Different Views on Ethical Perspectives Essay

We, as human beings are more often aware of our actions. Before we make decisions critical analysis comes with a great consideration. We are able to analyze these things because are considered as rational beings and we have the ability to think to the highest level we can. We opt to consider whether these things are good or not, if it’s right or wrong and if it’s really needed or not; this we often consider as ethics. Ethics is an issue of morality. There are things that we do that others consider wrong, but others may consider righteous. According to the society we should act as what it considers right; norms are one of the foundations of ethics and we should act accordingly. Norms can be a basis of what is morally right or wrong. There are four perspectives to be discussed in this paper, each of them having their own characteristics and each of them having their strong points and their weaknesses. The perspectives are universally known as the character or virtue, deontology or the perspective of obligation, the theory of utilitarianism and the equity or principle of relativism. The theory of utilitarianism points out two things; one thing is better than the other if we could gain more pleasure from it, and the other thing is not that good, or better yet to say evil, if we could only gain pain from it. This theory also states that we do things voluntarily, that one is considered as the pilot of his own decisions and that such consequences could have not taken place if only he did or did not do such actions. The amount or quantity of pleasure or pain takes into a great consideration in the concept of utilitarianism. Utilitarianism is better understood as having the maximization quantity of benefit and less quantity of bad or the pain it can cause. A person would have two distinct choices, the first one is that if he does the action he would gain more pleasure or shall I say he can maximize the benefits of the action; the other is that if he does the action he would have to gain more risks and consequences. The first choice would be most favored because we, as human beings would not want to suffer from the choices we make, we do not want to be suffering from the consequences of our actions so what we do is do the thing that would give us the most favorable and maximum quantity of pleasure (Moore, 1912). Virtue is an ethical perspective that tackles about the actions that we make and the ideals we have in life that we should strive for and that these ideals help us in developing our highest potentials as human beings. This focuses on the traits or character that one has, the dispositions in life and the attitudes whether be it bad or good. Virtues are acquired through doing it everyday, they become a person’s characteristic when they are practiced for the longer time. There are a lot of characteristics and virtues a person can have; truthfulness, patience, honesty, and courteous are some of these. Virtue would help us in pursuing the ideals that we have in life (C. A. Manuel Velasquez, Thomas Shanks, S. J. , and Michael J. Meyer 1996). The theory of ethical relativism states that morality is based on the culture of a society. It singles out that one can either be wrong or right, bad or evil depending on the society the person belongs to; the society is the one concerned in creating its own culture. This theory is basically called relativism because being good or bad is relative of the kind of society a person belongs to; the society dictates whatever thing is perceived as good or bad. Every single society shares a common culture, this culture defines good and bad and the people should act with accordance to the standards of the society they belong. This theory is often argued because of the fact that every single society has its own culture and therefore has its own perception of bad or good. However, this theory is useful in exploring the reasons behind the differentiation of culture among societies (C. A. Manuel Velasquez, Thomas Shanks, S. J. , and Michael J. Meyer, 1992). Obligation perspective holds the golden rule â€Å"do not do unto others what you don’t want others do unto you†. It simply states that we should do what is only right and not what is wrong. It holds the principle of doing what is good because of the obligation. Say for example, a person should tell the truth because that person is bound to have an obligation to tell the truth because he doesn’t want other people not to trust him and because he upholds the value of truthfulness. This perspective is sometimes being pertained to utilitarianism, but it is totally different. While obligation is obligatory, utilitarianism is a voluntary act. After taking the ethical awareness test, I have known that what ethic perspective dominates in me is the obligation or the deontology. My perspective is based on my obligation or duty to do what is morally right. With this, I am to consider a thing as ethical if I choose how I act and what rules I am willing to oblige. It is also stated in my ethical perspective that the people should not be treated as a means to justify an end, simply stating â€Å"the end does not justify the means†. I also believe that every single individual should be given the respect that any man should have and therefore I won’t be able to comply with the policies and social traditions aimed at the best interest of the society as a whole. However, my approach to ethics requires legal and humane limits, I simply believe that people should be allowed to make their own choices and I advocate policies that have the intention to ensure equal opportunities for all as well as equal respect. My ethical perspective upholds the principle of doing things in accordance with the standards of right and wrong. However, though my ethical perspective aims to do what is morally right I am faced with numbers of dilemmas with regards to work. These problems would somehow cause me frustrations and may lead to a more devastated life in the future for it is not only concerned in the present but it also pertains to the future. One of the problems I am going to face with this perspective is that the people I work with might argue that some people within a society are not able to act in their own best interests. I may find this a fallacy because it was once used in the denying of the equitable treatment to women and the minorities. This somehow would result to frustration. The second problem I am to face with this perspective is that what I perceived to be morally right may not benefit most of the people. It doesn’t necessarily mean that if I have perceived a thing to be morally right it would maximize the good or pleasure. This would cause me another frustration because if I had made a decision which I perceived to be right and it didn’t work to be beneficial I may have doubts when I make a decision again. It might cause greater problems in the future. Another dilemma I am to face with this perspective is that defending this may end up in economic hardship; in worst cases I can be terminated. Say for example, in a working place several employees should be terminated because the company is having low production because these people are handicapped or they are simply not productive, the best action would be to terminate them but I, as a moralist would say that they should not be terminated because they have children. In the long run, if these people would be in the company and the company has still a low productivity the company would have losses and it may lead to closure because of the losses. Having things perceived as morally right may not be totally right; some may be beneficial but some can create more problems. We as human beings should act accordingly to whatever it is that we perceive because these choices are free of charge, because God created us with the opportunity of having what we call free will and should be practiced. We should not depend on what others may in making our decisions but we should also be ready for the consequences that accompany our decisions. Whatever action we do we should think of it twice, we should think that there are always two sides of a story. We should not be bounded by obligations because this might cause us greater frustrations in the future and this may lead to a very low self-esteem. We don’t want these to happen that’s why we should think critically and make decisions wisely because we are the pilot of our own lives.

Education †School Essay

?†He who opens a school door, closes a prison. † ~ Victor Hugo The first time we are introduced to formal education is in school. The school years are the grounding years of one’s education. Schools are institutions that lay the foundation of a child’s development. They play a key role in developing children into responsible citizens and good human beings. It’s a school where young talent is recognized and nurtured. On leaving school, we are all set to soar high in life, and enter the real world in pursuit of our dreams. Education provides us with knowledge about the world. It paves the way for a good career. It helps build character. It leads to enlightenment. It lays the foundation of a stronger nation. Education makes a man complete. Kautilya, an Indian philosopher, royal adviser, and professor of economics and political science very rightly underlined the importance of education, some 2000 years ago. He has highlighted the fact that education enriches people’s understanding of themselves. He has said that education is an investment in human capital, and it can have a great impact on a nation’s growth and development. So, Why is Education Important? It Gives Knowledge â€Å"An investment in knowledge pays the best interest. † – Benjamin Franklin A direct effect of education is knowledge gain. Education gives us knowledge of the world around. It develops in us a perspective of looking at life. It helps us form opinions and develop a point of view. The information we are constantly bombarded with, cannot be converted into knowledge without the catalyst called education. Education makes us capable of interpreting things rightly and applying the gathered information in real life scenarios. Education is not limited to lessons from textbooks. Real education is obtained from the lessons taught by life. It Leads to Career Progression â€Å"An expert is one who knows more and more about less and less. † – Nicholas M. Butler Education is important because it equips us with the expertise that is needed in helping us realize our career goals. Expertise is an in-depth knowledge about a specific field and it’s ought to open doors to brilliant career opportunities. Education fetches better prospects of career growth. Good education is an eligibility criterion for employment in any sector of the industry. Be it any field, education always proves to be rewarding. We are weighed in the market on the basis of our educational skills and on how well we can apply them. It Builds Character â€Å"A man’s own manner and character is what most becomes him. † – Marcus Tullius Cicero The words ‘cultivate’ and ‘civilize’ are synonymous with ‘educate’. That says it all. Education is important as it teaches us the right behavior and good manners, thus making us civilized. It is the basis of culture and civilization. It is instrumental in the development of our values and virtues. Education cultivates us into mature individuals; individuals capable of planning for the future, and taking the right decisions in life. It gives us an insight into living, and teaches us to learn from experience. It makes us self-confident, and develops our abilities to think, analyze, and judge. It fosters principles of equality and socialism. It forms a support system for one to excel in life. It is the backbone of society. It won’t be wrong to say that good education makes us more human. It Leads to Enlightenment â€Å"Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel. † – Socrates Education paves the path to disillusionment. It wipes out the wrong beliefs from our minds. It helps create a clear picture of things around, and erases all the confusion. It kindles the flame of curiosity and helps awaken the abilities to question, and to reason. The more we learn, the more questions we have, and without questions, there are no answers. Education teaches us to find answers. It makes us more self-aware. It leads us to enlightenment. It Helps a Nation Progress â€Å"Our progress as a nation can be no swifter than our progress in education. The human mind is our fundamental resource. † – John F. Kennedy Though not enlisted as one of the three basic human needs, education is equally important. For the progress of a nation, for the enrichment of society in general, education is important. A country’s literate population is its asset. In today’s competitive world, it won’t be wise to neglect the importance of education for the development of society as a whole. Most countries have realized this. It has led to the development of many government-aided educational programs and government grants to schools and colleges. The motive behind this is fostering education in society. The future of a nation is safe in the hands of the educated. Education is important for the social development and economic growth of a nation. Schools and other educational institutes define the basic framework of education. Schooling gives us the fundamentals. We specialize in fields of our interest during degree courses. The number of institutes offering vocational courses and those offering online education is increasing by the day. Vocational courses help earn specialized education. Online degree programs help the working class and adults pursue education even while continuing work. Distance education has proven to be of great help for many. But education is not limited to that obtained from educational institutes. Learning is a lifelong process. Rather, self-learning begins at a point where institutional education ends. The process of self-learning continues throughout one’s life. This is well-supported by a speech made by US President Barack Obama. In his national address to students across the nation, he said: â€Å"†¦ Every single one of you has something that you’re good at. Every single one of you has something to offer. And you have a responsibility to yourself to discover what that is. That’s the opportunity an education can provide. † Read more at Buzzle: http://www. buzzle. com/articles/why-is-education-so-important. html.

Casino Royale Opening Sequence Analysis Essay Sample

Casino Royale begins with a pre-credit sequence that gives the audience a obscure penetration into the narrative of the movie. that is about to unknot. While most Bond films start with the hallmark gun barrel sequence. Casino Royale was the first Bond film to get down with a pre-credit sequence that tied into the gun barrel sequence. Casino Royale besides does non integrate female figures in the gap credits and alternatively uses the James Bond character as the cardinal figure. The pre-credit sequence has been edited into black and white. which is a intervention form. and uses rather a contrast of the two colorss. particularly in the violent bathroom scene. The usage of visible radiation and shadow is besides a major intervention form used. where the light appears to be more settled on Bond’s face ( the ally ) and the shadow is more prone to MI6 subdivision head. Dryden’s face. to bespeak the relationship between the good and the bad. A Walther PPK gun was used in the movie Casino Royale. this symbolizes Bond as a superior character. and besides gives him his dual 0 position. This gun besides suits his character. an MI7 agent. as another gun. such as a western gun. would non function its intent in the movie. At the really beginning of the pre-credit sequence. an analytical shooting of the lift Numberss increasing appears. the Numberss increase up to figure 6. screening that the following degree would be 7. This connects to James Bond being 007 and that Dryden is about to meet him in his office room. on the 7th floor. The edifice that first appears has the text â€Å"PRAGUE† appear on the screen. this is a Eastern European topographic point and could besides associate the Bond’s foremost kill ( Fisher ) as he besides appears to be Eastern European. The first shooting the audience receives of Dryden is a low camera angle shooting. this gives him a high position and besides indicates that he is rather a powerful adult male. Shot-reverse-shot is used in the duologue between Bond and Dryden. in-between this are speedy cuts to a flashback of a violent bathroom scene where Bond is doing his first putting to death. this makes it more edgy/jumpy for the audience. The flashback is evidently in the past and this is a contrast to the present footage that is besides being shown. the usage of colors is besides contrasting as the flashback uses more inauspicious colors to the present. Switch overing between two narratives relates to Bond’s foremost and 2nd putting to death. his first in the flashback and his approaching 2nd. to have his dual 0 position. it shows that he is a extremely skilled MI7 agent and give the audience an penetration into the remainder of the movie. Other analytical shootings are used foremost when Dryden opens the drawer in which contains his gun and back a really speedy analytical shooting of a framed image of Dryden’s household. merely before he dies. these are used to give more elaborate narrative information. An set uping shooting is used at the really beginning of the debut. it shows the exterior of the edifice and so the following shooting shows the interior of the edifice. Reaction shootings are besides used in the pre-credit sequence. the first reaction shooting is a close up of Bond’s face after his first kill demoing a spot of sorrow. but his reaction shooting of his 2nd putting to death is besides a stopping p oint up but shows that Bond is more happy with himself this clip and more please of what he has accomplished. as he has now succeeded in killing two people. The gait of the flashback scene is really speedy and shows that the violent death is done suddenly. seeking to acquire it over with where-as Bond’s second putting to death is more drawn out and has more significance to it. for illustration. Bond has a conversation with his victim foremost. The music in the flashback besides is really loud. which is non-diegetic. and besides adds to the edgy and jumpy tenseness that is put across. A lone auto drawing into a parking batch and the sound of footfalls on a cold difficult floor are diegetic sounds that are used in the debut to depict the surrounding environment. it indicates that there is no 1 about apart from Dryden and gives the feeling that the edifice is empty. However this merely adds to the tenseness even more as James Bond fans know that the movies are normally â€Å"action-packed† and that something exciting is bound to go on shortly. There is a representation of two different societal categories in the pre-credit sequence. it portrays Dryden as a more upper category adult male. with the manner he looks and the manner he speaks. where as Bond ( Daniel Craig ) looks more thuggish and like he is out to kill. The audience is merely introduced to males in the pre-credit sequence but it portrays them with more power and position within the movie. nevertheless Bond movies are known to include the celebrated â€Å"Bond girls† . and nevertheless naive they may look. they do excessively besides have a batch of power and can play a chief portion in the violent scenes. The narrative in the debut is in the stage of orientation. as it foremost introduces us to a few of the characters and besides indicates the initial state of affairs. it allows the audience to believe further into the narrative about what is traveling to go on. The debut can besides move as something for the audience to associate back to in the terminal to understand the significance of peculiar fortunes. At the terminal of the pre-credit sequence it is still on the flashback footage and the adult male who we think Bond has killed gets up with a gun to hit at Bond but so the audience is placed inside the shaft of a gun as Bond turns rapidly around and fires straight at the camera. go forthing a drip of blood buttocks. The celebrated James Bond subject melody so begins. Hearing this signature entirely is adequate to suggest that one is about to see a James Bond film. which follows an established set of criterions. The audience is prepared to see the new Bond miss. the new appliances a nd vehicles. the new stunts. and the new secret plan that ever consequences with James Bond salvaging the universe from immorality.

Charges against 'sexting' teenagers highlight legal gaps by Alexandra Essay

Charges against 'sexting' teenagers highlight legal gaps by Alexandra Marks - Essay Example While the government is doing its best to protect young people from exploitation in ways it believes are most appropriate, some strongly hold the contrary view that teenagers of today would grow up fine, the same way those before them did, without the need of arbitrary laws that often stereotype and brand them as something they are not or, worse, turn them into something that society abhors-criminals. The article, moreover, elucidates that many of today's minors are being punished to suffer a penalty for something that some members of society do not even essentially consider as sin. According to them, there are certain things whose magnitude demands for formal social controls (in the form of laws controlling such behavior), yet there are things that are best dealt with within the family, as they have always been dealt with in the past few years. This issue connects with every facet of social structure by triggering differing opinions on the gravity of the matter as an issue of right and wrong, legal and illegal. Indeed, what is legal does not necessarily mean to be also moral, and vice versa. It is to be noted that every social strata, group, organization, and institution has its own perception of good or bad that, as expected and is but natural, would often come at variance with that of other units of society as explained by its differing social orientations. It is to be remembered that each of these units have influenced in one way or the other the shaping of these teenagers, as well as the shaping of laws and society's general sentiment on the issues. What the Issue Says about Our Society This issue tells us that society is a complex web of differing individuals that shape it and, in turn, are likewise shaped by it. The complexity of how society works is founded on the interplay of several aspects, such as power, values and norms, and shared or differing views of life in general. Societal values and norms, for example, determine what ways of doing things are acceptable to society and is often the main basis upon which laws are founded, though some concepts pertaining to power and influence cannot be discredited as well. Indeed, some are more powerful and influential than others; thus, they are more able to impose their perceived values and norms upon the entire society. Also, there is often, always a variation in what people may perceive as a shared view among everyone in a society. While most people agree that teenagers need moral guidance or protection, some prefer stringent measures, while others believe that such things are best resolved within the confines of the home and should only be discussed between parents and children. For in society's effort to save these children, it could instead lead it further astray, which takes a herculean effort to reverse. The Relationship between the People Involved and the Larger Society or Community While the people involved may not feel strongly that this issue is of a matter public concern, still there are some who believe that they exercise a moral responsibility to society as a whole. The latter feel that it is their bounden duty to protect the morals of society. It, however, should be noted that while a teenager may only look at the issue of sexting from his or her viewpoint, our

Foreign Direct Investment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Foreign Direct Investment - Essay Example Foreign Direct Investment refers to the investments that a multinational firm makes when it is initially located in one country but decides to locate to or acquire substantial production facilities in another country. FDI is a significant factor in operation of MNCs. As Bernard, Jensen and Schott [2] point out, its importance to the U.S. economy is demonstrated by the fact that about 90% of all exports from and imports into the U.S. flow through a U.S. MNC while roughly 50% of the trade flows in fact occur between subsidiaries or affiliates of the same MNCs.[2]. Foreign Direct Investment in another country could take place through the financing of new investments within the target country or even through mergers and acquisitions of local firms and production facilities, etc by a multinational entity, with the value of mergers increasing from 52% of the FDI in 1987 to 83% in 1999, as per UNCTAD [13].1.2:  Ã‚  Ã‚   Benefits of Foreign Direct Investment:  Foreign Direct Investment c an be beneficial to a multinational firm in several ways and Isobe et al [8] have examined the multinational firm in the context of technology transfer. They have examined the impact of early movers in technology within emerging economic regions as far as performance is concerned by studying 220 Japanese multinational companies that have set up their business in China. The findings in this study suggested that a multinational firm gains from technology transfer especially when the degree of commitment of the firm is high.

Clouds Seeding Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Clouds Seeding - Essay Example This paper takes a closer look at the concept of cloud seeding, the types, uses, and impact on the environment (Keyes 3). The main objective of cloud seeding is to cause enhance the precipitation through rain and snow and reduce the formation of hail and fog. This technology initially launched to research on and to monitor the climatic conditions of various regions in the world has been widely adopted by world’s leading economies with the main objective of negating the effects of extreme weather conditions. Under normal circumstances, harsh weather conditions are mostly experienced in the temperate countries especially during the winter and summer (Keyes 3). Although several methods of cloud seeding exist, the most common categories are the aerial cloud seeding and ground-based cloud seeding. Aerial cloud seeding involves the use of light aircrafts in the modification of weather at a considerable height from the ground. Ground-based cloud seeding on the other hand, entails the launching of intended substances into the earth’s atmosphere to carry out the same purpose. Irrespective of the procedure used to conduct cloud seeding, the underpinning idea is the same as it is the same process conducted in different procedures. Since the essence of cloud seeding is to promote the precipitation of condensed cloud, the methodology involves the injection of certain substances or chemicals into the clouds with the most commonly used being dry ice and silver iodide (Keyes 3). In some cases, the use of propane has proved successful although scholars from certain quarters questioned its efficiency. Since for successful could seeding to take pla ce there has to be super cooled water, the use of silver iodide has solved the problem through its ability to stimulate freezing nucleation because it is crystalline in nature. Research shows that dry ice and propane perform better than silver iodide as far

Healthcare policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Healthcare policy - Essay Example For instance, in some countries quality health assurance has been left to health care providers and other professional bodies, with no or little government supervision/regulation. Contrary, in other countries, particularly in those that the state is the principal funder, the provision of quality health care is done by the government thus making the healthy sector to be subject to various healthcare policies. Arguably, some of these policies have detrimental to the effective performance of health care practitioners as well as the overall healthcare seekers. Generally speaking, in many countries, DNP practices are regulated by various state licensure. This regulation in itself acts primarily as a barrier to the performance of the DNPs since it declines them the authority to practice to the fullest degree. For instance, despite the main objective of full practice authority, the practice laws and licensures vary significantly from state to state. According to the American Association of Nurse Practitioner (AANP), full practice authority basically refers to the accumulation of licensure regulations and state practices which allow the DNP to examine, diagnose, prescribe and treat patients, exclusively under the â€Å"licensure authority of the state board of nursing† (2014). As such, the DNPs with similar national certification and scholastic training could face an anthology of limitations when they relocate from their current practicing state to another.

Counterinsurgency Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Counterinsurgency - Essay Example Accordingly, the primary focus should be to improve the quality of the police and other security forces, strengthen government institutions, and separated the populace from the insurgents. Contemporary counterinsurgency methodologies introduced in the Philippines, Malaya, Algeria and Vietnam prove when the government accomplished these tasks, it defused the insurgency's political and ideological premise, discredited their cause, and created a political environment unsuitable for an insurgency to thrive. DISCUSSION: Intelligence reports show clashes between Taliban and coalition forces have increased significantly in 2008, highlighting the Taliban's resurgence and complicating NATO efforts to stabilize the country. Taliban, Hekmatyar, and Haqqani militants have expanded their influence in rural regions where NATO/ISAF and the Afghan government cannot provide sufficient security. Violent attacks have tripled in these areas - particularly against civilian non-combatants perceived to be in support of the government. Consequently, the U.S. planners must convince NATO and commanders to employ specific counterinsurgency approaches to reverse these trends. 1. Secure the Afghan-Pakistan border. ... Thus far, US/NATO strike operations along the border and inside Afghanistan have not curtailed militant force infiltrations and security forces have been unable to pursue retreating insurgents across the border. In order prevent these incursions, a more audacious containment strategy must be implemented. Measures include increasing security force levels in select border regions, formalizing intelligence cooperation activities with Pakistan, and erecting barriers along major infiltration corridors. First, NATO must expand the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), Afghan National Police (ANP), and Afghan National Army (ANA) presence in the remote border regions where infiltrations and armed attacks most often occur. Diligent law enforcement activities should be the primary focus in populated areas and villages to disrupt support sanctuaries and networks logistics networks. ANA forces should occupy security checkpoints and border encampments to interdict hostile incursions. In the meantime Afghan and Pakistani officials formally demarcate the Durand Line by establishing a mutually recognized border, then erect a series of defensive fences along known infiltration corridors to deny militants access into Afghanistan. Technology based surveillance systems and interdiction platforms must be employed in tandem with physical structures. French counterinsurgents successfully employed similar fencing startegy in Algeria when they built the Mortice Line to contain the Front de Liberation Nationale (FLN) insurgents. Within a year of construction, the eight foot electrical fence proved to be a decisive counterinsurgency additive. The combination of static defenses and mobile border forces had killed over 6,000 would-be intruders and intercepted

Epistemology versus Ontology in Research Design Article

Epistemology versus Ontology in Research Design - Article Example These elements will provide the examples for the use of ontology instead of epistemology. Therefore, it may be said that this paper has been written on the assumption that ontology is better suited than epistemology for the research design. Finally, there will be a conclusion that will summarize the findings that have been acquired through this paper. The presentation of these findings or reasons as to why ontology is better suited than epistemology will be summarized in a systematic manner. Epistemology: This is a field of study that is closely related to philosophy. Epistemology, through the definition of theories and concepts, seeks to study a body of knowledge by applying the relevant definitions. It is a field of study that uses tools like analysis and interpretation. For the application of epistemology, it is important to have a body of ready to use or analyze factual data. This field combines the study of data with the application of philosophical tools, so as to garner broad generalizations. These generalizations adhere to various truths and beliefs, as may be depicted in the overall perception of the philosophical dimensions of the knowledge being studied. There is a strong scope for the use of logic and reasoning in this area. Justification of findings through various mathematical and statistical modes is also an important part of the field of epistemology. (www.wikipedia.com) Ontology: Ontology is a vast field of study. Its scope is greater than that of epistemology. This can be demonstrated by the fact that epistemology simply seeks to derive various findings through a study of the facts. Ontology on the other, seeks to find all the relevant knowledge that can contribute to a more systematic study of facts for more accurate findings. In the field of ontology, there is a focus on the defining of various parameters from varied perspectives. This helps the researcher reach certain generalizations so as to arrive on the common features of the parameter being studied. These common features can be summarized to form an accurate depiction of the issue at hand. (www.wikipedia.com) At this point, it is imperative to describe the research area. The research area is knowledge management. This part of the paper will contain the reasons throughout the conception of the area, as to why epistemology is less suitable than ontology for this particular research design. The title of the paper is 'Evaluating the Impact of Culture to Knowledge Management Designs, Tools and Implementations in Greece MNCs.' Research Problem This study seeks to investigate the impact of culture in the design, tools and the implementation of knowledge management in Greece. A cross-sectional study on five industries will be used as a sample in order to test the correlation of KM design, tools, and implementation and culture in Greece. At the end of the study, a proposed KM design, tools and implementation procedure will be recommended which can be used for other MNCs in Greece. This

Corporate Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Corporate Strategy - Essay Example These strategies are very workable for any company in need of expansion to adopt. The intensive strategy used by an organization can improve its market share and the revenue benefits it acquires. It is a strategy of aggregation and strategy where benefits come through expansion of the business. The business can expand its product’s range and market with the view of deeper market penetration. Market development for a business means introducing a new product in the market to achieve an increased profit margin. It also aims at reducing the total cost of produce but increase the average cost of the output (Lamb, 2011:453). Market development of a company makes a company enjoy the economies of scale and a diverse spread of the business risks. However, market development is different from product development but is more often than not confused. Product development helps the current product achieve more revenue under a new strategy. A business may improve its products that are presen tly in the market or replace it with a new product. For example, the Toyota Company always seeks for new technology to increase its vehicle fuel efficiency hence making it to be more competitive than others do. Therefore, the Toyota Company gains more sales by selling the hybrid vehicles that help reduce pollution to the environment as well (Mullins, Walker and Boyd, 2010:45). Integration strategies can be forward either backward, or horizontal. Forward integration is where a firm grows by taking over it functions forward in the chain value previously provided by manufacturers, distributors, or retailers. This takes more control over the final product and distribution strategies. Backward integration means that growth of a company may take functions that were earlier in the chain as provided by suppliers and other organizations. For example, the Toyota may make agreements with suppliers who wish to meet the JIT processing. This is a win-win deal where the company may increase its co ntrol powers over the suppliers and hence increase revenue and profit (Thomas, 2001:276). Horizontal integration is a strategy that seeks the ownership to increase control over the firm’s competitors. This form of integration increases control power of the company over the firm’s competitor and encourage mergers and takeovers by the enhanced transfer of resources and competitiveness (Armstrong and Kotler, 2002:267). Diversification strategy is also another from of cooperate strategy that seeks to increase the profitability of a company through greater sales obtained from new products and new markets. Diversification of the business can be at unit level or at the cooperate level. Diversification can be concentric, conglomerate, or horizontal. Concentric diversification focuses on portfolio creation with business relation. Conglomerate diversification refers to diversification on matters that relate to the current line of business. It aims at improving the profitability and achieving proper marketing. The case study analyses the growth strategies of the of Toyota industry in the era of currency fluctuations and the new needs of the market. The Toyota industry, founded in 1926 by the Sakichi Toyoda, manufactures and sells the automatic looms, which he had invented and perfected. Since then the Toyota Company

The revolutionary war Essay Example for Free

The revolutionary war Essay The Revolutionary War created the pathway to what we are now. We became independent and it gave us freedom from Britains King. The war led us to the new life we wanted without control of outside countries. But without the encouragement of writers to help us in our time of need, things still would not have been that easy. Some of the great writers that influenced others to make history happen would be Thomas Paine, Thomas Jefferson, and Patrick Henry. These men wrote articles that encouraged others to stand up for what they believed in, and they wrote remarkable speeches that helped us become who we are. They had the courage to write their thoughts into writing that inspired many to fight for what they believed in. Without the help of literature within the period of our time, maybe things wouldve gone differently. The winter of 1776 was a dreadful time for George Washington and his troops. They had little food, inadequate shelter, and many were deserting (Berstein 161). Into this horrible situation came Thomas Paine. In England, he had moved, without success, through several occupations. He then began to write essays supporting Americas fight for independence, shortly after his arrival in 1774. In December of 1776, he started to write a series of articles entitled The Crisis. His words inspired many soldiers to enlist in the army and encouraged them to continue fighting. After the publication of his articles, the first anti-slavery movement, The American Antislavery Society, was found (Katz 1). His beliefs of universal order, in human perfectibility, and in the power of reason, guided him throughout his life to express himself and persuade others to fight for what they believed in. Yet Paine, a fuzzy historical figure of the 1700s, is remembered mostly for one or two sparkling patriotic quotes These are the times that try mens souls and little else (Katz 1). The Crisis gave enough courage to the Americans that when they attacked Britain at Trenton they succeeded. His articles encouraged soldiers to continue fighting Britain and made them realize that the more they want Freedom, the more theyll have to fight. The victory at the battle of Trenton marked a turning point in the war. Thomas Jefferson was a powerful advocate of liberty who was born in 1743 in Albermarle County, Virginia. He studied at the College of William and Mary,  and then read law. In 1772 he married Martha Wayles Skelton. Freckled and sandy-haired, rather tall and awkward, Jefferson was eloquent as a correspondent, but he was no public speaker. In the Virginia House of Burgesses and the Continental Congress, he contributed his pen rather than his voice to the patriot cause. As the silent member of the Congress, Jefferson, at 33, drafted the Declaration of Independence. Jefferson put little that was new into the famous document. On the same day that Independence was declared, Mr. Jefferson was appointed one of a committee of three to devise an appropriate Coat of Arms for the republic of the United States of America (Rayner 8). Part of the declaration ideas had already been much discussed in America. They had previously been popular in England; John Locke had used them in his book On Civil Government, a defense of the English Revolution of 1688. The Declaration is a statement of the American theory of government. Three basic ideas were involved: (1) God had made all men equal and had given them the rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness (instead of Lockes pursuit of property); (2) the main business of government was to protect these rights; (3) if a government tried to withhold these rights, the people were free to revolt and to set up a new government. These three ideas formed the groundwork for the state governments that were established after the Declaration was adopted. The declaration came to be on July 4, 1776, when the members of the Continental Congress assembled at the State House in Philadelphia to take up a matter of vital importance. Two days earlier the Congress had voted to declare the colonies to be free and independent states. Now they were considering how to announce that fact to the world. By the end of the day, the final wording had been determined and the Congress voted unanimously to adopt one of historys greatest documents, which was the Declaration of Independence. The stirring phrases of the Declaration inspired the patriots to defeat the British, thus guaranteeing independence (Rayner 8). Since that time the Declaration has been a source of pride and strength for every generation of Americans. The American political leader Patrick Henry was one of the most celebrated orators of the American Revolution (Logan 6). He was born on May 29, 1736, in Hanover County, Virginia. Henry failed as both a storekeeper and a farmer  before being admitted to the Virginia bar in 1760 (Logan 6). However, he won fame in 1763 after his impassioned pleading in the Parsons Cause, a case in which he defended the right of the colony to fix the price of the tobacco in which the clergy were paid, despite a contrary ruling from London. Many feel he began the revolutionary movement in the South. Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death! an infamous statement by Henry that had led others to stand up for what they believed in. He boldly stated how the people should not let the king push them around and people agreed. His speech encouraged others to make a statement against the king to rebel and they got their respect. The Revolutionary War, which was greatly won, involved many literary works that had big impacts. Thomas Paines The Crisis encouraged many citizens to fight for what they believed in and this led to the victory of the Battle of Trenton. This document was much likely related to Patrick Henrys attempt to encourage others to rebel against Britains regulations with tobacco. Thomas Jefferson also had created a literary work that affected our nation deeply. The Declaration of Independence is still used today as a way of living as it was back then, when it was also used to inspire the soldiers at the time of war. So as you can see, literature did have an impact on our history, and without it maybe things would have happened differently. The influence of the literature during the Revolution helped create what we are now.

Why School Should Start Later Essay Example for Free

Why School Should Start Later Essay Dont you hate waking up early in the morning? During the school year, students wake up early to get ready for school. In my opinion, its not practical for students to begin classes before 8:00 AM. I feel that schools should start an hour later, resulting in better attendances, grades and attitudes. Its a proven fact that teenagers need between 8 ? and 9 hours of sleep each night. Its also a proven fact that only 15 % of teenagers get the sleep that they need. Can you believe that more than 25 % of teenagers sleep less than seven hours a night? Are you one of those teenagers? Well, part of the reason why this is happening is because school starts so early in the morning. If school hours were changed, teenagers would be much healthier and feel better. If school started later, teenagers will have a longer time to sleep and time to prepare for school. A later start would mean that students would not be late to school as often as they have more time to wake up and get ready for school. The concentration levels of the students would increase as they have had the chance to prepare themselves for the day ahead. If concentration is improved then the rise in grades will increase. It will be more productive for schools and it would also give teachers more time to prepare for classes and the day ahead before the students arrive. Furthermore, school officials are always complaining that so many of their students are constantly tardy to school. They even have a policy in our school that states, if you are tardy five times to a certain class you have to stay an hour after school sitting in detention. Out of the many reasons students receive an office detention for being tardy; its usually due to their first period class. They dont get to school on time because they oversleep, so if these school officials dont like students being tardy, why dont they consider having school start later? Additionally, the first two periods seem like a waste. Students arent learning to their full potential, and as a result arent getting the grades they are capable of. Over 20 % of all high school students fall asleep in school at one time or another. Its hard to learn while youre sleeping. Also, part of the reason why students dont get enough sleep is because they are up late studying. You cant expect students to come home from school, study, eat dinner, do their homework and then go to bed right away. Teenagers need to watch TV, talk to their friends, and run errands after school. We arent machines; we need fun in our lives. With an extra hour of sleep, we will be refreshed and ready to learn for our first couple of classes. While many people say that if schools started an hour later, kids would just be staying up longer and goofing off, theyre wrong. Having that extra hour, students could have time to relax and wouldnt feel as rushed to do everything they have to do. So whats the problem? There is none. School officials need to stop making excuses against this. In a nutshell, I believe all schools including ours should adopt this schedule of beginning the school day an hour later. With an extra hour of sleep, students would have better attendance, better grades, and a better attitude towards school. What is the use of trying to teach kids that cant learn? Sending kids to school before they have had ample time to wake up will only result in them not learning to their full potential.

Comic Books: History and Impact on Society

Comic Books: History and Impact on Society Comic books hold an undeniable significance in modern history. Three aspects of significance include the history of comic books, the use of comics for social commentary, and the cultural impact comics have had on our daily lives. Comic books had humble beginnings, soon they grew into a major threat during Cold War era American society and then became an outlet to hippie counter-culture in the 1960s. The earliest ancestors to comics can be found in caves, little stick men spearing blob-shaped beasts. Rodolphe TÃ ¶pffer is considered by many to be the Father of Modern Comics. TÃ ¶pffer was the first to comment on the interwoven nature that words and pictures held, The pictures without the text, would have only an obscure meaning; the text, without the pictures, would mean nothing (Fingeroth 2008, p. 12). In 1895, Richard F. Outcaults character, the Yellow Kid, was the first successful reappearing comic character. In 1935, Max Gaines found funding to begin reprinting comic serials into paper bound books, or comic books. Through the 1940s and 50s comic books were a main focus of attack for Dr. Fredric Wertham. Wertham claimed that comics were corrupting the morals of kids; this included accusations of Batman an d Robin having homosexual tendencies, that Supermans power of flight distorted a childs understanding of physics, and that Wonder Woman gave young girls the wrong impression of the role of women in society (Coville 1996, para 19). In 1954, the industry responded by instituting the Comic Code Authority (CCA), which handed out seals of approval to comics it deemed passed its strict criteria. This included censoring all gore, any story without a happy ending, and nearly any form of sexuality (relationships had to uphold the sanctity of marriage). Although the CCA had no legal authority, shops wouldnt sell comics without the seal which led to a decline in the comic book industry in profit and creativity. Enter the 1960s and the emergence of the hippie counter-culture. A product of this era was the development of underground comics, or comix, which was a direct reaction to the rules of the CCA and the idea of the institution as a whole. Artists within the underground comix scene focused on adult-themed topics, such as hallucinogen use, pushing sexual taboos and rejecting established views of morality, religion and social class. Two huge influences in the scene include Robert Crumb and Art Spiegelman, whose work could be found in record stores and head shops. In the early 1970s mainstream comic brands started to pick up on these more serious topics, which led to the weakening of the CCA. The 70s also saw a shift in focus amongst comic books, relevance to real life issues became the dominant idea. This led to stories about drug abuse, racial prejudice and a peppering of feminist thought. Ethnic minorities also had more roles in comic books, if still secondary and stereotyped. The 1980s to the present day have seen a shift in comics towards graphic novels, emotionally complex characters with human weaknesses, politically stimulated story lines, gritty dystopian-esque cities and a prevalence of anti-hero protagonists (Coville 1996, para 16-23). The history of comics is so rich in detail that this could be considered just the tip of the iceberg. One thing is clear though; the comic book industry rebounded from serious attacks and became stronger than ever, pushing for personal expression amongst its artists and writers. As made evident by the past 40 odd years of comics, the reflection of real life social issues has been a popular trend. Hot topics that are still relevant to this day include the views of women, LGBT persons and ethnic minorities within society. Women have had a role in comics since their creation. Early depictions of women usually put them in the role of damsel in distress/ plot device or purely as a sex symbol. In 1940, the first true, although mostly unheard of, female superhero was created: Fantomah (Markstein n.d, para 3). Fantomah, along with other early female comic protagonists Wonder Woman and Sheena, fell into the Jungle Goddess category. The role of the female was put in the background with the creation of the CCA. Female characters didnt find a positive voice in comics until the 1980s and 1990s (Felton n.d., para 1). Series such as Love Rockets, Ghost World, and Tank Girl promoted strong portrayals of women, often with feminist leanings dealing with the exploration of se xuality in positive ways and the dismissal of expected roles in society. Gay characters also began to make an emergence during this same period. For example, the series Y: The Last Man toyed with the idea of all the men in the world but one dying off at once. Not only did it take a serious look at the complete reinventing of civilization through the hands of women, it delved heavily into lesbian culture: the views of women as masculine and feminine, theories of dominance and ideas of where man would be in a female dominant society. A more mainstream example would be Batwoman, who was recently written as an openly gay character in the series 52 (Gustines 2006, para 2). Ethnic minorities have been in comic books for the past 100 years, but they were usually given stereotypical, often outright racist, roles with no depth of character. Nowadays there are countless comic book characters of color that are portrayed in the same light as white characters. Examples of this would be superhero es such as Storm, a black woman who was leader of the X-MenÂÂ ­, and Cyborg, black male leader of the Teen Titans. Not to mention nearly the entire cast of Love Rockets who are of Mexican descent. One of the earliest well-known black superheroes, Black Panther, has recently gone through a revival. Reginald Hudlin, Black Entertainment Televisions President for Entertainment, who wrote the new series has stated: The reality is that theres been so few black characters who have their own book, who have been consistently published, let alone a black character who has been written by a black writer and the perspective that comes from that (Gustines 2006, para 7). In closing, the effort being made to turn comics into tools for personal reflection on ones values seems to be growing significantly. Established views are being challenged in a creative format, with people having control in how much they want to expose themselves. Lastly, the cultural impact of comic books on the world is noteworthy; film and television adaptations of comic books throughout the world and their acceptance as literature, the extension of the fictional superhero identity into real-life groups and individuals donning costumes, and the use of comic books to push ideological views has had a resounding effect on society. Though adaptations of comics had been put onto the big screen for many years, Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon serials being prominent, it wasnt until 1978 when the first Superman movie was released that audiences and film makers took it seriously (Booker 2007, pp. x-xi). Superman was extremely popular, and until nearly a decade later it reigned as the most well-known comic movie available. With new progress made into computer-generated imagery (CGI), the trend was ready to take off. Dozens of comic book movies and television shows have been made, a good amount of which arent superhero related, thanks to the nearly infin ite potential of CGI (10 Interesting Comic Book Facts You Probably Didnt Know 2009, para 6). These include classic superheroes such as Batman, Superman and Spiderman that have been replicated and assimilated in foreign countries. Another notable trend is the view of comic books as legitimate literature, such as Art Spiegelmans Maus receiving a special Pulitzer in 1992 and Alan Moores Watchmen being entered into Time magazines 2005 list of 100 Best English-language novels from 1923 to the present (10 Interesting Comic Book Facts You Probably Didnt Know 2009, para 8). By now it can be claimed that superheroes are indeed a part of our society, but some individuals take it one step further. Take for example the New York based real life superhero Terrifica. Terrifica dons a blond wig and red boots, complete with red cape and utility belt at night. Her mission is to prevent drunken women from being taken advantage of by sexual predators, which keeps her mostly in bars and party scenes. Her arch-nemesis, Fantastico, is a full-time seducer of women, whom Terrfica has been known to peel women off of (Robinson 2002, para 4). It sounds like a joke, but there are dozens of real life superheroes in the world. Another is A ngle-Grinder Man, a resident of the London area who travels around at night, in full costume, with an angle-grinder that he uses to cut off clamps he finds on peoples cars. He even has a hotline (Superhero takes on clampers 2003, para 1-4). A far more touching example would be the group who call themselves Superheroes Anonymous. This is a group of costumed heroes who have been walking the streets of New York since 2007, handing out food and support to the homeless (Superheroes Anonymous 2010, para 2). A comic being used as a vehicle for ideology goes way back to the original serialized character, Yellow Kid. Though the premise of Yellow Kid and his colleagues was lighthearted and whimsical in nature, the underlying theme and artistic style of the comic was seen as a critical satire of the severe poverty following the industrial revolution. All the characters were dirty, rag covered, homeless-looking children who poked fun at upper-class customs (McAllister et al. 2001, pp.1-2). J. R obyn Goodman made the observation that throughout popular comics in 1909 to 1914 over 80% of the cartoons reflected anti-suffragist ideology (Goodman in McAllister et al. 2001, p. 9). Topics that have been covered such as the blossoming of underground comix and the progressive feminist/sexual views between the 1960s and current comic books can be seen as forms of ideology being present too. To clarify, comic books as a whole have affected our world culture in profound ways. It can be said that they are engrained in our psyche; through print, film and television they have reached millions and have cemented archetypes and ideologies along the way. By now it should be clear that comic books are here to stay. Even after grievous attacks the medium of comic books has triumphed and made its place in society known. They have grown with us; as children we see the world as black and white, and comics reflected this by depicting battles clearly as good versus evil. As we grow older the shades of grey start to take shape and to mirror this, comics have taken on ambiguous topics and played with our sense of morality. While there are many who have no interest in comic books, its near impossible to find someone who has never heard of Superman, Batman or Spiderman. Yes, comic books truly are a significant man-made facet of civilization.

The Future Of Education: On-Line Classes Essays -- School Internet Tec

The Future Of Education: On-Line Classes "The future is outside the traditional campus, outside the traditional classroom. Distance learning is coming on fast," says management philosopher Peter Drucker (qtd. in Ebeling and Gubernick). One form of distance learning, on-line education (courses offered over the Internet), has caught the eye of the public and is forcing educators to reevaluate the present state of the educational system. Because of their convenience, cost, and amount of and access to readily-available information, these on-line classes, specifically those in math and computer science, are becoming more and more prevalent throughout the Internet community. TARGET TECHNOLOGY Description On-line math and computer science classes are educational courses offered over the Internet. They differ from traditionally taught classes in that they offer a wealth of information which can be easily and quickly accessed with the right equipment (i.e. a computer and Internet connection) and knowledge. They also allow the user to log on to and participate in the class at any time of day at his/her convenience. This may prove advantageous to those with strict work schedules, to those with families, or to those who learn best at their own rate or at different times of day. "This format [on-line classes] is really good for older, nontraditional students who work full-time and have families," says Xeturah Woodley-Tillman, an on-line instructor at Metropolitan State College of Denver (qtd. in Brown). History The presence of and participation in on-line math and computer science classes has been rising ever since the Internet became readily available to the public. For example, four years ago Peterson's college guide li... ...lemented and fully utilized. While they alone may not change the current state of the educational system, on-line math and computer science classes should be a welcomed addition and should continue to grow in use far into the future. WORKS CITED Brown, Jacquelyn A. "Big Modem On Campus." Essence Oct. 1997: 150. Brown, John Seely, and Paul Duguid. "Universities In The Digital Age." Change July/Aug. 1996: 11+. Ebeling, Ashlea, and Lisa Gubernick. "I Got My Degree Through E-Mail." Forbes 16 June 1997: 84+. Natale, Jo Anna. "On-Line School For Home Learners." Education Digest Dec. 1995: 36+. Schutte, Jerald G. "Virtual Teaching in Higher Education: The New Intellectual Superhighway or Just Another Traffic Jam?" [http://www.csun.edu][/sociology/virexp.htm][30 April 1999]. Tillson, Tamsen. "High-Grade Opportunity." Canadian Business Dec. 1996: 53+.

Kilgore Trout as Kurt Vonneguts Alter Ego :: Biography Biographies Essays

Kilgore Trout as Kurt Vonnegut's Alter Ego In 1922, two residents of Indianapolis, Indiana had a son who would later become one of the premiere writers in 20th century American literature. Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. was born to Edith and Kurt Sr. on November 11, 1922. He graduated from Shortridge High School in 1940, attended Cornell University for a year, then joined the army. He fought in World War II and was captured by the Germans in 1944. As a Prisoner of War, he lived through the firebombing of Dresden, an event which inspired his acclaimed novel, Slaughterhouse-Five. After he returned from Europe in April of 1945, he married Jane Marie Cox and spent several years studying at the University of Chicago and working as a reporter for the Chicago City News Bureau. In 1947, he went to work at General Electric Corporation as a research laboratory publicist. He worked there for 3 years until he left to become a full time writer in 1950. In the past 47 years, he has become one of the most acclaimed writers of our time. Kurt Vonnegut's first novel was entitled Player Piano and was published in 1952. Since then, he has written over a dozen other novels, collections of short stories, a collection of essays and interviews, and a play, Happy Birthday Wanda June. He spent 1965 in residence at the University of Iowa Writer's Workshop and taught writing at Harvard in 1970. He also was awarded a M.A. degree from the University of Chicago. Vonnegut currently appears on the Barnes and Noble Booksellers bag and is featured on a Visa commercial in which he buys a copy of one of his own books. If one looks through Vonnegut's works, one will find many occurrences of reoccurring characters, settings, and themes. Perhaps one of the most frequently occurring characters is Kilgore Trout, an obscure science-fiction writer with a small but

Poetry :: Poem to a friend

To a Friend Whose Work Has Come to Triumph In the poem "To a Friend Whose Work Has Come to Triumph", Anne Sexton alludes to the flight of Icarus and Daedalus and to "To a Friend Whose Work Has Come to Nothing" to convey a message to a friend. I think this poem was written to reassure a friend that what she did was the right thing. Perhaps a father figure of the friend advised her to do something and she defied him, making herself feel worried that she did the wrong thing. William Butler Yeats once wrote a poem titled "To a Friend Whose Work has Come to Nothing". It was a poem believed to be written to reassure a friend that what she ended up doing was a noble thing even though in reality she failed her original task. The title of Sexton's poem is an obvious allusion to Yeats' poem. Sexton changed "Nothing" to "Triumph" in her title. Sexton's friend must have been a fellow poet to be able to catch the allusion to Yeats' poem. I believe she wanted her friend to know that what she did was the right thing. Perhaps she compared her friend to Yeats' friend. Sexton wrote "Think of the difference it made!" referring to Icarus' flight. She might have wanted her friend to realize a difference her defying her father made. The final line of the poem has a comparably different tone than the first 13 lines. The last line, "See him acclaiming the sun and come plunging down while his sensible daddy goes straight into town.", seems more mocking of Daedalus' flight. It seems that Sexton feels that Daedalus' flight was a wasted chance and was in no way adventurous. She might also be comparing her friend to Icarus, seeing as he too failed his initial task but accomplished something greater on a global scale. I believe Sexton thought that Icarus' flight was not foolish or a failure, but adventurous and a great personal success, even though his satisfaction and personal glory was short-lived.

The Tragedy of a Man

The â€Å"apparition† of Bartleby has confounded many wise men, scholars, critics and the like. The strange, almost inhuman way Bartleby resisted his employer and all forms of contact seemed supernatural—â€Å"Poe-ish†, as some would say (Reed 1). Though in recent times, the story of Bartleby has been used as an allusion of the Communist struggle against the capitalist system.Thus, they explained that Bartleby’s refusal to engage in the regular capitalist work is clearly an act of defiance against the system; and the historical vagueness and background surrounding the story accentuates this implied class struggle.The tragedy of it all, in the end, centers on the limited awareness of the narrator. His scrivener was not the originator of his tragedies; it was his humanity, and fatal defects that could not save his copyist from certain doom. His lack of insight into the depths of the human psyche and his consequent understanding of its workings rendered him u nable to understand and aid his comrade. He was only an ordinary lawyer caught in circumstances he could not understand; though had he the sufficient expertise, the answer would have been simple as to surprise him.Bartleby, if he was anything, was angry. No emotion could have driven him so potently as to his last contemptuous act upon himself and the world. For suicide is often thought of as some great act of despair or utter grief that overpowers the individual and inspire him to â€Å"escape†. It is also an act of great contempt that is needed to give a man the strength to destroy himself completely and blind him to all the protestations of his body.Thus, it was this rage that possessed Bartleby. The narrator was too struck by the pitiable, forlorn countenance as well as quiet insolence of his scrivener to discover the fire blazoning from within. In all fairness to him, he was a well-balanced man—as he readily admitted—free from the mad fits and temperaments t hat has afflicted his scriveners. He could not therefore have guessed Bartleby as anything else, as he assumed that the man was well-rounded in personality.The woes of this misunderstood individual continues on, as Marxists take the tale hostage and use it as a weapon of their own. Bartleby becomes a tool of their hatred, and example of a social revolution. In this essay, then, it is hoped to wrest it back to the individual perspective and back to the man that is Bartleby. To accomplish this, one need glimpse at the perspectives of the Marxists and one divorced from the Communist context; from here it is hoped that the Marxist logic can be successfully deconstructed.This paper will seek to redeem the soul of the story as well as the character immortalized in its pages. Citizen Bartleby Bartleby, the Scrivener’s unique â€Å"Marxist† quality—its ability to identify with the class struggle and the woes of the capitalist system—are inevitably â€Å"pulled o ut† by two critics, Barbara Foley and Naomi Reed, by the use of differing perspectives. Foley accomplished this by de-focusing from the individual and giving more emphasis on the style used in the story and how it relates to historical events of that time.Thus, the mention of John Jacob Astor and Trinity Church, which coincidentally owned huge properties across the New York area where the story’s office was located, become representations of the oppressive land monopolies (Foley 7-10). The narrator’s reducing his staff into â€Å"idiosyncracies† and an ideology of â€Å"patronage† (Foley 6) is representative of an unequal wage slavery; and the ambiguity of the date by which the story probably took place (through careful analysis it was found that there were too many inconsistencies in the dates), may have been intentional as to â€Å"underplay† the Astor Strike of 1849 (Foley 13-16).The last was re-emphasized with telling effect—by cit ing Melville’s â€Å"disillusionment† of the society of the elite and the similarities of another Melville work, â€Å"The Two Temples†. Naomi Reed, meanwhile, while centering on Bartleby the apparition and the â€Å"gentlemanly cadaver†, relates him as such, by way of substance, to the commodity discussed by Marx in Capital. Bartleby is both of two forms: the ghost and the figure between life and death; comparably, a commodity is both physical and non-physical, for it has non-material value (Reed 6-9).His insistent defiance on basic work, as well as other labors, is in fact a refusal to partake in exchange—the ideology behind his work (creating a perfect copy of the document) is that a copy may accurately portray an original document; in exchange terms, a value of one object may be substantially equaled by another. The scrivener’s act of refusing to vouch for the copy would be parallel to the rejection of the accuracy of exchange. Bartleby then represents Marx’s commodity alienating itself from the market forces (Reed 9-12). These two concepts do hold ground, in relating the individual to his environment.Having admitted to this, a third, more personal approach is to be taken: the tragedy of Bartleby’s anger and passive aggressive tendency. Turkey and Nippers Prior to introducing Bartleby, the narrator first gives us a glimpse of his two other scriveners: Turkey was an old man, of almost the same age as his employer, while Nippers was twenty-five. Of the former, it is narrated that after twelve o’clock, this legal copyist suddenly manifests discomfort throughout the day, carelessly spilling inkblots or bursting upon inanimate objects with fiery zeal with little provocation.The employer hinted that this was due to old age. Indeed, fatigue and lack of rest would be enough to wear down the propriety of even the sternest of men, more so with old ones. For his part, Turkey would not, out of pride and th e thought of wages being cut in half, do the sensible thing and stop work after twelve o’clock. Nippers, on the other hand, is most irritated when he is brimming with energy. This is attributed to his youth; though the narrator would much rather call it â€Å"ambition and indigestion†.He is impatient, rash and impetuous and would rather that the time pass and be done with his being a scrivener, as well as to finish his law studies. This here-and-now obsession manifests itself in his table, which probably symbolizes a hindrance to his objective. This impatience gradually dies down after lunch, as impetuosity is readily cured and becalmed by food. At the sight of his two scriveners’ open expressions of anger, the lawyer must not have then detected the same in Bartleby. Indeed, he was looking for a more-balanced individual, and thought that he found it in the man.He therefore was not properly warned to the dangerous patterns within Bartleby’s character. Pref er Not To The employer relates how he was thunderstruck the first time he heard of Bartleby’s quiet refusal. It was peculiarly odd, however, because there seemed to be no reason for this reluctance—he didn’t volunteer anything; he was ever quiet at his post, answering only when spoken to. He was therefore frustrated with what would seem as apparent insolence. Bartleby’s answer â€Å"I would prefer not to† is a classic passive aggressive response.The words â€Å"not to† are indeed an act of defiance and anger, though it could not be particularly directed anywhere. It was couched in the words â€Å"would prefer† because among passive aggressives, fear is commingled with anger. He has a fear of direct confrontation, and readily believes his being weaker to those around him. To say a â€Å"yes† or â€Å"no† would already be such an example of confrontation. Recognizing the â€Å"superiority† of would-be oppressors, he will express his anger, but try to make it as respectful a comment as possible.To a fairly balanced man like the employer, this self-contradiction is absurd and utterly unreasonable; that is what makes it offensive. To a passive aggressive, however, it would be unreasonable to reveal a grievance. There are a myriad of reasons for this, but chief of them is the fear of rejection and condemnation as well as a need to retain some power against his oppressor. Revealing his weakness would strip him of any control or power over the object of his contempt, and make him susceptible to denunciation.His silence then was due to fear for himself. It wasn’t so much that he didn’t want to say, he just couldn’t. The employer could also have detected something dangerously amiss in Bartleby’s refusal to do anything, except copy. He was clearly caught in some internal agony as to render him incapable of even the most mundane of tasks. He clearly needed help, and the lawye r could only ill-afford to prove it. Infernal Solitude His employer was filled with great pity the minute he found out that Bartleby was living alone.The latter did not socialize, knew no one, and generally kept to himself, using the office as a refuge. The narrator believes this as the source of the scrivener’s misery and in many chances as possible sought to connect to him. Tragically, however, Bartleby was trapped in a state of â€Å"forced solitude†Ã¢â‚¬â€while he might believe his state deplorable (though we could only assume), he is nevertheless prevented by anger and fear from reaching out, and this paralysis and stasis aggravates his misery. Bartleby did not loathe company; in his small way, he sought it.Through his dealing with the company errand boy, Ginger Nut, and that one time when he looked his employer square in the eye and said â€Å"Can’t you see it for yourself? †Ã¢â‚¬â€the passive aggressive needs understanding, though he will offer n o aid. The employer, stumbling through ways to help him, merely continues to frustrate his scrivener. Eventually the internal agony had debilitated Bartleby fully. Even copying had become a burden that he would not bear. The lawyer was constantly apprehensive that he would be abandoning Bartleby if he did anything that was not to ensure his safety.He would have been right in assuming that his scrivener would have felt betrayed, for passive aggressives are generally resigned to their misery and see it as normal routine, and to those that they have stuck to with forlorn hope, failure would only accentuate the deathly gloom. His employer felt the barb of this hurt when Bartleby talked to him in jail. His statement then, and his subsequent refusal to eat can only be construed as part of his contemptuous act against self and those he feels has wronged him. Conclusion: RedemptionThe significant sequel of the Dead Letters serves as the crossroads by which Bartleby’s plight is fully understood. The employer later lamented of his finding the significant cause of Bartleby’s desolation: he had worked as a clerk making letters for relatives of the departed. The thought of constantly generating correspondence to those who have recently lost probably destroyed him as a person. It was not only the act of breaking hearts; it seemed as if acting as accomplice to murder. This soon developed to a form of self-loathing, and the genesis of the tragedy of Bartleby.There are two ways to interpret this: The question that was unveiled in the third perspective was the source of Bartleby’s anger. Throughout we have learned that it was generated towards self and collaterally to others. Humanity should be briefly expounded as centered on the act of life. The very nature of a human being is to act to preserve life: eating, sleeping and even social interaction. The task of the Dead Letters was associated with the negation of life. Death. An unnatural and inhuman task, h owever mundane, will gradually wear down an individual.Bartleby became a specter of Death, opposed to life, and therefore opposed to the world, and to society. He was reluctantly opposed, as by nature he was inclined to life. He felt this opposition unconsciously, and felt that all anger is directed against him. Passive aggressives have a source of hatred before the self. As a human being, Bartleby was inclined towards life, and was thus opposed to the Dead Letters system from the beginning. Gradually, his resentment went inward, as he needed the wage and could not conveniently express his anger.He became the figure of rebellion of the individual against the dehumanizing elements of his system as well as prevalent social forces. Reed had a point when she said that this was an act of rebellion against the system. She was, however, wrong in the sense that Bartleby is not a commodity; to admit to this truth would assume that the scrivener is equal to the commodity, comparable to the in animate object of Marx’s work. Using her concept, this is an act of equality that cannot be vouchsafed. There is nothing dehumanizing about circulation, and exchange.The practice of work was not a product of capitalism, but social interaction. Bartleby was merely opposed to the inhumanity of the system, which he was thrust into. He therefore could not trust it, and would not trust it. Having experienced the unnatural task in the Dead Letters office, those that are detached from personal living though not overtly or even covertly opposed to life, would seem the same. This then would explain the scrivener’s insistence of detachment of his private and public life.The Marxist analysts say that the subtitle â€Å"A Story of Wall Street† precludes the social forces that are implied within Bartleby. It must not, however, be forgotten that this is a story about â€Å"Bartleby, the Scrivener†, about an individual finding himself before the deathly coldness of Wall Street. He is the individual in the center of his environment. To belittle him, as Foley would do in her analysis, would again dehumanize him. To make him a slave to social forces, and the context of labor and the collective, would be like the lawyer who could not see the man crying out from within.Maybe, he had an indication of his desolation, but trapped within institutions as cold as the buildings that house it, he had not the knowledge to reach out to him. The lack of scenery around the office windows may agreeably be an allegory to his blindness. His omission of going to church may have become a defect, as he was faced with humanity, and the sermons could at least have taught him how to act before it. The scrivener could not be saved within the pages of the story. The soul of his being, however, has been snatched from the perils that haunted his life.It is hoped that in this simple gesture of understanding, Bartleby may find in death what he could not redeem in life: humanity. BIBLIOGRAPHY WORKS CITED Foley, Barbara. â€Å"From Wall Street to Astor Place: Historicizing Bartleby†. American Literature 72. 1 (2000): n. p. Reed, Naomi. â€Å"The Specter of Wall Street: Bartleby and the Language of Commodities†. American Literature 76. 4 (2004): n. p. REFERENCES Melville, Herman. â€Å"Bartleby, the Scrivener†. The Story and Its Writer: An Introduction to Short Fiction. Fifth Edition. Ed. Anne Charters. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 1999. 984-1010.

Nation-building refers Essay

Nation-building refers to the process of constructing or structuring a national identity using the power of the state. This process aims at the unification of the people within the state so that it remains politically stable and viable in the long run. Nation-building can involve the use of propaganda or major infrastructure development to foster social harmony and economic growth. It involves the development of behaviors, values, language, institutions and physical structures that protect the present and insure the future identity and independence of a nation. The nation is a country considered as a group of people living in a certain territory under one Government. â€Å"Building† here means not masonry constructed, instead the development of the nation, the future of our country. There is a great role of men in nation building. In men, youth is the most energetic type. Youth play an important role in nation building. Youth is the spring of life. It is the age of discovery and dreams. They have the power to transform the nation into a better place. They also have the ability to lead their fellow citizens into the right direction. Youths are fighters. They fight for an identity in society, equality, unemployment, exploitation, poverty and other problems which the world faces today. They need good morals and values to handle conflicts in a positive way. That’s why Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah always considered them as a future and insists them to work hard for the betterment of their nation. Quaid-e-Azam never talked about the wealth and property, he always emphasized on education and mental awareness of the young generation. Because education and awareness of people can lead the country to the highest level of success. Men should show humanity in their behaviours and they should work hard. Social harmony and unity is very necessary for building of nation. We should follow our religion because our religious history is filled with the examples of nation building. We can see that how our Holy Prophet (P.B.U.H) reformed Arabs and made them a successful and civilized nation. We should remain honest in our relations and deeds despite of all sufferings. Men  should maintain their individuality. As Russel Simmons said: â€Å"Any kind of lasting success is rooted in honesty.† Wealth is not needed to support and build a nation. The necessary thing is bravery and unity of people. As the old nations such as ancient Greeks, the Persians, the Roman Empire and Pharaohs of Egypt are still very famous. Bravery and unity were their uniqueness. A nation’s strength not gold but only men can make people great and strong. Men who for truth and honor’s sake, stand fast and suffer long. Brave men who work while other sleep who dare while other fly they build a nation’s pillars deep and lift them to the sky. (Ralph Weldo Emerson) Conclusion: So wealth has no part in building of a nation. Only men can lift their country to the highest level of success by maintaining their national identity, individuality, social harmony, honesty, humanity, truth and hard work.

Future of Singapore Public Housing Loan

Abstract The Singapore government together with the housing finance consider the public housing as one of the various achievements they have accomplished. Public housing accommodates more than 80% of the residents in Singapore. A majority of the residents, close to 90%, is designed as Housing Development flats (HDB). In an effort to improve the current housing state in Singapore, the housing finance and the government has introduced various schemes and substitute schemes alike. The schemes have encouraged the resident into becoming homeowners in addition to ensuring that they did not default their mortgage payment. The Housing and Development Board (HDB) is responsible for the dealings and management of the public housing program in Singapore. The local town council oversees the daily management activities. They also ensure planning and development of the public housing in addition to selling and resale of the houses as well as offering financial mortgage. Introduction Singapore Public Housing finance loan borrowing has dropped four folds in the recent year. Owing to a myriad of factors, the number of loan applicants for the public housing allocation has significantly reduced as compared to the numbers associated with the previous application. The government estimates that the number may rise in next coming years if market curbs are softened, such as loan repayment schemes on interest rates and application. A future projection of the public housing finance loan interest indicates a downward trend in the near future owing to the stiff competition put in place by private property owners (Ong, 2010). It is imperative, therefore, to reduce the public housing loan rate in order to attract new property owners while increasing the resale of the previously owned property. Currently, the resale price of previously owned units on the public housing has dropped by 1.3%. The government has not taken any measures to ensure that this market situation is controlled, but is examining the matter in order to employ proper strategy to enable Singapore citizens to own homes. In case the current prices of property remain stagnant at 57%, it is estimated that the public housing loan rate will rise. The number of public housing owners is estimated to gradually increase in case the current rate does not drop in the near future (Ong, 2010). The Housing and Development Board (HDB) is responsible for the dealings and management of the public housing program in Singapore. The local town council oversees the daily management activities. They also ensure planning and development of the public housing in addition to selling and resale of the houses as well as offering financial mortgage. The paper discusses an examination of the privatization of HDB and reasons behind it, with projection to loan in the coming years and how one can become a public house owner in Singapore. Privatization of HDB Loan to Consumer Bank The main aim of the privatisation of Housing and Development Board mortgage loan to consumer banks in Singapore was to curb the price competition through inculcation thereby increasing the performance of the banking sector within the economy. The mortgage yield was not sufficient to meet the standards set by HDB, thus the privatisation of the HDB mortgage became imperative (Adams, 2014). Moreover, the private sector’s better performance and management of the economy was an added reason for the privatization as compared to the public sector’s ability in managing and performance. With the privation of the HDB loans to consumer banks, the annual interest rate returns have since increased and projections show that they will continue to increase in the coming year. This therefore eliminates the high rate hurdle previously presented by HDB through the elimination and minimization of the government regulation on the HDB housing projects. (Li, 2014). Financier of Mortgage loan: Interest rates Homebuyer with potential can choose to buy a home with either a HBO loan or Bank loan. The payment scheme chosen will determine the selection of the mortgage partner from which the mortgage loan will be received. Homeowners are able to apply for mortgage loans through HBO and Consumer banks. The above options for loan financier are in place in order to enable potential buyers to decide which best fits their financial capability. In addition, HDB plays the role of a financier to flat owners by giving mortgage loans. This has enabled Singapore residents to acquire public houses easily and faster with the help of HDB mortgage loan. From a financier’s point of view, a homebuyer applying for a mortgage loan is required to have met their credit assessment and this is assessed with their current system of standard mortgage application. For an eligible flat buyer to have access to a concessionary loan, they must have an HDB Eligibility Letter (HLE) confirming that they are capable of making repayments. This is important because it accesses one’s potential ability to pay back his loan with constraining their personal budget. Before anyone can purchase a flat, they must have a letter of eligibility of HDB. HBO concessionary loan interest is 2.6% which is only 0.1% higher than the Central Provident Fund (CPF). It seems important tor e-examine the interest rate of HBO quarterly in comparison to CPF interes t rate to ensure that it stays roughly the same level. This type of system design helps to provide an easier scheme for the mortgagor to service their loan payment, and ensure they constantly pay without defaults. This interest rate of the HBO loan has been in existence for over 15 years (Ong, 2010). Contrary to this, banks interest rate is currently 1%. The interest is dynamic and not constant because it is determined by a number of other factors which affects the operation of the bank such as its business strategy, the prevailing market situation and commercial decisions. It is determined jointly by all the financial institution in Singapore. This system make it unreliable because it is not constant, it keeps fluctuating based on the above mentioned factors. Even though HBO mortgage offer low amount of loans, HBO mortgage scheme remain the most suitable financier to mortgage loan. Unfortunately, and since the privatisation of HBO, all those who wish to finance their resale and acquisition of HBO public housing will have to apply loans to various banks licensed by the monetary fund to give mortgage loans to public housing acquisition and resale. Immigration There are benefits to being a citizen in Singapore. Singapore is one of the major cities in Asia in terms of wealth and culture. To buy and rent an HBD flat, one has to be 21 years or older and a citizen to Singapore. Another benefit that the citizens of Singapore are entitled to is obtain loans at concessionary interest rate with HBO to help them in obtaining the flats. In addition to this, they are also offers for citizens who obtain public houses for the first time such as subsidies, for instance grants offered by the government as a cushion to aid those buying public houses. Citizens also enjoy lower rates for houses repairs (Adams, 2014). Conclusion In conclusion, the number of public house owners in Singapore is bound to increase in the near future with increase in mortgage. The performance of HDB’s hurdle interest is expected to increase on an annual basis with the privatisation to consumer banks to aid in the mortgage loan financing. This has facilitated the process of solving the housing problem in Singapore owing to the fact that the government has provided a more reliable and efficient option to help people buy property. Although the current market is not promising, the government is working hard to curb the situation and enable more Singapore in the coming year to own public house. This will enable them to deal with the housing problems and concentrate in development of other sectors of the economy thereby increase their national income and dominate in the leading economy (Li, 2014). Bibliography Adams, J. (2014, October 10). Bleeding the banks. Retrieved October 31, 2014. Li Sen, S. (2014, October 3). Spike in bad home loans swells Singapore banks’ NPLs. Retrieved October 31, 2014. Ong, S. (2010). Housing affordability and upward mobility from public to private housing in Singapore. Singapore: S.E. Ong].

Equal Exchange: Trading Fairly and Making a Profit Essay

I, Executive Summary Equal Exchange is a for-profit Fair-trade worker-owned, cooperative company. Founded in 1986, it is the oldest and largest Fair Trade coffee company in the United States. Equal Exchange began with $100,000 as started up funds and a 2,000-quare-foot room in Boston’s South End. It purchased coffee beans from small-scale farmers at above-market price in Latin America. Initially, EE relied on other roasters and packers to prepare the premium coffee beans.  It sold to natural food grocers, gourmet shops, restaurants, and non-profit organizations. The company’s founders wanted to help famers get a better, more stable price and, at the same time, take advantage of the growing consumer demand for higher-quality â€Å"specialty† coffee. However, after 25 years in business, and 10 of which were spent as the only fair trade company in the coffee industry, Equal Exchange’s tremendous success seemed to have come to a screeching halt. If the impact of price increases is excluded, for a second year in a row, its revenues have grown only 2 percent. This is hardly acceptable comparing with the double-digit growth it had been through for the previous 15 years. Additionally, over the past few years, consumers have begun to show a strong desire to purchase products from local businesses, thus increased competition from local roasters. Moreover, there is a major push by companies to offer a wide variety of green, organic, and wholesome food products. There are so many new initiatives developing and it may be possible that fair trade products will not stand out so much anymore. As a result, Equal Exchange is likely going to fail into the red zone in next few years, if nothing is changed. Since EE has become a famous brand, I highly recommend EE’s staff to continue expand its potential in producing new products and starting to offer service, in order to solve listed problems. More specifically, in business strategy, EE need to keep following its broad differentiation strategy. However, it needs to create more products in order to be able to compete with many competitors. EE has been taking customers’ trust in its products, so that producing new ones would bring its customers into experiencing them no matter what. There were still various fairly traded goods that EE did not offer, and they might become preferred products. In corporate strategy, if EE choose to start offering service, this would be consistent with the company’s mission such as ecotourism to coffee or cacao growing zones to support those communities. II, Introduction In 1983, Rink Dickinson, Jonathan Rosenthal, and Michael Rozyne were all recent college graduates and working for a food co-op warehouse in the Boston area. They began to question the system such as, â€Å"What if food could be traded in a way that is honest and fair, a way that empowers both farmers and consumers? What if trade supported family farms use of organic methods  rather than methods that harm the environment?† Almost simultaneously they started to hear about groups in Europe who were doing Fair Trade. The advocates of Fair Trade wanted to ensure that the producers of products such as coffee, teas and chocolate would get a better price for their crops while supporting improvement in their environmental, social and political conditions. Rink, Jonathan and Michael liked the idea. According to Rink, they â€Å"were basically food co-op people, interested in connecting small, local farmers with consumers to change the marketplace.† It was not their intention to found a company at that time. They took the idea to the Board of Directors of the co-op warehouse. Half of the board supported the idea and half voted against it. It became apparent to them that if they were going to pursue their vision, they were going to have to develop an organization. Over the next three years they met once a month to develop the plans and raise the capital for founding their own organization. During that time Rink said they used their jobs to learn about cooperatives, small farmers, entrepreneurship, marketing and â€Å"making mistakes, right and left.† The food co-op gave them â€Å"a great environment to learn some skills†. In 1986, Rink, Jonathan and Michael decided to launch Equal Exchange (EE). By that time, their ambition was â€Å"†¦to change the way food is grown, bought, and sold around the world.† The founders decided to meet once a week – and did so for three years — to discuss how best to change the way food is grown, bought, and sold around the world. At the end of this time they had a plan for a new organization called Equal Exchange that would be: A social change organization that would help farmers and their families gain more control over their economic futures. A group that would educate consumers about trade issues affecting farmers. A provider of high-quality foods that would nourish the body and the soul. A company that would be controlled by the people who did the actual work. A community of dedicated individuals who believed that honesty, respect, and mutual benefit are integral to any worthwhile endeavor. Around 1991, Equal Exchange established itself as a Fair Trade specialty coffee company, offering loyal food co-op customers a store bin system with a full line of beans, decaf coffee, different roasts, and flavored coffees. By the end of the year what had once been the â€Å"pipe dream† of reaching $1  million in sales had become a reality. By 1994, Equal Exchange was a worker-owned cooperative with 20 members—with departments, managers, and a growing number of outside investors. A pivotal early investment by the Adrian Dominican Sisters helped to alert others that this undertaking, however risky, might be worthy of outside financial support. Another exciting chapter in our history started in 1996, when Equal Exchange joined with Lutheran World Relief in a path-breaking collaboration to launch what has now become our Interfaith Program. This major initiative helped Equal Exchange create partnerships with communities of faith throughout the U.S. Over the next seven years more than 10,000 congregations across the U.S. began using our Fair Trade coffee. III, Assignment Question 1. Question 1 What are the strategically relevant components of Equal Exchange’s macro-environment? Are socio-cultural, environmental, economic, and other components of the macro-environment favorable to the sellers of fair trade food and beverage products? Does the industry offer attractive opportunities for growth? a) Strategically relevant components of Equal Exchange’s macro-environment Political factors: There were no laws in the U.S restricting the use of the term â€Å"Fair Trade† on a product labels. This makes it is a little difficult for EE to prove themselves overwhelming their competitors. Economic conditions: In 2010, Fair Trade USA reported that there were over 9,500 fair trade-certified consumer products being offered by 700 industry partners in more than 600,000 retail locations. Paul Rice, the president and CEO of fair Trade USA, said that in 2010 the fair trade retail sales market was $1.4 billion in the U.S and $3 billion in Europe. Socio-cultural forces: EE developed advertisements, implemented public education campaigns, partnered with religious organization, and created a school fund-raising program. EE also offered a wide variety of fair trade product. Technological factors: EE was effective in creating messages about the origins of products and where consumer dollars went. For example, it used logo and labels that suggested consumers could have a great cup of coffee or bar of chocolate while feeling good about them. It also created a website as a place for consumers to connect to the farmers who grew the products they bought. Legal and regulatory factors: Fair Trade USA has  certain guidelines for participating business to follow, including EE. Fair trade certifiers agreed on eight basic principles, which are: + Long-term direct trading relationships + Prompt payment of fair prices and wages + No child, forced or otherwise exploited labor + Workplace non-discrimination, gender equity, and freedom of association + Safe working conditions and reasonable work hours + Investment in community development projects + Environmental sustainability + Traceability and transparency b) Are these factors favorable to the sellers of fair trade food and beverage products? This depends on the product itself, though these factors do make products are increasingly imported over more than a decade from 1998 to 2010. Some products have great growth rate, such as tea (38%), sugar (60%), cocoa (67%), and vanilla (97%). On the other hand, some products are not favorable to consumers, such as produce (2%), flower (0%), and wine (-63%). c) Opportunities for growth The far trade movement caught on in 2000 when many companies began to follow the same path as EE – more specifically, into the business of fair trade coffee. Basically, the industry still offer very attractive opportunities for growth due to its growth rate, but it is quite difficult to reach those opportunities due to rivalry. 2. Question 2 Explain the competitive pressures facing the fair trade food and beverage products industry. What does a five-force analysis reveal about the nature and strength of the competitive pressures facing Equal Exchange? Which of the five forces is the strongest? Which of the five forces is weakest? a) The competitive pressure facing the fair trade food and beverage product industry. Fair trade coffee was EE’s primary product, accounting for 80 percent of sales in 2010. At that point, there were over 300 companies in the U.S that provided fair trade coffee. EE managers admired the social mission of some of these companies and even considered those who were truly committed to far trade to be friends. However, they were also competitors. There were two groups of competitors to EE. One class consisted of larger companies that competed in the high-end, organic coffee market, but also got involved in fair trade coffee. The other one were small, local, and regional competitors operating in different areas off the U.S. There are a lot of name can be pointed out, such as Starbuck, Green Mountain Coffee, Deans Beans, and Thanksgiving Coffee. With this much rivalry, EE sure had a great pressure in the industry. b) Five-forces analysis Threat of new entrants: Since fair trade food and beverage products industry is a profitable market that yield high returns, new firms would be attracted. But this is not a problem for EE to concern, because it knows those farmers and their struggles. Nevertheless, when it came to rivalry, EE’s values provided a much different outlook than a typical business. Threat of substitute products: Coffee is a special product with hardly substitute product, so this is not really a threat for EE. Bargaining power of customers: EE partnered with fair trade advocacy organizations, such as Global Exchange, to create a nationwide public education campaign. In 1996, EE partnered with Lutheran World Relief to create something that later became known as the Interfaith Program, and it raised relief funds for farmers in Nicaragua who were hit hard by Hurricane Mitch in 1998. These partnership helped EE generate revenues, create goodwill within communities, and create awareness among consumers about fair trade products. Bargaining power of suppliers: EE’s promise to provide consumers with reasonably priced, good quality food, all while fairly paying the farmer who produced the goods was quite unlike most other companies. Intensity of competitive rivalry: As mentioned before, there are many strong competitors against EE, both as small and large ones. Addition, the fair trade industry is open, so competing is unavoidable. Though EE do not mind too much having many competitors, those ones still create barrier for them to reach more customers. To be concluded, threat of substitute is the weakest force and intensity of competitive rivalry is the weakest force. 3. Question 3 What are the key elements of Equal Exchange’s strategy? Which of the five generic strategies is the company pursuing? How has the cooperative integrated corporate social responsibility into its business strategy? a)  Key elements of Equal Exchange’s strategy EE wanted to change traditional purchasing habits and make consumers more aware of where products came from and who was responsible for making them. At the same time, it wanted to encourage consumers to buy more fair trade products. To do that, EE use advertising in packaging and labels, website, and public awareness. Also, it created interfaith program, applied fundraising program and outbid their competitors in terms of product variety. b) Generic strategy EE follows broad differentiation strategy.  EE’s promise to pride consumers with reasonably priced, good quality food. Though it tried to keep their price lowest as possible, it still fairly paid farmers quite a lot even if coffee prices in the world’s commodities exchanges dropped below the fair trade minimum price. It also focused on keeping their quality on products in any condition. c) Cooperative integrated corporate social responsibility EE worked with financial institutions to give farmers pre-harvest loans with affordable 8 to 9 percent short-term interest rates. Brokers typically offered loans at much higher rates of 25 percent. EE also guaranteed a quarter of each pre-harvest loan. It thus shared the risks associated with misfortunes, such as hurricanes, that could destroy a cooperative’s crops. EE bought the coffee beans once a year, as soon as they were harvested (even though this tied up its capital in inventory). In terms of employee, EE wanted to cultivate excellent working relationships with its employees. Its managers believed that a democratic work environment in which employees shared responsibility for decision making would lead to higher levels of job satisfaction, morale, and productivity. It made sure that the pay gap between the highest-paid manager and the lowest-paid employee was reasonable. Besides, EE sought to reconnect consumers with the farmers who grew their food. When consumers saw a brand-name product in the supermarket, EE wanted them to realize that there was often a person toiling away for little pay behind it. By raising such awareness, the company hoped to direct consumers towards products for which farmer got paid higher prices so they  could better support their ways of life. 4. Question 4 What are Equal Exchange’s competitively important resources and capabilities? Which of its resources have the greatest competitive power? Are any of its resources and capabilities able to pass all four VRIN tests for sustainable competitive advantage? Explain. a) EE’s competitively important resources and capabilities Worker co-operative model: EE believed strongly in creating better, healthier relationships with the Earth, with farmers, its workers, and with the consumer. Worker-owners enjoyed many rights and responsibilities and democratically controlled the workplace. At EE, a co-executive director, a roaster, a packer, and a customer service representative were equal, with one share and one vote per person. This makes every employee of EE want to contribute their best to the company. Marketing strategies: EE wanted to change traditional purchasing habits and make consumers more aware of where products came from and who was responsible for making them. This leads to many well-crafting strategies, such as interfaith program and fundraising. Supplier: Unlike other companies, EE wanted its suppliers, farmers specifically, to be paid more, not less. So, it sought out fair trade-registered co-operatives that enabled small-scale farmers to pool their resources, increase their power in the market-place and share the costs of upgrading their operations. These farmers were trained in how to acquire information on market trends and in how to cultivate high-quality crops . b) Unique resources and capabilities The only resource or capabilities that is able to pass all four VRIN test for sustainable competitive advantage is worker co-operative model. Value: It is difficult to find good employees, but it is much harder to keep good employees to work for the company. That is the reason why building relationship between employees is very important, and critical. EE’s worker co-operative model is showing its precious value for this part. Rare: Treating everyone the same is really rare. Normally, the higher-ups receive much more respect than lower staffs do, but EE deals nothing like that. This hardly can be found in any other company, which makes it a unique component. Inimitable: Human relevant is the only one that is inimitable. EE’s worker co-operative model makes its workers feel comfortable, as everyone is equal. Therefore, employee loyalty is guaranteed and untouchable from external conditions. Non-substitutable: EE built up its image with equal employees, and no other capability can replace this. EE likely is said to stick with its worker co-operative model at anytime, and the way around. It is hard to find another company which can apply this model better than EE. 5. Question 5 What does a SWOT analysis reveal about Equal Exchange’s ability to seize market opportunities and nullify external threats? Strength Experienced in the market High social awareness Technology up-to-date Unique work model Good financial performance Weakness Lack of consumer awareness Unsatisfactory working condition Farmer exploitation Opportunities Expanding business Offering new products Threats Many wealthy competitors Unstable market Table 1: SWOT analysis of Equal Exchange EE can use its strength to seize opportunities and nullify threats. More specifically, due to high social awareness and with technology up-to-date, EE can easily expanding its business into other activity, such as services. Otherwise, it can produce new products that have not been offered in fair trade market. On the other hand, with experience in the market, EE can find a way to compete with competitors in the fair trade market using its good financial performance. 6. Question 6 What is your assessment of Equal Exchange’s financial performance and condition? Is the company in good financial shape? Why or why not. Use financial ratios in Table 4.1 to help support your assessment. Figure 1: Equal exchange sales growth Since importing its first coffee container in 1986, EE had become the leading fair trade brand of food and beverages in the U.S. This helped the co-operative achieve a trend of double-digit revenue growth. However, the recession that struck the U.S changed the outlook for business. The financial data for the fiscal year of 2006 through 2010 demonstrated EE’s growth and showed whether the co-operative was able to weather the economic downturn. Figure 1 demonstrates EE’s growth of sales from fiscal year 2006 to fiscal year 2010. In 2006, success in many areas defined much of EE’s 14 percent increase in revenues, which translated into an additional $2.86 million in annual sales. In particular, sales were exceptionally strong in the West Coast region. Another key contributor to sales was EE’s chocolate products, which were a hit in 2006 because the quality chocolate market was seeing growing demand, or a â€Å"renaissance†, as EE called it, similar to what occurred with specialty coffee 20 years prior. While this was occurring, EE simultaneously expanded its chocolate line to products such as organic dark chocolate, organic mint chocolate, and organic chocolate syrup. This expansion allowed the company to ride the growing demand for quality chocolate. EE also introduced three new tea bagged products, which helped increase tea sales 35 percent. Till 2010, it is a hard time as coffee and chocolate prices continued to rise. EE was faced with a difficult challenge of helping farmers during this time, providing customers with stable prices, and maintaining a profit margin consistent with the co-operative’s goals. Sales totaled $36,525,856. This growth of roughly 2 percent was relatively flat for the second year in a row. The growth experienced was due in part to the notable increase in EE’s direct sales to food co-operatives. This is something the co-operative did to avoid the use of distributors.