Strategy Analysis Blue Ocean Strategy Essay - 1698 Words

Introduction When an organization embarks on any expansion or acquisition, intensive financial projections or analysis accompanied by the investigation by managers, are followed by the board proposal reviews, and, if necessary, then presented to investors and the financial community. Financial analyses are widely used to assess investment projects and proposals, but less commonly to evaluate strategy. Strategy, both at business unit level, and the overall strategies for the organization includes strategic leadership, functional level strategy, global strategy, and corporate level strategy need continuing evaluation. Overall Strategies For The Organization Kim and Mauborgne (2014) have offered a compelling argument and proposed a strategy for a company’s overall strategy, through maximizing profits while minimizing expenditure. The researchers introduced the terminology called blue ocean strategy (BOS), with principles of value innovation that covered both strategy formulation and execution. They emphasized on the quality of the experience rather than the benefits of new technology and noted three key concepts: (a) value innovation, (b) tipping point leadership, and (c) fair process. Depending primarily on value innovation, when the utility, price, and costs align with the change, a blue ocean appears where a firm’s actions favorably affect both costs as it eliminates, increases, reduces or creates qualities, to find a new global market space, and its value for buyers. TheirShow MoreRelatedBlue Analysis : Blue Ocean Strategy1725 Words   |  7 PagesTHE BLUE OCEAN STRATEGY The term blue ocean was coined by two professors W.Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne in their book titled â€Å"Blue Ocean Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and the Make Competition Irrelevant† (2005). The authors present the idea of a business being able to operate in a league of its own, without intense competition. The company is able to set its own pace to create, sell and profit from unique products and services in high potential new markets. The blue ocean is takenRead MoreBlue Analysis : Blue Ocean Strategy1056 Words   |  5 Pagesarticle â€Å"Blue Ocean Strategy† and Blue Ocean Strategy: From Theory to Practice challenges firms to distance themselves from the fierce competition in the marketplace by utilizing Blue Ocean Strategy versus the dominantly used Red Ocean Strategy. Both Blue and Red Oceans are distinctly different strategies, both logics are important to understand, and they both coexist. By understanding by the underlying logic of both strategies companies will be able to make decisions on what strategy they willRead MoreBlue Ocean Strategy Analysis of Wikipedia674 Words   |  3 PagesWikipedia: A Blue Ocean Strategy Section A: Group 4 Analysis of Wikipedia, as a Blue Ocean Strategy Wikipedia, the collaboratively edited free internet encyclopaedia is a household name. Launched in 2001 by Jimmy Wales and Larry Sanger, it has now grown to be the seventh most visited website with approximately 365 million users worldwide. How is it that the small encyclopaedia market grew more than a hundred times in the space of 8-10 years and changed its orientation in such a path breakingRead MoreBlue Ocean Strategy Tools Analysis4953 Words   |  20 PagesReal-world Business Analysis: Blue Ocean Strategy Tools Analysis Paper MMBA-6570 Business Strategy for a Competitive Advantage Dr. Schulz Stephenie Wegmann April 15, 2013 Introduction The purpose of the blue ocean strategy is to focus on making the business itself better without focusing on the competition. Kim and Mauborgne (2005) state that â€Å"blue ocean strategy challenges companies to break out of the red ocean of bloody competition by creating uncontested market space that makes theRead MoreAnalysis Of Kim And Mauborgne And Their Blue Ocean Strategy1977 Words   |  8 Pagesof Kim and Mauborgne and their blue ocean strategy which represented a revolution in the competitive market. This strategic paradigm is presented as a revolution! Its implementation will lead the company adapted to success by creating new demand and avoiding competition. This strategy seems to be similar to a dream, do not worry! The dream is overtaken by reality. This report is a critical review of â€Å"Blue Ocean† strategy. It examines and explains both the blue ocean and porter’s model as a conventionalRead MoreAnalysis Of Blue Ocean Strategy By W. Chan Kim And Renee Mauborgne1231 Words   |  5 Pagesgood unit to measure success or failure; it’s the strategies the companies take, which decide the success or failure of the company. And the â€Å"Blue Ocean† Strategy, the term introduced in the book â€Å"Blue Ocean Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make Competition Irrelevant†, by W. Chan Kim and Renà ©e Mauborgne, is one, which ensures a company to have a long stretch of uncontested success away from the competition. Key Concepts Red Ocean: A market space filled with several players competingRead MoreAnalysis Of Michael Porter s Value Migration, And W. Chan Kim And Renee Mauborgne s Blue Ocean Strategy1813 Words   |  8 PagesTechnical University There are a number of well know strategic planning models. Of these, I will explain in some detail three. Michael Porter’s Five Forces, Adrian Slywotzky’s Value Migration, and W. Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne’s Blue Ocean Strategy. The first, Michael Porter’s Five Forces, is based on Harvard Business School’s professor Michael Porter’s research, originally developed in 1979, which states that business is about who is the most profitable, not necessarily, the biggestRead MoreLego Group And Their Entrance Into The Board Game Industry1527 Words   |  7 Pagesproduce a competitive advantage: a) Highlights what a firm does differently from competitors; therefore, creates a niche to focus on creating a wedge in. b) Crafts an analysis of how firm, supplier and customer interact, including the costs of moving the product to end-user (i.e. buyer costs, supplier cost/performance). c) Provides analysis of customers to serve. For example, in order to widen the gap and create a competitive advantage the value chain shows what products appeal to certain customer segmentsRead MoreEssay about Blue Ocean Strategy825 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿ Blue Ocean Strategy Paper Adel Erolsky University of Phoenix MKT/421 Ron Rosalik August 25, 2014 Blue Ocean Strategy Paper In today’s business world, competition is a big concern for nearly every corporation. The competition on the market is getting stronger and more difficult to overcome, in many situations corporations terminate their products, production, or their services, just because it is impossible to continue; the cost is too high to focus on gathering developmentRead MoreEssay on strategy marketing1247 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Team : Hetong Xu; Jin Liu; Jieqi Jin. Blue Ocean Strategy 1. What is a blue ocean strategy? What is a red ocean strategy? Explain these from the perspective of company, competition, costs, and markets. Blue ocean strategy, as a business method, is about company creating a new market or industry where there is no competitor. Companies play not by traditional rules, never use the competition as a benchmark. They could ether create greater value for customers at a higher cost or create reasonable

France And Canadas Health Care Systems - 1775 Words

Running head: FRANCE AND CANADA’S HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS 1 France and Canada’s Health Care Systems: A comparative Analysis of France and Canada’s healthcare systems Ileke Redemption Iyeteku 5994383 Ottawa University FRANCE AND CANADA’S HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS 2 This paper will compare France’s health care system with Canada’s health care system. When compared to other countries around the world, France was ranked number one in overall health system performance (World Health Organization (WHO), 2000). There are some similarities between France and Canada health care systems (Mossialos Wenzl, 2014). I selected France because it has the best health care system in the world (WHO, 2000).Various topics about Canada and France’s health care system will be discussed in the paper. Firstly, France and Canada’s health care systems and funding structures will be described. Secondly, France and Canada’s health care governance and monitoring systems will be explained. Thirdly, health care infrastructures, professional expertise and health technologies of both health care sys (Mossialos Wenzl, 2014)tems will be discussed. Fourthly, both health care systems will be compared and analyzed. Lastly, positive and negative aspects of both health care systems will also be discussed. France has a mixed health care system; it has a public and private sector (Chevreul, Brigham, Durand- Zaleski, Hernandez- Quevedo, 2015). The publicShow MoreRelatedSimilarities Between France and Canada’s Health Care System846 Words   |  3 PagesMany would agree that a worthy, controlled health system, above all, should essentially contribute to good health. The responsibility of a health care system is that the organization of people, institutions, and resources deliver the health care services required and meet the health needs of focus populations. Another duty that the health care systems stimulate is the reduction of inequality to race, gender, social status and religion. Each health care system is different when looking at specific countriesRead MoreHealth Care Systems For Every Country1042 Words   |  5 Pages Health care systems are institutions and resources whose main purpose is to improve health. There are different health care systems for every country. The United Kingdom (U.K) has a universal health care that is called the National Health Service (NHS). In the U.K everyone that is a resident has access to the same health care. It is free for people who are not residents (visitors) only if in an emergency or if the person has some infectious disease. One pro of the U.K health care system is thatRead MoreThe French Health Care System1548 Words   |  7 Pagesï ¿ ¼! The French health care system was once a redundant, poor system that was less than satisfactory in providing care to its patients. Now, though, it is among the best in the world - and other countries have taken note. Canada, specifically as a post-industrial nation, has a poor health care system when compared to its European counterparts. Thus, Canada’s overall health would be better if we were to shift to French-st yle practices in the health section of the welfare state.! ! ! Its important toRead MorePublic Health Care Is the Way to Go Essay1113 Words   |  5 PagesPublic health care is definitely the only health care which should be placed within society. When health care is socialized it ensures that it is available to everyone equally. No person, no matter their social class, or economic status should be denied medical attention for any reason. All humans are equal, which means equal treatment should be given to all. With public health care a person cannot be rejected treatment because they cannot afford it, or do not have health insurance. In a privateRead More Canadas Declining Health Care System and the Brain Drain Essays884 Words   |  4 PagesCanadas Declining Health Care System and the Brain Drain Canadas government-funded health care system in under attack. Despite the mandate of the Canada health act, which was meant to assure universality, comprehensiveness, equitable access, public administration and portability of our health care system, (Braithwaite 17), Canadians today make the issue of health care their most important political concern. One of the biggest crises the Canadian health care system faces is for strangeRead MoreInfluencing Factors of Healthcare Expenditure2721 Words   |  11 PagesInfluencing Factors of Health Care Expenditure: Opportunities to Improve Canada’s Statistics [Authors Name] [Institutional Affiliation(s)] Author Note [Include any grant/funding information and a complete correspondence address.] Table of Contents Introduction†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦2 Comparing Health System Performance†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦4 Sweden’s Healthcare Policy Framework†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦...8 Canada’s Opportunities for Improvement†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦..9 Conclusion†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Read MoreThe World Health Organization Essay examples594 Words   |  3 PagesThe World Health Organization (WHO) is the United Nations specialized agency for health, and was established on April 7, 1948. The WHOs objective, is the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of health. The WHO defines health in its Constitution as, a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. The World Health Organization uses several categories to establish standards that show how countries stand up to othersRead MoreThe Healing Of Americ A Global Quest For Better, Cheaper, And Fairer Health Care1351 Words   |  6 PagesCheaper, and Fairer Health Care. New York: Penguin, 2009. In The Healing of America: A Global Quest for Better, Cheaper, and Fairer Health Care, T.R. Reid, a Washington Post reporter and NPR commentator, compares the United States’ health care system to the systems of other industrialized democracies. In this journey, he analyzes costs, quality, and overall functioning of the different systems. Through his first hand experiences around the globe, Reid illustrates a variety of systems, emphasizing theRead MoreThe Healing Of America1047 Words   |  5 Pagesperspectives the doctors have concerning his shoulder. The main goal is to find the best healthcare system in the world by observing countries similar to the United States and ranking how their healthcare system ranks and differs to the United States. T.R. Reid uses cost, quality, and choice to fully evaluate healthcare systems all around the world. As an American citizen, I have always thought our system was unfair. The poor suffer more than the rich for going to see a doctor for the same reason. Read MoreCanadas Immigration System Act1519 Words   |  7 PagesOn June 28, 2012, the Protecting Canada’s Immigration System Act (Bill C-31) took effect. This act was put in place to bring further reforms to the asylum system, add measures to address human smuggling, and add the requirement to include biometric data as part of a temporary resident visa, work permit, and study permit application. These changes were claimed to help the system to function better, cut down wait time, make the process faster, screen applicants better, and to prevent needless complications

Why is it difficult to define a “new social movement” Free Essays

string(58) " to problems in terms of what can and cannot be included\." When one thinks of â€Å"new social movements† (NSM’s) it is fair to say that a number of images may spring into peoples’ minds. To some, Swampy chaining himself to a tree will automatically be imagined, for others, they may think of the anti-globalisation protests in Seattle or on the streets of London. The fact is that both of these ideas come under this broad title and it is for that reason that it can de difficult to define exactly what is meant by an NSM. We will write a custom essay sample on Why is it difficult to define a â€Å"new social movement†? or any similar topic only for you Order Now This essay will attempt to address why NSM’s have come into existence, which sections of society choose to become involved and how these groups operate. Having done this, the essay will then attempt to show why defining an NSM is problematic. It is fair to say that most people who choose to participate in NSM’s do so because they feel that conventional politics does not or has not dealt with the issues that they feel are important. It is, therefore, the aim of the NSM’s to highlight these issues and bring them to the attention of either the politicians or the general public in the hope that government policy will adopt a different strategy. It has been said that â€Å"one repeated motif in the discussion of new social movements is the view that they are, in contrast to older movements, primarily social or cultural in nature and only secondary, if at all, political. † (Scott, 1990:16). What Alan Scott is saying here is that the main ideas behind social movements are the attempts to change the way society exist as a whole and not necessarily the way people view their politics. Being part of a social movement is not just a way of thinking; it is a belief in a certain ideal that transcends all aspects of your life. In this way, it can be said that NSM’s are expressive in their views as opposed to political parties, who are instrumental. An NSM is not necessarily motivated by achieving a pre-set goal but by the belief itself. This is one reason that can explain why members or ‘adherents’ of social movements are fully prepared to make self-sacrifices, such as imprisonment, for their cause. One important ramification of this is that the adherents to social movements are prepared to step outside the law to achieve their goals. This creates a very serious dilemma for governments because if people are prepared to act illegally then the threat of legal action will not act as a deterrent. In other words, if people have a strong enough will then in the end, there is nothing to stop them. As Russell Dalton and Manfred Kuechler wrote â€Å"the new social movement approach claims that many NSM’s intentionally remain outside the institutionalized framework of government. † (Dalton et al. , 1990:14). The NSM’s prefer to remain in this position to avoid being forced to compromise their goals. What this suggests is that NSM’s actively promote criminal behaviour and rationalize it by saying that it is for a good cause. However, in a survey conducted by Alan Marsh in 1977, it was found that 55 per cent of the people questioned believed that â€Å"it is justified to break the law to protest about something you feel may be very unjust or harmful. † (Byrne, 1997:4). Although these activities are illegal, the majority of people are prepared to act as such anyway. This illustrates the complications that arise when one tries to define NSM’s. On the one hand, you could say that they choose to be troublemakers, committing crimes and illegal protests, but on the other hand, you see that in fact a substantial proportion of the population shares their views on the appropriate course of action. A major difficulty with trying to define NSM’s is to distinguish with what exactly we are dealing. What is meant by this is what sort or group of people or section of society do we class as a new social movement? For example, we would class feminists and green activists as social movements but this also leads to difficulty in defining what an NSM actually is. In terms of ideology, feminists and green activists have little in common yet they would both fall into the category of NSM’s. A very extreme example of this is the Al’ Queida terrorist network and the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND). These two groups could not be more different if they tried but to a certain extent they can both be classed as social movements. On the one hand, you have the CND, an organisation at the heart of the Peace Movement, whose â€Å"supporters have employed tactics which extend from serious academic work on the probable effects of nuclear warfare, to mass demonstrations, and to a wide variety of non-violent direct action. † (Byrne, 1997:11). On the other hand, you have the Al’ Queida terrorist network, the alliance responsible for the September 11th attack upon New York’s World Trade Centre and the Pentagon. This group is responsible for the deaths of thousands of innocent people – the CND, however, call for an end to weapons of mass destruction. How then can you class the Al’ Queida terrorist network as a social movement? Its members are willing to step outside the conventional channels to achieve their goals. They are prepared to fight and die for their cause as long as by their death they have advanced towards their end goal – the destruction of the US. The Al’ Queida is one extreme example of how an NSM can be described as irrational and unreasonable. Their adherents are not motivated by self-interest but by their unbreakable belief in the cause. They also seem to think that they are justified in breaking the law or ignoring any kind of conventional methods. Here we can see how defining a NSM can be made difficult. The spectrum when it comes to social movements is so diversified that it leads to problems in terms of what can and cannot be included. You read "Why is it difficult to define a â€Å"new social movement†?" in category "Papers" It is difficult to comprehend that two such different groups can be classified under the same heading. The Al’ Queida terrorist network is, to a certain extent, an example of how NSM’s choose to exist in terms of their structure. The Al’ Queida exists with more recognizable members, such as Osama Bin Laden, but the fact remains that if he were to be captured or killed then that would have little effect on the remainder of the group. The adherents will still believe in their cause and they will still do all they can to realize their vision. Of course, this is a very extreme example of a NSM and when we look at more mainstream groups the structure is less militant but the basic ideas remain the same. On a whole, NSM’s attempt to avoid the hierarchical approach of the conventional political parties and instead choose to opt for a more co-operative system. The CND is actually an example of how a structured organisation can exist within the informally organized Peace Movement. It is difficult to describe the structure of an NSM as even the word ‘structure’ suggests some kind of organisation. Referring to NSM’s as groups also causes problems as this suggests that there would be some kind of hierarchy when in fact, as Brand et al. suggest â€Å"New social movement theorists maintain that these groups prefer a decentralized, open, and democratic structure that is more in tune with the participatory tendencies of their supporters. † (Dalton et al. , 1990:13). It is clear that NSM’s choose to steer away from creating any formal structure as to avoid becoming the political parties that they are attempting to influence. The structure of NSM’s has strong links with their ideology. NSM’s are inclined to believe more in a co-operative society where every person has his or her own personal space in which they have the right to exist and the right to choose how they wish to live their lives. This means that NSM’s have no leaders as such due to the adherents wish to maintain a sense of autonomy. To many adherents of social movements it is important for them as individuals to maintain their rights to exist as they see fitting. The idea of autonomy is of great importance when trying to discuss NSM’s and the fact that they demand various aspects of this autonomy adds weight to the arguments for difficulty with definition. The first aspect is personal autonomy. The idea that adherents have the social ‘space’ to grow as individuals and develop their own views and ideas, as opposed to being limited by constraints placed upon them by society. An example of this sort of autonomy can be found when we look at the Women’s movement of the early seventies. Here women were not only fighting for their sex as a whole but for their own personal right to equality within the male dominated system. The Women’s movement is also a good example of the second aspect of autonomy: that of group autonomy. Here we can consider the issue of abortion and the rights of women. This issue can be evaluated on both levels: personal and as a group. On a personal level, the efforts of the movement mean that the choice is there and whichever path is chosen is not dictated by anyone other than the parties involved. The women’s movement fought for the rights of all women to choose whether or not to have abortions so that no matter what background you come from or what religion you are, every woman has the right to choose. The third aspect of autonomy is described as the ‘autonomy of struggle’, which is to say â€Å"the insistence that the movement and those it represents be allowed to fight their own corner without interference from other movements, and without subordinating their demands to other external priorities. † (Scott, 1990:20). We now see that this issue of autonomy is very important to NSM’s. A social movement sees itself through its own rights and the rights of its adherents to live their lives in a certain fashion. This leads on to the idea of a social movement helping people to define themselves in terms of their place in society. This is prime example of how adherents differ to members of conventional political parties. A Conservative does not really have to make any concessions upon his or her lifestyle in order to be a member of the Conservative party but being an environmentalist is about a change in how one acts in general. What this illustrates is the argument that NSM’s do not necessarily take action towards political reform but in fact towards social reform. One of the main elements that makes defining NSM’s so difficult is who makes up the adherents of these movements. Over the last thirty years, there has been an increase in the so-called new politics but can this all being attributed to the uprising of the student movement or are the adherents far more diversified? As has already been mentioned, different people have different views on what they consider to be an NSM. Are we supposed to believe that all adherents are in fact longhaired, unwashed students who have nothing better to do with their time that form squatter camps and disrupt building work? The classical approach to NSM’s suggests that most adherents turn to social movements due to relative deprivation. The idea that they are somehow incapable of participating in conventional politics so they choose NSM’s as an alternative. However, when classicalists looked at the type of people involved in the civil rights movement in the US during the fifties and sixties, they found that it was not only the alienated black population that was involved but also the white middle class. The theory of ‘resource mobilization’ was put forward as an alternative to the classical theory. Here, the authors of the theory believed that participation in NSM’s was to do with resources. What ‘resources’ mean is the availability of finances, office space and other intangible assets such as time and education. It suggests that there has been an evolution of the middle class to include people such as teachers and lecturers who have created a class not through economic wealth but through their knowledge and intelligence. The typical adherent to NSM’s is far from the image of a tree-hugging extremist but is, in fact, a member of this new middle class, a technocrat. What are the reasons behind this? That is a hard question to answer but Ronald Inglehart suggested the theory of ‘post-materialism’. â€Å"Inglehart argues that the post-war generation have been socialized into such higher order or ‘post-material’ values, and its this which motivates their support for social movements. † (Byrne, 1997:55). Here, the argument is that the people who choose to become involved in NSM’s are those who feel that they have achieved all the material possessions that they can and are therefore, looking for some other kind of personal fulfillment. This theory holds a number of flaws, for example, how can Inglehart be sure that people would choose to become involved in social movements instead of charity work in their quest for personal fulfillment? Another problem arises when you try to quantify the level of material wealth that constitutes satisfaction and at which point the person decides to give up the search for more money. However, the fact remains that it has become more apparent over the years that it is this new middle class that is the typical adherents to the NSM’s but it has not become clear why it is this group. The fact is that these new social movements choose to exist outside the conventional channels of politics. They do not have the same structure as the mainstream political parties as they are not supposed to be as such. They are an ideology that is followed through choice and lead to more extreme measures than usual politics to the extent that adherents make a lifestyle decision. The difficulty in defining NSM’s comes from all aspects of their existence. The title of a social movement covers such a diverse range of beliefs and ideas that any kind of set rules will ultimately fail as no statement can be truly all-inclusive. Neither would NSM’s want to be able to be defined as it goes against all the ideals for which they stand – the ideals of a hierarchy free alliance where the emphasis is on co-operation and not leadership. This statement itself causes problems, as it is a sweeping generalization of the group of social movements as a whole. The difficulties of defining new social movements appear because of the fact that no two movements or beliefs are exactly the same. How to cite Why is it difficult to define a â€Å"new social movement†?, Papers

Inventory Management Developed for Australian Labs

Question: Discuss about the Inventory Management for Developed for Australian Labs . Answer: Introduction The report is developed for Australian Labs to develop and implement an automated inventory management system at their end. A paper based inventory management and tracking system is currently used in the Australian labs which causes a number of faults and mismanagement and leads to unhappy customers. The project will develop an advanced inventory management system linked with the latest database to manage all the tests that are received by the labs along with the provision of providing accurate status updates and turnaround estimates. The report suggests the two approaches for system development along with the functional and non-functional requirements associated with the project. Project schedule, stakeholder analysis and the information investigation techniques have also been covered in the report. Approach to Systems Development Approach 1 The first approach that can be used to develop the inventory management system for Australian labs is the predictive waterfall model for software development. This approach will apply to this project as the requirements for the development process are well clear and there are lesser chances of major changes and inflation associated with the same. The waterfall model for software development proceeds in a step by step manner and will include the following phases: Requirements Analysis and Definition The requirements that will be provided by Jim Larsen will be analysed in order to decide the project strategy and understand the project objectives. The requirements will also be classified in functional and non-functional categories. Resource allocation, cost/benefit analysis and project schedule will also be completed in this phase (Lott, 1997) System and Software Design On the basis of the requirement specifications, design specifications will be created in the form of a number of design diagrams and blueprints. System Development and Unit Testing The coding phase will begin in this phase along with the setting up of the database for the system. A unit testing of the entire code will be done to rectify the basic issues detected. System Testing and Implementation The entire software build provided by the development team will be tested as per the test approach and the defects will be reports. There will also be change requests and performance management done under the implementation of the system. Operations and Maintenance This is the last phase in this approach which will deal with the release activities and the post-production tasks such as handling of issues at the users end. Approach 2 The second approach that has been suggested for the development of inventory management system for Australian labs is the Agile Software Development methodology. This is the adaptive approach towards software development that works on the ad-hoc basis. The requirements are more of static in this project and are less likely to change. However, there can be a few last minute changes and this methodology will allow incorporating the same without any re-work. Also, the customer will be involved in every single phase of the project and would be able to provide the valuable comments and feedback at every step (Habib, 2013). The development process will proceed in the form of iterations which are termed as sprints as per the agile methodology. Every sprint will work on a sub-set of the entire list of the requirements and will have a daily scrum meeting of a short duration to understand the progress and required effort. One sprint will last for three to five weeks and the customer will be involved during the entire set of activities. The customer feedback along with the product and sprint backlog will be utilized in the next sprint. The end product will then be produced as the final outcome. Sources of Software There are a number of sources of software which are as listed below along with the advantages of each. Information Technology Service Firms This is the source in which an IT firm outsources its software to other organizations. These can be customized as per the required application and are preferred as they come with vendor support, documentation and customization. Packaged Software Products These are also termed as off-the-shelf software as the organizations offer these packages for commercial utilization. These are generally cheaper and are available immediately (Hoffer, George, Valacich, 2016). Enterprise Solutions Software These are also a widely used software source as it provides complete integration with the current business processes of an organization. Cloud Computing This is the newer form of the software source as it comes free from the requirement of a computing infrastructure for using the same. The software is provided over the internet and the customers can easily use the same from over there. Open Source Software These are the software that are available for free and come with the basic to advanced features for the users. In-House Development Organizations also tend to go for in-house development of the required software if they have the required skill set present. This form of software is always designed such that the required specifications are fulfilled. There are a number of off-the-shelf software packages that are available. The choice of the same shall depend upon the need and requirement of a particular project along with the project budget and the skill set that is available with the organization. In case of the Australian labs project, the following off-the-shelf software can be utilized to remain low on cost and high on availability and requirements: Microsoft Project for designing and managing the project schedule Adobe Dreamweaver for coding MySQL database for keeping the customer and vendor information stored and also to manage the same Word processors and spreadsheets for reporting and other documentation (Zentz, 2013) Systems Requirements Functional Requirements Login Functionality The users will be allowed to login to the application and the three types of users will be setup as administrator, customer and technician. Inventory Tracking The option would allow the user to enter their order id and the tracking details will be displayed in terms of a report that will contain the customer information, date of request, current status and the delivery date. Extraction of Reports The customers will also be allowed to print or save their test reports and the collection details will also be displayed. Cancellation Requests The customers will also be provided to cancel the requests after 12 to 24 hours of the placement of the same. Request tracking for technicians The option will be allowed only for the technicians to view the requests that are pending to be completed along with the ones that have already been completed. It will allow them to devise the strategy accordingly. Automatic Alerts The system will generate alerts to the users on the completion of their requests. Admin role The admin will be able to set up user privileges along with setting up of the priorities on the requests that are received. Non-functional Requirements The following set of non-functional requirements will be fulfilled by the inventory management and tracking system. Usability: The system must be usable for the customers as well as form the technicians. It should have smooth navigations and must be designed to fulfil all the requirement specifications for Australian labs. Reliability: The information that is presented on the system must be reliable and accurate in nature. It must be updated regularly to show the latest piece of information from the database. Performance: The system should score well on the performance in terms of the response time and the user experience. Scalability: The system should be scalable in nature that is it should always have the scope to upgrade and add new functionalities without compromising on the existing ones (PUROHIT, 2016). Availability: The system must be available on a 24x7 basis and the downtime in case of an attack or a disaster should be minimal. Project Cost Benefit Analysis Cost benefit analysis is defined as a process where decisions are made on the basis of cost invested and benefits obtained from an information system in order to find whether the investment would be of any use. In this project, the process has been carried out to find the economic feasibility of the project. For this, Net Present Value and Return rate are calculated. In addition to this, payback period is also being calculated. As shown in the calculations above, NPV is positive and net return of investment is 7% and break even occurs between 3 and 4 years i.e. 3.99 years i.e. payback period turns out to be 4 years. Hence, from this analysis, the proposed system is feasible and can be started. This result comes with 6% discount factor. Fiscal Year Program Element Element Manager 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Element 1 Total cost $80,000 Element 2 Maintenance $25,000 $25,000 $25,000 $25,000 Program Total Costs By Year $80,000 $25,000 $25,000 $25,000 $25,000 Program Grand Total Cost $180,000 Fiscal Year Benefit Sources 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 Cost Reduction $40,000 $40,000 $40,000 $40,000 $40,000 Total Benefits Per Year $0 $40,000 $40,000 $40,000 $40,000 $40,000 Confidence Factor 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% Benefits Claimed for Analysis $0 $40,000 $40,000 $40,000 $40,000 $40,000 Program Grand Total Benefit $200,000 Fiscal Year 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 Undiscounted Flows Costs -$80,000 -$25,000 -$25,000 -$25,000 -$25,000 $0 Benefits $0 $40,000 $40,000 $40,000 $40,000 $40,000 Net Cash Flow -$80,000 $15,000 $15,000 $15,000 $15,000 $40,000 Discount Factors Discount Rate 6.0% Base Year 2016 Year Index 0 1 2 3 4 5 Discount Factor 1.0000 0.9434 0.8900 0.8396 0.7921 0.7473 Discounted Flows Costs -$80,000 -$23,585 -$22,250 -$20,990 -$19,802 $0 Benefits $0 $37,736 $35,600 $33,585 $31,684 $29,890 Net -$80,000 $14,151 $13,350 $12,594 $11,881 $29,890 Cumulative -$80,000 -$65,849 -$52,499 -$39,905 -$28,023 $1,867 Net Present Value $1,867 Internal Rate of Return 7% Table 1: Cost Benefit analysis However, with 10%, the NPV is negative, hence it is not economical feasible to develop the proposed system. Project Schedule Work Breakdown Strutcure DESCRIPTION START DATE END DATE DURATION (days) 1. Inventory Management and Tracking System 8/25/16 11/11/16 76 1.1 Initiation 8/25/16 9/7/16 12 1.1.1 Evaluation Recommendations 8/29/16 8/31/16 2 1.1.2 Develop Project Charter 8/31/16 9/2/16 2 1.1.3 Deliverable: Submit Project Charter 9/2/16 9/3/16 1 1.1.4 Project Sponsor Reviews Project Charter 9/3/16 9/5/16 2 1.1.5 Project Charter Signed/Approved 9/5/16 9/7/16 2 1.2 Planning 9/7/16 9/19/16 12 1.2.1 Create Preliminary Scope Statement 9/7/16 9/12/16 5 1.2.2 Determine Project Team 9/12/16 9/13/16 1 1.2.3 Project Team Kickoff Meeting 9/13/16 9/13/16 0 1.2.4 Develop Project Plan 9/13/16 9/16/16 3 1.2.5 Submit Project Plan 9/16/16 9/16/16 0 1.2.6 Milestone: Project Plan Approval 9/16/16 9/19/16 3 1.3 Analysis and Design 9/19/16 10/7/16 18 1.3.1 Project Kickoff Meeting 9/19/16 9/19/16 0 1.3.2 Verify Validate User Requirements 9/19/16 9/23/16 4 1.3.3 Design System 9/23/16 10/3/16 10 1.3.4 Procure Hardware/Software 10/3/16 10/5/16 2 1.3.5 Install Development System 10/5/16 10/7/16 2 1.4 Implementation 10/7/16 10/17/16 10 1.4.1 Project Management 10/7/16 10/17/16 10 1.4.2 Project Status Meetings 10/7/16 10/17/16 10 1.4.3 Risk Management 10/7/16 10/17/16 10 1.4.4 Update Project Management Plan 10/7/16 10/17/16 10 1.5 Testing 10/17/16 11/1/16 14 1.5.1 Test Scope 10/17/16 11/1/16 14 1.5.2 Test Plan Preparation 10/17/16 11/1/16 14 1.5.3 Test Case Creation 10/17/16 11/1/16 14 1.5.4 Test Execution 10/17/16 11/1/16 14 1.5.5 Defect Reporting 10/17/16 11/1/16 14 1.6 Closeout 11/1/16 11/11/16 10 1.6.1 Audit Procurement 11/1/16 11/11/16 10 1.6.2 Document Lessons Learned 11/1/16 11/11/16 10 1.6.3 Update Files/Records 11/1/16 11/11/16 10 1.6.4 Gain Formal Acceptance 11/1/16 11/11/16 10 1.6.5 Archive Files/Documents 11/1/16 11/11/16 10 The project schedule has been designed as per the activities that are covered in the Work Breakdown Structure of the project as shown above. Each of the activity has been allotted a time frame as per the list of the sub-activities that are present under the same along with the effort that is required to complete all of the tasks. Initiation and Planning activities have been allotted 12 days each as the base of the project will be formed in these two phases only. It is essential for the resources to have the time at their hands to cover and complete each of the activity with perfection to avoid risks and delays at the later stage. Analysis and design has captured the major schedule that is 18 days as this is the phase in which the actual design and development will take place. Implementation, testing and closeout have covered a share of 10 days each as there are a number of components that are involved under each of these. The entire schedule has been created such that the resources get the required amount of time and are able to meet the deadlines as well. The schedule has been designed as per the systems goals, requirements and scope. The basic aim of the system is to provide an automated Inventory Management and Tracking System to the users for smooth and quick working. The schedule covers all the required phases that will aid in achieving the same. Also, the time that has been assigned is in accordance with the same as described above. Figure 1: Gantt chart System Information Requirement Investigation Techniques Stakeholders There are a number of stakeholders that will be involved with the system which are as listed below: Internal Stakeholders: Project Manager System Developer System Designer Database Administrator Test Engineer Implementation Head External Stakeholders: Project Sponsor Jim Larsen and his team Customers Suppliers Vendors Technicians Information Investigation Techniques Technique 1 A questionnaire must be prepared by the analysts for all the parties that are involved. It shall cover the basic criteria of the information collection by including the questions that answer the objective of the system being developed, the business need of the system, the target audience and likewise. These set of questions can also be divided in a number of different categories to record the answers better. Technique 2 The second technique that can be adopted is a one-on-one interview session with the parties. The interviews would allow the personal standpoint of the entity which may be absent in the group discussions. It will also allow the analysts to understand the variety of viewpoints and come up with an effective analysis (processworksgroup.com, 2016). Technique 3 The third technique that can be used for information investigation and gathering is through workshops and sessions. These can be informal in nature so that the parties that are involved ease out and are able to provide effective information without any hesitation. It will allow the analysts to understand the behaviour and requirements of the participants in an excellent manner. All the three techniques that have been described are different from each other. Questionnaires and interviews are the most applicable when the anonymity of the resources has to be maintained. The third technique of workshops is applicable when it is necessary to understand the standpoint of an individual along with the group as a whole. These three techniques are extremely useful not only to extract the information from the parties that are involved but to also make the resources feel involved in a particular activity by assuring them that their viewpoints are being considered. These are also important for the analysts to understand the difference of opinion of an individual in a group atmosphere and in the standalone environment as well. Reflections and Conclusions The project development cost was restricted to $80,000,00 and the recurring cost was $25,000,00. The same had to be maintained to avoid any budget overruns. Also, the project schedule did not have any scope for delays and re-work. The project was designed for allowing the customers and technicians to have a better experience in terms of inventory related activities. It was developed to provide an automated solution to the associated parties and the requirement set also reflects the same. Non-functional requirements were also included in the project to make sure that the user experience with the system that is developed is of utmost quality and results in supreme level of customer satisfaction. References Ambler, S. (2016). The Agile System Development Life Cycle (SDLC). [online] Ambysoft.com. Available at: https://www.ambysoft.com/essays/agileLifecycle.html [Accessed 23 Aug. 2016]. Habib, M. (2013). Agile software development methodologies and how to apply them - CodeProject. [online] Codeproject.com. Available at: https://www.codeproject.com/Articles/604417/Agile-software-development-methodologies-and-how-t [Accessed 23 Aug. 2016]. Hoffer, J., George, J. and Valacich, J. (2016). System Analysis Design. [online] Available at: https://www.cs.kau.se/~gustas/student/AnalysisDesign/Introduction(2).pdf [Accessed 23 Aug. 2016]. PUROHIT, S. (2016). SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE PROJECT INVENTORY CONTROL SYSTEM FOR CALCULATION AND ORDERING OF AVAILABLE AND PROCESSED RESOURCES. [online] Available at: https://www.cs.uic.edu/~spurohit/documents/Requirements%20Document.pdf [Accessed 23 Aug. 2016]. Lott, C. (1997). Breathing new life into the waterfall model. IEEE Software, [online] 14(5), pp.103-105. Available at: https://dx.doi.org/10.1109/52.605938 [Accessed 23 Aug. 2016]. Zentz, M. (2016). Custom vs. Off-the-Shelf Software | Digital Marketing Insights | The Marketpath Web Digest. [online] Marketpath.com. Available at: https://www.marketpath.com/digital-marketing-insights/custom-applications-vs-off-the-shelf-software [Accessed 23 Aug. 2016].

Wireless Networks in Emerging Markets Article Review Essay Example

Wireless Networks in Emerging Markets Article Review Essay The article chosen for analysis is titled ‘Google to Fund, Develop Wireless Networks in Emerging Markets’. It is published by the Wall Street Journal on 24th May 2013. From a Managerial Economics point of view, the article throws light on Google’s market expansion in emerging economies. Google is renowned for its innovations in the field of information technology. In recent years, the company has ventured into creating hardware for that would complement and support its popular software applications. Google’s search engine is its flagship product which is very prevalent across the world. On the back of the stupendous success of the search engine, the company has created numerous web applications such as gmail, youtube, google books, etc which are ever gaining in popularity. The company is known for coming up with fresh and interesting ideas that create new niches in the markets related to the web. The article in question talks about one of the preoccupat ions of the top management, namely, market expansion. Hence, it is quite relevant for students of Managerial Economics. In the global economy of today, despite the remarkable reach of the Internet, only a minor portion of the world population have access to it. A whopping 87% of Google’s revenues come from advertising carried by its various web platforms. For example, the Adsense advertising program is one of the major streams of revenue for Google. Hence, it makes a lot of business sense to expand access to the Internet to as many potential consumers as possible. For example, â€Å"Connecting more people to the Web world-wide creates more potential users of its Web-search engine and other services such as YouTube and its Google Play media and app store. More than half of the world’s population doesn’t use the Web, particularly in developing nations, researchers say.† This is exactly what Google is trying to achieve as per the article in review. But there are quite a few challenges facing this vision. Firstly, the infrastructure in the developing world (where most untap ped markets exist) is quite rudimentary and incompatible with the sophisticated tech products and services offered by Google. As a way of overcoming this problem Google is trying to create an independent network system that would function parallel with existing television and telephone broadcast systems. Already this proposition is being experimented with in South Africa, where a local school system is being supported via this new technology. We will write a custom essay sample on Wireless Networks in Emerging Markets Article Review specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Wireless Networks in Emerging Markets Article Review specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Wireless Networks in Emerging Markets Article Review specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The challenges facing Google are not only in the realm of technology but also from powerful competing firms. Microsoft, one of the major rivals for Google, is trying out similar technological innovations with a view to installing them in developing nations. The advantages these new network infrastructure offers are two-fold. First, they reduce the burden on the conventional telecom airwaves, whose spectrum allocations are fully saturated. Second, they allow a more portable and localized network infrastructure to emerge, which offer firms like Google flexibility to target particular consumer groups. But as Amir Efrati notes, the path is not easy for Google, as incumbent cable and wireless network operators are fierce in holding onto their monopoly. The incumbents, especially in the US and Europe, â€Å"have clashed with Google, believing it is unfairly reaping profits on the back of their networks. Google has long feared such companies would make it harder for its Web services t o work properly on the networks†. Another major benefit for expanding access to the Internet is that it helps Google to enrich its consumer behavior databases. After all, this database is the backbone for catering targeted advertising centered on the individual consumer. This is already evident when we use Youtube or Gmail where placed advertisements are either ‘context’ specific or ‘user-interest’ specific. Since studies have shown that such targeted advertising works very well, Google has set its priorities in creating a robust, expansive and yet dynamic database to help this targeting. In this respect, it makes sense for Google to invest in this area, even if the potential returns in the near future are not very lucrative. The author of the article Amir Efrati mentions this key motivation behind market expansion in emerging economies. Otherwise, it would not have been obvious to the reader why such huge investments would be devoted to regions with modest revenue prospects. Coming to the drawbacks of the article, it contains too many references to vague sources. For example almost every purported fact is attributed to â€Å"these sources said† â€Å"people familiar with Google’s plans said†, â€Å"researchers said†, â€Å"said people with direct knowledge of the matter†, etc. Nowhere are references to names or institutions from which information is being gathered for the article. Coming from a reputed journal as the Wall Street Journal, this practice undermines the credibility of what is written. It is as if the author is worried of libel suits from Google and Mircosoft – the projects of these two firms being speculated in the article. In terms of its relevance though, the article is useful for students of Managerial Economics, for it presents a current and important development in the Information Technology industry. The student will learn that the world of business is very complex with multiple factors impinging on any managerial decision. And most of these factors do not show up in the annual reports, like, say, the political atmosphere prevailing in a particular market. Amir Efrati mentions how Google is lobbying hard to garner political support for installing its independent network infrastructure. The governments are faced with satisfying the safety requirements of the proposed high frequency devises. This is a legitimate precaution, for electromagnetic radiation from wireless antennas and receptors are feared to cause cancers in humans. This is one of the reasons that Google’s plans in trying out new technologies are being delayed. Secondly, politicians cannot antagonize their native contingency in terms of conventional network providers and related vested interests. Hence, there are numerous factors at play behind business operations – not all of them are straight forward. This insight is quite useful for the student of Managerial Economics. Hence, overall, there are more positives than negatives associated with the article. Written in neat and easy prose, the article is largely devoid of technical jargon. Thus, it is accessible to students at all levels. Reference: Efrati, Amir, (Updated May 24, 2013) ‘Google to Fund, Develop Wireless Networks in Emerging Markets’Retrieved from on 25th May, 2013

Definition and Examples of an Ad Hominem Fallacy

Definition and Examples of an Ad Hominem Fallacy Ad hominem is a logical  fallacy  that involves a personal attack: an argument based on the perceived failings of an adversary rather than on the merits of the case. In short, its when your rebuttal to an opponents position is an irrelevant attack on the opponent personally rather than the subject at hand, to discredit the position by discrediting its supporter. It translates as against the man. Using an ad hominem fallacy pulls the publics attention off the real issue and serves only as a distraction. In some contexts its unethical.  Its also called argumentum ad hominem, abusive ad hominem, poisoning the well, ad personam, and mudslinging. The attacks serve as red herrings to try to discredit or blunt the opponents argument or make the public ignore it- its not just a personal attack but one stated as a counterattack to the position.   Ad Hominem Arguments That Arent Fallacies Just as there can be negative attacks (or insults) against someone that arent ad hominem arguments, there can also be a valid ad hominem argument thats not a ​fallacy. This works to convince the opposition of a premise using information that the opposition already believes to be true, whether or not the person making the argument believes them as factual.      Also, if the point of criticism of the opponent is an ethical or moral violation for someone wholl be in a position to enforce moral standards (or claims to be ethical), the ad hominem might not be irrelevant to the point at hand. If there is a conflict of interest that is being hidden- such as personal gain that has clearly influenced a persons position- the ad hominem could be relevant. Gary Goshgarian and colleagues give this example of a conflict of interest in their book An Argument Rhetoric and Reader:   The organizer of a petition to build a state-supported recycling center may seem reasonably suspect if it is revealed that he owns the land on which the proposed recycling center would be built. While the property owner may be motivated by sincere environmental concerns, the direct relationship between his position and his personal life makes this fair game for a challenge (Gary Goshgarian, et al.,  Addison-Wesley, 2003). Types of Ad Hominem Arguments An abusive ad hominem fallacy is a direct attack on the person. For example, it occurs when the opponents appearance is brought up in the discussion. Youll see this a lot of times when men are discussing positions of female opponents. The persons clothes and hair and personal attractiveness are brought up during the discussion when they have nothing to do with the subject matter. Looks and clothes never come into the discussion, however, when the mens points of views come up for debate.   The scary thing, as T.E. Damer writes, is that most abusers apparently believe that such characteristics actually provide good reasons for ignoring or discrediting the arguments of those who have them (Attacking Faulty Reasoning. Wadsworth, 2001). The circumstantial  ad hominem fallacy happens when the opponents circumstances come into play, irrelevantly.   A  tu quoque  fallacy is when the opponent points out how the arguer doesnt follow his or her own advice.  Its also called an appeal to  hypocrisy, for that reason. An opponent might say, Well, thats the pot calling the kettle black.   Ad Hominem Examples Political campaigns, especially the tiresome negative attack ads, are full of fallacious ad hominem examples (as well as just negative attacks, without any positions stated).  Unfortunately, they work, otherwise, candidates wouldnt use them. In a study, scientists had people evaluate scientific claims paired with attacks. They found that attacks on positions based on ad hominem fallacies were just as effective as attacks based on evidence. Allegations of conflict of interest were just as effective as allegations of fraud. In political campaigns, ad hominem attacks are nothing new. Yvonne Raley, writing for Scientific American, noted that during the presidential campaign of 1800, John Adams was called a fool, a gross hypocrite and an unprincipled oppressor. His rival, Thomas Jefferson, on the other hand, was deemed an uncivilized atheist, anti-American, a tool for the godless French.†Ã‚   Examples of different types of ad hominem fallacies and arguments include: Abusive: During the 2016  presidential campaign, Donald Trump threw out one abusive ad hominem attack after another about Hillary Clinton, such as, Now you tell me she looks presidential, folks. I look presidential, as if clothing were the important issue at hand.  Circumstantial: Thats what youd expect someone like him/her to say or Thats, of course, the position a ___________ would have.Poisoning the well:  Take, for example, a movie reviewer who dislikes a Tom Cruise movie because of the actors religion and tries to impose negative bias in the audience members minds before they see the film. His religious affiliation is completely unrelated to his acting ability or whether the movie is entertaining.Relevant ad hominem arguments: It was relevant to attack  Jimmy Swaggart after he was found with a prostitute yet purported to be an advisor and leader on moral issues. But hes not alone as far as preaching morality and not behaving. Any congressman who purports family values an d commits adultery, is caught with pornography, or hires prostitutes- and especially those who lie about it- is legitimately open for character attacks.   Guilt by association: If a person expresses the same (or a similar) view as someone whos already viewed negatively, that person and the viewpoint will then be viewed negatively. Whether the viewpoint is valid doesnt matter; its tarnished because of the person whos viewed negatively.Ad feminam: Using female stereotypes to attack a viewpoint is an ad feminam fallacy, for example, calling someones viewpoint irrational because of pregnancy, menopause, or menstruation hormones.

APA review Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

APA review - Assignment Example The APA standard of writing creates cues for readers to follow ideas effectively and trace information that may be of interest to them. In addition, it draws attention by not distracting readers with unfamiliar formatting and writing styles, as well as generating credibility in command of content and ideas to the audience of written works. This creates confidence in the audience and demonstrating awareness of the researcher (Seas and Brizee, 2012). The formatting style is used mostly in three disciplines: social sciences, business and nursing and covers two types of papers, which include literature reviews and experimental reports and outlines required sections of each paper. In addition, APA covers the most basic areas of concern, which include point of view, clarity, and choice of words. It also highlights citations and reference lists where it takes into consideration the requirements of in-text citations, footnotes and endnotes, reference lists and the basic rules associated with

How culture influence Management style Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 15000 words

How culture influence Management style - Essay Example The emergence of a global economy and the dissolution of the national boundaries due to the advancement of information and communication technology, have forced the organizations to constantly re-evaluate strategies and operations so as to remain competitive (Buttery & Holt, 2000). With workplaces having people from diverse cultural backgrounds, with virtual teams working across continents culture plays a significant role in how the firms operate and manage business. Culture has always been a source of influence on human behaviour. It is essential to note that culture has a major impact on the human behaviour. Also the performance of an individual at a work place is directly impacted by the culture of the organisation. The culture of the organisation is generally dependent on the management of the organisation and the way the culture of the organisation is managed can impact the overall working within the company. Various functions of the organisation such as planning, controlling the different aspects of organisation, setting goal, coordinating are the key responsibilities of the management and together they contribute to the culture of the organisation as well. The role of managers becomes more complex and difficult in case of Multinational Companies (MNCs) as the managers located at overseas locations or expatriate managers face the daunting challenge of managing people from different cultures. The managers need to concentrate on the employee s and there is a clear need to be able to balance the employees and manage them well. By doing so, the company’s culture will be very high and there will also be a chance for the employees to grow and develop and perform better here. The attitude of the managers and the focus with which they work towards the development of the culture in the company can have a clear impact on the

Tthe advantages of not being global and having a local approach Essay

Tthe advantages of not being global and having a local approach - Essay Example This paper illustrates that in order to understand the potential disadvantages of global strategy, compared to local strategies, it would be necessary to refer to the characteristics of global strategy, as identified in the key strategic decisions of firms operating in the global market. It seems that global strategy is highly differentiated from local strategies, not only in regard to its role but also in regard to its requirements and effects. In accordance with Tallman the global strategy can be characterized as the strategy, which needs to be established in case that a firm is interested in operating in the global market. It is explained that such strategy helps the organization to align its operational rules and culture with those of the targeted market. Reference is made for example to the case of Haier, a major competitor in the Chinese manufacturing industry. The firm has tried to be established in the USA market using a low-price policy. However, it was soon revealed that th is policy, alone, would not help the organization to develop its presence in the particular market; instead, a brand should be used for attracting the interest of local consumers. In accordance with the above, an effective global strategy offers the basis for the successful development of a firm’s presence in the global market. Thus, a global strategy should be related to specific policies, which are likely to be different compared to those included in local strategies (Lasserre 2007). This fact is made clear if the strategies used by two different firms for entering the global market are reviewed: reference is made in particular to ‘Philips Group of Holland and Japan’s Panasonic’ (Segal-Horn and Faulkner 2010, p.133). Before 1980s, Philips Group tried to develop its presence in the global market by focusing on the needs and the trends of each country; however, up to then, global strategy was characterized by the production of similar products for all coun tries which were promoted in markets globally using similar marketing strategies (Segal-Horn and Faulkner 2010) and only minor changes were made for aligning these strategies with local trends. As a result, Philips Group had to face significant difficulties and delays when trying to expand its operations globally. Panasonic, which aligned its policies with the requirements of

The graveyard book

The graveyard book A happy childhood is often described as one characterized by love, family, and a sense of security. Many adults are wont to complain that some disruptive behavior is due to some distant unfortunate event in their childhood which may have affected their coping mechanisms as they matured, a commonplace, yet unpleasant, statement widely accepted by psychiatrists. A certain question now arises in my medically inclined mind: what would psychiatrists predict for the little boy Nobody Owens? Nobody, or Bod, is the main character of Neil Gaimans The Graveyard Book, the strange yet enlightening tale of a boy who was orphaned early in life and was then adopted by a charming couple, Mr. and Mrs. Owens, who turn out to be ghosts. The story is set in the fictional village of Old Town, a sleepy little village with a dreamlike quality about it. Within this quiet stretch of land is a graveyard, now unused and abandoned. It has been turned into a nature reserve and it is in this precise location that Bod finds himself as he escapes the murderer of his family. Raised by the graveyards phantasmal inhabitants and his mysterious guardian Silas, Bod grows up into a curious and pleasant boy. He encounters ghouls, werewolves, and a monstrous slithering creature hiding beneath the hill of the graveyard. He also manages to make friends with a girl, who visits the graveyard from time to time. While he is growing up, he is taught to read, to fade through walls and slip through shadows, and other uncanny abilities. Surprisingly entertaining despite the occasional macabre and hair-raising plights, Edinger (2009) calls Gaimans creation a novel of wonderweaving a tale of unforgettable enchantment. Common themes of familial closeness and zest for life are cleverly incorporated into this masterpiece. The subtleties with which these cherished values are imparted to readers are completely endearing. While I read the book, I was entranced to the point that I could not help but nervously look over my shoulder to see if there was a ghoul-gate opening its jaws to swallow me into the dark city of Ghulheim, leading me to doubt if this truly was a childrens book. Although I generally do not favor the style which Howard (2009) describes as the episodic nature of the book, I found it completely appropriate for this tale. Since it is a childrens book, one would expect a story that can be told in chapters, thus making it easier for parents to read a portion of the story every night before bedtime. Finally, admit ting that the book was influenced by Rudyard Kiplings The Jungle Book by no means diminishes Gaimans skill in delivering this tale. For this reason, he was awarded the Newbery Medal which honors outstanding contribution to American childrens literature. Going back to my original question, I continue to wonder what conclusions psychiatrists would draw up regarding Bod. After all, his family was murdered, he was raised in a graveyard by specters, and he has been in so many frightening situations enough to terrify a full-grown man. Would they say that he would grow up to be a disturbed young man because of his experiences? Or would those same experiences have molded him to become stronger than the rest of us? Personally, I believe the love and warmth with which Bods ghost family accepted him has already made up for the loss of his real one. Whichever the case, I only make this point to show how curious I am about what Bod will ultimately become. As Gaimans daughter Maddy so nonchalantly asked after her father read her the first chapter he wrote, I, too, can only ask, What happens next? One thing is certain though, with Bods enthusiasm to live his life to the fullest, his life outside the safety of the graveyard would be peppered with new adventures and characters as elaborate and lively as those resting in his home. REFERENCES: Anonymous,.(2009,April). Childrens Book Awards 2009. Bulletin of the Center for Childrens Books,62(8),343-345. Retrieved January 24, 2010, from Academic Research Library. (Document ID:1673481801). Edinger,M..(2009,February). Raised by Ghosts. New York Times Book Review,BR.15. Retrieved January 24, 2010, from Academic Research Library. (Document ID:1647333051). Howard,E..(2009,July). Neil Gaiman.The Horn Book Magazine,85(4),351-354. Retrieved January 24, 2010, from Academic Research Library. (Document ID:1786166631). Hunt,J..(2010,January). The Graveyard Book.The Horn Book Magazine,86(1),18. Retrieved January 24, 2010, from Academic Research Library. (Document ID:1936022361).

Voice of Houstons Past :: essays papers

Voice of Houstons Past For most of American history, African-Americans have been considered and treated as inferiors. Their folksongs and tales have been benignly looked upon as harmless, meaningless expressions of a dull-witted race whose only contribution to American life was a strong back and a weak mind. Even after the Civil War, the ingrown prejudices continued to relegate the freedmen to the bottom rung of a strict caste ladder. Their folklore was repeatedly ignored or belittled. Only since the coming of black awareness, pioneered by men like W. Dubois and Frederick Douglas, has the African American community realized that their culture is uniquely American and singularly important to the understanding and establishment of the American cultural and artistic scene. It is one of the few elements of their heritage that they can look back on and recognize as valuable in America's development. This is the essence of the black folksongs, stories, and art; they fill a void and force recognition of the African American contribution. These superstitions and folklore from the past demonstrate the influences wielded upon African Americans of today, as well as pave the way for a new form of folklore, which is told through art. In order to effectively illustrate the progression and correlation of early African American folklore and the emergence of a new breed of artist, a specific group of artist all utilizing the same type of art form will be discussed. Therefore, the focus of this paper will be on recent African American artist in Houston, Texas; all of whom utilize place-specific art to convey their images and messages. Before discussing the current art movement, it is vital to understand the history of the superstitions and folklore which are the inspiration for Houston's place-specific art. A Brief History of African American Superstition and Folklore Since their arrival on American soil, African Americans have contributed to our collective culture. Their songs, poems, stories, spirituals, and proverbs, while at times reinforcing the white theory of supremacy, gave them a foundation of identity that was passed from generation to generation. The ghost stories and superstitions are probably the best known examples of early black culture. This is because white men used them as a means to prove the black's innate inferiority to whites. They ignored the obvious fact; all cultures posses similar superstitions, even their own. The problem in collecting and evaluating black folklore is the misinterpretation and lack of understanding of early black dialects. "We must read the transcriptions with some care and occasionally wonder what the white man did when they were confronted by sounds strange to their ears; some tried to transcribe the actual sound, but others, assuming

Winesburg

The word grotesque is an oxymoron in itself. It means beautiful ugly. How a person can have both of these adjectives is the theme of Winesburg, Ohio written by Sherwood Anderson. His characters become grotesque by holding onto one truth that make them distorted but unknowingly make them beautiful simultaneously. Anderson uses the motif of isolation on Seth Richmond, the Stranger and Tandy to develop their grotesqueness by making the characters' isolation be the reason why they hold onto one truth causing their grotesqueness.On the other hand, the author ses biblical allusion to help clarify the truth Jesse Bentley lives by that causes his grotesqueness. Anderson uses the motif of isolation in order to enhance the grotesqueness of Seth Richmond, as the character's self-imposed isolation causes his grotesqueness. Seth Richmond grows up with his mother, Virginia Richmond who does not know how to discipline him and a deceased father. Seth only stares at his mother apathetically when she scolds him that causes his mother to withdraw from her displeasure.Seth also only shows indifference in things other boys engage in and finds him different rom others, since he does not feel the same emotions people would usually feel. Hence, he holds onto the truth that he does not belong in the town and â€Å"he [wishes] that he himself [be] stirred by something† (133). Seth's self-imposed isolation is what causes his grotesqueness. He thinks Just because he doesn't have the same interest as the others and is not â€Å"stirred by something† makes him an outcast and unlike. When in fact, the people of Winesburg admire him because he comes off as a passionate and mature man.Nevertheless, Seth does not acknowledge the people's houghts because he lives by his truth that he does not fit in Winesburg because he is indifferent about things the people our engaged in. For this reason, he is distorted and grotesque for believing one truth and not accepting the others' truths. Later, Seth fancies a girl named Helen but with him imposing that he does not belong in the town and wants to leave, he soon drives away Helen and begins to think that the reason of her departure is because of his truth that he is an outcast.When in reality, Helen departs to avoid further sentiment because Seth tells her that it was their last ime they'll see each other. Nonetheless, He continues to say, â€Å"when it comes to loving someone, it wont never be [him]. It'll be†¦ someone who talks a lot – someone like that George Willard† (142). Seth continues to hold onto his truth and imposes that he needs be isolated further more from the town and needs to leave Winesburg. This eventually drives Helen away, but Seth believes it is because of his social skills.Hence, he becomes Jealous of George Willard and wants to be like him because he thinks that if he were George, Helen would not have left him. However, George Willard is not that social either, Seth assumes he is a social butterfly because he is a reporter but as a matter of fact he only listens well. Seth is grotesque because he believes in a truth that is not absolute. He believes that Helen left him because he is not as social as George Willard, when it is not the case. He is grotesque tor believing a truth about George Willard that is not true.The author also uses the motif of isolation to develop the grotesqueness of the Stranger and Tandy, as the characters' isolation causes them to hold onto one truth aking them grotesque. Tandy Hard lives only with her father, Tom Hard because her mother is dead. Tom Hard spends most of his time being an atheist, wrecking the ideas and belief that God exists causing his daughter to be neglected. Not having anyone to nurture her and guide her, she becomes lost and continues to live without an identity, as implied by the author when he does not mention her real name until she the stranger names her Tandy.The stranger comes to Winesburg, Ohio in ord er to cure his alcohol addiction and addiction to an image of a lover. He claims that his over is named Tandy who has â€Å"the quality of being strong to be loved,† and the only reason he is not with her is because â€Å"she did not come in [his] time† (145). As a result of the stranger being lone and isolated for not having a lover, he holds onto the truth that his lover is named Tandy and she was not born in his time for the stranger does not find her yet.His reasoning makes him distorted because he continues to believe the truth that there is a Tandy that was not born at his time and not acknowledge the truth that there might not be any Tandy at all. In addition, his isolation also makes im grotesque because it makes him live by the truth that his lover is someone like Tandy and does not acknowledge the truth that there are other women out there that can be his potential lovers without necessarily having the same quality as Tandy.Nonetheless, the stranger imposes o n the daughter that she should be Tandy and she should be strong and brave in order to beloved. Consequently, the daughter not having an identity starts to incline on the idea of Tandy. When her father calls her, she retaliates and says, â€Å"[she] want[s] to be called Tandy – Tandy Hard† (146). After he daughter's statement demanding she wants to be called Tandy, it is implied that she will continue to live as Tandy. For that reason, the daughter is grotesque for not accepting that she can have her own truth to live by and not Just the truth of the stranger.However, the only reason she holds onto the stranger's truth is because she does not acquire her own identity from the isolation and lack of nurture she gets from her father. Therefore, her isolation because of the lack of guidance from her father causes her to live by another person's truth distorting her and making her rotesque. Anderson uses biblical allusion to help clear up the truth Jesse Bentley lives by cr eating his grotesqueness. Jesse Bentley inherits a colossal amount of land from his dead father and brothers.Before inheriting the land Jesse Bentley studied to be a minister, so returning home he is filled with religious thoughts. Hence, he begins to think that his farm is an empire of God and thinks that his lands need to be protected from â€Å"the hands of the Philistines† (73). As a man who studied to be a minister, it is understandable to return with the words of God. However, Jesse Bentley ssociating his life to the Bible and calling his neighbors Philistines is Just absurd and twisted.He lives by the truth that his life is parallel with Jesse's life from the Bible, and even goes to the extent of calling his neighbors Philistines implying that they are enemies. For this reason, Jesse Bentley is grotesque because he lives by the truth that his neighbors are Philistines like in the Bible, causing his distortion and grotesqueness because his truth is not really true. As I said before, Jesse Bentley commences to equate his life to the Jesse of the Old Testament. The Jesse from the Old Testament is known as Christ's key ancestor.As a result, Bentley prays to God that his wife conceives a son that can be named David in order for the lineage to start. However, his wife conceives a girl, Louise that gives birth to a son named David. Jesse Bentley then starts to get obsessive about contacting God through his grandson David. He thinks that through David they â€Å"will see the beauty and glory of God† (100), so he brings a sheep to sacrifice and uses David as a host in the forest. Jesse Bentley holds onto the truth that he can be a significant person like the Jesse from the Old Testament through his grandson.He strongly believes that his life is parallel to the life of the Bible's Jesse when it is not the case. In addition, the fact that he still tries to equate his life into the bible when there's a generation gap and the story that he is reenactin g is Abraham and Isaac and not Jesse and David shows that he is so desperate to communicate with God and feel significant that it makes him distorted and grotesque. Furthermore, because Jesse Bentley is blinded by his want to be significant and the truth that he can communicate with God, he does not accept the ruth that God may not exist making him grotesque.In conclusion, the characters' isolation leads them to live by one truth that enhances their grotesqueness. Additionally, the author uses biblical allusion to explain and clarify the truths the characters' hold onto that makes them grotesque. In some way, the characters' or in general people's grotesqueness can be seen as beautiful. People's faith in a certain truth can be considered beautiful and no matter how distorted it makes them seem, it's the fact that people stand on their ground and fght for what they believe in, makes them admirable.

Purify Alcohol or Denatured Ethanol Using Distillation

Purify Alcohol or Denatured Ethanol Using Distillation Denatured alcohol is toxic to drink and may be unsuitable for some lab experiments or other purposes. If you need pure ethanol (CH3CH2OH), you can purify denatured, contaminated or impure alcohol using distillation.   Alcohol Distillation Materials Balance100-mL volumetric flask or graduated cylinderDistillation apparatus250-mL beaker (or another container to receive the distilled alcohol)Hotplate or another flameless heat source (to avoid igniting the ethanol)Boiling chips200-mL impure ethanol (e.g., 70% denatured alcohol) You can also  make  a distillation apparatus if you dont already have one or arent sure what one looks like. Alcohol Distillation Procedure Put on appropriate safety gear, including goggles, gloves and protective clothing.Weigh the volumetric flask or graduated cylinder and record the value. This will help you determine your yield if you care to calculate it.Add 100.00 mL of alcohol to the volumetric flask. Weigh the flask plus alcohol and record the value. Now, if you subtract the mass of the flask from this value, you will know the mass of your alcohol. The density of your alcohol is the mass per volume, which is the mass of the alcohol (the number you just obtained) divided by the volume (100.00 mL). You now know the density of the alcohol in g/mL.Pour the ethanol into the distillation vessel and add the remaining alcohol.Add a boiling chip or two to the flask.Assemble the distillation apparatus. The 250-mL beaker is your receiving vessel.Turn on the hotplate and heat the ethanol to a gentle boil. If you have a thermometer in the distillation apparatus, youll see the temperature climb and then stabilize when it reache s the temperature of the ethanol-water vapor. Once you reach it, do not allow the temperature to exceed the stable value. If the temperature starts to climb again, it means the ethanol is gone from the distillation vessel. At this point, you could add more of the impure alcohol, if it didnt all fit in the container at the start. Continue distillation until you have collected at least 100 mL in the receiving beaker.Allow the distillate (liquid you collected) to cool to room temperature.Transfer 100.00 mL of this liquid into the volumetric flask, weigh the flask plus alcohol, subtract the weight of the flask (from earlier), and record the mass of the alcohol. Divide the mass of the alcohol by 100 to get the density of your distillate in g/mL. You can compare this value against a table of values to estimate the purity of your alcohol. The density of pure ethanol around room temperature is 0.789 g/mL.If you want, you can run this liquid through another distillation to increase its purity. Keep in mind, some alcohol is lost during every distillation, so youll have a lower yield with the second distillation and even less final product if you do a third distillation. If you double or triple distill your alcohol, you can determine its density and estimate its purity using the same method outlined for the first disti llation. Notes About Alcohol Ethanol is sold in the pharmacy sections of stores as a disinfectant. It may be called ethyl alcohol, ethanol or ethyl rubbing alcohol. Another common type of alcohol used for rubbing alcohol is isopropyl alcohol or isopropanol. These alcohols have different properties (notably, isopropyl alcohol is toxic), so if it matters which one you need, be sure the desired alcohol is listed on the label. Hand sanitizer gels also often use ethanol and/or isopropanol. The label should list which type of alcohol is used under the active ingredients. Notes About Purity Distilling denatured alcohol will remove enough impurities for may lab applications. Further purification steps could include passing the alcohol over activated carbon. This would be especially helpful if the point of the distillation is to obtain drinkable ethanol. Be very careful distilling ethanol to drink using denatured alcohol as a source. If the denaturing agent was simply an additive intended to make the alcohol bitter, this purification might be fine, but if toxic substances were added to the alcohol, a lesser degree of contamination may remain in the distilled product. This is especially likely if the contaminant had a boiling point close to that of the ethanol. You can reduce contamination by discarding the first bit of ethanol that is collected and the last portion. It also helps to tightly control the temperature of the distillation. Just be aware: distilled alcohol is not suddenly pure! Even commercially produced ethanol still contains traces of other chemicals.

Mozart, K.333 essays

Mozart, K.333 essays The third movement of Mozarts piano sonata K. 333 in B flat major is written in fairly standard sonata-rondo form of the classical period. Its interest lies not just in the graceful, lilting melodies so typical of Mozart, but in the engaging chromaticism, the treatment of the themes in the development, and the cadenza after the recapitulation. The development is divided into four distinct sections in differing keys and motivic interest. The first (mm. 64-76) consists of new thematic material, and begins in G minor. Through the course of just twelve measures, Mozart modulates to E flat minor, F major, and then to B flat major, which then sets us up for the second section (mm. 76-90) in E flat major. This section uses transitory material from the primary theme of the exposition and expounds upon it, taking the basic melody and changing the rhythm. The third section (mm. 91-104), takes the primary melodic idea and reiterates it in B flat minor. As the music prepares the listener for the recapitulation, it shifts into B flat major using material from the closing section of the exposition (mm. 105-111). There is a two measure chromatic scale that serves as a link from the development to the recapitulation. The recapitulation (mm. 112-163) is not as similar to the exposition as one might expect. There are extensions of sixteenth note scales and embellishments on all of the themes and transitions. Where the closing theme would normally be in the recapitulation, there is a retransition (mm. 164-171) using the same rhythmic pattern as the closing theme, but a different melodic idea. This carries us in to a most unique portion of the sonata: the cadenza (mm. 171-198). This cadenza, which is an anomaly in Mozarts sonatas, functions as a sort of second development, and further augments the primary and closing themes. A snippet of the primary theme is played twice, on ...

House of Wisdom Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

House of Wisdom - Essay Example It is  impossible  to  envision  Western civilization without fruits of Arab science. Al- khwarizmi’s art of Algebra, the well researched and explained medical teachings and  philosophy  of Avicenna, the new geography and cartography introduced by al-idrisi or the  thorough  rationalism of Averroes (Jonathan, 2009). It is  evident  how uneducated the westerners were. Their leader was an  implacable  cleric who had appeared from nowhere to massive  popular  acclaim; he exhorted his charges to holy war against the infidels with promises of a home in paradise. Diseases and malnutrition were  rife. Medical care often involved exorcism or the amputation of the injured limb. Torture and other ordeals settled criminal cases. Few had any  learning  at all.  The little  education  that they had consisted of memorizing out dated texts under the watchful eyes of  hidebound  doctors of religion.  They did not understand basic technology, scien ce or mathematics. They could not  date  their most significant holy days nor could they  chart  the  regular  movement of the sun, moon and planets. Natural phenomena such as  eclipse  of the moon or a sudden change in  weather  terrified them; they thought it was black magic. Pope Uban II appealed to the princes in the French town of Clermont to end their  ceaseless  warring to  turn  their murderous energies on the unbelievers of the East. The  fighting  and denouncing of the Muslims by the European Christians and the Westerners began to  obscure  any  recognition  of the Muslim way of life and their contribution to science. This message consisted of four themes, some of which still resonate today. One was that Islam distorts the word of God, and the other was that Islam  was  solely  spread  by  violence. The third one was that Islam promoted pervertedsexuality  of humans by encouraging the  practice  of polygamy, for examp le, the way the sultans behaved in their Kingdoms, and through their excessively  modest  way  they carried themselves out. Finally, they also believed that the Antichrist was a muslim(Jonathan, 2009). These were just prejudices because some of the European philosophers, who had earlier denounced the Muslim way of life, later appreciated and acknowledged their contribution to  education  (Jonathan, 2009). As most Westerners denounced the Muslims, an Englishman named Aderlard of Bath one of the early pioneers of the Arab teachings who brought about the wonder of astronomy geometry astrology and other fields to the medieval West, looked at the Muslims differently, he left his home in search for education. In addition, he believed that the Muslims had the best education. He had no interest in the debaucheries of his fellow Europeans. Unlike the holy warriors unleashed by Pope Uban II, he had the  determination  to learn from the Muslims rather than killing them under the sign of the cross. While the crusaders saw only evil in the Muslim infidel, Aderlard sought the  light

International Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

International Management - Essay Example With very sophisticated infrastructures, Bahrain is a rapidly developing market in the Middle East. The country has a strong government with futuristic outlooks which has contributed to the shaping of the nation as a highly mature economy (Dew 2002). There are large numbers of development ventures in progress all over the country which renders the opportunity to expand to Bahrain quite pleasing. The country provides various encouragements to the opportunity of expanding to Bahrain (Dew 2002). Because of its strategic position, several multinational companies have expanded to Bahrain like Nomura Investment Banking, American Express, Citicorp, etc (Sohail 2005). The objective of this essay is to analyze the (1) physical and societal factors, (2) competitive factors, (3) objectives, and (4) strategies and means as they relate to the expansion of financial institutions to Bahrain, which in this paper will be the The Hong kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC). HSBC has its main off ice in London, and it is one of the major financial institutions in the world. HSBC, just like other global businesses, are gaining from flourishing business in the Middle East ( However, expansion for HSBC has been beset with difficulties. The company has to deal with external factors, such as those mentioned above, in their pursuit for successful expansion. Physical and Societal Factors The coarse periphery of Bahrain is characterized by a dynamic cultural domain and sophisticated infrastructure. Since 1971, the period it gained its independence from the UK, Bahrain has grown into a wealthy, progressive nation that adopts the union of its culture with its quest for prosperity (Gillespie & Gritzner 2002). Nowadays, the country tries to build a more advanced state which values and merges its time-honored cultural practices (Dew 2002). Gaining knowledge and making sense of this exceptional culture and its related business customs is critical to the success of expansion plan of HSBC t o Bahrain. Some of the factors that the management of HSBC should take into account are the business-related social practices of Bahrainis. For instance, the society of Bahrain is deeply rule-inclined with laws, policies, and other control systems established to lessen the insecurity and put in force the authority of leaders (Dew 2002). This quite rigid hierarchical structure is embodied in the prescribed communication method of the general population of Bahrain. The use of prescribed greetings and distinctions or titles is important (Dew 2002). For instance, when a person enters an office for the first time, s/he should shake hands with the highest ranking officer first using their certain distinctions. This information is vital to the human resources management of HSBC. Competitive Factors The banking sector in Bahrain is considered as one of the most competitive in the Middle East. The government vigorously and explicitly seeks for foreign investments and views them as crucial to the country’s economic success (Laulajainen 2003). Banking and financial organizations in Bahrain are involved in a traditional business environment and trade-oriented culture that prospers from the foreign investments (Chiline 2002). The corporate banking culture in Bahrain welcomes foreign companies eagerly and attracts foreign