The Last Night of Ballyhoo by Alfred Uhry Essay

The Last Night of Ballyhoo by Alfred Uhry - Essay Example Adolf Hitler Nazism began to pose a threat to world civilization. By 1941 United States officially had joined World War II. Against this political background The Last Night of Ballyhoo by Alfred Uhry is set in position. This play is set in the upper class German Jewish society. The background is placed in Atlanta 1939 where Jews comprised a prominent minority group coping in a Christian society. The self or rather the search for the self is exemplified for the lack of a strong sense of a self can be nebulous when ones placed in the current social structure. As Uhry said, â€Å"The Olympics commissioned me to write a play through the Alliance Theatre. It occurred to me the day they asked me that I could write about the last time Atlanta was in the spotlight which, to me, was when Gone with the Wind opened. I realized it was 1939 and I had Scarlett and I had Hitler, and it would be a good way to get at this thing I wanted to do†¦.† (Shewey, 1997) The play opens in the living room of the Freitag/Levy home. The tone and mood is a homely and family centered approach. Lala is found decorating the Christmas tree as it is the Christmas season. Here the Christmas tree signifies the orthodox of Christianity but for the Freitag/Levy home the Christmas tree stand as a symbol for the season which is devoid of any religious sentiments and the star symbolizing the birth of the Messiah; therefore a Jewish Christmas tree should have no star. As Boo states, â€Å"then everybody that drives down Habersham road will think we’re a bunch of Jewish fools pretending we’re Christians† (Uhry, 1997) The two important aspects are the premier of Gone with the wind and the last night of Ballyhoo which dominated the atmosphere of the play. Lala’s attitude is so apt, instead of arguing about the Christmas tree one should be celebrating the season. But on the contrary, Lala states that one should celebrate because Clark Gable was in town for the premier

A detailed account of the Black Tuesday events Essay Example for Free

A detailed account of the Black Tuesday events Essay Question: 1 Black Tuesday refers to a day in Bahamian history, April 27, 1965. The then-Opposition Leader and former Prime Minister of the Bahamas Sir Lynden Pindling threw the Speakers Mace out of the House of Assembly window in protest against the unfair gerrymandering of constituency boundaries by the then ruling United Bahamian Party (UBP) government. Thursday the 16th day of April, 1965, around 3 o’clock in the afternoon, the draft order providing for the new constituency boundaries under section 63 of the 1964 constitution was in session in the house of assembly. In the chair was Dr. Raymond .W. Sawyer, the Deputy Speaker; on the floor was Sir Milo Butler, the member for the Western District. Sir Milo Butler shouted out in range at The Chairman â€Å"This Constituency Commission had done wicked things in cutting up New Providence and the Out Islands in a damnable way in order to give themselves the Minority Government a distinct advantage in the next General Elections† Sir Milo continued talking without ending. See more: Old Age Problem essay Only a little bit of grain of sand was in the quarter hour glass, the Chairman turned to Sir Milo and said, â€Å"I am very sorry but the member’s time has run out†, â€Å"Sir Milo replied â€Å"It’s very kind of you to remind me, but I intend to talk on. I ain’t going to let any grain of sand stop me from talking. Don’t throw sand in my mouth just yet I ain’t dead yet†. The Deputy Speaker noticed that Sir Milo Butler reached further than he should, suspended the proceedings and reported this incident to the Speaker, The Hon. Robert (Bobby) Symonette. The Speaker, having been informed, turned to Sir Milo Butler and asked him to be seated. The people’s champion misunderstood the language of parliament. â€Å"I am not addressing my chair. I am addressing this House,† he replied. Due to his disobedience Milo Butler was named under rule 37, It was then motion seconded to Hon. Geoffrey A.D Johnston and it was passed. The Spea ker turned, to Milo and asked him to please withdraw. He acted out and didn’t want to withdraw. He continuously pound his right fist on the table, scattered papers and said, â€Å"If I leave Mr. Speaker you are going to have to take me out†. That was his last refusal. It took four police-sergeants to physically remove Sir Milo from The House of Assembly. Shortly after that, A.D. Hanna spoke over his time limit and he also refused to stop speaking and was carried out by two police men, But Mr. A.D. Hanna wanted equal rights; he wanted four police men to carry him out as well  therefore two more carried him out. Tuesday, 27 of April a week later the House of Assembly met again which was the reply to the April 16th meeting. In the Speaker’s elevated chair was the Honorable Robert .H. Symonette and on his right was his father, the Premier, Sir Roland .T. Symonette. On the Speaker’s left was the Leader of the Opposition, Sir Lynden .O. Pindling and members of the P.L.P further down. The P.L.P wasn’t so different from Sir. Milo Butler, they opened windows when the room was air-conditioned; they stamped their feet’s and beat on tables ranted and rave in one gesture against the draft constituency order. Sir Lynden Pindling lifted the ancient mace from the Speaker’s desk and said â€Å"This mace is the symbol of authority, and the authority for the islands belongs to the people, and the people are outside of this House and so this mace belongs outside too.† Sir Pindling threw the mace through the window while Sir Milo butler threw the two quarter hour glasses out of the same window. The P.L.P all stormed out of The House of Assembly, where they were welcomed by a crowed of their followers on Bay Street. It brought a halt for an hour or so, however after the mace was replace. The U.B.P’s had power laboured long and hard and finally passed the Draft Constituency Order into Law nevertheless the official opposition’s absence.

Feminism in Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel Essay examples -

Feminism in Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel There are many different definitions of feminism. Some people regard feminism as the idea that women deserve the same amount of respect that men deserve. There are the other schools of feminist thought that hold women superior to men. Yet another believes that the gender roles controlling women are artificially created and not innate knowledge, and thus men and women are equals with only history the determining factor and how gender equality is established. There are clear feminist overtones in Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel. Esquivel pointes to a more radical definition of feminism in Like Water for Chocolate. The story focuses on mostly female characters that assume the gender roles typically associated with men. Esquivel presents these strong female figures in such a way as to make the reader begin to question any preconceptions previously held about the capabilities of women. Feminism has been a concept long thought about. Generally dealing with the idea that men have historically been thought of as superior to women, the feminist philosophy contends that men and women are equal and thus deserve equal treatment. Esquivel makes it clear that all the women characters are not dependent in any way to any men. This independence of men that she creates is a key to understanding the feminist nature of the novel. Early on with Tita’s father dying we see that now Mama Elena is charged with the care and prot...

Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula Essay

Stability in the Arabian Peninsula region has been a concern for the United States for some time now. AQAP poses a direct threat against the U.S. and U.S. interests of Stability and Security in the Arabian Peninsula. This instability and threat is why I have chosen the AQAP as the FTO to research making the next attack. The AQAP comes from the merging of the al Qaeda cells from Yemen and in Saudi Arabia. There are approximately one –two hundred members, with thousands of supporters. The merger took place in January 2009, due to the success of the Saudi Arabian government in destroying al Qaeda’s infrastructure in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. AQAP is a subsidiary of the al Qaeda, whose center of gravity is in Pakistan and Afghanistan, but works independently of its parent organization. Since formation occurred, they are responsible for a number of attacks on the â€Å"West† and are considered responsible parties of the â€Å"UPS and FEDEX cargo bombing attemptsâ €  (Kurczy, 2010). They were deemed a terrorist organization on December 14, 2009, by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. (Gerstein, 2010). Prior to the formation of AQAP, al Qaeda claimed responsibility for numerous attacks in Saudi Arabia and Yemen. Those attacks include: the 1993 attack on World Trade Center, 1998 suicide bombings of Embassies, the 2000 bombing of the USS Cole, and the 2008 car bombing outside the U.S. Embassy in Sana’ killing 19 people including 6 of the terrorists (Poland, 2005 ). AQAP has claimed to plan on targeting oil facilities, tourists, and security forces in the future. It is believed though that AQAP provided spiritual guidance by U.S. Citizen Anwar al Awlaki to U.S. Army Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, who was the gunman behind the 2009 Ft. Hood killings and the December 2009 attempt to down a passenger airline to Detroit. Responsible parties to these terroristic events are said to be that of the top five â€Å"key leaders† of AQAP. These men include are in order of their rank from the top spot of leaders to the last. 1. Ibrahim Hassan al-Asiri, aka the bomb maker. He is believed to be the creator of the bombs intercepted in October last year on cargo planes. 2. Anwar al-Awlaki, aka the chief ideologue. He is suspected of being part of three unsuccessful terrorist attacks to include the Fort Hood Shootings (Bryant, C., & Kasinof, L., 2010), bombing attempt on airliner jet on Christmas, and the Times Square bombing on May 2. 3. Said Ali al-Shihri, deputy chief of AQAP. He is suspected of participation in  September 2008 US Embassy attack and the kidnapping of nine missionaries in June 2009 according to Fox News. 4. Qasim al-Raymi, military commander. He followed Osama bin Laden’s lead on media releases â€Å"building an ever-more sophisticated propaganda arm for al Qaeda in Arabian Peni nsula† (Kurczy, 2010). 5. Nasir al Wuhayshi, head of AQAP. Known as the personal secretary of Osama bin Laden (Kurczy, 2010). Most of AQAP is made up of fighters that returned from Afghanistan during the Russian invasion and fighters that have been serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. They lure new recruits who are sympathetic to al Qaeda and have animosity towards the U.S. and western nations. The recruiting pool is vast in the region with fighters fleeing Iraq and Afghanistan and relocating to Yemen and Somalia. Both countries have weak central governments that are conducive for lawlessness in the region and have vast ungoverned territory. Government cooperation with American counter-terrorism efforts has historically been spotty and portions of both populations are hostile to the United States. (Kerry, 2010) AQAP aims to overthrow the Yemeni government for its support to the U.S. and its offensive operations against al Qaeda. The group also emphasizes its global ambitions and desire to target western interests within the region. Additionally, AQAP has stated it will focus on cutting supply lines of western nations supporting Israel and looks to expand its influence throughout the region (Boucek, 2010). The animosity against the western nations continues to grow, as does the technology and ideas for new weapons. The newest information is that a poisoned perfume plot against religious and government officials was prevented due to arrest of 149 al Qaeda suspects. This is just an example of the creativity AQAP has come up with. Last summer the country’s Deputy Interior Minister had been attempted to be assassinated by a bomber with the weapon in his anus (Rawnsley, 2010). These weapons are just the newest form used by AQAP. Yemen has emerged as a major staging base for al Qaeda and other likeminded groups for attacking American targets within Yemen as well as to reach targets outside of Yemen including the United States. U.S. officials have warned that al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula was a growing threat even before the failed 2009, Christmas Day airline bombing attempt (Kerry, 2010). In February 2009, Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair stated that, â€Å"Yemen is reemerging as a jihadist battleground and potential regional base of operations for Al Qaeda  to plan internal and external attacks, train terrorists, and facilitate the movement of operatives.† (Rollins, 2010). The threat coming from AQAP is greater than the threat coming from al Qaeda’s central leadership located in Pakistan. AQAP is increasingly a more pressing concern for U.S. national security. AQAP has relative freedom of movement in the Arabian Peninsula and region which allows for its ability to increase its ranks through recruitment as well as its ability to train new recruits. Additionally, AQAP has also shown its ability to influence other like-minded individuals to conduct attacks to our homeland with little to no warning. AQAP has proven it has the means and capability to attempt to conduct attacks globally although it has yet to be successful. It is only a matter of time before they possess the ability and trained personnel that are able to conduct something equal to or greater than the attacks against the United States on September 11, 2001. AQAP poses a direct threat to the U.S. and U.S. interest of stability and security in the Arabian Peninsula. AQAP is capable of every threat that has been uttered against the US and western countries. The US as well as the other western territories that are considered allies against AQAP, can end or at least moderate the terroristic threat by â€Å"interdicting terrorists, disrupt their planning, restrict their travel, reduce the flow of financial (EO 13224 signed 9/23/01) and material support to terrorist groups, and enable partner governments to assert control over weakly governed territory where terrorists find sanctuary† (US Department of State, 2005). The Antiterrorism Assistance program is a well used deterrent against FTO’s such as AQAP. The AQAP became a bigger threat than al Qaeda, and the instability and security issues within the Arabian Peninsula are threats we must contend with. With the knowledge and training gained since the imperative attacks on American soil in 2001, we can deter and detain these terrorists and protect our homeland and allies. The ideologies and animosity against the US and other western nations are targeted towards the recruiting of others who sympathize with al Qaeda. Preemptive and retaliatory methods are other forces to use to impede the AQAP’s threats and/or attacks. It is also noted in the Country Reports that by American’s helping partner nations in the quest for improving their abilities to detect and prevent terrorist activities this will clearly enhance the overall security of all nations (US Department of State, 2005). References Boucek, Christopher (2010). Terrorism out of Yemen. Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Retrieved from http://carnegieendowment.org/publications/index.cfm?fa=view&id=41705 References Bryant, C., & Kasinof, L. (2010, October 29). Suspicious UPS, FedEx packages raise new concerns about Al Qaeda in Yemen. Christian Science Monitor. p. N.PAG. Retrieved from EBSCOhost CPJ. (2008, April 15). Iraq: Journalists Abducted 2003-09. Retrieved March 15, 2011, from Committee to Protect Journalists: Defending Journalists Worldwide: http://cpj.org/reports/2008/04/abducted.php. Gerstein, Josh (2010). Clinton named Al Qaeda Yemen as terror group. Politico. Retrieved from http://www.politico.com/blogs/joshgerstein/0110/Clinton_named_AlQaeda_Yemen_as_terror_group_a_month_ago.html Kerry, John (2010). Al Qaeda in Yemen and Somalia: A ticking Time Bomb. Committee on foreign relations United States Senate. Retrieved from http://www.fas.org/irp/congress/2010_rpt/sfrc-aq.pdf Kurczy, S. (2010, November 2). Five key members of Al Qaeda in Yemen (AQAP). Christian Science Monitor. p. N.PAG. Retrieved from EBSCOhost. Poland, J. (2005 ). Understanding terrorism: Groups, strategies, and response s 2nd edition. Upper Saddle River: Pearson. Rawnsley, A. (2010, December 7). Danger Room What’s Next in National Security. Retrieved March 15, 2011, from Wired: http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2010/12/al-qaedas-latest-weapon-poison-perfume/ Rollins, John (2010). Al Qaeda and Affiliates: Historical Perspective, Global Presence, and Implications for U.S. Policy. Congressional research Service. Retrieved from http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/terror/R41070.pdf US Department of National Security. (2006). The National Security Strategy of the United States of America. Washington DC: USDOS. US Department of State. (2005). Country Reports on Terrorism 2004. Washington DC: US Government.

Jane Eyre: a Critical Analysis of Gender Relations in Victorian Literature

Jane Eyre: A Critical Analysis of Gender Relations in Victorian Literature Modern society tends to view the Victorian era as one of oppression and constraint, despite the social and cultural upheaval of the time. This contradiction refers, in large, to the constraints imposed on the female gender. Women in Victorian England were viewed as inferior to their male counterparts, and were allocated clearly defined roles within society. Their treatment is a subject that is explored and critiqued throughout the literature of the time, and subsequent analysis by literary commentators.As Maynard comments (1984); ‘Few observers of the Victorian Scene have failed to point out the unusual degree of sexual restraint imposed upon social life and published literature’. However, it is in the work of the Bronte sisters that one witnesses the most comprehensive, and sometimes startling account of the social and gender restraints of the time. This paper will concentrate on the novel Jane E yre, written by Charlotte Bronte, and published in 1847 under the pseudonym Currer Bell.The adoption of a male pseudonym in itself reflects an underlying social prejudice towards female novelists, as outlined by the author; ‘Averse to personal publicity, we veiled our own names under those of Currer, Ellis, and Acton Bell†¦ while we did not like to declare ourselves women†¦ we had a vague impression that authoresses are liable to be looked on with prejudice’ (Smith, 2000). This somewhat disturbing observation by the author sets the tone of the novel itself, and implies what it is exactly that set the Bronte sisters apart from their contemporaries; their ‘unfeminine’ style of writing.Jane Eyre is, in effect, a love story, and concentrates on the main character’s quest to find true love. It cannot be classed, however, as a solely romantic novel as the character’s quest for love involves a struggle for equal treatment, social acceptance , and value. In doing so, she questions and refuses to conform to an array of social norms associated with the era. Jane’s desire to be loved is evident in the opening stages of the story, in her conversation with Helen Burn’s; ‘if others don't love me I would rather die than live†¦I would willingly submit to have the bone of my arm broken, or to let a bull toss me, or to stand behind a kicking horse, and let it dash its hoof at my chest’ (Bronte, 1847). This somewhat distressing insight into the young Eyre’s mindset captures her quest for ‘true love’, as opposed to the loveless relationships and marriages associated with the time. This association is witnessed by Jane’s eventual husband, Mr Rochester, in his first marriage;   Ã¢â‚¬ËœBertha Antoinette Mason, she was wanted by my father for her fortune. I hardly spoke with her before the wedding. I lived with her for 4 years.Her temper ripened, her vices sprang up, violent and unchaste’ (Bronte, 1847). Rochester’s summary of the ‘marriage’ is a disturbing insight into the arranged, and socially acceptable, marriages of the time. Bronte sets her protagonist apart from her peers in her views of love, but further cements this difference in her continued criticism of the attitudes of the Victorian class. This is apparent in chapter 17 in particular, when she questions her growing feelings for Mr Rochester; ‘You have nothing to do with the master of Thornfield, further than to receive the salary he gives you for teaching his protege†¦. o don't make him the object of your fine feelings’. (Bronte, 1847) It becomes clear, however, that despite Jane’s attempts to restrain her emotions, she is fighting a losing battle and is becoming increasingly enraptured with Mr Rochester, reacting in a heated manner upon receipt of a letter from him; ‘And while she broke the seal and perused the document, I went on t aking my coffee†¦ Why my hand shook, and why I involuntarily spilt half the contents of my cup into my saucer, I did not choose to consider’ (Bronte, 1847).Jane’s employment as a governess by Mr Rochester further complicates her situation and her increasing love for her employer. Hedgecock summarises the role of the governess in Victorian society (2008): ‘in ordinary Victorian life, the governess is the genteel spinster, self-effacing, having no ambitions outside the home in which she is subjected to a life of dependency’. Eyre, however, was not willing to conform to ‘ordinary Victorian life’, nor was she willing to fit the mould of the unassuming governess.Eyre’s constant struggle with her feelings for Rochester is impacted throughout by the norms of society at the time, and her resilience to them. She is unwilling to marry Rochester while Bertha is still in the picture, as it would equate her to a mistress, a position that she wh olly disapproves of and one which Rochester wishes her to take: ‘As a married man you will shun me, keep out of my way: just now you have refused to kiss me’. (Bronte, 1847). Despite Eyre eventually marrying Rochester, when his wife has passed away, she refuses throughout to conform to and comply with the social etiquette of the time.Just like her creator, she is almost masculine throughout the novel, thus portrayed through her personal values and strength of character. It can be understood that Charlotte Bronte depicted herself through the life of Jane Eyre, and used her fictional character as one whom modelled and almost mimicked Bronte as a person. Eyre possessed the same strong drive in seeking equality and independence as a woman. Her refusal in accepting the conformities of the time mirrors Bronte.Bernstein (1997) sets the scene for those non-familiar with the Victorian era: ‘in the larger cultural context of Victorian England in which women are not accorded by law or by custom much opportunity to act on their own behalf’. This supports the motive behind Bronte and her actions. It portrays the gender roles, which strongly influenced people’s behaviour and identities. This ‘social rule’ fuelled women’s endurance of the condescending attitudes about a woman’s place, intelligence, and voice. Thus, in turn, Jane became subjected to an uphill battle to become independent and recognized for her personal qualities.Bronte attempts to illustrate how personal virtues are better indicators of character than class. The red-room mentioned in the novel is a metaphorical image for Jane’s entrapment in the life she is expected to lead. A life of entrapment from society, limiting her freedom due to her independent streak, race and foremost – gender. Eyre’s struggles in attempting to overcome the oppression are all of a display through the feminine movement, in which the Bronte sisters each p layed a significant role in setting off. Eyre displays characteristics of masculinity, such of which in Victorian era would only be confined to that of male prominence.The strong connection made between both author and character is evident to the reader. In conclusion, Jane Eyre captures the struggle and oppression faced by the women of Victorian Britain. Despite the eventual happy-ending to the novel, the lead character is forced to overcome strict social and gender restrictions in order to be with her true love. We see throughout the novel, however, that Eyre is an exceptional character at the time and represents only a small number of women who were quietly moving against society’s expectations of them.Charlotte, the eldest of the Bronte sisters, received reputably the most critical recognition with her creation, Jane Eyre. Overall, the three Bronte sisters are highly known in English literature for their historical prominence that made them significant to the era of the V ictorians. Their livelihood painted the path in which their work followed and their upbringing greatly influenced their beliefs and outlooks. The three sister’s strong and willing characteristics aided them in delivering what can be perceived as staples in literature, and for centuries become only stronger with growth and eminence.As Winnifrith (1988) stated; ‘the Brontes had the courage to break away from the almost universal belief that sinners merited eternal punishment’. This reflects upon their independence and strength in striving for their own beliefs and expressing their opinions. These opinions were of such strong stature, resulting in the power to in script their everlasting effect on the literature of the Victorian era and even on English literature as a whole. Bibliography Bernstein, Susan David. Confessional Subjects: Revelations of Gender and Power in Victorian Literature & Culture. USA: The University of North Carolina Press, 1997.Bronte, Charlotte . Jane Eyre. United Kingdom: Smith, Elder and Co, 1847. Hedgecock, Jennifer. The Femme Fatale in Victorian Literature: The Danger and the Sexual Threat. New York: Cambria Press, 2008. Maynard, John. Charlotte Bronte and Sexuality. Great Britain: Cambridge University Press, 1984. Smith, Margaret. The Letters of Charlotte Bronte: Volume II: 1848-1851, with a selection of letters by family and friends. United Kingdom: Clarendon Press, 2000. Winnifrith, Tom. The Brontes and their Background: Romance and Reality, Second Edition. London: The Macmillan Press Ltd, 1988.

Madeline Stickler Essays (644 words) - Christology, Free Essays

Madeline Stickler Essays (644 words) - Christology, Free Essays Madeline Stickler January 29, 2016 Religion 1350-Christian Heritage Professor Ryan Reading Response #2: Athanasius of Alexandria Thesis: Saint Athanasius, theologian, ecclesiastical statesman, and Egyptian national leader, was the chief defender of Christian orthodoxy in the 4th-century battle against Arianism. Athanasius attended the Council of Nicaea and shortly thereafter became bishop of Alexandria. For the rest of his life he was engaged in theological and political struggles with the Emperor and Arian churchmen, being banished from Alexandria multiple times and wrote many significant works such as On the Incarnation of the Word and his Easter Letter of 367. Athanasius writes that the redeemer is also the Creator and God became incarnate to redeem fallen humankind and renew all the world's creation. Also, the redeeming word is the creating word, who made the universe in the very beginning for the universe was not preexistent, but made by God's Word; he spoke creation. Through free will, the fall of humanity brought about God's everlasting love and goodness sent through his redeeming Word. According to Athanasius, the Word, who received his humanity from a virgin, thought that he might break the hold that death had over the human race, so the Word restored the ravaged nature of humankind. Athanasius argues that to accomplish this restoration of man, the Word needs to assume a human body. First, as He Himself is immortal and incapable of death, then He must take a human body capable of death in order that He might die as sufficient and proper substitution for human's death as penalty of their sins. Second, through this union of the immorta l Son of God with our human nature, all men are clothed with incorruption in the promise of resurrection. Another reason for the incarnation is that even though humans were made in the image of God, some chose not to know their creator and turned to worshipping false "gods." By sacrificing His own body, the incarnate Word did two things: put an end to the law of death in human nature and simultaneously made a new beginning by giving us a hope of resurrection. This is the first reason why the Word becomes man that Athanasius explores. In his later Easter Letter of AD 367, the 39th of his total 45 festal letters, is of particular interest in the biblical canon. It was a landmark letter because it contained the same list of 27 books of the New Testament that are found in our Bibles today. To this day, Athanasius is known as the first Christian leader to compile a list of New Testament books exactly as we know them today. "Let no man add to these, neither let him take anything from them " stands out in the text because of how closely it resembles Deuteronomy 4:2, "Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the LORD your God that I give you." God provided us with His word to teach us and to bless us, so that we could know and worship the one true God. Deuteronomy 6:1-3 says that by keeping His commandments and teaching them to our children and grandchildren, we would receive blessing and prolong our days. Matthew 4:4 tells us that we need God's Word to live on, that living by bread is not enough. We can, like Jesus, use it to guard our hearts against the devil's schemes. Psalms indicate that the word of God is like a light to our path and useful for maintaining a pure life. Mark 4:20 promises that those who follow the Word will bear much fruit. Athanasius sets the stepping stones for the whole human race to walk on for the rest of time and by following the Word of God, how to obey his statues and be His glory on display.

The 2008 Financial Crisis

The 2008 Financial Crisis The housing and monetary policies are the key causes of the 2008 economic crisis. Two main mortgage firms, the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Corporation eased the credit requirements on loans it purchased from lending institutions. In September 2008, the two giant mortgage companies faced the danger of bankruptcy as they had guaranteed close to half of the total mortgages in the US.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The 2008 Financial Crisis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The Clinton administration came up with the idea of making poor citizens and low-income consumers own homes. As a result, banks were under pressure to lend to minorities and low-income consumers who even had no security for the loans (White par. 1). Notably, some of the borrowers who accessed the sub-prime loans had poor credit ratings, did not make down payments for homes, and had no verifiable assets. So misguided were the housing policies that unqua lified borrowers could access mortgages with the support of the federal government.  After the banks and other lending institutions had loaned the low-income earners, the prices of houses peaked and turned down completely. At this point, borrowers who had inadequate capital compared to their debt started to default the repayment of mortgages (FRONTLINE). Notably, these categories of borrowers were propelled to borrow with the hope of increased prices of houses in the future to repay the mortgages or sell their properties at high prices. This was not to be as prices of essential products went down too. The occurrence led to rise in the number of defaulters on nonprime-mortgages. The increased numbers of toxic mortgages made investment banks lose trillion of dollars. The rest of the Wall Street felt the effect with Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke making critical moves to salvage the Bear Stearns Investment Bank, which had remained the subject of rumours that it would be fallin g soon. Bear Stearns’s stock had slumped to a low of $57 from $171 thus making it clear that something had to be done to contain the situation. The then Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson had to try out different approaches to rescue the entire financial market from the crisis. At one instance, he persuaded the federal government to provide the Treasury with $700 billion for buying the high-risk mortgage securities. Rumours in the financial market are fears that market players have towards operations of a firm. For instance, market manipulators and short sellers can spread false information about the nature and operations of a company. The financial market deals in monetary issues and some of the institutions include Bear Stearns Bank, AIG Insurance Company, Lehman Brothers and Fannie Mae Corporation.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Bear’s chief executi ve, Alan Schwartz blamed falsehood on the loss of liquidity of $10 billion in one working day (â€Å"Bank Chief Blames Rumours for Bears Collapse† par. 4). This happened as customers, trading partners, and investors fled after listening to rumours and market manipulation from competitors. However, JP Morgan Bank salvaged Bear from collapsing after the Federal Reserve accepted to stand behind the institution with $30 billion of public funds. So intense was the crisis that the failure of Bear almost led to the collapse of the entire financial market. Clearly, from the occurrence of the 2008 financial crisis, rumours can be detrimental especially if they are false. Moral hazard is a situation where a party to a deal becomes dishonest as per the terms and conditions of the deal. In the case of assisting Bear not to go out of business, JP Morgan had a deal with Bear to buy the institution at $2 per share; however, mass outrage from shareholders made the firm raise the price to $10 per share. The initial price of $2 per share was meant to avoid scenarios of rewarding investors in a failed business. The principle prevents a situation where firms, which have been responsible for their downfall, receive financial support from the federal government. On the other hand, systematic risk entails the fall of an entire market. The fall of Bear Sterns followed by the collapse of the giant mortgage firms of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Corporation and finally Lehman Brothers Investment Bank, represents a clear example of systematic risk in the entire financial market (Moseley par. 8). Critics argue that moral hazard promotes systematic risk as it can encourage other firms to engage in malpractices with the aim of receiving aid from the Federal Reserve.  The 2008 financial crisis made policy makers alter their opinions on free trade. Firstly, they agreed that the rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO) are inadequate to the current dynamic and global economy. As a re sult, policy makers in both government and private institutions prefer regional free trade agreements as a way of making up for rules that have been missing in the multilateral trade option. With the Doha negotiation in force, multilateral trading system is losing its relevance in the international trade (United Nations). The financial crisis revealed that the state of overdependence on one nation by developing nations is extremely dangerous for the current global, dynamic, and unpredictable economy.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The 2008 Financial Crisis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Bank Chief Blames Rumours for Bears Collapse. Mailguardian. Mail Guardian Online, 6 Apr. 2008. Web. Frontline. Inside The Meltdown. PBS: Public Broadcasting Service. WGBH Educational Foundation, 8 Feb. 2009. Web. Moseley, Fred. The U.S. economic crisis: Causes and solutions. International Socialist Review ISSUE 81 January-Febr uary 2012. International Socialist Organization, 8 Apr. 2009. Web. United Nations. International Trade After the Economic Crisis: Challenges and New Opportunities. United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. UNCTAD, 5 Aug. 2010. Web. White, Lawrence H. Housing Finance and the 2008 Financial Crisis | Downsizing the Federal Government. Downsizing the Federal Government. Cato Institute, 5 Aug. 2009. Web.

Causes of World War II in the Pacific

Causes of World War II in the Pacific World War II in the Pacific was caused by a number of issues stemming from Japanese expansionism to problems relating to the end of World War I. Japan After World War I A valuable ally during World War I, the European powers and the U.S. recognized Japan as a colonial power after the war. In Japan, this led to the rise of ultra-right wing and nationalist leaders, such as Fumimaro Konoe and Sadao Araki, who advocated uniting Asia under the rule of the emperor. Known as hakkà ´ ichiu, this philosophy gained ground during the 1920s and 1930s as Japan needed increasingly more natural resources to support its industrial growth. With the onset of the Great Depression, Japan moved towards a fascist system with the army exerting growing influence over the emperor and government. To keep the economy growing, an emphasis was placed on arms and weapons production, with much of the raw materials coming from the U.S. Rather than continue this dependence on foreign materials, the Japanese decided to seek out resource-rich colonies to supplement their existing possessions in Korea and Formosa. To accomplish this goal, the leaders in Tokyo looked west to China, which was in the midst of a civil war between Chiang Kai-sheks Kuomintang (Nationalist) government, Mao Zedongs Communists, and local warlords. Invasion of Manchuria For several years, Japan had been meddling in Chinese affairs, and the province of Manchuria in northeast China was seen as ideal for Japanese expansion. On Sept. 18, 1931, the Japanese staged an incident along the Japanese-owned South Manchuria Railway near Mukden (Shenyang). After blowing up a section of track, the Japanese blamed the attack on the local Chinese garrison. Using the Mukden Bridge Incident as a pretext, Japanese troops flooded into Manchuria. The Nationalist Chinese forces in the region, following the governments policy of nonresistance, refused to fight, allowing the Japanese to occupy much of the province. Unable to divert forces from battling the Communists and warlords, Chiang Kai-shek sought aid from the international community and the League of Nations. On Oct. 24, the League of Nations passed a resolution demanding the withdrawal of Japanese troops by Nov. 16. This resolution was rejected by Tokyo and Japanese troops continued operations to secure Manchuria. In January, the U.S. stated that it would not recognize any government formed as a result of Japanese aggression. Two months later, the Japanese created the puppet state of Manchukuo with the last Chinese emperor  Puyi as its leader. Like the U.S., the League of Nations refused to recognize the new state, prompting Japan to leave the organization in 1933. Later that year, the Japanese seized the neighboring province of Jehol. Political Turmoil While Japanese forces were successfully occupying Manchuria, there was political unrest in Tokyo. After a failed attempt to capture Shanghai in January, Prime Minister Inukai Tsuyoshi was assassinated on May 15, 1932  by radical elements of the Imperial Japanese Navy who were angered by his support of the London Naval Treaty and his attempts to curb the militarys power. Tsuyoshis death marked the end of civilian political control of the government until after World War II. Control of the government was given to Admiral SaitÃ…  Makoto. Over the next four years, several assassinations and coups were attempted as the military sought to gain complete control of the government. On Nov. 25, 1936, Japan joined with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy in signing the Anti-Comintern Pact which was directed against global communism. In June 1937, Fumimaro Konoe became prime minister and, despite his political leanings, sought to curb the militarys power. The Second Sino-Japanese War Begins Fighting between the Chinese and Japanese resumed on a large scale on July 7, 1937, following the Marco Polo Bridge Incident, just south of Beijing. Pressured by the military, Konoe permitted troop strength in China to grow and by the end of the year Japanese forces had occupied Shanghai, Nanking, and southern Shanxi province. After seizing the capital of Nanking, the Japanese brutally sacked the city in late 1937 and early 1938. Pillaging the city and killing nearly 300,000, the event became known as the Rape of Nanking. To combat the Japanese invasion, the Kuomintang and Chinese Communist Party united in an uneasy alliance against the common foe. Unable to effectively confront the Japanese directly in battle, the Chinese traded land for time as they built up their forces and shifted industry from threatened coastal areas to the interior. Enacting a scorched earth policy, the Chinese were able to slow the Japanese advance by mid-1938. By 1940, the war had become a stalemate with the Japanese controlling the coastal cities and railroads and the Chinese occupying the interior and countryside. On Sept. 22, 1940, taking advantage of Frances defeat that summer, Japanese troops occupied French Indochina. Five days later, the Japanese signed the Tripartite Pact effectively forming an alliance with Germany and Italy Conflict With the Soviet Union While operations were ongoing in China, Japan became embroiled in border war with the Soviet Union in 1938. Beginning with the Battle of Lake Khasan (July 29 to Aug. 11, 1938), the conflict was a result of a dispute over the border of Manchu China and Russia. Also known as the Changkufeng Incident, the battle resulted in a Soviet victory and expulsion of the Japanese from their territory. The two clashed again in the larger Battle of Khalkhin Gol (May 11 to Sept. 16, 1939) the following year. Led by General Georgy Zhukov, Soviet forces decisively defeated the Japanese, killing over 8,000. As a result of these defeats, the Japanese agreed to the Soviet-Japanese Neutrality Pact in April 1941. Foreign Reactions to the Second Sino-Japanese War Prior to the outbreak of World War II, China was heavily supported by Germany (until 1938) and the Soviet Union. The latter readily provided aircraft, military supplies, and advisors, seeing China as a buffer against Japan. The U.S., Britain, and France limited their support to war contracts prior to the beginning of the larger conflict. Public opinion, while initially on the side of the Japanese, began to shift following reports of atrocities like the Rape of Nanking. It was further swayed by incidents such as the Japanese sinking of the gunboat U.S.S.  Panay  on Dec. 12, 1937, and increasing fears about Japans policy of expansionism. U.S. support increased in mid-1941, with the clandestine formation of the 1st American Volunteer Group, better known as the Flying Tigers. Equipped with U.S. aircraft and American pilots, the 1st AVG, under Colonel Claire Chennault, effectively defended the skies over China and Southeast Asia from late-1941 to mid-1942, downing 300 Japanese aircraft with a loss of only 12 of their own. In addition to military support, the U.S., Britain, and the Netherlands East Indies initiated oil and steel embargoes against Japan in August 1941. Moving Towards War With the U.S. The American oil embargo caused a crisis in Japan. Reliant on the U.S. for 80 percent of its oil, the Japanese were forced to decide between withdrawing from China, negotiating an end to the conflict, or going to war to obtain the needed resources elsewhere. In an attempt to resolve the situation, Konoe asked U.S.  President Franklin Roosevelt  for a summit meeting to discuss the issues. Roosevelt replied that Japan needed to leave China before such a meeting could be held. While Konoe was seeking a diplomatic solution, the military was looking south to the Netherlands East Indies and their rich sources of oil and rubber. Believing that an attack in this region would cause the U.S. to declare war, they began planning for such an eventuality. On Oct. 16, 1941, after unsuccessfully arguing for more time to negotiate, Konoe resigned as prime minister and was replaced by the pro-military General Hideki Tojo. While Konoe had been working for peace, the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) had developed its war plans. These called for a preemptive strike against the U.S. Pacific Fleet at  Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, as well as simultaneous strikes against the Philippines, Netherlands East Indies, and the British colonies in the region. The goal of this plan was to eliminate the American threat, allowing Japanese forces to secure the Dutch and British colonies. The IJNs chief of staff, Admiral Osami Nagano, presented the attack plan to Emperor Hirohito on Nov. 3. Two days later, the emperor approved it, ordering the attack to occur in early December if no diplomatic breakthroughs were achieved. Attack on Pearl Harbor On Nov. 26, 1941, the Japanese attack force, consisting of six aircraft carriers, sailed with Admiral Chuichi Nagumo in command. After being notified that diplomatic efforts had failed, Nagumo proceeded with the attack on Pearl Harbor. Arriving approximately 200 miles north of Oahu on Dec. 7, Nagumo began launching his 350 aircraft. To support the air attack, the IJN had also dispatched five midget submarines to Pearl Harbor. One of these was spotted by the minesweeper U.S.S.  Condor  at 3:42 a.m. outside of Pearl Harbor. Alerted by  Condor, the destroyer U.S.S.  Ward  moved to intercept and sank it around 6:37 a.m. As Nagumos aircraft approached, they were detected by the new radar station at Opana Point. This signal was misinterpreted as a flight of  B-17 bombers  arriving from the U.S. At 7:48 a.m., the Japanese aircraft descended on Pearl Harbor. Using specially modified torpedoes and armor piercing bombs, they  caught the U.S. fleet by complete surprise. Attacking in two waves, the Japanese managed to sink four battleships and badly damaged four more. In addition, they damaged three cruisers, sank two destroyers, and destroyed 188 aircraft. Total American casualties were 2,368 killed and 1,174 wounded. The Japanese lost 64 dead, as well as 29 aircraft and all five midget submarines. In response, the U.S. declared war on Japan on Dec. 8, after  President Roosevelt  referred to the attack as a date which will live in infamy. Japanese Advances Coinciding with the attack on Pearl Harbor were Japanese moves against the Philippines, British Malaya, the Bismarcks, Java, and Sumatra. In the Philippines, Japanese aircraft attacked U.S. and Philippine positions on Dec. 8, and troops began landing on Luzon two days later. Swiftly pushing back  General Douglas MacArthurs Philippine and American forces, the Japanese had captured much of the island by Dec. 23. That same day, far to the east, the Japanese overcame fierce resistance from U.S. Marines to  capture Wake Island. Also on Dec. 8, Japanese troops moved into Malaya and Burma from their bases in French Indochina. To aid British troops fighting on the Malay Peninsula, the Royal Navy dispatched the battleships H.M.S.  Prince of Wales  and  Repulse  to the east coast. On Dec. 10,  both ships were sunk by Japanese air attacks  leaving the coast exposed. Farther north, British and Canadian forces were resisting Japanese  assaults on Hong Kong. Beginning on Dec. 8, the Japanese launched a series of attacks that forced the defenders back. Outnumbered three to one, the British surrendered the colony on Dec. 25.

Zoloft by Pfizer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Zoloft by Pfizer - Essay Example An interesting area of exploration for the use of Zoloft is in pregnant women who suffer from depression. Do the risks outweigh the potential benefits One study that examined the pharmacokinetics of setraline in pregnancy showed that the drug was metabolized at an increased rate, suggesting that a greater dose was necessary in these cases (Sit et al, 2008). Setraline is excreted through the breast milk of nursing mothers in a highly efficient manner (Kristensen et al, 1998). So another consideration is the health of the infant. There have been no teratogenic effects associated with the use of Zoloft, however it may be wise to weigh all of the potential drawbacks. Setraline has been used in pediatric cases of major depressive episode. Children as young as 6 years old have taken this drug. Animal studies of Zoloft on pregnant rats showed a destructive influence to the unborn rat pups (Pfizer ibid).Female rats who received setraline during the last third of the gestation period had an increased number of stillborn pups. The surviving pups had a lower birth weight than the pups in the placebo group. Researchers concluded that this effect was due to exposure to setraline in utero.

Logistics Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Logistics - Research Paper Example Large organizations such as Wal-Mart owe their success from effective product distribution path design that has enabled them to make autonomous sales and to maintain loyalty from its esteemed customers. An effective distribution path ensures that products are available to the customers and that they are easy to access at any given time. Wal-Mart has put a great emphasis on supply chain management to beat the competition that exists within the global markets to maintain its dominance in the business environment. This article seeks to evaluate how Wal-Mart has managed to utilize supply chain management to maintain its relevance in the competitive business market. Wal-Mart is one of the famous retail multinational organizations based in America that has maintained high profits through effective product management and supply. The company has maintained an upward growth its entry into the business market in the year 1969, when it was locally based in America (Stentoft, 2010). Today it has managed to hit the international market and has remained one of the dominant sellers of grocery and food products. Today, this company owns 8500 stores in 15 different countries where it is known by different business names. As Traub (2012) points out, Wal-Mart success emanates from its ability to maintain a smooth path for the flow of its goods and today the company enjoys the privilege of being associated with the most effective channel design strategies in the global market. In essence, Wal-Mart has remained swift and dynamic in adjusting to the changes in market environment as a strategy to infiltrate into the competitive market environment. At its foundation, Wal-Mart started with the objective of providing the public with the goods they need, at the specific time they need them and at the most convenient form for utilization. In this regard, the company had to study the market environment to establish the demand of the people before arriving to the idea of purchasing, process ing and supplying food and grocery products in various forms. Their primary goal was to control its entire operations by maintaining efficient production, transportation, product storage and its distribution, and selling in its product outlets (Bonacich & Wilson, 2005). Consequently, the management applied an integrative approach to coordinate all the processes from the time the raw products were obtained to the time they were sold to the user in the market environment. Apart from cost strategies, management of this company has employed numerous business strategies to coordinate the supply chain to their advantage. One of the strategies that Wal-Mart management has employed to remain competitive in its dominant countries is the use of pricing strategies to ensure that it is capable of supplying its products to distant markets at lower prices than its competitors. Often, the cost of moving products from the point of production to the point of consumption places cost overheads on the final product cost resulting to high priced goods (Stentoft, 2010). The ability of an organization to reduce the transport cost overheads makes it possible for it to reduce the selling cost without having to sacrifice the quality of the product. Wal-Mart maintained low supply cost by eliminating the role of middlemen in the product path. Although middle men play a key role in supplying raw materials and supplying ready products to the customer, they impose a large overhead cost that often

A Basic Project Management Framework and the Proper Staff Literature review

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

Criminal Justice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Criminal Justice - Essay Example The agency also provides funding and certain oversight of community supervision (previously known as adult probation) and is responsible for the supervision of offenders released from prison on parole or mandatory supervision. During my visit to the Huntsville Office of the Inspector General, which is situated in Lake Rd. Suite 5, Texas, I have decided to talk to John Moriarty, Inspector General on his role and responsibilities. He is an important actor of TDCJ. A prior meeting was fixed with Mr. Moriarty. I reached in his Huntsville office at the scheduled time. Mr. Moriarty gave me a warm welcome. He heads the Investigation Department, which conducts investigation into the charges of grave bad behavior by employees and criminal breach on the organization property where interests are at risk by any violation. Smuggling of drugs and other goods not permitted in jail premises also comes under the investigation of the Office of Inspector General. Mr. Moriarty: My position of Inspector General is directly answerable to the Chairman, TBCJ, as you can see in the chart behind on the wall. (Mr. Moriarty turned his face towards the wall showing the chart, outlining the organization structure). Mr. Moriarty: Being independent of other departments, the mission of my office reflects its duties in working as a coordinating and communicating bridge between TBCJ, executive management, and investigating charges besides checking compliance with regulations and policies of the TDCJ. It is also our aim to see that the laws of the State of Texas are adhered to by the TBCJ. Other than that, we investigate waste, fraud and abuse of tax dollars in the agency. We are also a part of Joint Home & Defense initiatives of the Governor’s office and the FBI. Mr. Moriarty: It is wrong to say like that. Our Crime Stoppers â€Å"Behind the Wall† is a program that covers

Financial Reporting and Analysis Final Group Paper UnitedHealthcare Assignment

Financial Reporting and Analysis Final Group Paper UnitedHealthcare Group - Assignment Example Moreover, a strong analysis of SWOT approach have been performed on the various internal and external dynamics and key drivers of Company to highlights its current performance and probable future position. Further, a brief content pertaining to the values, a company forwards towards its key personnel have been incorporated under the paper, along with various societal expectations & corporate cultural aspects, the entity is strictly following as its regular ethical, corporate responsibility and business conduct circle. Finally, a paper is concluded with a formal and analytic discussion over the comparative accounting performance of a company over various years of its operations, along with a brief and sustainable highlight of company’s current accounting policies incorporated under its financial statements. UnitedHealth Group, a parent company of United Healthcare,  is considered as one of the diversified and enormous company, in health care and health protection industry. The Company is situated in USA, and is currently regarded as a worldwide leader in providing various health facilitations services and plans to needful peoples, and thus, enabling them to live more healthier lives, and in addition, it also aims for the development and improvement of overall health structure and system that works more efficiently for every deserving individuals1. As the company mission statement says, helping people live healthier lives. The Group headquarter is situated in Minnetonka at Minnesota in the region of USA. It is also ranked at 14th place on  Fortune magazines, under the area of top 500 companies operating in United States on current basis. Moreover, UnitedHealth Group offers a wide spectrum of health related products and services to its customer, scattered all over different states of USA, through its two distinct functional business sectors, which includes United Healthcare and Optum2; United Healthcare is an operating segment of the group which offers

Technology and Its Effect on Human Freedom and Happiness in Society Term Paper

Technology and Its Effect on Human Freedom and Happiness in Society - Term Paper Example People use technological tools and equipments right from the moment they wake up in the mornings. Shutting the alarm on cell phone, drying hair using blow dryer, frying toasts in toaster, viewing movies on the latest LEDs, travelling in fast-moving underground trains, attending video conferences with cross-border professionals, socializing with distant friends through internet, finding jobs online, engaging in e-commerce, preparing tea in electric kettle, and checking Facebook status updates on android, are all examples of how easier our lives have become through the use of technology. Although critics claim that technology has tended to limit our overall human freedom and happiness, yet the benefits outweigh the limitations so much so that one cannot help admiring technology and its blessings. This paper discusses the effects of technology on human freedom and happiness, while also considering the criticism. Let’s take an example of technology in education. Since the advent o f sophisticated technological means, educators have been trying to modify the instructional process with the help of technology. According to Baker, early 1960’s brought with it â€Å"new curricula, instructional models, and approaches to individualization† (3) of instruction. Teachers started feeling the necessity of incorporating information and communication technology in teaching language. According to Kaka, â€Å"Technology (internet) in another side can be the most effective way to increase the student’s knowledge.† Teachers are getting more and more aware of that technology is an important part of the national curriculum, because it provides great resources for learning and teaching processes. Children can be made well equipped with up-to-date information while being able to conduct their own research, do analysis, make decisions, share ideas and views, and learn to be creative and initiative using technological tools in their study. Teachers can u se technological resources to teach more efficiently with good outcome. Technology is becoming inevitable in the educational and personal lives of students thanks to great advantages it offers. Hence, it is adding to the overall happiness of the society by producing such knowledgeable students who can keep pace with the modern world. Here is another example of how technology has improved human freedom through incorporation in law. Since technology has created great seismic impact on every level of our professions, the development and implementation of laws have also gone through drastic changes. Technology has made possible the availability of virtual experience to officers belonging to law enforcement agencies, which has compensated for their lack of real-life experience, because an officer seldom encounters real critical situations in his life. If we talk about the United States, there are â€Å"over one million lawyers†¦providing roughly one billion dollars' worth of legal services† (Leibowitz). And this increase in their profit has resulted due to the use of internet and technology in their legal practice. This has forced the lawyers to incorporate the use of internet and technology based tools and equipment into their practice. With the advent of technology, courts, such as, U.S. Supreme Court started its own website in the year 2000 with the URL as www.supremecourtus.com; whereas, previously, the courts used to pronounce decisions and publish opinions through personal publishers and law and legislation schools. Technology has made possible for courts and judges to make use of the latest technological means to get to the truth, such as the use of forensic techniques or criminalistics. There are lawyers who are opening up their virtual offices over the internet where they deal with clients, which is a very

Financial Reporting and Analysis Final Group Paper UnitedHealthcare Assignment

Financial Reporting and Analysis Final Group Paper UnitedHealthcare Group - Assignment Example Moreover, a strong analysis of SWOT approach have been performed on the various internal and external dynamics and key drivers of Company to highlights its current performance and probable future position. Further, a brief content pertaining to the values, a company forwards towards its key personnel have been incorporated under the paper, along with various societal expectations & corporate cultural aspects, the entity is strictly following as its regular ethical, corporate responsibility and business conduct circle. Finally, a paper is concluded with a formal and analytic discussion over the comparative accounting performance of a company over various years of its operations, along with a brief and sustainable highlight of company’s current accounting policies incorporated under its financial statements. UnitedHealth Group, a parent company of United Healthcare,  is considered as one of the diversified and enormous company, in health care and health protection industry. The Company is situated in USA, and is currently regarded as a worldwide leader in providing various health facilitations services and plans to needful peoples, and thus, enabling them to live more healthier lives, and in addition, it also aims for the development and improvement of overall health structure and system that works more efficiently for every deserving individuals1. As the company mission statement says, helping people live healthier lives. The Group headquarter is situated in Minnetonka at Minnesota in the region of USA. It is also ranked at 14th place on  Fortune magazines, under the area of top 500 companies operating in United States on current basis. Moreover, UnitedHealth Group offers a wide spectrum of health related products and services to its customer, scattered all over different states of USA, through its two distinct functional business sectors, which includes United Healthcare and Optum2; United Healthcare is an operating segment of the group which offers

The Story of an Hour (short story) Research Paper

The Story of an Hour (short story) - Research Paper Example It is only when she retires to her room that the reader realizes the state of the mixed emotions of Mrs. Millard, as she feels both joy and sorrow at the death of her husband. One can infer that she had not been treated well by her husband because trivial misunderstandings do not cause one to rejoice in someone’s death. For the death of a person to cause someone such bliss the reason must be substantial. Later on when Mrs. Millard finds out that her husband is actually alive, she is unable to endure the news and instantly passes away. The plot of the story is very engaging and resonates with the reader on some level. The mood of the story is not the ordinary way in which the story of someone’s death is told; that is the tone of the story sways from sorrow to joy and back again to sorrow. A particular point of interest in the story is when Mrs. Mallard retires into her room and confides in nature as opposed to her sister (Chopin 40). I feel this shows us the conflict between human beings and the social stigmas that exist in the society due to which even though Mrs. Millard felt plagued by her husband she still could not share her happiness over the much anticipated freedom which she finally could see coming. At that point it is revealed to the reader that Mrs. Millard is actually happy about her husband’s death, which twists the perspective by which the reader perceives the story. Later in the story, Mrs. Millard’s sister tries to get her out of her room thinking that she will fall sick alone. At that point, Chopin makes use of dramatic irony because the fact that Mrs. Millar d is happy is known to the reader but not to the character of Mrs. Millard’s sister (Prentice Hall 47). There has been extensive use of imagery in the story, particularly when Mrs. Millard is sitting by the window and certain elements of nature are described: â€Å"But she felt it, creeping out of the sky, reaching toward her through the

Transition stages of a group Essay Example for Free

Transition stages of a group Essay Recognizing that change will be occurring noticing our reaction to it initiates the transition process. Some people recognize the need change earlier than others. We may see the signs and notice the handwriting on the wall well ahead of others. Other of us may not recognize or react until the change is imminent. In either case, when change is apparent to sometimes obvious, we all form a reaction to the pending change. There are three options. It can embrace the change, accept it somewhat passively, or reject it. The first reactions will lead to the planning stage. However, if we reject or disagree with the change, we can become temporarily stalled. It might question the need for the change, become angry about it, feel highly stressed by the thought of it, or in some cases, experience feelings of depression like losing a job or getting a divorce can be so intimidating that short term counseling may be needed to help with acceptance of change and to facilitate the planning process. Before, we can continue the journey to the next adventure or change we will need to formulate a goal and action plan. If the change is about entering a new relationship, we often discuss with our partner the goals we have for the relationships, describe our expectations, or try to be clear in our own minds what it is we are looking for. If we are looking for a new relationship we may generate alternatives about how to meet new people. When anticipating a major move, we need to think about where we will live, what we need to take with us, and what need to be done before we can leave. The planning stage can help to minimize and diminish fears and concern about the unknown by identifying the concrete steps that will help us with the transition. Setting short term goals and envisioning the perfect scenario that could occur as a result of the change may help s to feel better about it. This is often the most difficult part of the transition process. It can be both stressful and sad to leave the familiar environments and routines or let go of cherished keepsakes, pets or a way of life especially when the experiences have positive. For many, the most difficult is to say goodbye to the people whom we have come to know, love respect, and depend on. There are things we do to reduce the effect of the separation. We may need to be sure that we have time to visit with each  of those special people and to set up ways to keep in touch. Setting a date for a reunion or a phone call in the near future may reduce feeling of finality. Creating photograph collages with special memories that may be given as parting gifts can help to keep memories in the forefront to reduce anxiety. Remembering that we are all only a phone call or e-mail away may even help to reduce the initial stress of leaving others behind. Whenever we start a new journey there are moments of anticipation or exhilaration. We may even experience and a adrenaline rush, where we can feel the physical effects of the body’s anticipating of the change. Whether we’ve moved to a new place, or we just start a new job, the initial entry, while stressful, can also be positive exciting. This stage is helpful in putting the past behind and embracing the excitement and newness of what is to come. Taking it all in, meeting new people, and looking at possibilities may seem exciting and sometimes even almost overwhelming. Sometimes this new period has been called the honeymoon period where the newness the change gives us a false sense of reality. True or false this period of initial excitement is an important bridge from the past to the future. This security and eager anticipation helps to energize us to cross over into our new situation. However wonderful the initial excitement, when the dust settles and reality sets in we can often feel a let down. We realize that we are in a new and different place. We are not sure of the culture, the expectations, or how we will fit in. during this stage we begin to fill in the blanks. We familiarize ourselves with the routines, the environment and people who potentially will enrich our lives if we allow it. As Spenser Johnson (1998) says in his book about dealing with change, â€Å"who moved my cheese†? during the search for new endings (or cheese) we must free ourselves of the fear, envision the goals and leaves the past behind. We may need to find mentor d or guides who can provide information and advice about the culture or context. We will need to explore untraveled paths and leave ourselves open to new experiences, although some days may be difficult especially at the onset or in the beginning of the change. Taking a one day at a time philosophy, we should allow ourselves to set a specific goals for the day, focus on one positive event that occurred that day, and let go of the past. â€Å"Movement in a new direction helps you find new cheese.† During this time we try to make the strange familiar by seeking out others who have  out similar interests, goals, or talent. We should seek out opportunities that pique out interests. When we reach this stage we are now living the change as a normal part of life. We feel as though we have become an accepted and valued member of the community or relationship. We can now focus on how we contribute to the environment and to make a difference in self actualization and elevate ourselves on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs scale. We may even realize that what we may have been holding onto about a former life was an exaggerated illusion and not the reality of that life at all. Finally we realize that while in this situation we should take advantage of what this new change offers as the next change is just around the corner, and it begins again!

Tata Motors International Business Strategy

Tata Motors International Business Strategy Tata Motors Tata motors is an Indians largest multi-holding company. It was established in 1945. This company caters to three market segment internationally. The passenger cars, Utility vehicles and commercial vehicles. The company produced the first mini-truck, first light and heavy vehicles and many more firsts in India, being an inventor in their industry. Tata motors has entered into strategic acquisition and joint ventures in its mid stage and launched new products at a rapid pace in various markets. Now a days, Tata motors enjoys the position of being Indians leading auto-mobile manufacturer with increasing presence in Europe, South East Asia, Africa, Australia, and the middle East with a total more of US $ 4 billion. The company focuses on providing customers the best value for their money meets European standards and environmental regulations through their advance technologies. A newer version of the car, named Indica V2, was a major improvement over the previous version and quickly beca me mass favourite. In United Kingdom a badge engineered version of this car was sold (Rover City Rover), which was big failure and declared the worst car ever driven on BBC Top Gear show. Tata motors also successfully exported large quantities of the cars in South Africa. The success of Indica in many ways marked the rise of Tata Motors. The proposal will include the current position of Tata motors and its international expansion, what are the things they have done to be successful? What are their weaknesses? How can they improve. Marketing factors effecting Tata motors. The companys Swot analysis, its Boston matrix, Its market planning and strategy will all be included in the proposal. (Yadong Lou 1999) suggests International Expansion is a process by which regional economies, societies, and cultures have become integrated through a global-spanning network of communication and trade. This report would not only define how Tata motors and tea expanded internationally but also what are the reasons of organisations to globalise, how complex this expansion is actually as it may seems to be mouth watering because of high profits and economies of scale but in practise it is not that easy. It is important to understand why Tata Motors did expand, though companies in the international arenas have experienced many benefits, however the complexity of the international business also brings a lot of risk with it. For Tata motors to justify international business activities, therefore, relied on the below reasons. International customers : Tata motors wanted to continue serving his customers who became international. To make them feel the same as when they were in the home country. New expanded market : New different market was available outside their home country; additional resources including management, skills just to name the few. Increase sales: Tata motors wanted to increase the sales of his vehicles. Because of this they had to go into markets where consumers had a very strong purchasing power. And also to industrialise courtiers where products such as heavy commercial vehicles were needed or demanded. Generally international expansion is not easy as it may sound since many factors have to be taken in to account. For example Tata motors started from India with an international view but faced problems like political new countrys legislation and laws. For example Nanos launch in October maybe delayed due to political issues related to plant land. Reference Free research report for 1Q 09 results. It should be taken in to account that Plant of Tata motors in India would be much more cost beneficial rather than a plant in Europe as there would be a difference in minimum wage laws. So to decide where a plant should be build lot of thinking is required. Economic factors were also taken in to account, since different countries would have different per annum income of the people hence to produce cars that would be affordable. Recession has not hit the third world countries as such but has hit European countries to much more effect so different international strategy is required. One of the reasons of Tata motors success is that they faced such challenges successfully. As it is shown above Tata motors expanded with consideration of a lot of factors and proved to be successful. To understand the concept it is important to know how did they market their products, what their planning was? What marketing strategy did they use. Marketing: Marketing is the process by which companies create value for customers and build strong customer relationships in order to capture value from customer in return. Tata motors market their product differently when producing in different regions. (Gary Armstrong 2009) Market targeting is a process of evaluating each market segments attractiveness and selecting one or more segments to enter. Segmentation is dividing into distinct groups of buyers who have distinct needs, characteristics, or behaviour and who might require separate products or marketing programmes. As the Tata Group is a worldwide concern operating in more than 100 countries with thousands of products, there is almost no industry which seems to be untouched by the group. The focus of Tatas market entry will be UK. There were several reasons for selecting UK as the target market. These favourable factors were the status of India as the favourable economic agent, UK Car market dynamics and potential, language similarity. The other countries which were considered as potentially attractive were: the USA the largest market size in the world, Russia emerging market with significant sales potential. The option of the USA as target market was declined due to extremely high quality require ments and other non-tariff barriers which make it hard for a new entrant to enter this market ÂÂ   (Roger A. Kerin 1994) Through strategic planning, the company decides what it wants to do with each business unit. Market planning involves deciding on market strategies that will help the company attain its overall strategic objectives. A detailed marketing plan is essential for each business, product or brand. The plan begins with an executive summary, which quickly overviews major assessments, goals and recommendations. Tata Nano is the cheapest car in the world. It is sold in home country India around Rs 1-lakh i.e. approximately USD 2000. Tata Nano was first launched in India on 1st April 2009 and expected to be in Indian market by July 2009. Since launching, it has created a huge buzz all over India. Within the first two days of lunching, it has received 5500 booking. The figures keep increasing every day since the launching. What makes Tata Nano so cheap? Basically, by making things smaller, lighter, do away with superficial parts and change the materials wherever possible without compromising the safety and environmental compliance. It is said that Tata Nano has better mileage than Toyota Prius and same gas emission as a scooter. The planning of this car is that it will be imported to Malaysia in parts by Tata motors and is assembled in its two assembly plants. There are forty sale offices in Peninsular Malaysia nationwide. All Tata Nano cars will be distributed through these sale offices only. Order can be made vide these distribution centres or its web site. (Robert.E) Market strategy: Market strategy outlines the broad marketing logic by which the business hopes to achieve its marketing objectives and the specifics of targets markets, positioning, and marketing expenditure levels. How will the company the company create value for customers in order to capture value from customers in return? This section also outlines specific strategies for each marketing mix element and explains how each responds to the threats, opportunities and critical issues spelled out earlier in the plan. Product: Over the years Tata Motors have been successful in creating their brand image especially they use some famous stars as their spokesman. Other important marketing strategies are such as the packaging, innovations, and quality control. Tata Motors provide many innovative features to attract car lover. One of these innovations is the Tata Safari 4X4 Decor that has Reverse Guide System. A weather-proof camera is fixed to the rear car to help the driver while reversing the car. Pricing strategy: There are number of factors to determine the price of the car. Factors include like market condition for example it cannot be too low or too high with the prices of same vehicles of the competitors. Giving discount every month and special promotion for certain type of vehicle also one of the strong strategy use by Tata Motors. Discount can be made from Companys profit or from dealers profit at certain range. Place: It includes the company activities that make the product available to target customers. Channels of distributions, locations and sales is usually adopted. Vehicle should be distributed in a systematic way, from the plant to dealership and to end user. Tata Motors has an extensive dealer network covering Indian and International markets. Wherever you are, there is a Tata Motors Sales and Service dealership close to you Promotion: Personal selling: There is cold calling to customer, this is done by collection of customer data bases done by the sales officers. Hence there is minimum personal selling involved. Advertising is any paid form of non personal presentation and promotion of ideas, goods or services by an identified sponsor. It is designed to promote the sale of a product or service. The various media that can be used for advertising are T.V, Newspaper, Magazines, Hoardings, and Internet etc. Tata Motors is responsible for the advertising of its products. The dealer conducts point-of-purchase displays to advertise the products. The advertisements done by the Co. help the dealer to capitalize on the market. Advertising is often used to make consumers aware of a products special low price or its benefits. But an even more important function of advertising is to create an image that consumers associate with a product, known as the brand image. The brand image goes far beyond the functional characteristics of the product. The products of Tata Motors have many special characteristics to them, but when consumers think of it, they not only think of its features, but they may also associa te it with quality, performance, and class. All of these meanings have been added to the product by advertising Sales promotion is a short term incentive to encourage the purchase or sale of a product or service. Its purpose is to supplement and coordinate advertising and personal selling. It is designed to persuade consumers to purchase immediately by providing special incentives to them for example extra product, prizes or gifts. During festivals such as diwali customers are given festive discounts. Public relations is building good relations with the companys various publics by obtaining favorable publicity, building a good corporate image, and handling or heading off unfavorable rumors, stories and events. The Co. takes serious measures to maintain good public relations. The Co. follows business ethics to ensure that the customer is satisfied and receives good service whenever and wherever he desires.(Edmund Jerome McCarthy). SWOT ANALYSIS: SWOT analysis helps a firm in strategy formulation, in responding strategically to the environment, the goal is to reduce identified threats and take advantage of the best opportunities. The following is the SWOT analysis of Tata motors Strengths The internationalisation strategy so far has been to keep local managers in new acquisitions, and to only transplant a couple of senior managers from India into the new market. The benefit is that Tata has been able to exchange expertise. For example after the Daewoo acquisition the Indian company leaned work discipline and how to get the final product right first time. The company has a strategy in place for the next stage of its expansion. Not only is it focusing upon new products and acquisitions, but it also has a programme of intensive management development in place in order to establish its leaders for tomorrow. The company has had a successful alliance with Italian mass producer Fiat since 2006. This has enhanced the product portfolio for Tata and Fiat in terms of production and knowledge exchange. For example, the Fiat Palio Style was launched by Tata in 2007, and the companies have an agreement to build a pick-up targeted at Central and South America. Weaknesses The companys passenger car products are based upon 3rd and 4th generation platforms, which put Tata Motors Limited at a disadvantage with competing car manufacturers. Despite buying the Jaguar and Land Rover brands (see opportunities below); Tata has not got a foothold in the luxury car segment in its domestic, Indian market. Is the brand associated with commercial vehicles and low-cost passenger cars to the extent that it has isolated itself from lucrative segments in a more aspiring India? Opportunities In the summer of 2008 Tata Motors announced that it had successfully purchased the Land Rover and Jaguar brands from Ford Motors for UK Â £2.3 million. Two of the Worlds luxury car brand have been added to its portfolio of brands, and will undoubtedly off the company the chance to market vehicles in the luxury segments. Tata Motors Limited acquired Daewoo Motors Commercial vehicle business in 2004 for around USD $16 million. Nano is the cheapest car in the World retailing at little more than a motorbike. Whilst the World is getting ready for greener alternatives to gas-guzzlers, is the Nano the answer in terms of concept or brand? Incidentally, the new Land Rover and Jaguar models will cost up to 85 times more than a standard Nano! The new global track platform is about to be launched from its Korean (previously Daewoo) plant. Again, at a time when the World is looking for environmentally friendly transport alternatives, is now the right time to move into this segment? The answer to this question (and the one above) is that new and emerging industrial nations such as India, South Korea and China will have a thirst for low-cost passenger and commercial vehicles. The range of Super Milo fuel efficient buses are powered by super-efficient, eco-friendly engines. The bus has optional organic clutch with booster assist and better air intakes that will reduce fuel consumption by up to 10%. Threats Other competing car manufacturers have been in the passenger car business for 40, 50 or more years. Therefore Tata Motors Limited has to catch up in terms of quality and lean production. Sustainability and environmentalism could mean extra costs for this low-cost producer. This could impact its underpinning competitive advantage. Obviously, as Tata globalises and buys into other brands this problem could be alleviated. Since the company has focused upon the commercial and small vehicle segments, it has left itself open to competition from overseas companies for the emerging Indian luxury segments. For example ICICI bank and DaimlerChrysler have invested in a new Pune-based plant which will build 5000 new Mercedes-Benz per annum. Other players developing luxury cars targeted at the Indian market include Ford, Honda and Toyota. In fact the entire Indian market has become a target for other global competitors including Maruti Udyog, General Motors, Ford and others. Rising prices in the global economy could pose a threat to Tata Motors Limited on a couple of fronts. The price of steel and aluminium is increasing putting pressure on the costs of production. Many of Tatas products run on Diesel fuel which is becoming expensive globally and within its traditional home market. These all factors held lot of importance for Tata motors to expand inte rationally. (Peter Jackson 1982). The strategic positioning of an organization admits the inventing the desired future position of the organization on the groundwork of present and predictable exploitations, and the constructing of programs to realize that positioning. Strategic positioning can be analysed by Porters SWOT analysis approach and Boston Consultants Group (BCG) Matrix (See Figure 2). BCG Product portfolio matrix indicates the Cash Cows refers to the industries with a high market share and low growth such as Power (Energy), Steel and Oil Gas. Dogs refer the industries with low market share and low growth such as Tata Sky, Tata Tele services etc. the stars shows the industries such as Automotive, Tea, and Chemicals with high market share and high growth. However; the each industry position in the matrix is an opportunity open to business (Sutherland and Canwell, 2004, p 16; Stacy, 1993, pp 48-49, Thompson, 2002). For example; in cash cows, Tatas acquisition with Corus (UK) and gained a big share of market . In stars Tatas acquisition of Daewoo (Korea) and achieved a high market share in the Korean automobile market. Figure: 2 Tata motors takes in to account the value proportion of what is proposed in the market and also make sure that target customers segments also are addressed by the value proposition. For example; the Tatas recent announcement, of launching the cheapest cars for the Indian market for the target market of two wheeler owners such as motorcycle and scooter. Tata motors has developed effective distribution channels to reach the customers and to develop relationship with them (David Mercer)It is very important for a company like Tata motors which is a global company that it considers its environment before beginning the marketing process. In fact, environmental analysis should be continuous and feed all aspects of planning. The macro environments that can affect Tata motors include political, economical, Socio cultural and technological factors. Political arena: Political arena can have a lot of influence upon the regulation of businesses and also one the spending power of the consumers and other businesses. The political factors that can affect Tata motors are, strong tax incentives for inbound investors, different countries would have different laws so company has to take in to account what they are dealing with, strong motivation and trust, there was a negative effect on the IT industry after 2009 because the governments initiative of Tax holiday under STPI expires (Thinking street 2007) In order to be successful marketers need to consider the state of a trading economy both in the long and short term. It would be essential when Tata motors plan to do international marketing. As interest rates, Inflation, employment level per capita and gross domestic product per capita would all play important roles. Tata motors would also be affected by competitive labour cost model and highly mobile work force. Social and cultural factors: Social and cultural factors influence the business varies from country to country. It includes factors like, dominant religion in the area? The attitudes to foreign products and services? How much effect language has upon the diffusion of products onto markets. Technology: Technology is one thing which is very important in the car industry. Since technology will give Tata motors a competitive advantage over others and is a major driver of globalisation. For example technology can allow the products to be made cheaply hence reducing cost and increasing revenues, It offers new innovative products to the consumers that will make sure that the product dont get obsolete, Tata motors internet site provides all the information about the cars, 3d view and videos can be seen making information easily accessible to the consumers. It also adds the concept of customer relationship manager who will be in touch with the consumers even after the car has been purchased. Thus consumer will feel themselves part of the organisation. So to be competitive Tata motors have to do strong R D culture and facilities, strong tie-ups with western technology companies and be adaptive to new technologies. The various motives behind buying an automobile are Need, Prestige, Comfort, Fashion, Jealousy and Novelty. The R D Department continuously strives to bring new innovations in their product. Tatas have an industrial experience of over 100 years and they are well known with the Psychology of Indian customers, who desire more at less price. This experience has helped them to develop products which fulfil the expectations of Indian consumers. Porters 5 Forces Analysis: Porters 5 forces analysis deals with the factors outside an industry that influence the nature of competition within it. According to Porter (1985), competition is at the core of the success or failure of firms. The intensity of rivalry will determine the extent to which competing companies will give away the value that they have created. They will either pass this value to the buyer in lower prices or it will be absorbed by higher costs of competing (Porter, 1991). Michael Porter has provided a framework that models an industry being influenced by the five forces which will give below. That helps the strategic business manager to develop an edge over rival firms as this model helps in understanding the industry context in which firms operate. Figure 1 shows the five forces model: Barriers to Entry: Time and cost of entry: When launching a product time is the most essential thing. The launch of NANO is a good example since demand for small cars is on the rise of the market. Cost of entry actually means the initial capital that would be required to setup a new firm is very high. Knowledge and technology: It is from knowledge and technology that firms get competitive advantage over others. Tata motors have great knowledge and technology because of the experience they had and also from the fact that they have done few mergers and acquisitions over the last few years. Product differentiation and cost advantage: The new products should be attractive and different to be accepted by customers. Attractiveness can be measured by feature, price etc. NANO car price is one of its things which are very attractive for customers at the moment. Buyers: Switching costs: In the case of NANO the switching cost from bike to car is high. Thus increasing the demand of the car. Number of customers: Few buyers can dictate their terms. The bargaining power of buyer is higher if there are a lot of choices available to the buyers. In the case of NANO the price tag that it has got no compromise have been done at front. Brand Image: The brand image of Tata company is one of their strength in the market. Suppliers: Number of size of suppliers: Suppliers give raw material to the company, if there are few suppliers then they can set high prices to capture the profit. The NANO car has 128 suppliers in all. Unique product/service: Suppliers industry is dominated by few substitutes. Some parts of the Tata motor cars are obtained from few suppliers and limited substituted are available to their product. Competitive Rivalry: Price competition: Advertising battles can increase the demand in the industry, but may be costly to small competitors. NANO is the only player so it has the price competition but as the Maruti and Honda are planning to launch a car in the same segment so price competition will start. Product quality and number of diversity of competition also effect the competitive rivalry. (Charles Hill 2009)Strategies can be made but the real thing is to make sure that theory works in practicality, for this purpose monitoring and evaluation system is used for an organisation to have a check on policies and procedures through out the time. If an organisation does not care about how well it is doing or about what impacts it is having, why bother to do it at all? Monitoring and evaluation allows you to assess the quality and impact of your work, against your action plans and your strategic plan. In order for monitoring and evaluation to be really valuable, you do need to have planned well Conclusion: Given the intensity of competition and fast changing business environment in the segment, the world over, the acquisition, undoubtedly, is a strategic fit for Tata motors, as far as its globalization gambit is concerned. And, the number one spot, which it is aiming at, may not be far away. But of course, it would have to put its best cup forward. The hybrid strategy is used by the company in various industries, it involved a higher degree of organisational excellence and integration of all the departments. Here the strategy of the group is to maintain the cost of raw materials as lowest as possible and to achieve the lowest cost of final products. The group also invested a huge amount in research and development in order to achieve the highest degree of quality at the lowest price.

Human Resource Management in Business Essay -- essays research papers

Human Resource Management in Business Abstract Human Resource Management (HRM) is no longer a personnel office that is simply a record-keeping and maintenance function. Huselid (1995) points out that there is a positive correlation that has developed between HRM as a strategic ally and company performance. HRM research has grown from an atheoretical origin to view organizational activities from an interdisciplinary perspective (Jennings, 1994) that is concerned with a movement toward methodological and theoretical development (Ferris & Judge, 1991). This review will look at the different ways HRM plays into the overall scheme of providing an organization with a more sustainable competitive edge. Table of Contents Introduction†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..4 Background†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.†¦4 Strategic Human Resource Management†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.6 Multicultural Knowledge Transfer†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..8 HRM in the Public Sector†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦9 Conclusion†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.11 References†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..13 Human Resource Management in Business The fast paced area of HRM as seen many new developments in the science and practice of the field over its roughly 80-year history (Ferris et al., 1999). One of the earlier developments in HRM research that still has significance today was, at the time, a theoretical foundation that challenged researchers to design measures to assess the relationship between â€Å"individual personalities† and â€Å"company personalities† (Gilmer, 1960). This field of inquiry led to the research that has come to be known as strategic human resource management (SHRM), a field that attempts to align HRM functions and activities with the strategic goals of the organization (Butler, Ferris, & Napier, 1991). Another aspect of this review takes a look at HRM from an international perspective. This viewpoint acknowledges the importance of the global economy, as well as emphasizes the value of the Human Resource (HR) activities that address cross-cultural concerns (Napier, Tibau, Janssens, & Pilenzo, 1995). Lastly, the political perspective of HRM presents an opportunity to address those features of public sector HRM practices that have become outdated by contemporary organizational standards (Soni, 2004). Background Human Resource Management is a diverse ent... ...the international human resources manager. In G. R. Ferris, S. D. Rosen & D. T. Barnum. (Eds.), Handbook of human resource management: 217-242. Oxford, UK: Blackwell Publishers. Pfeffer, J. (1998). The human equation: Building profits by putting people first. Harvard Business Press: Boston. Romano, E. (1995). Opportunity in diversity. Journal of Property Management, 60, 2, 30 (6). Retrieved November 12, 2004, from InfoTrac database. Soni, V. (2004). From crisis to opportunity: Human resource challenges for the public sector in the twenty-first century. The Review of Policy Research, 21, 2, 157-178. Retrieved November 8, 2004 from H.W. Wilson database. Sundstrom, E., DeMeuse, K. P., & Futrell, D. (1990). Work teams: applications and effectiveness. American Psychologist, 45, 2, 120-133. Walker, D. M. (2000). (Statement from David Walker) Managing human capital in the 21st century. Report no. GAO/T-GGD-00-77. Washington, DC: General Accounting Office. Webber, S.S. & Donahue, L.M. (2001). Impact of highly and less-related diversity on work group cohesion and performance: A meta-analysis. Journal of Management, 27, 2, 141. Retrieved November 12, 2004, from InfoTrac database.