Monday, September 30, 2019

Inventory Management Systems Essay

In today’s business environment, even many smaller businesses have come to rely on computerized inventory management systems. Automated systems can replace the cost and time consuming processes that were once completed by hand while providing companies with more accurate data. Inventory control is important to ensure control in businesses that handle transactions revolving around consumer goods. Without proper inventory control, a store may run out of stock on an important item. A good inventory control system will alert the retailer when it is time to reorder (www.barcodesinc.com). It will also aid in the prevention of theft and product loss. Overall, a good inventory system will increase the value of your business, satisfy your customers and create more freedom in your life. In this paper, I will describe all the necessary equipment for a low-cost automated inventory system for a small clothing store. I will also explain the costs involved in the creation of the system, describe the ongoing maintenance that will be required and provide a workflow diagram to illustrate how the system will work. An inventory control system that I feel best provides the need of a small clothing store consists of a PC (laptop), backup/recovery and archive device, wireless router, inventory control software, mobile scanning device, and barcode printer. The system shall provide versatility and reliable performance application demands. This system will make tracking inventory simple and intuitive. This system will allow for flexibility to scan and track inventory away from the PC, enabling inventory records to be updated and perform transactions on-the-go. Updates and changes made are instantly shown in the main database, providing real-time visibility of inventory levels. The necessary equipment needed is a PC (laptop), system requirements, (32-bit or 64-bit Windows 7 Professional, Windows Visa Premium, Windows XP (SP3) Professional, 4 GB RAM, 320 GB disk, DVD), backup/recovery and archive device, wireless router for mobile device use, inventory control software for tracking point-of-sale purchase, a mobile scanning device that allows for wireless integration of data, and barcode printer for labeling and tracking inventory. The initial cost of the system, includes the purchase of the hardware and software needed to effectively label and track inventory. Required hardware: †¢PC (laptop) (Dell Latitude E6420 (32-bit – 4 GB RAM – Windows 7 – 320 GB disk – Intel CPU – 2.66 GHz CPU – NVIDIA GPU – With DVD Drive – 1280 x 800 – Touchpad) purchased from www.dell.com for $669.00 †¢Backup/recovery and archive device (Dell PowerVault RD1000 – Removable Disk Storage) purchased from www.dell.com for $409.00 †¢Wireless router (Linksys E3200 High Performance Dual Band Router) purchased from www.tigerdirect.com for $149.00 †¢Mobile scanning device (Metrologic ScanPal 2) purchased from www.barcodediscount.com for $503.90 †¢Barcode printer (Zebra LP 2824 Plus) purchased from www.barcodediscount.com for $223.10 Required Software: †¢Inventory software, Microsoft Business Solutions Point of Sale Software (single user license), purchased from www.barcodediscount.com for $12.20 The total cost of the inventory system is $1966.20. This is an extremely affordable solution for a small business. Computer preventive maintenance means the operating system is more likely to be cleaned, fine-tuned and better prepared for the unexpected. If routinely scheduled maintenance tasks are not implemented, computers/servers become infected, tweaked and not ready for whatever happens. While every mishap cannot be avoided, even small efforts made in this area increase a computer operating system’s performance. This is what makes preventative maintenance important (www.ehow.com). Ongoing maintenance of the inventory system includes preventative maintenance as well as vendor supplied updates and patches. Vendor supplied patches are updates from the provider to effectively repair a bug in the system. Vendor supplied updates provide the latest software updates provided by the vendor. Both patches and updates must be applied to the system to function properly. Routine maintenance will be performed every 90 days. Routine maintenance includes: †¢Keeping devices properly patched and configured to reduce risk †¢Device health checks to keep systems up and running †¢Minor configuration changes †¢Running scheduled tasks such as defragmentation and disk cleanup on devices †¢Driver updates †¢Increase computer/server memory as needed †¢Patch, monitor and manage security devices It is extremely important that all hardware and software stay up-to-date and completely integrated. Failing to do so, can give you false data which can result in an overstock or under-stock of supplies and cause the business a loss. Below is a flow chart diagram of each piece of equipment used, along with how to the inventory control system integrates with one another. Companies can build their own custom retail inventory systems based upon their needs. In today’s business environment, it is almost vital that businesses switch to an automated system for inventory management because manual inventory can lead to a number of errors, which will hurt the company in the future. An automated inventory system increase companies’ productivity and sales and gives them a competitive edge against their competition.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Poetic Terminology

1. Alliteration- repetition of a particular sound or syllable two or more times in a group [EX: Elderly elephants egress elegantly] 2. Allusion- casual reference or implication of something [EX: Titles of books often allude to what the contents will hold, subtly or not. A book titled Little House on the Prairie implies that there will be a small house on a plain of grass. ] 3. Analogy-two things that have something in common making them comparable [EX: ‘His resolve was that of a rock. Meaning his determination was hard, in similarity to the hardness of a rock. ] 4. Anapest- two short syllables, or two unstressed syllables followed by one long, or stressed syllable [EX: A classic example is from the poem A Visit from Saint Nicholas â€Å"Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house (short syllables bold, long syllables underlined)] 5. Assonance-repetition of vowel sounds to create a rhythm in a line (sentence or phrase) using consonance and alliteration [EX: Ã¢â‚¬Ë œTry to light the fire’ is a good example] 6. Ballad-a song of sorts with two or more stanzas, sung to a melody, generally of romantic character [EX: There are a number of examples ranging from rock ballads like Wanted Dead or Alive by Bon-Jovi or November Rain by Guns N’ Roses to classics like Angel of Music from Phantom of the Opera or the mournful ballad I Dreamed a Dream from Les Miserables] 7. Blank verse- unrhyming verse, generally put in iambic pentameter [EX: The Ball Poem By John Berryman â€Å"What is the boy now, who has lost his ball/What, what is he to do? I saw it go/Merrily bouncing, down the street, and then/Merrily over-there it is in the water! ] 8. Concrete poetry- the typographical arrangement of the poem is as important as the content of the poem itself [EX: The author Ellen Hopkins writes concrete poetry in all 6 of her books—Crank, Burned, Impulse, Glass, Identical, and Tricks. ] 9. Connotation- implied meaning associated with certain words [EX: Cheap has a negative connotation, implying that someone is too tight with money. Economical has a positive connotation, implying that someone spends their money wisely. ] 10. Denotation- literal definition of words [EX: Cheap and economical are both defined as spending little money] 11. Dactyl- In essence, the opposite of anapest. One long or stressed syllable, followed by two short or unstressed syllables. [EX: Basketball is an example of a dactyl. Ba-sket-ball (short syllables bold, long syllables underlined)] 12. Diction-a way of speaking, where the specific choice of words makes one sound better, more intelligent. [EX: A speaker may sound more distinguished, and his audience may admire his diction more, by certain choice of words. Using a word like â€Å"morose† instead of simply â€Å"sad†, or â€Å"elated† instead of merely â€Å"happy†. ] 13. Dramatic monologue- One person performs a speech that defines a certain theatrical moment. [EX: Monologues are common place in plays, musicals, movies TV shows, the whole theatric industry. It is how certain moments are defined. Some very famous monologues, that many have been m odeled after is in Shakespeare’s Othello when the character Iago frequently talks to seemingly to himself, so as to let the audience in on his sinister plots. ] 14. English sonnet (Shakespearean sonnet) (what is rhyme scheme and how are the 14 lines split)- An English sonnet is a song following strict guidelines: rhyme scheme and only 14 lines. Every line is in iambic pentameter. Shakespeare’s sonnets generally have a rhyming scheme of a-b-a-b, c-d-c-d, e-f-e-f, g-g. The last two lines are a couplet. [EX: Shakespeare’s Sonnet Number 18 â€Å"Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?†¦ and this gives life to thee. †] 15. Italian sonnet- (Petrarchan sonnet) (what is rhyme scheme and how are the 14 lines split)- The structure is based in parts of an argument: proposition describing the problem then proposes the solution. The ninth line is generally known for being the turn from problem to resolution. It is also traditionally in iambic pentameter as well as English sonnets. The pattern in Italian sonnets starts with a-b-b-a, a-b-b-a, has two options for the middle: c-d-e-c-d-e or c-d-c-c-d-c. [EX: Francesco Petrarch’s Visions is an example of an Italian sonnet â€Å"Being one day at my window all alone†¦oft makes me wayle so hard a desire†] 16. Elegy-a melancholy, or plaintive poem generally mourning someone who is dead. [EX: Walt Whitman’s O Captain! My Captain! â€Å"Here Captain! Dear father! /This arm is beneath your head;/It is some dream that on deck,/You’ve fallen cold and dead†] 17. Metaphor- figure of speech that describes something through comparison to something entirely unrelated otherwise. [EX: â€Å"feeling blue†, â€Å"broken heart† or â€Å"early bird† are all metaphors. You can’t feel a color, it just refers to a feeling of sadness. â€Å"Broken heart† doesn’t mean that a heart is physically broken, it just refers to a feeling of hurt feelings. â€Å"Early bird† doesn’t mean that someone is actually a bird, it just means they are an early riser. ] 18. Epic- Traditionally long, it narrates the adventures or lives of heroes fighting their adversaries. EX: The Illiad and the Odyssey by Homer are both examples of epics. ] 19. Epigram- Satirical and memorable statement, that is brief and interesting. [EX: Oscar Wilde once said â€Å"I can resist everything but temptation. † This is an example of an epigram not found in poetry. Shakespeare wrote â€Å"So all my best is dressing old words new,/Spe nding again what is already spent;/For as the sun is daily new and old,/So is my love still telling what is told. † 20. Free verse- poem without rhyme or regular meter. EX: â€Å"After the Sea-Ship—after the whistling winds;/After the white-gray sails, taut to their spars and ropes,/Below, a myriad, myriad waves, hastening, lifting up their necks,/Tending in ceaseless flow toward the track of the ship. † After the Sea-Ship By Walt Whitman] 21. Imagery- descriptive language, written to â€Å"paint† a picture. [EX: Imagery and metaphors are very similar, i. e. â€Å"Her eyes twinkled like starlight† is a metaphor and creates imagery at the same time. ] 22. Iamb-metrical foot in poetry. [EX: Some words that are an iamb would be: behold, amuse, depict, destroy, or insist. The title Of Mice and Men uses iamb. Iambic pentameter is a common form of metrical line using iamb. â€Å"But, soft! What light through yonder window breaks? / It is the east and Juliet is the sun† from Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare is an example of the use of iambic pentameter. ] 23. Lyric poem-Traditionally has rhyming schemes, expressing emotions. [EX: The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe is a lyrical poem. â€Å"Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary†¦Shall be lifted—nevermore! †] 24. Limerick-Humorous verse with a rhyming scheme of a-a-b-b-a, three long lines then two short lines. EX: Hickory Dickory Dock is a famous example of a limerick. â€Å"Hickory, dickory, dock,/The mouse ran up the clock,/The clock struck one,/And down he run,/Hickory, dickory, dock. †] 25. Meter-basic rhythmic structure of a verse. 26. Myth-story from history, generally explaining some natural phenomenon. [In Greek Mythology, Zeus is the explanation for lightning, he throws it from the heavens when he is angry. ] 27. Personification-adding a human trait or characteristic to something nonhuman or inanimate, generally in abstract form. [EX: The Cat and the Fiddle is a classic example of personification. The line â€Å"the little dog laughed,† adds a human quality to a dog. ] 28. Occasional poem- specific poems composed for an occasion. [EX: A Visit From St. Nicholas is an example of occasional poetry. It the night before Christmas, and was written specifically for Christmas. ] 29. Onomatopoeia-a sound made into a word. [EX: Comics are known for onomatopoeias. â€Å"Bam†, â€Å"pow†, or â€Å"boom† are all onomatopoeias and are used commonly to describe the sounds of a fight or explosion. ] 30. Protest poem-designed to challenge or undermine common ideals (or uncommon, doesn’t matter really), often directed to authority figures or establishments. Frequently, a taboo subject is used to create this challenge, using vulgar language, and demeaning popular beliefs. [EX: Ding Dong! The Witch is Dead from the timeless The Wizard of Oz is a clear example of protest poetry, as it makes fun of an authority figure post-mortem. ] 31. Symbolic poem- extended metaphor, essentially. [EX: The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost is an example of symbolic poetry. He talks about two roads and which he should take: the well traveled, or the one no one else has taken. The roads symbolize two major life choices, and what the reasons are for taking either one. 32. Syllabic verse- poems that have a constrained number of syllables per line. If anything like anapest or dactyl is included, it is secondary to the syllabic pattern. [EX: Haikus are an example of syllabic poetry, always in the order of five, seven, five by line. Basho Matsuo wrote: â€Å"An old silent pond†¦/A frog jumps into the pond,/splash! Silence again† which follows the patter n of the haiku. ] 33. Tone- attitude or style created by the poem. [EX: The tone in To Kill a Mockingbird is a coming of age.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

The Army and Air Force Exchange Service Research Paper

The Army and Air Force Exchange Service - Research Paper Example Fortunately AAFES has the opportunity to counter the potential decline in sales. With retail facilities operating in Europe and Asia, AAFES has the opportunity to increase sales in an area where the outside economy is unreasonable to shop in. Military service members receive cost of living allowance to offset the difference in cost of living off the economy. Despite having additional income the difference in price makes shopping AAFES more desirable as the customer's first choice. Social and cultural factors are perhaps the most critical when developing retail merchandise assortments. AAFES customers consist of military service members whom are mobile and global customer and are exposed to many global trends. According to the U.S Department of Defense demographic report, military active duty personnel stationed overseas consist of 7.4% stationed in Europe, and 6% in Asia. For this reason AAFES continues to practice market development by bringing products that customers have been exposed to in one country and can continue to buy when they move to another. Government intervention in the retail industry can put damper on business objectives. AAFES is not exempt from the possibility of mergers. In 2004 the Department of Defense proposed merger of AAFES, the NEX (Navy Exchange), and MCX (Marine Corp Exchange). The motion which would eliminate 2,500 jobs never took place, however AAFES is still planning for the coming of the Unified Exchange. This is evident in the joint ventures which have occurred amongst the exchanges to cut costs and increase buying power. With the government slowly lifting bans on restrictions on categories of merchandise, AAFES must prepare themselves for the moment that other changes could take place. Suppliers must be identified, merchandising practices decided upon, and more. In doing this AAFES will lose no time in planning to capture additional sales. Technological Creating customer loyalty has been an ongoing priority and challenge for retailers. Technology has allowed retailers to implement loyalty programs that also track consumer purchases. Amongst change in demand in consumer electronics is the decline of CD music sales in favor of mp3 sales. AAFES can expect the

Friday, September 27, 2019

Technical and communication failures that caused disasters Assignment

Technical and communication failures that caused disasters - Assignment Example The technical failure that caused the disaster was the release of methyl isocyanate (MIC) which was due to water that leaked into one of the storage tanks of Union Carbide pesticide factory (Long, 2008). The problem was aggravated by another technical failure when the main warning siren did not go off for another two hours. Apparently, the tank alarms have not functioned for almost four years already. Other technical problems were revealed upon investigation. These include failure to address safety violations, backup system were either not functioning or inexistent, plant was equipped with only one backup system, which was not the norm, over capacity of the tank which held the MIC, water sprays were ineffective and the pipes and valves have not been repaired or replaced (Long, 2008). The technical failure that caused this disaster was the flawed Soviet reactor design which was operated by plant operators who were not properly trained. According to the World Nuclear Association, there was over pressure which was caused by the interaction of very hot fuel with the cooling water (2011). They went on further to say that the over pressure then resulted in the partial detachment of the cover plate of the reactor. The fuel channels were then ruptured and the control rods jammed (World Nuclear Association, 2011). At least 5% of the radioactive reactor core was released through steam and fires, into the atmosphere and downwind (World Nuclear Association, 2011). The reason for the earthquake is due to the abrupt slipping of the crystal rocks comprising the Pacific and North American Plates by as much as 2 meters (7 ft) along their common boundary-the San Andreas fault system (Nakata & Meyer, 2009). There was technical failure in terms of the construction of the buildings. Most of them were extensively damaged because it was built with unreinforced masonry and they were erected on flood plain sediments

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Pathway to RVCC Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Pathway to RVCC - Essay Example At the time I took that job, I had planned on enrolling in college to get a degree in Nursing. But working full-time and raising my son by myself proved to be very demanding, so I decided to put school on the back burner for a while and concentrate on paying my debts and spending quality time with my son. It was at this time that I met a lovely man, and we decided that since we liked each other so much, we might as well make a commitment to each other. We combined the money we were spending on rent and got a home for ourselves. We found a charming cape-cod-style house in Somerville with a yard big enough for my son and his two active golden retrievers. We thought we were the luckiest people alive! Fast forward to February 14, 2004-our lucky streak ended. The job I had just lost was a union job that required only a high school diploma, and it paid well. Now I realized that without a "proper" education, I could never make as much money as before. It was a difficult time, and I feared for the future of my family. But my lack of a college education trapped me where I was. One day, while waiting for the blue unemployment checks to arrive, I ventured out on Route 22 West searching for a Walmart, and saw a sign that said "Raritan Valley Community College: next right." Something took over me, and I made the right almost instinctively, which led me to the college campus. I found the perfect parking space and wandered into the building. At the student advisement center, I poured my heart out to the college counselor. She listened and guided me through the college enrollment process, which was easier than I had thought. I did some research on their Nursing program and knew right away it was the degree I wanted to pursue. It was one of the best decisions I ever made in my life! I later came to realize that I loved college, making new friends, and just being in a learning environment. I think I will be a student for life. Eventually, I found a great job working in the medical practice. I even turned down the union when they came calling with a job offer. I had decided to finish what I started in college, and I never looked back-a choice that sets a good example for my son as well. He's very proud of me-and one day his Mommy will be a Nurse and help others feel better. His sweet words made me feel lucky

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

A Basic Project Management Framework and the Proper Staff Literature review

A Basic Project Management Framework and the Proper Staff - Literature review Example The measures that had been put in place were not working, in July emergency measures were put in place.   This included free two-year extensions to passports as well as many other drastic measures.   One such measure was to add 100 staff to places issuing passports, and there was a phone line set up to deal with inquiries over the phone. In addition, more measures were put in place in order to improve the lines at passport offices.   Even though the Agency set up a goal of reaching the deadlines for processing passports by peoples’ dates of departure, there were still about a half of a grand missed dates of departure.   This is not to mention all of the hand-wringing going on by customers who were anxiously anticipating their passports being processed. Another aspect of this whole fiasco was that, throughout the ‘90s, some of the concerns of management were to lessen costs as well as make the organization more effective, at the same time keeping good quality cust omer relations.   Management thought that perhaps the Agency had done well for itself, improving in both of these senses of the word and that it boded well with other agencies comparable to itself—costs to the consumer being competitive with other places around the country. Regardless, both management and the Agency realized that they had not taken into consideration, along with the fact that there was increased demand for passports, that the Agency was working out of deference to how many passports were coming in at one time rather than taking into account the fact that the Agency was dealing with a higher demand.  Ã‚  

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Set Up a Company in LDC Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Set Up a Company in LDC - Essay Example In consequences, medical expenditure of company itself been reduced. To make an eco-friendly surroundings strict statutory regulation or voluntary self- regulation is very much needed. According to Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE), different management approaches like reduction, reuse, recycling, and landfills of wastages are easy can be arranged and guidelines are also given by them. The plastic and metals often used directly without pre-treatment (www.panalytical.com). As said by them grinding, milling and pressing systems together can make a complete solution. According to International standardization organization (ISO), every company should maintain the ‘Environmental Management System’. Careful solid waste management nowadays becomes urgent. Solids including paper, plastic, metals and glass pieces and many other things are most of the cases renewable, if not they should be destroyed by the clean way. Mercury, Cadmium, Lead, Chromium VI, PBB, and PBD B are significantly harmful to the environment. Most of the cases the firm own their own water supply. A separate unit should be established for that. For non-polluting disposal, water treatment technology like Trickling Filter Process and/or Activated Sludge Process must be adopted. In many countries, it is mandatory. Although it is not a problem in the urban area, still most of the rural areas are not alighted until now. To set up an electronics unit an uninterrupted flow of electricity is required. As the energy source, it is cheaper in LDC to use traditional fuel like coal and petroleum than hydroelectricity, though non-conventional sources are most eco-friendly but expensive still now.Telecommunication is also not adequate in most of the area in LDCs. National organizations of telecom of respective countries cannot meet the huge demand always.

Monday, September 23, 2019

How I Write Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

How I Write - Essay Example The practice of playing music whiles writing is one thing that helps me in speeding up my work and keeping pace with my thought. This is because unlike a talk show or a speech related program where I have to concentrate on what is being said or pay attention to what is being said, when music is playing, I only act as a passive partaker of it. Reflecting on my past, it would be said that my writing experience has seen some tremendous degree of improvement over the years. One way of measuring such degrees of improvement is when I take some of my own writings that were done years ago and begin to read over them. Even though I have often been impressed with my command over the English language, I often find some petty mistakes that I made in those days that I would not do today. Some of the negatives in my writing have been the fact that in the time past, I hardly dedicated time to reading over my work. This was indeed something I did not enjoy doing at all and so rendered some of my works to be filled with avoidable mistakes. The positives however have to do with the fact that I try to keep my thoughts in-depth and detailed. Writing is something I have come to realize to be one of the things I enjoy most in life. My likeness for writing is howeer relative to what I am writing about. For instance, I would prefer and love to write about things that will not necessarily be assessed. This means that I am more comfortable with free style writing. This is because they enable me to be free flowing with my thoughts and takes away the pressure and demand of detailed research. I hold a personal ambition to become a better writer with this class. I have always believed that learning and writing for that matter is a continuous process and that we get better with them if we keep doing them more and more often. I also hold the believe that knowledge is universal and so the need to seek for new ideas

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Nissim Ezekiel Treatment of Poetry Essay Example for Free

Nissim Ezekiel Treatment of Poetry Essay Nissim Ezekiel’s poem Enterprise describes a metaphorical journey toward a specific goal. The travelers on this journey begin in a real physical place, a desert, and argue about how to cross this challenging landscape. One of the members of the group, who writes the most stylish prose, goes his own way. The rest of the group is left on its own. Some quit the team. The group is attacked by travelers, and over time become unmoved by anything they witness. Fatigue and the stresses of travel have settled in and many of the members of the group cannot go on. By the fifth stanza, the picture ahead is grim. The enthusiasm has faded and their burdens are heavy. Their vision is clouded with the disintegration of the group and their exhaustion. The well-focused goal presented in the first stanza is lost. The travelers are a disorganized group of aimless wanderers unaware any longer of the original motivation for their expedition. Their observations at this point in the poem are about trivial things. In the last stanza, the travelers reach their destination; however, it is not quite home. Ezekiel concludes that this type of expedition is not a worthy undertaking; living â€Å"at home† with inner satisfaction is the greatest achievement of all. The travelers’ consider their journey and have moments of introspection. They come to the conclusion that their expedition has been neither pioneering or notable for any reason. They had thought their journey would make a mark in history. The only problem is that others have made this journey before. It is nothing new. The journey of â€Å"Enterprise† is a metaphor for life and our focus on the destination as the only means for our goals. Some critics have noted that Ezekiel’s â€Å"Enterprise† is also his attempt to bring together two â€Å"homes†: his place of birth and his journey to a European city. His exploration of the idea of â€Å"home† is sophisticated enough to be compared to the same themes in the poetry of Robert Frost, for example.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Trait Theories Behind Larceny Essay Example for Free

Trait Theories Behind Larceny Essay Larceny is an offense which pervades social classes. This crime is not committed only by the poor but even also the middle and upper class members of society. This paper will try to explain the causation theory behind larceny using and combining the biosocial trait theory, the nature-versus-nurture theory, and the differential association theory.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Larceny is the unlawful taking and carrying away of the property of another, with intent to deprive the owner of its use or to appropriate it to the use of the perpetrator or of someone else. Larceny, as will be discussed in this paper, will include theft and embezzlement.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The BioSocial Trait Theory tells us that a crime is controlled by biological conditions determined at birth, and that environmental, and social conditions work in concert to produce human behavior (Siegel, 2006).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Nature Theory suggests that criminal behavior is linked to low intelligence while the Nurture Theory suggests that intelligence must be viewed as partly biological but primarily sociological, meaning, people do not commit crimes because they have low IQs. Instead, environmental stimulation from parents, relatives, social contacts, schools, peer groups, and innumerable others create a child’s IQ level and that low IQs result from an environment that also encourages delinquent and criminal behavior (id).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Differential Association Theory suggests that skills and motives conducive to crime are learned as a result of contacts with pro-crime values, attitudes, and definitions and other patterns of criminal behavior (id). In short, criminal behavior is learned. Combining the Theories   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Each of the three theories mentioned above, more or less, explains why larceny may be committed. However, each one, standing alone, may not be sufficient to explain every act of larceny.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   For example, the BioSocial Theory explains that larceny is committed because of a need. This may explain why a person in dire financial straits may be inclined to commit thievery. However, this does not explain why people from the upper class society commit embezzlement, like rich corporate stockholders who transfer the corporations money to their own bank accounts.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The nature-versus-nurture explains that larceny is linked to persons with low IQs. This is not necessarily true because white-collar crimes, such as professional theft, are committed by very smart people with college or MBA degrees.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The Differential Association Theory explains that criminal tendencies toward larceny is learned by association and assimilation. Perhaps this is partly true. However, larceny has been committed by people who come from very law-abiding families and by people who associate with law-abiding peers. There have been thieveries committed between and among members of the same religious groups.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Now, all these theories, though sufficient for certain cases, may be insufficient for other cases. A combination of all three may explain almost all, if not all, of the cases of larceny. Perhaps, from a different point of view, a combination of all these theories of causation will more concretely explain why people commit larceny. In fact, in reality, larceny may not have been committed because of just one factor but by a multitude of them. The more theories of causation behind a single crime of larceny, the better we see why a person is motivated to commit such crime.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   For example, a treasurer of a corporation appropriates funds of the corporation and deposits it in his own bank account. He is rich, intelligent, well-educated and trustworthy but still he commits it. This is a case when the theories cannot explain the causation behind the commission of larceny. Perhaps the explanation is the contribution of all three causation theories to the commission of larceny in this case.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Partly, the BioSocial Theory may explain that his genetic makeup is such that he has a propensity to commit the crime. It is in his blood, his desire to acquire more. Perhaps he wants to a quick way to get rich because he wants to retire at an early age but he does not commit a crime to do it because he has been well educated otherwise or is afraid of the punishment. Partly too, the Nature-versus-Nurture Theory may contribute to the explanation that though he may have a high degree of education, he has been raised by a father who is a thief or a corrupt government official. He was raised by money acquired by extra-legal means. The environment in which he was raised taught him that corruption is alright. And partly too, the Differential Association Theory contributes to the explanation by assimilating the criminal behavior he has acquired from his parent. He has already learned that corruption is an acceptable virtue as long as one provides for the family.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Each of these factors, standing alone, may not be sufficient to convince him to commit larceny because his criminal propensity may be deterred by his knowledge of the punishment for the crime or just by his desire to live as a law-abiding citizen. However, when all these factors concur, his motivation to commit larceny will be greater. He knows that if his father was able to get away with corruption, perhaps he may also be as lucky even though all his conscience shouts otherwise. He knows that he knows enough on how to get away with it because his father may have unconsciously taught him the tricks. Having all these factors present is enough to succumb to the temptation to commit larceny. References Siegel, Larry J. Criminology 9th ed. Thomson/Wadsworth: 2006.

Friday, September 20, 2019

China Overpopulation Solutions

China Overpopulation Solutions Over population is one of the serious issue that today’s world is facing. China is known as the country with the highest population (CIA). In order to prevent their massive population growth, China introduced the â€Å"One-Child Policy†. It is a policy implemented by the Chinese government with the purpose of controlling the enormous population in People’s Republic Of China. With the establishment of One-Child Policy, there are a lot of benefits and impacts to Chinese society and family. Regarding this topic, this essay will illustrate the positive and negative effects of this policy. After the death of Mao Zedong in 1976, China’s population was approaching one billion-mark, which concerned the new Chinese government. Because of the overwhelmed population growth, Chinese citizens were encouraged to have only two children per family in late 1978. The policy helped to decline almost half of population growth in China during that time but it did not reach their expectation. Later in 1979, China’s leader Deng Xiaoping introduced the One-Child Policy, requiring a family to have only one child. The Central Committee of Chinese Communist Party formally instituted One-Child Policy on September 25th, 1980 (Pletcher, 2014). Along with this burdensome policy, it comes with two main positive effects, social and family. As for the boon social effect, the most obvious effect is that it limits the population growth efficiently. It is seen that the population was decreased by over a half. Since 1979, experts at the national Population and Family Planning Commission of China said, the policy has prevented more than four hundred million births in the country (Jaime FlorCruz, 2011). After the introduction of the One-Child Policy, the fertility rate in China fell down from over three births per woman in 1980 to approximately 1.54 in 2011 (Data from World Bank, 2014). Moreover, the reduction in the rapid growth has reduced some serious issues that cause by overpopulation like health, education, law enforcement, and other destructions. Another social consequence is the economic growth. When there is higher in the birth rate, the slower of the economic growth occurs, thus One-Child Policy could have contributed to the increase of economic growth. With the lower population, the bureau could provide their people with a high living standard. They might get a high level of schooling, perfect healthcare as well as other accessibility. Then people will lead to be the high quality, which are very crucial for innovations and creations, to develop their count ry for sustained economic growth. Obviously, China is one of the World’s largest economic in term of the population, but in fact, the GDP per capital still low in some area. According to Prof. Zhang’s research during 1978-1998, 28 Chinese provinces, found that the lower the birth rate, the faster the economic growth. The annual growth rate of the real per capital income in that period was as high as 8.1 percent. At the same time, the birth rate was very low—at only 2 percent (Louisa Wah Hansen, 2013). Simultaneously, the policy has positively effect the family as well. The first thing is the high responsibility in the family. This mean that the parents are able to focus on their only one child and allow them to live in a more safety and wealthy environment under their heedfulness, thus the child would receive much love and warmth from them. To add on, this policy leads to less expense in the family budget. With fewer members, family could settle better in the pr osperous life, and won’t get into hardship because of carrying so many children. Along with those benefits the essay has mentioned, One-Child policy also scatters a lot of negative effects to the Chinese society and family. Since One-child policy has been established, the population growth rate in China has been declined from 0.9 percent in 2000 to 0.48 percent in 2012, which is leaded to the lack of human resources (World Bank). Recently, the government is very concern about the lack of human resources, that’s why they ease one-child policy and allows couples to have two children if they were both born without siblings (BBC, 2013). Moreover China is the country, which has a high preference for son, rather than daughter that is the cause of sex imbalances. One-Child policy has made China become the country, which has male population, more than female. According to Business Insider, there were 51 million men more than women in China 2010. In every 100 newborns girls, there are 120 boys, which is the highest sex ratio in the world (Sam, 2013). In addition be cause of the One-Child policy, the birth population is decreasing while the aging is continuing on increasing from day to day that lead to age dependency. The age of group of people from 0-14 decreased 6.29 percent, from 15-59 increased 3.36 percent, group of 60 and over increased 2.93 percent and group of 65 and over increased to 1.91 percent (National Bureau of Statistics of China, 2011). Age dependency will put more pressure to the son of the family to earn more money to support the family and also make the economics of country goes down since the decreasing of the workers. Moreover, female infanticide has happened in China for a long time; Chinese girls are twice as likely to die in their first year of life as boys (Infanticide in china,†). Despite the democratic nature of Chinese community, many parents consider that having a son is a crucial element of providing for their old age. Therefore in severe cases, a baby is killed if it is not of the preferred sex, because of t he pressure not to have more than one child (BBC). In addition, the absence of a sibling does not define the outcome of a child’s social growth. For the single-child, the nature and structure of his or her family organization can be the adaptation factor for his or her lack of sibling contact. Children with siblings often exchange amongst each other their respective academic and social backgrounds – an advantage that single-children don’t have. Single-children tend to be influenced more by self-absorbed instincts, commanding more attention in their personal homes. Because parents tend to treat their single-child the way standard parents treat their first-born (with more attention and care due to lack of experience), single-children will generally be more relying on their parents and less independent (Xuefeng). As a result of the one-child policy, a single person can be supporting both their parents and their four grandparents. This forces the parents and grandpa rents to depend more on retirement savings or pensions, which many people don’t have. If those fail, everything depends on the one child. If that child can’t support their family, or if the only one child dies, the parents and grandparents will have no one to help them, and no money to support them. So when they lose their only hope, they will full of depression and no one will be look after them when they get older (rhee71, 2009). As the essay has analyzed, we can see that this policy had contributed a lot of benefits to the society as well as the family in this past few decades. From my perspective, I think China should maintains this One-Child policy because it will helps China to become more advanced, not only in the economic nor social field, but also to promote the human rights. At the same time, there need to have some changes to this policy such as reformation or ease this policy and allow some family to have their second child regarding their family condition like what Two-Child Policy has adopted in late 2013, by letting the family having their second child if one of their parents is an only child. References: CIA. (n.d.). East Southeast Asia:: China Retrieved from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ch.html Pletcher, K. (n.d.). One-child policy, 2014 Retrieved from http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1710568/one-child-policy Louisa Wah Hansen. (n.d.). One Child Policy: Bane or Boon for Economic Development? Retrieved from http://www.bschool.cuhk.edu.hk/program/article.aspx?id=B07B55F3517C Jaime FlorCruz. (2011, October 29).China copes with promise and perils of one-child policy. Retrieved from http://edition.cnn.com/2011/10/28/world/asia/china-one-child/ Fertility rate. (2014, January 10). Retrieved from http://www.google.com/publicdata/explore?ds=d5bncppjof8f9_met_y=sp_dyn_tfrt_inidim=country:CHNdl=enhl=enq=total fertility rate china World Bank. (n.d.). Population growth rate: China Retrieved from http://www.indexmundi.com/g/g.aspx?v=24c=chl=en BBC. (2013, November 18). China media: One-child policy. Retrieved from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-24983007 Sam, R. (2013, November 15). Heres the china demographics chart that actually scares us. Retrieved from http://www.businessinsider.com/country-rankings-of-sex-ratio-at-birth-2013-11 National Bureau of Statistics of China. (2011, April 28). Communiquà © of the national bureau of statistics of peoples republic of china on major figures of the 2010 population census[1] (no. 1). Retrieved from http://web.archive.org/web/20131108022004/http://www.stats.gov.cn/english/newsandcomingevents/t20110428_402722244.htm Infanticide in china. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.allgirlsallowed.org/infanticide-china-statistics BBC. (n.d.). Female infanticide. Retrieved from http://www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/abortion/medical/infanticide_1.shtml Xuefeng, C. (n.d.). The social impact of chinas one-child policy. Retrieved from http://web.mit.edu/lipoff/www/hapr/summer03_security/CHEN.pdf rhee71. (2009, March 25). Disadvantages of china’s one-child policy. Retrieved from http://rhee71.edublogs.org/2009/03/25/disadvantages-of-china’s-one-child-policy/

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Intertwined Themes of Margaret Atwoods Dancing Girls Essay -- Margare

The Intertwined Themes of Margaret Atwood's Dancing Girls  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Dancing Girls is a collection of Margaret Atwood's short stories. Each story captures a different aspect of society, different people of different ages, culture and status, with different attitudes, emotions and behavior; all in different locations and life circumstances. Yet there are many connections between the stories and these links are primarily found in Atwood's portrayal of women. As Atwood says: By and large my novel's center on women...None of them are about miners in the mines, seamen on the sea, convicts in the jail, the boys in the backroom, the locker rooms at the football game†¦How come? Well, gee, I don't know! Maybe because I am a woman and therefore I find it easier to write as one.    Each story focuses on a different female character and explores her thoughts and her reactions to her social environment. Throughout the collection of stories there are a number of underlying themes that reveal Atwood's insight and understanding of why men and women are different. These themes include the questionable definitions of femininity proposed in society, the idea of escapism through fantasy and the conflict that exists between men and women. One concept Atwood explores to explain the differences between men and women is simply that there are biological differences between each gender. This difference is highlighted throughout a number of the stories, significantly in "Giving Birth". Atwood comments that for women there is some salvation from a male dominated society in that, through the process of giving birth a woman is allowed some connection with her body which men simply cannot experience. They still have some connection with their o... ... capable of seeing connections between apparently disparate circumstances. Ingersoll-Earl.G., Margaret Atwood: Conversations, Virago Press, London, 1992, pg. 195 Ibid., pg.17 Atwood-Margaret., Dancing Girls, Vintage, London, 1996, pg. 225 Ibid., pg. 227 Ibid., pg. 229 Ibid., pg. 229 Ibid., pg. 240 Ibid., pg. 239 Ibid., pg. 239 Ingersoll-Earl.G., op. cit., pg.141 Ibid., pg. 142 Aspin-Lois.J., Focus on Australian Society, Longman, Australia, 1996, pg. 14 Ingersoll-Earl.G., op. cit., pg. 102 Atwood-Margaret, op. cit., pg. 63 Ibid., pg. 69 Ibid., pg. 69 Ibid., pg. 69 Ibid., pg. 131 Ibid., pg. 138 Ibid., pg. 143 Ingersoll-Earl.G., op. cit., pg. 32 Ibid., pg. 31 Ibid., pg. 245 Atwood-Margaret, op. cit., pg. 98 Ibid., pg. 98 Ibid., pg. 87    Intertwined Themes of Margaret Atwood's Dancing Girls Essay -- Margare The Intertwined Themes of Margaret Atwood's Dancing Girls  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Dancing Girls is a collection of Margaret Atwood's short stories. Each story captures a different aspect of society, different people of different ages, culture and status, with different attitudes, emotions and behavior; all in different locations and life circumstances. Yet there are many connections between the stories and these links are primarily found in Atwood's portrayal of women. As Atwood says: By and large my novel's center on women...None of them are about miners in the mines, seamen on the sea, convicts in the jail, the boys in the backroom, the locker rooms at the football game†¦How come? Well, gee, I don't know! Maybe because I am a woman and therefore I find it easier to write as one.    Each story focuses on a different female character and explores her thoughts and her reactions to her social environment. Throughout the collection of stories there are a number of underlying themes that reveal Atwood's insight and understanding of why men and women are different. These themes include the questionable definitions of femininity proposed in society, the idea of escapism through fantasy and the conflict that exists between men and women. One concept Atwood explores to explain the differences between men and women is simply that there are biological differences between each gender. This difference is highlighted throughout a number of the stories, significantly in "Giving Birth". Atwood comments that for women there is some salvation from a male dominated society in that, through the process of giving birth a woman is allowed some connection with her body which men simply cannot experience. They still have some connection with their o... ... capable of seeing connections between apparently disparate circumstances. Ingersoll-Earl.G., Margaret Atwood: Conversations, Virago Press, London, 1992, pg. 195 Ibid., pg.17 Atwood-Margaret., Dancing Girls, Vintage, London, 1996, pg. 225 Ibid., pg. 227 Ibid., pg. 229 Ibid., pg. 229 Ibid., pg. 240 Ibid., pg. 239 Ibid., pg. 239 Ingersoll-Earl.G., op. cit., pg.141 Ibid., pg. 142 Aspin-Lois.J., Focus on Australian Society, Longman, Australia, 1996, pg. 14 Ingersoll-Earl.G., op. cit., pg. 102 Atwood-Margaret, op. cit., pg. 63 Ibid., pg. 69 Ibid., pg. 69 Ibid., pg. 69 Ibid., pg. 131 Ibid., pg. 138 Ibid., pg. 143 Ingersoll-Earl.G., op. cit., pg. 32 Ibid., pg. 31 Ibid., pg. 245 Atwood-Margaret, op. cit., pg. 98 Ibid., pg. 98 Ibid., pg. 87   

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Shoeless Joe Essay -- essays research papers

Imagine your fate and future resting in the hands of one man’s judgment. This was actually reality for Shoeless Joe Jackson. Many argue that he was one of the best ever to play the game of baseball and was the greatest natural hitter of all-time. Yet, surprisingly, you will not find him among the familiar faces at the Hall of Fame. He was permanently banned from baseball, as well as seven others, for allegedly helping to throw the 1919 World Series.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Joe Jackson was born on July 16, 1888 in Pickins County, South Carolina. He was the oldest of eight children and grew up the son of a cotton mill worker. He began working in the mill at age thirteen and never learned how to read or write. He played baseball in his spare time, and his exceptional skills landed him in the minor leagues by the age of eighteen. He first entered professional baseball in 1908 with Greenville in the Carolina Association. It was during this same year that he received the nickname â€Å"Shoeless† Joe after he had just bought a new pair of spikes. They wore blisters on his feet and they hurt so badly that he just played in his stocking feet. Although he played only one game without the spikes, he was known as â€Å"Shoeless Joe† from then on (McGee 1).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Shoeless Joe made his major league debut later that year, in 1908, with the Philadelphia Athletics. He only played there a short time before being transferred to the Cleveland Indians. Finally, in 1915 he was sold to Charles Comiskey and the Chicago White Sox. It was here that he played his last few years of professional baseball and his life would be forever changed.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  From the years 1917 to 1919 the Chicago White Sox were by far the dominant team in baseball. It is speculated that they could have â€Å"gone on to become one of the greatest teams in history† (Schwalbe 2). However, despite having the most talented team around, Charles Comiskey paid his players considerably less than any other winning team (Durst 2). Due to the oppression they were under, the player’s morale began to decrease as their need for money increased. They considered going on strike, but were talked out of it by their manager, â€Å"Kid† Gleason. They remained desperate until first baseman Chick Gandil met with a notorious gambler named â€Å"Sport† Sullivan. The White So... ...t up and protect his own reputation. Comiskey’s lawyer acted as Joe’s lawyer also, although he was really only trying to protect Comiskey. In modern day, Joe would have had his own lawyer from the beginning and Landis would have been convicted of contempt of court since he went against the court’s ruling and banished the eight players for life. Joe would not have had to prove his innocence. Instead, someone would have had to prove him guilty. Clearly, this could not have been achieved. There is no evidence that he did anything wrong, and his statistics clearly support the opposite. Alongside, his performance in the 1919 World Series, Joe’s career batting average of .356 is the third best of all-time (CMG 1). On top of this, he led the league in triples eight times and held the throwing record for distance. It is a shame he was never inducted into the Hall of Fame because of one man’s judgment to ban him from the game. Part of Joe’s last words were â€Å"I’m going to meet the greatest umpire of all – and he knows I’m innocent.† (McCroskey 1). He passed away on Decem ber 5, 1951, and will remain, although often disparaged and misunderstood, one of our national pastime’s greatest legends.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Fyffes Case Study

IntroductionFyffes are an Irish company founded in 1888 that specialise in fruit production. The company is said to be â€Å"world famous† according to the Fyffes website, one reason being that their bananas were the first branded fruit in the world (Fyffes, 2013). Fyffes are the oldest fruit brand in the world and are headquartered in Dublin. The company began in London, soon to become the most popular banana brand in the world, the organisation was born into the marketplace devoid of competition.Their â€Å"blue label bananas† allowed them to become unique and furthermore dominators of the fruit market. Today, their main product is the banana, although they also produce other fruits including the Fyffes Gold Pineapples and Fyffes melons. Fyffes currently market their produce in Europe and the United States and are involved in the production, procurement, shipping, ripening, distribution and marketing of bananas, pineapples and melons.SWOT Analysis of Fyffes.StrengthsF yffes have several strengths such as a large brand portfolio that is very well recognized. Furthermore they have a strong brand recognition among both customers and institutions, that allows them to penetrate new markets and also hold a large share in existing markets. They operate a vertically integrated supply chain that allow economies of scale in fruit in both sourcing and distribution. (Fyffes,2013) There strong market position allows them with a lot bargaining power in the market. They have a large number of supply chain activities that include ; Production, procurement, shipping, ripening and the distribution and marketing of bananas but also melons and pineapples.WeaknessesFyffes lack in the scale of operations when compared to their competitors ; Chiquita Brands, Dole foods and Fresh Del Monte produce. They are somewhat dependent on european market, but this has greatly improved since 2008 when  there 51% of their revenue came from the eurozone. There competitors have sig nificantly bigger distribution and marketing channels along with greater financial resources. This can be seen in 2013 revenues were Fyffes is listed fourth behind Dole food, Fresh Del Monte, Chiquita and Total Produce. (Fyffes,2013)OpportunitiesA company acquisition may help enhance pineapple production. This would increase production and supply. Fyffes have identified their weakness of lack of scale and made progress by establishing a network(s) across Germany. This includes both distribution and ripening centres. Fyffes have been paying a tariff on bananas imported in to the european union since 2006 due to the European Union banana import regulation. This has given competitors importing from other regions the upper hand. However the EU have agreed to reduce this tariff on latin american bananas in stages, when this fully implemented this could reduce Fyffes’ operating costs significantly. (ibid)ThreatsFyffes have strong competition across all their product lines, competit ion include global companies as listed previously but also agricultural cooperatives and foreign government sponsored producers. Further to this competitor companies have larger financial resources allowing them more purchasing power along with more capital to expand and improve. (ibid)Target CountryAs the huge demand for bananas and tropical fruits in Europe constantly increases Fyffes have found themselves sourcing throughout The Tropics,Caribbean and countries in Central America for example Costa Rica and Columbia. With the European Union being the largest consumer importer for bananas, it is Fyffes target market. In Britain alone over 5 billion bananas are consumed each year, hence why they are the 4th largest importer bananas in the world and one of Fyffes major target countries. They have a strong competitive advantage as the British market is one they know very well and can use this against other companies such as Chiquita who are a  Latin American company.Another target co untry for Fyffes is Germany being the 2nd largest importer of bananas in the world.Fyffes can easily trade with Germany as it is within the European Union.Although the United States are the number one largest importers for bananas it is unlikely that they would be able to compete with the firms from South America. Companies such as Del Monte,Dole Food Company and Bonita are the largest banana firms in the US and dominate the market.As bananas are only produced in countries with a very specific climate such as The Carribean or The Tropics they’re target countries are the places where the fruit cannot be readily grown and must be imported.â€Å"Bananas and pineapples are grown in countries of the tropics – Africa, Latin America, Caribbean, Pacific etc. Many countries produce bananas as a staple food and only around 20% of all bananas that are produced are actually exported.Most bananas and pineapples sold on the British market are exported from Latin America, and increa singly West Africa, as companies relocate in search of ever ‘cheaper' fruit, pursuing a ‘Race to the Bottom' in terms of social and environmental standards.† (www.Bananalink.org.uk 2013)Products Selected to Go InternationalHeadquartered in Dublin, Fyffes has expanded greatly and is now operating in several different regions including the United Kingdom, mainland Europe, U.S.A. along with Central and South America. With Fyffes being one of the largest fruit companies in the world, their internationally distributed products include bananas, melons, pineapples and the newly added product that is plantains.Fyffes are renowned on a world stage for being the most notable distributor and seller of bananas. Operating in a vast amount of countries in the Caribbean and South America, as of 2012 Fyffes was the â€Å"largest importer of Fairtrade bananas into the European Union† (Fyffes, 2012). These bananas are sourced from countries such Ecuador, Costa Rica, Brazil, P eru and the Ivory Coast. After the bananas have been harvested and washed they are palletised for shipping in temperature controlled holds.Fyffes have marketed their bananas from the standpoint that they are nutritionally beneficial to all. They preach the biological benefits of their products whether it is through their website, general advertising or through they’re labelling etc. They boast the fact that â€Å"bananas are known as the energy fruit because they provide a quick-but-sustained energy boost in a natural, nutritious and easily digestible form† as well as the rather low caloric count of just 95 kcal per banana. Much of the same marketing is used for their pineapples. Fyffes’ ‘Gold Pineapples’ are described as â€Å"Supersweet† (Fyffes.com, 2013) and is sourced mainly from Ecuador, Panama and Costa Rica. These are packaged and distributed around the world.The pineapples are shipped in condition controlled vessels to ensure an appr opriate balance of sugar and acidity is maintained. Once again Fyffes market their product based on the nutritional benefits. They declare that their â€Å"Supersweet† pineapples contain â€Å"three times more vitamin C than traditional pineapples† along with their low fat content and the presence of digestive enzymes (Fyffes.com, 2013). Fyffes third main product is their variety of melons. Fyffes’ selection includes a range of both summer and winter melons. The summer melons include galia, watermelons and cantaloupe.The winter melons include watermelons, honeydew and cantaloupe. They are high in vitamins A and C and contain digestive fibre. The countries in which they are in grown in include Guatemala, Honduras and Costa Rica. As previously mentioned, Fyffes introduced what are known as ‘fruit snacks’ in the form of plantains chips. The plantain is a variation of the banana and is being marketed as a variation to potato chipsEntry Modes UtilisedFyf fes have been exporting to the UK for the last 120 years from its base in Ireland. The first step Fyffes took after exporting to the UK was to export to EU member states. This was a low risk natural progression for Fyffes as the EU operate a free trading policy within member states and many of the original member states have a similar demographic as that of Ireland and the UK.These markets had similar demand as their climates were not susceptible to growing bananas and this proved to be a venture that increased the recognition of the blue label brand and maximised the use of current  resources as well therefore proving highly profitable. In 1995 to expand on its European distribution channels Fyffes entered into a venture with the Windward Island Banana Development and Exporting Company (WIBDECO), and bought out Geest Bananas which were a major competitor in the British market (Bananalink, 2013). In 2005 the company entered into a strategic alliance with the Turbana Corporation in order to expand its market reach and develop its US market share.As Fyffes grows and increases its market share larger economies of scale are allowed for. Fyffes buy most of their fruit from farms in Belize, Panama and Costa Rica, it does however own about 6,000 acres of land in Costa Rica as well as smaller farms in Panama and Belize (Carswell, 2013).The company is hoping that by 2014 they will grow 60 per cent of the pineapples they sell. A recent development in the containers used to keep the fruit fresh while shipping means that the fruit could be kept fresh for 35 days of shipping, far longer than the current 23. Fyffes are hoping this will allow them to export their fruit from their Central American headquarters in Costa Rica to growing markets in Russia and the Middle East.Resource Commitmentâ€Å"Resource commitment refers to the level of dedicated assets – physical or human – that cannot be transferred from one country to another without loss of economic val ue†. An example of this may be that a firm adapt its product and resources to suit the needs of the host importing company (Petersen, 1999). This essentially may result in increased revenue in that specific area but may not help revenue figures as a whole for the firm. Fyffes has continuously shown resource commitment to several different foreign markets.Due to the very nature of the fruit business Fyffes was technically always an import-export business. As an Irish company selling tropical fruit there was always a need for shipping the fruit from the likes of Costa Rica and Panama. Therefore these resources were already owned by the company. In order to grow their exports Fyffes had to expand on these resources. Fyffes were the first company to properly transport their fruit on their ships. They changed from just transporting the fruit in bunches to using proper containers on board, this was key to shipping the fruit further afield.Alasdair MaCleod, head of Fyffes in their Ce ntral American base said that  only once in his 20 years in the business had he lost an entire shipload of fruit as a result of a ripe box of bananas prematurely ripening others on board the ship. As mentioned previously Fyffes hope to further improve their shipping containers and therefore advance into more new markets. This is a resource commitment that is sure to pay off . (Carswell, 2013)Environmental Factors Impacting on InternationalizationThere are four main environmental factors that can impact the internationalization of a company. These are the competitive, legal, political and economic environments. It is imperative that a company must overcome these obstacles in the marketplace in order to establish internationalization of their firm. For fyffes, their competitive environment struck them first in the late 1920s.Their first competitor, Jamaica Bananas Producers Ltd, began to sell their fruit in large amounts to the British market. Fyffes counteracted by branding their f ruit to enable recognition of their bananas. The blue Fyffes label then became iconic, it was their major selling point. Henry Stockery CEO of Fyffes in 1929 said that,  Ã¢â‚¬Å"today people are asking for the ‘Blue Label’ bananas†.The popularity of their ‘blue labeled bananas’ allowed them to dominate the banana market and to wipe out all of their competitors.With regards to the legal, political and economic aspect, according to Fyffes website, it states that,   Ã¢â‚¬Å"fyffes is aware of the social and environmental issues associated with the products that it sources and sells†. (Fyffes, 2013).They follow a strict code of practices in order to produce their product at the highest quality and approved ethical standards. Furthermore, Fyffes is said to be â€Å"pro-active† with matters such as environmental impact and fair labour prices by heavily participating in industry forums on social, ethical, health and safety and environmental is sues.Success (or otherwise) ExperiencedBeing one of the worlds most prominent fruit distributors, Fyffes has enjoyed an overwhelming amount of success since its founding all those years ago in 1888. Not only are they still in existence, but they have still maintained their image as one of the fruit industry’s big guns. A huge contributing factor to their success was tapping into the retail supermarket area and producing at a large scale.â€Å"Our business has evolved to meet the needs of the big retailers and today, 90% of our produce is destined for supermarket.† (Barrett, 2013)Fyffes is Europe’s biggest banana importer with estimated sales of about â‚ ¬1 billion annually, exporting up to 40 million boxes of bananas (roughly 4.5 billion bananas) and 8.5 million boxes of pineapples from farms in Costa Rica, Belize and Panama every year. Ireland accounts for 10 per cent of the company’s exports. They became the first company in their area to place a bra nd on their fruit in 1929. The company’s approach to business in todays market is structured by the same commitment to quality and confidence in the integrity of it’s fruit that prompted the introduction of the pioneering brand label idea.As a company, Fyffes have pledged to carrying out the utmost of fair trade as well as environmentally sustainable production. Innovation is a highly influential factor in relation to Fyffes’ approach carrying out business. â€Å"Fyffes taps container technology to broaden market reach† (Carswell, 2013) This is a recent example of innovation where Fyffes propose the use of a new container system which can preserve fruit for as long as 35 days. This would allow the company to export more produce into Europe, better quality food into Russia and more fruit into the Middle East. Growth in business is something that Fyffes concentrate on every year and they are currently succeeding to do so according to a recent article on the dublin headquartered company.â€Å"The Dublin-headquartered international banana exporter yesterday posted pre-tax profits of â‚ ¬22.2m for the first six months of 2013, a 1.1% increase on the same period last year.† (Percival, 2013) However in 2007, Fyffes suffered an 11% fall in first- half profits because of losses at its melon joint venture in Brazil. This is one of very few examples of occasions of misfired venture for the company, where they suffered a â‚ ¬2.8m loss from their share of a Brazil-based melon producer Nolem. This was an event which was uncharacteristic of the company and it wasn’t ignored, judging by a  statement released at the time. â€Å"Significant internal resources have gone into addressing Nolem’s business in order to deliver an improved result in the forthcoming season† (Guider, 2007).ConclusionFyffes are an excellent example of a public quoted Irish company who have experienced success in international markets. Their innovative use of the blue label way back in 1929 made them the first fruit brand in the market. This was a huge development from Fyffes and has set them up to be the instantly recognisable brand they are today. This is a brand that has loyal customers who associate the Fyffes fruit with reliability, sustainability and most importantly a high quality product. It is this basis that has allowed them to grow into the flourishing business they are today along with their tactful low-risk foreign entry strategy.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Batterd Woman’s Syndrome

Shrouded in myth, distortions and grotesque stereotypes the public profile of a battered woman who kills her intimate partner is a misunderstood phenomenon. Throughout the course of history women were viewed as property, powerless victims of a patriarchal social political and legal system. Family television programs in the 1950’s satirized while minimizing aspects of spousal abuse.Comedian Jackie Gleason portrayed the beloved character Ralph Cramdon and memorialized the prime time phrase while chastising his small screen wife. â€Å"To the moon with you Alice,† red-faced and frantically waving a balled up fist at the now passive Alice.The scene was punctuated with the live audience roaring with laughter at the comedian’s folly. Acts of partner violence were committed behind closed doors in the family home. The criminal justice system offered scant protection to victims of spousal abuse. Assaults committed behind closed doors went unreported viewed as private fami ly matters. The criminal justice system could offer no protection to victims of spousal abuse. On the contrary victims of domestic violence were shunned and shamed into suffering in fear and collective silence.Those bold enough to ask for protection from abuse were turned away if not legally married to their abuser. However, the pleas of countless nameless faceless victims of domestic violence were honored with the unyielding commitment of grassroots advocates in the 1970’s and 1980’s. Dr Lenore Walker, a renowned forensic psychologist, feminist and researcher established the concept of â€Å"Battered Woman’s Syndrome (BWS)† According to Walker, the rubric of BWS consists of two co-existing elements: â€Å"The cycle of domestic violence and classic symptoms of learned helplessness† (Walker1984).Walker’s concept of Battered Woman’s Syndrome emerged as a component in legal defenses, â€Å"when battered women killed in self defense†(Walker 2004). According to Walker BWS â€Å"‘describes a pattern of psychological and behavioral symptoms found in women in battering relationships’†{Balkin(2005)}. Battered Woman’s Syndrome is not a sanctioned legal defense. However, it is recognized as,â€Å" part of the doctrine of self-defense so as to establish the belief of the woman that she was in danger of death or bodily injury†(National Clearinghouse for the Defense of Battered Women (2006).According to Battered Woman’s Syndrome attorney, Mira Mihajiovich, â€Å"testimony concerning BWS is used to support a battered woman’s self-defense claim, not to explain away her actions or give her a special defense that would allow her to ‘destroy her tormentor at her own discretion†(Balkin 2005). At the heart of the Battered Woman’s Syndrome phenomenon is desperation and gut wrenching terror. To fully grasp BWS one must embrace the framework and emotionally char ged dynamics associated with chronic abuse and spousal battering.Domestic violence is described by the National Center for Victims of Crimes as, â€Å"the willful intimidation, assault, battery, sexual assault or other abusive behaviors perpuiated by an intimate partner against another†(Domestic Violence Facts; National Collation against Domestic Violence 2001). Although the concept of Battered Woman’s Syndrome emerged in the 1970’s the â€Å"U. S. legal system was slow to accept BWS as a factor in the self defense pleas of battered women accused of murdering their batterers†(Balkin 2005).Prior to the late 1980’s an abused woman’s â€Å"psychological state and the brutality and violence she suffered at the hands of her batterer could not be used at her trial†(Balkin 2005). However, with public education and exposure to domestic abuse the rays of enlightenment expanded into the wooden paneled courtrooms nationwide. In Robinson v. State the Court examined the merits of the â€Å"Battered Spouse Syndrome in relation to the specific elements of self defense in a homicide case.The Court found ‘the unique perceptions of a defendant suffering from battered woman’s syndrome are generally compatible with the law of the State regarding self-defense’†(Robinson v State 308 S. C. 74, 417 S. E. 2d 88(1992). Battered Woman's Syndrome has appeared as a component of the criminal trial process since the late 1970s. Testimony presented by experts in the field must be qualified by the Court before offering testify on the role the syndrome played in the homicide. The landmark case that opened the door for the use of Battered Woman's Syndrome (BWS) was State of Oregon v.Kelly (1985). The Court concluded in State v Kelly that, â€Å"BWS is admissible to aid juries in assessing a defendant's perception of danger posed by the abuser†(State v Kelly (1985). The 4th Circuit Court of Appeals for South Carol ina Court’s reasoning in Grubb v State was compatible with South Carolina’s Annotated Code 17-23-170(2001) which governs the â€Å"admissibility of expert testimony of the battered spouse syndrome†(Grubb v State 2003). Battered Woman’s Syndrome was first recognized in South Carolina when the S. C.Supreme Court in State v. Hill, 287 S. C. 398, 339 S. E. 2d 121(1986) held, â€Å" that expert testimony about battered spouse syndrome is admissible to establish a claim of self-defense in a homicide case. The Court further recognized that an, â€Å"emerging trend in other jurisdictions that find ‘the testimony is relevant to the issue of self-defense and highly probative of the defendant’s state of mind at the time of the incident’† (Id. At 400,339 S. E. 2d at 122). The Court echoed the Grubbs decision in Robinson v State 308 S.C. 74, 417 S. E. 2d 88(1992) â€Å"examining the battered spouse syndrome in relation to the specific elem ents of self-defense in a homicide case. † â€Å"The Court found ‘the unique perceptions of a defendant suffering from battered woman’s syndrome are generally compatible with the law of this State regarding self-defense†( Id at 78,417 S. E. 2d at 91). It was judicial decisions such as these that established battered woman’s syndrome as a sanctioned legal premise. The South Carolina Court in Robinson v. State concluded:Our interpretation of the relationship between the battered woman’s syndrome and self-defense is cursory, at best, and should not be construed as this Court’s last word on the subject. Our law will continue to evolve as the scientific community’s understanding of the battered woman’s syndrome develops and society’s comprehension of the condition becomes more sophisticated† (Robinson v. State Id at 80,417 S. E. 2d at 92(1992). Bolstering this trend setting precedent was found in Section 17-23-170 of the South Carolina Code governing the â€Å"admissibility of expert testimony on battered woman’s syndrome states:(A) Evidence that the actor was suffering from the battered spouse syndrome is admissible in a criminal action on the issue of whether the actor lawfully acted in self-defense, defense of another, defense of necessity, or defense of duress. This section does not preclude the admission of testimony on battered spouse syndrome in other criminal actions {S. C. Code Ann. & 17-23-170 (Supp. 2001). Although great strides have been forged in the judicial arena a universal acceptance of the validity and application of BWS in spousal homicide cases does not exist.The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in Texas argued in Dixon v. U. S. expert testimony on BWS was â€Å"‘inherently subjective, and inadmissible to prove duress’† (Dixon v. U. S. 413 F. 3d 520 5th Cir. 2005). Testimony on BWS is recognized in 31 states giving rise to the quandary as to why som e jurisdictions embrace the concept while others rebuke it. â€Å"There’s a lot of skepticism with any type of psychiatric testimony and some Court’s are unconvinced that mental disorders and or emotional disorders are justifications for committing a crime {Walker (20060}.Some in the field raise concerns that widespread acceptance of BWS may lead to an increase in â€Å"false or exaggerated abuse claims† (Dixon (2006). â€Å"Many months after killing her husband, a woman may lie to an evaluating psychologist before trial, faking symptoms like depression and anxiety† (Dixon 2006). Domestic Violence and Battered Woman’s Syndrome Facts: 1. In 2000, an intimate partner killed 1,247 women and 440 men {U. S Dept of Justice (2005)}. In 1999, 74%or 1,218 or the 1,642 persons murdered by an intimate partner were female (Rennison, U. S.Dept of Justice, Bureau of Statistics, Intimate Partner Violence and Age of Victim. 1993-99, (2001). 3. The concept of the battered woman’s syndrome was developed in reaction to the misapplication of the self-defense doctrine to battered woman when they kill their spouse (Schneider (2000) Elizabeth, Battered Women and Feminist Lawmaking 117,135(2000)}. The United States Supreme Court has observed that almost four million women are the victims of severe assaults by their male partners every year. Thirty percent of female homicide victims are killed by their male partners (Planned Parenthood vs.Casey, 112 S. Ct. 2791, 2826-2831 (1992). Each year, 2,000-4,000 women in the U. S. are murdered by abusive partners or ex-partners (American Bar Association, â€Å"American Bar Association Commission on Domestic Violence,† American Bar Association). Battered Woman's Syndrome falls under what the American Psychological Association defines as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, rather than a mental illness (National Center for Post-Traumatic Street Disorder, â€Å"What is Posttraumatic Stress Disorder? â €  U. S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 22 Feb. 2006).Outsiders frequently are puzzled. If things are so bad, why do women stay? Why do they kill? Why don’t they just leave? If a woman is being abused, why doesn’t she just pack her bags and get out. Those familiar with BWS and barriers plaguing victims of domestic violence encourage a greater empathy and understanding as to what motivates battered women to stay in abusive relationships. The Court in the People v. Aris, 215 Cal App 3d 1194, 264 Cal Rptr 167, 178 (1989) held that, â€Å"battered women tend to stay in abusive relationships for a number of reasons. â€Å"â€Å"The battered woman believes the violence is her fault, she has an inability to place the responsibility for the violence elsewhere. She fears for her life and or her children’s lives (Walker 2003). Many BWS victims â€Å"experience ‘learned helplessness,’ a condition brought about by the battered woman’s futile atte mpt to protect herself from her abuser†(Walker 2003). Battered women assume the burden for making the marriage work. Fears of economic insufficiency, scant job skills, many women feel trapped erroneously believing they would be at greater risk to leave.Thus it has been said the cycle-of-violence and passivity reinforces the perception of helplessness. Overtime, women’s ability to rationally evaluate the situation unfolding around becomes distorted. In the Matter of Glen G. and Josephine G. , 587 NYS 2d 464, 469 (1992) the concept of battered woman’s syndrome was described as â€Å"a breaking down of a woman's self confidence and self respect to a point where she no longer knows if she is crazy or not. † In recent years there has been a consorted effort to inform and educate the Courts on the complexities and cycles associated with domestic violence and battered women.In order for justice to prevail, it is crucial for the Courts to recognize the profound ps ychological trauma caused by Battered Woman’s Syndrome and acknowledge an isolated battered spouse is often controlled and dominated with raw terror. In many respects great strides have been made in enlightening the public and the Court’s about domestic violence and the prevalence of Battered Woman’s Syndrome. However, unrealistic stereotypes still persist and the public often turns a blind eye to the magnitude and implications violence against women imparts. It is uncomfortable to embrace.An ugly truth that corrupts the premise of a safe and happy family home. Many fear the recent appointments of staunch conservative Justices to the Supreme Court will hinder the strides and human rights made by advocates of battered women who kill in self-defense. The Four Psychological Stages Of Battered Woman Syndrome: Stage One: DENIAL The woman refuses to admit even to herself, that she has been beaten or that there is a problem in her marriage. She may call each incident a n accident. She offers excuses for her husband's violence and each time firmly believes it will never happen again.Stage Two: GUILT She now acknowledges there is a problem, but considers herself responsible for it. She deserves to be beaten, she feels because she has defects in her character and is not living up to her husband's expectations. Stage Three: ENLIGHTENMENT The woman no longer assumes responsibility for her husband's abusive treatment, recognizing that no one deserves to be beaten. She is still committed to her marriage though and stays with her husband hoping they can work things out. Stage Four: RESPONSIBILITYAccepting the fact that her husband will not, or cannot, stop his violent behavior, the battered woman decides she will no longer submit to it and starts a new life (Survivor's Empowerment Zone 2007). REFERENCES: Balkin Karen F. , (2003) â€Å"Introduction. † Current Controversies: Violence Against Women. Ed. Karen F Balkin San Diego Greenhaven Press. Depar tment of Veterans Affairs,(2006). Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Dixon Wheeler John. , PhD, JD, An Essay on Battered Women, (2003) Grubb v State (2003) South Carolina Court of Appeals. National Center for Post-Traumatic Street Disorder. (2005)What is Battered Woman’s Syndrome?. National Clearinghouse for the Defense of Battered Women; (2006). Planned Parenthood v. Casey, 112 S. Ct. 2791, 2826-2831 (1992). Rennison, (2001) U. S. Dept of Justice, Bureau of Statistics, Intimate Partner Violence and Age of Victim. 1993-99, . Robinson v State 308 S. C. 74, 417 S. E. 2d 88(1992). Schneider Elizabeth, (2000) Battered Women and Feminist Lawmaking 117,135. State v. Hill, 287 S. C. 398, 339 S. E. 2d 121(1986). Survivor's Empowerment Zone (2007). http://www. angelfire. com. Walker, Lenore, E. Ed. D, Forensic Psychology Group, LLC.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Daodejing Characterization of Early Daoist Teachers Essay

Since every chapter of the Daodejing describes Daoism in different aspects it is believed that several authors contributed to the completion of it. The Daodejing is very poetic and mysterious. The early teachers of the Daodejing seemed to pass things down that was difficult for ordinary minds to comprehend as a way to get people to analyze and understand the world around them. Meanings encrypted in different ways and metaphors constantly used seem to be a common characteristic between the early teachers. Although they were oddly written, all of the passages seemed to give a basic insight on the early teachers’ perspective of things. The Daodejing characterizes common human weakness and meant to effect the way people think or react. Early teachers believed that the truth about the â€Å"human mind† can only be sought from within. Outside influences and worldly thing will not guide you to understand yourself. Based on the Daodejing, the early teachers also believed that the understanding of self is given as a gift from nature not acquired knowledge that you just so happen to stumble upon. The text of the Daodejing offers a practical way of life and dismisses any ideas of human immortality. These passages were intended to restore peace and harmony to a world that the early teachers believed was in disarray. The text stresses the importance of learning to resolve things naturally and to restrain from unnatural reactions. The Daodejing was written to explore the natural meaning and value of life itself. Daoist Teachings I see the Daoist teachings as effortless kind of go with the flow beliefs. When I read of the teachings and research the ways of a Daoist, it seems similar to a â€Å"tree hugger† or â€Å"hippie† type of lifestyle. This similarity isn’t shocking since most religions or cultural movements share common interests of certain ideas. The ying yang symbol which was part of the origin of the Daoist was used by the â€Å"hippie† cultural movement. Daoism also adopted beliefs from other religions such as Confucianism and Buddhism. The teachings seem to focus on understanding the nature of reality and no concern for things that can’t be changed. Followers of Daoism believed in the idea of avoiding the unnatural things and to become more like nature. Nature desires only what is necessary to flourish and nothing more. Education is regarded as artificial and not a necessity as it is within other religious practices. Daoist teachings express the elimination of whatever is unnecessary and artificial. Daoism has no single founder and does not place â€Å"trust in an unchanging and invisible stability that somehow transcends the fleeting experience of time† (Miller, 2012). I believe the goal in Daoism is to reach perfect health by nature through peace and harmony. References: Ammer, C. (1997). Quit while one’s ahead. In The American Heritage ® Dictionary of Idioms Houghton Mifflin. Retrieved from http://dictionary. reference. com/browse/quit while one’s ahead Miller, J. (2012). A short history of daoism. Retrieved from http://www. daoiststudies. org/dao/content/short-history-daoism-introduction.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Famous Thinkers Essay

This paper consists of a comparison of two famous thinkers. Martin Luther King, Jr. is best known for being an symbolic individual in the improvement of civil rights in the United States and around the world. King is often shown as a courageous guide in the history of present American free-thinking (Clayborne). Second is Cornel West, who is known as an important and stimulating democratic scholar. He is best known for his classic Race Matters, Democracy Matters, and his new memoir, Brother West: Living and Loving Out Loud (Biography.com). Contribution: Martin Luther King, Jr. is one of the world’s best known activists of non-violent social change tactics. He combined ideas drawn from many different cultural traditions. King was rendered as the pre-eminent black speaker and civil rights activist. Due to his excellent debating skills and personal courage he achieved national fame. King also helped fund the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) where he stressed the goal of black voting rights (Clayborne). Cornel West is an American Philosopher, a scholar of African American studies and a political activist. West’s work is typically wide-ranging, diverse, original and preemptive. He wrote several books that analyze issues of race, class and justice, tracing the history of social democracy, a Christian moral sensibility, and a philosophical orientation informed by the tradition of American practicality. West has participated in demonstrations, lent his name or even his presence to causes he feels are just (Biography.com). Environment: Martin Luther King, Jr. was born on January 15, 1929 in Atlanta, Georgia. His origins were in the African-American Baptist church. His grandfather was  a pastor of Ebenezer Baptist church and a creator of Atlanta’s NAACP chapter, and his father followed his grandfather as Ebenezer’s pastor and also became a civil rights leader. Although, from an early age, King questioned literal readings of scripture, he still deeply admired black social gospel supporters such as his father who saw the church as a tool for advancing the lives of African Americans. Morehouse College president Benjamin Mays and other followers of Christian social involvement influenced King’s decision after his junior year at Morehouse to become a minister and thus serve society. His continued suspicion, however, shaped his following theological studies at Crozer Theological Seminary in Chester, Pennsylvania, and at Boston University, where he obtained a doctorate in systematic theology in 1955. Declining offers for academic jobs, King decided while completing his Ph. D. requisites to return to the South and accepted the pastorate of Dexter Avenue Baptist Church in Montgomery, Alabama (Clayborne). Cornel West was born on June 2, 1953 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. West’s father was a civilian U.S. Air Force commissioner and his mother was a school teacher and ultimately a principal. Throughout West’s childhood, the family lived in an African American working-class community in Sacramento, California. There West often went to church at the local Baptist church, where he listened to moving declarations of poverty, fight, and faith from congregations whose grandparents had been slaves. Another inspiration on West during this time was the Black Panther Party, whose Sacramento headquarters were near the church he attended. The Panthers daunted upon him the significance of political involvement at the local level and familiarized him to the writings of Karl Marx (Biography.com). Problems they sought to solve: Martin Luther King was trying to solve the racial equality problem. In the 1950’s, the egalitarianism of man intended by the Declaration of Independence was far from existence. People of all colors were shown prejudice against in many ways. The 1950’s were a unsettled time in America, when racial obstacles began to come down due to Supreme Court decisions, like Brown v. Board of Education; and due to an surge in the activism of blacks, struggling for equal rights (Mount). Cornel West is trying to make people aware of the crisis of black leadership in the United States. West tackles the difficult issue of race headlong. He tangibly and unwaveringly look at the problems afflicting the black community and America’s dealings with it, and gives respected ideas on plans for liberal action. West even warned President Obama that the quality of life is defined by its moral commitment, that his legacy will be determined by his willingness to defy the cruel assault by the corporate state and the financial elite against the poor and working men and women, and that justice must never be sacrificed on the altar of power (Hedges, 2011). Solutions: Martin Luther King, Jr. helped to bring together a great march on Washington, DC on August 28, 1963. The march was for jobs and freedom and included other religious leaders, labor leaders and black organizers. The accumulated masses marched down the Washington Mall from the Washington Monument to the Lincoln Memorial; they listen to songs from Bob Dylan and Joan Baez, and heard speeches by actor Charlton Heston, NAACP president Roy Wilkins, and future U.S. Representative from Georgia John Lewis. King’s â€Å"I Have a Dream† speech was the last event and was carried live on major television networks. This speech was credited with mobilizing supporters of desegregation and prompted the 1964 Civil Rights Act (Mount). Cornel West has been a political activist as well as an academic. He doesn’t hesitate to participate in demonstrations or to appear for a cause he believes in. His best work, Race Matters, is a collection of essays that was published. The book discusses the widespread despair and negativism of African Americans in poverty and criticized African American leaders for pursuing approaches that West believed were thoughtless, narrow-minded, or self-serving. Soon West will be starting the Poverty Tour, he will be going on a road trip to highlight the dilemma of the poor people of all races, colors, and creeds so they will not be forgotten, ignored, or portrayed invisible during this difficult and dangerous time of economic deficiency and political weakness (The Poverty Tour). Creative Process: Martin Luther King v. Cornel West | Martin Luther King, Jr.| Cornel West| First Stage:Searching for challenges| Push for racial equality in the 1950’s and 1960’s| Push for the importance of political activism, and the crisis of black leadership in today’s world| Second Stage:Expressing | How can I protest non-violently for the equality of man?| How can I show the importance of political activism in today’s world?| Third Stage:Investigating| Synthesized ideas drawn from many different cultures, and used Gandhian non-violent strategies| Used his educational background and was influenced by the Black Panthers and the writings of Karl Marx| Fourth Stage:Producing Ideas| Mass marchesSit in’sSpeeches| Wrote several booksPolitical activistParticipate in demonstrationsPromote just causes | Critique: After reviewing these two men and their ideas I have to ask myself, â€Å"what could they have done differently?† I believe Martin Luther King, Jr. was on the right track. He wanted to push for racial equality for all men and he wanted to do this peacefully. He did not want to fight fire with fire, so when opposing parties would shoot the peaceful demonstrations with water guns he would stand his ground and stayed non-violent. Even after his house was bombed and he was physically beaten, King still stayed true to his cause. He did not back down. He got important figures involved in his cause to bring it to light more and more. King was a great man and I do not think he could have done too much differently. I think Cornel West also has a just cause. He is pushing for political activism and this is especially important in today’s world. More and more political figures are liars and we the people as a nation need to stand up and do something about this. If we continue to let these people rule us, then we are responsible for the state we end up in. I think that West could try to get more popular faces to support his cause to get the cause more out in the open. I, for one, had never even heard of Cornel West before this paper, and I feel that he truly has a point. If he could get more publicity I think he will go down in history like Martin Luther King, Jr., and be remembered as an iconic figure for his role in the turn of events that our economy now faces. Bibliography Cornel West. (2011). Biography.com. Retrieved 03:08, Jul 31 2011 from http://www.biography.com/articles/Cornel-West-9528216 Dr. Cornel West Biography. (2005, January 13). Retrieved July 31, 2011, from peralta: http://www.peralta.cc.ca.us/laney/laney-opacs/Cornel%20West%20Biography.htm Clayborne, C. (n.d.). Biography of Martin Luther King Jr. Retrieved July 31, 2011, from Martin Luther King Online: http://www.mlkonline.net/bio.html Hedges, C. (2011, May 16). The Obama Deception: Why Cornel West Went Ballistic. Retrieved July 31, 2011, from truthdig: http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/the_obama_deception_why_cornel_west_went_ballistic_20110516/ Mount, S. (n.d.). The I Have a Dream Speech. Retrieved July 31, 2011, from The US Constitution Online: http://www.usconstitution.net/dream.html The Poverty Tour. (n.d.). Retrieved July 31, 2011, from The Poverty Tour: http://www.povertytour.smileyandwest.com/

Friday, September 13, 2019

Case Analysis - Schindler India

Case Analysis Schindler India Essay MGT 554: International Business and Law Silvio Napoli at Schindler India (A) – A Case Analysis ____________________________________________________________ __________________ CASE ANALYSIS – SCHINDLER INDIA Schindler Holding Ltd, a respected Swiss elevator company, was established in 1874 by Robert Schindler and the first Schindler elevator was installed in India in 1925. After technical and sales collaborations with Indian companies, ECE and Bharat Bijlee Ltd. (BBL) in 1958 and 1985, Schindler Ltd decided to setup a wholly owned company in India in 1998. The Indian economy had been liberalized in 1991 and the economy was growing at a rapid clip with many commercial buildings, hotels etc, being setup. Sensing the growing opportunity, Alfred Schindler, Chairman and 4th generation founder family member, decided to invest in India. But he also knew that Indian elevator market was very demanding requiring customization even at the lowest elevator product range and very price sensitive. The market was also competitive and he was also aware that almost 50% of the market was captured by their worldwide competitors, Otis, and the remaining 24% by other well known brands like Finland based Kone etc. It was clear to him that entering this competitive yet potentially lucrative and profitable market would require services of a person with qualities of having a long term vision, foresight, be able to take high risks, be decisive, require thorough understanding of the local elevator market and to be able to adapt to the ever-changing local market conditions. Mr. Silvio Napoli seemed to have the right qualities for the job. Graduating with MBA from Harvard Business School, Silvio was appointed as head of corporate planning and was involved in strategic review processes, benchmarking and competitor analysis etc. hereby gaining good understanding of the global elevator market. He also gained good MGT 554: International Business and Law Silvio Napoli at Schindler India (A) – A Case Analysis ____________________________________________________________ __________________ experience managing a project that developed a standardized, low cost elevator for the highly saturated western e levator markets of France, Spain etc. , an experience that could also be leveraged for the Indian market. Silvio was also assigned with the task of evaluating the Indian elevator market for potential joint ventures, understand prevailing legal systems, estimate market size etc. and with this knowledge Silvio presented a India specific business plan to the corporate headquarters, which was quickly approved. So, Silvio should have been the right person for the job, but after reviewing his progress after 7 months, it became clear that he lacked essential qualities of having a long term vision, foresight, inflexibility and patience. Yes it is true that Silvio did a research about India and could get all the necessary information to start the wholly owned subsidiary of Schindler in India, but he lacked in understanding the cultural preferences and local preference to customizations. Silvio was strong headed and single minded, impatient and short tempered and also over communicative. He was not open to ideas communicated by his senior management, including managing director, Mehar Karan Singh, who emphasized on the need to have patience in the Indian market and develop relationships with customers. All these qualities of Silvio are not exactly appropriate in the Indian elevator market and could also lead to ineffective management control and dissatisfied subordinates. Given that Schindler was expecting large growth in a short period of time (sell 50 units in first year and have 20% of the market share within 5 years), it is clear Silvio also lacked execution capabilities. In the 7 months since Schindler established a dedicated presence in India, not a single elevator was installed in the country. Future prospects also looked bleak with no new concrete orders and escalated cost of elevators. READ: Essay on Junk Food By Judith Warner EssayMr. Luc Bonnard, Vice Chairman of the MGT 554: International Business and Law Silvio Napoli at Schindler India (A) – A Case Analysis ____________________________________________________________ __________________ company, naturally was not pleased with Silvio’s performance. From Luc Bonnard’s perspective, Silvio had managed to setup the entity in India in a very cost effective manner, without incurring major investments. The company had no dedicated elevator manufacturing facilities, no elaborate logistics or distribution investments and infact office space and furniture were also rented. Silvio had also hired some of the best local talent in key managerial and technical positions in the country. But these measures per se will not lead to profitability and it is recommended that for Silvio to succeed, he would have to first increase product offering in the country, showcase latest technology though it may be expensive in the price conscious market, start setting up a manufacturing facility and not overly depend on outsourcing every aspect right from assembly, be updated with the latest pricing from corporate headquarters and establish tighter communication and rapport between the local and corporate facilities of the company. Silvio formed new management team, which seemed to have a better grasp of the local elevator market conditions, was not comfortable with Silvio’s rigidity in concentrating on standardized elevators without much customization and seriously doubted if the company could be successful with only one low end, standardized elevator, S001. So, when there was a sales opportunity for some elevators, even though they required customization, the management team grabbed this opportunity without Silvio’s knowledge. But Silvio seemed to disagree or unhappy with this order since it went against his policy of minimizing elevator customizations and using only standardarized product offerings. There was no adaptability in Silvio’s business plan and he rigidly believed in global standardization strategy to focus on increasing profitability and profit MGT 554: International Business and Law Silvio Napoli at Schindler India (A) – A Case Analysis ____________________________________________________________ __________________ growth. Napoli’s plan called for Schindler India to sell 50 units in first year and to win 20% market share. The company has a strong pressure to reduce cost and limited pressure to adapt to the Indian market. It is recommended that for Silvio to succeed in the Indian market, he must immediately alter his plan and introduce elevator customizations. In the short term, his technical staff must be sent to the corporate headquarters for training on existing standardized elevator design, understand the technical specifications and explore possible customization options in the current range of elevators. In case if the existing team was still felt to be too inexperienced to handle this new range of elevators, then Silvio must also have options to bring in technically qualified personnel from the headquarters. For a long term strategy, it is recommended there are flexible technology transfer agreement between the Indian subsidiary and the corporate headquarters for multiple elevator product ranges that allows high degree of elevator customization. It is also highly recommended to set up a Greenfield manufacturing facility in the country to leverage on the cost and labor arbitrage, instead of extensively outsourcing and depending on external vendors for elevator assembly and spare parts. In addition to the problems faced in executing elevator orders due to elevator customization issues, Silvio also erred in formulating appropriate pricing strategy for India. His business plan did not consider important financial related factors like effect of Government policies on elevator industry, fluctuations in the currency exchange rate, effect of changes in the new transfer policy introduced by the corporate headquarters etc. As it is known, transfer pricing is determined various factors but primarily on profit earned by the subsidiary and also takes into account difference in the currency exchange READ: Changing Use Of Language EssayMGT 554: International Business and Law Silvio Napoli at Schindler India (A) – A Case Analysis By Satish Krishnamoorthy, Ramya Narayanaswamy, Karthik Chittatoor, Kamalendra Velendra ____________________________________________________________ __________________ rates. To handle the current pricing crisis, in the short term, it is recommended for Silvio to immediately negotiate with the corporate headquarters to revert back on the old transfer pricing method hat he had used to calculate pricing. For the long term, Silvio should enter into a mutual agreement with corporate headquarters that there will be no changes in transfer pricing methodology and changes in prices of essential imported elevator spare parts, without adequate prior intimation. Alternately, Silvio can also mutually agree on the transfer prices of some of the models transfer prices in his yearly budget and thereby shielding from sudden changes in the pricing.