Womens Status in Mid 19th-Century England free essay sample

It takes a considerable leap of the imagination for a woman of the 21st century to realise what her life would have been like had she been born 150 years ago. We take for granted nowadays that almost any woman can have a career if she applies herself. We take for granted that women can choose whether or not to marry, and whether or not to have children, and how many, Women of the mid-19th century had no such choices. Most lived in a state little better than slavery. They had to obey men, because in most cases men held all the resources and women had no independent means of subsistence. A wealthy widow or spinster was a lucky exception. A woman who remained single would attract social disapproval and pity. She could not have children or cohabit with a man: the social penalites were simply too high. Nor could she follow a profession, since they were all closed to women. We will write a custom essay sample on Womens Status in Mid 19th-Century England or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Girls received less education than boys, were barred from universities, and could obtain only low-paid jobs. Womens sole purpose was to marry and reproduce. At mid-century women outnumbered men by 360,000 (9. 14m and 8. 78m) and thirty percent of women over 20 were unmarried. In the colonies men were in the majority, and spinsters were encouraged to emigrate. Most women had little choice but to marry and upon doing so everything they owned, inherited and earned automatically belonged to their husband. This meant that if an offence or felony was committed against her, only her husband could prosecute. Furthermore, rights to the woman personally that is, access to her body were his. Not only was this assured by law, but the woman herself agreed to it verbally: written into the marriage ceremony was a vow to obey her husband, which every woman had to swear before God as well as earthly witnesses. Not until the late 20th century did women obtain the right to omit that promise from their wedding vows. In 1890, Florence Fenwick Miller (1854-1935), a midwife turned journalist, described womans position succinctly: Under exclusively man-made laws women have been reduced to the most abject condition of legal slavery in which it is possible for human beings to be held under the arbitrary domination of anothers will, and dependent for decent treatment exclusively on the goodness of heart of the individual master. (From a speech to the National Liberal Club) Every man had the right to force his wife into sex and childbirth. He could take her children without reason and send them to be raised elsewhere. He could spend his wifes inheritance on a mistress or on prostitutes. Sometime, somewhere, all these things and a great many more happened. To give but one example, Susannah Palmer escaped from her adulterous husband in 1869 after suffering many years of brutal beatings, and made a new life. She worked, saved, and created a new home for her children. Her husband found her, stripped her of all her possessions and left her destitute, with the blessing of the law. In a fury she stabbed him, and was immediately prosecuted. If a woman was unhappy with her situation there was, almost without exception, nothing she could do about it. Except in extremely rare cases, a woman could not obtain a divorce and, until 1891, if she ran away from an intolerable marriage the police could capture and return her, and her husband could imprison her. All this was sanctioned by church, law, custom, history, and approved of by society in general. Nor was it the result of ancient, outdated laws: the new (1857) divorce act restated the moral inequality. Mere adultery was not grounds for a woman to divorce a man; however, it was sufficient grounds for a man to divorce his wife. Signs of rebellion were swiftly crushed by fathers, husbands, even brothers. Judge William Blackstone had announced that husbands could administer moderate correction to disobedient wives, and there were other means: as late as 1895, Edith Lanchesters father had her kidnapped and committed to a lunatic asylum for cohabiting with a man. As a Marxist and feminist, she was morally and politically opposed to marriage. Among the rich, family wealth automatically passed down the male line; if a daughter got anything it was a small percentage. Only if she had no brothers, came from a very wealthy family, and remained unmarried, could a woman become independent. A very wealthy woman might make a premarital agreement for her wealth to be held in a trust fund, but in the majority of cases marriage stripped a woman of all her assets and handed them to her husband. Fitting in rather uncomfortably, even hypocritically, with this state of affairs was the concept of woman as a goddess placed on a pedestal and worshipped. This contradiction has been described admirably by R. J. Cruikshank. The Victorians, who tackled many big problems successfully, made a fearful hash of the problem of woman. Their moral dualism, their besetting weakness of dreaming of one thing and doing another, might be amusing in architecture or painting, but it involved endless cruelty towards flesh and blood. Woman in the abstract was as radiant as an angel, as dainty as a fairy she was a picture on the wall, a statue in a temple, a being whose physical processes were an inscrutable mystery. She was wrapped by the Victorians in folds on folds, and layers on layers of clothes, as though she were a Hindu idol. She was hidden in the mysteries of petticoats; her natural lines were hidden behind a barricade of hoops and stays; her dress throughout the century emphasised her divorce from reality. She was a daughter of the gods divinely fair and most divinely tall; she was queen rose of the rose-bud garden of girls; she was Helen, Beatrice, the Blessed Damozel, the Lady of Shalott. A romanticism as feverish as that could only bring unhappiness to its objects. From reading Victorian novels and watching television costume dramas it is easy to forget that the vast majority of women were working class. Born without a penny, they began work between the ages of about 8 to 12 and continued until marriage. A womans fate thereafter depended on her husband. If he earned enough to support her she would usually cease work, otherwise she worked all her life, taking short breaks to give birth. Anything she earned belonged to him. Barred from all well-paid work women were forced into a very small range of occupations. Half were in domestic service and most of the rest were unskilled factory hands or agricultural labourers. Almost the only skilled work for women was in the bespoke clothing trade, but even that was ill-paid and low-status. Seamstresses became a cause celebre in the 1840s. Prostitution was rife in Victorian England, the majority being casual, resorted to only when there was no alternative. Without the safety-net of a welfare system and with all wealth in the hands of men, it was to individual men that women were forced to turn and to sell themselves when desperate for subsistence. Womens clothing symbolised their constricted lives. Tight lacing into corsets and cumbersome multiple layers of skirts which dragged on the ground impeded womens freedom of movement. Between 1856 and 1878, among the wealthy, the cage crinoline was popular as it replaced the many layers of petticoats, but it was cumbersome and humiliating. Sitting down, the cage rode up embarrassingly at the front. The skirts were so wide that many women died engulfed in flames after the material caught fire from an open grate or candle. In 1851 Elizabeth Miller designed a rational costume in the U. S. which was publicized by Amelia Bloomer. It consisted of a jacket and knee-length skirt worn over Turkish-style trousers. It was regarded as immodest and unfeminine and was greeted with horror and disdain, despite its obvious utility. A presentation was given in Hastings, with the speaker Miss Atkins dressed in one of the Bloomer outfits. Women were indoctrinated from birth to accept their lowly status and yet many did rebel, and some analysed, criticised, and published books on womens situation. An excellent review of these can be found in Dale Spenders Women of Ideas (Pandora 1982). During the early to mid-nineteenth century the social order was being challenged and a new philosophy was emerging, imbued with ideals of liberty, personal freedom, and legal reform. Black slavery was being criticised and challenged, and was abolished, and working class men demanded that the right to vote be given to them and not just to a few thousand landed gentry. It was in this climate that women like Barbara Leigh Smith began to think that women, too, deserved to be emancipated from their enslaved status.

Strategic Development of Apple Corporation

Strategic Development of Apple Corporation Executive Summary This paper dwells upon strategic development of Apple and contains certain recommendation on implementation of the most appropriate strategy. The company is famous for its innovative approach and high quality of products and services provided.Advertising We will write a custom term paper sample on Strategic Development of Apple Corporation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, the corporation holds quite a small market share and some researchers note that the company should expand. Researchers refer to growth of such markets as South America and Asia. It is stressed that Apple could benefit from producing products for millions of potential customers at lower prices to make Apple products more available. Nonetheless, this approach is unlikely to be effective as it may lead to loss of the market share Apple has now. Appearance of Apple in the market of low-priced consumer electronics will make it develop new strate gies to remain competitive in the market where Asian (Chinese and Indian) companies produce very cheap products. Therefore, the company has to focus on innovations. The present evaluation is based on secondary research. Works on Apple’s strategic development are analyzed and certain recommendations on how to improve the strategy used are provided. The present research may lack for data on the company’s expenditures but available information on Apple’s revenues illustrates effectiveness of the strategy employed.. Recommendations provided include the following. The new strategy should be comprehensive and involve research, innovation, quality and social responsibility. The company has to produce really innovative products which would shape and redefine the market. The use of green technology and contributing to development of communities will enable the company maintain its favorable image among its customers. Introduction Apple is one of the most successful compa nies and it is famous for its effective strategic development. The corporation managed to remain one of the leading producers of consumer electronics and software even after the recession and financial crisis of 2008. It is necessary to note that the company has to operate in one of the most competitive markets, the market of consumer electronics. This industry is booming and companies all over the world are trying to enter it and occupy certain niche. It is noteworthy that Apple is facing hard competition on the part of Asian companies that produce cheaper devices with similar options. At present, Apple again has to choose an appropriate strategy.Advertising Looking for term paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More However, before going into detail on the strategic development, it is important to mention major peculiarities of the company, its history and market. Apple announced that its revenue for second quarter of 2014 (ended in March) was $45.6 billion (Apple reports, 2014). The company is growing and its profits are increasing accordingly. Apple is famous for its â€Å"impressive† products: iPad, iPod nano, iPhone, Apple TV, iPod touch, MacBook, MacMini and so on (Hitt, Ireland Hoskisson, 2012, p. 16). The company started in 1976 as a computer business and has provided innovative products, which is regarded as one of its strategies and advantages. In 2003, Steve Jobs, a charismatic leader, introduced one of Apple’s products iTunes Online Music Store as a â€Å"turning point for the music industry† and â€Å"landmark stuff† which could not be overestimated (Hitt et al., 2012, p. 16). Jobs was right as it was a great success. It is noteworthy that the company had an inspiring leader who set the major strategic path for the business. After Jobs, Apple still has really effective leaders: Tim Cook, Craig Federighi and Jony Ive. These executives share Jobs’ vision and keep focusing on their high end share of the market. Apple is a globally operating company with over 50,000 employees and it has a vertical structure (Daft, 2014). Admittedly, it is difficult to have a horizontal structure for a global business. It is also important to note that the market of consumer electronics is very competitive. Thus, Apple’s iPhone has to compete with products of such companies as Samsung Electronics, Motorola, Nokia. As far as computing and software is concerned, the company has such competitions as Google, Microsoft, Micromax (India) and Xiaomi (China) (Grobart, 2013). It is necessary to add that the market of smartphones is quite saturated with cheap products produced in Asia. Worstall (2013) stresses that a phone at $700 is unlikely to compete with a smartphone sold for $200 and $300 especially in such markets as China, India, Brazil and Russia. Therefore, researchers see two major strategies applicable for Apple.Adver tising We will write a custom term paper sample on Strategic Development of Apple Corporation specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Strategic Issues These strategies are concerned with the choice of the market share for the company. At present, Apply occupies quite a small share of the market. Apple’s products are seen as luxury and exclusive devices and services. The use of these products suggests that the user pertains to a specific group of privileges consumers (or simply lives in a developed country with strong economy). As Cook puts it, â€Å"There is always a large junk part of the market† (as cited in Grobart, 2013). Leaders of Apple tend to remain in their niche and do not think about expanding to larger markets. Nonetheless, some researchers see another option. They stress that Asian, South American and Russian markets are becoming a target for many companies. For instance, Worstall (2013) stresses that the potentia l of consumer electronics BRIC region (which includes Brazil, Russia, India and China) is increasing and people are more willing to by app-capable devices. Admittedly, people living in the area will not pay $700 for a phone as they have numerous cheaper alternatives produced in China and India. Notably, Apple is capable of reducing some costs and providing cheaper products. Nonetheless, Apple can lose its status of a company providing exclusive products and services. At that, researchers emphasizes that even though the company can introduce cheaper products they will be still unable to compete with $100-200 devices. Brief Literature Review Innovation There are numerous ideas on strategic development and each company can choose the best option in accordance with its goals and values. Jaruzelski and Dehoff (2010) claim that Apple has always used a strategy of innovation. The researchers stress that Steve Jobs did not try to make the company’s products cheaper or more available to consumers as he wanted to make innovative things that could change the market and the world.Advertising Looking for term paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This strategy made the company one of the leaders in the global market and many companies are trying to keep up with standards set by Apple. Jaruzelski and Dehoff (2010) consider experience of successful companies operating in different markets and infer that the strategy of innovation is winning in the contemporary business world. Heracleous (2013) calls the strategy used by Apple the Quantum Strategy. According to the researcher, it implies â€Å"the ability to balance intense efficiency in operations with outstanding serial innovation and addictive product design† which â€Å"command premium pricing and redefine markets† (Heracleous, 2013, p. 92). The researcher evaluates the strategy used and concludes that it is effective as the company remains the leader and has its small (but profitable) market share. Importantly, the researcher stresses that this strategy enables Apple (as well as other companies using the same strategy) are able to set trends and standards and , as a result, they are one step forward. Davis and Olson (2008) also emphasize effectiveness of such way of development and notes that most successful companies employ the strategy of innovation. The researchers also add that it can be difficult to utilize this strategy as it needs significant funds especially when it comes to RD department. Nonetheless, the innovative approach helps companies achieve high results as well. Other Components of Success It is noteworthy that apart from innovation, researchers acknowledge that operational excellence is also central to the company’s success. Sharma (2012) argues that Jobs inspiring vision and focus on innovations could not ensure Apple’s success which was achieved by a combination of innovative approaches and operational excellence. According to the researcher, the company is successful as high quality and precision are major values shared by employees. Loads of companies choose this strategy and focus on quality and its i mage. They are valued for these characteristics and customers eagerly buy their products. Clearly, this approach is appropriate for many industries but consumer electronics is not one of these spheres. This industry is evolving rapidly and a company which fails to introduce new products often loses its customers. Jaruzelski, Loehr and Holman (2011) also mention the importance of an effective culture. Apple is famous for its culture based on principles of innovation attention to details, excellence and responsibility. The authors note that culture is a key to successful implementation of innovative strategies. The researchers stress that culture is a set of principles all employees follow. Employees of Apple share company’s values and the corporation manages to come up with new products periodically. Analysis of the Strategic Issue Winning a Larger Market Share As has been mentioned above Apple is facing a strategic issue. The company is growing and entering new markets as exp ansion is one of the most effective ways any successful company chooses (Thompson, Peteraf, Gamble Strickland, 2012). It is possible to expan in a number of ways. For such global corporation as Apple entering new markets is beneficial. Apple is already operating in developing countries but still occupies rather small market share. To ensure profitability and growing revenue, the company may choose to introduce cheap devices and occupy a larger market share. As has been mentioned above, many companies choose this approach in order to obtain millions of new customers in such regions as South America, Asia and Russia where vast majority of people cannot afford expensive products. The choice of this strategy will lead to sub-issues such as reducing costs and marketing new products. Thus, Apple will have to invest into development of cheaper models of existing devices or new cheap devices. Thus, RD costs will increase but there are chances that it will be impossible to reduce the price of existing products or new products to $100-200. More so, products at such prices will hardly differ from those provided by other companies (in China or India). Furthermore, development of cheaper products may extrude attempts to produce innovative products and services. There are chances that Apple will lose its status of a producers of innovative and luxury electronics and will lose its value. It will inevitably become one of many companies producing affordable products and will have to compete with a variety of other producers. The company’s marketing managers will have to come up with a wide advertising campaign and a marketing strategy to introduce new cheaper products. The company will have to make people know that Apple products have become more affordable. The use of this strategy will also require the change in the company’s corporate culture. The company has focused on innovation and exclusiveness. These values are inappropriate for a company that aims to ge t a larger market share and sell more affordable devices. Admittedly, all these changes need additional investment. All in all, this strategy is associated with too many risks and doubtful benefits. A larger market share will enable the corporation to increase its revenue due to sales volumes. Nonetheless, low prices of products and services will not lead to significant increase in profits. More so, the company risks entering a market with significant competition and, at the same time, lose its advantageous competitiveness. Therefore, this strategy is unlikely to be successful and should not be implemented. Holding the Same Market Share Another option is to stick to old strategies. Thus, Apple may hold its market share and remain a global producer of innovative and exclusive products. This strategy was already checked twice during severe crises within the company (Sharma, 2012). Adherence to the old strategy will involve significant investment into RD as the corporation will focus o n producing new innovative products. However, this investment will lead to increase in revenue as Apple’s customers are eager to buy from the company as they get something more than a device. They get a sense of being a part of a community of people who value innovation and quality (and those who can afford it). Marketing of new products will also need additional investment. People should know about novelties. However, this advertising is likely to be successful as customers will learn about a new innovative product which they will want to purchase. It is noteworthy that the company’s culture will not be changed and such values as quality, innovation and responsibility will be promoted. Admittedly, effective culture often translates into success. Discussion Methods Used The present assessment is based on the secondary research. Works on strategic development of Apple and its performance as well as data available on the official website are analyzed. Evaluation of the s trategy used is based on analysis of its effectiveness. It is possible to note that the use of this methodology can be associated with certain limitations. Hence, such research may lack for data on the company’s expenditures (especially when it comes to RD) as the works used contain information on revenues rather than losses. Nonetheless, the corporation’s revenues suggest that the strategy which is being used is effective and there is no need to choose another path. Though, it is possible to highlight some spheres in Apple’s strategic development which may need improvement. Research It is necessary to note that the company’s leaders emphasize their adherence to their old strategy of innovation. They do not intend to try to compete with low-priced products in emerging markets. The company’s CEO argues, â€Å"We are not in the junk business† (as cited Grobart, 2013, n.p.). As has been mentioned above, this strategy has proved to be effective and, hence, it is no time to change it. Admittedly, the company is growing and its revenues increase, but it is essential to continue developing and innovating (Thompson et al., 2012). Therefore, the strategy should be based on the principle of innovation and precision. In the first place, the company should focus on development of a number of innovative products and services. It has been acknowledged that Steve Jobs always felt what would be successful among customers (Hitt et al., 2012). However, serious competition requires more specific data than senses or beliefs. Thus, the company needs to invest into marketing research. It is essential to understand what customers expect and what exactly they need when they are buying this or that device. It can be beneficial to find out what customers value in Apple products and services. It is possible to implement an internal research but it is better to address a marketing research company which can provide information on the global marke t rather than a particular country. RD Apple’s RD department is very effective as it has come up with a variety of innovative devices. Nonetheless, it is possible to invest into further development of the department. The company employs more than 50,000 people worldwide and it can be a good strategy to launch a wide training campaign. Employees from different countries have to participate in mutual projects. Employees from abroad can travel to the USA and work on major projects. This can facilitate development of the company’s RD. The company has had certain criticism on development of different models which do not differ significantly from previous ones. Thus, Daft (2014) notes that it is difficult to come up with innovative products and companies often try to modify products which have already become hits. However, extensive modification will lead to customers’ tiredness and dissatisfaction. It is important to introduce genuinely innovative products as well as services as this will attract new customers and will satisfy needs of loyal ones. Quality The strategic development of the company should also involve particular attention to the products’ quality. It is well-known that Steve Jobs â€Å"routinely† returned products to the laboratory and emphasized that â€Å"Apple must build the best products, period† (Hitt et al., 2012). This should be a motto for each employee and a part of the company’s culture. Quality control of the company has to be strict and no flaws can be allowed in products sold. This is one of advantageous peculiarities of the company and it is essential to maintain this image. Marketing As has been mentioned above, this strategy does not require excessive advertising. However, each new product has to be advertised through the Internet, TV and print sources. The focus of each advertisement should be innovative nature of the product. Existing and potential customers have to associate the compa ny with innovation and development. Social Responsibility Some companies focus on revenue or RD and fail to be socially responsible. Apple should remain a responsible corporation which contributes into development of communities. Development of new products has to be implemented with specific attention to environmental or social projects. The use of green technology also pertains to innovations and this is a beneficial direction for the company (Hitt et al., 20). Social responsibility of Apple is another advantage of the corporation and this should remain unchanged. Conclusion On balance, it is possible to state that Apple is now facing the need to choose whether the corporation tries to get a larger market share or remain in its niche and continues producing innovative products. Analysis of works on strategic development of the company suggests that Apple should adhere to its old strategy as it proved to be successful. It is associated with fewer risks and it is likely to keep the company in its leading position. The strategy should be comprehensive as it cannot be confined to a vague concept of innovation. Thus, the corporation will have to invest into RD and control departments to ensure that the products provided are innovative and high-quality. Apple will also have to pay attention to proper marketing of new products and it is essential to focus on such concepts as quality, innovation, exclusiveness and social responsibility. Finally, the company has to be involved in a variety of social and environmental projects. The use of green technologies and contributing to development of communities (especially in regions where the company operates) should also be a part of strategic development of Apple. The use of this strategy will enable the company to maintain its status of an innovative company which shapes people’s ideas on electronics, software and life. Reference List Apple reports second quarter results. (2014). Retrieved from apple.com/pr/library /2014/04/23Apple-Reports-Second-Quarter-Results.html Daft, R. (2014). The leadership experience. Stamford, CT: Cengage Learning. Davis, A., Olson, E.M. (2008). Critical competitive strategy issues every entrepreneur should consider before going into business. Business Horizons, 51(1), 211-221. Grobart, S. (2013, September 19). Apple chiefs discuss strategy, market share – and the new iPhones. Bloomberg Business week. Retrieved from businessweek.com/articles/2013-09-19/cook-ive-and-federighi-on-the-new-iphone-and-apples-once-and-future-strategy Heracleous, L. (2013). Quantum strategy at Apple Inc. Organizational Dynamics, 42(1), 92-99. Hitt, M., Ireland, R., Hoskisson, R. (2012). Strategic management cases: Competitiveness and globalization. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning. Jaruzelski, B., Dehoff, K. (2010). How the top innovators keep winning. The Global Innovation 1000, 61(1), 1-16. Retrieved from strategyand.pwc.com/media/file/Strategyand_Global_Innovation_1000_2010_How_Top_ Innovators_Keep_Winning.pdf Jaruzelski, B., Loehr, J., Holman, R. (2011). Why culture is key. The Global Innovation 1000, 65(1), 1-16. Retrieved from strategyand.pwc.com/media/file/Strategyand-Global-Innovation-1000-2011-Culture-Key.pdf Sharma, A. (2012). As Apple’s success attests, operational excellence isn’t everything, but it is essential. Strategic Vision. Retrieved from tbmcg.com.cn/misc_assets/newsletter/OpEx_0812_Apples_Success.pdf Thompson, A.A., Peteraf, M.A., Gamble, J.E., Strickland, A.J. (2012). Crafting and Executing Strategy. Boston, MA: McGraw Hill Publishers. Worstall, T. (2013, January 18). Apple’s basic strategic problem: Market share or profit margin? Forbes. Retrieved from forbes.com/sites/timworstall/2013/01/18/apples-basic-strategic-problem-market-share-or-profit-margin/

Leadrship Development and business Ethics Coursework - 1

Leadrship Development and business Ethics - Coursework Example Druyun later retired from her government position and joined Boeing. However, both Druyun and Sears were later fired for ethical misconduct based on the allegations from the US Department of Justice. When an internal probe into the ethical issues was conducted it was discovered that Druyun and Sears were involved in unethical activities and that the Boeing chairman Philip Condit was also involved in the discussions. With both Sears and Druyun pleading guilty of ethical misconduct they were both slapped with fines and respective terms of imprisonment. In another ethical issue, Boeing was accused of having accessed trade secrets of its competitor, Lockheed Martin and for which a former top executive was charged with ethical misconduct. Several other such ethical issues cropped up during the tenure of Condit. In one such case it was alleged that Boeing had manipulated its financial statements in order to clinch a merger with McDonnell Douglas. Another law-suit was filed by female employ ees of Boeing accusing the company of discrimination by lesser pay for the women employees and refusing their promotion. In addition the company was also accused of racial discrimination towards its employees especially African Americans. Condit was also known for his romantic liaisons with the female employees at Boeing. Later following two ethical scandals on the issue of bribes and sexual harassment, Condit resigned from his post of CEO which was then taken up by former President and Chief operating officer, Harry Stonecipher. Less than two years later Stonecipher had to resign his post due to an extramarital affair with a female Boeing employee that stood to violate the code of conduct of the company. Thus major ethical issues within the company involved CEOs who are expected to set and follow ethical standards. And most of the issues involved financials stakes and personal interests. While the

Reconstruction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Reconstruction - Essay Example This is regardless of passing of 13Th, 14Th and 15th amendments intended to grant Blacks more rights besides voting. For instance, Northerners during Lincoln’s regime felt the then incumbent president was extremely slow in effecting significant laws meant to make Blacks enjoy similar privileges like any other citizen. Therefore, they ended up pressuring the president though at his pace he was capable of seeing some plans towards Blacks’ freedom realized. However, Johnson who was his successor proved to be totally against Blacks’ freedom and the entire reconstruction process thus causing confusion besides making it less efficient. Therefore, Dubois was right when he termed efforts exhibited during reconstruction era intended to make Black men Americans citizens were â€Å"splendid failure† because racism, utter segregation and ill-treatment of Blacks continued to be the norm of the day. During then, Blacks unlike other people continued to experience utter i ll treatment from their white counterparts especially in the Southern regions. This was to the extent of not having legal protection against open vandalism subjected on them and eventually no actions put in place to bring those responsible to the book. According to New York Times, Blacks were â€Å"†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.quietly endeavoring to make arrangements to dispose of their property and emigrate to States where their persons will be secure against unprovoked assault, and where their property will be protected against vandalism† (â€Å"New York Times†). This is because somehow the government of the day contributed to Blacks’ woes especially during Johnson’s era who contrary to Lincoln exhibited little interest in ensuring they were safe. Therefore, Blacks opted to relocate to the regions where they would receive fair treatment as advocated by Northerners. Relocating in this case seemed as an effective solution to their woes because Blacks during then felt u nease to report to the legal authorities any incidences of injustice fearing intimidation and victimization. Hence, theirs was a completely losing battle especially in equaling whites because the government of the day favored only the latter. Reconstruction era despite the then authorities seeming to recognize Blacks’ presence and dignity, it was hard for them to enjoy same privileges as their white counterparts. This is especially during Johnson’s regime, which was extremely opposite of what Lincoln anticipated to implement though being slow to ensure Blacks’ safety. According to Special Field Orders there were â€Å"†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦400,000 acres along the Georgia and South Carolina coasts abandoned by white planters be confiscated and divided into 40 acre parcels (Mooney, 15).† Conversely, all these plans Johnson revoked them leading to immense loss of homes, crops and land besides making numerous dreams of freed slaves undergo â€Å"unexpected miscarria ge†. This incidence besides others and even hatred towards Blacks acted as sure prove African Americans during reconstruction epoch were not even near to be â€Å"true citizens†. Therefore, they were only in foreign state where the central regime pretended to care about them but in real sense openly exhibited the contrary though using laws to do so. This is evident in Litwack’s sentiments citing, â€Å"

Banking System in America Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Banking System in America - Essay Example In the United States of America, separate financial regulatory structures are in place to regulate the Insurance and financial securities aspects of the banking sector at the State and the Federal level and. these regulatory agencies are controlled by the Federal government in conjunction with the State governments. In the United States of America, there are laws that are enacted to prevent money laundering, anti-terrorism laws, laws that are meant to prevent usury lending, anti-fraud and privacy laws, and laws to promote lending of money to people with small incomes, all this fall under the banking sector. This paper discusses the performance of the banking industry in America. In effectively discussing this aspect, this paper will give the industrial characteristics of the banking sector in United States of America. It will review the pricing, efficiency and profitability of the banksin America as well as analyze environmental factors that drive the Banking sector in America and th ereafter access there impacts. This paper seeks to answer the following questions, What are the industrial characteristics of the Banking sector in United States of America? How efficient is the banking system in United States of America in providing services to its people? What are the environmental factors that influence the performance of the banking system in America and what are its implications? The banking system in America is regulated by The National Banking acts of 1863 and 1864 and they are responsible for the creation of the banking system in the United States of America and any other legislation created, needs to be in accordance to this laws. This act promoted the development of a currency that could be used all over the United States of America and it supported withholding of bank assets which includes financial securities offered by the treasury of the United States of America. The National Banking Act recognizes the office of the treasury regulator whose role is to control the value of the United States currency and ensure that banks don’t collude to manipulate the American currency, the dollar. Banks in United States of America are characterized by the notion of relationship banking. This characteristic of the United States Banking system is for the purposes of maintaining profitability . Relationship banking refers to a situation where banks provide financial services through an intermediary. In the United States of America, banks practice these aspects of financial system. The main aim of banks in applying the principles of relationship banking is to enable them acquire information about a client to be used in the long run. These aspects of banking is important because it reduces the cost of gathering information about a client through many transactions and the information gathered, banks can use them to introduce other services in the economy and finally through this system of relationship banking, banks and their clients build a re putation through constant financial interactions and therefore facilitates negotiations of low cost loans. The American banking system is also characterized by emergence of private banks. American banking system allows expansion of commercial banks opened by individuals or companies. This was made possible by the requirements of The National banking act of 1863 which allowed competition in the

PEST Country Analysis: Cuba

PEST Country Analysis: Cuba ACKNOWLEDGEMENT First and foremost I thank my teacher who has assigned this term paper to bring out my creative capabilities. I express my gratitude to my parents for being continuous source of encouragement and for all their financial aids given to me. I would like to acknowledge the assistance provided to me by the library staff of Lovely Professional University. At last my heartfelt gratitude to my friends for helping me to complete my work in time. BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT Country Origin Cuba is one of the largest islands in the Caribbean which was once inhabited by tribal people when Christopher Columbus visited the island during his first voyage. He discovered it and declared it as a territory of Spain 1762 this country was briefly held by Britain before being returned in exchange for Florida. A series of rebellions occurred during the 19th century which failed to end Spanish rule, but increased tensions between Spain and the United States, resulted in the Spanish-American War, finally led to Spanish withdrawal, and in 1902, Cuba gained formal independence. American trade dominated Cuba during the first half of the 20th century. It was helped by US government policy measures assuring influence over the island. In 1959, Dictator Fulgencio Batista was overthrown in a revolution led by Fidel Castro. Cuba-United States relations froze while the island showed its faith towards the Soviet Union, which kept its economy running in spite of being US against Cuba. After the dissolution of the east-west-confrontation Cuba remains as one of the only Communist countries in the world. Past business Cuban business has mainly revolved around United States Soviet Union. Before 1958 everything was allright between US and Cuba and trade was carrying smoothly between them.In March 1958, when an armed conflict broke out in Cuba between rebels and the Fulgencio Batista government an arms embargo has been in effect. In July 1960, in response to Cubas new revolutionary governments seizure of US properties, the United States reduced the Cuban import quota of brown sugar by 7,000,000 tons, under the Sugar Act of 1948; the Soviet Union responded by agreeing to purchase the sugar instead, as Cubas new government continued to take further actions to confiscate American businesses and privately owned property. In 1963, the 1963 U.S. embargo was reinforced in October 1992 by the Cuban Democracy Act (the Torricelli Law) and in 1996 by the Cuban Liberty and Democracy Solidarity Act (known as the Helms-Burton Act) which penalized foreign companies that did business in Cuba by preventing them from doing business in the US. The justification provided for these restrictions were that these companies were trafficking in stolen U.S. properties, and should, thus, be excluded from the United States. The European Union resented the Helms Burton Act because it felt that the US was dictating how other nations ought to conduct their trade and challenged it on that basis. The EU eventually dropped its challenge in favor of negotiating a solution. PEST Analysis (P)olitical factors Cuba is a communist state. The departments of the state and the Cuban Communist Party are closely connected and their power is mainly devolved from the Executive Committee of the Council of Ministers. Their National Assembly which has legislative e powers consists of 614 members. Their next elections for the provinces and nation are due in January 2012, the municipal elections in April 2010, even though there is only one legal party which is namely the Cuban Communist Party (PCC). The head of state and government of Cuba is Raà ºl Castro Ruz. (E)conomic factors The consumer prices, or inflation rate, rose by 3,4 % in 2008 which is, compared to other countries, an average figure, because they are number 47 on the world list. The Cuban labor force counts 4.962 million people of which 78% work in the state sector and 22% in the non-state sector. This figure scores them number 74 in comparison to the labor forces around the world. The unemployment rate is low compared to other countries as they only have 1,6 % jobless people and rank place 13 in the world. This rate even improved by 0,2 % from 2007 to 2008. The buying power, GDP per capita, of each Cuban was $9,500 in the year 2008. Compared to other countries they rank place 108 in the worlds list, but seeing that the values improved over the years from 2006 until 2008 by $1,000 per capita, their score is still positive. Cuba produces several agricultural products such as sugar, tobacco, citrus, coffee, rice,potatoes, beans and livestock. Main export goods are nickel, fish, citrus, coffee, tobacco products, sugar and its by-products and medicines. A 2008 estimate for their export of goods is $3.78 billion which makes them number 119 on the list of countries by exports. Their main export partners are China, Canada, Spain, the Netherlands and Iran. Goods that have to be imported are petroleum, food, machinery and equipment and chemicals. Their main import partners are Venezuela, China, Spain, Canada and the USA. (S)ociological factors Cuba has a population of estimated 11,451,652 people. The population grows by 0.233 % each year. 18,3 % of these people are between 0 and 14 years, 70,4 % are between 15 and 64 years old and 11,2 % are 65 years or older. Therefore the average age is 37,3 years. 65,1 % are white, 24,8 % are mulatto and mestizo and 10,1 % are black (2002 census). The most dominant religions are Roman Catholics and Protestants. Nearly the whole population is able to read and write (99,8 %) at the age of 15 which enables them to pursue a good education. The majority (76 %) of the population preferably lives in urban areas. (T)echnological factors Cuba is a recognized leading country in the field of biotechnology, but there are still sectors that lack development. Internet access is for example only provided by one provider at high costs which shows an inadequate telecommunications infrastructure. The information technology system in Cuba still has to be improved, because the profitable sectors such as tourism and biotechnology require good and continuously updated communication structures and instruments which are not sufficient at the moment. Castro sees that modern communication and computer networks are necessary for the economy and is willing to open new doors in order to make this possible. (Information technology in Cuba, 2009) Cuba World Economy In 2005 Cuba had exports of $2.4 billion, ranking 114 of 226 world countries, and imports of $6.9 billion, ranking 87 of 226 countries. Its major export partners are China 27.5%, Canada 26.9%, Netherlands 11.1%, Spain 4.7% (2007). Cubas major exports are sugar, nickel, tobacco, fish, medical products, citrus, and coffee; imports include food, fuel, clothing, and machinery. Cuba presently holds debt in an amount estimated to be $13 billion, approximately 38% of GDP. According to the Heritage Foundation, Cuba is dependent on credit accounts that rotate from country to country. Cuba holds 6.4% of the global market for nickel which constitutes about 25% of total Cuban exports. Recently, large reserves of oil have been found in the North Cuba Basin. BUSINESS CULTURE OF CUBA DRESS Dressing is quite informal in for both men and women, For men: Depending on the situation, a guayabera shirt with nice slacks may be as formal as it gets. Business casual for a warm climate should suffice. For women: A pair of pants and nice shirt should do. Skirts are fine as well. Jeans and business casual attire are generally acceptable. TITLES AND BUSINESS CARDS Titles are very important and it is best to address people directly by using their professional title (or Mr., Mrs., or Miss) followed by the surname. It is advisable, although not required, to have one side of your business card translated into Spanish. Present your business card with the Spanish side facing the recipient. There is no specific ritual surrounding the giving of business cards. MEETINGS Arriving on time for a meeting is important even though you may have to wait 30 minutes or more. There is usually 5-15 minutes of small talk before getting down to business. It is best to allow your host to begin the business discussion. It is considered acceptable to interrupt someone who is speaking. NEGOTIATIONS Cubans value relationship building and harmony so it is important to avoid hard selling, pressure tactics and any sort of conflict or confrontation. Decisions are made from the top down and can take sometime. GIFT GIVING Gifts are not brought to a first meeting. When giving gifts it is best to bring something very modest as anything else could be misconstrued. COMMUNICATION STYLE Cubans tend to be direct and some what louder than what the norm is in North America. GESTURES Cubans tend to speak very quickly and loudly. They use their hands and bodies for emphasis when speaking and tend to be emotionally expressive. Cubans will point by puckering their lips in the direction or person they are referring to. Wrinkling or scrunching up of your nose usually means, huh or what? Geert Hofstedes Model After seeing some of the business culture and countrys culture we can draw some conclusions based on the five dimensions of the above mentioned model. POWER DISTANCE As Cuba is a Communist country, it is expected to have higher power distance than other capitalist countries. Geert Hofstede has not conducted his survey in Cuba so there arent any scores regarding it. INDIVIDUALISM Vs. COLLECTIVISM In Private sector individualism is practiced to achieve results with greater efficiency. While the majority of Cuba which is communist in nature has a greater faith in collectivism. LONG TERM ORIENTATION On observing the past and future business culture of Cuba, we can easily comprehend that in past it was more of short term oriented. Now while the country is growing , it has become more of a long term oriented country. HALLS MODEL High Context Cubans seem to pretty much fall in this category. I would like to state that because they behave in the following mentioned way :- Less verbally explicit communication, less written/formal information More internalized understandings of what is communicated Multiple cross-cutting ties and intersections with others Long term relationships Strong boundaries- who is accepted as belonging vs who is considered an outsider Knowledge is situational, relational. Decisions and activities focus around personal face-to-face relationships, often around a central person who has authority. HRM PRACTISES IN CUBA Human resource management (HRM) practices in Cuba are still incipient and close to what may be called the traditional Soviet-style model. In other words, HRM in Cuba mainly comprises a set of practices that emphasise cost control and administrative concerns, resource allocation being controlled by the administrative hierarchy and not by the market characteristics. Additionally, human resource management is an undervalued function compared to other areas. Those who are not good enough for anything else, go to the HR function, as one manager noticed. Within the last few years, and in the context of perfeccionamiento empresarial, new concerns with the quality of human resource management have arisen. The new goals, in industries that aim to achieve a competitive position in the international arena, include the development of staff competencies. Capacitacion (qualification) became HRMs recent major buzzword in the country. Qualification is the major human resource management challenge for Cuban companies, and is viewed as a necessary means for achieving a series of new business goals, including quality, customer service and independence in the execution of work, all of which are new descriptors in the national business vocabulary. The new market-oriented logic, which is emerging particularly in the globally exposed tourism sector, is far from being the normal. That is possibly one of the reasons why so many people try to work in tourism, the other being easier access to foreign currency. This has led to what is called the inverted pyramid: a hotel waiter can earn more money (in tips) than the best university educated specialist or work hero. Macro-level administration of human resources is thus being challenged by micro motives and is forcing companies to develop and implement incentive systems that stimulate individual motivation, while trying to respect the ideological orientation towards a more altruistic and disinterested motivated behaviour, such as the one mentioned above. In fact, as a traditional rule of the Cuban enterprise, incentivos (incentives) are non-material. They are called spiritual incentives, and may include a letter, a diploma, an appreciation from the company or, at a more material level, a dinner including lobster. Managers attitudes towards the effectiveness of material rewards are highly ambivalent. On the one hand, they deny the importance of material incentives. On the other hand, they enthusiastically refer to the possibility of obtaining material rewards in the more progressive firms. BUSINESS GROUPS OF CUBA SHERRITT INTERNATIONAL Sherritt International is one of the biggest business giants of Cuba that operates in Cuba Canada. Sherritt International Corporation is a diversified natural resource company that produces nickel, cobalt, thermal coal, oil and gas, and electricity. It also licenses its proprietary technologies to other metals companies. Sherritts 293.1 million common shares trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol S. The company also produces oil from assets in Cuba, Spain and Pakistan, and manages 376 megawatts of power generation capacity in Cuba. HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PRACTISES The most important HRM practices practiced in Sherritt are HR planning (i.e. to forecast and foresee the future business and employee needs and plan for them) Recruitment and selection job descriptions, selection tools, background checks, offers Compensation (i.e. methods, consistency, market) Employee relations (i.e. labor agreements, performance management, disciplinary procedures, employee recognition) Mandated benefits (i.e. social security, unemployment insurance, workers compensation, COBRA/HIPPA) Optional group benefits (i.e. insurance, time off benefits, flexible benefits, retirement plans, employee assistance programs, perks) Payroll (i.e. internal vs. external options, compliance) Recordkeeping (i.e. HRIS, personnel files, confidential records, I-9, other forms) Training and development (i.e. new employee orientation, staff development, technical and safety, leadership, tuition reimbursement, career planning) Employee communications (i.e. handbook, newsletter, recognition programs, announcements, electronic communication) RECRUITMENT SELECTION The process of hiring begins when new recruits are sought and ends when their applications are submitted. The result is a pool of applications from which new employees are selected. Compensation Compensation is the remuneration provided to an employee in return for his/her contribution to the organization. It is an organized practice that involves balancing the work-employee relation by providing monetary and non-monetary benefits to employees. Training Training is also provided for increasing the knowledge and skills of people for a specific purpose. It helps the trainees acquire new skills, technical knowledge, and problem-solving ability etc. It also gives an awareness of the rules and procedures to guide their behavior thereby improving the performance of employee on present job and prepares them for taking up new assignments in future. Performance Appraisal Performance appraisal is a method of evaluating the behavior of employees in the work spot including both quantitative and qualitative aspects of job performance. A process in which employees strengths and weaknesses are identified to improve the performance on the present and future jobs. Performance appraisal is a systematic review of individual or a groups performance on the job. Pay Roll Section: After employee placement/joining the recruitment section handovers the details of the employees enclosed in a file to the payroll department. Pay Roll process starts from 25th of every month. First part is attendance, which will be coming from last 26th to 25th of the month. Salary is paid for 1st to 31st but attendance is calculated from 25th to 26th of the month. The Pay Roll department then looks after the following aspect of the employees. HSEQ HEALTH, SAFETY, ENVIRONMENT AND QUALITY (HSEQ) Every job involves certain risks. In order to provide a safer and healthy atmosphere at work place HSEQ is strengthened at all levels in the company. There is a possibility of occurrence of risk either from external and internal sources. External sources hear referred to infrastructure and internal sources referred to Behavior of employees. HSEQ is involved in regulation and controlling the risks involved in jobs. Bibliography http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_america http://www.mfat.govt.nz/Countries/Latin-America/Cuba.php http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_exports http://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-worldfactbook/geos/cu.html http://www.cuba.com/index.php?catid=280cuba_info_record=Useful%20information%20of%20 http://www.indexmundi.com/cuba/demographics_profile.html http://www1.american.edu/carmel/ms4917a/cuba.htm http://www.phpclasses.org/browse/country/cu/

The Ethics of Terraformation Essay -- Space Technology Science Essays

The Ethics of Terraformation What is Terraformation? The point of terraforming is to change an uninhabitable terrestrial planet into one that can support human life on the surface. Terraforming is a massive undertaking, and it involves altering a whole planet's climate, geology, and life. It entails the destruction of land masses and geological features billions of years old, elevating the global temperature, and flooding the surface with vast oceans. The most relevant to this discussion is the releasing of thousands of species from another planet to live and breed, altering the atmospheric makeup with every breath. [1] Ever since terraformation was imagined years ago, people began to ask if it was ethical. Changing a whole planet to fit our desires seemed like a religious authority that doesn’t fit in the hands of humans. Science has developed since then and with it, changes in bioengineering. We are "playing God" to a degree that not even science fiction could imagine. But have we actually changed? We read in the news or see on the television everyday about parties of environmental protesters lobbying for protection of natural resources or preservation of our national parks. The majority of the public believes that our environment requires our immediate attention.[2] On Mars it will be the same. There will be individuals who are pro-terraforming and those who are against it. There will be extremists and neutralists. In Red Mars, by Kim Stanley Robinson, the sides are designated by colors. "Greens", or terraforming supporters, are in constant conflict with the "Reds".[3] These have become the most common terms for describing people involved in terraformation debates. Why Mars? People have been captivated wit... .... [6] Hamilton [7] Hamilton [8] Hamilton [9] Hamilton [10] NASA, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Mars Exploration Rover Mission, 2004, California Institute of Technology, 10 Feb. 2004, <http://marsrovers.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/press/spirit/20040112a.html > [11] NASA. [12] NASA. [13] Graham. [14] Graham [15] Graham [16] Moore [17] DeVincenzi, D. L., P. Stabekis, and J. Barengoltz, Refinement of Planetary Protection Policy for Mars Missions, Adv. Space Res., 1996 Vol. 18, No. 1 <http://library.thinkquest.org/11967/ppp4m.html?tqskip1=1> [18] DeVincenzi [19] Terraforming Mars, 2002, Science Forum, 13 Feb. 2004, <http://www.sciencegroups.com/viewtopic.php?t=9915> [20] Barbour, Ian G., Ethics is an Age of Technology, (San Francisco: Harper San Francisco, 1991) 66. [21] Barbour, 64. [22] Barbour, 69. [23] Barbour, 79.

How Oil Shaped Post War World Essay

†If one commodity can claim credit for the startling advances seen in the world in the 20th century, in particular in developed industrialized countries, it was crude oil- soon to be dubbed ‘black gold’. † Oil became an influential substance in the post war times, economically and also in shaping countries’ foreign policies. Whichever countries controlled oil controlled much of the world’s policies. After the increase in industrialisation and manufacture in the post war times, oil became a ‘must have’ resource, for a nation, in order for that nation to grow economically and become a self-sustaining state. The first Bush administration reiterated the need to invade the Gulf as, â€Å"a way to defend our way of life† in the form of acquiring and maintaining the supply of cheap oil into the American interior. Post war rebuild was the main agenda as most nations fought to rebuild their states from the damages sustained during the two World Wars. A drastic rise in the demand for oil in the world became eminent and those nations that held oil resources had substantial advantage over those that did not have easy access to it. In this essay, an outline of the role oil played in shaping post war worlds will be clearly discussed showing the various policies implemented by different nations in order to acquire the imperative resource. The general change from coal energy to oil energy was a catalyst for the increase in the rate of industrialisation. According to Yergin, Industrialisation sped up rapidly between the years 1949 and 1972. With economic recovery as the main focus of most nations affected by the catastrophes of both World Wars, oil had a vital role to play in each of the nation’s policies. With oil consumption tripling in each and every state, governments had to accommodate for the low death rates which increased population, high employment demand and increase in consumption which meant more oil had to be imported in order for general recovery to be implemented. Japan, regarding the devastation of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombings, is one of the most prominent in wide spread economic recovery quickly declared they were free from post war recovery in the early 1960s as a result of their adoption of oil for industry. Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) was formed in Baghdad, Iraq on the 14th of September 1960 by Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. Its formation was largely associated with the grievances Arab nations had against the exploitive multinational Oil Companies that were gradually reducing oil prices to suit their Western home lands, had become powerful within the states they operated in and the oil companies boycott of the decree to nationalise all oil resources by Arab governments. OPEC meant to take over the oil market and have the power to decide for themselves the price and production levels of the resources that were within their nation’s interior. With the successful capture of the oil resource by the Middle East nation, came large and untimed variations in price, production levels and the general supply of crude oil to the rest of the world. United States of America and other global economies, already hard felt with other problems, were now vulnerable to Middle East oil policies which could affect their nations’ economies and social well beings. Looking into post war Iraq, Saddam Hussein’s era was characterised by the need for money to fund his expansion of uniting Arab nations into one nation under his political and Ba’athist ideologies. Hussein had Iraq export of crude oil as his main source of income however he met obstacles such as the Kuwait and United Arab Emirates (UAE) who had switched the OPEC policies to produce and sell oil at a fixed rate in order to gain demand along as a substantial profit. Kuwait and UAE were now producing more oil than agreed in Baghdad in 1960 which resulted in more supply of oil than demanded thus reducing the price of crude oil to less than $3 a barrel. Saddam’s retaliation was to threaten Kuwait and UAE with potential invasion if they did not adjust to the previously agreed policies to stabilise oil prices. Result was a Kuwait confirmation to Saddam’s demands but however led to a feud for aid funds which led to Iraqi army invasion of Kuwait. America’s invasion of Iraqi territory was highlighted as one of the most controversial foreign policies to have been implemented by the American government. The Persian Gulf War first initiated by president George H. W. Bush and the 2nd Persian Gulf War, implemented by the son of the former named president; George W. Bush formed the most debated policies of post war era. Most studies have come up with their own reasons as to why America decided to advance on Iraq with most highlighting the need to establish a constant supply of oil at a reasonable price, while others studies have put out that America wanted strategic positioning over its allies and rivals, save Russia, of oil seeking nations. Although none have been verified by the American government, it is clear that the main reason for American invasion was for the sole purpose of solidifying American position in the oil market. President George, W. Bush, the then American president, stated himself that the war was, â€Å"to defend our way of life† this could be seen as a direct implication on the need to have oil, a resource that is needed in America to support their economy. In conclusion, oil plays a vital role in shaping the world post to the World Wars. It is seemingly hard to believe that world recovery from such a devastating war could only take less than 50years leaving very little sign that there was ever a war to begin with. America remains a major power within the world with oil reserves larger than any other nation; China now boasts the world’s largest economy and Japan have recovered substantially for a nation that had very little resources to work with.

Social Studies Sba on Alcohol Abuse Essays

Social Studies Sba on Alcohol Abuse Essays Social Studies Sba on Alcohol Abuse Paper Social Studies Sba on Alcohol Abuse Paper ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The successful completion of this study is as a result of the helping hands of numerous individuals. I thank the people of Community X for their massive cooperation in answering the questionnaires given. Also , to my friends, who helped with the distribution of the questionnaires and my family for the giving me the hope and strength to persevere. Lastly, much gratitude is extended to my teacher for guiding me in every step of the way throughout my investigations. Social studies SCHOOL BASED ASSESSEMENT (S. B. A. ) Statement of the Problem What are the causes, effects and solutions of the usage of alcohol amongst individuals of Community X? Method of Investigation I have chosen the questionnaire as a means of collecting data to carry out the survey. The questionnaire has numerous advantages which include the following: It is done at the convenience of the person completing it. Requires very little time to be completed. Guarantees confidentiality , since no names are required. Instrument used to collect Data Copy Of Questionnaire Survey of alcohol usage among individuals in Community X. Dear Villager, This is a survey being carried out in Community X to determine the level of alcohol usage among individuals in the community. This study I am currently pursuing, is conducted as an assignment for a Social Studies course. I advise you to answer the questions given, truthfully and honestly since you are not required to write names. There are no wrong or right answers as this is not a test. Most answers require a tick in the small boxes provided ; read the questions carefully. Villager’s Questionnaire 1. Sex Male Female 2. What is your occupation? ____________ 3. To what Ethnic group do you belong? African Descent Chinese Descent Indian Descent Mixed Descent 4. How long have you been a member of Community X? __________________ 5. To what age group do you belong? Under 12 12-14 15-16 17-19 6. As a youth, which of the following influences you to consume alcohol? Peer pressure For the fun of it Out of curiosity Depression 7. When do you often consume alcohol? Special Occasions Partying To gain popularity I do not drink alcohol 8. Do problems in the home contribute to students drinking alcohol? Yes No 9. What normally happens when you consume alcoholic beverages? I feel tipsy I feel normal I have headaches I do not drink alcohol 10. How do you think the students of Community X get alcoholic beverages? It is made available at community shops An older sibling/friend is asked to purchase it for them They steal it away They are given the consent 11. What is the most common effect caused by drinking? STD’s Being an alcoholic Having Heart disease Death 12. What effect does known cases of alcohol drinking in Community X, have on the rest of its population? ___________ . 13. How does alcohol consumption affect a student’s academic performance? They work less Nothing is done They work harder They give up on school 14. Do students who drink alcohol show signs of aggressive behaviour? Yes No 15. What do you suggest to your fellow community members who have already started to drink? Tone down their intake Drink responsibly Stop drinking Seek professional help 16. Should the age of consent for drinking be increased? Yes No 17. Do you think Rehabilitation Centers should be considered for alcoholics? Yes, but it will not be fully effective No, It will not help Let them suffer the consequences Have counsel sessions instead Presentation and Interpretation of Data [pic]Fig 1. The causes of alcohol consumption is simply represented in Fig 1; this figure briefly explains that 45% of the people in Community X consume alcoholic beverages for minor influences as the simple fun and njoyment that comes with the pleasures of drinking. One the other hand, 20% indicate that the partake of the activity as a result of Peer Pressure where individuals, mostly teenagers, drink because they either think it is â€Å"cool† or o prove a point. However, 30% population specified that they â€Å"drink† for the little curiosity of finding out what other individuals get, feel or benefit from it, this being. Mainly just experimenting the activity. A smaller 5% say they drink alcohol because of Depression because alcohol is known to somewhat relieve the stress that causes Depression. pic]Fig2 Whereby the effects of consuming Alcohol are concerned, almost half of the population indicate that no harm is done, as 55% of them feel normal after their intake of the substance. And so, this could be one of the reasons, the level of consumption in the community should be monitored. 5 % of them say they feel tipsy, an eerie felling, that may cause them to intake alcohol regularly. However, a few of them seem to be affected as 10% of the population state that they have headaches which may discourage them to do so. Another 10% indicate that they simply do not drink alcohol, mainly because of religion and other personal reasons. pic]Fig3 In order to manage the level of alcohol usage in Community X. Fig 3 shows that 70% of Its members indicate that the individuals who already drinking, should drink responsibly Suggesting that they should look at the consequences of whether it be becoming an alcoholic or getting drunk. Another 15% say they these individuals should simply tone down their intake of by drinking less of the substance. On the other hand, the remainder of the population , 15%, indicated more drastic measures to the solution. Fig 3 shows that 10% of them say people should just stop drinking while the other 5% believe they should seek professional help. These responses therefore can be interpreted as the respondents knowing someone who drink too much. Procedures Used to Collect Data Community X has an estimated number of 130 individuals; due to calculations, it was discovered that 15% of the population was needed in order to gather possible causes, effects, and solutions to the level of alcohol usage in the community. That is, ( 15% of 130 =20 ) Therefore, a total of 35 questionnaires were distributed with the expectation that at least 20 would be returned. Later, it was decided that the questionnaires be given to random personnel. This resulted in the recording of information on each individual on small pieces of paper, placed in a box, shaken and a total of 35 slips were selected. Therefore, 35 individuals received a copy of the questionnaire, were successfully completed and left in my mailbox 4 Hart Rd. Cheleston Gardens. Findings The survey carried out resulted in numerous interesting discoveries due to the level of alcohol usage in Community X. These state: Alcohol is consumed mainly through social activities where 70% of the individuals indicate that they partake of alcoholic beverages when â€Å"partying†. The most common effect known caused by drinking is neutral between 1. Becoming an alcoholic 2. Being sexually active at an early age. Which was I therefore observed that the questionnaires have revealed a 50-50% ratio. The individuals of Community X believe that in order for the level of alcohol be decreased, Rehabilitation Centers should be established. However, all 100% of the people who agree, stated that it will not be fully effective for the common reason that the alcoholics will not endure the necessary procedures that will be required. Recommendations The level of alcohol usage should not be taken lightly, as many young people in Community X are partaking of the activity when are far too young to be drinking. That said, I would recommend to this community that the decreasing level of alcohol us be accomplished through two simple objectives. These objectives include: ? Allowing adults of the community to take on leadership qualities whereby they look out for children who they see with alcoholic beverages and hinder them from consuming it. More specifically to shopkeepers, since in recent survey it is proven that most individuals especially children receive alcohol by the availability of such beverages in the community shops. Talk to individuals about drinking as little talks can do great things. There are people who are willing to listen. Parents will see to it that their children go to these sessions and ensure that they understand the dangers of drinking. Pie Chart Showing Causes Of Alcohol Consumption 20% 30% 5% 45% Peer Pressure Out of Curiosity Depression For the fun of it Chart Showing Effects of Alcohol Consumption In Community X. I feel tipsy 25% I have headaches 10% I feel normal 55% I do not drink alcohol 10% I feel tipsy I have headaches I feel normal I do not drink alcohol

Example of Essay Writing

Example of Essay Writing Example of Essay Writing Example of Essay Writing According to our competent essay writers, If is always useful to read a couple of examples of essay writing. Indeed, having a great example of written essay in front of you gives you confidence to proceed with your own writing. The following excerpts of essays are posted here with the hope to assist you with your essay writing. The first sample is argumentative essay on death while the second one is persuasive essay on the same issue. If you are in need of professional essay/paper writing help, you do not hesitate to order custom paper writing services at our site and you will get a well-written essay crafted to your specific instructions and requirements! Examples of Argumentative Essays We are all familiar with the fact that college essays devoted to the topic of death have increased dramatically within the last decade or so. Interest has been directed not only to the act of dying, but also to related essays topics such as euthanasia, capital punishment, abortion, heart transplants, and after-death experiences. One result of this increased attention to such college essays topics is that children are frequently exposed to death concerns. In addition, since the media attention given to the Kennedy assassination, there has been a societal imprimatur for children to participate in funeral services and mourning rituals. Finally, we have come to acknowledge the existence of childhood depression and suicide, phenomena that previously were denied. Thus, discussions of current argumentative essays topic related to death are now more widely disseminated. We have clearer notions of children's interest in and exposure to death-related college essay topics, and are more aware that children must think about death and dying. Paradoxically, children have less first-hand exposure to death within a close familial setting, since grandparents and elderly relatives are often sequestered in their own homes, in retirement villages, or in institutions. Children no longer witness the playing out of the entire life cycle Examples of Persuasive Essays Many of us may have difficulty dealing with the essays topics of death. Research indicates that teenagers may have particular problems coping with the loss of a loved one. One reason is that teenagers do not have much exposure to death beyond the television set and therefore have no real experience in dealing with it. Today's teenagers may well be the first generation that has been so insulated from personal experience with death. The use of various preventive techniques and new drugs has greatly diminished mortality among children. Those within the growing population of aged persons are less subject than their predecessors to death from acute illnesses such as pneumonia. Most deaths among the elderly now result from chronic and degenerative diseases and usually occur in hospitals or nursing homes. Death is removed from sight by the fact that grandmothers and grandfathers die in institutions rather than at home. Of the 2 million people who will die this year in the United States, two-thirds will be 65 years of age or older. Teenagers account for 6 percent of deaths in the United States. The most common causes of these deaths are automobile accidents, drug abuse, fad diets, and an increasing number of suicides Follow this link to read sample of the descriptive essay: Interesting posts: Thesis Format PhD Thesis Writing Master Thesis History Thesis Dissertation Topics

Does the efficient market theory apply on the FOREX market Essay

Does the efficient market theory apply on the FOREX market - Essay Example If the trend is looking upwards, the person â€Å"B† will buy the stock. In both cases, both persons got to the same conclusion of buying the stock of the same company, but their methods were entirely different. The person â€Å"B† does not even have to visit the company to do the technical analysis. Now implying the same method on the foreign exchange market, we can deduct whether the efficient market hypothesis is workable in the FOREX market or he not. For that we need to know the basics of the efficient market hypothesis. The efficient market hypothesis can be viewed as having three levels or stages; the weak form, the semi strong and the strong form. The weak form or the weak stage states that the price of the security or stock at any point in time reflects the true value of the stock, meaning that we cannot predict the stock’s movement from the price of the stock. All the values or the fundamentals of the company (all the negative and positive aspects) are already reflected in the stock price; therefore it is useless to do the fundamental analysis. All the publicly available information has been incorporated in the stock price. The semi-strong form or stage of the hypothesis states that the current stock price reflects all the available public information and the prices instantly change to reflect the new public information. The third stage of string form efficient states that even the insider information cannot affect the stock price. 3. Rationale for the chosen topic My reason for choosing this topic is the huge appeal in the foreign exchange market. The greatest portion of finance is in the foreign exchange by volume. The reason for this trade’s usefulness is that every trade of goods, stocks, bonds, gold silver and the like... The aim of this discussion is to decide whether the efficient market hypothesis is applicable to the foreign exchange market or not. We will try to analyze a small portion from the history of the price fluctuations of the US Dollar Vs the Euro. We will see how the figures react against the technical analysis. We will test their validity and present our conclusion. My reason for choosing this topic is the huge appeal in the foreign exchange market. The greatest portion of finance is in the foreign exchange by volume. The reason for this trade’s usefulness is that every trade of goods, stocks, bonds, gold silver and the like is done through currency and there comes the conversion process. That is why it is so prevalent that to escape the ups and downs of the foreign exchange becomes impossible. The other rationale is that I’m interested in both the fundamental and technical analysis. I believe in the perfect fusion of the both. One important thing for the efficient market hypothesis to be effective is the assumptions, which serve as the rationale for it. One of the assumptions is that a large number of market participants are constantly analyzing the stocks and bonds. They do it on their own, independent of each other. This gives a more subtle and objective evaluation of the security.

Explain the different arguments suggesting violent computer games are Essay

Different Arguments Suggesting Violent Computer Games are Morally Wrong - Essay Example Sicart ( 2009, p.35) reveals that the gaming world can itself modify the gameplay, dictating behaviours in various aspects. For instance in the game Burnout 3, the virtual world requires and encourages the player to crash into other nearby vehicles and structures such as bridges and tunnels in order to bag more scoring point and this endeavour enhances the game aggressiveness simultaneously. Likewise, Sicart ( 2009, p. 193) further reveals that in the game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, the player has to engage in sex, and then he is made to kill the computer character in order to snatch the money back. Such games inculcate unethical values in an individual, who is in need to develop values of good to become a virtuous and devoted person which is quite contrary to what these games teach the youth and furthermore, virtual environment rewards points for unethical acts (Sicart 2009, p.193). Floridi ( 2010, p.69) further reinforces the viewpoint that the ultra-violent games such as Grand T heft Auto, Zog’s Nightmare and Manhunt encourage the players to experience manslaughter, run extermination camps, murder for snuff movies and to drive over people in order to gain extra game points. This is causing parents moral concerns with respect to the learning development of their children. To add on, Stevens and Saldamarco (2008, p. 5) state that the game Defcon is designed to encourage a hostile approach amongst the players. The game’s main objective is to trigger nuclear wars and annihilations rewarding the player who lose the least. However, the most repugnant aspect of these computer games especially in god games, surfaces when certain very fundamental religious beliefs are questioned and exploited in designing a gameplay. For instance, Cogburn and Silcox (2009, p.77) depicts that in the game Left Behind it is explained that the adherence and devotion to Christianity is a matter of one’ s personal choice but on the contrary when the player ‘conv erts’ or recruits neutral citizens into his/ her ‘force’, they are required to adhere to his/her each and every command without any question. Moreover, the writers reveal that the ‘converts’ have to wear a purple coloured uniform and they are referred to as ‘units’ than ‘people’, which seems pretty odd since they were supposed to be free will agents who have achieved salvation by adopting Christianity. Another aspect of computer that needs to be shed light onto is the ‘Game Ego’; it is not a kind of a physical manifestation, but an entity that can exert force ( Pivec 2006, p.51). The writer further states that the Game Ego is connected to the player through a motor or kinesthetic link, which removes the barrier between the inside and the outside and the gamer is in oblivious of the fact that he is sinking deeper and more deeper into the realms of the game. If the Game Ego stops responding to the strategy of the game player, the player experiences loss of self control and the feeling of helplessness prevail ( Pivec 2006, p.52).