Perfect Competition Essay

For a market to be perfectly competitive, one of the main criteria is that all firms (and consumers) are price takers. The following conditions are also necessary: 1. There must be many buyers and sellers in the market for an identical product. 2. Firms’ products are identical. 3. Buyers and sellers must be fully informed about prices, products, and technology. 4. There are no barriers to entry (or exit). 5. Selling firms are profit-maximizing entrepreneurial firms. The scenario about the ice cream industry depicts a perfectly competitive market. Buyers view vanilla ice cream from different stores as identical products, new stores can enter the industry, and each store has no influence on the going market price. In perfect competition, many firms sell identical products to many buyers. Therefore, if Falero charges even slightly more for a box than other firms charge, it will lose all its customers because every other firm in the industry is offering a lower price. In other words, one of Falero’s boxes is a perfect substitute for boxes from the factory next door or from any other factory. So, a perfectly competitive firm faces a perfectly elastic demand for its output at the current market price. In this case, the equilibrium market price is $5 per box, so Falero faces a perfectly elastic demand curve for its boxes at $5. Since a perfectly competitive firm faces a perfectly elastic demand curve at the market price, it can sell any quantity it chooses at this price. Therefore, the change in total revenue that results from a one-unit increase in the quantity sold is equal to the market price, so the marginal revenue curve is a horizontal line at the market price of $5 per box. Since the demand curve is also a horizontal line at the market price, the demand curve and the marginal revenue curve are the same. Economic profit equals total revenue minus total cost, so profit is at its maximum when the difference between total revenue and total cost is at its greatest Economic profit is defined as the difference between total cost and total revenue. At a price of $12,000, a profit-maximizing firm in a perfectly competitive market will produce 4,000 hybrid vehicles per year, since this is the quantity where marginal cost equals the market price (which equals a competitive firm’s marginal revenue). Since profit is the difference between total revenue (TR) and total cost (TC), we can rewrite this expression as: Profit = TR – TC Profit = (P x Q) – (ATC x Q) Profit = (P – ATC) x Q In this case, profit = ($12,000 per vehicle – $16,000 per vehicle) x 4,000 per vehicle= -$4,000 x 4,000 = -$16,000,000, which is an economic loss. This is the blue shaded area (labeled A) in the graph above. The firm will produce as long as the market price is above the shutdown price of 10 cents, so the firm’s supply curve corresponds to the portion of the marginal cost curve for prices above 10 cents. For example, at 10 cents, the firm will produce 150,000 pairs of socks, so (150, 10) is a point on the firm’s supply curve; at 15 cents, the firm will produce 200,000 pairs of socks, so (200, 15) is another point. For prices below 10 cents, the firm will not produce at all. The shutdown price of $2 marks the point at which average variable cost is at its minimum. In the short run, when price is below $2, a firm’s variable costs exceed its total revenue, so the firm would maximize profits (minimize losses) by shutting down. The break-even price of $4 marks the point at which average total cost is at its minimum. In the long run, when price is below $4, a firm’s total costs exceed its total revenue, so the firm would maximize profits (minimize losses) by exiting the market. In the short run, the individual supply curve for a firm is the portion of the marginal cost curve that corresponds to prices greater than and equal to the shutdown price of $2. In perfect competition, the market supply curve is just the horizontal sum of all the firms’ marginal cost curves. At prices below $2, firms will not produce in the short run. At $2, firms will produce a total of 3 yo-yos per firm x 100 firms = 300 yo-yos. Therefore, (300, 2) is a point on the short-run industry supply curve. Similarly, at $3, firms will produce a total of 4 yo-yos per firm x 100 firms = 400 yo-yos. Therefore, (400, 3) is another point on the short-run industry supply curve. Use similar calculations to plot the rest of the market supply curve. The market price of $3 corresponds to a point on the MC curve that is between the firm’s ATC and AVC. Therefore, in the short run, although the firm cannot cover all its fixed costs, it will generate enough revenue to cover all its variable costs. The firm will ignore the fixed costs and produce in the short run. In the long run, the firm will shut down and exit the industry, since $3 is below the break-even (long-run exit) price. Because the firm can never cover its fixed costs, and the business runs at a loss, it is profit maximizing to exit the market.| | A firm’s short-run decision is not solely based on whether or not it incurs profits or losses. It depends on whether the market price is below or above its shutdown price, or minimum average variable cost. As long as the market price is above average variable cost, a firm will produce in the short run since it is covering its variable cost. In cases where there are fixed costs and price is equal to or just above the shutdown price, this will mean that the average total cost is higher than the market price, which leads to losses. However, in the short run, a firm’s decision to produce is independent of any fixed costs, so even if it cannot cover fixed costs and earn profits, it will produce nonetheless. If the price exceeds the marginal cost of increasing output by one unit, the firm will produce another unit. It keeps increasing its output until it reaches a point where increasing output by one more unit has a marginal cost that is greater than marginal revenue (in this case, the going market price). In this example, the marginal cost of increasing output from five to six units is less than the market price. The marginal cost of increasing output from six to seven units is greater than the market price. So, the firm stops at six units. This is its profit-maximizing quantity. The table below summarizes the firm’s marginal cost. The firm considers its minimum variable cost in its short-run production decisions. It will produce in the short run if the market price is equal to or greater than its minimum average variable cost. That is, as long as it can cover its variable costs, it will produce in the short run. The firm considers its minimum average total cost in its long-run production decisions. It will produce in the long run if the market price is equal to or greater than its minimum average total cost; that is, as long as the firm at least breaks even in its economic profits. The table below summarizes the firm’s average variable cost, which equals average total cost since there is no fixed cost The initial long-run equilibrium was at the intersection of the initial industry short-run supply and demand curves (S100 and D1) at coordinates (4,000, 65). After the change in consumer preferences, the long-run equilibrium is at the intersection of the new industry short-run supply and demand curves (S70 and D2) at coordinates (2,000, 60). The long-run industry supply curve will pass through these long-run equilibrium points, so you should have placed each of the black points (X symbols) at these coordinates. Notice that this industry is an increasing-cost industry. That is, an increase in demand increases factor prices. Firms stop entering the market and expanding production at a higher equilibrium market price because the price at which zero profit is made has risen. Therefore, the long-run supply curve is upward sloping. In the long run, firms in a perfectly competitive market enter and exit the market without barriers, and they make zero economic profit. The reasoning goes as follows: if firms make economic profits, new firms will enter the market, shifting the market supply curve to the right until the market price has fallen enough such that no firm is earning economic profit and there is no longer incentive to enter. If firms are incurring economic losses, firms will exit the market, the market supply curve will shift to the left, and the market price will rise until firms make zero economic profit. So, in the long run, firms are operating at the â€Å"break-even† point, or the minimum of the short-run average total cost curve AND the long-run average total cost curve.

Analysis of the Voice by Thomas Hardy

POEM: THE VOICE BY THOMAS HARDY What is the genre of this poem? To me this poem speaks about â€Å"Woman Much Missed† Meaning there is someone very dear to the poet that is much missed & is no longer seen. The poem has a sense of Reminiscence, Depression, Sorrow & Death. What is the tone of voice? The tone of voice is rather Nostalgic, Emotive and Anxious. Because he says â€Å"Let me view you, then, Standing as when I drew near to the town Where you would wait for me: yes as I knew you then,†What is the theme? The theme is rather about love and a great loss. Because it says â€Å"Saying that now you are not as you were, When you had changed from the one who was all to me† What is the structure? The structure is rather Emphatic, because he emphasizes when he says â€Å"How you call to me, call to me† twice. What is the setting? The setting is in a rather sad & depressed/scared mood. He says â€Å"Thus I; faltering forward† shows he’s fear to move on without this woman. What is the Image being Portrayed?The poet is setting a rather mysterious/miserable image. Mysterious because as he says â€Å"Can it be you that I hear? † It makes you wonder if the poet is going mad. Miserable because he shows how much he misses this woman by saying â€Å"Woman much missed† What is the Key Statement? The key statement to me is in the title because the title in itself makes you reason out what the poem is about. The title is THE VOICE, this title would make me ask, Why the voice? , Who is the voice? What about the voice? So in short it’s all about the voice. What is the sound being portrayed? The impression being portrayed to me is that life is all about love and that life cannot continue without it, for others. What is the Language use? The poet is using the language rather narratively because rather than describing his emotions he’s narrating the events that are happening e. g. â€Å"Traveling across the we t mead to me here† What are the qualities that resonate/evoke with the reader?The poem is rather much private because he says â€Å"Woman much missed, how you call to me call to me† which confirms the poets love for someone missing. He indirectly channels the reader to his feelings through someone else. In the third stanza he starts to question the authenticity of the voice. â€Å"Can it be you that I hear? † The poet uses a mixture of alliteration and assonance to guideaid the reader with these lines. What is the value of this poem? Value the people you love for you never know what the future holds for you or your spouse/partner in life. Related essay: In Exile Poem Line by Line Analysis

Introduction of 4ps Essay

Marketing The 4 Ps of marketing are Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. Think of each of these as a variable which you control. The idea is to set these variables in such a way so that sales will take place. You cannot â€Å"make† a customer pull out her credit card, but you can certainly help her in coming to a decision by setting the â€Å"right† price, the retail location, the level of advertising and even product attributes such as colour or perceived quality. You control everything but the customer herself. These variables are all interdependent. Taken together, they constitute a certain mix. This is often referred to as the marketing mix. In defining this mix it is also necessary to take into account your competitor’s mix as well as your overall corporate goals and objectives. The idea is to come up with a mix that will clearly differentiate your products from those of your competitors while considering your corporate goals. For example, your company may wish to offer a high-end luxury type of product since your competitors are addressing the mass market and this is consistent with your company’s goal of owning  the market for top-of-the-line products of this category. Definition of 4P’s Product: The marketing mix concept has its roots in the 1950s U. S. corporate marketing world, and the practice of marketing has obviously evolved tremendously since this term was invented. One of the changes is that there are a lot more services available nowadays, such as those available online. Also, the distinction between product and service has become more blurry. Either way, product here refers to products or services. The product or service you offer needs to be able to meet a specific, existing market demand. Or, you need to be able to create a market niche through building a strong brand. Price: The price you set for your product or service plays a large role in its marketability. Pricing for products or services that are more commonly available in the market is more elastic, meaning that unit sales will go up or down more responsively in response to price changes. By contrast, those products that have a generally more limited availability in the market are more inelastic, meaning that price changes will not affect unit sales very much. The price elasticity of your product or service can be determined through various market testing techniques. Place: This term really refers to any way that the customer can obtain a product or receive a service. Provision of a product or service can occur via any number of distribution channels, such as in a retail store, through the mail, via downloadable files, on a cruise ship, in a hair salon, and so on The ease and options through which you can make your product or service available to your customers will have an effect on your sales volume. Promotion: Promotion is concerned with any vehicle you employ for getting people to know more about your product or service. Advertising, public relations, point-of-sale displays, and word-of-mouth promotion are all traditional ways for promoting a product. Promotion can be seen as a way of closing the information gap between would-be sellers and would-be buyers. Your choice of a promotional strategy will be dependent upon your budget, the type of product or service you are selling, and availability of said promotional vehicle.

International Dispute Resolution Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5250 words

International Dispute Resolution - Essay Example As the paper declares arbitration whether in domestic or international context, is a private system of adjudication by which parties to the dispute decide to resolve their differences outside any judicial system. Invariably, decision handed out in arbitration is final and binding. and the award can be enforced in a national court. The deciding persons who are called arbitrators act as sole arbitrators or multiple arbitrators usually three chosen by the parties. While each party chooses its own arbitrator, where there are two parties, the two arbitrators chosen by them elect a presiding arbitrator and their majority decision will be binding. The arbitration can be adhoc or administered by an international arbitral institution. If adhoc, there will be no institutional involvement. The rules applicable are that of the institution or those chosen by the parties as the case may be. According to the report findings international commercial arbitration has become the norm for dispute resolution in international contracts. The consent of the parties is the source of power for the arbitrators to decide the dispute. It also limits their power as the arbitrators can decide the dispute only within the scope of the parties’ agreement. The arbitrators must apply rules, procedures and laws preferred by the parties. This will be set out in the clause of the contract as the agreement for arbitration in the event of disputes.

Introduction to International Politics. International Conflicts Essay

Introduction to International Politics. International Conflicts - Essay Example International conflicts are mainly a stage of opposition, basically when a disagreement or different views and values between two or more states are seen. The term "international conflict" means that conflicts between different nations, organizations, and people are fighting for independence or increased social, political, or economic power (Bercovitch, 1996, p. 8). In this prospective paper international conflicts will be defined as a mechanism that will continue to exist as long as people on this earth will continue to inhabit it. International conflicts can be divided into two theoretical perspectives: Realism and Liberalism, both paradigms have different views on how to go about international conflicts. Methodology The methodology in this paper outlines the realism and the doctrines that it established as well as the theory it follows. Secondly we will be looking at liberalism and its theories in which it practices and preaches to the political community. Those two theoretical perspectives will be viewed in the first body paragraph. In the second body paragraph we will discuss the two types of international conflicts: the private area and the public area of international conflicts. Evidence will be provided with articles of the argument at hand. In the third body paragraph we will analyze which of the two theoretical schools can better explain international conflicts. For the last part which will be the conclusion, it will summarize the thesis and argument into a whole and provide the implications that followed throughout this paper as whether it was theoretical or practical.

International Relations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 5

International Relations - Essay Example Similarly IGOs strive to enhance international relations and cooperation while NGOs try to deliver developmental aids to their beneficiaries. The ultimate goal of an NGO is to enhance sustainable development whereas an IGO’s mission is to promote human rights and to support socio-economic development. The fundamental point of distinction is that IGOs may include governments when NGOs may not2. 2. ‘The Tragedy of the Commons’ is an economic theory developed by Garrett Hardin. The theory states that individuals who act independently according to their self interests normally behave contrary to the long term interests of the whole group by depleting common resources whose demand is overwhelming the supply3. More simply, ‘The Tragedy of the Commons’ can be simply referred to an economic problem where every individual tries to best exploit a given resource. When the demand for this particular resource overwhelms the supply, individuals who consume an extra unit directly act against the interests of other people who have no longer access to the benefits. This economic problem occurs when individuals ignore the wellbeing of the whole society in an attempt to entertain their personal interests. This economic theory is often linked to sustainable development and global warming as they are related to the exploitation of resources by humans in pursuit of th eir personal gains. Oceans, atmosphere, national parks, and fish stocks are some of the examples of ‘commons’. 3. According to some experts, human rights represent moral principles that define specific standards of human behavior despite cultural or national differences4. Human rights are considered as legal rights across the globe and particularly protected under national and international law. These rights belong to all people simply because they are humans. It is possible to

The Internet and Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Internet and Business - Essay Example Every business to thrive in this tough competitive market must have a business model to boost the developmental plans. A business model acts as the back-bone of a business and helps the business to make strategic decisions. River Island - as a business has a business model of stylish, high-quality fashion clothing especially for its target audience. The Body Shop on the contrary has developed a business model focusing on the natural beauty and beauty products. River Island promotes fashion and modernization; whereas The Body Shop promotes beauty with natural products. As part of business model and marketing strategy each business has their own target markets and target audiences. River Island targets young men and women, boys and girls with an attitude and style statement. The target audience is high-street consumers looking for affordable yet stylish fashion clothing by including new designs in apparel, shoes, bags and more. On the contrary The Body Shop targets consumers with more mature blend of mind set and inclined towards natural products for beauty enhancement. The target audience is restricted to consumers who are searching for natural beauty products for various requirements including, skin care, body and bath, make-up, hair, fragrance and more. Modern business world has seen fierce competitions within business houses. It is nearly impossible to have a business without any competition in modern days. River Island has also competitions such as H&M, Republic, ASOS, G2000, Padini, U2 etc to name a few. Similarly The Body Shop also faces many competitors such as Lush, Aveda, Origins, Kiehls etc to name a few. Businesses have developed marketing strategies exploiting the mass adoption and usage of Internet. The simplest and foremost of Internet marketing strategies is the website of the business. Although the Internet marketing strategies

Narrative report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Narrative report - Essay Example Mark Henderson had been informed by his daughter, Selena Henderson’s school that she had been posting on obscene items on the social media. Mark warned her and asked her to desist from doing so. His admonition had no effect upon Selena, and the school once again reported similar behavior on her part to Mark. The infuriated Mark accosted her and gave her a sound thrashing. While doing so, he became enraged to the extent that he commenced to strangle her. This was being witnessed by his wife and his son. However, his wife stopped him from strangling her. Daniel T Satterberg, the Prosecuting Attorney for King County had accused Mark Henderson of the crimes of assault in the second degree – domestic violence, and assault in the third degree – domestic violence. These were based on the same sequence of acts or conduct that were interrelated or forming the components of a common plan. These were assault in the second degree – domestic violence, and assault in the third degree – domestic violence. He further stated that the defendant Mark Henderson, in King County, Washington, on 23 January 2014 had assaulted Yvonne Henderson by choking her. This was contrary to RCW 9A36.021(1)(9), and against the dignity and peace of the State of Washington. In the courtroom, the pressing judge, Timothy A Bradshaw, exhibited adequate control. He ensured that the proceedings continued without any interruptions. His speech was distinct, precise and clear. As a result, he was unmistakably audible to all the people present in the courtroom. This impressive judge did not mince matters and endeavored to have meticulous procedure in place. He was intolerant of even the slightest deviation from established procedure. As a result, the attorneys, prosecutors, court clerks, and other concerned individuals had to function in an optimal manner. The defendant Henderson pleaded guilty with respect to the charges framed against him. Specifically, he conceded in writing that the he

A Jurors Perspective in the Case against Socrates Research Paper

A Jurors Perspective in the Case against Socrates - Research Paper Example Personally, I find nothing wrong with being inquisitive. Inquisitiveness has been the source of great knowledge for a long time. The fact that Socrates has been inquisitive, enquiring the earth and the clouds constitute no crime. If his chosen way of life does not harm anyone, and no one can confirm that he harmed anyone by being curious, then I find no fault at that. Of concern is the substance of which he enquires about. Contrary, Socrates has confessed to the things he enquires. He has said that he enquires about the presence and the nature of knowledge in selected persons. This, he has confessed, is to try to refute the claims of the Delphin oracle, which he claims elevates him as the wisest man in Athens. First, this raises the question of whether it is true that the oracle construed that he was the wisest man. If it is true, then such an important decree from the Athenian god Apollo should have been made known to all Athenians. The fact that this did not happen, is interpretabl e that the accused has put words in the mouth of a god. By claiming that the gods have recognized him as the wisest man, Socrates undermines the power of the Athenian gods by elevating himself as superhuman. He elevates himself to the level that he converses with the gods, though he is not a priest. In this issue, the accused is guilty of heresy and slander against the gods of Athena. His comparison of himself with Heracles is an insult to all Athenians and their integrity. It is an insult to the time-honored belief about the gods and the heroes of our history (Colaiaco 62). Second is the claim that he teaches his inquisitive lifestyle to others. In his defence, the accused has pointed out that he has never been a teacher. He does not take money from anyone in exchange for his perceived teachings. Therefore, if anyone goes to him, it is of his own accord. The teachings gained thereof that are one’s own desire. However, the place where the lessons are offered becomes very diff icult for the citizens of Athena to decide whether to attend or not. The accused has confessed of a tendency to start his teachings in public, where people gather for other purposes. This does not leave any choice to those in such areas, whether to listen or leave. This is so because there are in such places in pursuit of their own affair. Additionally, the accused has a tendency to stop people on the way and start questioning them. This constitutes a disruption of public peace. He propagates dissension and enmity among the people. If one is a teacher, he should let his students come to him on their own will. This is not in the interests of the state. The questioning of people regarding the level of wisdom is also demeaning. This is quite serious when it is considered that some of the subjects of the defendant’s questioning are citizens of high ranking. These people have made a significant contribution to the advancement of the nation. Branding these people as lacking wisdom and knowledge is a dishonor and a disparagement of their good work and sacrifices. On these charges, Socrates is guilty. The next charge brought against Socrates was the claim that he misguides the youth. His accusers have not explained what constitutes misguiding the youth. Using the little information provided to the court by the accusers, this is only interpretable to mean that the teaching of inquisitiveness taught by the accused to the public.

What is customer service Essay Example for Free

What is customer service Essay Customer service consists of the various ways in which a business looks after its customer. A business that wants to provide a comprehensive high quality customer service must be aware of, and be able to analyse, customer needs, and also to set up systems to ensure that those needs are catered for from the first enquiry to after-sale service. Customer service consists of a wide range of activities. The purpose of these is to make sure that customers are happy and will return again and again. Every business should remember that customers are the factors, which affect demand for the product. It is one of the greatest importance, therefore, for the organisation to know its customers- who they are, what they need and how it can satisfy those needs. Customer service is one of the most important ingredients of the marketing mix for products and services. High quality customer service helps to create customer loyalty. Customers today are not only interested in the product they are being offered but all the official elements of service that they receive from the greeting they receive when they enter a retail outlet, to the refund and help that they receive when they have a complaint about a faulty product that they have paid for. Introduction to Sainsburys Sainsbury is a high class retail store that supplies to a wide range of products mainly dealing with foods but now, starting to increase the companys gross profit by dealing in an even wider range of products including household products, health, beauty, alcohol and cigarettes and currently starting to build a reputation in the clothes retailer. They also to compete with the likes of Bp and Esso by opening up over 250 petrol stations all over the UK. Sainsburys was founded by John James and Mary Ann Sainsbury in 1869, they first launched their first Sainsbury store in Dury Lane as a small dairy store, it quickly became popular because the economic wealth in the area was at an all time low and by the new Sainsbury store offering low prices it became one of shoppers favorites. As the stores success grew so did the branches open up on higher class high streets like in Islington and Kentish Town further growing and then becoming a Public Limited Company (PLC) which now owns over 500 branches across the UK. Types of Customer Lordly Customers Lordly customers like to be treated as special and important. How they are treated is often just as important to them as what they are buying. They are impatient. They will refuse to wait in lines or queues, even if it means not buying what they want. Their time is valuable. If they have questions they want them answered right away. They are status conscious and like to be seen as powerful and up to the minute. They do little research before they buy and often buy on impulse. They treat staff as just there to serve them and have little interest in staffs feelings or problems. They are not afraid to complain and can do so loudly. They are not interested in the systems that shops may have. They believe that rules are made for other people. Logical Customers Logical customers are interested almost exclusively in what they are buying. They are after the best deal and expect staff to be able to answer technical questions logically and factually and to be experts in what they are selling. If problems arise, they want a properly detailed explanation of what will be done. They retain receipts and often the external wrapping so that they can return faulty goods according to the system. They take note of special offers but they never buy on impulse. They usually study the consumer magazines and check prices in different places before they buy. They ignore the fact that staff are people. They will put up with indifferent service to get what they want the right price. If they complain, they may well invoke the law! Friendly Customers Friendly customers see buying as just another human inter-action. They prize friendliness and like it when people use their name. They like the warmth of a welcome and a smile. They prefer small shops and hotels where they can become known and where they can more easily get to know staff. For them, the way that the purchase is sold is almost more important than the product itself. They like to think of staff as friends and they are willing to help out if staff have problems. They will often make decisions based upon the staffs recommendations. They are influenced by people they like, particularly their close friends and trust others to give them good advice. They hate to complain and feel badly, and personally, let down if things go wrong. They can have very high standards of behaviour General Public This is anyone who might want to buy a particular good or service. This category includes passing trade and regular customers. Passing trade- Customers who might come into a shop or call on a service provider because they happen to be in the vicinity or want to try a new supplier Regular customers Those who use the same supplier time and time again.

Globalization: The Homogenization Of Cultures

Globalization: The Homogenization Of Cultures The increased integration of humanity beyond the national borders is compressing the world into an interdependent global village. Today, many equate the process of globalization with the promotion of interests of the West, whose hegemony is propagated through the idea of liberalism. As a result of the Western superior power and cultural imperialism, the so-called Third World countries feel compelled to admit their superiority and subsequently to acculturate themselves, accepting the Western way of life as a norm. The greatest consequence of this is homogenization of cultures and the loss of identity in the process of implementing Western ideologies. Today, the world we live in is taking part in the process of an increased integration through the movement of people and goods. The growing development of communication makes the unification of the entire globe seem as something completely natural. Globalization of our societies and every day lives à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ However, the question that is being imposed upon us is whether this compression of the world into one global society means that the world is being enriched and unified, or will it be torn apart by nations self-interest conflicts in the battle for preservation of their identities? The wide variety and diversity of our cultures and identities has always been, without a doubt, a part of who we are. Societies and cultures learn how to grow and prosper through overlapping and borrowing from each other. Some would argue that cultures should not be perceived as individual, but that they need to be examined in a more general way, since they constantly change and evolve. Cultures stopped being related to a mere geographical area and its society; nowadays, they are linked to the contemporary time that they exist in, as well as to the entire globe. Thanks to the process of globalization, today we have unique emerging cultures, such as Internet culture, artists culture, culture of the young people from around the world and others that are becoming a part of a universal set of values and ideas, turning the world into one global culture. However, while this unification of cultures has its benefits, at the same time it brings along the risk of an intercultural and identity-related conflict. For some people, their culture is everything that makes them who they are, it is an essential part of their identity. For example, in a case of a possible dispute between cultures that have confronting views and prejudice against each other, their people will hold on strongly to their national identity and culture, because they feel intimately related to it and see it as their protection. In an effort to preserve ones culture, language or religion, people very often become involved in conflicts. Most importantly, these conflicts becomes aggravated by the consuming influence of biased media Furthermore, as a result of negative stereotypes, different cultures may view each other as alien and threatening and can lead to a clash of civilizations, as Huntington refers to it.FOOTNOTE NEEDED Additionally, an increased interaction between cultures can lead to the creation of a unified culture imposed by the more influencing and dominating one. Therefore, this would lead to the homogenization of the world. This brings around cultural imperialism as an inherent part, as well as a product of the overall process of imperialism, where one country with dominant economy, culture and policy has control over others. This causes the local cultures, especially those in the so-called Third World countries, to be exploited and challenged by the dominant, most often Western values. Unsurprisingly, this comes as an effect of many centuries during which West had the chance to establish its dominance in the world. Cultural imperialism occurs when one culture is presented in such a manner that is seems undeveloped and non-modern when compared to another. Accordingly, the dominant cultures standards and norms become gradually accepted by the locals who believe in its superiority. This is why some intellectuals equate globalization with the Western imperialism; they argue that the West is imposing its ideas of liberalism onto the rest of the world through the process of globalization and therefore ensuring and reaffirming its hegemony. Instead of physically colonizing the rest of the world, the West has chosen more subtle means of propagating its ideas. The spread of Western, namely American goods around the world is not a simple coincidence- it is a part of the process of cultural imperialism. In addition, instead of being a simple trend of consumerism of American products, cultural imperialism implies the implementation of American ideas such as freedom of speech and democracy. As a result, this process leads to the steady disperse of unique cultures across the globe as t hey succumb to the influence of the more powerful American culture. So, whats in it for the West and America and whats their real motive? Many people believe that the main reason is the protection of the unlimited access to foreign markets, along with an actual and concrete belief in the American superiority by their citizens. However, it is simple to convince the Americans of their own superiority, but when convincing foreign cultures, they have to be more assertive and creative. Thus, marketing, along with advertising, plays an extremely important role in the process of Americanization. Its importance lies in the fact that it has the ability to persuade others in the modernity and the advanced stage of development of those American goods. Consequently, they begin to dominate local markets, doing no good to the local economy; hence, the local production industry weakens and gives way to the American economic interests. Another way of influencing local cultures and identities is through the vehicle of Internet. It plays a huge role in propagating the American culture, and enables it to be extremely exposed to the entire globe. However, the users of Internet that wish not to be exposed to the influence of American propagating contents can easily avoid it, since they are the active players in the seek of information online. Nevertheless, those who choose to be exposed to it, Internet can severely increase it. Governments are aware of this, and some of them, like the Chinese and Cuban, have restricted their citizens from the free flow of information, in order to prevent the Western influence. Oxymoronically, by restricting them, their governments are reassuring the fact that their citizens will not be the providers, but mere recipients of the Internet information flow. On the other hand, there is a substantial number of scholars who believe that the process of Americanizing the world is, as a matter of fact, a good thing for the entire world. They argue that through globalization, people become aware of the importance of strengthening their identity so they work on its preservation. In contrast to that, cultural imperialism can also lead to the establishment of a homogenized global identity that would help bring the world together. Accordingly, it would have a positive effect, hence the world will be more secure and stable through the elimination of the diverse and conflicting cultures. The Americans are already on the way to establish a single world society with minimum or no cultural restraints. However, the question being imposed on us is whether the uncertain assurance of a world peace is enough to justify the gradual disappearance of the numerous local cultures. Even though indigenous cultures are aware of the growing impact of American cultur al imperialism, there is not much they can do to stop it, since they are not strong enough to compete. They could try to limit the access to information, but that would contradict with the basic human rights which guarantee that everyone is able to attain free and unlimited knowledge and information through any means of media. Theoretically speaking, every nation, religion, race and ethnic group are equal, as long as they fulfill the needs of their people. Unfortunately, having superior and inferior, dominant and subordinate cultures, equality among them seem to be impossible. However, domination is nothing new- it has always existed throughout the history of the world, especially during colonization when Western powers believed they need to civilize the indigenous nations, while they were in fact exploiting them. The need for a cultural dialogue : When it comes to globalization and the issue of cultural imperialism, there seem to be two opposing views: some believe that the interaction and unification of cultures will lead to a clash of civilizations, while others claim it will bring around the greatly needed dialogue and cooperation. The global culture of today is, without a doubt, being shaped by the West. Nevertheless, it can and must be challenged by those that are being influenced by it, who should not just adopt their norms, but adapt and shape them so they fit the framework of their own culture and values. In addition, the fact that it is not just one culture influencing the other should not be overlooked; it is actually a process of mutual interaction and impact. Despite the fact that it is one of the modern worlds greatest challenges, intercultural dialogue is probably the best solution to counter cultural conflicts and crisis. Instead of simply succumbing to the influence, or doing the opposite- refraining and prohibiting the goods, people and world organizations should try appealing to the American governments to pass laws to restrain their companies from selling goods that endanger the survival of local market, and those companies should be prohibited from doing business. America must be fair and admit that perhaps what is good for its own economy, might not be good for the rest of the world and that the rights of people should be put before the need to make profit.

The Devil as Iago in Shakespeare’s Othello Essay -- GCSE Coursework Sh

The Devil as Iago in Shakespeare’s Othello    One question that has often been debated amongst literary scholars is what could have motivated Iago to set off such a chain of events which accumulated in the horrific amount of death and tragic consequences that occur in William Shakespeare’s play Othello. On the surface, one could artificially assume that Iago was spurred by two reasons to carry out such a malicious and inhumane plan. His anger of being passed over for lieutenantship by Othello in favor of Cassio, coupled with his inclinations that his wife has slept with Othello, drives Iago to partake in dangerous and seemingly insurmountable actions in order to climb up the social ladder and exact revenge on Othello. Chief proponents of this belief that Iago was solely motivated by these two factors would argue that he was simply a Machiavellian-inspired villain who took action only in the devised betterment of himself and his current status. However, when one delves into Iago’s unholy actions and intentions on a deeper level, it is clear that a metaphysical element exists in his character that when revealed is utterly haunting and truly horrific. A more penetrating analysis of Iago shows that he is not only the embodiment of evil but that he is in fact the Devil himself, who is set on destroying everything that is good in the lives of Othello’s characters. A main underlying theme that resides in Othello is Shakespeare’s constant usage of outward appearance as opposed to reality. It is Iago, who in the opening act of the play, makes this clearly obvious to the audience stating "I am not what I am"(1.1.65). Although it is not yet revealed to the audience who Iago really is (i.e. the Devil), this statement is a direct rev... ...o: Greenhaven Press, 1996. Reprint from Literature. N. p.: Random House, 1986. Mack, Maynard. Everybody’s Shakespeare: Reflections Chiefly on the Tragedies. Lincoln, NB: University of Nebraska Press, 1993. Muir, Kenneth. Introduction. William Shakespeare: Othello. New York: Penguin Books, 1968. Shakespeare, William. Othello. In The Electric Shakespeare. Princeton University. 1996. http://www.eiu.edu/~multilit/studyabroad/othello/othello_all.html No line nos.    Wilson, H. S. On the Design of Shakespearean Tragedy. Canada: University of Toronto Press, 1957. Wright, Louis B. and Virginia A. LaMar. â€Å"The Engaging Qualities of Othello.† Readings on The Tragedies. Ed. Clarice Swisher. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1996. Reprint from Introduction to The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice by William Shakespeare. N. p.: Simon and Schuster, Inc., 1957

Relationships in Elizabeth Barrett Brownings poem If Thou Must Love Me, Let It Be For Naught :: If Thou Must Love Me Let It Be For Naught

Relationships in Elizabeth Barrett Browning's poem If Thou Must Love Me, Let It Be For Naught The relationships between men and women have always been a widely talked about subject. Each gender wonders what it would be like to be the other and experience things the way that the other would. Men and women most likely won't ever understand each other and sometimes won't be able to love the person that loves them. Elizabeth Barrett Browning's poem "If Thou Must Love Me, Let It Be For Naught" explains how women hurt men. Another poet, Maya Angelou, writes about how men hurt women. However, that doesn't mean that other couples can't get along. Gwendolyn Brooks wrote a poem, called "The Bean Eaters", about how men and women can live with each other for very long periods of time. The relations between men and women are often times very complex, but they can also be simple. Some women discover that finding the right man is rather difficult. In Browning's poem, she writes of a young women who is talking about a man that loves her. She finds that she doesn't really love him and when trying to explain it to him says this, "If thou must love me, let it be for naught/ Except for love's sake only" (260, lines 1-2). The woman in the poem knows that this man loves her and she believes that he loves her only for "her smile- her look- her way of speaking gently" (260, lines3-4) and that isn't good enough for her. The women tells the man good-bye and she gives her final words, "Thou mayst love on, through love's eternity" (260, line 14). The woman tells him he will find some one new, some one who will love him back. Even though physical pain can be hurtful, psychological pain is sometimes worse. In the poem "To a Husband" by Maya Angelou, a woman is being verbally abused by her husband. His "voice at times a fist" (254, line1), his words hurt her as would a punch in the stomach or a slap to the face. She does not understand why he is doing this to her. Men have their ways of talking to women to keep them submissive and under control. Men talk down to their wives and make them think that they are dumb and have no value except to tend to the children and the house.

PI :: essays research papers

π is the mysterious number that most people think is merely 3.14. π is the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter. π has been calculated to 206,158,430,000 digits, which was accomplished by Yasumasa Kanada and Daisuke Takahashi from the University of Tokyo in September of 1999. On the other hand, there were the Babylonians and Hebrews who lived and died, believing that π was simply 3. Evidence from the Rhind papyrus shows that the Egyptians knew 3.16, but implied in their Great Pyramid is the even better value 3.14. Much like the Babylonians, the early Hindus and Chinese accepted 3. Archimedes led the Greeks to believe that the limits of π were 3.141< π

Compensation and Benefits

Compensation and benefits From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (Redirected from Compensation & Benefits) Jump to: navigation, search Compensation and benefits (abbreviated â€Å"C&B†) is a sub-discipline of human resources, focused on employee compensation and benefits policy-making. It is also known in the UK as â€Å"total reward† and as â€Å"remuneration† in Australia and New Zealand.Contents[hide] * 1 The basic components of employee compensation and benefits * 2 Variable pay * 3 Benefits * 4 Equity-based compensation * 5 Organizational place * 6 Main influencers * 7 Bonus plans| [edit] The basic components of employee compensation and benefits Employee compensation and benefits are basically divided into four categories: 1. Guaranteed pay – monetary (cash) reward paid by an employer to an employee based on employee/employer relations. The most common form of guaranteed pay is the basic salary. . Variable pay – monetary (cash) reward paid by a n employer to an employee that is contingent on discretion, performance or results achieved. The most common forms are bonuses and sales incentives. 3. Benefits – programs an employer uses to supplement employees’ compensation, such as paid time-off, medical insurance, company car, and more. 4. Equity-based compensation – a plan using the employer’s share as compensation. The most common examples are stock options. Guaranteed pay Guaranteed pay is a monetary (cash) reward.The basic element of the guaranteed pay is the base salary, paid based on an hourly, daily, weekly, bi-weekly or a monthly rate. The base salary is typically used by employees for ongoing consumption. Many countries dictate the minimum base salary defining a minimum wage. Individual skills and level of experience of employees leave room for differentiation of income-levels within the job-based pay structure. In addition to base salary, there are other pay elements which are paid based so lely on employee/employer relations, such salary and seniority allowance. edit] Variable pay Variable pay is a monetary (cash) reward that is contingent on discretion, performance or results achieved. There are different types of variable pay plans, such as bonus schemes, sales incentives (commission), overtime pay, and more. An example where this type of compensation plan is prevalent is the real estate industry and real estate agents. A common variable pay plan might be the sales person receives 50% of every dollar they bring in up to a level of revenue at which they then bump up to 85% for every dollar they bring in going forward.Typically, this type of plan is based on an annual period of time requiring a â€Å"resetting† each year back to the starting point of 50%. Sometimes this type of plan is administered so that the sales person never resets and never falls down to a lower level. It also includes Performance Linked Incentive whcih is variable and may range from 130% to 0% as per performance of the indiviudal as per his KRA. [edit] Benefits There is a wide variety of employee benefits, such as paid time-off, insurances (life insurance, medical/dental insurance, and work disability insurance), pension plan, company car, and more.A benefit plan is designed to address a specific need and is often provided not in the form of cash. Many countries dictate different minimum benefits, such as minimum paid time-off, employer’s pension contribution, sick pay, and more. [edit] Equity-based compensation Equity based compensation is an employer compensation plan using the employer’s shares as employee compensation. The most common form is stock options, yet employers use additional vehicles such as restricted stock, restricted stock units (RSU), employee stock purchase plan (ESPP), and stock appreciation rights (SAR).The classic objectives of equity based compensation plans are retention, attraction of new hires and aligning employees’ a nd shareholders’ interests. [edit] Organizational place In most companies, compensation & benefits (C&B) is a sub-function of the human-resources function. HR organizations in big companies are typically divided into three: HR business partners (HRBPs), HR centers of excellence, and HR shared services. C&B is an HR center of excellence, like staffing and organizational development (OD). [edit] Main influencersEmployee compensation and benefits main influencers can be divided into two: internal (company) and external influencers. The most important internal influencers are the business objectives, labor unions, internal equity (the idea of compensating employees in similar jobs and similar performance in a similar way), organizational culture and organizational structure. The most important external influencers are the state of the economy, inflation, unemployment rate, the relevant labor market, labor law, tax law, and the relevant industry habits and trends. edit] Bonus plan s Bonus plans are variable pay plans. They have three classic objectives: 1. Adjust labor cost to financial results – the basic idea is to create a bonus plan where the company is paying more bonuses in ‘good times’ and less (or no) bonuses in ‘bad times’. By having bonus plan budget adjusted according to financial results, the company’s labor cost is automatically reduced when the company isn’t doing so well, while good company performance drives higher bonuses to employees. . Drive employee performance – the basic idea is that if an employee knows that his/her bonus depend on the occurrence of a specific event (or paid according to performance, or if a certain goal is achieved), then the employee will do whatever he/she can to secure this event (or improve their performance, or achieve the desired goal). In other words, the bonus is creating an incentive to improve business performance (as defined through the bonus plan). 3.Emp loyee retention – retention is not a primary objective of bonus plans, yet bonuses are thought to bring value with employee retention as well, for three reasons: a) a well designed bonus plan is paying more money to better performers; a competitor offering a competing job-offer to these top performers is likely to face a higher hurdle, given that these employees are already paid higher due to the bonus plan. b) if the bonus is paid annually, employee is less inclined to leave the company before bonus payout; often the reason for leaving (e. g. dispute with the manager, competing job offer) ‘goes away' by the time the bonus is paid. he bonus plan ‘buy' more time for the company to retain the employee. c) employees paid more are more satisfied with their job (all other things being equal) thus less inclined to leave their employer. The concept saying bonus plans can improve employee performance is based on the work of Frederic Skinner, perhaps the most influential p sychologist of the 20th century. Using the concept of Operant Conditioning, Skinner claimed that an organism (animal, human being) is shaping his/her voluntary behavior based on its extrinsic environmental consequences – i. . reinforcement or punishment. This concept captured the heart of many, and indeed most bonus plans nowadays are designed according to it, yet since the late 1940s a growing body of empirical evidence suggested that these if-then rewards do not work in a variety of settings common to the modern workplace. Research even suggested that these type of bonus plans have the potential of damaging employee performance. Retrieved from â€Å"http://en. wikipedia. org/w/index. php? title=Compensation_and_benefits&oldid=478107814† View page ratingsRate this page Rate this page Page ratings What's this? Current average ratings. Trustworthy Objective Complete Well-written I am highly knowledgeable about this topic (optional) I have a relevant college/university d egree It is part of my profession It is a deep personal passion The source of my knowledge is not listed here I would like to help improve Wikipedia, send me an e-mail (optional) We will send you a confirmation e-mail. We will not share your e-mail address with outside parties as per our feedback privacy statement. Submit ratingsSaved successfully Your ratings have not been submitted yet Your ratings have expired Please reevaluate this page and submit new ratings. An error has occurred. Please try again later. Thanks! Your ratings have been saved. Please take a moment to complete a short survey. Start surveyMaybe later Thanks! Your ratings have been saved. Do you want to create an account? An account will help you track your edits, get involved in discussions, and be a part of the community. Create an accountorLog inMaybe later Thanks! Your ratings have been saved.Did you know that you can edit this page? Edit this pageMaybe later Categories: * Human resource management * Employment compensation Personal tools * Log in / create account Namespaces * Article * Talk Variants Views * Read * Edit * View history Actions Search ————————————————- Top of Form Bottom of Form Navigation * Main page * Contents * Featured content * Current events * Random article * Donate to Wikipedia Interaction * Help * About Wikipedia * Community portal * Recent changes * Contact Wikipedia Toolbox What links here * Related changes * Upload file * Special pages * Permanent link * Cite this page * Rate this page Print/export * Create a book * Download as PDF * Printable version * This page was last modified on 21 February 2012 at 18:25. * Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. See Terms of use for details. Wikipedia ® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. , a non-profit organization. * Cont act us * Privacy policy * About Wikipedia * Disclaimers * Mobile view * *

Course Materials Essay

Information Systems in Global Business Today,† of Management Information Systems. Reading Read Ch. 2, â€Å"Global E-Business and Collaboration,† of Management Information Systems. ParticipationParticipate in class discussion. 3 out of 7 days; 8 for the week minimum. Participation on additional days is recommended. 3 out of 7 days with 2 posts minimum on those 4 days2 Supporting Activity Business Integration Levels Resources: SkillSoft (2012). IT Strategy Essentials: Business and IT Strategy Alignment. Complete The Business Integration Levels module in Skillport. Imagine you have been hired by a small well-funded startup company to help with their IT-enabled business strategy. Your first task is to let them know the elements involved with using IT-enabled business strategy. Write an e-mail describing the five elements of IT-enabled business strategy. Answer the following questions in 200 to 300 words each: †¢What are the advantages of aligning business and IT strategies? †¢How does IT deliver business benefits that are related to the business strategy? Monday; post to grade book2 Learning Team Instructions Learning Team CharterComplete and submit the Learning Team Charter. Learning Team Instructions Service Request SR-rm-012 Paper and Presentation (Preparation)Resource: Virtual Organization for Riordan Manufacturing Begin working on Service Request SR-rm-012, Business Systems, for Riordan Manufacturing. Write a 10- to 12-page paper and create a Microsoft ® PowerPoint ® presentation of the project, due in Week Five. Assume that the paper and presentation are to be presented to an executive management committee. At a minimum, the paper must include the following: Each type of business system and subsystem †¢A description of each business system and subsystem †¢Identification of the interrelationships of business systems and subsystems Individual System Inventory For this assignment, you will choose from the following options: †¢Option 1: Virtual Organization System Inventory †¢Option 2: General IT System Inventory Read the instructions in the University of Phoenix Material: System Inventory located on the student website and select one option to complete the assignment. Monday; post to grade book5 Week Two: Business Environment DetailsDuePoints Objectives2. Identify economic, government, and legal influences on business. 2. 2Describe the ethical and security considerations for an information system in business. 2. 3Describe the need for security measures in IT organizations and information systems. Reading Read Ch. 3, â€Å"Information Systems, Organizations, and Strategy,† of Management Information Systems. ReadingRead Ch. 4, â€Å"Ethical and Social Issues in Information Systems,† of Management Information Systems. ReadingRead Ch. 8, â€Å"Securing Information Systems,† of Management Information Systems. ParticipationParticipate in class discussion. Participation on additional days is recommended. 3 out of 7 days with 2 posts minimum on those 4 days2 Supporting Activity Security Threats and DefensesResources: SkillSoft (2012). Control Fundamentals and Security Threats. Complete The Security Threats and Defenses module in Skillport. Write an informative memo to a business manager that does not fully understand the need for security measures. Emphasize the risk of not protecting against known security threats such as social engineering. Answer the following in the memo in 200 to 300 words each: Discuss the role that preparing employees to recognize and respond to social engineering techniques should play in the organization’s overall information security program. †¢Note three specific social engineering techniques. Discuss how they can be recognized and how to best prepare employees for each potential attack. Monday; post to grade book2 Learning Team Instructions Service Request SR-rm-012 Paper and Presentation (Preparation)Resource: Virtual Organization for Riordan Manufacturing Review the Home page and the Finance, and Accounting page located on the intranet site for Riordan Manufacturing. Identify and describe, based on your review, existing and needed business systems and subsystems. Draft the first 2 to 3 pages of the paper. Individual Service Request SR-kf-013 PaperKudler Fine Foods is in the process of developing a new frequent shopper program. Details of this program are described in the Service Request SR-kf-013 and on the Sales & Marketing page of the Kudler Fine Foods intranet website. Write a 3- to 5-page paper describing the potential legal, ethical, and information security concerns related to the development of the Kudler Fine Foods Frequent Shopper Program. Discuss in your paper any specific costs related to these issues that are relevant to your review. These could include fines and other costs related to problems in these areas. Keep your analysis focused on the requested concerns, not the project itself. Your paper should focus on making management aware of the issues that must be addressed in the new system and should not directly cover the implementation process. Include in your description how this information system has an effect on the organizational structure. Monday; post to grade book15 Week Three: Finance and Accounting DetailsDuePoints Examine accounting information systems. 3. 2Analyze accounting information systems and business processes. ReadingRead Ch. 1, â€Å"An Introduction to the Role of Accounting in the Business World,† of Core Concepts of Accounting. ReadingRead Ch. 2, â€Å"Concepts and Elements Underlying Accounting,† of Core Concepts of Accounting. ReadingRead Ch. 9, â€Å"The Corporate Income Statement and Financial Statement Analysis,† of Core Concepts of Accounting. ParticipationParticipate in class discussion. 3 out of 7 days; 8 for the week minimum. Participation on additional days is recommended. Discuss the need to integrate accounting systems with those in the rest of the enterprise. Why would such systems need to have constant data feeds from throughout the enterprise? Monday; post to grade book2 Learning Team Instructions Service Request SR-rm-012 Paper and Presentation (Preparation)Resource: Virtual Organization for Riordan Manufacturing Review the Human Resources and Legal pages located on the intranet site for Riordan Manufacturing. Identify and describe, based on your review, existing and needed business systems and subsystems. Draft the next 2 to 3 pages of the paper. Individual Accounting System PaperFor this assignment, you will choose from the following options: †¢Option 1: Kudler Accounting System Paper †¢Option 2: Profit and Loss Statement Paper Read the instructions in the University of Phoenix Material: Accounting System Paper located on the student website and select one option to complete the assignment. Monday; post to grade book15 Week Four: Sales and Marketing DetailsDuePoints Objectives4. 1Examine contemporary marketing practices. 4. 2Describe marketing in the electronic commerce environment. ReadingRead Ch. 1, â€Å"Marketing: Creating and Capturing Customer Value,† of Marketing. ReadingRead Ch. 2, â€Å"Company and Marketing Strategy: Partnering to Build Customer Relationships,† of Marketing. ReadingRead Ch. 4, â€Å"Managing Marketing Information to Gain Customer Insights,† of Marketing. ReadingRead Ch. 14, â€Å"Direct and Online Marketing: Building Direct Customer Relationships,† of Marketing. ReadingRead Ch. 16, â€Å"Sustainable Marketing: Social Responsibility and Ethics,† of Marketing. ParticipationParticipate in class discussion. 3 out of 7 days; 8 for the week minimum. Participation on additional days is recommended. 3 out of 7 days with 2 posts minimum on those 4 days2 Supporting Activity Social Media and Online MarketingResources: SkillSoft (2012). Marketing Essentials: Introduction to Marketing. Complete The Social Media and Online Marketing module in Skillport. Imagine the IT department of a medium-sized company has hired you. Your first task is to explain the value of social media as a marketing tool. Write a letter to the IT department in which you discuss the key things the company should do to establish a strong positive social media presence. Answer the following questions in the letter in 200 to 300 words each: †¢What role do IT systems play in marketing? How can IT systems help support an organization’s marketing efforts? †¢What are the key elements of an organization’s online reputation? How can they positively influence each one? Monday; post to grade book2 Learning Team Instructions Service Request SR-rm-012 Paper and Presentation (Preparation)Review the Sales & Marketing page located on the intranet site for Riordan Manufacturing. Identify and describe, based on your review, existing and needed business systems and subsystems. Draft the next 2 to 3 pages of the paper. Begin working on your Microsoft ® PowerPoint ® presentation. Individual McBride Marketing PaperResource: Virtual Organization for McBride Financial Services McBride Financial Services wants to expand its customer base and needs ideas on what to put in its new marketing effort toward this goal. Write a 3- to 5-page paper describing a marketing plan for McBride Financial Services. In completing the assignment, consider the following: †¢What market research would you undertake? †¢What types of media would you use? †¢What are McBride’s target markets? †¢What are the considerations for McBride to conduct a portion of their marketing on the Internet? Explain your reasoning for your responses. Monday; post to grade book15 Week Five: Information Systems DetailsDuePoints Objectives5. 1Identify types of information systems and required security. 5. 2Apply the concepts of information systems to business processes. ReadingRead Ch. 1, â€Å"Information Systems in Global Business Today,† of Management Information Systems. ReadingRead Ch. 2, â€Å"Global E-Business and Collaboration,† of Management Information Systems. ReadingRead Ch. 3, â€Å"Information Systems, Organizations, and Strategy,† of Management Information Systems. ReadingRead Ch. 8, â€Å"Securing Information Systems,† of Management Information Systems. ReadingRead Ch. 13, â€Å"Building Information Systems,† of Management Information Systems. ParticipationParticipate in class discussion. 3 out of 7 days; 8 for the week minimum. Participation on additional days is recommended. 3 out of 7 days with 2 posts minimum on those 4 days2 Supporting Activity Control TypesResources: SkillSoft (2012). Control Fundamentals and Security Threats. Complete The Control Types module in Skillport. Imagine University of Phoenix’s IT department has hired you. Your first task is to make sure the department is following the most important information security practices. Write a 2- to 3-page paper highlighting the most important information security practices. Answer the following questions in your paper in 200 to 300 words each: †¢What are three key elements for an organization to consider in strengthening its overall information security posture? Describe how each plays a role in the operations of the entire organization. †¢How do the principles of information security apply to the material that has been examined during the course? How can the systems used throughout the organization both enable business and protect the data they contain? Monday; post to grade book2 Learning Team Service Request SR-rm-012 Paper and PresentationReview the Operations page for Riordan Manufacturing. Identify and describe, based on your review, existing and needed business systems and subsystems. Include information on the need for IT security in Riordan Manufacturing. Include types of information systems and required security for Riordan Manufacturing. Complete the final paper and project presentation. Monday; post to grade book30 Copyright University of Phoenix ® is a registered trademark of Apollo Group, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. Microsoft ®, Windows ®, and Windows NT ® are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. All other company and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. Use of these marks is not intended to imply endorsement, sponsorship, or affiliation. Edited in accordance with University of Phoenix ® editorial standards and practices.

The Influence Music Has on Society

Chantal Foster College writing 21 October 2012 The influence music has on society Music has been around for thousands of years. Many people have been shaped from it differently. For some music has been a bad influence, and others it’s been a good influence. Different types of music have grown rapidly in these past few years. Throughout the years music has changed the way it influences people. In earlier years music was used more for celebration and now music is used to voice your opinion and try to influence your audience to believe what you stand for.Music is usually one of the highly blamed sources for the influences on society today. Many people are influenced by music they listen to. Mostly because they want to copy their favorite artist or because they feel that’s a way of expressing themselves and fitting in with the people that are into the same music. It’s also a way to find similar things to other people who listen to different music. Music influences ho w people act, what people do and our religion. Some ways that society has been influenced by music is, for example music can dictate how a person speaks.In most rap songs its most rappers rap with mostly slang words, so most people think it’s cool to talk just like them. Some slang words that rappers would use that society uses today are â€Å"crib† which means house and most people use that slang today. Then society talks like them and stick to talking like that for the rest of their life, and that makes them the person they are today. Another way music has influenced society is the way society dresses. For example, in some music videos rappers have on baggy jeans, showing their draws.Most people watch those videos and get ideas from it, and start dressing just like them. In some songs the artists has a certain style of clothing that looks really nice. This could be a good inspiration on society. Many people try to dress nice like them, and set a style for their selve s. For example an artist might talk about all the different clothing and styles they wear and then have on some of the amazing clothing. That makes people want to buy some and wear it like their favorite rapper or singer. This is one of the good influences on society.Music can also influence the way we act, feel and believe in sometimes. There are so many different types of music that can influence society. Like christian music, this type of music influences to believe in something. Religion has always had music of some form and the songs that they sing influence people to believe in their god. Music can sometimes dictate us towards what religion we might be interested in or the way we feel about a certain subject or concept in life. Firstly Christian music influences them to believe more in there God and is a way they gain love with God.Secondly the songs are usually about joyous things and make the audience feel happy, which inspires them to do good things. The lyrics in Christian songs are about either doing good or praising God. The songs about doing good influence the listener to want to help others and show love to everyone. This is one of the good ways music influences society. Some of the bad influences that music has had on society is when music starts to talk about drugs, murders,and sex. Most of the violent acts that society does is blamed on music, for the simple fact that most rappers talk about â€Å"shooting† or â€Å"fighting† their enemies. Like in the

The Un and Peacekeeping

CHAPTER FIVE CONCLUSION INTRODUCTION Since its inception in 1945, the United Nations has been involved in peacekeeping operations and conflict resolutions in the international system. According to Article 1 of the Charter of the United Nations, the UN is expected â€Å"to take effective collective measures for the prevention and removal of threats to the peace, and for the suppression of acts of aggression or other breaches of the peace, and to bring about by lawful means, and in conformity with the principle of justice and international law, adjustment or settlement of international disputes or situations which might lead to a breach of the peace. The United Nations has been charged with vast responsibilities for the maintenance of international peace and security. Two organs were created for this purpose: the Security Council (which consists of fifteen members, five permanent members with veto power and ten non permanent members) and the General Assembly (which consist of representatives from all member states). This essay seeks to examine and analyze the role of the United Nations in the maintenance of international peace and security using the Korean War as a case study. THE UN AND PEACEKEEPING Peacekeeping is defined by the United Nations as â€Å"a unique and dynamic instrument developed by the organization as a way to help countries torn by conflict, create the conditions for lasting peace. The Security Council of United Nations has been given the responsibility to take collective action to maintain international peace and security. The â€Å"Uniting for Peace† resolution adopted by the General Assembly in 1954 imposes the responsibility of maintenance of international peace and security on the General Assembly under certain conditions. The United Nations, after the approval by the Security Council sends peacekeepers to regions where armed conflict has recently ceased or paused to enforce the terms of peace agreements and to discourage combatants from resuming hostilities. Since the United Nations does not maintain its own military, peacekeeping forces are voluntarily provided by member states of the United Nations. The founders of the United Nations envisaged that the organization would help to prevent conflicts between states and in the process, prevent outbreak of another major war in the future. The United Nations would have been able to achieve this successfully if not for the outbreak of the Cold War. The outbreak of the Cold War made it extremely difficult for the United Nations to successfully resolve issues and conflicts because of the division of the world into hostile camps. The United States and Western Europe on one side and the Soviet Union, Eastern Europe and part of Asia on the other side. This caused a stalemate in decision making in the Security Council as both powers (United States and Soviet Union) used their veto power to check each other. The United Nations found it extremely difficult to come to a resolution on issues where both super powers had national interests. In such case as the Korean War where after the Soviet Union used her veto power to reject resolutions and left the Security Council completely paralyzed, the General Assembly through the â€Å"Uniting for Peace† resolution assumed the responsibility of making decisions. In spite of the various obstacles the United Nations faced during the Cold War era in conflict resolution, it was however to an extent successful in maintaining international peace and security and most importantly, the outbreak of another World War. THE UNITED NATIONS AND THE KOREAN WARThe Korean War from 1950 to 1953 was the most severe test the United Nations had to face since its inception in 1945. As part of the Cold War scenario, the Korean War was a complicated issue with which the United Nations had to successfully deal with or lose credibility just five years after it had come into being. The Korean experience tested the United Nations ability and credibility in maintaining international peace and security. In some ways the Korean episode could be regarded as the United Nations finest hour. Here for the first and only time in its history, the Security Council called on its members to go to the defense of a state under armed attack1. It also marked the first attempt by an international organization to check an act of aggression, and it stands as the only occasion on which enforcement action had been taken against aggressor states or other authorities2. Here in consequences the forces of a number of countries fought under the United Nations flag to defend the principle that aggression should not be allowed to succeed3. But the concept of collective security was not upheld as only a quarter of the membership of he United Nations sent military assistance to South Korea and the sixteen states which did so were all Western countries. This was an example of alliance strategy than of enforcement action by an international organization; of collective defence rather than collective security. The fact that a great majority of the United Nation membership though pro- western were u nwilling to send significant armed support to the country whose existence was threatened showed that the action would scarcely be said whole heartedly to fulfill the ideals enshrined in the Charter of the UN4. The dominance exercised by the United States over the entire operation in the Korean crisis deprived it of the name of the genuine collective security. This was demonstrated in the early stages by the fact that most of the Security Council initiatives and resolutions were really in origin United States proposals. At the onset of North Korea attack on South Korea, the United States was the first state to send assistance both financially and militarily to South Korea even before the United Nations had taken a decision on the matter. The military operation was headed by a United States commander and decision that were taken originated directly from the White House and not from the UN secretariat. This defeated the purpose of collective security by placing the responsibility of a peacekeeping mission in the hands of a super power. This contrasted radically with the subsequent practice of the UN in organizing peace-keeping forces from 1956 onward. In these cases the super power were normally excluded from participation altogether. And no single power or even a group of powers was able to dominate policy in the way the United States was allowed to do in Korea5. This gave a clear indication that the UN was dominated by the United States. Nearly 90% of all army personnel, 93% of all air power and 80% of all naval power for the Korean War had come from the United States. The Chinese got involved in the war (this escalated and prolonged the war) on the basis that they viewed the whole operation not as an United Nations peacekeeping mission but an effort by the United States to gain control of Asia using the United Nation as a cover to invade both Koreas and China. The decision of the United Nations Forces to cross the 38th parallel also originated from the United States. The United States brought the proposal for the United Nations forces to cross the 38th parallel and enter North Korea before the General Assembly even though most of the participating states were against it. Even though there were other states that participated in the peace keeping operations, their opinion were barely considered by the United States. Major of the decision making processes was held in Washington rather than New York. While the success of the United Nations in repelling aggression in Korea had been in large part due to the contribution of the United States, the dominant role of the United States weakened the collective character of the operation6. Throughout the whole episode, the United Nations failed to institute or even attempt to institute any effective negotiations among the parties concerned as in the case of South Korea and North Korea and also the United States and the Soviet Union after the division of Korea. The United Nations also failed before 1950 to bring the two parties (North and South Korea) into discussion to as to bring about a resolution or involve the use of a mediator or good office to help along with negotiations; instead the United Nations held on to its demands for all Korean – election under the UN auspices. The Korean experience has shown that the Charter provision and machinery for which the Charter provides can be adapted and utilized under certain conditions to defeat aggression and to discourage aggression in advance7. Since the decline of the Cold War, the UN however, has been more effective and efficient in maintaining international peace and security. The Korean experienced questioned the UN as a useful and promising means of dealing with threats to and breaches of the peace by collective measures and its limitations. The â€Å"Uniting for Peace† resolution which was passed by the General Assembly during the Korean War created a whole new dynamic. The veto power of the permanent members of the Security Council sometimes cripples the Council as it make decision making harder and slower in cases where the super powers have different contrasting interest as could be seen in the Korea conflict where the Soviet Union used her veto power to cripple the resolution passed by the other members of the council. The â€Å"Uniting for Peace† resolution gave the General Assembly the power and responsibility to make decisions under such circumstances where the Security Council is crippled and in capable of making decisions concerning the security matters. The Korean experience served as an important lesson for the UN in its pursuit of international peace and security. It has also shown that the purpose of collective security is to restore international peace and security and not do justice, particularly if the doing of justice, which often is highly controversial and in practice requires some accommodation of conflicting interests involves a serious risk of extending the war. Furthermore there is the additional danger where one member has disproportionate share in the direction of the operation that the member will seek to use the operation for implementation of its own national policies, policies which may not be in harmony with the interests and policies of other members of the United Nations. The United Nations could justifiably hold that it had fought a successful war to defend a nation under attack what it could not claim, after eight years of discussion, was that it had brought any nearer a resolution of the Korean problem. CONCLUSION The Korean War served as an important lesson to UN. In spite of the various obstacles it has faced the United Nations had been able to improve and make amendment. Since the decline of the Cold War which was a major factor in the outcome of the Korean War has also strengthened the United Nations in the area of conflict resolution and peace keeping operation. ENDNOTES 1. Evan Luard, A History of the United Nations Volume 1: The Years of Western Domination 1945-1955 (Macmillan 1982), p. 71-272. 2. D. W. Bowett, United Nations Forces. A Legal Study of United Nations Practice (London, Sterens and Sons, 1984), p. 30 3. Evan Luard, A History of the United Nations Volume 1: The Years of Western Domination 1945-1955 (Macmillan 1982), p. 272. 4. Ibid, p. 272-273. 5. Ibid, p. 273. 6. Leland M. Goodrich, â€Å"The United Nations and the Korean War: A Case Study†, Proceedings of the Academy of Political Science, Vol. 25. No. 2. United Nations: Success or Failure p. 103. 7. Ibid, p. 102.

Managing the employment relationship Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Managing the employment relationship - Essay Example Under this situation, it is highly likely that the new and experienced staff would find it hard to continue performing their tasks in a professional manner. Till this point of time, both Harvey and Wong have not been able to provide any practical human resource policy. In a closer analysis of the case study, it can be easily deduced that the organization is more interested to expand business and to look for new business opportunities in Europe and Asia as well instead of giving fair time and attention to both internal and external issues. From a business perspective, this expansion policy is commendable step. However, giving insufficient time and the absence of any policy to the internal matters makes it hard for them to achieve their business and performance objectives in a timely and professional manner. As a result, both Harvey and Wong face the problem of grumbles and it further intensifies as no formal mechanism has been put in place to address the concerns of employees. Demotivation among other employees will be increasing. It is a normal practice that employees share their feelings and grievances with colleagues in the workplace. More specifically, the employees do not find it reasonable to hide their grievances instead they find it as a way to forward their concerns to appropriate authority through sharing their employment problems with their colleagues and friends as well. As far as the current situation is concerned, it is highly likely that the employees are not satisfied but highly worried about their employment issues. Moreover, if the grievances of one employee are not addressed on time, it cannot be ruled out that the employees find little motivation to complete their assignments and tasks enthusiastically. Employee productivity and motivation go hand in hand. Employee productivity refers to the output produced by

Humanities-Medieval Women Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Humanities-Medieval Women - Essay Example Women during the era of middle ages were undermined and not accepted to participate in both social and economic activities. Women had certain amount of value in the society, but the bad part was that this value was placed in shape of economic good. They were recognized for two purposes: firstly, they were recognized for bringing up children; secondly, they were used for manual work. Women were paid low amount of wages, and this became the foundation of the standing of the economy of the medieval era. In various situations they used to assist other men in the work of agricultural production. The situation was so bad for the women that they were compensated even less than what children use to be paid for their work. Education was supposed to be crime or non religious activities for women, and the church was against women education not allowing them to participate in tasks that required good amount of education. The only allowed task other than working in the fields of agriculture was t aking the role of midwife (Chilton 167). Women were the leading portion of the workforce of the textile industry; they heavily participated in the areas of woolen and silk. Although they enjoyed majority in such jobs, the amount of money they were compensated for their labor was near to zero. Other than working hard in the areas where manual labor was required, women were even the chief contributor of household tasks especially if they were married. Introduction of flour mills decreased the amount of hard work women had to do, and this even saved them ample amount of time and increased the compensation they were paid. Unionization came into existence, and the unions started controlling the skilled labor within the society. This encouraged the wealthy businessmen to pay women compensation in advance, and they started employing them on individual level. The industry that experienced hiring of women in huge numbers was the textile industry (Lawson 120). Those women whose skills were ne eded and highly desirable started gaining rewards when companies performed well. During the period of Chaucer, the role and status of women started altering, and they started to earn a little bit better compared to what they were previously earning. Thus, their existence started gaining importance. The increase in economic status of the women shook the foundations of the unions, and women started participating in these unions and their voice started gaining representation among unions. It is hard for the researchers to determine the accuracy of the female population of that time. It can be explained by the fact that during the Middle ages women were not a part of the consensus. Other than working as manual laborers, women were considered important for giving birth and children upbringing; a special significance of these issues could be observed in the rural centers. Huge amount of importance was placed on a woman’s child bearing ability because more children meant increase in workers in the agricultural sector; thus, women were considered almost as ‘machines’ that produced babies. One of the most disturbing facts of that era was that women were being married to men on the trial basis in which the individuals whose fertility level was high were married to each other. The point of highest concern was that

Concise annotation of the given article Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Concise annotation of the given article - Essay Example The life cycle concept applied to products and stores (Davidson, Bates, and Bass, 1976) executed a significant study that defined the concept of the retail life cycle. Prior to that, the key explanation for retail development was the wheel of retailing concept. The main assumption in Brown's (1991) retailing theory is that businesses usually start with low service / low price product mixes. The main motivation for shopping on this initial stage is price. As the "wheel" revolves, and it usually does, the stores start adding more services (such as credit, sales-support staff, display, etc.) When this happens, the store does not attract the consumers who buy based on price any more. The store then becomes full service and supports higher prices. Stephen Brown's article is a highly academic piece of work. This valuable theoretical research around the topic of retail change and evolution of retail institutions is deeply credible, regarding the author's background. Brown is professor of Marketing Research at the University of Ulster, Newtownabbey, situated in Northern Ireland.

Discuss the rationale and impact of the decision on company law Essay - 1

Discuss the rationale and impact of the decision on company law - Essay Example The case and its subsequent ruling were significant in informing successive laws that would help mitigate on the numerous dispute arising from business engagement. The doctrine of corporate identity for example exempts the shareholders of an insolvent company from any case by creditors since the company becomes the defendant in such cases. Mr. Aron Salomon ran a successful shoe manufacturing in the United Kingdom. The boot manufacturing business was a major success thus enticing his sons who expressed interest in joining the business. As such, Mr. Salomon turned his business into a limited company, which then purchased his previous business at a cost of  £39,000. Mr. Salomon became the company’s largest shareholder after he purchased 20,001 shares of the company’s 20,007 shares. Additionally, he loaned the company  £10,000. Unfortunately, subsequent years became unfavorable for the business thus causing massive loses for the company. The government, which was the company’s major customer, withdrew its tender thereby leading to a massive decline of the company’s revenue. The company therefore began defaulting on the  £10,000 debenture it owed Salmon. Half of the debenture belonged to Broderip who the sued the company thus forcing the government to put the company under liquidation. The company paid Broderip his  £5,000 but this left the company at an unstable position since it could not pay the other unsecured creditors. The company failed to reimburse the unsecured creditors. The liquidator concluded that the government should not honor the floating charge. Such an action would make Salmon personally responsible for the debt. Salmon contested the decision in court thus instigating a lengthy court battle that would reform the country’s company law. At the end of the length court cases that ended up at the House of Lords, the lawmakers appreciated the fact that a company is independent and therefore a separate legal entity. In cases

Starwood Project Part Three Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Starwood Project Part Three - Research Paper Example What this means is that if the steward falters in ensuring that such roles are performed to their logical perfection, the facility will be affected severely because customers will not be pleased. As with all profit based organizations, once the customer is not pleased, the resulting circumstance is that profits will begin to decline (Schein, 2002). Another critical aspect of stewarding as applies to the present case of Phoenician Resort is the fact that the processes undertaken by the steward go a long way to determine the speed of work at the facility. Once speed is directly related to the amount of work that can be done within a given timeframe, it could also be said that the processes and the speed for that matter affects the efficiency of the whole facility (Barney, 2001). To sum it all, the present process analysis would therefore look at ways of making the work of the steward more effective and efficient. A flowchart illustrating the new process The benefits that the POI progra m can bring to Starwood As outlined in the overview, a consideration of the whole processes that take place at Phoenician Resort presently would directly impact on the efficiency and effectiveness at the facility. Luckily, the adjustment of the present process into a new model is directly incorporated into the roles of the POI. What this means is that the PI program brings to Starwood as a parent company, an efficient and effective workforce that is led by the stewards. Interestingly, both effectiveness and efficiency have some rates of affecting the productivity that is recorded at the workplace positively (Al-Ghorfa, 2009). For instance if the processes are adjusted such that the steward can perform his roles more effectively by delivering high quality tasks, more and more customers are going to be pleased and would consider this as excellent customer service. Hitherto, those whose commitment levels were low in terms of doing business with the company would have their decisions re scinded because they are going to have reasons for assured quality of service. On the part of efficiency, it would be expected that as more customers become pleased with the quality of service and they demand for more service, the factor of efficiency would be there to match up the demand. At the end, there will be as much supply as demand from customers would pose and this would be a very positive factor for improving productivity. In all, the POI program would benefit Starwood because it would ensure and increase quality, which would subsequently increase patronage and then productivity, which would also increase revenue for the company. Extending Benefits to other processes and properties within the Starwood system Indeed, the workforce at Starwood that makes up the Starwood system is interrelated and coordinated. In such a situation, the shortfalls and strengths of one sector affect what happens in most other sectors (Barney, 2001). Given the case of the benefits that the POI wo uld have on the processes of the stewards, it can boldly be said that indeed, these benefits can be extended to other processes and properties within the Starwood system. The reason why this is so, is that Phoenician Resort represents Starwood as a larger corporate image. Subsequently, the proposed benefits of efficiency and effectiveness, which would be translated into productivity and revenue, would

Case Study Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Case Study - Assignment Example Capital budgeting decisions fundamentally places strong emphasis on time value of money. In this regard, net present value method is very effective as it takes in consideration discounting of the inflow. The NPV of project Alpha was determined to be  £36,700 while that of project Beta was determined to be  £29,340. Both NPVs are positive but project Alpha has higher NPV, hence the firm should accept project Alpha. Accounting rate of return has been measured by establishing proportionate relationship between average accounting income and average investment for a specific period. The ARR of project Alpha was determined to be 29.39% while that of project Beta was determined to be 1.62%. The reason for low ARR in project Beta is significant investment in new purchases in the third year. Based on ARR, project alpha should be accepted. Additionally, payback period is least for project Alpha and based on the argument that a project with quicker returns should be accepted, project Alpha is better investment that Project Beta. Nonetheless, the overall assessment favours project Alpha over project Beta. Therefore, Project Alpha is a better investment (Froot and Stein, 1998). Capital budgeting decisions can be evaluated using discounted and non-discounted techniques: the discounted techniques comprise NPV and IRR method while non-discounted techniques include ARR and Payback period. NPV is referred to the difference between initial investment in a project and the discounted future net cash flows from the project. The NPV of a project ranges among positive, negative or breakeven (equivalent to zero). The first criterion for accepting a project is positive NPV as negative NPV indicates unfeasible project while zero indicates breakeven. The second criterion for accepting or rejecting a project is that an investment with highest NPV will be accepted. Discounting cash flows using a discounting factor, which