Effect of Cultural Globalization in Intercultural Communication Essay

A. Background It’s almost always about international trade, foreign investment, capital flow and all the rest. But what about culture, identity, traditions and ways of life; do these things amount to anything? True, globalization has various manifestations. If viewed strictly from economic terms, then the debate delves into trade barriers, protectionism and tariffs. Powerful countries demand that smaller countries break down all trade barriers, while maintaining a level of protectionism over their own. Smaller countries, knowing that they cannot do much to hide from the hegemonic nature of globalization, form their own economic clubs, hoping to negotiate fairer deals. And the economic tug of war continues, between diplomacy and threats, dialogue and arm twisting. This is the side of globalization with which most of us are familiar. But there is another side of globalization, one that is similarly detrimental to some countries, and profitable to others: cultural globalization — not necessarily the domination of a specific culture, in this case Western culture, over all the rest — but rather the unbridgeable disadvantage of poorer countries, who lack the means to withstand the unmitigated takeover of their traditional ways of life by the dazzling, well-packaged and branded â€Å"culture† imparted upon them around the clock. What audiences watch, read and listen to in most countries outside the Western hemisphere is not truly Western culture in the strict definition of the term, of course. It’s a selective brand of a culture, a reductionist presentation of art, entertainment, news, and so on, as platforms to promote ideas that would ultimately sell products. For the dwarfed representation of Western culture, it’s all about things, tangible material values that can be obtained by that simple and final act of pulling out one’s credit card. To sell a product, however, media also sell ideas, often one-sided, and create unjustifiable fascinations with ways of life that hardly represent natural progression for many vanishing cultures and communities around the world. There is nothing wrong with exchanges of ideas, of course. Cultural interactions are historically responsible for much of the great advancements and evolution in art, science, language, even food and much more. But, prior to globalization, cultural influences were introduced at much slower speed. It allowed societies, big and small, to reflect, consider, and adjust to these unique notions over time. But the globalization of the media is unfair. It gives no chance for mulling anything over, for determining the benefits or the harms, for any sort of value analysis. News, music and even pornography are beamed directly to all sorts of screens and gadgets. This may sound like a harmless act, but the cultural contradictions eventually morph into conflicts and clashes, in figurative and real senses. Now days, globalization has spread out through all aspects of human live around the world. The globalization not only has been become a theory discussion but also the effect of it can change cultural identity and human perception. In this case we can know that globalization has changed our perception and our understanding about culture. In fact, culture is a fundamental reflections to do communication an any cases. Culture is also affect on our perception and our performance in our communication with other different culture, or we often call it Intercultural Communication. The impact of cultural globalization can be a virtue or fault in our communication. So, next, we also need to adapting in our behavior that we still have to open our mind and the cultural globalization can not hinder us in international or intercultural communication. B. Data Cultural globalization is the rapid traversing of ideas, attitudes and values across national borders. This sharing of ideas generally leads to an interconnectedness and interaction between peoples of diverse cultures and ways of life. The term â€Å"globalization† came to be widely used in the 1980s, but as early as the 1960s, Marshall McLuhan popularized the term â€Å"global village† to describe the effect that the ability to connect and exchange ideas instantaneously would bring to the world. Mass media and communication technologies are the primary instruments for cultural globalization. Global news services such as CNN disseminate the same events and issues across the world including some of the most remote locations in the world. A terrorist attack in a small village school in the Northern Caucasus can hold entire households in Kansas spellbound. This internationalization of news exposes countries to foreign ideas, practices, and lifestyles. The development of computer technology — with its social networking sites, video sharing ebsites, blogging sites and various other permutations — has served to accelerate cultural globalization as there are no boundaries on the World Wide Web. Advances in transportation have also facilitated physical travel to other countries, which in turn, has encouraged cross-cultural exchanges. Describing the relation between globalization and culture we can mention two intellectual currents that have been attempting to define it: the cultural universalism and the cultural particularism. These approaches try to identify a global identity. Here, where the paradox of Globalization relies. As I mentioned above (on reference to the usage of media and technology by indigenous people to spread their message), it seems that the more these people are trying to resist from what they call â€Å"Globalization†, the more that Gobalization invades them and confuses its reality with their reality, giving shape to a sort of incidental by-product of globalization: globalization itself. Globalization is not a recent process. Although it is now where its scope and force is more evident than ever, globalization might have existed since the very moment the cavern man first thought on humanity integration. I will summarize a historical overview of globalization as a concept on the following lines. Culture matters for globalisation in the obvious sense that it is an intrinsic aspect of the whole process of complex connectivity. However, it does not mean that culture is intrinsically more globalising on account of the ease of the ‘stretching’ of the relations involved and the inherent mobility of the cultural forms and products. Looking at the present phase of capitalist/imperialist globalisation all sorts of its dimensions are noticed. The impact of multinational corporations, the international division of labour, the increasing phenomenon of labour migration, financial and commodity trading, the significance of trading regulatory agreements, financial prescriptions at global level, and bodies such as the World Trade Organisation, World Bank and IMF – all testify to the globalisation of ‘material exchanges’ involved in economic relations. Obviously, there are lots of instances in which production, exchange and consumption of commodities do remain relatively local activities, but a trip around the neighbourhood will quickly reveal how much it is not a local produce. Software productions in India will cater to the markets in USA, UK and Australia, intensive banana production in Latin American continues to satisfy the needs of European and American markets and make year – round availability-show and these local based productions act as constitutive of the global process. Equally, in the cultural arena symbolic exchanges float free of material constraints – as books, CDs, celluloid, electronic flows on to TV screens and Videos and so forth constitute the cultural aspect of these globalising process. It does not mean that culture predominates in the globalisation process. One way is to think about the consequentiality of culture for globalisation, then is to grasp how culturally informed ‘local’ actions can have globalising consequences. A world of complex connectivity (a global market place, international fashion code, an international division of labour, a shared eco-system) links the myriad small everyday actions of millions with the fates of distant unknown others and even with possible fate of the planet. All these individual actions are undertaken within the culturally meaningful context of local mundane life worlds in which dress codes and the subtle differentiations of fashion establish personal and cultural identity. The way in which this ‘cultural actions’ become globally consequential is the prime sense in which culture matters for globalisation. To be sure, the complexity of the chain of consequences simultaneously entails the political, econ omic and technological dimensions of globalisation. But the point is that the ‘moment of culture’ is indispensable in interpreting complex connecticvity†6 . This is how a Western intellectual explains global consequentiality of ‘cultural actions’. Globalisation in its cultural dimension also discloses its essentially dialectical character in a particularly vivid way. There exists a cultural politics of the global arena which one can grasp by referring to the example of ecological consequences of local actions. The Green movement slogan ‘Think globally, act locally’ suggests a political strategy motivated by a clear collective cultural narrative of what the ‘good life’ entails. This strategy involves the mobilisation of agents – increasingly via sophisticated media campaigns – to achieve institutional changes at a global level. And if such a strategy is sometimes successful, it is because it draws on and appeals to very general cultural dispositions more than engagement with scientific-technical arguments over environmental problems. So culture also matters for globalisation in the sense that it makes out a symbolic terrain of meaning – construction as the arena for global political intervention. Cultural Imperialism? The Organisational Dimension of Cultural Globalisation Cultural globalisation as a dimension of this ongoing capitalist globalisation, or Fiedel Castro’s terminology – imperialist globalisation has the obvious object of dominating the national culture as also transform or pollute it to suit the imperialist design of exploitation and rendering the people frustrated and demoralised. Commercialisation of media and the cultural symbols and artefacts and the global tide driving for profit using ‘culture’ as a commodity, constitute the modus operandi of ‘cultural imperialism’. It is, however, unhelpful to focus exclusively on the conscious active agency of individuals and the local direct impact of artefacts and objects in describing the glolbalisation of culture. Of course, cultural practices can be and are actively imposed in places distant from their original site of production. Empires, in particular, stand as an important example of the extensive reach of new cultural ideas that are backed in their impact by the possibility of coercive force and the reality of political subordination. ’7 The process of the globalisation of culture is, however, more complex and varied in their forms and in the relationship between producers and receivers. Thus an important fact of this process is captured by reference to the notion of modes of interaction that is, the dominant ways in which cultural globalisation operates from imposition, through emulation to diffusion. The idea of ‘Cultural Imperialism’ is connected with a further element of the globalisation of culture – the establishment of the infrastructures of cultural production, transmission and reception, and the extent to which cultural flows and processes are institutionalised , that is regularised and embedded across time and space. As with any form of power, cultural power cannot be mobilised and displayed in the absence of organisations that create, transmit, reproduce and receive cultural messages or practices. These imply more than technologies, central as they are. For technologies must be displayed and operated by social organisations. Globalisation of culture, therefore, implies emergence of infrastructures and institutions of cultural transmission, reproduction and reception on a global C. Review on A Problem We can see from the theory, based on the data above, that globalization is a term of influence which came from ‘the first world’ and affect ‘the third world’ in all aspect.  Globalization of culture is the changing of imperialism that superior culture of western demolish culture of country fom ‘the third world’ gradually. It is done vey easy because the development of technologies and mass media spread out fast over world. These all cases affect on communication between each involved country. These are like a barrier of that communication. The cultural globalization will give many effects to that communication, or we often call it intercultural communication.

Coraline

Coraline is a horrific children’s book that was produced into a movie in 2009. Written by Neil Gaiman, the book was published in 2003 as juvenile fiction. Gaiman’s twisted ingenious mind has even frightened adult readers. This creepy fairy tale clearly draws much of its inspiration from Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland. What started out as a children’s novel became a hit movie in theaters. What is so spectacular about Coraline may be the colorful characters, the unexpected turn of events within the story, or the fact that it is the first stop(Stop? animation movie to be viewed in 3-D. The combination of Gaiman’s story with Selick’s (who is Selick? Producer? ) talent for movie presentation has made Coraline a remarkably entrancing and horrifying fairy tale for both readers and movie watchers as they experience the entrancing adventure of a little girl who learned the price of opening a door that was not meant to be opened. Before Coraline hit the big screen it made an everlasting impression as a children’s horrific fairytale. It turns out that Coraline’s name came about because Neil Gaiman kept messing up spelling Caroline. Reading Coraline makes it easy for the first time readers to relate to her character when they think back to their current or past adolescence. Most people would admit to times in their young lives when they were relentless pessimists and complainers, who acted bored and coughed up attitudes on a daily basis. Everyone could share Coraline’s plight when they had felt that there was nothing to do in a new house and were reluctant to meet new people. Viewers and readers alike have also felt a special connection between her family and their own. Children always think about what the perfect mother would be like, and parents also try to be the best for their children. However, both age groups try to imagine something better. Unlike Coraline, no one had ever found a mysterious small door in the living room that led to an almost perfect alternate reality that catered to your every whim. The movie begins with viewers seeing a doll that resembles an African-American child floating into a dark house greeted by hands made out of needles. Accompanied by the traditional chilling soundtrack that follows all Tim Burton films the doll is refashioned. Two hands disembowel a doll and then reassemble it with needle and thread. While not the most warm and fuzzy scene in any cinematic form, what makes it particularly ghoulish is the feeling that you could run your fingers through the doll’s sawdust innards and touch its button eyes† (Clark). The doll is then dressed in a yellow raincoat and blue jeans. As soon as it is finished the mysterious needle hands sends the doll out the window where it floats out in space. This is where we find out that the doll replicates our heroine Coraline Jones. Coraline, voiced by Dakota Fanning, and her parents, voiced by Teri Hatcher and John Hodgman, had just moved into the Pink Palace, it is a pink house spilt into floors as apartments in the woodsy area of Oregon. Coraline finds the house completely droll and far from the home and friends that she knew. While she explores her new home she finds, as Pratt writes: â€Å"A [Russian Gymnast, Mr. Bobinsky, who lives in the attic] tells Coraline that he's training his circus mice to play music, and Coraline finds him vaguely alarming, if only because she can't tell whether he's serious or joking. Miss Spink and Miss Forcible, two aging former actresses, live downstairs with a coterie of Scottie dogs. The ladies are happy to dispense tea, inedible cookies, and advice, and they read Coraline's tea leaves, which indicate that she's in danger. † She meets Wyborn, voiced by Robert Bailey Jr. , as Ebert describes, a â€Å"young hunchback whose full name is Wyborn, and it doesn’t take Coraline long to wonder why his parents named him that. † Wybie had found the doll that looked just like Coraline in his grandmother’s trunk and gave it to her. Little did Wybie know, he had given her the doll that was created in the beginning of the film, that was made by the feared Beldam, a witch. She also meets a very aloof cat that turns out to be one of her few allies in her greatest times of danger. In the living room she starts to unpack her set of snow globes, looking fondling on a winter scene in Detroit Michigan, her last home. Coraline discovers that her doll who was sitting on a chair had moved behind a box. As she retrieved the doll, it was found resting against a tiny door with a key hole on it. Coraline begged her mother to find the key that would unlock it. Her mother reluctantly obliged and makes Coraline promise that she will stay out of her mom’s way if she did this favor for her. Coraline replies yes, eager to see what was behind the door. Her mother shuffles through keys in a drawer, picking one whose handle end was in the shape of a button. As fast as Coraline’s heart rose, it sank. There was nothing behind the door but brick walls. Later that night Coraline had been awoken by a mouse that lead her to the door, when she open it and found a long tunnel with a light at the end. Excited for the adventure to come she crawled down the tunnel that, to her surprise, opened right into her own living room. Now though it looked like her real living room, everything was brighter and had a more welcoming atmosphere. Coraline was lured by the smell of real home cooking when she discovered her mother in the kitchen. Pullman said, â€Å"When she discovers a sinister woman there, who looks a little like her mother but has eyes that are big black buttons, the matter-of-factness of the woman's response when Coraline says â€Å"Who are you? † is both disarming and terrifying. â€Å"I'm your other mother,† she says. Coraline finds out that she has other version of all the residents including her parents in the Pink Palace. Mr. Bobinsky, is a very entertaining circus ringleader with synchronized mice that are able to perform fantastical acrobats. Ms. Spink and Ms. Forcible became active and energetic acrobatic performers on a massive stage where they took Coraline to partake in swinging from high wire swings above the crowd of terrier dogs below. Even Wybie, her newest friend is a double that mysteriously doesn’t talk. The Other Mother told Coraline that she felt she would enjoy him more that way. This perfect world that she finds changes her entire perspective on the life that she knew on the other side of the door. Her real parents were busy working for a plant publishing journal, while her other parents were tentative, caring, expressive, and just plain fun. But Coraline learns eventually that even though her other home seems perfect, there is something very peculiar and dark that lurks beneath the button eyes of all the people she meets. Button eyes are a great symbolism in Coraline. These buttons represents not having a soul. Coraline’s other mother turns out to be this cruel creature, he Beldam, who lures children through the secret door. She creates this perfect world for the child, giving them everything they wanted, promising to love them, and the only way a child could stay in this wonderful world is to have their eyes sewn shut and replaced with buttons. Once Coraline is told of this offer by her other mother, she realizes that her other mother’s intentions are hardly loving or parental. Collins writes, â€Å"Coraline meets the ghosts of several other children who had been kidnapped hundreds of years ago, and she realizes that her both her body and spirit are in danger. Coraline discovers that the black cat that has been lurking around the premises is able to talk to her in the other world. He gives Coraline clues for her to realize that everything is not as it seems. To viewers he would be related to the Cheshire cat from Alice in Wonderland. The cat tells Coraline that in order to set her parents free and the souls of the three children that she must challenge her to a game. Vejvoa said, â€Å"She has to muster the strength and courage to confront and defeat her monstrous Other Mother is she’s to rescue her real parents and get back to where she truly belongs. Her Other Mother cannot refuse any game as long as she thinks that she can win. Coraline is clever enough to come up with a game where she must look through the house and garden to find all the souls and eyes of the children before the lunar eclipse or she will give up her soul to the Other Mother. Coraline faces three dangers in three wonders that her other mother had created for her. Each of the children’s eyes were trapped in three different objects. The first soul was found in the garden where her other father had sacrificed himself for her to retrieve the soul. The second soul was found on the stage of the two actresses. The third was found in the dark and eerie mice circus tent. Once every soul was collected, Coraline had only to find her parents, who were trapped in a snow globe.. It came to the final task, defeating the witch. What used to looked so much like her real mother stood, a skeletal, towering, spider like woman that was anything but motherly. Coraline tricked her other mother to open the small door between home and the created world. As fast as she could react, Coraline tossed the cat at the Other Mother and she made a run for the door with all of the souls. The Other Mother broke free from the cat and chased after her through the tunnel. Coming through the door Coraline used all of her strength to shut it completely. But the Other Mother had her hand stuck then torn off from her wrists landing on the floor. The hand had disappeared, and the souls were set free. Although the souls and her parents were free the Other Mother’s needle hand was still at large and wanted the key to the door at all costs because there was only one. Everything seemed normal until Coraline decided to throw the key to the door away. She trekked to the well where she approached the opening of the well. Out of nowhere the Other Mother’s hand leaps out to grab the key, but since it is on a string wrapped around Coraline’s neck, she was being choked until Wybie had crushed the hand with a huge rock. The hand is tied within the blanket with the string holding the key and is thrown down the well. After vanquishing the Other Mother, all of the lost souls of the children were set free. The movie ends with Coraline and her parents hosting a garden party in which they had finally started planting and creating a beautiful atmosphere. Here all of her neighbors, Wybie, and Wybie’s grandmother come to gather. Coraline tells Wybie’s grandmother of what happened in the house and how she saved her twin sister’s soul. Coraline is no longer as pessimistic or as unpleasant when she started her adventure. The movie ends with a chilling song of children voices that makes viewers get the shivers when they recall the scariest moments. This film was hailed by all age groups, and more so towards the adult crowds. According to Ebert, â€Å"this is a movie for people who know and care about drawing, caricature, grotesquerie and the far shores of storytelling. In short, you might care little about a fantasy, little indeed about this story, and still admire the artistry of it all, [it] gets under our psychic fingernails. † Coraline is certainly a darker version of a family film when compared to Disney, but that is what makes it much more intense and rememerable. Cinema reviewer, Kernion said: â€Å"It isn't gory or excessively violent (certainly not as much as Prince Caspian), but there are some pretty frightening threats, and the peril that main characters often face can seem real and intense. It's similar in tone at times to Spirited Away — if you think your kids can handle the Miyazaki film, they should be fine with Coraline. † However, not all viewers and critics were impressed with the big hit movie. Jim Vejvoda, said, â€Å"a story where a mother plucks out kids' eyes and replaces them with buttons or sews their mouths shut might be a wee bit too torture prone for some members of toon-going crowd to stomach. † A movie blogger, Sean, said, â€Å"Coraline really clicked for me. It takes a while to get rolling, but once the twist is revealed and we understand the true extent of Coraline’s predicament, it’s hard not to be completely absorbed. The storytelling is on par with a Pixar film, or even Guillermo Del Toro’s critically-acclaimed Pan’s Labyrinth. † When comments were all said and done about the actual story, critics, and movie goers alike were both please and displeased when it came to the 3-D presentation of the film. 3-D films have become very popular in our recent movie viewing trend, however Henry Selick, the movie director, doesn’t want audiences to focus on the 3-D. According to Clark, â€Å"3-D is just a means to end, to showcase the medium he loves to work in: stop-motion animation, in which the hands and every other part of the characters in the movie are manipulated frame by frame to achieve movement and expression and to tell a story. † Selick has previously been honored for directing, The Nightmare Before Christmas. Coraline racked up a total of $60 million dollars for the stop motion animation to come to life via 3-D. Coraline has entranced and horrified both readers and movie watchers through the eyes of a once very unpleasant girl who learned the cost of being careful what she wished for. Neil Gaiman’s way of putting a twist on this story is what makes Coraline so chilling and mesmerizing. Coraline’s story is truly frightening, and Gaiman goes to great lengths to forge an ‘other’ mother world where every aspect of our lives is perverted and twisted into the macabre† (Collins). He teaches us that even though children, even adults, who think that the grass is greener on the other side, don’t know what they have until they lose it.

Tea Party Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Tea Party - Essay Example Eventually Americans imported tea from Netherland and sold it at a price even lower than the British tea. Carefully organized by patriots the â€Å"Tea Party† was a planned organization ready to lose a great amount of money if British sold tea to America at such a low rate. It is recollected that Boston was not the only region participating in the tea party. It was a game of fooling one another. While East India Company decided to unload the stock of tea refused by the Americans at prices even lower than the black market, these black marketers arranged a series of tea parties as a manipulative act.1 How did it start? The tea party started as a war between the Britain and its colonies that refused to buy tea from British East India Company because it was selling tea at a low price. The misunderstanding among the Indians was that it was being sold at a very high price. But the situation aggravated when they learnt that it was merely to adjust the increased tax levied on them by the crown. The colonizers sold tea bought from other regions at a much lower price than the East India Company. ... Unapologetic U.S. sovereignty iii. Constitutional originalism†.3 Way back in 1773 Samuel Adams urged the Governor of Massachusetts Thomas Hutchison to avoid conflict and condemn the British from loading tea in the colonies which was refused by Hutchison. Adams himself staged an anti-tea movement with 8000 men ashore. The Governor had refused to decline Britain from unloading. The final outburst was an attempt by fifty carefully chosen men who planned to attack the British ships.4 The Tea Party of the twenty-first century is not the only one associating itself with the Boston Tea Party of 1773. The more recent agitation from right-wing populist was after the release of the film â€Å"Network† in 1976 where a man shouts and calls himself as â€Å"mad as hell† urging the audience to repeat the same.5 What effect does it have on our politics? The authenticity of the Tea Party remains the point of scrutiny for most of the political figures. They have to question whethe r it is a genuine upheaval by the crown or is it a mere agenda by the right-wing media to further it for their own purposes. The Democrats have called these series of occurring movements in the American history as futile or â€Å"Astroturf† meaning a movement having no grassroots. In 2010 President Obama, a target of the Tea Party himself seeks for those in the outer circle with â€Å"legitimate concerns† while shunning the ones at the core who might be interested in demoting him by any means. Nearly 25 to 30 percent of the polls show that there is support for the Tea Parties. Party is used plural because it exists on several levels, incorporating competing factions sometimes as loose confederations. These supporters make up to tens of millions of Americans. Tea Party activists are angry with the

Assessment task 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Assessment task 2 - Essay Example iv. The outcome of the intervention is for better diagnosis which helps to set the appropriate treatment for the patient. The question that makes need of my research is whether performing of ECG test on patient arrival helps in better diagnosis compared to delayed ECG test on stroke’s patients ? PART II The method of searching online has been used as a resource for information. These are research healthcare databases such as Medline plus, U.S National Library of medicine. The reason to use this database is that it is a nursing database that you can search online and offer usually access a greater scope of information. The most nursing research and articles as well as journal are found mainly on this database. Medline plus is also a free access to the public. This provides a tool for nursing in finding the resources a given case study as it is in my research. I made my search on electronic databases as well as catalogues in finding the information that was to link the case stud y of ECG test on stroke and also give the appropriate information. I made use of a key word that was typed on Google search. The basic search method that was followed are; identifying the key concept to be searched, entering keyword into the Google search box , clicking on search then an appropriate database was evaluated based on information presented and the level of trust to the source of this information. On evaluation after comparison with other sources such as The Alan E. Lindsay, ECG Learning center in cyber space but felt Medline plus had more accurate information which met my search demand. Other sources that were identified and downloaded on this ECG test but gave sketchy information on it and hence Medline plus was taken as the best. PART III A stroke usually happens if the blood flow stops to some part of the brain. Causes of stroke When blood flow get stopped for long as few seconds and the brain does not get blood which carries with it oxygen then it can cause the cell s to die and this causes a permanent damage. Usually there are two types of stroke that are major. They include; ischemic and also hemorrhagic stroke. Ischemic stroke occurs at the time when blood vessel supplying blood to the brain gets blocked by a clot in blood. This usually happens in two ways: A clot forms in the artery which is very narrow (thrombotic stroke),a clot breaks off right from any place of blood vessels that are in the brain or from other parts of the body and then travels to the brain(cerebral embolism or the embolic stroke). Ischemic strokes can be caused by clogging of arteries. Some Fat and cholesterol usually collect on the walls of arteries and forms sticky substance known as plaque. Hemorrhagic stroke usually occurs if the blood vessel on brain part is weak and bursts thereby causes blood leak to the brain. Some people may have defects that are in blood vessels and in the brain making this likely to happen (Latchaw 2009). STROKE RISK FACTORS High blood pressu re is a high risk for strokes followed by the others such as; Atrial fibrillation, Diabetes, Family history on stroke, High cholesterol, age(especially in age 55 and above) and race such as black people who are more prone to dying of a stroke. People with heart disease and also poor blood flow from

Schwinn bicycles Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Schwinn bicycles - Case Study Example This research aims to evaluate and present the main strength of the company that lies in its large number of association with the industry segment. The company’s association with the industry dates back to more than a hundred years. Schwinn bicycles was once the market leader in the industry and has a an easy brand recall by the customers. The expertise of manufacturing and other operational aspects also constitute some of the other strngths of the company. A team of deidcated huamn resource base as well as a number of manufacturing units also serve as potential strngths of the company. The major areas of weakness of the company lies in its considerbly degrading market share and its outdated product line that finds very few takers in the market. In addition to this the issue lies with the poor positioning of the company as the customers find the brand and its products outdated and old fashioned that does not meet the expectations of the prospective sutomer segments. The intern al organizational aspects like HR policy and the aspect of sourcing some of the products from Asian nations has also put questions over the aulity aspect of the company’s products. One of the possible alternatives before Schwinn bicycles is a repositioning strategy. Repositioning involves changing the perception about a product or a brand in the minds of the target market audience. The repositioning strategy would involve focusing on innovation and needs of the customers and successfully communicating this change so as to change the perception of the brand and its product in the minds of the target market audience. ... In addition to this scope also exists for the company in unexplored and new markets wherte the company can leverage its association with the industry and its accrued experince to gain customer confidence that can reap benefits for the company. Opportunities also exists for the company in innovating its exiting product line that can help it to make its cash registers ringing and help maintain profitability and sustainability in the long run. Threats Schwinn Bicycles faces threats from its competitors in the market that of late have taken an edge over it in the market by virtue of greater innovation and newer product lines. The company also faces threats from the negative positioning and a poor image among the customers with the brand and its products. The constantly dwinndling market shares along with large number of debt obligations and the extensive levels of competition in the market serves as sources of considerable threats that can generate considerble issues for the organization . Analysis of Alternatives In the light of the issues surrounding the company, it has become imperative for the company to undertake strategic changes in its functioning that can help generate competitive advantage for the organization. Some of the strategic alternatives that can be considered by the company are stated below: One of the possible alternatives before Schwinn bicycles is a repositioning strategy. Repositioning involves changing the perception about a product or a brand in the minds of the target market audience. The repositioning strategy would involve focusing on innovation and needs of the customers and successfully communicating this change so as to change the perception of the brand and its product in the

Study guide - short answer Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Study guide - short answer - Assignment Example Prices play a significant role in influencing inflation/deflation and setting up demand and supply. There is minimal or no government intervention in free market economies. The forces of demand and supply determine how much should be produced and establish the income distribution curve. The price mechanism in a free market economy represents a cycle of real income from consumers to producers and back. For example; if the government prints out money to pay war contractors, the prices of equipments used in war will increase. The money incomes of the war contractors and their employees will significantly increase. The increase in their spending power will induce them to consume more commodities. The sellers will be compelled to increase their prices to match the increased demand. The war contractors and employees will be willing to spend their money income to pay for the higher prices rather than do without the commodities. Increased money incomes mean that a dollar will have a lower subjective value. Illustration: Let the war contractors and employees be, ‘W,’ and those who directly supply the commodities to them be, ‘X.’ Group X will increase its purchases from its wholesalers (Y). Group Y will have more income to purchase more commodities from the producers (Z). The cycle is continuous such that the increase in money incomes and prices covers the whole nation. When the cycle is complete, almost everyone will indicate higher incomes in terms of

The assignment it is a cross culture communication subject and it a Case Study

The assignment it is a cross culture communication subject and it a - Case Study Example es great challenges in business and, therefore, increase management costs (Lifang 2).The paper provides means/strategies that can help to solve some problems that have been facing Mr. Salih in XYZ multinational corporation. The strategies need approval of the corporate’s top management. In addition, the strategies were designed by the corporate head of human resource. Globally, multi-national corporations are facing personal conflicts, business industry conflicts, and more clashes that results from differences in attitudes, sources of information, and, as well as differences in personality, perception ,values and ideology. However, although conflict can be a psychological and behavioral form of confrontation. These conflicts will have an effect on the quality of work environment, development of the corporation, management efficiency as well as survival of the organization if it is not handled properly. For instance, the empirical importance of Western style of thinking and the Asian interpretation mode of thinking in the corporate’s cross-cultural communication can always constitute result of conflict, therefore, business managers need to attach significant attention and importance to it. However, the national culture formation can also bring about a variety of solutions and also patterns of behaviors to challenges; thus, cross-cultural related conflicts have happened mostly. Behavior pattern is clearly explicit in the style of national culture that is a fixed structure and recognized by people in a similar group through direct communication. Diverse cultures result to a variety of behavior patterns. Similarly, different behavior patterns might show a big conflict. However, cross-cultural situation exerts a lot of impact on the management of the corporate in different means. They always play a function without being easily noticed. The moment people realize the form of influence they have, the outcomes have been formed already. Most corporates in the

Professional Application Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Professional Application - Essay Example Some of the best practice and ideas are looked into and the essential settlement of ideas is brought to the fore. A variety of communication objectives are provided. The research also analyzes the targeted market audience. In a nutshell the research paper in depth talks about the marketing strategies that could be employed by the Steve Marden footwear company that aims to break the barriers in its line of business and enjoy a more market base unlike its rivals. Introduction Marketing communication involves bringing the products of a firm to the market and creating awareness that the product exists. It also involves other relevant information by the suppliers to the consumers that could be improvements on quality or branding. Marketing communication consists of the place, price promotion and the product. Methods and techniques of promotion differ with the product and the number of people targeted. It considers the types or groups of people the advertisement is reaching out to, their a ge gap, the kind of media they are most likely to come into contact with most of the time. Steve Marden limited which is a recognized footwear brand aims to make use of the integrated marketing campaign technique so as to rise above their competitors and to also maximize their sales and realize better revenue. One of the most common issues that affect product marketing is the message relay technique. This is an Achilles heel in the Steve Marden limited company. Once a technical team is tasked with the aim of marketing a product, they have to give it an appealing marketing message that will bring out the curiosity effect amongst the targeted market. Here are a number of the technical techniques employed by the marketing team. Steve Marden Limited is aiming to break the barriers in terms of marketing its footwear products. It first needs to re-strategize the marketing department of the company so as to bring in the people who will drive the sales of the company upwards. The marketing team will need to come up with a theme or logo that defines Steve Marden Limited and defines the company amongst its competitors. These is a major step in allowing Steve Marden Limited to be the major footwear brand it aims to be. Brochures hold a lot of information that needs to be passed onto the targeted audience, and also they are easy to fold and pass around. Many can be created at the same time and provide for large coverage without being bulky. Direct mailing gives promotion a sense of personal touch. Mail can also be customized for different people accordingly so as to meet their needs and motivate them. Newsletters contain useful organizational information that needs to be communicated appropriately. Posters and bulletins as well provide a means to reach consumers. However they are often not paid attention and are effective when you place them strategically where the customers are likely to see and notice them. Posters should also be kept neat and made attractive to be noti ced. Social networks that involve discussion groups are effective methods of promoting and advertising products. The social network is cheap to operate with and very fast media. It would involve sites like Facebook alongside company blogs and websites. (Belch & Belch, 2012) Television can sometimes be quite expensive; however, it is a very effective medium as it reaches a very extensive population and grows in popularity with time. Radio on the other hand is also an effective tool of advertisement as it reaches a good population. Even so,

Write-Up on the Negotiation of Teachers’ Association with Board of Education Essay Example for Free

Write-Up on the Negotiation of Teachers’ Association with Board of Education Essay Negotiation is a process of entering into dialogues which are intended (i) to resolve disputes, (ii) to produce an agreement upon courses of action, (iii) to bargain for individual or collective advantage, or (iv) to craft outcomes to satisfy various interests. The essence of negotiation in this case therefore is to bargain for individual or collective advantage.   We, the Teachers’ Association appeared before the Board of Education for a negotiation on workload and benefits and this write-up presents the salient points discussed and finalized during the negotiation process. 1. Workload Workload section is usually a less important area that our association would care to negotiate. Therefore we agreed for the proposal of 51 layoffs at Day 1 on the hope of getting a better deal in other terms of negotiation. It was our thinking that normally teachers will be required to work extra hours so that they can take better care of students as it was expected of us. Therefore, it is thought reasonable to accept their proposal of increasing 55 minutes of working per day. Similarly we accepted their offer of reduction in â€Å"prep† time so that teachers will be able to adjust their own time efficiently. Thus we can say that the negotiation process for issues relating to workload went on very well without any hard arguments or hesitation on either side. Although we were made to give up on some points, the Board of Education was ready to accept our offers on duty-free time and emergency assignments by Board. Our strategy in this section was to align our interests with those of the Board so that we both could figure out the best ways to achieve best results. We understood their true interest in changing the teacher/student ratio from 32:1 to 37:1 so that they could solve their primary problem. During the negotiation in this area, both the Teachers’ Association and the Board of Education were very much willing to work together. It was not the case that the other party in the process of integrating the strategies expected big and very important concessions from our side. 2. Benefits As compared to the workload section, the negotiation process for the benefits section was tougher. In fact it was necessary to have two short breaks during the negotiation to clear the air as there were heated arguments and discussions. The Teachers’ Association was looking for good results out of this negotiation to make teachers feel better and to bring more actual calculated cost benefits to the teachers for their hard work. We also knew that the concession from our side will pay off the deficits from the side of the Board of Education. The Board even though tried to solve their main problem, was not willing to accept our proposals without arguments. They presented their arguments and points very strongly. Therefore we had to adopt an assertive strategy to strongly present our proposals. We stood our ground and presented our standpoints more strongly and at no point of time we were willing to accept their offer. Although, it took more than 30 minutes for reaching an agreement, finally they accepted all of our proposals except the offer on childbirth leave. To reach an agreement on the childbirth leave, the Board of education had to reveal their bottom line with cost calculation. On the basis of the exact data of the costs required to fulfill the childbirth leave benefit, both the sides could find an agreeable point. In the whole negotiation process the Teachers’ Association showed the Board the precise interests of our side with an assertive strategy and the Board of Education extended their cooperation with their honesty.

Forecasting Presidential Election Essay Example for Free

Forecasting Presidential Election Essay The economy of the United States is believed to be experiencing a â€Å"recession†, creating a global effect on the economies of other nations. The Democratic Party of the United States has several essential arguments when dealing with the national economy. For instance, Democrats largely believe in the principle of graduated tax incomes which focus on the belief that those who have higher earnings should pay more taxes and, conversely, the poor people should pay less tax. Barak Obama has stronger chances of winning the 2008 Presidential Elections over Hillary Clinton when taking the matter of national economy as the central basis. Clinton’s strong urge for a ‘universal healthcare’ will not take her any further in the presidential elections for several reasons. On the basis of the national economy, Clinton cannot expect every single American to avail themselves of healthcare, especially among the poor population. Although Clinton may strongly support affordable universal healthcare, it is by far an idealistic goal precisely because sustained payments for a healthcare provider is still beyond the reach of the pockets of many Americans. Moreover, the establishment of a universal healthcare system for Americans cannot be managed single-handedly by an already-busy government. That is the part where private companies offering healthcare services enter the subject. Unfortunately, Fran Baum suggests that â€Å"the privatization of health services† has effectively â€Å"reduced access to healthcare for poorer people† inasmuch as it has also â€Å"reduced the likelihood of universal health services that offer equitable access to health services† . The fact that the resources of America are limited and that these resources should be properly allocated means that a large chunk of the national budget spent on a universal healthcare alone would create an economic imbalance, an event which is not within the top priorities of democrats. Obama’s plan with regard to the national economy, on the other hand, zeroes in giving tax reliefs to the middle class Americans. Obama’s plans to give tax reliefs of approximately $1,000 for middle class Americans is based on the observation that wages have remained significantly stagnant while the steady rises in the prices of commodities have eaten a large part of the budget of Americans. By trimming the taxes of middle class Americans which comprise the larger fraction of the nation, Obama expects that middle class will be given more purchasing power which in turn will translate to a revitalized economy. Although â€Å"the U. S. federal tax system is in reality a hybrid of an income and consumption tax, with some elements that do not fit naturally into either system† , Obama’s proposal makes it clear that every working family will be awarded tax reliefs whether or not they consume or spend too much, or they have a higher income in contrast to families of similar financial status. The fact that the U. S. federal tax system is a hybrid system suggests that a tax cut on healthcare may not easily meet its goals. To surpass the challenge of determining which part of healthcare—the ‘income’ part of the ‘consumption’ part—is to be deducted with tax is to surmount a hefty task. An analysis of the status of the national economy of America and its peripheries is just one approach in determining or predicting the outcome of the impending presidential elections. Apparently, technology also shares an equally important role in this national event, among others. Exit and public polls Frederic Solop maintains that the internet â€Å"has recently become an important part of the democratic process† . The fact that America is one of the top countries in the world which has the most number of people who are connected to the internet makes the country more susceptible to the changes in the online industry. The online industry has also been equally strong in influencing the media, and as we know if it, the broadcasting media has its own role in forecasting the presidential elections. Exit polls are being used by several media networks such as CNN and Fox New Network as basis for their elections forecast. Since these television networks have a broad range of reach, it is not a farfetched idea that the observations derived by these networks from the exit polls contribute to the ways in which the voters are able to decide on their presidential candidate. Exit polls are essentially public polls and this fact essentially gives the impression that the behavior of public opinion based on these exit polls is as close to the results of the presidential race as it can get. Of course, there are a number of exceptional cases such as the margin of error, usually at about 4 percent plus or minus, which can overturn the forecasted results assuming the difference in the rankings of the candidates are close to 2 to 4 percent. Add up to the forecasting use of exit polls the role of the media in actually transmitting these polls across the nation. The Fox News Network previously included in its broadcast of the polling results in the different parts of America prior to â€Å"Super Tuesday† a partition of the various factors that led to the polling results. For instance, the analysis on the exit polls released by Fox News included a subdivision of the voting preferences which the network later used to arrive at certain observations such as how blacks voted in favor of either Clinton or Obama, or as to how women preferred Clinton over Obama and vice versa. Fox News also had forecasts on the presidential elections based on public opinion which includes but is not limited to: the effects of Bill Clinton’s attitude towards the media in relation to Hillary’s performance in the election race, how the public views the gender and racial issues being infused into the elections, and the perception of the public concerning the personal attacks of the Clinton and Obama camps to one another. All of these things and a lot more have effects on the voting preference of the public. Public opinions by any media network transmitted via the internet or through live broadcast are just some of the ways in forecasting the presidential elections. Bellwether states Bellwether states have become the center of attention of political analysts who cast their forecasts on the presidential elections. Although the states of Missouri, Nevada, Tennessee, Ohio and Delaware have produces different outcomes in the national elections, these states have merely missed quite a few instances of these electoral outcomes. It is for this reason that the belief in these Bellwether States as probable indicators of the next American President have remained since the early twentieth century. With regard to the Clinton-Obama presidential campaign, it can be said that these Bellwether States pose a certain bearing on the outcome of the elections. If either one of the two democratic candidates are able to win in these states, it can be considered that they may have already won the presidential elections. Yet this may simply be not the case, as the certainties of the current presidential race are yet to be seen. If one is to delimit the considerations for presidency in terms of these states, then it can also be argued that the democratic winner in these Bellwether States has a higher chance of succeeding in the elections. However, the performance of Obama and Clinton in the various polls and the widely divided expert opinion on their presidential campaigns draws more and more uncertainties. If indeed the larger streams of factors are to be considered, the Bellwether States have very minimal bearing on the outcome of the presidential elections. In fact, these states have a disparity in terms of the outcome of the national elections. While Obama and Clinton won two of these five states each, with the remaining to be decided sometime this February, it appears that there are further uncertainties that remain to be resolved in the coming days. Expert opinion In terms of expert opinion, it would be no surprise to have a division among these opinions because it is quite difficult to share personal views even when based on facts without having an inclination to infuse certain ideologies which border on the side of either Obama or Clinton. Expert’s opinions nevertheless do hold certain grounds, and the weight of their merit resides more or less on the experiences and background of the ‘expert’. Political experts who both argue against and argue with the democrats, and with or against either Obama or Clinton, have credibility in their insights largely because of what they have contributed to American politics, especially in forecasting the presidential elections. As for the Obama-Clinton presidential campaigns, these experts are equally divided as well.The only similarity that one may see among them is their fervent desire to draw their forecasts on the elections. Bibliography Baum, Fran. Primary Healthcare: Can the Dream Be Revived? Development in Practice 13, no. 5 (2003): 517. Gordon, Roger, Laura Kalambokidis, Jeffrey Rohaly, and Joel Slemrod. Toward a Consumption Tax, and Beyond. The American Economic Review 94, no. 2 (2004): 161. Solop, Frederic I. Digital Democracy Comes of Age: Internet Voting and the 2000 Arizona Democratic Primary Election. Political Science and Politics 34, no. 2 (2001): 289.

A Space Odyssey Film Analysis English Language Essay

A Space Odyssey Film Analysis English Language Essay A Space Odyssey revolves around the theme of evolution. This is a story about how man is overwhelmed by technology. The story follows the evolution of man from man ape. The film also takes into account humans evolution in to the future which involves humans creating Artificial intelligence. This idea develops out of humans use of the tool and eventually evolving beyond their biological needs. HAL represents this evolution but also warns of the problems that can arise when man creates artificial life. HALs malfunction is one such problem that warns of the advancement of technology where humans do not have full control. HAL begins to think on its own and digress from its original programming. HAL also shows signs of evolution as he begins to show emotion that he was not programmed to have. HAL becomes aware of himself and acts to make choices. This can be seen as HAL acts to defend himself for his continued existence. Stanley Kubrick is able to address the idea of evolution through spe cial effects . This can be seen as the effects for the time of the film were realistic with the representation of outer space. This was one of the first films to depict no sound in space. This film raised questions about the relationship between humans and artificial life. Kubrick is also able to accomplish a way of getting the relationship between human and technology across with little to no dialogue in the film. He attempts to portray events visually or with sounds that would have usually been used through dialogue. The basis of 2001: A Space Odyssey is that man has reached a point technologically with their tools that the next evolution step would be consciousness of artificial life. This can be seen through the HAL 900 computer. HAL is an artificial intelligence and an onboard computer of the spaceship Discovery. HAL is capable of speech and emotion. HAL 9000s voice is soft but is able to mimic human emotions which is very eerie . HAL maintains the ships functionality while the crew act as mechanics make the crew seem almost obsolete as Kubrick hints at the end of human evolution through technology. The films effects add to the theme of human evolution. The images of people walking upside down inside the windows of the flying spaceship gave great use of the camera angles. This image was a favorite of mine that added to the theme of human evolution. The film also used the effects of the monolith as a turning point in the history of man . The realization of this monolith gives way to the making of weapons eventually leading humans into space. As nature is replaced with technology a sense of individuality is lost and humans have no emotion. This film demonstrates a world that has sacrificed wisdom for knowledge. The monolith shot gives the viewer an example of using lines to direct the eye to a specific point. This is a good special effect that stood out. The music adds to the imagery that emphasizes how big the universe really is. The first scenes of space are enhanced by a classical soundtrack. When inside, the soundtrack is lively. However, outside things are silent .Kubricks ch oice of music ranged from conventional to odd. As a result, the music fit the storyline. The character performances in the show are robotic. The astronauts seem to just be janitors and seem unnecessary to the overall mission. This does add to the effect in the movie. The first characters are of prehistoric Earth and are apelike. An alien monolith appears to them and they quickly evolve to use tools and weapons. The film pioneered front projection in mainstream movie production. This can be seen with the weightless scene disconnecting HAL. The disconnection of HAL was one of the key shots in the movie. The film was a pioneer in front projection in mainstream movie production. This can be seen with the weightless scene disconnecting HAL. The disconnection of HAL was a memorable screen shot worth noting. All in all, the many effects in 2001: A Space Odyssey add to the theme of evolution .

Autism in Children :: detection, intervention, education

All children deserve to have an equal chance to learn and perform in any number of categories. The only problem is that not every child can function correctly for various reasons. The condition that I am covering is autism. Autism is a difficult symptom to correct because it is a brain disorder that takes time and much work with doctors and teachers. I wanted to learn more on this disorder because I have a family member that have this condition. Autism affects communication skills, social skills, creativity skills, and learning skills. The ways to help correct these symptoms would be early detection, early intervention, and how to educate children with autism. Every parent wants to know what causes autism for their child. The only problem is that no one knows what causes autism. There are many signs and different theories, but no answers to what causes autism. Many different methods have been conducted to see the cause of autism. Methods like brain research, genetics, and neurochemistry have not solved this dilemma. The causes of autism have not been solved, and might never be discovered. Parents want to know if their child can be cured and be able to live a normal life. The answer to that is no and yes. There is no cure for autism, but with the proper treatment and education, a child can grow and live a very normal life. There are many cases of people with autism living a normal based life, even though they still have autism. Autism is a life long condition that can not be cured, but people can still live normal lives. One person in particular (Peter) interested me as he lives a very normal life and is an inspiration to not only autistic people, but to everyone, Today, things are much easier for me. I go to Inver Hills Community College, where I?m working for my associate of arts degree. I am very hopeful about my future. I?ve taken some very difficult classes in geography, but I have passed all of them with a fairly decent grade?This past October, I gave a talk in front of nearly three hundred people up in the Twin Cities about my autism?I talked about what autism felt like for me, and I told some funny stories?On the whole, this talk was a very big success for me. My talk brought tears to the eyes of many.

The Real King :: essays research papers

Riley B. "B.B." King (guitarist/singer, born September 16, 1925, Itta Bena, MS) The most touching bluesman of our time, and the most influential electric guitarist ever, the "King of the Blues" sums up his message with some simple advice. "I would say to all people, but maybe to young people especially--black and white or whatever color--follow your own feelings and trust them, find out what you want to do and do it, and then practice it every day of your life and keep becoming what you are, despite any hardships and obstacles you meet." So hard to follow yet so good to live by, those words also describe the course of the musician's extraordinary career. The obstacles in his path were many: He was born during the Great Depression in the poorest of American states, the son of black farm laborers. Only talent, hard work, and an unstoppable artistic vision can account for King's journey out of the Mississippi Delta, through the roadhouse joints of the "Chitlin' Circuit" in the South to the legendary Apollo Theater in New York, into the recording studio, to the hearts of millions. Praising his "apparently inexhaustible reserve of creativity," as he presented B.B. King with the National Medal of Arts in 1990, President George Bush hailed the blues musician as a "trailblazer, an authentic pioneer who literally helped shape his art form." Riley B. King (the extra "B" came later and doesn't stand for anything) spent his childhood all over the state of Mississippi. When his parents separated in 1929, the boy went to live with his maternal grandmother in Kilmichael; his mother died when he was nine and, in 1940, B.B. joined his father's new family in Lexington for two years before returning to Kilmichael. He took on farm work in Indianola in 1946 but, after wrecking a tractor, decided his future lay in Memphis, Tennessee. A fan of the bluesman Bukka White, young B.B. looked him up for advice and found himself working as a street corner bluesman in Memphis. In 1948 he worked up the nerve to audition for WDIA, a hillbilly radio station that was about to change its format to cater to the black community. He got the job. He cut his first record in 1949, "Miss Martha King," followed by "Three O'Clock Blues" and "She's Dynamite" in 1951. Both reached Number One in Memphis. By 1955, King decided to put together his own band, and a steady string of hits followed that included "Recession Blues," "Rock Me, Baby," "How

Race and Racial Group Essay

Search the Internet for groups and organizations promoting racial equality to help you complete this assignment. You may also refer to the Internet Resource Directory in Ch. 13 of Racial and Ethnic Groups. Using the information from the text and your web search: Identify one racial group from the list below:  · Hispanic American/Latino Write a 500- to 750-word paper from one of the perspectives below:  · A historian writing about the racial group in a book chapter  · A news reporter writing a newspaper article or blog entry about the racial group  · An individual member of the racial group, writing a personal letter to a friend who is not a member of that racial group Answer the following questions:  · What have been the experiences of this racial group throughout U.S. history?  · What have been the political, social, and cultural issues and concerns throughout American history?  · What legislation meant to constrain race within prejudicial boundaries was enacted? How did the various groups you researched fight this legislation? What legislation meant to alleviate prejudicial boundaries has been enacted? How did the various groups you researched promote this legislation? Assignment: Historical Report on Race Purpose of Assignment Students explore a variety of resources on racial equality and write a paper from a historical perspective relating to the experiences of a particular racial group in the United States. By understanding the history of experiences of various groups, students will be better prepared to connect historical experience to racial diversity today. Resource Required Internet Resource Directory in Ch. 13 of Racial and Ethnic Groups

How Helpful Is Microsoft Word, Excel and Powerpoint?

Avery Parsons Man 1030-Week 3 Professor Nathan Riggs Nov. 4,2012 Please define each of these four forms of business ownership and then respond to the following questions: (1) Sole Proprietorship- A business that is owned and usually managed by one person; it is the most common form. (2) Partnership- A legal form of business with two or more owners. (3) Corporation- Is a legal entity with authority to have liability separate from its owners. 4) Franchisors-Owns the overall rights and trademarks of the company and allows its franchises to use these rights and trademarks to do business. The entity or person owning the rights or license of the business. Do you think that Sonic would have grown as large as it did today if had remained a Sole Proprietorship? Why or Why not ? In my opinion , I would say no due to the fact that it would have caused the disadvantage of limit growth, limited reasons and unlimited liability.In terms of partnership it would bring about conflicts with a partner, division of profits, difficulty termination and unlimited liability. As a corporation , they would have encountered limited liability, the ability to raise more money investments, ease of ownership change and the ease of separating of owner from management. What were the advantages and disadvantages to Sonic each form of business Ownership?The advantages are they have the ability to have as many Sonic Restaurants all over the world, personal ownership, lower failure rate and management marking assistance compared to someone who begin a business from scratch. The disadvantages are that they have large start-up costs, shared profits, management regulations and coattail effect. Another advantage would be having a unified voice to protect their investments. Sonic has survived and continues to be successful, not only by maintaining a strong fast food presence throughout the years as drive –in.While other chains have gone under one by one. There have been lots of drive –in a nd fast food restaurants over time. In your opinion what makes Sonic and other major successful than others? The quality food they serve. The nostalgia of this old time tradition or the novelty of it, depending upon the age of the customers it provides an irresistible attraction to a wide variety of clientele, making sonic potentially a very profitable franchise option. In closing ,Sonic restaurants still are no. through various changes and innovations made rather recently, Sonic Drive in has been able to expand its number of store locations within the past decade. Today there are nearly 3,000 Store locations all across the nation ,and the company boasts market capitalization that exceeds 1. 5 billion. References: Learning activities 1 and 2 Learning video Sonic is Booming Understanding Business McGraw & Hill Chapter 1 pgs. 8-11 Chapter 5 How to form a business-pgs. 114-145

Consider the significance of the Edict of Nantes 1598 Essay

The Edict of Nantes immediately followed the Wars of Religion, which further divided France in terms of religion. The Edict of Nantes could be described as a significant development in policies regarding religion in France in the 17th century. The policies were implemented by a monarch who sat on the fence when it came to religion, having devotions to both Catholicism and Protestantism, in the shape of Henry IV. The Edict of Nantes itself was very significant as its policy was the first of its kind in French politics. Never before had a French monarch tolerated both Catholicism and Protestantism and allowed them both to flourish in the same ‘country’. Whatever Henry’s beliefs and motives in implementing such a policy, it was certainly an original policy and a significant development in sixteenth and seventeenth century France. Toleration existed and although it can be argued that Protestants didn’t have very much power and the Catholics remained in near total control of the majority of areas in the country but the Protestants certainly had more power than they had under previous more anti-Protestant monarchs. The Edict could also be described as a turning point. Indeed, it could be described as a very significant turning point. Legislation was put in place in an attempt to avoid discrimination against the Protestants. Discrimination was not evident by the Edict itself; it was more of a case of trying to give the Protestants more rights. Henry couldn’t go as far as giving the Protestants equal legal, religious and political rights because he would lose the support of the Catholics. However, there can be no denying the significance of the legislation. It was the attempt to be pragmatic where religion is concerned which resulted in his death. The significance of Henry’s reign lies in the difference and the pragmatism of his reign. The actual legislation could be described as ground breaking. The rights that the Edict of Nantes gave the Protestants included full liberty of conscience and private worship; liberty of public worship wherever it had previously been granted and its extension to numerous other localities and to estates of Protestant nobles; full civil rights including the right to hold public office; royal subsidies for Protestant schools; special courts, composed of Roman Catholic and Protestant judges, to judge cases involving Protestants; retention of the organization of the Protestant church in France; and Protestant control of some 200 cities then held by the Huguenots, including such strongholds as La Rochelle, with the king contributing to the maintenance of their garrisons and fortifications. In practice, things were slightly different for the Protestants who were oppressed by the Catholics and still weren’t allowed anywhere near Paris. It is clear that full, equal rights for the Protestants were not given by Henry – for example, Roman Catholic judges had more power in the courts than the Protestant judges did and often Roman Catholic bias came through in a number of cases – but there was some attempt to give the Protestants some rights and freedoms which was in itself significant. The Edict of Nantes was also very significant in terms of Henry’s foreign policy. He wanted to protect the southern border of France from the Spanish and Austrian Hapsburgs. Henry was more patriotic than the French kings before him and his policies show this as he placed the Protestants in the south of France, using the Protestants to protect France from Spain. All of this means that – in terms of French foreign policy – the Edict of Nantes carries further significance for a number of reasons†¦ The removal of the Protestants away from Paris and further towards the south means that Henry IV embarked on a policy of centralisation. There is no doubt that Henry converted to Catholicism and tried to maintain as much power as possible for his Catholic friends in the establishment. Policies were made more in a centralised way i.e. from Paris and the Protestants were freezed out in positions of power by the Catholics. This is significant because of the reign of Louis XIII who furthered the centralisation policy, and shows that there was a trend towards centralisation before Louis XIII came onto the throne. This also shows that Henry’s domestic and foreign policy can easily be linked, which is also significant. All of this emphasises how significant the Edict of Nantes was. Henry’s patriotism was also on show in the implementation of the Edict of Nantes. He didn’t want any foreign influence in his affairs and he wanted to appease the Protestants. The best way to appease them was giving them an important role whilst getting what he wanted in his foreign policy by getting the Protestants to protect the borders of France. This is highly significant as never before had a French monarch been as patriotic as Henry and it is also significant because it indicates that Henry didn’t actually want the Catholics to have power in all areas of France which probably indicates that he still had allegiances to the Protestant beliefs despite his conversion to Catholicism. Henry’s tactical manoeuvres were also significant in another way. Basically, he prevented the Wars of Religion from continuing and restarting again. The irony is that his tendency to sit on the fence on the issue of religion in the end cost him his life. This is why some historians place emphasis on the significance of this aspect of the Edict of Nantes. Henry’s early life as a Protestant and his subsequent conversion to Catholicism make the Edict of Nantes interesting as well as significant. To consider the significance of the Edict of Nantes, we have to consider the situation in France before Henry IV came to the throne and even beyond the Wars of Religion. The Wars of Religion were where the Calvinist Huguenots (Protestants) and the Catholics did battle for control of the monarchy. The Catholics won and maintained control of the monarchy; however, it is clear that something needed to be done to prevent another War of Religion from happening. Henry IV was the man with the job of preventing another War of Religion and he turned out to be the perfect man for the job. Unlike most French monarchs in this period, Henry was pragmatic when it came to religion although he had developed a slight preference for Catholicism. Henry felt that they were more important things than religion – his patriotism as opposed to his religious beliefs – but ultimately it was this that caused his downfall and eventual death. However, the very fact that the Wars of Religion didn’t happen again throughout Henry IV’s reign is very significant considering the huge division between the two religions. Another War of Religion could have shaped French history differently, especially if the Protestants/Calvinists came out on top. Today’s France could also have been completely different if a war wasn’t avoided. This makes Henry’s reign and – of course – the Edict of Nantes take on further significance. The Edict of Nantes certainly cannot be described as revolutionary but it was almost a complete reform of the laws regarding religion. In reality, there was little reform because there was major exploitation of flaws in the law by the Catholics. However, this shouldn’t take anything away from the significance of the Edict of Nantes because the laws created Protestant strangleholds in the south of France. Despite all this, the Edict of Nantes takes on an apparent lack of significance because of what happened to Henry and what happened under the reigns of subsequent monarchs. The Edict was indeed revoked in 1685 and steadily the Catholics moved towards a position of total power over the Protestants. So this means that the Edict of Nantes loses some of its significance because the policies of Henry had no impact on future monarchs. During Henry’s reign, however, significance can be attached to the Edict.

Task 1 Eymp 1

Context and principles for early years provisions. The Early Years Foundation Stage was brought into force in September 2008 by orders and regulations which come under section 39 of the Childcare Act 2006. All of the early years providers are required to use the EYFS to ensure a flexible approach to children’s care, learning and development that enables young children to achieve the five Every Child Matters (ECM) outcomes. These 5 outcomes are staying safe, being healthy, enjoying and achieving, making a positive contribution and achieving economic wellbeing.The EYFS is used in many different settings and some of these are schools, nurseries, pre-schools, playgroups, after school clubs, breakfast clubs and child minders. This statutory framework sets out legal requirements to relate to the learning and development of children and the legal requirements relating to welfare. There are early learning goals which are the educational programmes and the assessment arrangements. The welfare requirements are given legal force by regulations made under section 39 of the Childcare Act 2006.Together the order, the regulations and the statutory framework documents make up the legal basis of the EYFS. Each individual child is supported by the EYFS because it is there to support the needs and interests of each individual child. There are six areas covered by the early learning goals and educational programmes. They are equally important and depend on each other to support the rounded approach to child development. All these areas much be delivered through planned, purposeful play with a balance of adult-led and child-initiated activities. These six areas are; * Personal, Social and Emotional Development. Communication, Language and Literacy. * Problem-solving, Reasoning and Numeracy. * Knowledge and Understanding of the World. * Physical Development. * Creative Development. * The EYFS has partnerships with parents and from this we know when parents and practitioners i n the early years work together it has a direct impact on the children’s development and learning. The EYFS does observations to look at and listening to children to find out how they are developing, what they like doing and what they are learning through their play and the other experiences they are given.Assessment in the EYFS is of two main types. The first type is  on-going assessment  which is what practitioners do on a daily basis to make decisions about what the child has learned or can do already. This is to help the child move on in their learning. Another type of assessment known as summative assessment takes place twice in the Revised EYFS. Firstly when a child is between 24 and 36 months, the outcomes of this are recorded and parents and practitioners  use the information gained to identify  a child’s strengths and their learning needs.The second assessment takes place  towards the end of the Early Years Foundation Stage. This is to sum up all the different information from on-going assessments that have been made about the child. Planning in the early years is about meeting young children’s needs so that they can play and learn happily in ways which will help them develop skills and knowledge across the   Prime and Specific areas of learning in the EYFS. Development Matters in the Early Years Foundation Stage is non-statutory guidance material which is intended to support practitioners in implementing the statutory requirements of the EYFS.It shows how the four themes of the EYFS and the principles that inform them work together to support babies and children. A progress check is done when the child is two years old which was developed by the National Children's Bureau. This check covers the legal requirements for the EYFS. It is done to check how the child is progressing. There is also a check done at 5 years old which is when children are starting school. The statutory framework is split into 3 sections which are the introduction, the learning and development requirements and the welfare requirements.The introduction is an overview which explains the aims and legal requirements. The learning and development requirements is the early learning goals and are a statutory requirement for all Ofsted registered providers. The welfare requirements are universal and have to be met by all Ofsted registered settings. There are 4 main themes to the EYFS which are a unique child, positive relationships, enabling environments and learning and development. A unique child theme is there because every child is a unique child who is constantly learning and can be resilient, capable, confident and self-assured.The positive relationships are there so children can learn to be strong and independent through these positive relationships. Enabling environments is a theme because Children learn and develop which gives them experiences which respond to their individual needs and there is a strong partnership between practitioners and parents and carers. Learning and development is a theme as it means children develop and learn in different ways and the framework covers the education and care of all children in early years provision, including children with special educational needs and disabilities.There are many different theorists which have very different approaches on the early years education for children. Some of these theorists are Reggio Emilia, Friedrich Frobel, Rudolf Steiner, Susan Isaacs, Margaret MacMillan and Maria Montessori. I am only going to explain in detail about 3 of these. The 3 I have chosen are Reggio Emilia, Friedrich Frobel and Margaret MacMillan. The Reggio Emilia approach is an early childhood education approach and was started in a town in the Northern end of Italy in 1940’s and is now worldwide.This approach values the potential of all children to think, learn and construct knowledge. This approach gives children the right to be recognised as subjects of in dividual, legal, civil and social rights. The Reggio Emilia approach offers training materials and courses which are designed to promote this approach throughout Italy and the world. This approach is a progressive child-centred approach to education which believes children must be free to discover and learn for themselves. A teacher which teaches in the Reggio Emilia approach allows children to do many things and supports them in many ways e. . they allow the children to ask their own questions and to explore and generate many possibilities. The teacher provides opportunities for the children to communicate their own ideas to other children. The Friedrich Frobel approach enables children to be cherished, simulated and to flourish their full potential. Friedrich set up education systems in Germany which are still used to this day. Friedrich Frobel believes all children are like tiny flowers, they are varied, they need care but each child is beautiful alone and glorious when seen in t he community of peers.He done this approach for children from birth to 7 years old and it recognises how unique each child is and every child’s different areas of development as a whole. This approach provides an environment which is safe, intellectually challenging, allows free access to a rich range of materials, opportunities for play and which work close in partnership with parents and other skilled adults. The Margaret MacMillan approach emphasis relationships, feelings and ideas in the physical aspect of learning. It also works in close partnership with parents and provides play for children as Margaret believes it helps children apply what they understand.Margaret believes in first-hand experience and active learning so she provides most of her learning through play because she believes this helps the children. She also believes children can’t learn if they are undernourished, poorly clothes, sick or ill, with poor teeth, poor eyesight, ear infections, rickets a nd so on. Therefore Margaret provides everything possible which is needed to help these things e. g. free school clothes and meals. She will not allow a child which is ill or sick into her environment as she believes they should be at home getting better.

Car Rental Business Plan

A car rental business plan is a familiar business model for most bankers and investors. Ever since car sharing programs like Flex Car rose to prominence in the ? 00s, business people have re-imagined what the car rental business model can be. Which is not to say that the conventional model is dead—far from it. Auto rental behemoths like Avis, Hertz, and Enterprise have managed to keep revenues up despite the flagging economy, and one look at any airport parking lot shows that this line of business is not likely to fade out anytime soon. But when preparing a car rental business plan, providing this context is just part of your job. You need to explain in detail what the rental types are, the sort of cars you will stock, and the rates you envision charging. Then go into: †¢ The market for your rental agency—who will be your average customer? †¢ The marketing strategies you will use †¢ How the company will be staffed †¢ The amount of funding you need How you will allocate your capital and what amount of sales will be reinvested into operations Your business plan for a car rental agency should have a comprehensive financial pro forma that shows not only how you will spend the money you get up-front, but the projected revenues year over year and the ongoing expenses. Common tables include the sales forecast, personnel plan, profit and loss table, break-even analysis, cash flow, balance sheet, and a sensitivity analysis. Investors also want to see ROI calculations and the first year in a monthly detail. Beyond the model, your business plan needs a management team section, an implementation plan, and a tidy market analysis. Sounds like more than you want to handle? Turn the keys over to the experts at MasterPlans. Our team of exceptional writers, editors, modelers, and researchers can get your plan together in as little as 5-7 business days—877-453-2011.

What can the government do to reduce the level of unemployment Essay

What can the government do to reduce the level of unemployment permanently - Essay Example This percentage was equivalent to 197 million individuals (International Labor Office, 2012). Economists propose various theories and approaches towards reduction of the level of unemployment in various countries. The Philips curve, non-accelerating inflation rate of unemployment (NAIRU), natural rate of unemployment and general supply-side economics will be discussed in relation to a reduction of the unemployment rate. The concepts of supply-side economics developed and spread in the 1970s. These were a response to the Keynesian economic policy, particularly the failure of demand management in the stabilisation of the western economies during periods of stagflation at the time. The distinguishing factor of supply-side economics as a modern phenomenon is the argument on a favour of low tax rates for the working class (Wessels, 2006). Classical liberals at the time opposed taxes and government. Their claim was that every individual had a right to their own self and their property, and thus taxation was immoral (Wessels, 2006). Supply-side economists, on the other hand, argued that the collective benefit of jobs provided individuals an impetus for cuts in tax. In supply-side economics, macro-economists argue that economic growth can be achieved in a country by the government reducing the barriers of production and enabling people to produce and supply goods and services, and also invest in capital (W essels, 2006). According to supply-side economics concepts, consumers benefit from a high supply of goods and services at low prices (Atkinson, 2008). Furthermore, through investment and expansion of businesses, a country experiences an increase in the demand of employees (labour). Some of the typical policy recommendations for the concept are; less regulation, and low marginal tax rates to stimulate the production of goods and services (Atkinson, 2008). In supply-side economics, tax is viewed as a

The Hiding Place, by Corrie ten Boom Research Paper

The Hiding Place, by Corrie ten Boom - Research Paper Example The Hiding Place, by Corrie ten Boom, with the assistance of Elizabeth and John Sherrill is a story of fear, faith, and miracles set within the truthful remembrance of World War II. In Haarlem, Holland, the ten Boom family is put into the position of occupation by the Germans in which they see the tragedy of their Jewish friends herded onto trucks and feel the need to act. Their father sets up a hidden room in their house in which they can help those who come to them to hide from being taken. Several emotional levels of experience are explored within the novel. The fear of being taken, the reaction to adjusting to terrifying living circumstances, and the fear that is ultimately a part of their lives after incarceration is explored through the events that take place. The faith of Corrie ten Boom that would go on to inspire others after her release is explored as she goes through horrific events and survives. As well, she tells the story of a series of miracles that helped her to live, despite the horrors that she witnessed. The story of Corrie ten Boom is defined by the belief in God that inspires her father to act in support of the Jewish members of his community that were in trouble and continues after they are captured and she experiences both loss and hope through the events that she attributes to miracles from God. The story begins in 1937 with the event of a celebration. Corrie is forty-five at the time, she and her sister having never married and living at home with their father who is a watchmaker. Corrie spends a good deal of time discussing her childhood and all the ways in which it summed up to her adult existence. Holland falls to the German invasion and her father, herself and her sister must make the choice as to whether or not to act in tandem with the resistance, or to ignore the plight of their fellow countrymen. They choose to act by hiding Jewish member of the community in a room that could be hidden. Eventually they are betrayed and incarcera ted, their father, who is in his eighties, dying within ten days of having been arrested. Corrie is ill when she is arrested and is put into solitary for an unknown period of time which might have been a month or more, isolated except for the hand that gives her food everyday. She finds ways to hold onto her faith, something coming to her aide whenever she felt that she could not withstand her circumstances for any longer. She writes in regard to the ‘company’ that she found â€Å"And I was not alone much longer: into my solitary cell came a small, busy black ant† (Ten Boom, Sherrill, & Sherrill, 2009, p. 165). The ant symbolizes provision, the creature a survivor through its ability to provide for its colony, just as Corrie finds in her faith a way to provide for her survival. Corrie and Betsie, her sister, are eventually reunited as they are sent to Vught Prison and the two are eventually sent to Ravensbruck. Ravensbruck was a concentration camp which was housi ng anywhere from 45,000 to 60,000 female prisoners in 1944 who were mostly political prisoners who had defied the Nazis during World War II (Albert-Lake & Litoff, 2006, p. xxi). In these walls, Corrie and Betsy faced horrors of the concentration camps, Betsie finally dying from her weakened condition from heart problems that had always plagued her. Corrie records many small miracles that helped her to survive during incarceration. There was a small vitamin bottle that was sneaked in to help to keep Betsy strong and the bottle never seemed to run out of pills. They had obtained a copy of the gospels, and while religious material was routinely confiscated, theirs was never taken

Rumelt's evaluating strategies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Rumelt's evaluating strategies - Essay Example Whereas the strategies have the same objective of ensuring business success, they also draw various differences. In this short essay, I seek compare and contrast two of the criteria, advantage, and feasibility. One significant distinction between the advantage criterion and the Feasibility criterion is their approach with regard to company or organization’s mission. The competitive advantage strategy, unlike the feasibility approach, focuses on the differences among other organizations rather than on the firm’s common mission (Crouch 85). The criterion’s approach is not so much on how can this function be achieved but rather how the company can execute it either higher than, or at least as a substitute of the firm’s rivals (Crouch 86). On the converse, the feasibility criterion focuses wholly on the firm’s core mission, and therefore does not overburden the available resources, but rather focuses in appraising whether a strategy can executed within the available human, and financial resources (Windham, n.d). There is no comparison between firm’s available resources with other competing firms as it is with the advantage criterion, but keeping the focus on early appropriated resources. However, both Advantage and feasibility criteria correspondingly embrace innovative advances to financial expansion can both extend the definitive limitations and offer a competitive advantage, though it might be only temporary. Another difference between feasibility and advantage is that, feasibility tends to focus its evaluation on long-term strategies whereas an advantage aims at what can be invoked right away to bring positive change specifically. Through feasibility, an organization has to be evaluated to see that it demonstrates competencies necessitated by the strategy. Honestly, from such an approach, it cannot give details of each action demanded to be initiated by the strategy. Therefore, the purpose of the

Topical Analysis of Hamlet and Henry IV part 1 Essay

Topical Analysis of Hamlet and Henry IV part 1 - Essay Example In the times when all these topics were impossible to write on Shakespeare made a great move and wrote on these topics with immense care. This essay would further describe how Shakespeare used all these topics in these times with his skills so that these topics became acceptable not only on the page but also on the stage. Henry IV Part I is a story about a King and his rebellions. It revolves around the greed for the kingdom and the betrayal of king. King Henry leads the story as the king but soon faces problems at the hands of the people because of whom he has reached the throne. King Henry is not content with the actions of his son Prince Harry who is more diverted towards the materialistic world. Prince Harry not only does involve in drinking but he also makes friends with liars and burglars. This creates a gap of misunderstanding between the King and the Prince. However the change in the plot takes place when one of the loyal noblemen of the King betrays him and shows his greed for the attainment of the throne of King Henry. Hotspur is the name of the character that betrays the King and forces a civil war to pertain in his kingdom. Furthermore, he also gathers allies in order to fight the army of the King and defeat him, but it is later known that most of his allies refuse to take part in the war . Seeing the situation of a civil war in the state King Henry calls upon his son to fight in the battle. Prince Harry comes back to the throne only to fight and win the war for his father. Hotspur is defeated by the army of King Henry with the help of his son and both the father and son get back on good terms. In this sequel Shakespeare tells about the greed one has for the throne and the inner conflicts which a kingdom can face. However in those times it was impossible to point out at the royal kingdom and the greed which people have for the throne. But this

Management Consulting Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Management Consulting - Coursework Example Theoretically, one can understand the significance of Management Consulting only when they understand its definition at two levels. First is the basic level which looks into the broad 'functional view' of Management Consulting. According to Fritz Steele, Management Consulting is, "any form of providing help on the content, process or structure of a task or series of tasks, where the consultant is not actually responsible for doing the task itself but is helping those who are." Looking at this definition one might feel the importance of Management Consulting is over-hyped. However, it is the second definition which views Management Consulting as a "special professional service" that will help clear this misunderstanding. According to Larry Greiner and Robert Metzger, "management consulting is an advisory service contracted for and provided to organizations by specially trained and qualified persons who assist, in an objective and independent manner, the client organization to identify management problems, analyze such problems, recommended solutions to these problems, and help, when requested, in the implementation of solutions." This approach takes Management Consulting at a different level and calls it a 'professional service which can be carried out effectively only with the help of professionals.' Value addition is a profession in which there is tr... Hence in context of Management Consulting, value addition is carried out when knowledge is being transferred from the consultancy to their client. According to Peter Drucker, "what is unique to management is that from the very beginning the consultant played a key role in the development of the practice, the knowledge and the profession of management." In Management Consulting knowledge is not only being transferred in the form of facts and figures, but also as methods, practices and their application which eventually leads to achieving the consultancy's objectives. This transfer of knowledge which finally leads to value addition exists in two dimensions. First is the 'technical dimension' which deals with finding solutions to problems relating to the nature of management of the clients. Second is the 'human dimension' which deals with the interpersonal relation in the client organization and between the client and the consultancy. In legal terms however, the implication of 'creating value' is totally different and inextricably liked with the shareholders of the company. The fact that the shareholders invest their funds in the company and take unlimited risk in doing so, makes it necessary for the company to pay due considerations to the shareholders needs. Today, the process of creating value in a financial scenario is carried out as an 'operational activity' in 3 different ways. One of them is called 'Market Value Added' which describes value as the difference between the market value and the book value of the company's equity. Another view is the 'free cash flow' approach, which takes the view that value is related only when cash produced by a company's operations