Born Global Firm

.- What are some of the managerial characteristics of a Born Global firm? How are distinguishable from those of a traditional firm that seek to expand with a more traditional evolutionary process? The Born Global firm phenomenon refers to those special firms that adopt an international approach right from their birth The general characteristics of Born Global firms differentiate themselves from other multinationals in their growth stages. Born Global firms typically operate in a narrowly defined market niche, which makes it harder to grow in a small home market. A high degree of specialization requires internationalization if the firm wants to achieve substantial growth. Born Global firms often possess unique resources and capabilities such as entrepreneurial orientation of the founders, innovation behind products and technology, accumulated knowledge of the founders and managers from previous work experience, and networking capabilities. Managers with a previous background of international strong activity will give to the company a more sure address to its business expansion, for this reason a high level of entrepreneurial orientation supports the firm? ability to recognize and create opportunities at an early stage. It can be argued that Born Global firms are typically found in niche business areas where products are unique, and require high amount of research and development like the high tech business area. It is very important to invest in products with a short life cycle and high technology sectors are characterized by this necessity o f a continued innovation which can protect those firms and products from any imitation. As for geographic locations of these Born Global firms, their headquarters can be found in various countries, such as the United States, United Kingdom, Switzerland†¦ Rich and large countries give birth to Born Global firms, as these countries have potential demand for unique products, plenty marketing professionals and financial support. Foreign demands for unique products then often pull these firms to globalize quickly.

Has our Political System Succeeded? Essay

Our political system originally began with the Declaration of Independence written by Thomas Jefferson on July 4, 1776. Following that document were the Articles of Confederation, which were adopted in 1777. This was the first attempt to set up a government. Then came our Constitution in 1787, which was made into three plans. These were the Virginia Plan, New Jersey Plan, and then the Connecticut compromise. The four things our Constitution accomplished were indirect democracy, limited government, checks and majority rule, and an outline of what the different branches of government do. Our nation’s two main parties are Republican and Democrat. The Democratic Party was founded in 1828, and our Republican party was founded in 1854. Since 1856, these have been the only major parties. Our political system has succeeded in many ways. One way would be our checks and balances within the federal government and on a local level. Provisions have been made and improved over the years to regulate proper placement of funds and equal rights with citizens. The root of our political system begins with congress. The main responsibilities of congress are making laws, overseeing the FBI and CIA, casework, representing their districts, setting an agenda, and conflict resolution. Our society has relied upon a bicameral system, where there have been a House of Representatives and a Senate for well over 100 years. Some of the responsibilities of the House of Representatives include reviewing bills and beginning the impeachment process. The Senate’s duties include giving advice and consenting on treaties, conducting impeachment trials, and appointing upper-level judicial officers. Where I feel our political system has not done so well is with bureaucrats. Bureaucracy has some positive aspects like specialization, making sure rules and regulations are carried out, and neutrality. There are two types of bureaucrats. The first one is a civil servant who is hired based on merit, and the second one is a political appointee who is selected based on whom they know. It is a common issue that bureaucrats are given too much power and that they abuse those powers, which causes flaws in our political system. It does, however, seem that bureaucrats are vital for the functioning of any political system; they are generally not well liked, though. Several attempts to reform bureaucracy have been made, such as the Sunshine laws, which are laws that dictated that agencies have to be conducted in the public eye. Sunset laws are congressional reviews that are conducted over existing programs to determine laws and their effectiveness. Privatization is another reform where the government turns over more jobs to private sectors. A good change for our society was when the Government Performacy and Results Act of 1997 was introduced. This sought to improve governmental efficiency by making agencies describe their goals and create mechanisms for evaluating their goals. Another is called the Whistle Blowers Act. This was an attempt to encourage federal bureaucrats to report any mishandling of funds, fraud, and waste going on in their own and other agencies. Out of that act, the office of special council was created. Overall, our political system has proven to be stable and has succeeded. Of course, there are going to be positive and negative aspects, but, in the end, for what our nation has had to deal with in the past 228 years, we have done far better than any other country.

What is strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

What is strategy - Essay Example In order for a company to attain its goals and objectives, it has to put in place the means it will use to attain this. Therefore, it is a means of attaining these goals and objectives in a business should be strictly followed. Precisely, strategy can be defined as the means of reaching the end, what is used, how it is used and carried out in order to achieve the objectives and goals and objectives, and what are the expectations of the surrounding. Therefore, strategy refers to where the business needs to be in a certain time, which activities it should conduct, and who are its competitors. Moreover, what it should do to be better than its competitors, what resources should it use, what are the main challenges that the business will face in the market and what are the expectations of those around them (Riley). In conclusion, strategy is the exact implementation of the plan and not the preventive measures or judgments of the plan and should be followed strictly in every

Socialization of Generation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Socialization of Generation - Essay Example The Gen Xers, on the other hand, were probably attached that label in deference to the dictionary definition of x as an unknown and incomprehensible factor after older people became confused by ideas and attitudes different from theirs. Of course, the Millennials were named as such because they were born at the approach or turn of the new millennium, while the Net generation was so labeled in reference to the advent of the Internet during its time. This paper attempts a critical analysis of why the set of values and norms that one particular generation subscribes to is different from that of the other generation, based on an examination of my own socialization activities as a Gen Xer and those of earlier generations. The year of my birth was 1971, which makes me one of the Gen Xers, who were categorized as those born between 1965 and 1976. My generation came immediately after the Baby Boomers, who were born between 1946 and 1964, and just before the Millennials, who were born in 1977-1998. In my formative years, the major international events that left an indelible impression may be categorized according to their political, social, economic and scientific import. In the political sense, I remember the withdrawal of the US forces from Vietnam in 1972 after a 10-year war of attrition that scandalized much of the world; the Watergate scandal that broke in 1973 and led to Nixon's resignation a year later; the 1972 Black September attack at the Munich Olympics that killed 11 Israeli athletes, which was regarded as the first incident of international terrorism; and the bloody riots triggered by the killing of students by National Guards at Kent State. On the social scene, I recall the hot pants and mi cro-minis for girls, shoulder-length hair and non-traditional clothing for men, streaking nude in public places, the rage for station wagons and RVs (recreational vehicles), and the disco dance craze stoked by the film Saturday Night Live. As for events with economic significance, the first fuel crisis in 1973 stood out, which happened after the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) refused to ship oil products to nations that supported Israel in the Yom Kippur War between Syria and Egypt. The single most important science-related breakthrough in my youth was the introduction of home computers through Apple II, Atari and other video games. The influence exerted by these events in the socialization practice of Gen Xers like me may have reflected in the traits commonly associated with our generation, which are independence, resilience and adaptability (Thielfodt & Scheef, 2004). We witnessed officials like Nixon betrayed public trust, peace officers like the National Guards gunned down helpless students, Arab terrorists killed innocent athletes, and organizations like OPEC withheld vital oil supply from the world for selfish political reasons. These were unprecedented and outrageous spectacles at the time that could have bred cynicism in us and taught us to distrust humanity. As a result, people in my generation learned to challenge conventions and to look out for our own selves. The fads

Cross culture management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Cross culture management - Essay Example The gender roles are predefined in the patriarchal society and promote segregation of gender within the society. Thus, sexually explicit images and culture of the Western world is not acceptable. MTV, on the other hand is primarily associated with musical extravaganza of the West with its liberated views on sex and sexually explicit content. While Hip-Hop format of MTV music is popular in West, it may clash with the cultural paradigms of the Muslim world. The widely diverse value system of the West and the East therefore would be the major stumbling blocks that would need to be overcome by MTV. Another important issue would be the prevailing anti American sentiments in the Middle East. The Iraq war and America’s contentious role in the internal matter of Middle countries might adversely impact its launch and performance. These factors become hugely pertinent in expanding business, especially in MTV’s case where cultural values would significantly influence its success. Answer 2 MTV has been innovative in its strategy for its business expansion in Middle East with its launch of MTV Arabia. It has fostered partnership with local channel ABN to overcome bureaucratic and regulatory hurdles. Its fundamental strategy of ‘think globally, act locally’ is commendable in its perspective of adapting to local culture.

Career in Dental Surgery Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Career in Dental Surgery - Personal Statement Example I go to his clinic and read his books about Dental Surgery. I have found great interest in the career of Dental Surgery. I want to be like that dentist that changed world history. "The extravagant headline "The Dentist Who Changed World History" is taken from the title of an article that appeared in Harper's Magazine, in December, 1943. The dentist referred to was Maurice William (1881-1973), who practiced in New York and who, if he didn't change world history, at least influenced the course of events in China." (4) The people in rural areas have less health resources so they are migrating to urban areas. A new report says "The year 2008 will be the first time that more than half of the earth's population-nearly 3.3 billion people-will be living in towns and cities." (5) Although people are generally afraid of approaching dentist as Taylor Caldwell, "[An] Anglo-American novelist, a prolific author of popular fiction, who used often in her works real historical events or persons"(6), says "I was never afraid of anything in the world except the dentist." (7) But I love Dental Surgery Career. I believe that if I do not love a career, I can not move forward in that career. this career. Motivation is one of the best gifts people possess in all aspects of their lives, but many of them do not even realize they have it or may not know how to use it. Motivation is a feeling that compels us to strive and succeed in all that we do or intend to do. Many people achieve success beyond their wildest dreams. It is often seen that they are not necessarily the smartest people around. Generally, it is seen that the people who succeed financially are the ones who are motivated to achieve success. Human beings have enormous

Public Trust Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Public Trust - Essay Example According to Henry, the paradigm of governance, which is the sixth, has been seen from the initial methods of public administration until the current time to stay in the same position. Therefore, both the ‘locus’ and focus have been maintained. Henry explains that the sixth paradigm represents public administration as New Public Management. Governance represents operations within the government organizations worldwide. Since the survival of a government heavily depends on information, it is, therefore, important to consider adoption of ICT (Information and Communication Technology) initiative. That will help the government to stay relevant in its role of governance. Globally, there has always been a challenge in ensuring that the members of the public service have adopted proper ethics (Kennedy & Schultz, 2011). That is why governments have made various efforts to persuade the public service workers to embrace the laid down ethics and policies. Strict policies are and their measurement or monitoring to instill confidence in the public organizations. Mixed secretarial economy is good for the diversifying and distribution of wealth in the country. Such an economy ensures that the country does not depend on one product alone. Secretarial economy is characteristics entail stiff completion among the players in the economy. In regards to the constitutional ethics of public service application in such an economy, it is difficult if private sector controls most of the sectors. Public service ethics is based on the greater good of the public but in such a scenario; the private owned companies will make policies that best suit their profit-making venture. The public sector in this case plays more of an oversight role. However, if the government has initiated the secretarial economy and has a firm grip on it, the situation is

The Main Stages of PLC Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Main Stages of PLC - Essay Example The question of which to use, or where on this continuum to operate, must be made at the introductory stage of the PLC. PLC distinguishes five market-opportunity phases: entry, establishment, expansion, maturity, and decline; and indicates the kind of opportunity analysis that should go into developing the marketing mix (see Appendix 1). This chart shows that markets increase slowly at first, and then increase at an increasing rate, reach maturity, and finally decline (Drejer 62). The time period for this cycle varies by products. Consider the difference in cycle among the dress industry, the lumber industry, and the computer industry. Also, different companies choose to enter markets during different developmental phases. Even so, management must be aware that marketing tasks of a phase 1 situation are different from those relevant to phase 4 (Crawford and Benedetto 44). In the initial phase (market entry), there is no direct competition. Computer games manufacturing should take into account the fact that the tasks of marketing programs and strategies are those of gaining initial market acceptance and changing habits. They are concerned with creating primary demands for the product, providing customer and consumer information, identifying market segments, gaining market knowledge, soliciting channel support, and promoting to gain a foothold in the marketplace. A common market price emerges in this stage, with the range of acceptable prices narrowing (Crawford and Benedetto 44). The marketer is encountering downward pressure on prices, although this depends on the extent of product differentiation among competitors and the rate at which technological improvements are being made to the product. At this stage, a computer games manufacturer should find the most effective channel strategies and promotions activities in order to plan and develop the furth er campaign. For a computer game, traditional marketing channels (through specialized stores) and direct selling methods will be the most effective channels of distribution. It will be appropriate to use a skimming price in order to attract more users, and popularize the new product. The main promotion techniques are advertising and press conferences aimed to inform community about benefits and uniqueness of the new computer game (Drejer 63). Establishment The second phase is characterized by endeavors to establish markets. In this phase, limited direct competition exists, and potential competitors begin to notice the situation. The functions of marketing programs and strategies are to solidify and extend market footholds and to establish differential advantage. Marketing activities center around gaining brand acceptance and developing customer loyalty. The attempt is to establish a market niche. Also, in the growth stage individual need or benefit segments may surface (Grieves 98). A benefit segment is a sizable group of buyers that places heavy emphasis on a specific product attribute or particular mix of attributes. These segments will often differ in their willingness to pay for specific attributes (e.g., faster delivery, smaller inventories, better service, a special feature). There may, at this stage, still be a substantial amount of

The justice in United Arab Emirates Research Paper

The justice in United Arab Emirates - Research Paper Example This phenomenon is more intensive in countries where culture has been considered as indispensable part of law, such as in the case of Islamic countries. Current paper presents the justice system of UAE, an Arab country with a significant economic power. The efforts of UAE’s government to develop the country’s economic and social framework are highly supported by the national legal system, which is appropriately aligned with the rules of Islamic law. The structure and the elements of UAE’s justice system indicate a strong dependency on culture. At the same time, the influence of the particular justice system by similar systems of the West cannot be ignored. Aly Khedr and Bassam (2010) note that the influences of Western legislation on the UAE’s justice system are clear. Moreover, the key legislative text that has affected UAE’s justice system is the Egypt code which was first appeared near the end of the 19th century (Aly Khedr and Bassam 2010). Also , the adoption of the Civil law by UAE denotes the willingness of the country’s governments to establish a long term relationship between UAE’s justice system and the French law, which has been the basis of the Civil law (Aly Khedr and Bassam 2010). ... The first appearance of UAE’s justice system can be related to the country’s first appearance in the international community, around in 1971 (Abu Dhabi e-government 2012). It was then that the first rules of law for regulating the country’s various issues were established (Abu Dhabi e-government 2012). At that period, the development of the country’s legal system was based on laws of two different types: a) the federal laws and b) the laws issued by Decrees (Abu Dhabi e-government 2012). The laws of the first category were first introduced by the Cabinet and were then brought before the Federal National Council in order to be verified, as legislative texts. Up to that level, a legislative text would remain a bill; for becoming a law, a bill should be then brought to the country’s President who has the power to bring the bill to the Federal Supreme Court for ratification (Abu Dhabi e-government 2012). This is the common legislative process as applied in UAE since the country’s first establishment. In addition, there is the option of laws that are promoted as decrees (Abu Dhabi e-government 2012). These laws can be promoted only in cases of emergency when critical issues need to be regulated. These laws can be promoted by the country’s President, in cooperation with the Cabinet (Abu Dhabi e-government 2012). At lower level, laws can be promoted for regulating issues at the level of emirates, i.e. at not at federal level (Abu Dhabi e-government 2012). Reference should be made here to the Cabinet decisions which are placed, in terms of their power, between the laws brought by decree and the common laws (Abu Dhabi e-government 2012). This means that the decisions of Cabinet are of increased power compared to the laws of Emirates, a fact that it is crucial any

Explore the types of work products relevant to assessment of Essay

Explore the types of work products relevant to assessment of Capability Level 2 in the Software Requirements Analysis Process - Essay Example In the capability dimension, six capability levels and nine corresponding process attributes are defined. These are presented in Table 2.1. The measurement for all process attributes is done on a four-point scale. The process dimension of this framework classifies the processes into Process categories and groups. Software Requirements Analysis is a part of the Software Implementation Process (DEV) within Software Life cycle Processes. Table 2.1: ISO/IEC 15504 – Process Capability Levels & Process Attributes Level Number Level Name Process Attribute Number Process Attribute Name 0 Incomplete Process - - 1 Performed Process 1.1 Process Performance 2 Managed Process 2.1 Performance Management 2.2 Work Product Management 3 Established Process 3.1 Process Definition 3.2 Process Deployment 4 Predictable Process 4.1 Process Measurement 4.2 Process Control 5 Optimizing Process 5.1 Process Innovation 5.2 Process Optimization 3. Software Requirements Analysis Process – Purpose & Outcomes The purpose of this process is to identify and establish the requirements for the software elements of the system. As an outcome of successful implementation of this process the accuracy and testability of software requirements is established. It is made sure that the software requirements are consistent and in line with system requirements. The priorities of the requirements are established and their impact on cost and effort estimates is analyzed (ISO/IEC FDAM 15504-5: 2011, p.72). 4. Basic work products for Software Requirements Analysis Process This section details the work products required for Software Requirements Analysis Process, their justification, characteristics and outcomes (ISO/IEC FDAM 15504-5: 2011, ISO/IEC 15504-2:2003). I. Contract Contract implies an agreement between two parties (internal or external to the organization) regarding the scope of deliverables, time required to deliver them, statutory considerations, cost of delivery, service level agreemen ts, performance evaluation criteria, review and approval procedure. A contract is required for software requirements analysis process so that the scope of the requirements to be identified is frozen to prevent any issues later. Contract is the most important document for ant stage or project and is also referred as SOW (Statement of Work) in some cases. As an outcome of this work product, the organization would be to chart its project plans. II. User Documentation User documentation is in fact required at every stage of software development process. But it is very critical for Software Requirements Analysis process because it acts as a basis for other processes. This documentation would be referred in design, development and testing phases significantly. Documentation could include both internal as well as external documentation. III. Plan A plan is essential at every stage of software life cycle process but becomes very vital for requirements analysis phase. Plan consists of object ives, scope, assumptions, constraints, risks, milestones, deliverables, methods, resources and schedules involved in requirements analysis. There may be a large overlap between contract and plan. Whereas a contract is generally between two parties, a plan may not be shared with the other party. IV. Policy Policy is a set of rules or

Is Our Country Too Small to Sustain so Many Professional Sports Teams Essay Example for Free

Is Our Country Too Small to Sustain so Many Professional Sports Teams Essay Is our country too small to sustain so many professional sports teams? This question is being asked and written about a lot lately. New Zealand sport is fairly strong in places but there are a lot of negatives. But many great sporting triumphs have come out our tiny sports crazy country. But it is debatable wether or not provincial sport is going well at the moment. Teams are dropping out of competitions and are running out of money. On the other hand our country has had some great sporting milestones and our provincial sport is a stepping-stone for some of our world-class athletes to make their mark on the world. Firstly many provincial teams are losing money or are in debt. This either forces teams to drop out of an upcoming season or completely fold. For example the Otago Nuggets had to drop out of the NBL (National Basketball League) in 2009 because of financial reasons. But thanks to their major sponsor Oceania Gold they are back in the League. The Otago Rugby Football Union who over four years lost nearly $4 million and have just announced they may go into liquidation and miss the 2012 ITM Cup. This all starts because unions are spending more money to buy players, coaches, staff, flights and accommodation than what they can afford. With teams going into debt they cannot afford to buy their star players, buying star players maybe good for the team in the short run but can end badly in the long run. This is bad because with a team pulling out does not give locals the chance to get recognised on the big stage where their career could start. This is also bad for big sports fans in a region, as they do not have a team to support. With all the negative points there are positives like there is so many sporting milestones being reached. For such a small country we compete very well against the rest of the world, in some cases we are even world champions. This makes me proud to be a New Zealander. E. g. The All Blacks finally won the rugby world cup after a 24-year drought, 3 times loosing to France. Or the New Zealand Breakers winning the Australian National Basketball League and becoming the first New Zealand team to win an Australian competition beating the Warriors in the NRL for rugby league and the Phoenix in the A-league for soccer. Or The Silver Ferns Beating the world champions in the final of the netball in the commonwealth games and finally the Kiwis who won the last Rugby League World Cup showing that national sport in New Zealand is very strong. It is important having strong national teams as it is a good reputation to have as a country, and for such a sports crazy nation it is good to see New Zealand win. Lastly, for great sportsmen and women provincial level is where is all begins on their journey to greatness. Many great sportsmen have been recognised from sports in New Zealand. E. g. Brendon McCullum who plays cricket for Otago and New Zealand got a contract for US$900,000 by an Indian cricket club, the Kolkata Night Riders. McCullum is now one of the best Twenty/Twenty players in the world. Another example is Kirk Penny. Penny had a great season for the New Zealand Breakers basketball team. A European club, Madrid Fuenlabrada signed him and he is now making his mark in Spain. This is important as it helps world-class athletes from New Zealand be known to the rest of the world. In conclusion we see that professional sport in New Zealand has its downsides being that teams are going broke or defunct but many positives like our national teams doing well and New Zealand players being recognised worldwide. We can see there are many positives and negatives but most professional sports in New Zealand are strong and I believe New Zealand sport is great.

How Realism caused the Global Financial Crisis

How Realism caused the Global Financial Crisis The global financial crisis is commonly believed to have begun in July 2007 with the credit crunch, when a loss of confidence by US investors in the value of sub-prime mortgages caused a liquidity crisis. The housing market in the United States suffered greatly as many home owners who had taken out sub-prime loans found they were unable to meet their mortgage repayments. As the value of homes plummeted, the borrowers found themselves with negative equity. With a large number of borrowers defaulting on loans, banks were faced with a situation where the repossessed house and land was worth less on todays market than the bank had loaned out originally. The banks had a liquidity crisis on their hands. The housing collapse in the United States is commonly referred to as the trigger for the global financial crisis. Liberalism is built on the fundamental assumption that human nature is rational and thus good. Humans are capable of cooperative behaviour, and destructive behaviour is a result of bad societies, institutions and/or governments. As such, the Liberal school of thought has a strong belief in progress, particularly the notion that humans are perfectible. Thus all humans deserve basic rights, liberty and equality. Consequently, Liberalism has a deep concern with improving the welfare of all people. In a highly developed nation like the USA, many would argue home-ownership is a vital aspect of welfare. In the modern world, constant economic growth is essential for progress of this nature. Liberals believe the optimal way of achieving economic growth is through free trade and markets. There must be freedom for private powers (business) at the expense of public power (government.) Free markets and trade will organically synchronise the supply and demand of resources and government attempts to control or regulate the market will only make that process less efficient. Free trade enables the execution of other core Liberal beliefs, such as the concepts of cooperation and integration. Through economic interdependence based on mutual benefit, the possibility of conflict between nation-states is reduced. Furthermore, economic cooperation creates wealth, development and growth for all involved. This process of rapid cross-border movement of goods, services, technology and capital is known as globalisation. However, with the positives of economic interdependence come the risks financial toxicity in the USA economic system spread world-wide like wildfire. Realism, created as a response to Idealism, is currently the dominant school of thought in international relations. The premise is that nation-states are the dominant actors in a value-free system of international relations, which take place in an environment of permanent international anarchy and revolves around power. The main tenets of the theory are statism, survival, and self-help. Realism accepts the power of the free trade, but not only rejects the notion that government intervention causes market inefficiency, but believes that public power exerting regulatory control leads to the optimal outcome. Realism favours the use of high tariffs to protect infant or venerable domestic industries from foreign competition until they have built up the capacity to compete on the world market. The Realist hijack (through intervention) of the Liberal free-market has undermined the Liberal system overall and is the primary cause of the global-financial-crisis. Other views of international relation schools of thought in the context of global economics include the Marxist view and the Constructivist view. Marxists believe that only vigorous application of strong public power can check the innate tendency of private power benefiting the elite at the expense of the population at large. Constructivists trust that a unit, in addition to its material interests, will also act based on political and economic identities and values. According to Realists, the global-financial-crisis was a result of the Liberal free market enabling Wall Street to act upon its greed unchecked. And today we see how utterly mistaken was the Milton Friedman notion that a market system can regulate itself. We see how silly the Ronald Reagan slogan was that government is the problem, not the solution. This prevailing ideology of the last few decades has now been reversed. Everyone understands now, on the contrary, that there can be no solution without government. The classical Liberal perspective is quick to point out that Realist public policy, hoping to control the market in order to achieve optimal outcomes (in this case a push for greater home ownership), distorted the natural market feedback loops of profit and loss. Capitalism is a profit and loss system. The profits encourage risk taking. The losses encourage prudence. When taxpayers absorb the losses, the distorted result is reckless and imprudent risk taking. The governments Realist policy to push for greater home ownership led to government-sponsored enterprises to, in essence, guarantee mortgages. In the US, householders can hand their property over to the bank and walk away if they cannot pay their mortgage. As the aforementioned government intervention significantly reduced the risk of underwriting mortgages for banks, they began to underwrite mortgages to anyone, even unqualified borrowers who were getting mortgages for houses they could never afford. As many of the sub-prime borrowers got behind in their repayments, they were evicted or they walked away. But with so many houses now coming up for sale, prices fell sharply. With so many borrowers defaulting on mortgages, the supply of houses far outweighed the demand. Consequently, the banks repossessed houses were worth less on todays market than when the banks had originally loaned them out. This liquidity crisis triggered the global-financial-crisis. Public-policy decisions have perverted the incentives that naturally create stability in financial markets and the market for housing. Over the last three decades, government policy has coddled creditors, reducing the risk they face from financing bad investments. Not surprisingly, this encouraged risky investments financed by borrowed money. The increasing use of debt mixed with housing policy, monetary policy, and tax policy crippled the housing market and the financial sector. Liberals argue that this is the reason the markets must be free of government control. As long as Realists believe that interfering with the market can make their nation-state better (i.e. greater home ownership for Americans), there will be opportunity and incentive for corporate lobbyists (in this case from Wall Street) to attempt to manipulate government for its own advantage. Free-markets work because they align the individual greed of man (ironically a fundamental aspect of Realism) with the common good of the nation-state. Realism intervention corrupts that alignment by creating a system that can be gamed. Realists often accuse Liberals of being idealistic to a fault. Ironically, it was the Realists making reality conform to their ideals that created the distortion of government economic policies, leading to short-sighted intervention in the relatively free market. This resulted in the unintentional long-term consequence of perverting the natural incentives of productivity profit and loss which, in turn, ultimately triggered the global-financial-crisis. It was government intervention in the markets that created the crisis and that less, not more, regulation is what the system needs to heal and to survive. Marcell Acs 109790

Pest Analysis For Madame Tussauds Marketing Essay

Pest Analysis For Madame Tussauds Marketing Essay Thousands and thousands of wax statue has been designed which reflects the art, culture, fame, emotions, success and personality of an individual, basically waxworks are an appreciation for an individual for their tremendous work in their specific field and to honour them for their work, which is recognised by the world and the world should have the clear picture of glory of an individual which speaks about his work, ability, life style, behaviours and also admired as a symbol of role model and this attitude brings them to the hall of fame in Madame Tussauds as a piece of art created in the form wax statue. Madame Tussauds is a wax museum which was opened 200 years ago and it remains just as popular as it ever was. It was founded by wax sculptor Marie Tussauds and was formerly known as Madame Tussauds. Madame Tussauds is the globally acclaimed wax museum; its history is fascinating and its exhibitions haunting in their accurate likeness to well-known figures, living and dead. The mus eum displays waxworks of their honourable guests who are (A-list) celebrities, sporting legends, political heavyweights, royal figures and historical icons, reliving the times, events and moments that made the world talk about them. Madame Tussauds has attraction in London, Las Vegas, Sydney, Vienna, Blackpool, Hollywood, Washington D.C., Amsterdam, Berlin, Hong Kong, New York City and Shanghai.it is owned by the Merlin Entertainments Group, hence is the second largest leisure organisation in the world after Disney. Madame Tussauds is recognised as a brand with strong reputation and offers a unique experience. It is one of the most important tourist attraction spots in the world, which is visited by the tourists all over the world. Hence it is one of the most attractive places visited by the people around the world, which also helps in generating the revenue and making it one of the most profitable leisure organisations in the world. Madame Tussauds is mainly known for its waxworks which is the worlds most famous tourist spot, it is a place of art and entertainment which makes it a visitor attraction, hence you can discover worlds most famous personalitys wax statue which speaks about their fame and success. Mad ame Tussauds of today is a fast paced and interactive experience, encouraging visitors to get up close and personal with their favourite celebrities. Madame Tussauds as a model for a successful leisure business is highly interesting and hence it focuses on each section of the resource an introduction to leisure and tourism, marketing and sales and customer service. In todays world Madame Tussauds is world renewed museum, which is a great hub for the organisation to fetch revenue, it has a versatile features and strategy adopted by the organisation to maximise the profit level in order to achieve the organisational objectives. Madame Tussauds is a big brand which holds goodwill in the present market, it is one of those leisure organisations which had a great outcome during the period of recession, and hence it earned profit when the countries economies were at the saturation period, whereas Madame Tussauds made stable outcomes. Even the countries economic fall and recession cannot a ffect this leisure organisation. It is a place of knowledge, learning, arts, education and entertainment which has a great impact on visitors. The museum can reach only those whom it can attract. This fact alone is enough to compel it to be convenient to all, wide in its scope, varied in its activities, hospitable eager to follow any lead the humblest inquirer may give. (JOHN COTTON DANA) 4 Ps OF MARKETING MIX FOR MADAME TUSSAUDS: (MAIN BODY) MARKETING MIX:-When a firm is marketing for their product and services, firm need to create the successful mix of: their right product, which is sold at the right price, at right place and uses most suitable form of promotion. The marketing mix balances the product and services introduced in to the market. Hence it is a unique method of selling goods and services to the customer and making perfect balance to draw the attention of their potential customer. It is tool which is used by an organisation to increase the demand of their product and services, profit margin and achieve their organisational objectives. Madame Tussauds will have their own marketing mix to utilising them as perfect balance in order to create demand of their product and services and attracting the attention of their potential visitors worldwide. This is what an organisation draws the attention of their potential customer and provides to its customer worldwide. PRODUCT:- is a main element of marketing mix, it is vital in marketing mix as it is the only source of generating sales revenue, without this element an organisation can never think of generating profit. The wax statue of Madame Tussauds is the globally acclaimed wax museum; its history is fascinating and its exhibitions haunting in their accurate likeness to well-known figures, living and dead. The museum displays waxworks of their honourable guests who are (A-list) celebrities, sporting legends, political heavyweights, royal figures and historical icons, reliving the times, events and moments that made the world talk about them. The wax statue of Madame Tussauds is the product which you buy or experience, either the product can be tangible or intangible. Hence the right products are those product and services that the customers want to buy or experience it. There are thousands and thousands of wax statues which are listed as product and that can be experienced by the visitors world wide. Hence it is very much important that the right product gets to the right people. PRICE: is an important element of marketing mix, it is the amount paid for the product and services by the consumer. If the price is low customer attention is drawn and if prices are high it deviates the attention of customer, hence the right price of any product and services are those which are paid comfortably by the customer or are prepared to make the payment for their experience. If the prices are stable for their product which are offered then this process also allows the organisation to make their profit. Hence the cost is the manufacturing cost and the price is the profit added to the manufacturing cost. Hence price is the one which create the sales revenue and all the others are cost. Each figure costs approximately $125,000 to make. Merlin aims to deliver memorable and rewarding experiences to its 30 million visitors worldwide. There is different pricing method for different age group. Madame Tussauds has a variety of pricing technique to attract their customer and also ha s lots of offer which encourage the consumers to visit. These price only help organisation to make profit, an organisation needs to make profit to make the business successful. It is clearly mentioned that the pricing policy of an organisation will differ according to time and circumstances PLACE: is the specific area where the product and services will be marketed, sold or experienced. A place where customer can easily interact or experience products and services. It is the designated area for the availability of their goods and services and for their experience.it is transferred from one place to another and then making them available for the customer. Madame Tussauds has attraction in London, Las Vegas, Sydney, Vienna, Blackpool, Hollywood, Washington D.C., Amsterdam, Berlin, Hong Kong, New York City and Shanghai.it is owned by the Merlin Entertainments Group, hence is the second largest leisure organisation in the world. These wax statues can be experienced from different part of this world, which makes it available all the time at different places and can be easily visited round the world. Location and easy access are the important factor for any organisation and which makes them available all the time. Today transportation has played an important role for visitin g Madame Tussauds located at different places and can be experienced easily. Hence it is the process of getting the right product to the right place at the right time. PROMOTION: is the unique method of communicating with customers. It is a communication tool that provides information and guide line to the consumer, promotion covers all the methods in which a leisure organisation communicates about their product and services and hence allows the customer to make decision while purchasing their product and services. It is very important for almost every organisation; it is an easy process to draw the attention and providing information to reach the ultimate consumer. Madame Tussauds uses various modes of promotion to aware the visitors throughout the world wide; i.e. advertisement, sales promotion, public relation, personal selling, direct marketing, sponsorship, events and displays are the communication tools through which an organisation communicate to the people around the worldwide. It bridges the gap between the people and the organisation to interact with each other. It is the most dynamic process which enables the customer to experience and understand. These promotional activities separate the communication gap and hence construct the healthy relation to obtain feedback form the visitors. Which are the extreme source for generating the sales revenue and people are updated with latest news and information, what is happening within and outside of an organisation worldwide? PEST ANALYSIS FOR MADAME TUSSAUDS: POLITICAL- Madame Tussauds has a great political impact, as it is bounded by the government legal, local as well as international laws, it works according to the organisations memorandum and article of association, hence it maintains the healthy decorum as stated by government about environmental regulation and protection, taxation policies, international trade policies/restrictions, consumer protection/employment laws, competition regulation, political stability and safety regulation. These important measures are adopted to bridge a healthy relation between political and leisure organisation. Both are interdependent on each other by giving tax to the governments, company can enjoy so many benefits without any political hindrance. Political aspects are generated to maintain healthy impact on consumers and all the three party (company, consumer and government) can enjoy the benefits and advantage arising from each other. Thus Madame Tussauds holds healthy political aspects and receives a great co-operation from the government as it is one of the most reliable sources of revenue generation. The Merlin Entertainments group operates the attraction and ensures that the spirit, artistry and vision of Madame Tussauds live on. ECONOMIC Madame Tussauds has a great move towards economy, around 500 million people have visited Madame Tussauds London since it was first established- thats more than the population of North America and Australia combined. Each figure costs approximately $125,000 to make. Merlin aims to deliver memorable and rewarding experiences to its 30 million visitors worldwide, through its iconic global and local brands, and the commitment and passion of its managers and 13000 employees. For more than 200 years, Madame Tussauds has been entertaining and educating millions of people with its signature wax figures. It is a place of art and entertainment which makes it a visitor attraction. Madame Tussauds of today is a fast paced and interactive experience, encouraging visitors to get up close and personal with their favourite celebrities. As it is a reliable source of generating revenue, it has great impact on economy, thus even in a poor economic condition it is efficient in maintaining the stability of an organisation, it helps in economic growth of an organisation, hence it helps in maintaining the interest rates and monetary policies for an organisation to perform smoothly. A large number of employment opportunities are created and highly skilled and qualified people are employed in an organisation for economic growth. Merlin Entertainments group has seen the most successful and dynamic growth of any company in the sector over five years. The worlds No 2 visitor attraction operator wax figures. SOCIAL It was opened 200 years ago and it remains just as popular as it ever was. Merlin aims to deliver memorable and rewarding experiences to its 30 million visitors worldwide, through its iconic global and local brands, and the commitment and passion of its managers and 13000 employees. For more than 200 years, Madame Tussauds has been entertaining and educating millions of people with its signature wax figures. Madame Tussauds is recognised as a brand with strong reputation and offers a unique experience. It is one of the most important tourist attraction spots in the world, which is visited by the tourists all over the world, which also help in generating the revenue and making it one of the most profitable leisure organisations in the world. It is a place of art and entertainment which makes it a visitor attraction, hence you can discover worlds most famous personalitys wax statue which speaks about their fame and success. It is a place for different age group which transforms the information in forms of knowledge, education, art, activity, innovation, motivation, skills and ability, culture, learning skills, emotion, fashion, fame, success and personality of an individual. Madame Tussauds is a beautiful waxwork place which holds the tremendous work culture and values of society. It takes an extra effort for the welfare of society. Madame Tussauds has escaped destruction in three major 20th century catastrophes. The world famous attraction survived a huge fire in 1925; earthquake in 1931; and devastating blitz bombing during World War II in 1940. TECHNOLOGICAL It begins from initial sitting to press launch, a typical Madame Tussauds figure takes around four months to make, utilise a team of around 20 skilled artists and costs  £150,000. Nearly 500 precise body and facial measurements are taken over two hours at a standard sitting session with the celebrity subject. This gives Madame Tussauds sculptors to create a strikingly realistic figure. Merlin Entertainments group is mainly focusing on the usage of advance technology to improve their waxworks and visitors from worldwide can have a clear picture of their favourite personality in their mind, hence giving a life to their waxwork and also utilisation of latest technology has improved the working style and behaviour of an organisation, in order to satisfy their visitor from the worldwide. In fact there is a lot of replacement in their working style every day we learn something new and try to innovate and present in such way to draw the attention of our visitors. Technology has its own impact it helps to learn and gain the work sprit to achieve the organisational goals. A customer always have high expectations due to rapid change in technology, proactive approach to new product development and proactive, aggressive approach to future strategies. A continuous improvement in transport infrastructure is highly developed and among the best in the world. There are 6 airports that share the international air transport association airport; they are Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton, City and Biggin Hill. High speed train, underground tube, DLR, over ground, and expansion of national motorways improve interregional links. The use of the internet and e-commerce has seen a strong growth since 2000. SWOT ANALYSIS FOR MADAME TUSSAUDS: SWOT ANALYSIS: is a method which determine the potential factor of an organisation and the performance of an employees which are combined together to achieve the organisational objectives. Every organisation grows due to their potential hard working employees that cover the entire task instructed by their superior. Swot analysis is a tool that identifies the internal and external factor for an organisation i.e. strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Some of the internal factors are strengths and weaknesses and external factors are opportunities and threats. Internal factors are those attributes which help you to identify your strengths within the organisation that can be highly skilled employees, products that you are offering or the amount of work culture you are promoting and it also identify your weaknesses where the organisation is lacking or is unsuccessful that can be the usage of resources, performance of an individual or facing unhealthy circumstances. Every organ isation needs manpower to grow rapidly in to the market and facing the unseen conditions. Hence the external factors are those attributes which help you to identify your opportunities and threats coming from outside of the organisation, it helps you to provide external information which can be an opportunities for an organisation or threats for an organisation it mainly indicates you in advance how to accept the feedback and response to it in future. Madame Tussauds is well placed organisation which focuses on its internal and external factors of an organisation. STRENGTHS: for any organisation manpower is the most important strengths, success of any organisation depends on the usage of its manpower and their ultimate resources. For more than 200 years, Madame Tussauds has been entertaining and educating millions of people with its signature wax figures and has an excellent technique to handle their customer efficiently. It is a place of art and entertainment which makes it a visitor attraction. Madame Tussauds of today is a fast paced and interactive experience, encouraging visitors to get up close and personal with their favourite celebrities. Organisation strength mainly depends on the sub division of various departments i.e. good visitor facilities, various cultural and excellent extra curriculum activities which are generally linked with school and others institutional programme. Madame Tussauds is globally recognised brand with worldwide strong reputation; Madame Tussauds is one of those organisations which offer a wide range of experi ence to its visitors from every part of world with much transportation linkage. Merlin aims to deliver memorable and rewarding experiences to its 30 million visitors worldwide, through its iconic global and local brands, and the commitment and passion of its managers and 13000 employees. Madame Tussauds permits the visitors to have a photograph with their favourite celebrities and can share their experiences with other members. WEAKNESSES: are those factor which are possibly faced by every organisation, weaknesses are those elements which are the back portion of every organisation. Weaknesses are of various types it can be internal as well as external, internal weaknesses are within the organisation and external weaknesses are out of the organisation. As we know that every organisation have their weaknesses some way or other, in same manner Madame Tussauds have local parking for coaches is difficult as it requires a huge parking spaces as it is one of the most common problem. It also creates problem on holidays and weekends as there are large number of visitors are visiting to their favourite place and have to make a long queuing on busy days and it also makes difficult to approach near the popular wax figures as it is crowded and is not so easy to experience it. These issues can create fear in the customers mind before thinking of visiting Madame Tussauds, as the customers are held with so many problems s uch as parking, long queuing, and crowded popular wax figures. Some of foreign language differences and provision are also making it complex for the visitors from worldwide, as we know that Madame Tussauds holds a cosmopolitan environment and should focus on the language provision as they are the only extreme source for generating revenue for an organisation. OPPORTUNITIES: Madame Tussauds is utilising the effective opportunities for the growth and redevelopment scheme for achieving the organisational objectives, which consist of increase in government funding, usage of resources and skilled employees, increasing the sales revenue of an organisation, to maintain the brand loyalty, targeting new market, developing a new product mix, increasing product contribution, effective customer handling and international cooperation. Madame Tussauds develops new wax figures to attract mass audience, many new schools and other instructional programme are organised to transfer knowledge and information in which a large audience participate in it. Hence it also creates many new distribution channels to bridge a gap between consumer and organisation for a healthy relationship, Madame Tussauds always works on its upcoming events these are new themed events which attracts large amount of newly formed audiences. Hence it always believes in working on advan ce technology to upgrade the knowledge and can face the new challenges in future and create new figures through which a large amount of informative audience can be targeted to fetch revenue from them. To make a hike for an organisation one need to take and handle the opportunities in right direction or positive use can lead the organisation to grow more and more. THREATS: can be of different types, which can lead you future trouble, threats are predicted as well as unpredicted circumstances which can harm an organisation structure in future. Whereas organisation takes extra measures and are prepared to overcome of the coming obstacles. Threats can be internal which are within the organisation or it can be external which are outside of the organisation. Mostly threats are from competitive environment, alternative destination and attractions, unreliable transportation, change in usage of advance technology, free attraction in London are some of the most upcoming threats which the company faces and has to bear the loses raised for the threats. All these threats are situational changes, whereas if the company can forecast these threats then the company can face these threats, whereas if an organisation cannot forecast the threats then it can lead to a serious issue. These threats can be controlled and the situation arises from these threats can also be controlled. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS: Merlin Entertainments Group is the second largest leisure organisation in the world after Disney. . Merlin aims to deliver memorable and rewarding experiences to its 30 million visitors worldwide, through its iconic global and local brands. Madame Tussauds is a big brand name and is globally acclaimed museum, Madame Tussauds of today is a fast paced and interactive experience, encouraging visitors to get up close and personal with their favourite celebrities. Madame Tussauds as a model for a successful leisure business is highly interesting and hence it focuses on each section of the resource an introduction to leisure and tourism, marketing and sales and customer service. It identitys the core concept through which an organisation objectives can be achieved. The commitment and passion of its managers and 13000 employees has been incredible, hence an organisation has been credible in utilisation of employees and its resources, and an organisation has received an effective cooperation to achieve the tasks and positive feedback from the employees. The management has a dynamic role to play with its marketing staff, distribution channel, advertisement and media networks and various other field work employees for spreading the knowledge and information to the customer and maintaining a healthy relation. Madame Tussauds is recognised as a brand with strong reputation and offers a unique experience. It is one of the most important tourist attraction spots in the world, which is visited by the tourists all over the world. Hence Merlin Entertainments Groups can also go for several project worldwide as it has a strong brand name and under this brand name many other Madame Tussauds museum can be operated in various country, Madame Tussauds has attraction in London, Las Vegas, Sydney, Vienna, Blackpool, Hollywood, Washington D.C., Amsterdam, Berlin, Hong Kong, New York City and Shanghai. Hence it can be extended to more different part of this world under the same brand name, as an organisation it is the most profitable organisation and has a tendency to increase the amount of profit margin as it holds great goodwill in the current global market. It spreads a cosmopolitan heritage across the world and hold international cooperation with various countries, and the role of manpower and skille d employees especially for this organisation has been phenomenon and this organisation has a great scope in future as it is one of the oldest attractive hub for most of the people across the world. Madame Tussauds is a wax museum which was opened 200 years ago and it remains just as popular as it ever was.

The Important Features of a Mosque :: Papers

The Important Features of a Mosque Possibly one of the most important aspects of the Islam religion is the Mosque, which means "place of prayer". This is seen as the centre of the Islamic community and is where Muslims join together to worship Allah, pray, and learn about the religion. Also, weddings, festival celebrations, and meetings of the Muslim community are held there. On the outside, many Mosques are plain and not elaborate at all although, it is not wrong for them to be grand. They are usually rectangular in shape and two features of them would be the dome and minarets. The dome is situated on the top of the roof and symbolises the universe. A minaret is a tall tower and every Mosque must have at least one. From here the adhan, call to prayer, is called by the mu'adhin. Most modern minarets have loudspeakers to drown out the noise of traffic, etc. The adhan is translated as: "Allah is most great, Allah is most great. Allah is most great, Allah is most great. I testify that there is no god except Allah. I testify that there is no god except Allah. I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. Come to prayer! Come to prayer! Come to success (in the life and the Hereafter)! Come to success! Allah is most great. Allah is most great. There is no god except Allah. (Morning prayer) Prayer is better than sleep. Prayer is better than sleep." The times that adhan is made is set by the sun. The first is made at dawn, the second after the sun has passed the peak, the third mid afternoon, the fourth after sunset, and the fifth when night begins. Inside the Mosque, as a mark of cleanliness and respect, shoes must be removed. Before praying, Muslims must wash in a special way called Wudu, which they were commanded to do by Muhammad. This makes them clean for prayer as they are about worship and be in close presence

Financial Liberalization of Pakistan Essay example -- Economics Financ

In 1974 all banks of the country were nationalized, with the objective of providing the capital for top priority projects or investments, and to ensure the depositor's capital safety. Although this step was taken for the socio-economic benefits, however, the required results could not be obtained. And under the public sector's ownership and supervision the banking sector proved inefficient (Haque 1997), which leads the lower saving and investment, so as a result economic growth decreased (khan and khan 2007). Besides other problems, the lower range of financial products and unavailability of consumer and mortgage financing also included in nationalization system (Haque 1997, Limmi 2002). So, to prevent from financial crises and for efficient working of financial markets, a strong and effective supervisory system was necessary (Caprio and Klingebial 1997). So, after a decade of nationalization the need for some change in the financial system was felt. It was fore step for new reforms, and at the end of 1980s the reform program was initiated. However, the major reforms came in 1990s. In 1990 seven domestic and seventeen foreign banks were working in Pakistan, these seven banks have public sector ownership with a broad network of branches, and more than 90 percent assets of banking sector (as shown in Table: ). In that period there is not a single private bank, while seventeen foreign banks had only forty-five branches and less than 8 percent of total banking assets, their major concern was to deal international trade. (SBP) In 1990 there were three regulatory bodies i) State Bank of Pakistan; the major tasks performed by SBP are conducting the monetary policy, issue directives to commercial banks regarding reserve requirement an... ...ing Companies Ordinance (1997) were repealed through promulgation of Banking Companies (Recovery of Loans and Advances, Credit and Finance) Ordinance (1997). To increase the role of SBP as regulator government divides it into three organizations, i- SBP as central bank ii- SBP-banking services corporation (SBP- BSC) iii- National Institute of Banking and Finance (NIBAF). Works Cited Caprio, G, and Daniela K, (1999), Episodes of systematic and borderline financial distress, Manuscript, The World Bank. SBP (2004) â€Å"Financial Sector Assessment†, Research Department, State Bank of Pakistan. Karachi Haque, Ul N. (1997) â€Å"Financial Market Reforms in Pakistan,† The Pakistan Development Review Part-II, pp: 839-854. Limi, A. (2002), â€Å"Efficiency in the Pakistani Banking Industry: Empirical Evidence after the Structural Reforms in the Late 1990s† Unpublished

The Unabomber: Is He Serious? Essay -- essays research papers

The Unabomber: Is He Serious?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There comes a time when everyone has something to say. The next step would be to find someone to listen. If that doesn't work, I suppose you just have to make them listen.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Unabomber's Manifesto was probably one of the most interesting and thought provoking points of view that I have read in a while. It's just too bad that every time he made a point that I could relate with, he would contradict himself before I was finished with the paragraph. In my opinion, the entire manifesto and every viewpoint expressed therein, was a strange mix of confusion, fact and storytelling. Although written with an abundance of detail and many strong convictions, I finished reading the selection without being able to see the purpose behind it all and what he stood to gain. I'm sure that wasn't exactly his intentions when he wrote it.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I feel there is one thing the author deserves credit for right from the start; his uncanny ability to set a pessimistic mood. From the minute you glance at the introduction, he, assuming the author is male, begins to paint a picture of destruction and demise of the world in which we live. What could cause such a catastrophe? According to the author, it would have to be industry and technology of all things. He was convinced that due to the industrial- technological system in which we live, ultimately humans are going to be subjected to world wide suffering and inevitably a total shut down of humanity. Now at this moment I felt a little disbelief. I had heard he was actually an intelligent person, but I was starting to wonder.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   His whole theory was based on the fact, that at one point or another, the human race will be taken to the point of complete break down. He feels that if it's bound to happen, we should make it happen now. The longer we wait, the more people will suffer. Now, I know our sun will eventually burn out, so does that mean that it should be the concern of everyone on the planet to devise a method to destroy it immediately and save us the trouble of having to do it later? I guess I wasn't too surprised when I read how he intended to induce an early break down with a revolution, but the next thing I read left me a little confused. I was interested in how and when he planned to d... ...here who actually make a difference.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Technology was a turning point in man's struggle in life. When we were first learning to use it, we used it for the wrong reasons. I believe we're moving past that now. We don't fear technology like he does any more. More and more people, including older generations are learning to use it. Not because they have to, but it's only natural for the majority of us to try something new. When everyone begins to use it, working together, that's what advances us into tomorrow. If everyone was as pessimistic as he, where would we be? Sometimes it takes someone like him to remind us what we used to be and how we used to think. It helps us all stay on track. In the long run, he just becomes someone who wouldn't change and society will forget him. It's ironic to think that we already have. People don't want war, revolution, or violence. We don't need to be the aggressor and more. Our survival isn't assured, but at least we have the means to provide it, to really harvest it when that need arises. People like the Unibomber only give us the motivation to keep on going. And what do we have to thank for our advancement? Technology.

Partnership working in services for children and young people Essay

1.1 Explain why working in partnership with others is important for children and young people. Agencies working with one another in partnership is important as it enables information and concerns to be shared, this helps with the overall development of the child. It can be used to keep a child safe from harm,(every child matters Victoria Climbie no agencies involved in her care shared information which resulted in her tragic death).It can identify if a child has any special needs the child can then get support and help. It promotes a good relationship with parents/carers and helps them to feel more confident with the setting and its staff. It also help colleagues share information and observations leading to a greater understanding of child and their development which helps the child receive consistent level of care. Overall working in partnership ofers positive, improved outcomes for children and their families. 1.2 Identify who relevant partners would be in own work setting. Parents ,social services, carers, senco, speech therapist, ofsted, gp ,health visitor, physiotherapist, nursery, colleagues, psychologist, paediatrician and police. 1.3Define the characteristics of effective partnership working. For a partnership between a number of organisations’ to be effective characteristics such as good communication, trust and respect and confidentiality maintained at all times .All partners should have a clear aim that is agreed to ensure the needs of the child are meet. Parents and children should be treated fairly and with respect so that trust can be maintained. 1.4 Identify barriers to partnership working. There are many potential barriers, these can be inconsistency between  professionals. An information barrier, language barrier, incorrect information given, incorrect knowledge, personnel barrier, misunderstanding, poor communication, cultural and or religious attitudes to disability .A parents own education, previous experience, individual practitioners lack of knowledge of other professions, poor staff morale and poor morale from partners. Poor understanding of the aims of partnership and a lack of attention to the development skills of individuals. The wrong or insufficient partners involved and continual shifting of organisational structures and not planning in advance when things go wrong. 2.1 Describe why clear and effective communication between partners is required. Clear effective communication is not only required, it is necessary to achieve the best outcome for all those involved. The key principles of partnership are openness, honesty and agreed shared objectives. All documents should be clear and concise, well written and dated. Any face to face meetings should have minutes taken, an agenda and a plan of action agreed that is sanctioned by all those involved ,all telephone conversations should be recorded ie written in dairy, date, time and with whom and what was discussed. This should then be confirmed by email outlining the conversation. If a breakdown between all partners involved in the Childs care, there may be an emotional, physical or intellectual impact on the Childs development. Identify polices and procedures in the work setting for information sharing. All policies regarding information in the setting are based on the Uks government guidance, these are European convention on human rights. Human rights act. Common law duty of confidentiality. Data protection act 1988 Every child matters. Children’s act 2004. Working together to safeguard children 2006 Information sharing guidance Safe guarding vulnerable groups act 2006 The children’s plan 2007. Criminal records bureau guidance. I have included several polices all of which make sure that the staff know they have a professional responsibility to share information with other agencies in order to safe guard children. The manger will disclose any information on a need to know bias only. All staff aim to ensure that parents and carers can share information with confidence and it will be used to enhance the welfare of their child. All development records are confidential and only staff and parents have access unless it deemed necessary to share with partners, personnel records and welfare requirements are also confidential. Each child has a key member of staff ie a named person who is the parents main contact with development and safe guarding issues. We also have clear polices about sharing information and confidentiality, which describe the principles and boundaries of confidentiality and when to share information . 2.3 Explain where there may be conflicts or dilemmas in relation to sharing information with partners and maintaining confidentiality. If you believe or have concerns that a child in your care may be suffering or may be at risk of significant harm, you may be unsure weather your concern constitutes a reasonable cause to believe that this is happening. In a situation like this your concern should not be ignored and you should approach your manger. You should not discuss the matter with anyone who does not need to know and protect the identity of the child and family involved. If you do have concerns it is not advisable to discuss the matter with the family until appropriate partners have been informed and agreed plain of action has been agreed. Sometimes a person may not specifically ask a member to keep information that they have given about themselves or another individual confidential and would of course assume that this is implied, the person may then share this information with others, who are not part of the setting partnership. Sadly there may be a child in your setting, who is believed to have a physical or learning disability. Sometimes a parent may find it hard to cope  and would rather with the not acknowledge the situation and refuse to co operate with the setting. .4 Describe why it is important to record information clearly accurately, legibly and concisely meeting legal requirements. All information must be clear ,accurate and legible. The data protection act states that you should take reasonable steps to ensure the accuracy of any personnel data you obtain. Ensure that the source of any personnel data is clear. Carefully consider any challenges to the accuracy of information, and consider weather it is necessary to update the information. All information must be correct ,not used for any reason other than the reason it has been collected unless permission has been given. Not usually passed on without permission. Not to be kept for longer than necessary and to be secure. Under the data protection act parents can ask to see information that is held about their children and correct it if necessary and to know how the information is being used. 2.5 Identify how communication and records are recorded and securely stored meeting data protection requirements. We hold written records the purpose of which are to comply with legislative requirements. These demonstrate that statutory and policy have been meet .As tool to provide evidence of work that has been undertaken. That demonstrate accountability in decision making , and to give an account of the children’s history, significant issues and involvement in the setting. Help us analyse and make assessments to help see if goals and aims have been achieved. To provide a reference and a reminder to key worker communicate information to co workers and partners. Show how decisions have been made and in what order. Provide information for responding to complaints. We keep personal details such as name address contact numbers medical details including medical contact numbers. All files are kept in a locked cabinet in the management office, which if left unmanned by management is locked, and locked at all other times only management have access to the keys, so there is no way that anyone can have access unless they first ask management. Only when managements permission has been given, can a person have access to records however they must first sigh and date they have been allowed access and this will need to be counter sighed by a manger. No records are to leave  the building. Only safe guarding officers are able to do this and this applies when there is a need to share information with our partners. Any use regarding safeguarding issues is at the discretion of management. No one is allowed in to be alone in the building other than staff, and no one is allowed alone in the office alone other than management .No pictures of the children are stored on the computer, which are taken for the purpose of their file are printed placed in profile and locked in cabinet. The photos are then deleted from the computer and camera right away.

Relationship between Father and Son Essay

Father and son relationships in The Iliad are not like you would see in America or in our culture today, but there is still a developed love for one another. Priam and Hector had a very strong and admirable relationship, yet it didn’t come from seeing each other every day. Fatherly affection is not touchy-feely, nor is it necessarily given unconditionally or freely. Rather, a son must earn his father’s respect and admiration, and it is by leaving home and fighting his own battles that the son is able to get this. They spent more time apart then they did together. The distance they spent from each other only made their admiration grow stronger. This relationship is unique, and plays a big role in this epic poem. I know for me, it didn’t take being a great warrior or even earning my father’s respect for him to love me. It was automatic; my father loved me instantly and will always love me no matter what. That isn’t the case in that day and age. Priam was a magnificent warrior during a majority of the Trojan War and earned his retirement for this. It’s only by following in his father’s footsteps and becoming a great warrior of Troy will he fully gain Priam’s love. Hector was seen as the greatest warrior of Troy and could not have been more of a hero in his father’s eyes. Hector never shied down from anything or anyone. He was willing to do whatever it took to make his father and even more importantly in his eyes, his country proud. From a mental perspective, one might interpret this self-motivation as the son’s quest to know the father through the crazy act of moving away from him in a literal sense, yet living his life in an effort to shadow the father’s actions and achievements. Priam saw this in his son and thought very highly of him. Prima didn’t love Hector because of the fact he was his son, he loved him because of the man he became. Hector earned every bit of love and respect from his father. The death of Hector played a big role in the end of The Iliad. It was before the fight of him and Achilles, and after he was killed where we truly see the love that Priam has for his most prized son. Priam pleaded to Hector to not fight Achilles alone, for he knew he would be taken down (Homer 206). He told Hector that he could not bear the death of another son slain by Achilles. Nothing he said could persuade Hector to not fight, but I think deep down he knew it wouldn’t. Priam knew then how big of a heart Hector had, and he would do anything to see him survive this battle. For the father’s part, the absence is not a cause for thoughtful feeling. In Priam’s case, it is only when Hector dies that he feels deeply emotional and recognizes his son’s achievement, that Hector has followed in Priam’s own heroic footsteps, a fact which confirms Priam’s greatness. We learn more about the love Priam has for Hector when we see what he goes through to retrieve his body from Achilles after he had killed him and dragged him away from his chariot (Homer Book 24). Keeping in mind that Priam is the king of Troy, he sets out at night and goes to where Achilles is staying. He then persuades Achilles with multiple pleas to let him have a proper burial of his brave and courageous son. Priam risked his own life of being on enemy ground, just to get back the corpse of his son. When he returned back with the body of Hector, his family and the people of Troy were very remorseful and you could tell how much Hector truly meant to his father. It was a love that Priam will never let go. In conclusion, even if father-son relationships aren’t traditional in our sense, you have to respect the relationship that Priam and Hector had. They became close because of the man Priam was, and the strive Hector had to be like his father. Hector had to prove his manhood and gain his father’s respect through blood and hardship. They both loved Troy more than they loved their selves. In the end, Priam and Hector had an incredible relationship and love for one another.

Sophia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette and the Traces of History

This paper probes in the historical events included in the Sophia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette. At the offset, the movie presented the events that have transpired in French history with fresh eyes. The result is both interesting and engaging. It is interesting in the sense that the form (which is film) through which history was rendered provided entertainment to the viewers. At the same time, the movie is engaging as it was able to capture the historical events that, to me, challenged the viewers to analyze history deeper. In this paper, I will highlight the historical allusions in the movie that coincide in the last instance with the actual events that occurred in France more than two centuries ago. I will show that, among others, the film articulated the extravagant life of Marie Antoinette, the French Revolution, the â€Å"human† side of the queen, and the period of Enlightenment. The fifth element that I will focus on is what the film unwittingly revealed in its precise attempt to conceal – that is the fact that Marie Antoinette and King Louis XVI are not innocent victims.   I will argue that the tenuous conflation of film and history proved a success (and failure) in the case of Marie Antoinette. . Music as Social Critique Of all its features, â€Å"Marie Antoinette† was an interesting cinematic experience because of the music. It is through music that the film was able to convey a historical account of Marie Antoinette’s life. It is already commonplace that Marie Antoinette lived a life of luxury, and the film showed this from the beginning until the end. According to historical records, Marie Antoinette’s lifestyle was too extravagant that the general populace suffered (see Fraser 2001).   This affluence of French royalty was showcased in the film with the help of music. It was a joy to watch French royalty in their elaborate garb cavorting with their consorts and ladies-in-waiting to the sound of 80s post-punk. Perhaps to evoke the ironic joie de vivre of the 80s juxtaposed to the dionysian lifestyle (as opposed to hedonism) of the French king and queen and her court, they danced to an adaptation of Siouxsie and the Banshee’s â€Å"Hong Kong Garden† which was played by a string ensemble. The song then segued into the original post-punk version signifying a higher level of joy and abandon for everyone. In one scene, The Cure’s â€Å"Plainsong† was played during the couple’s coronation – an important and extensive shot taken on the steps of the Versailles. I’ve always thought that the music of The Cure was cinematic but the band evoked visions of modern dystopia for me- of highways, electric poles and sad abandoned factories; instead of men wearing wigs and tights and women with exposed bosoms under dainty parasols during the last gasps of European feudalism. The forlorn but quintessential New Order song, â€Å"Ceremony† is played in another party scene to create a contrast to the revelry of the French royal upperclass. Jarring as these may have been, these clever bits of musical scoring not only comprise the best thing about the film but also serve as its ideological heart. Of course, the average listener is not expected to recognize many of these songs. In fact, in most parts, what one hears are just instrumental excerpts from some obscure track of a particular musical genre from the 90s labeled as â€Å"shoegaze† music. While this cultural referencing from the early 90s in film is unusual (only Araki has done this to much success in â€Å"The Doom Generation† which was made during the early 90s), it is also apt since these attempts highlight all the more the cinematic traits of the dated but enduring genre. The contribution of Kevin Shields (who also did work for Lost in Translation) from the legendary shoegaze band My Bloody Valentine as well as the excellent selections from current Swedish band The Radio Dept. attest to the â€Å"hip† and â€Å"cred† consistency in Sofia Coppola’s work as well as indicating her appreciation for the lost musical genre. Remember that in her first critically acclaimed oeuvre, â€Å"The Virgin Suicides,† she also featured in the soundtrack the French duo with high â€Å"cred† points – Air. However, this time around, I believe that the clever use of contemporary music serves a purpose beyond achieving the â€Å"coolness factor† that the director is known for. It foregrounds an interesting but controversial take on a pivotal moment in the history of western society. History in/through Cinema Not only did the film powerfully show the frivolous existence of Marie Antoinette and the French Monarchy but also the manner by which this existence was put to an end by the French people. The French Revolution was only shown at the last scenes of the film yet it serves a potent reminder of how the oppressed classes of French society stood up and fought. If only for this, the film briefly yet powerfully captured the historical change that transpired during the French Revolution of 1793. It must be noted though that the death of Marie Antoinette and other French royalties indeed sparked hope, however brief a moment. I say this since the French monarchy was soon after replaced by the rule of the bourgeois (see Doyle 2001). This transition was no longer included in the film yet the fact remains that the vital force of the French Revolution served as a compelling conclusion in the life of Marie Antoinette. Marie Antoinette and the Louis-Auguste were the King and Queen of France at the onset of the historic French Revolution. This event marked the political culmination of the unprecedented social and economic changes that began with the Renaissance and the Enlightenment. It represented the victory of an emerging economic order whose political form was represented by the French Republicans. At the prodding of the bourgeois liberals who pushed for the republican ideals of the right to suffrage and democratic leadership, the peasants stormed the Bastille and later the royal palace of Versailles effectively heralding the demise of the French monarchy. The defeat of the royalists as manifested in the violent deaths of Queen Marie Antoinette and King Louis XVI by the guillotine and the subsequent rise of the French Republic meant new political and social arrangements that to some represent the defining shift from the â€Å"Dark Ages† to the Modern Era. One of this epoch’s key features is the ascendancy of the belief that, finally, man’s destiny is in its own hands and not under the control of some sovereign and God-ordained power as represented by the monarchy and the Roman Catholic Church. Simultaneous, therefore, with the film’s showing of the French Revolution is the showing of the period of Enlightenment.   This includes the understanding that societies are wholly human artifacts subject to the collective will and power of the people that ideologically challenged the class structure of not only the monarchy and its feudal base but also early capitalism and its liberal pretensions. Many therefore, including Marie Antoinette, interpret the French revolution as a progressive step away from the extreme inequities of feudal society and monarchical political formations and some quarters even regard it as an event that points to the possibility of egalitarian human societies (see also Lancaster 1953). Marie Antoinette and Modernity However, the film â€Å"Marie Antoinette† takes on a different stance regarding modernity. For Coppola and Antonia Fraser, whose book the film was based on, to depict the relatively unknown but human story of the Princess of Vienna who became Queen of France from the other side of â€Å"his-tory† so-to-speak, is in itself an important statement. More so because Marie Antoinette is mistakenly vilified in history texts as the callous Queen who, in the midst of France’s bread shortage and general economic crisis, allegedly quipped â€Å"let them eat cake† in all her regal pomposity (see Thomas 1999). Coppola shows to us instead a sympathetic and unknown side to the lives of these pampered royalties. The film takes great pains to show the struggle of Marie Antoinette and the King as they fit in to the unreasonable demands of being royalties as well as the privileges that they enjoyed. We are made to understand their humanity as they recapture their innocence in the Dionysian abandon of royal masquerades, deal with deaths in the family, and even suffer the distinct boredom of the rich and spoiled. Some historians have also tried to present us this â€Å"human† side of Marie Antoinette and the French Monarchy. According to their studies, Marie Antoinette is not as evil as popularly presupposed (see Fraser 2001). Apparently, this is the same point the movie is trying to make. That is why when the mob arrived at the palace gates, we are immediately herded by the film to the side of royalty since it is they who we are more familiar with; it is they who we found funny and endearing. Never mind that it is the moment of justice for the angry multitude as they vent out their anger after centuries of carrying the feudal yoke in order to provide the monarchs with the resources for their grand lifestyle and capricious wars. Never mind that it is modernity and human progress that is, in a manner of speaking, knocking on the gates of Versailles and that this singular event would inspire movements of liberation throughout the world including our country’s own struggle against colonizers. Coppola deftly avoids all these issues by framing this historical narrative through Marie Antoinette’s eyes. What is presented to us instead is the consistent template in film of how individuals, in the general sense, are victimized by history’s unsentimental march. It subtly laments Maria Antoinette and Louis XVI’s persecution since they were merely thrown into circumstances they did not choose. The reach of the royal imagination, the film seemingly apologizes, cannot go beyond the intricate pastries, the petticoats and the other regal accoutrements of their regal existence. Thus, when the mob, who was comprised of the first liberals in their original incarnation, demanded the King and Queen’s literal heads, a degree of sadness was warranted. There was no indignation expressed in the film akin to the moral appeal of the liberal critique against Stalin (â€Å"the revolution will devour its own children,† and it seems that the liberals also had an appetite for pale monarchs), but through a somewhat Nietzschean lamentation for the lost of dionysian beauty and innocence. This was expressed in the film in a lingering shot of a defiled royal salon after the mob stormed the palace. The room was once full of vibrant life, colors, opulence and laughter. Now, it was a drab grey room of broken furniture and torn curtains perhaps anticipating the abandoned factories of Manchester. Was Coppola intimating the view that history’s march towards modernity must be interpreted in this way? Does she share the same dystopic vision of modern society as those espoused by this band of angsty and socially dysfunctional philosophers in the persons of Nietzsche, Heidegger, and Foucault whose disdain for modernity is legendary and influential to this day? The Element of Ahistoricity in Marie Antoinette By focusing therefore with the intricacies in the life of Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI, the film was able make the audience sympathize with them. The possible danger here is the dilution of the revolution which culminated in the reign of Maria Antoinette and Louis XVI. Some studies have also pointed out the quirks of the royal couple without dismissing the crime that they have committed (see Cronin 1989). The use of contemporary cultural references for an otherwise period setting is therefore an important element in the light of these observations. The film achieves an ahistorical sheen as if insisting that its lessons are timeless if not enduring to this day. It seems to argue an interesting point – that the fate of Maria Antoinette and Louis XVI, who also danced to Siouxsie and the Banshee’s â€Å"Hong Kong Garden† – they in an elaborate ball and we in our dingy night clubs – are also our shared destinies. We are, in a manner of speaking, modernity’s common victims. If the two were hanged by a vengeful mob at the cusp of modernity, we are its sad disenfranchised heirs existing in the rubble of modernity as a failed experiment two centuries hence. This is the shared stance of thinkers such as Nietzsche, Heidegger and Foucault. Modern life is synonymous to mediocrity, alienation (or inauthenticity) and debilitating bio-power (that society is one big prison and there is no escape). Our only refuge is towards individualism, introspection, and caring for the self. What better way to drive home this point through music than to employ the sensibility of post-punk’s true heirs – shoegaze. There are some interesting parallelisms between developments in social theory and popular culture. There was an attempt by the counter-cultural folk movement of the 60s in translating its agenda into a potent political force. However, the failure of the Paris Commune coincided with the cooptation of folk into â€Å"hippie†-dom and later corporate arena rock. In the academe, a post-political (or post-socialist condition) also assumed an influential position wherein the likes of Nietzsche, Heidegger and Foucault became the gurus of a veiled individualism that places in its diametrical opposite society and history. Punk presented a brief respite attracting a wide section of Britain’s disaffected and unemployed youth under Thatcherism but eventually folded because of its nihilism and absence of class politics. This resignation is now embodied in the broad post-punk category that includes a variety of styles – self-referential and heavily sentimental at times while being angular and loud in others. Most of these bands eschewed the political and even anarchic stance of punk and insisted on appropriating an introspective tone while salvaging the innocent harmonies of The Beach Boys and the pop songcraft of the Beatles from the 60s. Of course, in the larger context, mass culture was the more dominant cultural form where artists such as Madonna and Michael Jackson represented the new apex in consumerist popular culture. In the sub-cultural field, however, the post-punk ethos was eventually adapted by a new musical movement that melded together the dark undertones of cult bands such as Joy Division and The Cure with the ethereal pop sound of The Cocteau Twins and the drone of The Velvet Underground in the late 80s to early 90s. The result is a musical movement that has come be labeled as shoegaze because of the penchant of these genre’s guitar players to look down on their effects boxes to create their complex and dense signature guitar sound. Meanwhile, in the academe, the same sensibilities are also gaining ground with the fashionable rise of postmodernism and its celebration of eclecticism, ahistoricity, identity politics and a deep and unrelenting individualism. It is, thus, no accident that these post-punk and the shoegaze movements found its most rabid supporters among the college set. By the 90s, the cult status of these sub-genres has imploded into the mainstream with the rise of the â€Å"alternative† and Nirvana. With its wall of feedback, unintelligible vocals and sweeping melancholia, shoegaze’s sound performs the sad and confused resignation of the post-political era. Marie Antoinette now follows a long line of fashionably sad cultural icons that include Kurt Cobain and the wind-swept plastic bag in â€Å"American Beauty.† These films make a claim for sadness as the universal currency of modernity whether you be of royal lineage or a working class clone (or even an inanimate object) and our only balm or remedy is to wallow in Kevin Shield’s eloquent but loud and beautiful sound of sadness as we mourn the death of all-too-human Marie Antoinette – our new postmodern pop icon. But of course we know better. Therefore, what the film tried to do was paint Marie Antoinette as a victim of history. What strikes us as suspicious is our knowledge that she had the choice to change the social system. What prevented them for doing so was perhaps their passionate attachment to what the French people are asking them to give up. It was of course tremendously difficult for Marie Antoinette to give up her lifestyle that rests on the wretchedness of the general populace since it was perhaps what she has been used to all her life. This is precisely the problem with the ideological stakes raised by the film and the philosophical persuasions that side with such a dystopic reading of humanity’s past, present and future. For that matter, these also draw attention to the utter lack of radical promise among the educated American youth because an assessment of even indie culture indicates that they are either too emo, fragmented and individualist to wield any form of potent politics unlike their French forbearers who were willing to destroy the monarchy in order to build liberal democracy. Modernity continues to be a necessary human project in the light of the continuing inequalities of our modern life. Men and women must not relent in the political task of charting the direction of human history, the sadness and violence of the struggle notwithstanding. Works Cited: Cronin, Vincent, Louis and Antoinette. London: The Harvill Press, 1989. Doyle, William The Oxford history of the French Revolution. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1989. Fraser, Lady Antonia. Marie Antoinette, The Journey. New York: Anchor, 2006. Lancaster, Carrington. French Tragedy in the Reign of Louis XVI: And the Early Years of the French Revolution, 1774-1792. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins Press, 1953. Thomas, Chantal. The Wicked Queen: The Origins of the Myth of Marie-Antoinette. trans. by Julie Rose. London: Zone Books, 2001.