morals, Lady Macbeth is developing hers. After Macbeth reveals his plot to kill Banquo she is reluctant to add another murder to those already committed: â€Å"You must leave this†(3.3.40)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In act three another prophecy foretold by the witches comes true. The paradox â€Å"fair is foul and foul is fair† characterizes the changes the protagonists undergo in acts one, two and three. Throughout the play Macbeth, the â€Å"fair† one, becomes overcome by guilt and becomes â€Å"foul†. While Lady Macbeth who was â€Å"foul† in her instigations becomes â€Å"fair†.

Motherly Love in Amy Tan’s Joy Luck Club Essay -- Joy Luck Club Essays

Motherly Love in Amy Tan’s Joy Luck Club A mother’s love for a daughter is an intense feeling; some times it can be very joyful or very painful.   Most mothers just want their daughters to have everything that they didn’t have, they try to give their daughter all their hopes and dreams.   The relationship between a mother and daughter should be one of the greatest relationships a woman can have with another woman. Some time a mother can push a daughter to hard, some mother don’t mean to make their daughter feel bad or to make them up-set, the mothers just want the daughter to have better then what they had.   A mother gives her daughter advice about everything in life.   â€Å"A Mother’s Advice to her Daughter.† â€Å"Be strong.   Be intelligent. Smile knows that beauty has everything to do with how you feel about yourself and nothing to do with looks or other people’s opinions.   Never do anything just because everyone else is if you believe it’s wrong.   Always be true to yourself.   Expect the best from life and that’s what you’ll get.   Learn from your mistakes and failures.   Believe in magic and wish on stars.   Love and trust and be compassionate.   Make faces.   Play in mud puddles.   Take bubbles baths.   Turn off all the lights and watch lightning storms.   Dance, laugh, cry, and sing when you want to.   Read everything you can get your hands on.   Stand up for what is right especially if you stand-alone.   Don’t allow yourself or people around you to tolerate prejudices of, any kind.   Don’t be afraid to at least once a week.   Run through snowdrifts.   Spin in circles and roll down hills.   Pet after noon naps.   Stay up to watch the sunrise.   Never apologize for being a woman or for being yourself.   Never forget that I Love you more than any ... ...omen, she did not want to look and see what her husband was doing.   Each marriage was not stable in any kind of way and some kind of household item was a sensible of their marriages. How each item broke too sensible that their marriage had fallen apart. The lives of eight Chinese women are told throughout the book The Joy Luck Club.   How their childhood was, their first marriage was and all their hopes and dreams that they wish to come true.   A mother’s love for a daughter can some be joyful or very painful.   In the case of these women all the mothers want was their daughter would not make the same mistakes that they did in the past, and for them to learn for those mistake.   That is the love for a daughter from her mother. A mother gives her daughter advice about everything in life. WORKS CITED    Tan, Amy. The Joy Luck Club. New York: Random House, 1989.

Are you pro or against medical science? :: Science Medicine Essays

Are you pro or against medical science? There is a fragile line between obsessiveness and curiosity, when it comes to medical science. As we can see in Mary Shelley's " Frankenstein" Victor is completely obsessed with his idea of creating a monster even though at the end he abandons it. This article is clearly a description of what science should not be. On the contrary Emily Martin's "The body at war " is an obvious example of true science " Martin's analysis reveals that the most powerful metaphor associated with the immune system are those of war and battle and she reflects on the ways in which these war scenes are populated by identities that are gendered, raced and classed"(286). These are two extremes that drive humans to scientific knowledge. The people searching for scientific knowledge to eliminate disease, improving public health, and extending or saving lives VS. the people who, deliberately introduce disease for destruction. For instance recent bio-terrorism events invite speculation on the nature and extent of human capacity for destructive as well as constructive behavior. The question is where do we draw the line between those who create suffering to further their cause and those who strive to alleviate suffering regardless of the cause? In recent history of medical technology or medical science, there have been innumerable advances that have created an extraordinary technological jump in global society. Many aspects of life have improved dramatically, for example Laser surgery for the eyes; a process called Lazik has given those of us with eye problems a different way of "seeing" the world. Another example is the new Gadget called VeriChip; a vitamin size computer chip bearing vital personal information. This chip is surgically implanted under the skin and is used to tell doctors about patients who are allergic to antibiotics. Once injected into the arm, the inch long chip can neither be seen nor felt. Another advancement in Medical technology is G.E( General Electric)company introduce the world's first 4Dimensional ultrasound technology where you can clearly see your future baby. Or what about open heart surgery, cat scans, re-attachment of body parts and pill cocktail that keep HIV infected people alive? Scientifi c and medical breakthroughs we never thought possible. Medical science has provided many solutions to our unanswered questions and has removed our fears, says Michael Bishops article "Enemies of Promise" "Science is the art of the possible, of the soluble" (239).

Women Safety

Being in the 21st century, with technology and world so advanced, we still talk about this subject, â€Å"Are Women Safe, in India, especially? † With surveys and understandings of what is happening around us, it is time that the country joins hands together to realize that – ‘Women are NOT SAFE in any means in India’. There have many cases that have been reported and many unreported for the torture a woman undergoes, yet there has been nothing done to change the law or the system to the way a woman is being looked at. Women have been advancing, progressing and have proved that they can beat men in any sector they are in.Be it sports, arts, science, politics, service or for that matter any where, she has stood at par with what a man could do. Yet, she still fights for equality. No matter what, the old thoughts and upbringing culture still lay cluttered in the minds of men that women should not be above men, but below them. It is sad to understand that women are the better halves of the society, yet they are the ones who face the maximum tortures in many ways in their lives. Time has changed, yet attitude towards women have never been changed.To understand better, one has to get to the root cause of the problem. It has all started ages ago, where men are thought to be gods and powerful and women to be just like slaves for household works. From inside the womb, till her death, a woman is always faced with danger. In the womb, the chances of being killed, even before seeing light, when being born and growing, she faces harsh brutalities like molestation, abusing, physical and mental tortures and above all a heap of workloads and in old age, just abandoned and still being opened for more brutalities till death.What a life? One has to understand, women are also human beings. They also have the same thoughts, desires, and dreams and feel the same pain that men feel. How could they just be taken for granted? We all know the Delhi Rape Case. (Dec 16th 2012) The most brutal rape case ever heard. There were Nation wide protests, debates, and candle lights, everything done by the public to punish the criminals. It is high time that the law has been changed with regard to cases like these.There has to be stringent punishments and fast tracks to monitor these kinds of cases. When the law is stringent in a country, before committing a crime, at least the offender would think twice on committing the crime. I agree that with one punishment, the nation is not going to get better, but with consecutive punishments, it would be under a controllable situation. Nothing changes overnight, but in due course it does create an effect. The present scenario is not going to change, but yes the coming generations could definitely make a remarkable difference.The basic understanding that men and women are equal has to start at school levels. Education is a must for all. The government has to come up with strategies where every child gets educ ation. Respecting the opposite sex has to be taught from school levels and parents and teachers have to join hands in this subject. With proper understanding, exploitation could be reduced to much extend. Women are not sex and child bearing objects, but they are also equally powerful and emotional and a great companion for men and the vice-versa should be made to understand.Once this understanding gets through, half the scenario changes. Changes do not take place soon or easily, but if each one of us join hands in every possible way that we can and start to make little changes within the family from today, it would gradually get implemented and there would be a better society that respects and understands women, at least for our next generation and generations to come. Women could walk around freely, without the fear of being attacked at any time, anywhere. Join hands and save women.

Descriptive Writing: Favourite food  Essay

I would have to say that my favorite food so far would have to be my Auntie Bettina’s boiled potatoes. The texture of the boiled potatoes is so smooth and soft that it might be considered a new different state of matter by some scientists. Her potatoes are a sequence of many hours of trial and error. With so much excessive effort being put into these potatoes, the result has always been a bowl of heavenly delicious Carbohydrates. Of course there is a catch these potatoes are only made monthly. That day happens to be the 21st of every month and within a few moments the bowl is filled with boiled potatoes and the bowl is scraped down to its last potato molecule. The chances of being able to get a second plateful of boiled potatoes are similar to the chances of a hippopotamus learning to speak three different languages. I’m pretty sure my aunt could rule the world if she wanted to globalize her production of boiled potatoes. However I don’t think she would want too because that might cause an all-out global war in an attempt to capture the last portion of boiled potatoes before the ingredients are finished. The march for the last particle of boiled potatoes might in fact lead to the 3rd world war. In conclusion these boiled potatoes aren’t just a piece of slop that is slapped in a huge bowl. The boiled potatoes from my aunt are made with more care than that of the Egyptian pyramids. They are perfectly made to entice your taste buds and leaving you wondering how something could be so perfect, could be created on this planet. Many wonder what happened to their plate of boiled potatoes, often realizing moments later that they consumed it so fast. That it was nearly impossible for them to see what exactly they ate.

How Are the Iais Principles Met with in the Mauritian Legislation on Insuranc

UNIVERSITY OF MAURITIUS FACULTY OF LAW AND MANAGEMENT SECOND SEMESTER EXAMINATIONS MAY 2009 PROGRAMME BSc (Hons) Accounting with Finance – Level 3, 4 BSc (Hons) Finance – Level 3 BSc (Hons) Finance with Law – Level 3 MODULE NAME DATE International Finance Wednesday MODULE CODE DFA3006Y(5) 6 May 2009 TIME 9. 30-12. 30 Hours NO. OF QUESTIONS SET 6 DURATION NO. OF QUESTIONS TO BE ATTEMPTED 3 Hours 4 INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES This paper consists of SIX Questions and you are required to answer ANY FOUR (4) Questions International Finance – DFA3006Y Question 1 a) (i) Explain the term â€Å" foreign exchange exposure† in relation to the operations of a multinational enterprise. [5 marks] ( ii ) How are such exposures usually handled by management? [9 marks] (b) Seattle Inc is a medical device manufacturer. The company’s annual sales of $ 40m have been growing rapidly, and working capital financing is a common source of concern. The Chief Finance Of ficer, Martin Bell has recently been approached by one of the company’s major Japanese customers, Yosaka, with a new payment proposal. Yosaka typically orders ? 12. million in product every other month and pays in Japanese yen. The current payment terms extended by Seattle Inc are 30 days, with no discounts given for early or cash payment. Yosaka has suggested that it would be willing to pay in cash (in Japanese yen) if it were given a 3. 0 % discount on the purchase price. On the basis of the information below: Spot rate 30-day forward rate 90-day forward rate 180-day forward rate ? 96. 60/$ Yosaka’s Weighted average cost of capital ? 99. 08/$ Seattle Inc Weighted average cost of capital ?100. 42/$ ?103. 56/$ 9. 00% 11. 95%Advise Martin Bell on Yosaka’s proposition, assuming that Seattle Inc hedges all its foreign currency transactions. (c ) [8 marks] Calculate the rate of forward premium of the US $ on the 180-day forward rate. [3 marks] [Total marks : 25] Pag e 1 of 3 International Finance – DFA3006Y Question 2 â€Å"When the financial systems fail, everyone suffers† – Edward Carr, The Economist. (a) Explain the importance of regulations in a financial system. [15 marks] (b) In the wake of the financial crisis that has shaken America and Europe, do you think regulators have failed in their role? 10 marks] [Total marks : 25 ] Question 3 (a) Briefly outline the disadvantages of a fixed exchange rate regime? [6 marks] (b) Explain the following terms: (i) Special Drawing Right ( SDR ) ( ii ) Currency board arrangement ( iii ) Euro currency ( iv ) Dollarisation [12 marks] (c) The Thai baht was devalued by the Thai government from Bt 25/$ to Bt 29/$ in July 1997. Calculate the devaluation of the baht against the US dollar [3 marks] (d) Explain the difference between devaluation and depreciation of a currency. [4 marks] [Total marks : 25] Page 2 of 3International Finance – DFA3006Y Question 4 (a) Do you think free in ternational capital mobility is desirable for emerging economies? [15 marks] (b) Explain how an active secondary market for securities can be beneficial to: ( i ) lenders ( ii ) borrowers [10 marks] [Total marks : 25 ] Question 5 (a) Outline the main summary statements of the balance of payments accounts and explain briefly their economic significance. [10 marks] (b) How can flows of ‘laundered’ money from drug trade or international terrorist activities find their way into the Balance of Payments? [5 marks] (c)How can such illegal flows be avoided if a country wants to be perceived as a â€Å"clean† financial centre? [10 marks] [Total marks: 25] Question 6 (a) As a firm evolves, domestic operations are no longer adequate to sustain further development, and the firm seeks other avenues of growth. Outline the considerations that need to be taken if the firm is contemplating a strategic alliance with a foreign partner. [15 marks] (b) Explain the difference between â€Å"internal† financing and â€Å"external† financing† for a foreign subsidiary and give two examples of internal financing. [10 marks] [Total marks : 25] -END OF QUESTION PAPER- Page 3 of 3

Negative impact of modern technology on students

IntroductionThe paradigm shift in the contemporary society in relation to the learning environment witnessed in the wake of a new light of advancement in technology has had all sorts of impact on various entities in the society. The forces of globalization have been viewed directly as destructive in many ways though this is still debatable as it is subjective of personal judgment. When technology fails to be used constructively or when it does not find an effective application, technology becomes detrimental to autonomy in thinking and action.This technology has seen introduction of the gadgets of science into the classrooms, study rooms and to be specific, to the students’ life. It has impeded the capability of self creativity in students as they leave all thinking to machines like computer and the hi-tech learning gadgets. Most people argue that modern technology has a negative impact on the socialization of students because it eliminates need for physical activity, impairs critical thinking skills, and limits face to face interaction.DiscussionLimits face to face interactionThis is not a subject one would conclude at once by leaning on one particular side. It is therefore imperative to critically look at both sides of the divide and an analyze views on the basis of zero bias. On the contrary, and in support of the argument above, we find that technology has invaded the learning environment and turned it upside down. The introduction of computers in schools, for example, has reduced the level of student- to-student interaction and in its stead placed student-to-computer interaction to rule supreme. (Glenn M. Kleiman (2000) The Digital Classroom- http://hepg.org/hel-home/home).This means that the students spend most of their time relating and communicating with the machines rather than face-to-face interaction of the students to each other. This later on leads to development of ethical dilemmas in the future society. In such a milieu the learner prefers to associate with ‘non-physical’ characters on TV, net or web. This leads to stereotyping behavior in students. Recent research carried out in 2001, (Seemann, E. et al-(2001).Also see C. Crawford et al. 2001 , reveals that the use of computer mediated communication and technology in the learning environment has great impact in changing the lives of students in the classroom. It further indicates that through modern technology, students’ behavior in terms of interactions with the teachers and the tutors is immensely influenced as well as that among the students themselves. This approach, the researchers argue, downplays the significance of social contact hence may lead many students to fail in developing the necessary social skills to function in the world..Impediment to Critical thinkingSecondly, the use of the modern technology in learning environment may be a substantial threat to the ability of students to develop high level of critical thinking. This means t hat since the use of computer aided communication will entail the fingers pressing for a click of the mouse, liberation of ideas will be thwarted and thus hinder creativity. When there is no liberation of ideas there’s little or no creativity and therefore originality and subsequent development take a back seat. Because of availability of a machine with ready-to-use programs, the student will not care questioning of the present method of approach to a problem and therefore will not discover new ways and means of solving a given problem.Eliminates need for physical activityThe technology can also play quite a significant role in producing laziness in terms of reduced physical dexterity to engage in any exercise that involves exercise to the body. The importance physical exercises play to the body is of great relevance to the healthy development of a physically fit individual. The above research also reiterates that even physical activity by students becomes a nightmare as the only involvement of the student will be the hand or fingers, the eyes together with ears- if there be any additional item on the list, it should be nothing other than maximum fixation to the screen, (Seaman, E. et al-(2001)).Opposing argumentsOn the other side of the divide lies the great relevance computer aided communication and technology based learning have in modeling individual students in the classroom and the society. Those who argue that the relevance of technology in a learning environment is absolute contend that though the technology may have some negative impacts, the positive achievements are far much superb and outweigh the negative ones.   This argument holds that a student needs to develop the skills referred to as the multiple intelligences (Howard Gardner, 1983).Gardner says that the use of the powerful technological enables speeded development of these intelligences. In addition, human machine interaction enables an individual to think, communicate and delibera te on ideas through development of creativity in words, speech and writing. Most modern technology like some computer software that allows young children to and illustrate their own narratives or stories before their motor skills are fully developed enhance learning and creativity to start early in life.Even though the use of computer aided communication and the technology in the conveyance of learning information is objected by some, learners are able to interact closely with mathematical intelligences which enable them to memorize, and carry out mathematical operations in addition to thinking mathematically, analytically and logically before applying the understanding to solve problem. Through these modern systems students are able to interact with scientists exploring the depths of certain places but electronically.The students also develop high ability to understand the world they live in through what they see thus developing spatial or visual intelligence. By development of kin esthetic intelligence students are able to learn through dexterity and coordination thus developing the ability to express their feelings better thereby removing any doubts of ethical dilemmas. The students too can have musical intelligence thus be able to perform and appreciate or create music by whichever means, voice, dance or instruments. Though some scholars argue and maintain that use of the technology reduces the student’s socialization capability, others maintain that in the real sense the technology gives the student the chance to gain high levels of interpersonal intelligence thus being able to cooperatively work with others. This is done through electronic networking.RefutationThe bias that is revealed when trying to analyze the argument from one viewpoint is quite evident. Technology has been of great importance in improving the quality of education, the efficiency in acquisition of information and effective application of positive changes in the society and reali zation of the relevance of these changes to the learning environment.At the same time, it would still be unwise to refute the negative impacts of the technology to the social relations, physical activity and critical thinking of the students in their classrooms. However, the positive role played in enhancing the appreciation of technology in the learning environment cannot go without being lauded. The role for sure supersedes by far the demerits that accompany it.ConclusionTo be of maximum benefit and relevance, application of technology in the learning environment must be applied with care and consideration in order to make the learning process to be qualitatively different and attractive. As we embrace the benefits of having technology, we must also prepare to deal with its negativities. This way, the learning process in the classroom can become richer and pose less threat to the values and autonomy of every individual student. Otherwise it would have an impact that is not desirab le whether the learning environment is home-based or institutional one.References:Seemann, E., Wilkinson, L., et al. Impact of Technology on Socialization of Student in the Classroom, 2001.Kleiman, Glenn M. The Digital Classroom- 2000. Accessed on Friday April 25, 2008 from URL: http://hepg.org/hel-home/homeCrawford et al. (Eds.), Proceedings of Society for Teacher Education and Information Technology. International Conference; 2001 pp. 104-108.

Personal & Career Development Programme Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Personal & Career Development Programme - Essay Example A business model will hence serve as a link between business experts and technical experts to help them understand their roles. In addition, a business model is a significant determinant of making profits accrued from an innovation. Therefore, a business model often attracts a multitude of many business subjects like economics, strategy, operations, entrepreneurship, finance and marketing (Bradford, 2009). Moreover, the main reason why  a given ordinary innovation along with a strong business model often tends to be more profitable compared to a leading innovation whose business model is a mediocre (Bolman 2004). Barlow (2007) explains that a business model has six components, which enables it to be effective, as well as efficient; these components include: Value proposition – this is a depiction of customer problems, products that deal with this problem, as well as the value of the product in view of the customer. Market segment – this is the target group of the cust omers, acknowledging that every market segments have their own distinct need. In most cases, the capability of an innovation is realized by targeting different market segment. Value chain structure – this is the company’s position, along with the value chain, and how the company intends to occupy the element of the principles it establishes in the chain. Revenue generation and margins – this involves the ways that income is generated like sales, subscription etc.; target profit margins, and the cost structure. Position in the value network – this is the identification of competitors, as well as any network results that can be used in delivering more value to customers. Competitive strategy – these entail ways in which the company will attempt to create a prolonged competitive advantage e.g. by striving to be different from other companies (Piro, 2000). An illustration with the help of a case study is the best way to describe ABC Corporation, along with its ABC Model 999 copier, in relation to its business model, products or services, potential development, as well as the customer base (Hoque 2000). The Model 999 often utilized the relativity of higher electro-photography process, a dry process that often dodges the utilization of using wet chemicals (Rainey, 2005). In its attempts to look for potential partners, the ABC Corporation became repeatedly turned down by many leading companies who perceived that technology they had did not have any future especially with the use of the business models (Bradford, 2009). Although the technology was exclusive to first copy systems, the cost of the system at that time was extremely high since it was six to seven times higher than other technologies (Webber, 2010). The issue of selling a given system at lower cost so as to be adopted by many companies then came into place and had to make a decision or else be faced out of the market. This challenge had to come with them also need to make huge profits at that time and to incur their expenses too. They also got suppliers that could supply them with supplies that were identical to theirs, but at cheaper cost (Brinckloe, 2001).

How to encourage spaces into social spaces- cases study on OMA's works Essay

How to encourage spaces into social spaces- cases study on OMA's works - Essay Example These seemingly simple definitions are ample enough for us to immediately see the complexity that the issue of ‘spaces’ bring to us in cities. If someone does not have a separate cubicle, does his/desk in the office become a private space? How is this space accessible to others? How much accessibility should be provided to this space? Who should be allowed access? How does the utilization of this space mark it as public or private? Does the arrangement of spaces in the manner in which cities are planned reflect and enable the spatial and technological revolutions that are transforming us every moment Are our cities and the structures that it house, capable of meeting the increasing requirements of mobility, accessibility and communication that globalization necessitates? These are some of the most important questions that may be asked in relation to the configuration and distribution of spaces today; this paper will specifically look into the area of social spaces in cit ies to day. I will attempt to engage with ‘social spaces’ by describing and evaluating present architectural trends through the example of the Office for Metropolitan Architecture and some of their important projects. Swyngedouw and Kaika, in ‘Making of Urban ‘Glocal’ Communities, mention some of the concerns associated with urban planning such as emancipation and disengagement, global and local as well as social justice versus neo-liberalism. While one may assume the forces of modernity as co-terminus with the spaces of the city itself, this article makes a distinction between the two. They argue that cultures of everyday life are undermined by the creation of a city of the spectacular commodity, making it a staged archaeological theme park (Swyngedouw and Kaika 2003 p.11) On the contrary, current trends in modern architecture claim to be facilitating convergence of multi-purpose spaces, a mission that is tailored to cater to the specific utilitarian purposes that are