Doing Business in the U.K. Essay

Business Etiquette UKThe United Kingdom (UK) is comprised of four countries: England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. It is important not only to be aware of these geographical distinctions but also the strong sense of identity and nationalism felt by the populations of these four countries. The terms ‘English’ and ‘British’ are not interchangeable. ‘British’ denotes someone who is from England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. ‘English’ refers to people from England. People from Scotland are referred to as ‘Scots’. People from England are not likely to take offence at being called â€Å"English†, whereas a Welsh, Scots, or Northern Irish person will. Cultural Diversity Formerly a very homogenous society, since World War II, Britain has become increasingly diverse as it has accommodated large immigrant populations. The mixture of ethnic groups and cultures make it difficult to define British as looking or acting in one particular manner. People may sound British and retain the cultural heritage of their forefathers while others may become more British than someone who can trace his/her lineage to the 5th century. The fact that the nation’s favourite dish is now a curry sums up the cultural mish-mash that is modern day Britain. Doing business in the UK The British are rather formal. Many from the older generation still prefer to work with people and companies they know or who are known to their associates. Younger businesspeople do not need long-standing personal relationships before they do business with people and do not require an intermediary to make business introductions. Nonetheless, networking and relationship building are often key to long-term business success. Rank is respected and businesspeople prefer to deal with people at their level. If at all possible, include an elder statesman on your team as he/she will present the aura of authority that is necessary to good business relationships in many companies. British communication styles The British have an interesting mix of communication styles encompassing both understatement and direct communication. Many older businesspeople or those from the ‘upper class’ rely heavily upon formal use of established protocol. Most British are masters of understatement and do not use effusive language. If anything, they have a marked tendency to qualify their statements with such as ‘perhaps’ or ‘it could be’. When communicating with people they see as equal to themselves in rank or class, the British are direct, but modest. If communicating with someone they know well, their style may be more informal, although they will still be reserved. Business meetings Punctuality is a very British trait. It is especially important in business situations. In most cases, the people you are meeting will be on time. Always call if you will be even 5 minutes later than agreed. If you are kept waiting a few minutes, do not make an issue of it. How meetings are conducted is often determined by the composition of people attending. If everyone is at the same level, there is generally a free flow of ideas and opinions. If there is a senior ranking person in the room, that person will do most of the speaking. In general, meetings will be rather formal and always have a clearly defined purpose, which may include an agenda. There will be a brief amount of small talk before getting down to the business at hand. If you make a presentation, avoid making exaggerated claims. Make certain your presentation and any materials provided appear professional and well thought out. Be prepared to back up your claims with facts and figures. The British rely on facts, rather than emotions, to make decisions. Maintain eye contact and a few feet of personal space. After a meeting, send a letter summarising what was decided and the next steps to be taken. Basic British Etiquette Tips: Business Dress * Business attire is conservative. * Men should wear a dark coloured, conservative business suit. * Women should wear either a business suit or a conservative dress. Greetings * Shake hands with everyone at a meeting upon arrival. * Maintain eye contact during the greeting. Titles * Only medical doctors and the clergy use their professional or academic titles in business. * Most people use the courtesy titles or Mr, Mrs or Miss and their surname. (Mr and Mrs are words in the United Kingdom and do not require a period after them as they are not abbreviations.) * If someone has been knighted, they are called ‘Sir’ followed by their first and surnames or ‘Sir’ followed simply by their first name. * Wait until invited before moving to a first-name basis. People under the age of 35 may make this move more rapidly than older British. Business Cards * Business cards are exchanged at the initial introduction without formal ritual. * The business card may be put away with only a cursory glance. Business Gifts * Business gift giving is not part of the business culture. * If you choose to give a gift, make certain it is small and tasteful. * Good gifts include desk accessories, a paperweight with your company logo, or a book about your home country. * Inviting someone out for a meal can be viewed as a gift. http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/etiquette/doing-business-uk.html http://books.google.com.my/books?id=1ccPcVjaRGMC&pg=PA30&lpg=PA30&dq=how+to+bargain+with+britain&source=bl&ots=FB64L7Wk6F&sig=6QVjUrzk4AcQ2OuUezZuyL64Mlw&hl=en&sa=X&ei=2kALUeu0BcKPrgfjooH4Cw&ved=0CHAQ6AEwCA#v=onepage&q=british&f=false

Marketers Persue the Shallow Pocketed

Is the information being discussed in this article another example of colonialism? Why or why not? Identify two potential positives and two negatives direct marketing of the poor has on people and their economies. What theory of development is most applicable to the expansion of global markets to poor, low income, and indigenous communities? After reading the information in chapter 8 and the information in the article, â€Å"Marketers pursue the shallow pocketed†, it is my conclusion that the information being discussed in this article is a clear example of colonialism.As stated in the textbook, Colonialism tended to deprive a society not only of its wealth and freedom, but also of its very character, leaving the local people intellectually and morally disoriented (Fanon, 1963), this is a lot like the article which shows that marketing to the poor has become a very hot subject. Identify two potential positives and two negatives direct marketing of the poor has on people and th eir economies. One positive thing that direct marketing of the poor has on people and their economies is that the people will be able to purchase items they need and want at lower prices.Another positive aspect of direct marketing is that the economy improves as more money is being spent. One of the negative aspects of direct marketing is that products will be provided in excess however the items may be of a lower quality, and the second negative aspect is that the poor people are being encouraged to purchase unnecessarily and perhaps overindulging in things that are not necessarily needed. RESOURCES: Nowak, B. , & Laird, P. , (2010), Cultural Anthropology- 8. 2: Modern States: Industrialization and the Global World: Economy   Retrieved from https://content. ashford. edu/books/AUANT101. 10. 2/sections/sec8. 2

Mrketing Strtegy of Ford Compny Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Mrketing Strtegy of Ford Compny - Case Study Example "Tht's some good news in the mix of our business," Ford's sles nlyst George Pips sid yesterdy. Ford Motor is the second lrgest utomotive compny in the world nd the most trnsntionl of ll uto mkers. It hs opertions in more thn 200 countries nd territories, employing bout 350,000 workers (Schnpp, Cssettri, 2004) Historiclly, Ford sought to compete ginst the industry's leder, Generl Motors, by incresing its presence in foreign mrkets. Ford's Interntionl utomotive Opertions co-ordintes ctivities in twenty-six countries grouped in three principl regions (Europe, Ltin meric, nd si Pcific). In the lte 1970s, Ford produced outside the United Sttes hlf of its worldwide vehicle production - compred with GM's one-fourth. The Ford Motor Co. hs lso been leder in introducing or rpidly dopting technologicl innovtions in the industry. Henry Ford, the founder nd president of the compny, is considered the fther of mss production. In the difficult decde of the 1980s, Ford showed its cpbility to rpidly dopt the Jpnese system of production nd to move fster thn ny other uto mker in seeking the integrtion of its opertions on globl bsis. The compny ws lso pioneer in the interntionliztion of production, s it ws the first to open n ssembly plnt in Cnd (1904), in Mexico (1925), nd in mny other countries. Historicll y, the compny hs hd leding role in developing n utomotive cpbility in those countries, nd its strtegies hve been chrcterized by its responsiveness to locl government demnds nd its reltively high levels of export ctivity. 2. Politicl fctors to consider in building Mrketing strtegy of Ford Motor Politicl fctors such s US government policies of intermittent intervention in the industry help to undermine the extent of competition in the US utomobile industry. The dversril reltionship between government nd business in the United Sttes tht emerged in the mid-1960s ws founded on the underlying tension which existed between the neo-clssicl model or ideology tht shped US government policies towrd the utomobile industry nd the system of mngeril cpitlism bsed on lrge, oligopolistic corportions. In the 1960s, nd responding to growing public wreness on sfety nd fuel emissions, the US government incresed nd modified its forms of intervention in the utomobile industry. Before the 1960s, US government intervention in the utomobile industry ws "intermittent nd inconstnt, " s "periods of mild support nd benign neglect hve lternted with periods of fierce scrutiny nd shrp intervention" (Dyer et l. 2001:45). Most government policies ffecting the industry re not shped by the underlying ideology of lissez-fire, which justified government intervention only when there were strong demnds by powerful economic or socil ctors to do so, or when it ws justified to correct mrket filure (Gilpin

Physiological Differences between Children and Adluts Essay

Physiological Differences between Children and Adluts - Essay Example Knowledge about human physiology dictates the approach that a teacher should use when handling children. Human physiology of a child differs from adult. Notably, adult language is different from child language. This paper identifies the physiological differences between adult and children, which influence their response to exercise or sport. Physiologists believe that major physiological differences that exist between adults and children influence their ability to respond to physical activities. Human body systems such as respiratory system and cardiovascular system among other systems influence the ability of an individual to handle a particular amount of physical exercises (Kirk, MacDonald, & O’Sullivan 2006:232). The physiological differences that exist between adults and children include difference in cardiovascular system, respiratory system, and ability of the human body to withstand fatigue. Adults have fully developed organ systems, which influence their ability to wit hstand strenuous exercises. On the other hand, children organ systems are still developing. Concerning these physiological differences, children are able to do a given amount of exercises (Armstrong, et. al. 2008:81). Another notable difference is the blood content of the body. Adult have large quantity of blood, which is responsible for oxygen circulation in the body. Cardiovascular system is responsible for the transportation of oxygen in the body from the heart to other parts of the body through the blood (Armstrong, 2007:128). Oxygen delivery to various parts of the body depends on the amount of blood pumped by the heart. Children have low volume of blood, which translate to the amount of oxygen supplied in various body organs. On the other hand, the pumping rate of the heart in children is higher than in adult. Another notable difference is ventricular size of the heart. Adults have large ventricular size compared to children. This influences the volume of blood pumped by the h eart in each pumping stroke. Another notable difference between adults and children is that children have low tolerance rate to high temperatures and humidity. The respiratory system is responsible for gaseous exchange in the human body. Ventilation refers to the amount of gaseous exchange per minute. Ventilation is a product of tidal volume and the rate of breathing. Children breathe rapidly compared to adults because they have low tidal volume. Adults have well developed lungs, which explain the difference in breathing frequency between adults and children. The later have small organs thereby influencing the volume of air exchange. Respiration depends on surface area of the body to its volume ratio (Kincheloe, & Horn, 2008:123). The children have a high rate of respiration compared to adults. Physical activities and gender influence the rate of respiration. When an individual is doing a strenuous activity, the rate of respiration tend to increase. Gender differences influence basa l metabolic rate. Women have a basal metabolic rate which low compared to men. This explains the difference in ability to handle strenuous exercises between girls and boys. Naturally, girls would handle simple physical exercises without straining. Environmental factors such as temperature and humidity influence oxygen supply in the human body. Physiologists observe that children response to high temperat

Can babies with exclusive breastfeeding for first few months of their Essay

Can babies with exclusive breastfeeding for first few months of their life verses formula fed babies have reduced rate of overeating and obesity later in their life - Essay Example (2007) investigated 35,526 mothers who were mailed questionnaires between 1989 and 2001 who would give the shape of bodies of the study infants at 5 and 10 and their weights at 18 in relation to their heights. According to these researchers, a body mass index, BMI of 25kg/m2 or greater is prove of overweight while that of 30kg/m2 is prove of obesity. Those breastfed for at least six months had 0.94 probability of obesity. Such infants would have leaner bodies at 5 as opposed to those breastfed for less than a week. This association was inconsistent in adolescence and adulthood. Therefore, this study found that breastfed women were leaner than formula fed women in their early years but the results were inconsistent in adulthood. Childhood obesity increases the risk of obesity in adulthood hence the direct correlation with breastfeeding. Breastfeeding for the recommended period should hence be observed. The findings of this study resemble previous studies by other researchers on the direct relationship between breastfeeding and obesity in later lives of infants. The shortcoming of the study was in neglecting other factors such as genetic, multi-factorial or behavioural factors or a result of sedentary lifestyle. It only acknowledged the influence of secular trends on infant feeding. The study was carried on women only hence its failure to prove the consistency of the results on men. Therefore, breastfeeding helps avert obesity in later life of an infant as compared to use of formula-feeding. However, beyond adolescence, there is no significant difference that could be pointed in weight between those who breastfed and formula-fed. Hence, the recommendation for one-year breastfeeding for infants during their early years should be upheld. Michels, K. B., Willet, W. C., Graubard, B. I., Vaidya, R. L., Cantwell, M. M., Sansbury, L. B., & Forman, M. R. (2007). A Longitudinal Study of Infant Feeding and Obesity Throughout Life Course. International Journal of Obesity.

Risk Management Strategies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Risk Management Strategies - Essay Example As a result, more and more small companies are turning to a strategic approach as the way forward. Therefore, it is conclusive that risk planning has a very high significance in the risk management model, and, as secondary research shows, larger firms have more sustainability because they focus on risk planning and opportunity development. A firm's behavior in planning is also affected by the perception of its environment and size, as well as the nature of its activities, but not on the firm's performance. Although all small businesses have an amount of risk, being a new start-up restaurant and producing customer service goods adds further risk. This creates quite a bit more exposure to risks from mismanagement than in larger firms, where a major risk is that "some change will occur that will leave the enterprise beached high and dry," and "enterprises must expect to change drastically and repeatedly in response to changes in customers' wants and purchasing power, in competitors' products and prices, in available technologies, in law and in social expectations" (Goetz p 25 2001). The overall rationale to management is to answer the circumstances that develop risks. In business, the successful management strategy must be resilient in the face of failure, and develop sophisticated business plans because major chains have created competitor risk by raising the bar with strategic planning, which is a large part of their success according to Kep Sweeney (Garber p 88 2006). Sweeney further states that "The critical points in the deal making phase include identifying a new concept, forming a team, raising money and finding real estateYou can engineer out a tremendous amount of risk-and increase your chance of success-with proper planning." (Garber p 88 2006). Historic Role and Function Kerzner (p 876 1998) first identifies risk planning as "the process of developing and documenting an organized, comprehensive and interactive strategy and methods for identifying and analyzing risk issues, developing risk handling plans, and monitoring how risks have changed," to the small business owner, this means that a step by step analysis of proposed risks and their possible changes is an inherent part of risk management. Secondly, Kerzner (p 878 1998) describes risk assessment as "the process of identifying and analyzing program areas and critical technical process risks to increase the likelihood of meeting cost, performance and schedule objectives," this will assist the risk management model by answering to the critical processes that create risks and the businesses responses in those areas. The risk identification process is also shown by Kerzner (p 880 1998) as "process of examining the program areas and each critical technical process to identify and document the associat ed risk," in risk identification, the internal and external factors are described and levelled according to their significance to the program area. For example, while a flood may be a risk, that is minimal if the business currently has a leaking roof. Risk analysis "is the process of examining each identified risk issue to estimate the likelihood of

Strategic Planning of Organization Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Strategic Planning of Organization - Term Paper Example Strategic planning helps the management team to properly understand the current situation. Thus the present times requires continuous strategic planning because of the escalating rate of change of the business world. The firm is hiring people who can foresee the implication of a certain newly employed process or concept. This has led to the development of predictive models which simulate what might happen in the future. Managers of various companies and organizations are forced to think of the future. To achieve this they need to think out of the box and remain focused. Studies previously were done, show organizations that have had long-term strategic plans have survived and thrived in times of crisis compared to the ones which had short-term strategic plans. Growth in terms of customer base and general organizations’ catchment is seen if long-term strategic planning is employed. Strategic planning acts as a form of communication that the firm is planned for the future and bas ically the good intent of the organizations’ management team. Though all these occur, the flip side of such kind of planning cannot be assumed. Strategic planning does not form the organization’s futures blueprint, while it might focus on solving a specific problem, a different predicament can come by and catastrophically affect the organization. Strategic planning is not an effective method of formulating future decisions of an organization, otherwise, the future is unknown. It will not identify all the critical factors which need to be solved in an organization, it requires a thorough investigation of with different viewpoints which is laborious and time-consuming. (Vander, 2004) Below is a structure of how a strategic decision arrives at This calls for planned and emergent approaches to a strategy wherein planned approach; the organization objectives and purpose are clearly stated and directly translated into actions. In the emergent scene, decisions are made on the basis of the bargain, the chance of occurrence and positive feedback.  

To what extent have the Millennium Development Goals been a success Essay - 2

To what extent have the Millennium Development Goals been a success - Essay Example gender equality and also empowering women, reduction of child mortality, reduction of maternal mortality buy at least three quarters, combating malaria, HIV and other diseases, ensuring environmental sustainability and finally developing a global partnership to help in development. This paper aims at analysing the extent to which the Millennium Development Goals have been successful. It will use an evidence-based approach. It will cite the successes in individual countries as well as in the world. In relation to the first target that relates to eradication of poverty and hunger, Bangladesh can be seen as having most progress. Apart from being one of the most densely populated countries in the world, its population is rapidly increasing. This has been the trend between the years of 1990 to 2010 (United Nations Millenium Campeign et al. 2010). This goal aimed at reducing the number of people earning less than $1.25 per day. In the above years, over 10.5 million citizens in the country would advance to earning more than the $1.25 stipulated in the goal. Another 12 million citizens would rise to above Bangladesh’s poverty line. (Steele et al. 2008). The country attributes this success to the millennium development goals. In Africa, there has also been a noted decline in the number of people living in poverty in sub-Saharan Africa as well as other developing regions. According to preliminary estimates, the number of people living in extreme poverty by 2010 was half of what it was in 1990. Over the same decade, the number of people living in slums reduced by 6 percent. This is evidence of the success in the first millennium development goal. (Clarke et al. 2007). The second millennium development goal involved ensuring that by the year 2015, children all over the world would be able to complete primary school. Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo has been seen to have the most success vis-Ã  -vis this goal. Tanzania has achieved a staggering 99.6 percent

Friendship Definition Essay Example for Free

Friendship Definition Essay â€Å"Don’t walk behind me; I may not lead. Don’t walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend† said Albert Camus. People understand the concept of friendship differently, but there is one common ground for it- it is always built on a mutual sympathy, according to the Cambridge dictionary. Friendship can last for many years and grow stronger, but they can also end right away. No one knows the exact definition of friendship; however they do have their own way to tell if they have a friend. People say it’s hard to find a true friend- they are right because not everyone you know is your friend. Friendship is something important to me because I need someone to talk with. A friend to me is someone who is there for me no matter what, does not turn their back on me, they accept me for who I am, they care about me, I can trust them, we enjoy each other’s company, and we have fun together. Everyone needs a friend. Friends are like stress relievers, and they don’t judge, they see who we are and nothing else. I believe friendship is not perfect. There are always going to be flaws. According to the researched done in 2000 by Keith Davis, teenage friendships tend to grow hate or jealousy in between one another. This is when problems start to develop such as not being honest with each other. Another problem found in a research done in the 80’s was that opposite-sex friendships might not be considered a friendship at all. When a female and male are friends one of them starts to grow feelings, or they both grow feelings. That’s when the friendship turns into something emotional and sexual. It falls into the friends with benefits or the love category. There is a difference in between female and male friendships captured by Paul Wright in 1982. He describes women’s friendships as â€Å"face to face† and men’s as â€Å"side by side.† This indicates that women are more likely to choose to spend time â€Å"just talking,† when men are more likely to choose doing an activity with their friend. Women tend to be more emotionally close, intimate, and express more affection for their friends. Women are scientifically proven to seek support and sympathy in their friendship, while men find friends with common interest and whom they trust. I wasn’t satisfied by the way the internet and the databases defined friendship. So I did my own researched by asking people what friendship meant to them. Everyone defined friendship differently, I was surprised by the answers I got. Here are a few: â€Å"Friendship is when someone has trust for someone else. Two people who hold mutual affection for each other, having good communication with each other, and the ability to be one-self, expressing ones feelings, and making mistakes without fear of judgment.† –Edwin Castro â€Å"Friendship is a relation between two people where trust is big. They are close like brothers/sisters and have respect for each other.† – Martha Machuca â€Å"Someone you can act silly with and trust at the same time.† –Alejandra Avila â€Å"There is no such thing as friendship; your only friend is your pillow.† –Melvin Sanchez Friendship is a very hard concept to define, but there are a few things that will always go with it: sympathy, compassion, understanding, honesty, and trust. Friendship is not something that grows overnight, it takes time to develop. It is much harder to live if we don’t have close friends. We just have to choose wisely who our friends are. Work Cited â€Å"Friendship Styles.† Encyclopedia of Women and Gender: Sex Similarities and Differences and the Impact of Society on Gender. Oxford: Elsevier Science Technology, 2001. Credo Reference. 14 July 2008. Web. 05 November 2012. â€Å"Friendship.† Cambridge Dictionary of Sociology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2006. Credo Reference. Web. 05 November 2012.

Truth in Superstitions Essay Example for Free

Truth in Superstitions Essay There are some people who believe in superstitions. They would follow certain â€Å"rules† that most of the time may make no sense. They’ll just say you that it is bad luck to do certain things. So what is the basis of these beliefs? Superstitions are beliefs that one event leads to the cause of another event without any physical process linking them. Oftentimes these were just based on events that happened by chance or coincidence. Others may just happen to be repetitious. Yet still others are just made by some people just for the heck of it, concluding something that isn’t scientifically proven. Though superstitions do have a basis, most of the reasons are forgotten but are still followed just because it became a tradition or it became customary. Some superstitions are linked with religion. A good example would be that it isn’t good to walk under a ladder. This may have an obvious reason that it might cause an accident: hitting yourself with the ladder or that something might fall on you. Aside from this, it also came from the ladder forming a triangle with the wall and ground. This triangle represents the Trinity and by crossing the space in between may mean violating the Trinity. Also, the belief of breaking a mirror would yield bad luck. This may be based on the belief of spiritualism. It was once believed that mirrors reflect one’s soul and that breaking it may mean destroying one’s soul. Other superstitions may be reasonable in the olden times and impractical at the present. Some examples would include the prohibition of cutting one’s nails at night. Before, there was no electricity and people only rely on the moonlight. Cutting one’s nails during that time would have a risk in cutting one’s fingers, especially when using a knife or blade as they don’t have those fancy nail cutters that we have now today. Some of the real reasons of derivation are also forgotten. The old would give random reasons that when you think about it, doesn’t give a cause-effect relationship. Some would even say because it was said by the elders and was passed from generation to generation. So knowing these origins, now what are the advantages and disadvantages of being superstitious or following the traditions? First, the advantages or the good points at least would be that one would have a sort of tradition or ritual to follow. It may also add colour to life. As what Johann Wolfgang von Goethe said, â€Å"Superstition is the poetry of life†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Believing other superstitions like wearing a lucky charm will not necessarily give you good luck but it somehow conditions your mind that you ar e lucky and everything will be fine. By conditioning your mind to this thinking, it will boost your confidence as this is what most people lack. They are capable of doing something but they doubt they are able. Also, some may also avoid accidents to happen as the case of crossing the ladder. They also organize one’s life as they create certain patterns. Some superstitions were made from experience and may be practical to us still. Disadvantage may include that it gives a kind of restriction to those who really observed them. They also waste time. Some of the superstition would also let you miss an opportunity to help others. An example would be the tale that one shouldn’t bring out money once it’s already nighttime. With all these superstitions, knowing them all and following them is impossible. Some superstitions may be beneficial but most are just impractical in the modern times. They may even limit and restrict us when we could have done more.

The uk housing sector

The uk housing sector Introduction The UK housing sector has been under the shadow of ‘Credit Crunch since June 2007, which initiated from United States and began to cover the globe. Not only the construction industry, but all the other industries including textiles etc. were affected due to this. The housing sector was flourishing day by day as more projects where introduced and the log books were filled till next couple of month, until June 2007, the credit crunch began to expand its feathers, after which the whole streamlines began to draw down. The unwanted result for UK housing sector appeared in the form of; 20 30 % of house prices fell from its maximum level, from 2007 onwards Mortgages are not approved as frequently as it was done before and only 50% are approved and new home are not built as frequently as were done before 2007. Goodhart and Hofmann (2008) explain that the mortgage rates are directly dependant on the banks which has a strong impact on the price of the houses. Due to Financial Recession an alarming situation arose resulting in change of different policies within an organization in order to survive. The Large House Builder, plc is a large UK national house builder which has taken necessary steps to counteract the ‘Credit Crunch by maintaining a balance between its cost and its expenditure. This it has done by cutting down its costs, selling the portion of land which it purchased so that it could be sold at a reason able price when required and by repositioning itself into social housing sector. Appleyard (2006) states that the UKs housing sector is going through a change. The current recession has enabled the housing sector to change. This change is usually in the form of merging one firm into another so that both benefit from each others experience and expertise. The company board of Large House Builders, plc has therefore decided to attain the services of Small Firm Ltd which is a small, regional housing developer in the South East of England. This report will address the key change management issues which would take place when there is mergence of Small Housing Builders Ltd into Large Housing Builders plc in regard to its organizational structure and culture. The second part will be the further analysis of this mergence in the form of preparation of a change management plan for the first two years. LARGE HOUSE BUILDER plc The UK national house builder or the Large Housing Builder (LHB) plc has major contribution in UK for the last decade (Appleyard, 2006). The company has a regional structure with offices throughout different locations of the country. This regional structure is managed by a regional manager who is responsible to answer to the central management board concerning his tasks which mainly include the profit /loss, purchasing of land and all the procedures involved in achieving it and the development and marketing of the site. A recent research done by The Future Shape of the Sector Commission (2006) indicates that in 2006, Large House Builders were successful to build 25,000 houses. But due to the recession in 2007, this figure is said to decrease drastically. The research further suggests that to safeguard the market from adverse effects of credit crunch, Large firms started to merge with Small firms in order to benefit itself along with the other firm. The Large House builder plc, being a big organization has the capability to stabilize it in a number of ways. The current Recession has limited the space for the large housing builders to expand further. The only way suggested is by mergence, which can be done by having strong internal and external relationships within and outside the company. This will result in maximum output and the number one priority to satisfy the customer is hence achieved (The Future Shape of the Sector Commission, 2006) ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE Greenberg (1996) emphasizes that organization structure should be such that it should clearly elaborate the arrangement between the single and assembly of people corresponding to the assigned duties, abilities and power with a certain organization. Although it is not possible to see the organizational structure physically but it can be presented in the form of a chart known as â€Å"organization chart† which elaborates the layout of the parties involved in the organization. Such organization chart can be seen for Large House Builders (Appendix B). The organization structure of Large Housing Builders is a complex one as many parties are involved in this firm. In fact there are as many as 20 sub-parties working at a time for a single project. They can be from designing team to finished project, transportation and logistics of construction materials to finance department, from IT department to Estimation works etc. From this fact it can be seen that it is quite difficult to structure the organization on one single page. In order to define the goals, the relevant part of the organization is magnified yet there is a deep inter-relation between different parties of the company which hurdles the way. As stated earlier, the firm is making its best for the survival in the current Credit Crunch. Although the top management is giving more importance to work hard in order to achieve prosperity which it has seen in the form of positive development yet the entire struggle is ending in vain as the current financial crisis is not permitting to prosper. The management of the firm feels like climbing a huge mountain when it comes to paying the salaries to the staff in the current credit crunch. According to Lu (2009, CL) the structure of the company is the correct usage of the potential facilities and the capacity that a company has. There can be three ways in which the project can be integrated into the firm: Functional Structure In this type of structure, much emphasize is given to functional part. Projects are located in functional units such as human resources, finance and marketing where as the projects located in function which has dominant role with relevant staff being seconded from other functions for duration of the project. The disadvantage is this structure is that all groups are more focused towards functional manager. Matrix Structure The Matrix structure is the one which has both the functional manager as well as the project manager. The members of the project have to report to both the functional as well as the project managers. There are three types of matrix structures according to their strengths; a. Functional Matrix Structure In this the functional managers are more dominant than the project managers. This type of matrix system is also called â€Å"Weak Matrix† system and is mostly suitable for large Firms. b. Balanced Matrix Structure In this type the project managers and the functional managers share equal power amongst them. This type of matrix structure is also called a â€Å"Perfect Matrix†. c. Project Matrix Structure In this type of structure, project managers are more dominant over the functional managers. This type of matrix structure is also called â€Å"Strong Matrix† and is mostly suitable for small firms. Project Structure In this type, the projects are self-contained structural units with each unit having its own staff members and resources. From the above mentioned type of matrix structures, the Large House Builders is having the â€Å"Functional Matrix Structure†(Fig.1). The firm was having a boom in construction as it produced about 25,000 houses in 2006. With the initiation of Recession Period in 2007, the firm started to stabilize its self by cutting down its costs. The firms performance was good when considering each project separately but on a broader perspective, there was less or poor coordination between different projects as the structure of the firm was based on some prototype or typical functions. Thus this structure permitted Large House Builders to enhance their accuracy level by keeping themselves gentle and adjustable with the members of the different projects. In the functional matrix structure, the staff members report to the functional manager as well as the project manager as stated by Lu (2009, CL). This sometimes took a shape of minor clashes between different parties and thus halting and making delay in the project. By analyzing the firm, it was seen that the structure of the company changes as the project progresses. These changes were not massive in nature; in fact some minor changes were taking place. When the bidding phase starts, the firm was showing a firm functional type of structure. As the project initiated, the Functional Structure branched out into two parts. When talking about individual project, Project Structure was mostly dominant and the overall structure of the firm was found to be Matrix rather than Functional. Finally at the completion of the project, Matrix Structure was found which influenced both the Projects as well as the firm itself. As stated earlier, that the company has regional managers which are controlled by the management board thus indicate that it is a â€Å"divisionalized organization† as whole of the structure of company is well organized. The characteristics of divisionalized organization are stated below; The management board directs the divisional members who further authorize the regional members to take control of the profit/loss, land acquisition and marketing. This type of arrange corresponds to the â€Å"middle line† part of the organization. This can be considered as the backbone of an organization where key decisions are taken Lu (2009). The firm has â€Å"limited vertical decentralization† of authority as regional managers are in charge of their region and the company is very much dependant on them. The regional managers are in focus of their jobs perspective and have only one goal of â€Å"Standardization of outputs† and thus producing quality houses in favor of the customers. ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE According to Schein (2004) culture is an in-depth knowledge of assumptions, faiths and values that the members of the organization take as granted. However, it is difficult to describe it and can simply be regarded as the charm or the identity of the organization. Organizational culture has got both the formal as well as the informal components (Lu, 2009cl). Formal elements like aims and objectives were apparent as all the necessary steps were taken to strengthen the firm not only in its own field but other forms of construction as well. Whereas the informal components such as racism, religious symbolism etc. some what were not in line with the latest policies of the company. The board management took a notice of these moral values which were creating problem and hindrance in the achievement of the firms goals. According to Handy (1993) there can be four types of cultures as stated below; Power Culture In power culture, whole of the control is concentrated to very few individuals. This usually have a family type culture and is suitable for small to medium sized firms where the reaction to the current market trend is very instant. Role Culture In role culture the roles are assigned on the basis of functions. These functions are allocated to different member to do the job. Such a setup is usually in large firms. Achievement Culture Achievement culture is very much based on results and outcomes. Examples can be such firms in with much research and development activities take place. Support Culture In this type of culture, much importance is given to an individual person within the organization. Example can be such as within a design team only importance given to Architect. From the above discuss, Large House Builders plc were found to have â€Å"ROLE† culture because each member fully focused on the role given by the top management. The staff members with not encouraged to do such task which was not stated in their role statement. As all the managerial bodies were assigned their role statements, the junior managers tried to prove their mettle by giving more in the current credit crunch whereas the senior management was try to stabilize the firm in its own way which resulted in some unsettlement between the organization. ORGANIZATIONAL STRETEGY Hersey et.al (1969) defines a strategy as the setting and arrangement of the tasks which an organization wants to achieve. There is a long debate as to whether the strategy is set first or the structure of the organization is set first. But for a successful completion of the desired aim, strategy and structure are always in line with each other Lu (2009,Cl). The high standard of the firm was due to the fact that the management board was quite aware of the strength and weaknesses of their company. Every step taken was towards the stabilization of the business. The management board of Large House Builders was seeing the current credit crunch but was unaware that this could give a real tough time to them. So a meeting was called in which certain points were drawn down, the main theme was that the Banks were unable to give the money to the clients which in return resulted in a complete stop to construction of some time. According to Lu and Sexton (2006) the firm in the phase of innovation can be either explorative or exploitative which counts on the Structure capital, Human capital and relationship capital When seeing Large House Builder plc under the generic company level strategies illustrated by Miles and Snow (1978), the company was found to be â€Å"ANALYZERS†. The company was doing well and was very stable before the credit crunch in 2007. This can be judged by the performance of the company in 2006 as the company produced 25,000 houses indicating that it has very well organized structure and they are very bothered about their efficiency, performance and reputation. Thus they were having good expertise in their field of work with good amount of resources available for their expansion and establishment. Being analyzers, the company will expand their business in the same field i.e. construction of houses which may be on a larger or smaller scale but the basic aim will be stabilization, reputation and good performance. SMALL HOUSE BUILDERS: The Small Firm Ltd is a regional housing developer was has its operations in the South East of England. The firm is a family owned organization in which all the top management is from the same family indicating that the culture of the firm will be a family culture. The key members will have strong belief and good understanding between them. The Small Firm Ltd is completely customer oriented. High priority given to customers is very essential to thrust forward in business. Customer satisfaction is the key to success for the firm. The Small Firm Ltd produced 1,000 social housing units in 2006 which is the clear indication of well established link with public and private authorities. The close link between different authorities is very beneficial as such types of strategies are helpful when there is a limited space and time to stabilize. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE The Small Firm Ltd has highly motivated and trustworthy top management whose total emphasize is on customer satisfaction. The firm has produced 1,000 housing units in 2006 for different housing associations and local authorities. This indicates that the firm has strong ties with its customers and all of them have good understanding amongst them. As previously stated, the organizational structures can be Functional, matrix or project structures Lu (2009). From them above discussion it is quite obvious that the firm has â€Å"Project Matrix Structure† which is also called strong matrix due to the reason that in this matrix type, Project Manager has the authority to influence its staff and workers. The workers have to answer to the Project Manager for their work which is the case in Small Firm Ltd due to the strong tie between the Project Manager and the workers. The role of the Functional Manager in firm is independent to the Project Manager as the Functional manager focuses more on the technical side and the resources allocation. The resources and cost allocation is quite tough job when it comes to a complex project. According to Lu (2009), there may be a conflict developed between the Project Manager and the Functional Manager due to the resource allocation. The firm posses a â€Å"machine organization† due to the following reasons as indicated by Lu (2009): The firm is much focused on technostructureso that it competes the market and its competent. The firm shows limited horizontal decentralization as the members of the board share more ideas with the project manager and less with functional managers although both manager types are important for its success. The labor of the firm is hard working and always motivated to do the tasks which contribute to the betterment of the country and the firm. There is a strong communication and co-ordination grip between the labor and the project manager and thus show standardization of work process. ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE Deal and Kennedy (1982) explained that to check whether an organization is successful or not, study its culture. The Small Firm Ltd has a family culture which means that level of trust and motivation is very high. From the types of cultures explained by Handy (1993), the Small Firm Ltd is having a â€Å"POWER† culture (fig. 4), the reason of power that the total concentration of the power and authority will be on a single person who will be the leader. Small firm ltd is having an informal type of structure which indicated the strong influence of the leader (family member) the staff members including managers. The firm can easily cope with any external discrepancies that may arise during a tenure time of any project. Thus making it self stabilize creates less problems and such firm can easily cope with financial crunch. ORGANIZATIONAL STRATEGY Structure and Strategy should always be inline with each other (Lu, 2009). Thus this type of strategy can be found in Small Firm Ltd as the firm can easily cope with financial crisis. From the types of strategies stated by Miles Snow (1978) the Small Firm Ltd was found to have â€Å"DEFENDER† type of strategy. The Small Firm ltd is very market based firm, close study of market and new trends in market is very beneficial for the company as it helps to change the short comings and thus increase the profit. The strong relation between the top management and the departmental management is in strong observation between the leader which is very beneficial to enhance the chances of survival in the time of difficulty. CURRENT SITUATION The management board of Large House Builder plc has decided to merge with Small Firm Ltd in order to stabilize itself in the ongoing credit crunch period (Appendix 1). This is not the only aim; in fact other things are also taken into consideration like Large House Builder plc is trying to adopt the expertise of social housing as well so that if there is a slump in the construction of large houses, the company can mingle with the social housing sector. So there is a need of change between two companies which can easily be brought into practice by implementing a change management plan. CHANGE MANAGEMENT According to Lu (2009, LP2) change is an important fact of life and the key success is to manage it successfully. A successful manager is the one who doesnt allow change to happen on its own, in fact he make proper plans and strategies to implement change. Change doesnt take place at once rather it can take place many months and even years for the different parties involved in change to settle down and know each other. Such a situation of change management has risen up between the Large House Builders plc and the Small Firm plc. Both the companies are opposite to each other in the since that both have different organizational structures, cultures and strategies but the common thing between them is that the both are in the construction business and especially in house building. Both companies will have the following Organizational issues; Structural issues The large house builders have functional matrix structure and the small firm ltd has a project matrix structure. The small firm will have to work really hard to come with the structure of the large house builders. The large house builders have a very well organized formal structure where as the small firm has an informal structure. Cultural issues The Large house builder has a Role culture in which every manager has a certain role assigned on which he is only answerable for his work to the top management whereas the small firm has power culture in which whole power is concentrated on the leader or single person. Such issues may produce a clash between two parties. Strategic issues The Large House Builders have adopted the analyzers strategy where they are keen to expand their company according to given marketing conditions and respond to market changes. On the other hand, Small firm adopts defenders strategy in which they do the job in their own field of expertise saving themselves fro outside threats because of having family culture. Such issues may cause a hurdle towards success between the two companies. To cope up with such difficulties a two year change management plan will be setup so that the process of integrating two companies of different culture, structure and strategy can run smoothly. TWO YEARS CHANGE MANAGEMENT PLAN To bring about change in the organization, necessary two change management plan is to be setup for the proper implication of roles and jobs of the two different teams i.e. the Large House Builder plc and the Small Firm ltd. Lewins (1947) three stage change management plan for the individuals of the organization can be setup as: Unfreeze Change Re-freeze Kottars (1996) eight stages change management plan will be used to implement a successful change in the organization. The eight stage plan is: Establishing a sense of urgency Creating the guiding coalition Developing a vision and strategy Communication the change vision Empowering broad-based action Generating short-term wins Consolidation gains and producing more change Anchoring new approaches in the culture The two change management approaches will be integrated in such a way that a proper setup over a period of two years will be established which will enhance the companys performance. FIRST YEAR The first year of the mergence of Small Firm ltd into the Large House Builders plc will be very crucial as many objections and discrepancies are likely to be encountered. Though the anticipated outcomes of the mergence is likely to generate a lot of benefit to both the companies yet the initial few months are regarded as very sensitive for the Small Firm Ltd. The change management plan is broken down in Quarters of a year and possible planned workout is analyzed as follows: FIRST QUARTER (Q1): During the first quarter of the first year the Small Firm Ltd will be in the learning stage and would be considering ways to overcome the barriers which would resist their way towards the change. According to Greenberg (1996), an organization can encounter with two different types of barriers in change. Organizational Barriers to Change Individual Barriers to Change 1. ORGANIZATIONAL BARRIERS TO CHANGE Sometimes terms and conditions are such set in an organization which barriers a change to take place (Katz and Kahn, 1978). Following are the organizational barriers to change in the view of Greenberg (1996): a) Structural inertia The Small Firm Ltd and the Large House Builders plc significantly differ with respect to the organization structure they have worked in before. The Small firm ltd will learn to adopt the divisional structure of the large house builders by mixing their manager with the divisional managers of large house builders. b) Work group inertia The large house builders and the small firm have their own ways to complete the assigned task. A task is not just completed as it a part of the job in fact, it is because the person learn from his social values to complete a certain task as assigned Greenberg (1996). So to tackle the pressure of completion of task at both ends is different which needs to be considered when assigning tasks. c) Threats to existing balance of power This issue is very important when it comes to change within two organizations as the managing power of both firms is entirely different from each other. For example the Large builders have a management board and a CEO who is in charge of making key decisions whereas in Small firm there is a single power or a leader who takes key decisions. After mergence, a conflict would be raised up during the designation and allotment of powers within the organization. d) Previously unsuccessful change efforts. Both the firms are quite familiar with the fact that change management theories recently adopted by firms havent proved to be successful yet both are willing to stabilize themselves with firm motivation and hard work. 2. INDIVIDUAL BARRIERS TO CHANGE The Small firm being in the initial stage of mergence will be facing great difficulty to cope with the individual barriers to change. According to a research done by Nadler (1987), there are many factors that hurdle the way of people towards a change. These factors are: a) Economic insecurity A very important point which comes into ones mind during a change at any level of work is that whether my job is secured? Am I getting the right salary? Such issues when taken into consideration during a change in such a time of Credit crunch may alter the minds of the employees of not only the Large builders but in fact the small firm ltd also. The reason being that both the firms are going to re-locate and re-assign the tasks to the individuals which my interrupt the desired performance of members. b) Fear of unknown While following the same routine of work as followed by the staff for quite a long time, the staff felt secured that they had a good level of understanding developed between other staff members and managers. Merging with someone you havent worked with before will set up a fear of unknown and everyone will be in a state that something can go wrong any time Greenberg (1996). c) Threats to social relationship Due to a change the members of the firm feel un-relaxed and insecure as they had good relation ships with the members they were previously working with. Due to this a lack of communication would be developed which would resist the fluency of work. d) Habit By doing a similar kind of work for past many years develops a natural phenomenon for an individual and the person becomes habitual to it. Any alteration in form of a change/new job, can result in mental dissatisfaction resulting is low performance. e) Failure to recognize need for change In situations where the individuals of the organization are unable to understand the necessity of change can result in a complete disaster. To overcome this, necessary steps such as awareness campaigns are run to establish a level of understanding among the workers so that they are well aware of the advantages of change. During the First Quarter (Q1) of the first year, the Small firm Ltd will be coping up with the initial difficulties of settlement in the organization. With the further enhancement of the Two year change management plan, there would not be any discrepancy left within both the organizations after mergence.

Mangroves in Australia Essay -- Plants Botany Essays

Mangroves in Australia The mangrove communities of Australia are some of the most highly adaptive plant communities in the world. These plants live in an environment that is often engulfed with seawater. This environment is considered an arid environment due to the lack of fresh water. The plants of the mangrove community must develop several adaptations to deal with the environment. The environment these plants often inhabit is referred to as an intertidal zone. The intertidal zone is the transition between the salty ocean to the fresh water of the interior of the continent or island. To deal with the salty environment, mangrove plants have developed modified roots. In some species, the roots filter the incoming seawater. These modified roots also help to support the tree in the muddy substrate. The roots are considered a xeromorphic feature, a display feature that tends to conserve or retain water. These roots also provide oxygen intake by structures call pneumatophores. This ability is importa nt in times of low soil aeration. The leaves are covered with a waxy cuticle that helps retain water. In some species, the leaves are responsible for salt secretion, while others store excess salt in leaves until they fall off the tree. The mangrove species also have modified reproductive structures. Most seeds develop while still attached to the parent tree. This enhances their chance of survival. These seeds are also buoyant, which allows them to float to a less shady spot, away from the parent tree and start growing. Some species seeds shed their seed coat at particular water temperature and water salinity. Mangrove species produce different types of pollen for different plants. These different types of pollen ... ...e land (Maguire 2000). Mangroves are endangered by human development. Conservation and management techniques need to become an important issue to preserve these unique and highly advance communities. Summar The mangroves are some of the most highly evolved plant communities in the world. These plants have overcome the harsh conditions from which they live in. One of the most obvious adaptations is the modified root structures that not only help support the plant in the muddy substrate, but may aid in oxygen intake in some species. Another notable adaptation that mangrove plants exhibit is their modified reproductive structures called propagules. These seeds actually begin development while still attached to the parent tree. Mangroves also provide important services such as filtering out toxins in outgoing streams that would normally damage coral reefs.

Egyptian Art and Architecture Essay -- Egypt Paintings Sculptures Buil

Egyptian Art and Architecture Egyptian Art and Architecture, the buildings, paintings, sculpture, and allied arts of ancient Egypt, from prehistoric times to its conquest by the Romans in 30 bc. Egypt had the longest unified history of any civilization in the ancient Mediterranean, extending with few interruptions from about 3000 bc to the 4th century ad. The nature of the country, fertilized and united by the Nile, and its semi-isolation from outside cultural influences, produced an artistic style that changed little during this long period. Art in all its forms was devoted principally to the service of the pharaoh, who was considered a god on Earth, to the state, and to religion. From early times a belief in a life after death dictated that the dead be buried with material goods to their ensure well-being for eternity. The regular patterns of nature—the annual flooding of the Nile, the cycle of the seasons, and the progress of the Sun that brought day and night—were considered gifts from the gods to the people of Egypt. Egyptian thought, morality, and culture were rooted in a deep respect for order and balance. Change and novelty were not considered important in themselves; thus the style and representational conventions in Egyptian art that were established early in the development of that civilization continued virtually unchanged for more than 3,000 years. To the modern eye the Egyptian artistic idiom may seem stiff and static; its underlying intention, however, was not to create an image of things as they appear in reality, but rather to capture the essence of a person, animal, or object for eternity. II PREDYNASTIC PERIOD The early prehistoric dwellers on the Nile inhabited the terraces or plateaux left by the river as it cut its bed. Tools and implements left by these early inhabitants of Egypt show their gradual development from seminomadic hunter-gatherers to settled agriculturists. By 4000 bc the civilization of Egypt was in its earliest formative stages; the Predynastic period, which lasted until about 3100 bc, had begun. Evidence of organized settlements dating from this period has been found, and artefacts produced are mainly associated with burials. Objects were put into the grave with the body for the use of the spirit in the next life; thus a great quantity of such personal goods as pottery, tools, and weapons has been preserve... ...from earlier monuments. An interest in perceptive portraiture begun in the 25th Dynasty was continued, sometimes with splendid results. The 26th Dynasty ended with the invasion by the Persian Empire and, except for brief periods, Egypt was never again completely free from foreign domination. The conquest of the country by Alexander the Great in 332 bc and by the Romans in 30 bc brought Egypt into the Classical world, but the ancient artistic traditions persisted. Alexander and his successors were depicted on the walls of temples as Egyptian kings in an Egyptian style of relief carving. Temples were built in the Ptolemaic period (the dynasty founded by Alexander) and in the Roman period that echoed traditional Egyptian styles in architecture. Egyptian art also exerted a powerful influence on the cultures of the invaders. Early Greek artists acknowledged a debt to Egypt in the development of their own styles. The Romans so loved Egyptian art that they carried off to their homeland countless examples and even had imitations of Egyptian sculpture carved by Roman artists. The influence of Egyptian art and the fascination with Egyptian antiquity have persisted to the present day.

Disadvantages of monopoly Essay

†¢ Higher prices and lower output Monopolies often mean that prices will be higher and output lower than is the case for an industry where competition prevails. Firms in one industry are producing under conditions of perfect competition, while the other firm is operating under conditions of monopoly. The costs of production are the same for each industry. †¢ Excess profits High profits made by the monopolist are not necessarily an indication of efficient methods of production. The monopolist may, in fact, be using its market power to raise prices above marginal costs in order to increase its revenues. †¢ Higher costs and x-inefficiencies Under competition, firms strive to minimize their inputs to produce a given level of output. Firms do not necessarily have to produce at the minimum efficient scale to be technically efficient, as long as they produce at the lowest costs for their given scale of output. Firms which produce on the average cost curve are technically efficient or x-efficient. In other words, they produce at the lowest cost possible given their respective sizes. Competition normally implies that firms will be x-efficient. However, if firms are insulated from competition, as is the case for monopoly, then there is less incentive to minimize costs. Firms may instead adopt ‘expense preference’ behavior by investing in activities to maximize the satisfaction of senior managers, at the subsequent sacrifice of profitability. †¢ Price discrimination Monopolists as sole suppliers can discriminate between different groups of customers (based on their respective elasticity’s of demand) separated into different geographic or product segments. A monopolist can practice price discrimination in several ways: †¢ First-degree price discrimination. Often referred to as perfect price discrimination, this involves the monopolist charging each customer what he or she is willing to pay for a given product. By doing this the monopolist can increase revenue and erode any consumer surplus which consumers might enjoy. †¢ Second-degree price discrimination. The monopolist charges customers different prices based on their usage. In other words, consumers might be charged a high price for initial usage, but lower prices for subsequent units consumed. This type of pricing has been used in industries such as electricity, gas, water and telephony. †¢ Third-degree price discrimination. In this case, the monopolist separates customers into markets based on different demand elasticity’s. Customers with inelastic demand are charged higher prices than those with elastic demand. †¢ Restrictive practices Monopolists often use unfair practices to keep potential rivals out of the market. Even if rivals are successful in entering the market, the monopolist may choose to eliminate these firms by various restrictive price and non-price strategies such as predatory pricing and vertical restraints. †¢ Limited technical progress Some evidence suggests that technical progress is often slow when a single firm or group of firms dominates an industry. As they face no real competitive pressures, monopolists are under no real pressure to spend any abnormal profits earned on research and development of new product and processes, which is often seen as a risky investment. Consequently, technical progress in these industries is likely to be slow. Reference: http://classof1. com/homework-help/economics-homework-help/.

Bud, Not Buddy

Bud, Not Buddy is a children's novel written by Christopher Paul Curtis set during the time of the Great Depression in the United States. The novel tells the story of an African American boy named Bud Caldwell who becomes orphaned when his mother dies. He is later adopted and sent to a foster home but leaves due to abuses that he experiences. He searches for the person the thinks is his father. The significance of the title is shown early on in the novel.When a caseworker asks him if he is Buddy Caldwell, he corrects her by saying that it is â€Å"Bud, not Buddy. † Bud gives this correction in order to remind not only the caseworker but the people around him that he is already an adult and not a boy anymore. Bud later shows just what he means by telling another kid, Jerry, in the orphanage that the kid will have a better life compared to what he will be facing. This small gesture immediately makes an impression on Jerry who is now not afraid of being adopted anymore.As the sto ry progresses, we are shown just how much of a kid Bud is. However despite having fear, as most kids have, like vampires, Bud continues on his journey. While he does not find what he is looking for, he does find people that he can call his own and discovers the beauty of jazz at the same time. While still a ten-year old kid, Bud shows the readers just how much of an adult he is. Despite the hardships that he has undergone, he continually reveals just how much of a survivor he is.He not only manages to practice the good manners taught to him by his mother, but is also resourceful and even innovative. By giving the correction to how what his real name is, Bud, not Buddy, the main protagonist shows us how he wants to be an adult and be responsible. The book works well not only on adults but on kids as well. While the book has some serious themes like segregation during the 1930s, it also has themes that children can relate to like helping people or the concept of fate.

Crime and punishment morally ambigous character Essay

Several morally ambiguous characters played different vital roles in Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky. In fact, most characters illustrated in this twisted novel can be evaluated as possesing â€Å"good† and â€Å"evil† qualities. Sonia Marmeladov is especially ambiguous and important in this novel. Her contradicting social and moral statuses along with her contrasting roles as a saintly liberator and sinner allowed Sonia to play a crucial role throughout the novel. Not only that but her character further strengthens the theme of religious awakening. At times Sonia’s character becomes hard to categorize as â€Å"good† or â€Å"evil† because of her actions. The first descriptions the reader gets of Sonia are from her drunk father, Marmeladov. She has lived her life with little money, poor housing conidtions described as having â€Å"every sign of povery† (294). Sonia tries to make an honest living by making linen shirts but â€Å"do you suppose that a respectable poor girl can earn much by hard work? Not fifteen farthings a day can she earn†(15). Not merely enough to support a family along with her drunk father’s habits. So Sonia eventually becomes a prositute in order to to support her family and gains a â€Å"yellow ticket† (16) This is what gained Sonia her title as a sinner and which puts her character at question. However, Marmeladov explains to Raskolnikov how Sonia goes to them â€Å"mostly after dark, she comforts Katerina Ivanorna and gives her all she can†( 16). This part of Sonia’s character depicts her as a loving daughter willing to sacrifice herself to save her family. This portrayal in some ways resembles Christ as â€Å"He himself bore our sins† in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness. † He sarcrificed himself as she sacrifies herself. Does that change the fact that she is committing a sin? No of course not and that is exactly where the conflict of her morality takes place. The world sees her in â€Å"such an attire†(163)which puts her to shame in her â€Å"guady finery† (163) Yet the reader sees a young, timid girl who was pushed to take drastic decisions in her life. It is Sonia’s actions which are â€Å"evil† but her purpose and pure soul make her more saintly than most of the character’s in the novel. Because her character plays this role, it is her who helps Raskolnikov find his religious faith and who leads him to finally come clean later on in the book. Another circumstance where Sonya is morally ambiguous is where she has to decide to either have a relationship with Raskolnikov, or leave him out of the picture when he tells her that it is he who murdered the pawnbroker. Sonya knows that it is right to help Raskolnikov because he could be lost and go even deeper into his madness. However, Sonya knows that Raskolnikov is a killer and it would be wrong to be associated with somebody who knowingly commits sins as extravagant as murder. Sonya is also aware that Raskolnikov has issues and his madness could drive him to do other things that could lead to even worse consequences. Sonia does tell Raskolnikov that he must turn himself in and confess his sins but she also hugs him and kisses him as to comfort him. Her odd response is to tell Raskolnikov â€Å"I will follow you, I will follow you everywhere†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ I’ll follow you to Siberia† (407). As she tries to find a valid excuse as to why he killed those women, she finds that there was no good intentions in his mind, yet she still sticks by Raskolnikov’s side. This response leaves the reader wondering whether Sonia is doing this to help a lost soul and play her role as a saintly liberator or does her love blind her and is she simply not caring that what Raskolnikov committed was murder. However, even though the last part of the book depicts Sonia as an accomplice to a morally wrong crime, the epilogue illustrates her as a saintly liberator. In Siberia, the image which she carried back in part one and part two of the book are stripped and she is loved by the prisoners in the camp. They even called her â€Å"little mother Sofya Semyonovna†(538), and although it is clearly stated that Sonia herself did nothing special to be liked, their preference for her depicts that they sensed her moral â€Å"goodness. † Without direct statement, Sonia herself was the reason why Raskolnikov felt in some way his religious reawakening. Through her unconditional love, she and her role made this â€Å"story of a gradual renewal of a man† (542) happen. Dostoevsky theme of religion was carried on and developed by Sonia’s character through her moral ambiguity. Though her character appears to be immoral in several cases, in the epilogue the reader sees how it all comes together and how Doestoevsky uses Sonya illustrates important social and political issues that were of concern to him, such as the treatment of women, the effects of poverty, the importance of religious faith, and the importance of devotion to family.

Sargon of Akkad

Sargon of Akkad And the Dawn of an Empire Sargon of Akkad, also known as Sargon the Great, was an Akkadian emperor who is famously known for his victories and rule over the city-states of Sumer in the 24th and 23rd centuries. He is referred to as one of the greatest rulers of Mesopotamia and he is accredited for the creation of the world’s first major empire (Time-Life 17). He is also referred to as the founder of Mesopotamian military tradition. The story of his birth is what some refer to as a legend. The story of his birth is somewhat like the story of Moses in the book of Exodus. The baby Sargon was put in a reed basket by his mother covered with bitumen to protect him and sent down the Euphrates. Later the baby was adopted by Aqqi, the water drawer, and raised him as his own. His father remained unknown but some have reason to believe through surviving fragments that his father’s name was La’ibum. After Aqqi raises him as his son the story becomes a little unclear, other than the one story of Sargon and Ur-Zababa. Ur-Zababa, king of Kish, awakens after a dream, the contents of which are not revealed on the left over portion of the tablet. For unknown reasons, Ur-Zababa appoints Sargon as his cupbearer. Soon after this, Ur-Zababa Marth invites Sargon to his chambers to discuss a dream of Sargon's, involving the favor of the goddess Inanna and the drowning of Ur-Zababa by the goddess. Obviously scared, Ur-Zababa orders Sargon murdered by the hands of Belis-tikal, the chief smith, but Inanna prevents it, demanding that Sargon stop at the gates because of his being â€Å"polluted with blood. When Sargon returns to Ur-Zababa, the king becomes frightened again, and decides to send Sargon to king Lugal-zage-si of Uruk with a message on a clay tablet asking him to slay Sargon. This where the legend more less cuts off but I am guessing it leads the story of him becoming king (Cooper 67-82). This leads us to the start of one of the greatest empires ever created. The Akkadians were a Semitic people livi ng on the Arabic peninsula during the great flourishing period of the Sumerian city-states. Although we don't know much about early Akkadian history and culture, we do know that as the Akkadians migrated north, they came in increasing conflict with the Sumerian city-states, and in 2340 BC, the great Akkadian military leader, Sargon, conquered Sumer and built an Akkadian empire stretching over most of the Sumerian city-states and extending as far away as Lebanon. Sargon based his empire in the city of Agade, or Akkad as it is referred to, which became the basis of the name of his people. What is believed to have started the rage for rule by Sargon is a man named Lugalzagesi, ruler of Umma, who referred to his self as â€Å"Ruler of Sumer† and would use force with the neighboring city-states. He conquered Kish and killed Ur-Zababa, and then went on to conquer the neighboring city-states. Sargon’s motivation for what happened afterward may have been revenge, but either way, he raised an army and launched a surprise attack against the city-state of Erech, occupied by Lugalzagesi’s forces. He managed to defeat the garrison, as well as a force led by fifty kings loyal to Lugalzagesi. When Lugalzagesi returned and found Sargon had taken Erech, he immediately took to the field, and was defeated. Sargon proved to be a brilliant military tactician. After the battle, Sargon paraded the former king through the streets of Nippur, where the people spat on him in disgust. Sargon then went south, taking the city-states of Ur, Lagash, and Umma – Lugalzagesi’s former city, consolidating his hold on southern Sumer. Afterwards, he proceeded west, then slowly moved north, gaining more and more territory until he created an empire that spanned from the Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. There is a story of how Sargon washed his sword in the waters of the Persian Gulf to prove how he ruled from one coast to the other(Oppenheim 276). Also, there is evidence that Sargon may have sent armies even further, to places like Egypt, Ethiopia, and India in order to expand his empire even more. After he finished his campaign, he positioned garrisons at strategic locations throughout his possessions to stop any uprisings. It is important to note that many did not like having a Semite as their leader, especially one that had conquered them by force, so resentment ran high. In addition, Sargon appointed fellow Semites to positions of authority in order to ensure loyalty. His home, Akkad, became the greatest city-state in the coming years (Kramer 66). Sargon made inscriptions inside the temples in his conquered cities that detailed his exploits, and they were more accurate than the over exaggerated stories that where told after the events. You can see all the recorded events on the map in the back with every star showing you where a battle was won. It will also give you a sense of the amazing size of the Akkadian empire. It is remarkable that an empire of this size actually had the army to hold it down and an advanced mail system that would send messengers from one end to the other. The man was a true military tactician planning out every battle and naming people he knew he could trust to maintain his city-states. They were not lying when they refer to him as Sargon the Great. Unfortunately greatness does not last forever. Sargon of Akkad died Sargon died, according to the short chronology, around 2215 BC. His empire immediately revolted upon hearing of the king's death. Most of the revolts were put down by his son and successor Rimush, who reigned for nine years and was followed by another of Sargon's sons, Manishtushu who reigned for 15 years. Sargon is the first individual in recorded history to create a multiethnic, centrally ruled empire, and his dynasty controlled Mesopotamia for around a century and a half. This is an insane accomplishment. This man and his empire have and will keep being referred to as one of the greatest empires of not only Mesopotamia, but the entire world. I am lucky to have researched him and I’m sure many others will in the future. Works Cited Cooper, Jerrold S. and Wolfgang Heimpel. â€Å"The Sumerian Sargon Legend. † Journal of the American Oriental Society, Vol. 103, No. 1, (Jan. -Mar. 1983). Kramer, Samuel Noah. The Sumerians: Their History, Culture, and Character. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1963. Print. Mesopotamia: the Mighty Kings. Alexandria, Va. : Time-Life, 1995. Print. Oppenheim, A. Leo, and Erica Reiner. Ancient Mesopotamia: Portrait of a Dead Civilization. Chicago: University of Chicago, 1977. Print.

A Critique Interpretation of the Behind the Beautiful Forevers

A Critique Interpretation of the Behind the Beautiful Forevers The Accident of Birth One’s birthplace can disproportionately influence one’s quality of life. Where per capita income is low and public education not as ubiquitous as in most of the first world, people often experience oppressive limits in terms of their economic opportunities. In India, the cultural remnants of their caste system as well as a general lack of social equality present nearly insurmountable barriers to those who are impoverished. Many Indian families, such as those seen in Behind the Beautiful Forevers, often spend generations with little to no improvement in their quality of life. The people that populate slums like Annawadi are usually victims of the accident of birth, meaning that they were born into poverty. However, although one’s birth determines their economic opportunity, it is worth noting that the accident of birth can have an aggregate effect when already resource-strained societies continue to increase population. In Behind the Beautiful Forevers, it is shown that everyone in Annawadi is aware of the three main ways to get out of poverty (Boo 62). One can find an entrepreneurial niche and thus generate income for oneself, thus elevating one’s standard of living (62). One can also try to fight back against the corrupt system that tries to keep the masses impoverished for their own benefit (62). However, many people look to education as a means of elevating themselves from poverty (62). Each of these methods presents its own advantages and disadvantages, and each method is often very difficult for various reasons. Finding an entrepreneurial niche is often cited as a method for getting out of poverty. For example, the Husains were able to use the skills that their family had accumulated over generations to have better-than-average success as scavengers for recyclable materials (62). However, without any kind of financial education, and without access to capital, it is often insurmountably difficult to realize any kind of entrepreneurial activity, in particular when the ultimate goal is to operate a business in these low-income regions. Additionally, because of the lack of financial expertise, many of these people may end up running nearly identical businesses and competing with each other often to a destructive degree. This is exemplified by the extraordinary number of scavengers living in Annawadi and other slums constantly fighting over dumpsters like street gangs. This is also a function of population, which brings up the aforementioned issue of high birth rates. Working with a corrupt system can often provide a framework for an eventual legitimate ascent into the middle or upper class. For an example, we can look at Asha, who is the unofficial slumlord of Annawadi (17). One of her main sources of income is securing loans for residents of Annawadi, supposedly to jump-start businesses (24). However, she takes money from the loans as commission (25). In this scenario, the theft might not be considered corruption if the circumstances were normal. However, the loans are meant for small businesses and given out based on how many jobs the new business will create (24). Because Asha’s only stake in the loan is the commission, she does not care whether the business will create jobs, or even if there is a business. This myopic self-interest is bad for the economy of Mumbai because the borrowed government funds may not be repaid, and thus government money will have been wasted. Asha is not only a de facto broker of government loans. She also provides residents with access to education or jobs, usually for a fee as well (21). With the money she had aggregated from these corrupt activities, Asha was able to send her daughter, Manju, to a reputable school so that she could be educated and lead a productive life. Through this investment in human capital, Asha will hopefully elevate her entire family’s standard of living. In keeping with the theme of birth rates, it is worth noting that Manju is an only child. Education and vocational training are perhaps the most common way for one to elevate one’s standard of living. In general, the people that are impoverished are low-skilled or semi-skilled laborers. The fact that they are not necessarily trained in anything unique or sophisticated is what prevents them from finding gainful employment. This diminished opportunity for employment is derived from having a lesser skillset than someone who is more educated. Since they are unable to seek gainful employment, they are often unable to send their children to the same schools that they themselves were unable to afford, and the cycle continues. One of the main problems in Annawadi is that there is very little public access to education. Additionally, the public schools that are available are generally of poor quality. For example, of the public schools that are available, only about 40% of the educators even have a college education themselves (63). Furthermore, the schools generally have access to minimal public funding. This can be attributed to the fact that these schools are often the result of corrupt attempts to maintain an image rather than any truly altruistic attempt to educate the people (63). In this society, the overarching corruption has subsumed the mission of education and investment in human capital. Adding to the issue, a society with a quickly increasing population will make it more difficult to benefit from the pedagogical institutions because of increased pressure on resources. Large class sizes are proven to reduce the overall quality of education, but this is particularly true in environments where resources are already strained. For instance, it is highly improbable that there are any textbooks or workbooks available to students in the public schools of Annawadi. Therefore, although there are schools available, they do not necessarily provide the benefits one might imagine. This indicates that increasing access to education is likely not the sole solution to poverty. In places like India that have a historical caste system with social effects that persist, often none of these aforementioned methods will improve one’s employment prospects. Their low caste may decrease access to education and employment to begin with. Additionally, attempts to include historically low-caste people into jobs and governments are often circumvented by corruption. For example, a man named Subhash Sawant, running for the role of Corporator, was not a member of a historically low-caste lineage (51). However, he was able to manufacture the paperwork that said so and he was able to enter and win the election (51). This instance of fraud entitled him to a position meant for historically oppressed Indians. High levels of corruption will prevent even the noblest attempts to include oppressed peoples in the governance and economic activity of a society from achieving any significant result. Those that are in positions of power, without just governance, will simply continue to manipulate the system to keep their power. This means that attempts by the government to create opportunities for the existing population without changing the overall system of government cannot be the sole solution to poverty. Because there is very little ability to educate one’s children and thereby improve the economic value of said child, it is very common for families to have multiple children, voluntarily or otherwise. This is because these children will each earn income in any way that they can. And, since the families have no substantial income, they end up spending little if anything on their children. Ergo, the marginal benefit of an additional child usually outweighs the marginal cost. Furthermore, high mortality rates make it difficult to know exactly how many children one will have even one year in the future, so families make it a practice to have many, which can be thought of as a sort of income insurance. A consequence of high reproduction is perpetually increased competition for resources. Things like water and food become increasingly difficult to access over time if the population continues to grow with no economic improvement. For example, in all of Annawadi there were six faucets that would run water for a total of only three hours per day (53). As competition for resources increases, so do malnourishment and dehydration. These conditions can lead to increased health problems, and often can lead to obvious deficiencies like stunting the growth of a child or teenager (35). People often turn to alternative means to satisfy hunger when food is not available, like smoking the remains of a cigarette, or other cheap ways to achieve a drug high that eases the pain of hunger (35, 43). Since so much time is spent in the pursuit of these resources, it is no wonder that they are unable to focus on things like education or entrepreneurship. The accident of birth is often thought of as the idea that one is born into poverty. However, the implications of many accidents of birth can be appreciated as an aggregate phenomenon as well. Often, people born in impoverished areas are in poverty because everyone else around them was born into poverty. High birth rates are common in underdeveloped regions of the world, often because the act of human reproduction is quite desirable, even under circumstances where the addition of children to a family is unfavorable, as in Abdul’s family in the book (2). This is largely because these families are not capable of investing in human capital through education or vocational training. Ergo, having a child adds to the income potential of a family. Once these new people are born, they have individual needs to which society must attend. Also, these new children often end up in socially destructive behavior cycles identical to those of their parents and relatives. This will increase stress on society’s resources. Ergo, the accident of birth must not only be thought of as an individual’s circumstances of poverty, but also as an aggregate phenomenon of exponential population increase in already adverse circumstances, exacerbating the existing social and economic problems. In conclusion, the place in which one is born can disproportionately influence one’s quality of life and economic opportunity. However, this is not solely a phenomenon related to the chances of an individual. The accident of birth is a situation in which high birth rates in underdeveloped areas of the world decrease opportunity for all by continuously putting stress on what little resources are available. This stress perpetually pushes the impoverished further below the poverty line. This issue will continue to be a problem for as long as people do not have access to reasonably priced methods of contraception in the developing world.

What Was the Connection Between Globalisation And the 'Third Wave of Essay

What Was the Connection Between Globalisation And the 'Third Wave of Democracy' - Essay Example This essay declares that globalization increases the potential mobility of financial capital, real investments, goods and services, and to a more limited extent, highly skilled labour. He argued that consequently, mobile economic actors are better able to avoid undesirable state regulations, or to profit from ones that are more advantageous. Thus, he said that â€Å"to the extent that countries depend on these actors, or on the resources they control, they are forced into a competition for locational advantage that has all the characteristics of a Prisoner’s Dilemma game, and that reduces the capacity of the territorial state to shape the conditions under which capitalist economies must operate. This paper makes a conclusion that the relations between them is complex, hence one could not be taken lightly hence it could not simply be said the globalization promotes democracy. As we have seen globalization could restrict nations dream for autonomy as democratic institutions. This must not be surprising as what could be observed of democracies returning to authoritarianism. What then is the relation between the two is governing by old contradictions between economic and politics. Since they politics and economics belong to different fields, so are globalization and democratization. These could not just be put together as one to influencing the other without really conducting further studies

Group reference Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Group reference - Essay Example Social networking is also a very large method for companies to promote their products since people in group-oriented cultures value the wisdom that social networking sites and blogs can provide. It is an effective method of promoting word of mouth since Chapter 11 described this as a very important element of changing or improving buyer behavior. It has influence on 2/3 of all sales and therefore should be recognized as providing excellent marketing and advertising opportunities for many businesses in the UAE. The Internet is widely used in this country and provides a forum for success. When comparing the readings from the two chapters about social stratification and buyer behavior related to reference groups, Carrefour and Lulu hypermarkets have mixed results in terms of self-promotion and the forums where they advertise. Ameinfo.com (2000) identifies that these firms are often reluctant to address different media sources about their business strategies and success. This makes it di fficult to predict the type of strategic focus that these hypermarkets have and how they will change buyer attitudes especially when they are seeking information from knowledge sources of power. The UAE has very group-oriented values and therefore rely on reference groups to help them make product decisions. Unlike other countries such as the United States and the UK that actively use media press releases to promote their products and business strategies, these hypermarkets are not taking advantage of the word of mouth potential that such media sources provide. Therefore, in the UAE, in relation to the hypermarket concept stores, certain social classes must rely on their own experiences to decide whether to continue to patronize the stores. This is a limitation for the hypermarkets in many ways for not taking advantage of the advantages of media sources. At the same time, the social class status of buyers is mixed in the UAE and makes it difficult to target them. There are four dist inct social classes of buyers in the UAE: Those with immense wealth and political power, the business class, the middle class with moderate income levels, and lower-income households who work in service industries (Omair, 2010, p.123). With such a mixed variety of consumers, it would be necessary to understand whether social mobility is occurring through infrastructure development or jobs creation to determine whether buying attitudes and behaviors would change over the long-term. This again makes it difficult for the hypermarkets to promote their products effectively and develop a long-term strategy for marketing success. The UAE is also experiencing a recession much like the rest of the globe and global commodity prices are increasing. To combat this, the UAE is fixing the prices at the political level for different food products and other household products as a short-term strategy to prevent inflation (a1saudiarabia.com, 2011). This is going to impact the buying behavior of many different social classes at a time when value and pricing are considerable motivators for buying behavior. These efforts are being done in an environment that will directly impact the hypermarket stores of Carrefour and Lulu since this is the bulk of their total product variety. Pricing will definitely

Critical Thinking Argument Paper Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Critical Thinking Argument Paper - Assignment Example Age has never been an indicator of a person’s ability to produce results. While at the workplace, employees should be assessed basing on their capability to produce results but not on their age. There is no logic in an argument suggesting that, if the elderly are employed, the younger generation would lack the opportunity to work in organizations. In fact such a view is an argument in fallacy. Workplace principles demand that each and every employee should be treated fairly at his/her place of work. The elderly employees at the workplace have the right to employment just like the young. The principles of nondiscrimination at the place of work, therefore, form basic components of the human rights. Such rights should only be ignored if there is proof that continued employment of a particular person results in no significant benefit for the organization he/she works for. In order to fulfill the provisions in the principles that govern workplace discipline, an aged person may be replaced by a younger person only when the aged lacks the manual strength or concentration to effectively perform his/her roles. Discriminatory practices at the workplace affect the economy negatively regardless of the specific gains that may be realized by an organization that engages in such discrimination. Discrimination may result in relevant skills being disposed off. Such disposal may result in losing skills that would have contributed uniquely to the success of the organization. Some aged workers may have a great experience in the running of matters at the workplace which may not be the case with the young employees. In such situations age discrimination may result in organizations incurring economic losses. This in turn results in jobs being matched to workers in an inefficient manner and thus wastage of talents. The participation of the elderly in activities at the workplace results in correct matching of jobs with workers