Wealth vs. Poverty free essay sample

To address the issues of poverty, do we ask who’s to blame, or why it persists? Maybe or maybe not, but theses are two excellent questions to start on a path of understanding poverty. Analysis of a few articles will shed some insight on addressing the matters of poverty, and will give some understanding to steps that society, along with individuals themselves, can take to improve upon the qualities of life. One article, â€Å"The Persistence of Poverty†, focuses on just that, the persistence of poverty, and what some of the key factors or behaviors/non-behaviors that cause poverty. Yet another article, â€Å"Social Empathy: A Tool to Address the Contradiction of Working But Still Poor†, goes further to help understand why even while the poor attempt to work to overcome being poor, they remain poor. This article also addresses how a combination of empathy from both individuals as well as social reform can help to improve the quality of life for those stuck in the cycle of working but still poor. We will write a custom essay sample on Wealth vs. Poverty or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page A third article, or short autobiography, â€Å"Nickel and Dimed†, author Barbara Ehrenreich, puts herself in the world of the working poor class; thus allowing herself to empathize with the working destitute. There may not be an immediate solution to poverty, but considering its persistence, there must be some factors that have recurred over the years, that can be siphoned out to help with improving the quality of life. Combing through these articles will reveal some ideas to improving the quality of life: social and individual empathy, lifestyle changes, and government programs. Wealth vs. Poverety Persistence Poverty dates back to being that of the â€Å"natural order†. In the Bible it says â€Å"For the poor shall never cease out of the land† (Deuteronomy 15:11, King James Version). Millenniums later, in the New Testament of the Bible, Jesus echoes this by saying â€Å"For the poor always ye have with you†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (John 12:8, King James Version) (Karelis, 2008, p. 28). Even in modern times, poverty is seen as persistent, but not natural. It is seen as a puzzling anomaly, since it appears that there is enough â€Å"wealth† to go around. â€Å"The United States poverty rate has been essentially the same for forty years, despite significant increases in the per capita domestic product† (Karelis, p. 28). So why does this persistent state of poverty exist? Why do the poor often stay poor? Karelis points out five causes, while stating they are among the most important causes (implying that there are more; just that these are the most important ones): not working, not finishing school, not saving for a rainy day, no moderating alcohol consumption, and not living within the law. Out of these five, not moderating alcohol consumption does not seem to fit. While it would be common sense to think that drinking alcohol excessively is not healthy, it is hard to pinpoint how this can be listed as a cause. There are many other factors that could be listed as â€Å"important† causes to poverty. For instance, gambling and drug addiction could be deemed much more worthy an adversary to wealth. Why then did Karelis presume that not moderating alcohol consumption was an important cause to poverty? One can presume that maybe he struggled with controlling his alcohol consumption. Maybe he took his own empathy into consideration when writing the article. This is not necessarily a bad thing to do when looking at what causes the persistence of poverty. In fact, it would be good practice for individuals that are suffering in a life of poverty, to look at their life and see if there are any patterns or behaviors (or non-behaviors) that might be causing themselves to live in poverty. Taking a look at the other four behaviors Karelis listed, it seems he speculates about the conditions of those in poverty. He does contend that â€Å"obviously not all poor people fail to do these things† (Karelis, p. 28). Karelis goes right back into assuming by stating â€Å"But poor people fail to do them disproportionately†. It appears that Karelis is empathizing with individuals who are poor when mentioning alcohol consumption; yet, he seems to sympathize at the most by aiming most of the blame on the individuals themselves. It is presumable that the fault does lie on individuals when it comes to finishing school, and even to work. At least in the United States, working and going to school is a voluntary decision. A decision not to do either, will lead to a state of poverty, unless an individual comes into money a different way. Although completing school can help in improving upon ones career, there is no merit in classifying it as a cause in and of itself.

incest essays

incest essays Until very recently around early part of 1970's, the sexual assault of children within their families was rarely openly discussed until the emergence of the second wave of feminism. Incest has been variously defined. The definition that will be used here is a wide one, which includes sexual assault of a female child by a male member of her immediate family ( father or stepfather) or extended family (brother, grandfathers and uncles) and/or trusted family friends. These men are in generally in a relationship with the child which involves trust and respect to an authority on the side of child, and family, social and economic power on the side of the perpetrator. Children are vulnerable and dependent on adults for their very survival. As with other crimes of sexual assault, the sexual abuse of children is a crime which is characterized by a high incidence of under- reporting. The reasons for this include the fact that the abuse is taking place within the privacy of the family. The victims are children of all ages some of whom are so young they cannot talk and do not have the knowledge to know that anything is wrong. The perpetrators are men whose authority children are told to obey. Often the child is also threatened to keep what is happening a secret between the victim and the perpetrator and victim. Until quite recently, with the rise of feminist base analysis on subject of child sexual abuse, interpretations about child sexual abuse tried to it pinpoint the cause of this crime anywhere but with its perpetrator. In this paper I will explore two different explanations that try to explain child sexual abuse, the psychoanalytical theory as propose by Freud ( I will not analysis farther interpretations of Freud's psychoanalytic theory for it is too broad for the length of this paper nor will I discuss mother blame in this theory because we will take it up in the dysfunctional family model ) and the dysfunctional family model. I wil...

French Revolution of 1789 - Timeline

French Revolution of 1789 - Timeline Our narrative history for this period begins here. 1789 January January 24: The Estates General is officially summoned; election details go out. Crucially, no one is really sure how it should be formed, leading to an argument over voting powers. January - May: The Third Estate politicises as cahiers are drawn up, political clubs form and discussion takes place both verbally and through pamphleteering. The middle class believe they have a voice and intend to use it. February February: Sieyes publishes What is the Third Estate? February - June: Elections to the Estates General. May May 5: The Estates General opens. There is still no decision on voting rights, and the third estate believe they should have more of a say. May 6: The Third Estate refuses to meet or verify their election as a separate chamber. June June 10: The Third Estate, now frequently called the Commons, gives an ultimatum to the other estates: join in a common verification or the Commons would go on alone. June 13: A few members of the First Estate (priests and clergy) join the Third. June 17: The National Assembly is proclaimed by the former Third Estate. June 20: The Tennis Court Oath taken; with the National Assemblys meeting place closed in preparation for a Royal Session, the deputies meet at a tennis court and swear not to disband until a constitution is established. June 23: The Royal Session opens; the King initially tells the estates to meet separately and introduces reforms; the deputies of the National Assembly ignore him. June 25: Members of the Second Estate begin to join the National Assembly. June 27: The king gives in and orders the three estates to unite as one; troops are called to the Paris area. Suddenly, there has been a constitutional revolution in France. Things would not stop here. July July 11: Necker is dismissed. July 12: Revolt begins in Paris, caused in part by Neckers dismissal and the fear of royal troops. July 14: The storming of the Bastille. Now the people of Paris, or the mob if you prefer, will start to direct the revolution and violence will result. July 15: Unable to rely on his army, the King gives in and orders troops to leave the Paris area. Louis does not want a civil war, when that might be all that would save his old powers. July 16: Necker is recalled. July - August: The Great Fear; mass panic across France as people fear a noble led backlash against their anti-feudal demonstrations. August August 4: Feudalism and privileges are abolished by the National Assembly in perhaps the most remarkable evening in Europes modern history. August 26: Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen published. September September 11: The King is granted a suspensive veto. October October 5-6: Journee of 5-6 October: the King and the National Assembly move to Paris at the behest of a Parisian mob. November November 2: Church property is nationalised. December December 12: Assignats are created. 1790 February February 13: Monastic vows banned. February 26: France divided into 83 departments. April April 17: Assignats accepted as currency. May May 21: Paris is divided into sections. June June 19: Nobility is abolished. July July 12: The Civil Constitution of the Clergy, a complete restructuring of the church in France. July 14: Feast of the Federation, a celebration to mark one year since the fall of the Bastille. August August 16: Parlements are abolished and the judiciary reorganised. September September 4: Necker resigns. November November 27: The Oath of the Clergy passed; all ecclesiastical office holders must swear an oath to the constitution. 1791 January January 4: Last date for clergy to have sworn the oath; over half refuse. April April 2: Mirabeau dies. April 13: The Pope condemns the Civil Constitution. April 18: The King is prevented from leaving Paris to spend Easter at Saint-Cloud. May May: Avignon is occupied by French forces. May 16: Self-Denying Decree: National Assembly deputies cannot be elected to the Legislative Assembly. June June 14: Le Chapelier Law stopping workers associations and strikes. June 20: Flight to Varennes; the King and Queen attempt to flee France but only get as far as Varennes. June 24: Cordelier organises a petition stating that liberty and royalty cannot co-exist. July 16: The Constituent Assembly declares that the king was the victim of an abduction plot. July 17: Massacre at the Champs de Mars, when National Guard open fire on republican demonstrators. August August 14: Slave rebellion begins in Saint-Domingue. August 27: Declaration of Pillnitz: Austria and Prussia threaten to take action in support of the French king. September September 13: The King accepts the new constitution. September 14: King swears the oath of allegiance to the new constitution. September 30: The National Assembly is dissolved. October October 1: The Legislative Assembly convenes. October 20: Brissots first calls for war against the à ©migrà ©s. November November 9: Decree against the à ©migrà ©s; if they do not return they will be considered traitors. November 12: The King vetoes the à ©migrà ©s decree. November 29: Decree against refractory priests; they will be considered suspects unless they take a civic oath. December December 14: Louis XVI requests the Elector of Trier disperse à ©migrà ©s or face military action. December 19: The King vetoes the decree against refractory priests. Back to Index Page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Compare and contrast christianity and hinduism Essay

Compare and contrast christianity and hinduism - Essay Example Christians believe in the holy book Bible that is completely different from the holy book of Hindus i.e. Gita. Christians and Hindus have different holy days. Hindus celebrate Holi and Diwali while Christians celebrate Christmas. Concept of life is completely different between Hinduism and Christianity. Hindus believe that every individual is blessed with seven life chances. That essentially means that an individual does not end up on death as per the Hindu belief. Instead, one gains birth seven times before diminishing from this world. Also, one may not necessarily gain life as a human in the next life. What one is blessed or cursed with in a particular life depends upon the deeds one did in the preceding life period. On the other hand, Christians believe in only one life period, like followers of most other religions do. One happens to be in the eternal world after death as per the Christian belief. Christians eat beef whereas Hindus worship cows. This is one of the biggest differences between Hinduism and Christianity. Hindus burn the dead ones and flow the remains of the burnt in the Ganga Jamna, which are their sacred waters. Christians burry their dead ones like Muslims. While comparing Christianity and Hinduism, one finds more differences than similarities. In fact, there is hardly anything similar between Christianity and Hinduism. However, some of the similarities that exist are these: Christians and Hinduism fundamentally believe in one God. No Hindu or Christian is atheist. Both have a belief in the eternal world that follows life in this world. Both Hindus and Christians have their own ideals that are bestowed upon them in order to teach them what is right and what is wrong. Hindus follow Karma and Christians follow Jesus. The extent to which a Hindu and Christian practices his/her religion is decided by the level of compliance with the teachings of Karma and Jesus respectively

Finance and Business Perfomance Assignment 1 Coursework

Finance and Business Perfomance Assignment 1 - Coursework Example That Sales are growing does not mean this is good because the cost price of goods sold is also increasing faster than Sales. The increase in sales figures may be due to the mark-ups of Louise to the Cost price. Louise is therefore selling a lower volume of goods but at higher prices as confirmed by the - 2% figure above, even though in Year 5, sales grew by 20% after Louise dropped gross margins from 30% to 25%. The gross margin is the ratio of gross profit to Sales and is the mark-up Louise adds to the cost of her products, whilst the net margin is the ratio of net profit to Sales after expenses are deducted from gross profit. Declining (- 4%) gross profits means sales are not increasing as fast as Cost price of goods, whilst the increase (14%) in net profits only means that Louise is controlling her expenses better, as shown by the 17% Average Sales/Expenses figure. Louise can improve the management of her business by spending more on marketing to increase demand and Sales figures. This would result in higher expenses, but it would increase Sales at a faster rate than the Cost price of goods and would result in an increase in net profits. Unless Sales increase, Louise's profits will be squeezed. If the capital of 60,000 in Year 1 is assumed to be the total she invested in the business, which includes initial inventory, improvements on the premises, furnishings and equipment, the van, and working capital to pay for wages and other expenses, the drawings of 64,000 over five years represents her return on that investment which, at a net value of 4,000 over five years does not seem much of a good one (at 1.3% per year). She may be better off depositing her money in the bank for a return of 3% to 5% (Economist, 2007). Of course, Louise may derive fun from running the business or perhaps she invested much less than 60,000 of capital, in which case she may be happy with the 12,800 annual income. An added danger is that assets are growing slower than liabilities (which would include accounts payables or debt to her suppliers), so unless Louise brings down debt, she may go bankrupt. She must manage her cash better to address this. And it seems that Louise is not paying taxes, so she better watch out as the taxman soon cometh 3. By reference to the figures, give a detailed assessment of the impact of the trading and financial performance of "Louise" on the personal financial situation of Louise Walford, over the five year period. [20/200] Louise Walford is not living the high life in Derbyshire we can be sure because her annual income is only 12,800, and unless she drives up sales at the shop to increase her net profits, she risks losing everything if her liabilities continue growing faster than assets. She drew only 8,000 in Year 3, and

A Journal of Woe Essay Example for Free

A Journal of Woe Essay The pain was excruciating as I struggled to fight for my life under the pillow that my beloved husband had forced upon me. I remember how much it hurts as I tried to gasp for air beneath Othello’s powerful arms. I can recall those murderous eyes driven mad by jealousy and hate. For an instant, I failed to recognize the man I have fought to love. I cannot recognize that man I secretly married despite my father’s objections. For a moment, I failed to see the man who promised to love me for the rest of our lives. It all started that fateful night when Othello fired Michael Cassio from his lieutenant position. He accused me of sleeping with Cassio. The jealousy was probably most triggered when he felt that I was being too concerned with Cassio’s situation. He must have thought that my acts in favor of Cassio’s defense were signs of affection for him. He accused me of giving Cassio the handkerchief which was a gift from him. There is no way I would have given such a valuable gift to someone else! My love and affection is undividedly offered for Othello. It does not seek other men aside from him. My fidelity to my marriage and to my husband is pure and untainted. How could he even dare think of me with such immorality! However, it was too late to defend myself further, for the fire in his eyes was already consumed with too much evil to pay any heed to my cries. Yet, before death consumed what was left of my body, the image of the man I love came before my eyes. I forgive him. He is a victim and not a murderer. I know in his heart that he loves me still, and once this madness brought about by his jealousy ends, he would repent and ask for forgiveness. Or, he might end his life as well to follow me, so he can make it up to me personally—and I will be waiting on the other side.

Analysis of Fifteen to Eighteen from Marilyn Hacker’s Selected Poems :: Hacker Selected Poems 1965-1990

Analysis of Fifteen to Eighteen from Marilyn Hacker’s Selected Poems In the poem 'Fifteen to Eighteen', Marilyn Hacker uses the rebellious years of adolescence to analyze the effects an illness can have on the relationship and family roles for both parent and child. Diabetes puts the mother and daughter in opposite roles than are traditionally seen at this age. The illness which occurs at least over the last four years of this girl's childhood forces her to grow up prematurely, take on some of the mother roles, and suffer the sacrifices that accompany it. Jessie Potter in Judith Viorst's book My Mother My Self discusses the impact that motherhood has on sexuality of the mother. "[The mother] may have been an interesting sexual partner until her child was born, but now she is too tired, too busy, she says the children take up too much of her attention. It's all culturally induced, but the result is that [the mother] goes underground sexually until the kids are grown."(59) Just as the role of motherhood often leads to giving up sexuality for a period of time, this daughter more immediately gives up masturbating to deal with her "child' of the hour. As the mother becomes the one who needs to be cared for, the daughter is forced, just as mothers usually are to give up their personal needs and desires when they become mothers. These sacrifices are not healthy for the mothers, nor is it healthy for this adolescent to be in this position of responsibility at such an early age. The poem leaves the reader wondering what will happen after the g irl is eighteen, who will care for the mother? When the daughter leaves home, she will most likely feel guilty for leaving her mother who can not care for herself. This guilt is similar too to that which so often accompanies parenting. The physical fighting and swearing in the poem are present as a way of showing how this girl is being forced from her childhood and thrown into adulthood and motherhood. "I was in shock again. I swam/to my surface to take care of my mother."(144) The liquid which is spilled during the evening is symbolic of the death of the daughter's adolescence, which reoccurs during each episode. "More often, enough orange juice got down,/splashed on us both"(144) And just as the daughter is totally in the role of caretaker, the mother snaps back and is once again in role of mother caring for her daughter, concerned about the scratches on her daughter's face.

Analysis of Challenges in International Management Essay

Analysis of Challenges in International Management† Abstract The following essay analysis the challenges in International Management with particular regard to the challenge of â€Å"culture† in international business as it is the must difficult to deal with and being essential for successful results in a wide range of global management tasks nowadays and in the future. Introduction Today successful international management requires more than a lot of frequent flyer miles or seasoned expatriate managers. But what are those exclusive challenges of international management in today’s world? The importance of international management is constantly increasing, as we exist in a world where globalisation is affecting the traditional borders in a broad range of areas. †¢Trade and investment, †¢Economic alliances, †¢The international stage players, and †¢The work environment are changing rapidly, being supported by the increasing sophistication and lower cost of information technology. World trade and investments are growing fast (the volume of world trade among countries has grown at an average rate over 8% since 2005 (WTO 2008)), linking the economies and creating opportunities and threats. New, strong and forced competitors are coming from developing nations in Asia and the transitioning economies of Eastern Europe. Furthermore, the constantly rising level of foreign direct investment also has a globalising effect (Thomas 2002). Moreover, the emergence of the free-trade areas drastically decreased traditional economic boundaries. So do the three largest groups, the EU, the NAFTA, and the APEC, account for nearly half of the world’s trade (Cullen 2002) and the World Trade Organization (WTO) now has 140 member-nations, aiming to reduce tariffs and liberalize trade. But globalization also affects the work environments within organizations. Changes involve cutbacks, team-based management movements and privatization. For instance, there can be factory closings, as Nokia closing their German plant in Bochum moving to Romania, because of cheaper labour. All in all, as one key consequence of globalisation, international managers nowadays have to face a more dynamic, complex, competitive and uncertain environment and need skills (as a global mindset or the ability to work with people from diverse background) not considered necessary for domestic-only managers. The environment of international management can be divided into †¢economic, †¢legal, †¢political, and †¢cultural factors (Thomas 2002). So for making decisions it is essential to understand the economic strategies of the countries in or with one wants to conduct business with, because level of economic development and quality of life differs extremely worldwide. Furthermore, there are various national sovereign laws and regulations existing in the world which have to be observed and made allowance for. And in addition, there are several varieties of political systems (e. g. , theocratic totalitarianism in Saudi Arabia), containing different levels of political risks which have to be managed. For instance, decision makers have to able to estimate the degree of risk associated with a government’s involvements in business affairs depending on characteristics of their company. All these factors present impressive challenges multinational management has to face. However, the management challenge of culture and its effects on business practices and organizations is one of the most difficult to deal with. As conducting business with people from other cultures will never be easy you have to understand how culture affects management and organizations. â€Å"Culture† is a concept borrowed from cultural anthropology and there are numerous and subtle different definitions. As each definition has limitations focussing on international management the following description of Geert Hofstede seems very helpful. He defines the culture of any society as comprising shared values, understandings, assumptions and goals learned from earlier generations, imposed by present members of a society and passed on to succeeding generations (Hofstede 2008). Culture is something shared by members of a particular group, differentiates humans from other groups, is transmitted through the process of learning and adapts to external and internal environments and relationships. The international businessperson needs to be aware of three levels of cultures that may influence multinational operations. These include national culture, business culture, and organisational cultures (Cullen 2002). National culture can be described as the dominant culture within the political borders of a nation-state. But one has to be aware that multiple cultures can exist within political boundaries and they do not necessarily reflect cultural borders. For instance, Canada being home to Anglophones and Francophones. Furthermore, even relatively homogenous cultures can have diverse subcultures, including cultural differences which are affecting the international business. Nevertheless, as most business is conducted within the political borders of a state and nations can be defined as political unities, varying in governmental, legal, educational, institutional and labour systems, influencing the way people interact with their environment (Thomas 2002), national culture has the greatest effect on international business being probably the most logic starting point trying to understand the cultural environment. Business culture, reflecting the national culture, influences all aspects of work and organizational life (e. g. , motivating staff, negotiating with business partners, etc. and knowing it’s basic requirements (e. g. , what to wear to business meetings, business etiquette is more formal in Germany than in the U. S. with conservative dark business suits, etc. ) is essential for the international manager. Moreover, especially in the last few years, people realized that the â€Å"culture†-concept also holds for individual organizations. So may differences in organizational culture may be one reason why the merger of two otherwise successful companies failed. It is important to evaluate the influence of organizational rules, norms and procedures to understand the causes of behaviour in organizations. With shared behaviours, conditional relationship, being socialized into and partly involved in it, etc. organizational culture differs in construction and elements of national culture. Even so understanding these cultural factors is fundamental for international managers conducting international business, they have to be aware that â€Å"cultures† can just offer wide guidelines for behaviour, as for instance organizational cultures differ within any national context and individuals vary in each culture level. One cannot predict exactly how each person acts, feels, thinks, etc. Nonetheless, broad generalization about a culture provides a level of analysis from which to begin to understand the cultural environment and the complexities of cultural differences, because management functions such as planning, organizing, leading, and controlling in a global economy have to account for them. As international managers have to face various cultural challenges testing their management abilities they must be able to unpack the culture concept. Therefore the basic concepts of cultural dimensions can help them understand how two or more cultures might be different. An essential implication of these frameworks referring to international management and culture is that cultural interpretation and adaptation are a prerequisite to the comparative understanding of international management practice (Morden 1995). The following sections describe two popular models. Hofstede’s Culture Model This Framework, created by dutch scientist Geert Hofstede and based on a research over 11600 people in 50 countries (starting with 39 IBM subsiadiaries worldwide), tries to evaluate how basic values underlay organizational behaviour. National differences are investigated by five dimensions of basic cultural values: 1. Power distance 2. Uncertainty avoidance 3. Individualism 4. Masculinity and 5. Long-term orientation (Hofstede 2008). 1. This first value dimension refers to how cultures deal with inequality and tries to postion the inequality acceptance level by unequal power distribution society members. In countries with a high power distance acceptance (e. g. , such as Mexico), people respect and hardly ever bypass formal hierarchy positions (Elizabeth M. Christopher 2008). 2. The second value dimension concerns about the degree humans in a society are threatened by uncertain situations. The social system of a higher uncertainty avoidance society is dominated by regulations and rules, predictabilties and orders and people tend to be suspicious of change, whereas people from lower levels of uncertainty avoidance societies (for instance, countries such as Denmark). tend to be less formal, take higher business risks and plan and structure less 3. Individualism refers to the affinity to primarily take care of oneself and one’s direct family, and then to the rest of society (with the U. S. being a good example) (Elizabeth M. Christopher 2008). 4. The fourth dimension of â€Å"masculinity† concerns about the ranking of tradionally â€Å"masculine† values in a society, such as less concerning for others, materialism and assertiveness, whereas â€Å"feminity† on the other side emphasises the quality of life and relationships. 5. Long-term orientation cultures are insistent and saving (e. g. the culture of China) and short-term orientation is more self-centered, money-oriented and more social. All these factors are inter-reliant and interactive in their effects. So shows the Anglo-Dutch example Unilever the practicability of multinational enterprises where the power distance, uncertainty avoidance, and individualism values are similar; and where the masculine achievement orientation of the British complements the people orientation of the Dutch (Morden 1995). All in all, so there is a lot of criticism (for instance, the time-dependence of the results, the non-exhaustive investigation of only one multinational US company, etc. to these findings and the model of Hofstede, it is still a very valuable and useful â€Å"gift† for understanding culture and culture-based behavior. Trompenaars’ Culture Model The model created by Fons Trompenaars its also based on the researched of value dimensions. He studied the behavoiur of 15000 managers, representing 47 national cultures (Hampden-Turner 2008). Five of the seven dimensions of his model deal with the challenges of h ow people relate to each other: 1. Universalism versus particularism 2. Neutral versus affective 3. Specific versus diffuse . Achievement versus ascription 5. Time as sequence versus synchronisation The two final dimensions deal with how a culture manages time and how it deals with nature. They include: 6. The society-orientation to the past, present, or future and 7. â€Å"Control of† versus â€Å"accommodation with† nature 1. The value of univerlism refers to the application to systems and rules objectively, without taking consideration to personal circumstances, whereas the particularism culture (e. g. in countries as Spain) is more subjective and focusses more on relationships. 2. The second, the neutral-versus-affective, value dimension refers on the emotional orientation of relationships (such as expressing your feelings and emotions more like, for example, the Portugese). 3. In Addition the specific-versus-diffus dimension investigates if people from a special culture tend to be more or less specific or diffuse in their relationships (for example, Germans try to separate work and personal issues). 4. In the achievement-versus-ascription dimension, it is asked: †What is the source of power and status in society? † (Elizabeth M. Christopher 2008) So is for instance, in an achievement refering culture, the â€Å"status† of a person mainly based on it’s individual achievement (such as job performance, etc. ). 5. â€Å"Time as sequence† orientated cultures separate events in time (â€Å"step-by-step†), whereas â€Å"time as synchronisation†-orientated indiviuals manage events in parallel. (For example, if their business partners are not sharp on time, Germans, coming from a â€Å"time-as-sequence† orientated culture, may consider it an insultation). 6. This value dimension is about past versus future orientations. 7. Moreover, this dimension refers to the extent to which individuals feel that they themselves are the primary influence on their lives. Using this framework trying to understand some culture-basics some interesting patterns may emerge. Altough, being recognised for their validity (the results of these both major studies have some significant parallels, even so they were carried out in different times using different methods and examples), these concepts of cultural value orientation proposed by Hofstede and Tropmenaar can only give a basic framework for the analysis of cultural differences. They are utensils to help understand a culture and adjusting business practices to diverse cultural environments. They are for instance, a prerequisite to the successful new-market country entry, whether by setting up licensing or new subsidiaries, joint ventures, mergers or for the establishment of efficient programmes of international HR development (Kay 1993). But international managers have to realise that the understanding of another culture is a inexhaustible learning process. They will have to practice for their international work with or in other countries by studiying all that they can about the country, including more than just the business etiquette. Understanding the national culture builds just the foundation. As you seldom can get behind the front stage of culture without speaking the national language onother basic instrument is learning the language. But the challenge of â€Å"culture† in international management takes such much more than this. International managers have to broaden their understanding of cultural differences and to learn to seek advantage in differences. Understanding the culture is just a basis for the diverse international management tasks, as appropriate cross-cultural communication (using appropiate communication styles), effective and positive motivating and leadership in international organisations and across cultures, successful negotiation with international business partners and making ethically and socially responsible decisions. Conclusion The environment of international management can be divided into economic, legal, political, and cultural factors, with â€Å"culture† being the most challenging and most difficult to deal with, influencing a broad range of management tasks. Providing oneself with the necessary knowlegde and understanding of the national culture of the country or the people one is conducting business with is essential and builds just the foundation for the successful complementation of global management tasks, such as for instance leadership in multinational organisations (where you have to have understanding of all three levels of culture; national, business and organisational culture, being different and influencing each other).

Cooper Industries Corporate Strategy Essay

Q1. What is Cooper’s corporate strategy Cooper Industries’ main corporate strategy is broad diversification through M&A. Cooper Industries acquired firms in order to lessen its dependence on cyclical natural gas industry and to exhibit stable earnings. Cooper Industries acquired firms that had stable earning, a broad customer base and proven manufacturing operations using well-known technologies. Cooper Industries had a good corporate level strategy of diversification. Copper Industries acquired both related and non-related businesses. As a result, Cooper Industries could exhibit stable earnings. Reasons for Cooper’s diversification Threats of its original industry : Low growth level Unstable market(cyclic) Technology Issues Expensive labor and high costs. Cooper’s strengths : Skilled labor and high technology that could be used in other businesses Financially abundant. In order to refrain from possible threats and maximize its strengths, Cooper chose to diversify its business both in size and scope. By diversification, Cooper could achieve: Update of processes and equipment Retain of Brand power Retain of skilled labor and consolidated plants Retain of cheap labor and capital(by moving to Southern area) Overall, Cooper’s corporate level strategy can be regarded as good because it adds value in various ways. Cooper could gain market power and economies of scope by related diversification By related diversification and vertical integration, Cooper could reduce costs of primary goods and support  activities below competitive level. Cooper could also develop and exploit economies of scope by: Combining duplicate product lines to one division. Rationalizing manufacturing facilities to close underutilized plants. Consolidating sales and marketing programs to help develop a unified market identity. Combining sales members from other companies to promote efficiency. Q2. How does it create value? Cooper also created value by: Acquiring firms that exhibit stable earnings and counter-cyclical to those Cooper Industries had. (e.g. Invested in the electrical business in late 70’s) Acquiring firms with high quality products and firms that were market leaders. Focusing on products that served basic needs and were manufactured by proven technologies so that Cooper gained consistent earnings from stable markets with predictable growth. Transferring proven practices around the company rather than using outside consultants. Experience and judgment of senior management staffs. Cooper Industries’ key resources Structural behaviors Experienced management executives. â€Å"Cash flow is king† thinking – enforcing attention to working capital. Bottom-up strategic plans Centralized activities among divisions. Skilled labor and capital Cooper had skilled labor and capital with low costs. Acquisition-related aspects Cooper had strict guidelines for acquiring firms Cooper conducted systematic supervision over acquired firms. Cooper’s structure Chief Executive Officer Cizik, three Senior Vice Presidents who manage Administration, Finance and Manufacturing services, and three Executive Vice Presidents who manage each division : Electrical & Electronic, Commercial & Industrial and Compression & Drilling. Central control over corporate policy but delegated day-to-day operating decisions to each operating unit. Senior management is composed of former operators so that it knew what were good decisions to make. Cooper maintained a strong union-avoidance policy. Cooper’s incentives Executives were paid salaries based on the Hay system. Their bonuses were 20~40% of base salaries. Division managers had a bonus determined by Corporate Administration and EVP’s discretion. Key managers were granted stock options. When Cooper acquired a firm, administration adjusted pay scales to the same as other Cooper divisions. Cooper also adopted its standard benefits for medical insurance and pensions for new acquisitions. Cooper’s evaluation Evaluation was based on Management Development & Planning(MD&P) MD&P evaluated organizational effectiveness and individual strengths and weaknesses by focusing on the performance of key managers. Employees were reviewed by their supervisors. Each EVP conducted annual reviews of all managers in the division. MD&P uncovered existing or potential management gaps and identified people worthy of promotion. It also distinguished candidates for interdivisional transfers, which is a key resource for Cooper Industry. Q3. Should Cooper acquire Champion Spark Plugs? Why or Why not? Cooper should acquire Champion Spark Plugs Champion was doing automotive industry, which was profitable business and related to Cooper’s businesses. Champion had a strategic fit with Cooper’s long term plans such as diversification. Champion Spark Plugs fits well with Cooper’s acquisition guidelines for Diversification. Stable earnings and earning patterns that are countercyclical to those Cooper had.(Slight decrease in sales, however, occurred annually) Although Champion suffered from declines in sales, Champion was recognized worldwide and was a market  leader in the spark plug market. Champion had an internationally recognized brand name. Overall, Champion was suffering from declining demands in spark plug market at the time of the takeover battle. Champion was trying to penetrate the automotive tool business in spite of its poor technology level. So, in order for both Champion and Cooper to make more profits, Cooper should acquire Champion. Champion and Cooper can both satisfy each other’s needs. While Champion can use Cooper’s experience and skilled labor to penetrate the automotive tool business, Cooper can use Champion’s world-widely recognized brand name to explore overseas markets.

Free Essays on Memories

Memories Every known living person has memories. Some are memories of time full of happiness, and some are filled with death, destruction, and pain. But, are our memories ours? Do we own what we think, or are they manufactured by our brains in a twisted chain of neurological events? If we can create memories, all forms of argument based on memory will become null and void. This is beginning to show more and more in society, causing uproar nationwide. A Harvard University study of post-traumatic stress disorder in claimed alien â€Å"abductees† tested each person by recounting their individual experience. A strong reaction was confirmed in each test subject, a reaction similarly seen in war veterans. The idea that these memories could actually be manufactured, and false, brings to the surface the plausible thought that we as humans can, for lack of better terminology, create ourselves. Many would say that everyone creates themselves, that we attain an identity by the creation of our personality. This is true, but, with this ideal of false memories, a weakness can be found. Our actual identity could, in theory, be completely different from the identity we perceive to be ours; we hold ourselves to a name, a home, a childhood that may have never existed. The implications of these false perceptions of our identities are monumental. As humans, we define ourselves by the memories we have. These memories are the building blocks of our individuality. We base the decisions we make daily on the memories of past situations. For example, if one receives punishment for a crime, or a simple rule being broken in a professional or educational environment, one immediately knows not to commit said offense again. A link between our feelings, thoughts, and memories is created to make us realize what to do, and what not to do. As with the post-traumatic stress disorder study, scientists have also begun looking into the aspects of the legal w... Free Essays on Memories Free Essays on Memories Memories Every known living person has memories. Some are memories of time full of happiness, and some are filled with death, destruction, and pain. But, are our memories ours? Do we own what we think, or are they manufactured by our brains in a twisted chain of neurological events? If we can create memories, all forms of argument based on memory will become null and void. This is beginning to show more and more in society, causing uproar nationwide. A Harvard University study of post-traumatic stress disorder in claimed alien â€Å"abductees† tested each person by recounting their individual experience. A strong reaction was confirmed in each test subject, a reaction similarly seen in war veterans. The idea that these memories could actually be manufactured, and false, brings to the surface the plausible thought that we as humans can, for lack of better terminology, create ourselves. Many would say that everyone creates themselves, that we attain an identity by the creation of our personality. This is true, but, with this ideal of false memories, a weakness can be found. Our actual identity could, in theory, be completely different from the identity we perceive to be ours; we hold ourselves to a name, a home, a childhood that may have never existed. The implications of these false perceptions of our identities are monumental. As humans, we define ourselves by the memories we have. These memories are the building blocks of our individuality. We base the decisions we make daily on the memories of past situations. For example, if one receives punishment for a crime, or a simple rule being broken in a professional or educational environment, one immediately knows not to commit said offense again. A link between our feelings, thoughts, and memories is created to make us realize what to do, and what not to do. As with the post-traumatic stress disorder study, scientists have also begun looking into the aspects of the legal w...

Definition and Examples of Back Slang

Definition and Examples of Back Slang Back slang is a form of slang in which words are spoken and/or spelled backward. According to  lexicographer Eric Partridge, back slang was popular with the costermongers (street-vendors) in Victorian London. The hallmark of their speech, Partridge said, is the frequency with which they turn words (normal or slangy) into back-slang . . .. The general rule is to spell a word backwards, and then, ideally, to employ the pronunciation approaching the closest to that often impossible arrangement of letters  (Slang Today and Yesterday, 1960). The costermongers themselves referred to back slang as kacab genals.Like rhyming slang, back slang started out as subterfuge, says MIchael Adams, but soon became language games you could play for fun (Slang: The Peoples Poetry, 2009). Examples and Observations If you really want to speak freely around those who shouldnt know your secrets, learn how to form back slang or center slang. When you are next in your local, order a top o reeb  instead of pot of beer, but hope that the bartender understands the slang, or you may be eighty-sixed for the whole kew week. Dont blame the bartender, though, who may not be the right nosper person for the bloomin emag bloomin game.(Michael Adams,  Slang: The Peoples Poetry. Oxford University Press, 2009) Arbitrary Spelling Conventions Back slang is a language constructed on lines- I venture to hint illogical lines- of its own. The initial idea is that all words are to be pronounced backwards; for instance, instead of saying no you say on, for bad man you say dab nam. But you have not proceeded far before you find that the initial idea breaks down. Penny, reversed, would be ynnep, the back slangster says yennup. Evig em a yennup, is his version of Give me a penny. . . . It would be impossible for an English tongue to pronounce many of our words backwards. How would you pronounce night or drink backwards, leaving the spelling as it is? not to speak of more difficult examples. The result is that the back slangster adopts not only an arbitrary spelling, but also an arbitrary pronunciation of his own. (Slang. All the Year Round: A Weekly Journal Conducted by Charles Dickens, November  25, 1893) The Language of Tradesmen and ChildrenBack-slang proper, sometimes employed by barrow-boys and hawkers, and indigenous to certain trades such as the greengrocers and the butchers, where it is spoken to ensure that the customer shall not understand what is being said (Evig reh emos delo garcs deneGive her some old scrag end) consists simply of saying each word backwards, and when this is impossible saying the name of the letter instead of its sound, usually the first or the last letter, thus: Uoy nac ees reh screckin ginwosh (You can see her knickers showing). An Enfield master reports that he found at least half a dozen boys who could talk it quickly.(Iona and Peter Opie, The Lore and Language of Schoolchildren. Oxford University Press, 1959) Secret Languages Secret languages . . . have an obvious appeal for those who have something to hide. One language used by African slaves, called TUT, was based on phonetics, and used to help teach children to read. Victorian market traders, meanwhile, are thought to have dreamed up back slang- in which a word is spoken backwards, giving us yob for boyin order to single out customers on whom to palm off shoddy goods. (Laura Barnett, Why We All Need Our Own Secret Slang. The Guardian [UK], June 9, 2009) A 19th-Century Report on Back Slang This back language, back slang, or kacab genals, as it is called by the costermongers themselves, is supposed to be regarded by the rising generation of street-sellers as a distinct and regular mode of intercommunication. People who hear this slang for the first time never refer words, by inverting them, to their originals; and the yanneps, esclops, and nammows, are looked upon as secret terms. Those who practice the slang soon obtain a considerable stock vocabulary, so that they converse rather from the memory than the understanding. Amongst the senior costermongers, and those who pride themselves on their proficiency in back slang, a conversation is  often sustained for a whole evening- that is, the chief words are in the back slang- especially if any flats are present whom they wish to astonish or confuse. . . The back slang has been in vogue for many years. It is . . . very easily acquired, and is principally used by the costermongers and others who practice it . . . for communicating the secrets of their street tradings, the cost of and profit on goods, and for keeping their natural enemies, the police, in the dark.(The Slang Dictionary: Etymological, Historical, and Anecdotal, rev. ed.,  1874)

Chemical KInetics Chemistry Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Chemical KInetics Chemistry - Assignment Example The theory states that when appropriate molecules of a reactant collide against each other, it is only a definite proportion of the collisions that result in a perceptible chemical change (Goldberger and Watson, 2004). These collisions are termed successful collisions, and possess activation energy. The idea of activation energy was introduced by Svante Arrhenius in 1889, and is the amount of energy needed to be gained by the reactant molecules to form the product. During the exact instant of collision, the pre-existing bonds are broken and new bonds formed. This results in the formation of the products of the reaction. The higher the temperature the higher the rate at which its constituent particles move. This increased particular motion increases the chances of the particles colliding, resulting in more successful collisions that lead to bonds being broken and new ones forming, resulting in the formation of new products, and thereby increasing the reaction rate. This is proven in the graph above, which shows that the molecules that have higher kinetic energies resulting from high temperatures have higher reaction rates, since the increased motion between the molecules results in increased molecular collisions that raises the reaction rates. Pressure has an effect on the rate of various chemical reactions, only involving gases. Raising it leads to a corresponding increase in the rate of the reaction. Raising or lowering the pressure of a reaction system involving liquids or solids leads to no change in the rate of the reaction. For a specific amount of gas, to raise the pressure of the gas one would have to compress the gas so that it would be contained in a lesser volume. Doing so would mean the same amount of gas is found in a much smaller volume, resulting in a higher concentration. Since the gas particles are closer to each other, their random motions result in more frequent collisions. These