The Arab Spring Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Arab Spring - Essay Example The anti-government protests and demonstrations were made not only by Arabs but also Africans. The word â€Å"spring† is an allusion or reference to water being a welcome development in the mostly arid geography of the MENA (the Middle East and North Africa) region. Other similar protests, uprisings, and rebellions were termed as â€Å"The Velvet Revolution† and the â€Å"People Power Revolution† (depending on the degree of peacefulness or violence) in other countries. Arab Spring started innocently enough in Tunisia when a street fruit vendor immolated (burned alive) himself to protest the lack of jobs for poor people like him. This vendor named Mohamed Bouazizi was reportedly a college graduate who could not find any decent job for himself to feed his family. Soon other protesters took up his cause and led to the downfall of long-time Tunisian president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. The events in Tunisia were soon copied by people in other countries like in Egypt (ousted two presidents), in Libya (where Gaddafi was eventually killed in the civil war with foreign military intervention), in Yemen (where its president handed over power to a national unity coalition), and still on-going in some places like in Syria (a full-scale civil war), street protests in Saudi Arabia, Mauritania, and Sudan, in demonstrations against the governments in Bahrain and the UAE (United Arab Emirates), or constitutional reforms implemented in Jordan, Lebanon, Oman, Kuwait, e tc. to stop protests. Historians, academicians, political scientists, and media practitioners are offering their own opinions and theories on why the Arab Spring had taken place in the MENA region at a particular time in this region's history. There is a real danger of civil uprisings turning into a full-scale civil war with the result of the country becoming a failed state like that in Somalia where there is no central governing authority and the country becomes a lawless place. Another risk is the Arab Spring could also be hijacked by other extremist or Islamist groups that will integrate themselves in the uprising and then later on grabbing the leadership of the movements when they think it is already right to do so and move it away from the original objectives of trying to obtain liberal democracy. The Arab world is known for its historical democratic deficit because of so many long-standing institutional control structures that hinder the introduction of meaningful changes in a nation (Chaney et al., 2012:363). The influential social, political, and religious structures had been in place for many centuries already since the Arab armies conquered these countries and to also introduce Islam wherever they went at that time in history. Many of these historical events are still exerting influential and enduring effects so that introducing change is very difficult.   

The Effect of the Internet on Music Essay Example for Free

The Effect of the Internet on Music Essay There has been much ink spilled over the supposed death of the music industry. While this worry may be a bit premature, the most pressing economic issue facing the music industry today is the slow but steady push toward a complete restructuring of itself. Downloadable music, in the form of mp3s, has revolutionized the way we think about and consume music. With the increased prominence of independent labels, file-sharing websites, and innovative artists who are creating their own methods for releasing albums, the traditional record business is becoming increasingly irrelevant. In economic terms, this has so far meant declining record sales among the major labels, a recent spate of firings, and the loss of big artists, who are moving either to concert promoters like LiveNation, independent labels, or their own recording studios. Over the past year, artists from Radiohead to Coldplay to Trent Reznor have released songs and entire albums for free over the internet. They have almost universally been a success, although some less well-known artists, as well as various industry insiders, have argued against this being a workable model. Michael Laskow, CEO of an independent AR company, TAXI, argued that Radiohead allowing consumers to pay what they choose for a digital album is not indicative of the future of the music industry: While the band, its fans and artists alike are celebrating what looks like a success for Radioheads bold move in releasing their new album using the ‘pay what youd like’ model, I think everybody has overlooked one very important aspect of this, and it doesnt bode well for the future of the music industry. Radiohead has been bankrolled by their former label for the last 15 years. Theyve built a fan base in the millions with their label, and now theyre able to cash in on that fan base with none of the income or profit going to the label this time around. The question is: how will new artists be able to use this model in the future if they havent built a fan base in the millions in the years leading up to the release of their album under the pay what youd like model (Lipsman)? The worry that new artists won’t be able to give their music away for free (disregarding the 40% or so of people who voluntarily paid from one to twenty dollars for the album), is a valid one. However, Laskow seems to view major labels as the only answer to new artists looking for an audience and a way to make a living with their music. On the contrary, the rising prominence of independent labels over the past several years has proven that it doesn’t take millions of dollars to create an album and promote it. Labels like Kill Rock Stars, Bloodshot Records, and Rounder Records have all seen their profits rise over the past few years, at the same time that major labels have seen their sales dip or stagnate. Cameron Strang, founder of New West Records, points out the economic advantages in not having the huge overhead of major labels. Thats the difference between us and them. Artists on our label who sell 200,000 copies make a very good living (Margolis). Artists like Aimee Mann and Michelle Shocked are releasing albums on their own. (Dare I even mention Ani Difranco? ) Clearly, independent labels as well as individual artists are capable of doing the work that major record labels have been doing for years. With the advent of webcasting and podcasting, along with XM and Sirius radio networks, traditional radio doesn’t have the same hold on the music buying public’s imagination that it once did. Increasingly, new artists are discovered by getting their songs played on television shows like The Hills and Grey’s Anatomy. The music industry is attempting to do to webcasting what it did to Napster, which is to essentially strangle it through lawsuits in the hopes of being able to squeeze money out of the webcasters. Instead of viewing web-based radio as a unique promotional opportunity, the mainstream music industry only sees profits being taken out of its pocket. At the same time, artists, like the ones discussed above, are realizing which way the wind is blowing. Digital Music News publisher Paul Resnikoff notes that: A growing number of superstars are or soon will be grazing in post-major pastures. And for them, the bigger basket touring, merchandising, publishing, relevance, and even album sales remains more important than a paid download, protected or otherwise (Resnikoff). These additional streams of revenue are often the more lucrative for musicians than album sales. It only makes sense that artists would look at digital music, including webcasting and file-sharing, as ways to gain fans that will purchase concert tickets and merchandise. File-sharing continues almost unabated, although the popularity of iTunes despite much of its music being DRM-protected has provided a model for money-making in the digital era. Despite iTunes and growing copyright protection on albums and songs, paid downloads account for, at most, five percent of all music downloads. Even ringtones, which are currently a substantial slice of the digital revenue pie, aren’t turning a profit. Labels are considering raising prices, but it is unknown whether customers will pay for them, or that a single line of revenue will pull record labels through financially. Warner Music Group and EMI have had massive layoffs over the past year in an effort to restructure and shore up the companies financially. Minimum Advertised Pricing, or MAP, is the setting of minimum prices by manufacturers for retailers. In the case of the music industry, the major labels colluded in the mid-1990’s to require discount retailers to advertise higher prices or give up joint marketing funding, which could mean giving up millions of dollars (Menn 152). The history of MAP, at least in the music industry, appeared to end on September 30, 2002, when the five major labels settled a lawsuit brought by 30 states in an effort to end the practice (Menn 152). In 2000, the Federal Trade Commission investigated price-fixing by major labels and the majors signed a consent decree getting rid of minimum-advertised pricing policies (Christman, Pricing). The FTC has estimated the cost to consumers in the years when MAP was practiced to be at half a billion dollars (Menn 152). For nearly the past 100 years, since the passage of the Sherman Act, mandatory pricing restraints were deemed to violate antitrust laws. It wasn’t until the summer of 2007, when the Supreme Court overturned the law against setting mandatory minimum pricing in a case brought by an accessories manufacturer, that the practice was made legal (Christman, Why Labels). This has potentially enormous ramifications for the music industry and music fans alike; it remains to be seen whether those ramifications will be for the benefit of music fans or to their detriment. The music industry has argued that requiring discounters to sell CDs at the same price as specialty stores will lead to greater selection and a halt to the bleeding that independent record stores have experienced (Christman, Why Labels). At the same time, music fans have bemoaned the high price of CDs for years, and raising prices unilaterally could drive down music sales even further. The major label system, which requires millions of dollars in overhead to promote certain artists, is at least partly to blame for the rising prices. At Salon. com Scott Rosenberg argues that: Even more than the artists, the victims of this system are music fans who end up paying exorbitant prices for CDs to fund bloated recording-company marketing budgets. That money gets spent manufacturing a handful of superstars, leaving serious music lovers to fend for themselves in ferreting out unusual new music that the business considers too niche-y to be worth promoting (para. 6). In this view, the pricing system set by the majors is inherently unfair to both fans and the majority of artists who aren’t â€Å"superstars†. Rather than setting minimum pricing restraints for discount stores, major labels could lower wholesale prices to ensure that independent record stores could stay in business. This would largely be to the labels’ benefit; over the last five years, their reliance on big-name stars to sell huge amounts of records has been a losing proposition. Titles from unknown artists and back catalogs are often nowhere to be seen at discount stores. The personal service and deep selection at independent stores creates an opportunity to sell these types of titles. The $9. 99 price point set by discount stores and iTunes has surely contributed to declining album sales, but the burden of maintaining that price point has been shouldered almost entirely by independent music retailers, while the major labels continue to raise list prices (Christman, Why Labels). Majors are contributing to declining sales while preserving their own profit margins. Mike Dreese, quoted in Billboard, also points a finger at discount stores that lure customers in with low CD prices: Wal-Mart, Target and Best Buy have succeeded in almost destroying the specialty-music account base and are now setting the rules for the industry. If minimum pricing were implemented, it would keep the discounters from finishing the job. Those discounters, which have limited selection, have such dominance that labels now spend more money on supporting low retail prices and much less advertising the availability of the product (Christman, Why Labels). The tide of public opinion seems to be turning toward the use of minimum pricing restraints. When price-fixing in the music industry was first being investigated, still-new stores like Best Buy maintained a relatively deep catalog of music, knowing that it was competing directly with independent music stores. Now that discounters have succeeded in putting many small stores out of business, their catalog consists largely of the Billboard Top 100. What seemed revolutionary in 2000 – music priced at a reasonable amount over cost – has had unforeseen consequences. The prominence of discount stores in the music industry has contributed to the lack of choice and variety so unappealing to music fans. Wal-mart has surpassed Apple to become the number one music retailer in this country. The driving down of CD price points to $9. 99 has been salutary for customers, but may have longer-lasting effects by eliminating space for new artists and broad selection. Furthermore, even the $9. 99 price point has been artificially constructed by discounters hoping to entice customers and labels hoping to propel all-important first week sales (Deutsch). Noting the possible risks of this new low price point in Billboard, Ed Christman points out that â€Å"After all, at $9.99 the U. S. music industry currently has the lowest CD pricing at retail since the format was introduced here in 1983. † It is unclear whether imposing minimum advertised pricing at this point would even make a difference in terms of independent music stores. Many have already closed, and those that have stayed open have diversified or moved to a location free of big box discounters. The music industry may impose mandatory minimum pricing again, but low CD price points and the decreasing number of brick and mortar music stores will likely continue unabated. The internet has changed the distribution of music in ways we are only just beginning to imagine. The old models – for promotion, distribution, and sales – aren’t working in the age of the mp3. Clearly, continuing to hold on to past business models and attempting to fit new trends and technology into it has not worked out well for the major labels. A fear of competition and new technology accounts for the manner in which the industry attempted to deal with Napster. Afraid of lost profits, music industry executives from the top five record labels chose to batten down the hatches and lock away any possibility of negotiation with Napster. According to Joseph Menn, the author of All the Rave: the Rise and Fall of Shawn Manning’s Napster, this is partially due to a generational divide within the individual labels. Top-level executives are often â€Å"old-school leaders who turn purple with rage at the very idea of an MP3† (Menn 153), while younger up-and-comers saw the possibilities of this new technology. With the advent of webcasting and podcasting, along with XM and Sirius radio networks, traditional radio doesn’t have the same hold on the music buying public’s imagination that it once did. Increasingly, new artists are discovered by getting their songs played on television shows like The Hills and Grey’s Anatomy. The music industry is attempting to do to webcasting what it did to Napster, which is to essentially strangle it through lawsuits in the hopes of being able to squeeze money out of the webcasters. Instead of viewing web-based radio as a unique promotional opportunity, the mainstream music industry only sees profits being taken out of its pocket. At the same time artists are realizing which way the wind is blowing. Touring, merchandising, and publishing remain large chunks of income for both individual artists and music labels. The traditional record industry has become increasingly outdated and unable to keep pace with the digitized, connected world of the 21st century. Music downloading is hugely popular around the world, but particularly in places as diverse as Ghana and Brazil, where poverty is widespread and cheap mp3s have spread like wildfire. Maintaining the expensive overhead of a bloated recording industry through high price points for CDs means that music is only available to a certain class of consumer. Peer-to-peer file sharing has made music more widely available, and helped raise the profile of independent and unsigned bands. Clearly these benefits have to be taken into account while also denouncing outright piracy as clearly illegal. It is up to the music industry to come up with easy to use, innovative ways to incorporate the changes mp3s have made to their business, with successful ventures like iTunes leading the way. The specter of music piracy and lost profits have led the music industry into a premature grave, when they should be welcoming the opportunity to promote music in new ways and to new communities. WORKS CITED Christman, Ed. â€Å"Pricing Perils for Record Labels. † Billboard 26 May 2007. Lexis-Nexis. 15 May 2008 http://www. lexisnexis. com. Christman, Ed. â€Å"Why Labels Should Set Minimum Price Restraints. † Billboard 1 September 2007. Lexis-Nexis. 15 May 2008 http://www. lexisnexis. com. Deutsch, Claudia. â€Å"Suit Settled Over Pricing of Music CDs at Three Music Chains. † New York Times: NYtimes. com. 1 October 2002. 11 May 2008 http://query. nytimes. com/gst/ fullpage. html? res=9C05E5D91238F932A35753C1A9649C8B63.

Caesar :: essays research papers

Many people associate the ‘Ides of March’ with the play “Julius Caesar.'; That particular day, March 15th in 44 BC, Rome lost not only a future king, but also a strong political and military leader. Julius Caesar’s life, his accomplishments, and his unfortunate assassination have etched out a place in textbooks worldwide. Caesar’s childhood was filled with many changes in the Roman Empire.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Gaius Julius Caesar was born in Rome, Italy on July 12th or 13th in the year 100 BC. When he was young, Caesar lived through one of the most horrifying decades in the history of the city of Rome. The city was assaulted twice and captured by Roman armies, first in 87 BC by the leaders of the populares, his Uncle Marius and Cinna. Cinna was killed the year that Caesar had married Cinna’s daughter Cornelia. The second attack upon the city was carried out by Marius’ enemy Sulla, leader of the optimates, in 82 BC on Sulla’s return from the East. The confiscation of property resulted from the massacre of political opponents on each occasion. At the time of Caesar’s birth, the number of patricians was small, and their status no longer provided political advantage. (Sahlman). Caesar’s family was part of Rome’s original aristocracy, although they were neither rich nor influential. (Sahlman). Caesar’s father died when Caesar was only 16 years old. It was Caesar’s mother, Aurelia, who proved to influence young Caesar. (Sahlman). With his mother’s blessing, Caesar sought out to gain notoriety for his family name.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To obtain distinction for himself and his family, Caesar sought election to public office. In 86 BC, Caesar was appointed flamen dialis with the help of his uncle by marriage, Gaius Marius. (Sahlman). In 84 BC Caesar married Cornelia, daughter of Lucious Cornelius Cinna. (Sahlman). In 82 BC Caesar was ordered to divorce his wife by Lucious Cornelius Sulla, an enemy of the radicals. (Sahlman). Caesar traveled to Rhodes in 78 BC to study rhetoric and did not return until 73 BC. (Sahlman). During his journey to Rhodes pirates managed to capture him. Caesar convinced his captors to raise his ransom, which increased his prestige. He then raised a naval force, overcame his captors, and had them crucified. In 69 or 68 BC Caesar was elected quaestor. (Sahlman). His wife died shortly thereafter. Soon after his wife’s death, Caesar met and fell in love with Pompeia, a relative of Caesar’s then friend, Pompey.

the prince Essay -- essays research papers

Niccolo Machiavelli The Prince In ‘The Prince’, Niccolo Machiavelli approaches, the topic of political morality and human nature in a very different way than thinkers preceding him. His argument on political morality and human nature is made very clear in the early part of his book. For him politics is war, no matter which way you look at it. â€Å"You must, therefore, know that there are two means of fighting: one according to the laws, the other with force; the first way is proper to man, the second to beasts; but because the first, in many cases is not sufficient , it becomes necessary to have recourse to the second.† (Machiavelli, p.351-352). He clearly points out towards man’s poor behavior in politics and accepts it as a fact, saying that law is a type of combat. He does not look up to god or any other divine authority for the political morality, like Augustine in his book ‘the city of god’ or try and look at things the way they should have been in the ideal state, but instead probes into the individual. He aims straight at the reality of politics. Machiavelli In his vision, to guide the actions of men in general, turns to the actions of the strong prince. Machiavelli’s higher political morality is to pursue the means to gain and hold power. He is of the view that the ruling prince should be of the sole authority and to gain this authority the prince has to command a certain fear from his citizens. Machiavelli believes that good laws follow naturally from a good military. His famous statement that â€Å"the presence of sound military forces indicates the presence of sound laws† describes the relationship between developing states and war in The Prince. Machiavelli reverses the conventional understanding of war as a necessary, but not definitive, element of the development of states, and instead asserts that successful war is the very foundation upon which all states are built. Much of The Prince is devoted to describing exactly what it means to conduct a good war: how to effectively fortify a city, how to treat subjects in newly acquired territories, and how to prevent domestic insurrection that would distract from a successful war. But Machiavelli’s description of war encompasses more than just the direct use of military force, it comprises international diplo... ...oodwill is never absolute. While Machiavelli backs up his political arguments with concrete historical evidence, his statements about society and human nature sometimes have the character of assumptions rather than observations. He concludes that with so many wretched men around virtue is hard to create in oneself. "The fact is that a man who wants to act virtuously in every way necessarily comes to grief among so many who are not virtuous." Overall, Machiavelli is very pessimistic about the abilities of the people. He feels that after examining people through history, his conclusions of wretched men is correct. The Prince is an extremely practical book because it does not tell the reader what the ideal prince is, but it explains to the reader what actions and qualities have enabled a prince to best rule. Machiavelli, however, was a realist. He was concerned with how things were in reality, not how things could be if the world was perfect. His reasoning was right for his time because his time was a time of frequent war. Today that advice would not work, for now we are a world most often ruled by laws not war.

Corporate Reputation

Success of TIC was linked to the innovative business models to deliver shared value for both societies and shareholders, by leveraging synergies cross businesses to create new differentiated products and superior value propositions. This was also the period when TIC thought of working towards building an ecosystem rather than trying to protecting it. In true sense, It differentiated itself from the rest of world in such a manner that the competitors were left behind by at least two generations. Sole purpose tot TIC was to serve as a market anchor to the entire value chains.As Shari Y. C. Devonshire, present chairman of TIC Ltd said, â€Å"A country's brands are a reflection of its competitive strengths and a manifestation of its innovation and intellectual capacity. I strongly believe that a country's economic capacity is significantly enriched when its institutions build and own internationally competitive brands. Winning brands serve as market anchors to support the competitivenes s of the entire value chains of which they are a part Strong domestic brands create much larger value since they create, capture and retain value within the country.Your Company (TIC) takes justifiable pride in creating world-class Indian brands that have demonstrated Immense vitality in the global Indian market place. † Several initiatives which were way different from the conventional marketing mantra ere introduced by TIC and it created a value chain that connected a wide range of stakeholders from the villagers, peasants to the end users. E- Copula, social and ‘Offs initiatives. These laid platforms that connected the rural India to the rest of the world; creating a two way transaction flow.Also it focused on delivering triple bottom line. Flipping through the past: As mentioned, TIC has faced many ups and downs since its inception and the experience it carried forward throughout its Journey helped the organization work on many initiatives which were way unconvention al. It pioneered the idea of â€Å"cataloging and channeling investments towards upgrading of human capital expansion and modernization of infrastructure and productivity enhancement in the agric-sector. † The rationale of the idea was to create a shared value in terms of â€Å"a commitment beyond the market†.For Ashes Mamba's, vice president and head of Social investment, business could and should never overlook the twin problems of India, â€Å"economic inequity and depleting natural resources†. TIC being traditionally a agriculture based company, couldn't ignore both these factors invested everything engendering these two factors in mind. Creating a societal as well as shareholder value: The key to achieve and sustain economic growth of modern India, as identified by TIC, was simply â€Å"by enhancing the competitiveness of the Indian farmer and effectively linking them to remunerative opportunities in the world market. Since agriculture was the primary mean er of livelihood of more than 58. 4% population of India and with agriculture being the base of It's business, TIC worked for the betterment of the farmers thereby making its base strong for the future endeavor. E-Copula was a challenging business concept that was meant to embed the social goals of empowering the farmers and trigger a cycle of higher productivity, enlarged capacity for future investments.E-Copula was digitization of the agricultural sector thereby enhancing the competitiveness of the agric value chain. Real time information and customized knowledge provided e-Copula enhanced farmers' ability to make decisions and align their farm outputs with market and consumer demand. This was meant to build a system of trust with the farmers â€Å"as a reliable supplier of goods and reveries on the one hand and as a buyer of high quality, cost effective farm output on the other hand. This finally resulted the company to become one of the largest exporters of agricultural product s. 4-pronged strategy to tackle Climate Change: By the end of 2009, TIC unveiled its 4-pronged strategy to meet challenges of climate change. It was voluntary and transparent disclosure of the Company's sustainability initiatives and its contribution to building economic, environmental and social capital to secure the long term interests of its stakeholders.Recognizing the challenges of limited change and global warming and its impact on competitiveness, TIC has adopted decisive strategies to progress its own efforts to support national and international endeavors in mitigating the effects of climate change. TIC is ‘carbon positive' for 4 consecutive years, currently sequestering twice the amount of carbon status, creating rainwater harvesting potential that is more than twice that consumed by the Company. Irrigating water stressed areas is a critical need following the impact of climate change on Indian's farming sector.It's sustainable agricultural raciest also help farmers adapt to the vagaries of climate change. [www. Doctoral. Com] Integration, synergy and growth: The goal of inclusive and sustainable growth: â€Å"The goal of inclusive and sustainable growth – the philosophy underlying the Triple Bottom Line approach – is based on the realization that economic growth cannot be engendered without embracing the vast multitudes living in poverty and addressing the alarming depletion of finite natural resources.Over 75% of those below the poverty line reside in rural India, where agriculture continues to be the predominant resource of livelihood. The declining share of agriculture in GAP has led to the present situation where nearly 60% of Indian's population shares barely 22% of output. In terms of the foundational view of Dry. Mammary Seen, poverty manifests itself not only as material impoverishment but also in the lack of capacity for the poor to emerge from such a condition.Such fundamental deprivations of freedom suffered by indivi duals affect their economic performance as well as their ability to seize opportunities offered by functioning and expanding markets. Inclusive and sustainable growth is therefore crucially dependent on creating the capacity to consume among the rural poor. † Riding in the belief of inclusive growth, TIC committed itself to India and beyond the market.With the initiatives like â€Å"farm to food product value chain†, † tree to textbook value chain†, â€Å"aggregate value chain† â€Å"women's empowerment†, TIC not only proved its commitment beyond business motive but also established itself as an organization which put nation before company. The problem: The problem in front of TIC is two-fold: 1. With its strong value chain linking the rural ND urban economies, especially the fact that rural marketing is the core competence of TIC, should the conglomerate invest in livestock development program so that it can enter into the dairy business? . If the answer of the previous question is yes, then how should the company go about it? Should it consider a pure business model or like several other C.V. initiatives, it should work on a model of shared value connecting the villagers in the value chain? Options: 1 . Simply working on a business model by adhering to the law of the land and paying due taxes without exploiting or exploring the natural resources. . Not restricting to only business but working for the societal good by investing on philanthropic work. . Going beyond CAR to help out the Nags, self help service providers of the villages to develop and work for the community betterment. 4. Create a sustainable value chain as its other initiatives by leveraging the innovative capacity of the organization and economic development. Recommendation: With the objective of bringing about a significant increase in yield rates during the lactation period, TIC stepped up its breed improvement program initiated in 2004-05.From 32 Cattl e Development Centers (CDC) at the close of 2004- 05, the number increased to 72 CDC covering 1 ,500 villages during 2005-06. A total of 27,392 Artificial Insemination (Ass) were conducted during the period, taking the cumulative total to 46,200. The program recorded 3,531 live births during 2005-06, taking the cumulative total to 5,544 high- yielding crossbreeds. The most significant breakthrough in Mugger, Briar, was that the tie-up with Sudan Dairy (COMBED) for supply of milk from this region finally became a reality. TIC portal] Since, TIC already has a huge experience in the rural arrest developing program and a strong commitment towards the society, it can defiantly work on the dairy business by enabling families to upgrade to high-yield livestock and form co-operatives to market their milk. In this process TIC can turn a dormant family resource into an easily adoptable and dynamic rural enterprise. TIC can train and equip technicians to provide an integrated package consistin g of artificial insemination, cattle health and nutrition, pregnancy and post-natal services right at the farmer's doorstep.This development can also act as a bridge to link its DOD business by providing self sufficiency and thereby, in long term enabling a greater value creation. Examples from other industry: As an example of value chain system of an organization to strengthen its base, we would like to discuss about GAMMA and its most trusted brand, Maul. Of course, there is a difference between Maul and TIC about the kind of organization they are, but in terms of C.V., Maul can provide a good example.CAR-sensitive Business Philosophy: The first step towards discharging the CAR is the business philosophy of the GAMMA. It is twofold: one, to serve the interests of milk producers and second, to provide laity products to consumers as value for money. Evolution of an organizational system has ensured that the corporate social responsibility towards the primary milk producers, village and the ecological balance is fulfilled. The milk producers are paid for their milk in accordance with market forces and realization of value for their produce.Invariably the price paid to the member-producers in Gujarat is higher by 15 per cent than the national average. [1] CAR-orientation To Distributors ; Retailers: The GAMMA has identified the distributors and retailers are its important link in its o not get any opportunity of exposure to latest management practices. The GAMMA realized that it was a corporate social responsibility to strengthen the core business processes of its distributors so as to keep them in mainstream business and compete with those with formal training in management.The GAMMA has developed and trained all its distributors through Value-Mission-strategy Workshops, competence building, Maul Hyatt, Maul Quality Circle meetings, computerizing, and electronic commerce activities. Competency Building Module of the GAMMA is meant to infuse repressions selling skills by making the distributors and their salesmen aware of latest sales management tools and techniques; enhance their knowledge of products; positioning and segmentation strategies for various products.Through one to one talk with the farmers, the distributors and salesmen realize MAUL is a large business of small farmers and by selling MAUL products; they are discharging a social responsibility towards a large number of poor farmers whose livelihood depends upon their skill and integrity. [1] 1 . Http://www. Painlessness's. Com/news/corporate-social-responsibility-the-maul- yam 12172/4

Free Essays on Laws Imposed by Goverment

It has been my understanding since I began to learn about our country, its laws, and the rights of its people; that laws are meant to protect people from people, people from the state, but it should be up to the individual to make decisions that will or will not protect them from themselves. It is my opinion that many of the laws that are imposed by our government infringe on ones ability to govern their own lives. Some examples of this infringement include but are not limited to: seatbelt, marijuana, and euthanasia, as well as the abortion laws. I plan on exploring numerous country’s positions, penalties, and enforcement of these laws; and determining whether or not our positions are right threatening, or better for the greater good of our society. I am not necessarily for or against any one of the laws stated above, however I am for people making their own decisions on issues that affect them and only them. I am a smoker of marijuana, and an advocate for its legalization. Before I began smoking I wasn’t against it, it was just â€Å"never my thing,† I would never make judgments upon those who did because it isn’t my job to delegate what other people do to their bodies. Since I began smoking I have definitely experienced the recreational side of it as well as seen what benefits could be received from using it medically in terminally ill patients. Using only my personal experience as a reference, I believe that marijuana is a much â€Å"safer† alternative to drinking. My goal while covering the marijuana part of my topic is to hopefully give some proof to support this claim. I wear my seatbelt just about every time I get in the car; it is a force of habit more than anything else. My problem is not wearing my seatbelt; it is a proven safety device for preventing serious injuries involved in a car accident. My problem is the law having to get involved. Why should it be anyone’s choice but their own what injuries t... Free Essays on Laws Imposed by Goverment Free Essays on Laws Imposed by Goverment It has been my understanding since I began to learn about our country, its laws, and the rights of its people; that laws are meant to protect people from people, people from the state, but it should be up to the individual to make decisions that will or will not protect them from themselves. It is my opinion that many of the laws that are imposed by our government infringe on ones ability to govern their own lives. Some examples of this infringement include but are not limited to: seatbelt, marijuana, and euthanasia, as well as the abortion laws. I plan on exploring numerous country’s positions, penalties, and enforcement of these laws; and determining whether or not our positions are right threatening, or better for the greater good of our society. I am not necessarily for or against any one of the laws stated above, however I am for people making their own decisions on issues that affect them and only them. I am a smoker of marijuana, and an advocate for its legalization. Before I began smoking I wasn’t against it, it was just â€Å"never my thing,† I would never make judgments upon those who did because it isn’t my job to delegate what other people do to their bodies. Since I began smoking I have definitely experienced the recreational side of it as well as seen what benefits could be received from using it medically in terminally ill patients. Using only my personal experience as a reference, I believe that marijuana is a much â€Å"safer† alternative to drinking. My goal while covering the marijuana part of my topic is to hopefully give some proof to support this claim. I wear my seatbelt just about every time I get in the car; it is a force of habit more than anything else. My problem is not wearing my seatbelt; it is a proven safety device for preventing serious injuries involved in a car accident. My problem is the law having to get involved. Why should it be anyone’s choice but their own what injuries t...

The Great Kanto Earthquake in Japan, 1923

The Great Kanto Earthquake in Japan, 1923 The Great Kanto Earthquake, also sometimes called the Great Tokyo Earthquake, rocked Japan on September 1, 1923.  Actually, the city of Yokohama was hit even worse than Tokyo was, although both were devastated.  It was the deadliest earthquake in Japanese history. The quakes magnitude is estimated at 7.9 to 8.2 on the Richter scale, and its epicenter was in the shallow waters of Sagami Bay, about 25 miles south of Tokyo.  The offshore earthquake triggered a tsunami in the bay, which struck the island of O-shima at a height of 12 meters (39 feet), and hit the Izu and Boso Peninsulas with 6 meter (20 foot) waves.  Japans ancient capital at Kamakura, almost 40 miles from the epicenter, was inundated by a 6-meter wave that killed 300 people, and its 84-ton Great Buddha was shifted nearly a meter.  The north shore of Sagami Bay rose permanently by almost two meters (six feet), and parts of the Boso Peninsula moved laterally 4 1/2 meters or 15 feet. The Effects of the Earthquake The total death toll from the disaster is estimated at about 142,800.  The quake struck at 11:58 am, so many people were cooking lunch.  In the wood-built cities of Tokyo and Yokohama, upended cooking fires and broken gas mains set off firestorms that raced through homes and offices.  Fire and tremors together claimed 90 percent of the homes in Yokohama and left 60% of Tokyos people homeless.  The Taisho Emperor and Empress Teimei were on holiday in the mountains, and so escaped the disaster. Most horrifying of the immediate results was the fate of 38,000 to 44,000 working class Tokyo residents who fled to the open ground of the Rikugun Honjo Hifukusho, once called the Army Clothing Depot.  Flames surrounded them, and at about 4:00 in the afternoon, a fire tornado some 300 feet tall roared through the area.  Only 300 of the people gathered there survived. Henry W. Kinney, an editor for Trans-Pacific Magazine who worked out of Tokyo, was in Yokohama when the disaster struck.  He wrote, Yokohama, the city of almost half a million souls, had become a vast plain of fire, or red, devouring sheets of flame which played and flickered.  Here and there a remnant of a building, a few shattered walls, stood up like rocks above the expanse of flame, unrecognizable...  The city was gone. The Great Kanto Earthquake sparked another horrifying result, as well.  In the hours and days following, nationalist and racist rhetoric took hold across Japan.  Stunned survivors of the earthquake, tsunami, and firestorm looked for an explanation, looked for a scapegoat, and the target of their fury was the ethnic Koreans living in their midst.  As early as mid-afternoon on September 1, the day of the quake, reports, and rumors started that the Koreans had set the disastrous fires, that they were poisoning wells and looting ruined homes, and that they were planning to overthrow the government.  Approximately 6,000 unlucky Koreans, as well as more than 700 Chinese who were mistaken for Koreans, were hacked and beaten to death with swords and bamboo rods.  The police and military in many places stood by for three days, allowing vigilantes to carry out these murders, in what is now called the Korean Massacre. In the end, the earthquake and its aftereffects killed well over 100,000 people.  It also sparked both soul-searching and nationalism in Japan, just eight years before the nation took its first steps toward World War II, with the invasion and occupation of Manchuria. Sources: Denawa, Mai.  Behind the Accounts of the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, The Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923, Brown University Library Center for Digital Scholarship, accessed June 29, 2014. Hammer, Joshua.  The Great Japan Earthquake of 1923, Smithsonian Magazine, May 2011. Historic Earthquakes: Kanto (Kwanto), Japan, USGS Earthquake Hazards Program, accessed June 29, 2014.

PostTraumatic Stress Disorder essays

PostTraumatic Stress Disorder essays Have you ever witnessed someone being badly injured or even killed? Have you ever been involved in a fire, flood, or any other natural disaster? The estimated lifetime prevalence of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder among adult Americans is 7.8%, with men calculating at 5% and women at 10.4%, twice as likely as men to have PTSD at some point in their lives. This represents a small proportion of those who have experienced at least one traumatic event, for 60.7% of men and 51.2% of women reported at least one traumatic event. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, is a psychiatric disorder that can occur in victims who experience or witness life-threatening events, and this disorder can be familiarized with through knowing how it was discovered, the symptoms, and the treatment of PTSD. To begin with, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is an extremely weakening condition that affects the body's normal conscience. Reports have shown the traumatic events most often associated with PTSD in men were rape, war combat exposure, childhood neglect, and childhood physical abuse. The most common events for women were rape, sexual molestation, physical attack, being threatened with a weapon, and childhood physical abuse. However, none of these events consistently produced PTSD in those exposed to it. A particular type of traumatic event does not necessarily affect different sectors of the population in the same way. Some studies show that debriefing people very soon after a catastrophic event may reduce some of the symptoms of PTSD. A study of 12,000 school children who lived through a hurricane in Hawaii found that those who received counseling early on were doing much better two years later than those who did not. People with PTSD tend to have abnormal levels of important hormones involved in response to stress. When people are in danger, they produce high levels of natural opiates, which can temporarily block pain. Scientists have ...

On The Road To Entrepreneurship Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

On The Road To Entrepreneurship - Article Example the US with an endeavor to gain knowledge in diverse fields, thereby returning home and pursue lucrative careers that will boost the nations’ economy and create a self-reliant country. The program caters for air fare, accommodation, tuition and other miscellaneous family expenses. A large number of my colleagues spent their leisure time peers from home, read Saudi newspapers, watch sports, check in at restaurants and gather home to engage in recreation on a PlayStation. We create a mini Saudi Arabia in each of our protected university environments. However, this compels an individual to pose the following question, â€Å"Is that the best value for the investment that our country made in us?† this, therefore, highlights the need for maximally utilizing the investment instilled in us. It will be critical to go out and promote our country’s cultural and social aspects, both within the campus and outside in the business world, owing to our imperative number of over 100,000 ambassadors. For instance, if each of our colleagues went out to educate to our American friends about our nation, over a million US citizens will be conversant with our nation. This would eliminate the misconception about our country, as the media perceives it. If the beneficiaries of the program pursued any of these questions and went beyond my anxiety-neutral situation, I would have perceived the real America and learned lessons that would enhance the education that I endeavored. I mulled over the issue only after I graduated and started working in a US company. I retain information of my dad’s advice prior to coming to the US, â€Å"Son do not just come home with just an MBA, you’d better bring a technology business along with it†. I failed to consider the issue critically. As such, when he inquired after graduation whether I had a business arrangement, my answer was negative. At the time, I realized how profound my dad’s advice had been and how effortlessly I forgot. My country

The effects of Type 2 diabetes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The effects of Type 2 diabetes - Essay Example 3.  Was there appropriateness in the design used in the research in establishing preciseness in the study’s aims?The semistructured design of the study influences the process of amassing information from the three groups without other detrimental factors, which could emanate from controlled research designs.4.  Was there preciseness towards the researchers’ recruitment strategy in the study?The recruitment strategy approves the understanding that the researchers embraced strategic models in their choice of a sample population, and in distinguishing the various groups under the three phases. 5.  What methods ensue from the researchers’ work towards data analysis, and which measures determine the study’s inclusion of quality control?The researchers approached the study’s methodology professionally as the evidence accrued from a review on the methodological analysis implements the incremental influence of thematic criteria in understanding the le vel of tension and the percentage rate in the three groups. 6.  Was there exposure in determination of the relationships that prevailed among the scholars involved in the research and their participants?Citing to the evidence shown in the study’s topic, there is certainty that the relationships prevalent among the research teams and the sample population display in the independence and confidence born towards the collection of unbiased data. With the application of the CASP model in analysing the study’s results, it is known that the study on the prevention of type.

Distribution and Retailing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Distribution and Retailing - Essay Example Brief Overview of the Scenario The paper describes about the managerial issues faced by Katie Collins, the managing director of Fashion Wholesalers in relation to its distribution and retailing functions. Fashion Wholesalers is a clothing manufacturing company which principally targets women operating as the agents of UK with the networking comprising around 30 manufacturing Scandinavian and German clothing producers. It also supplies for approximately 120 small sized retailers. The products that are distributed through Fashion Wholesalers target primarily the housewives within the UK. The distribution activity of the company, i.e. Fashion Wholesalers, can be described on the following grounds. It has been observed that the buyers of Fashion Wholesalers, belonging to the age group of 30 to 60 years usually perform 4 trips for collecting the produced materials from the suppliers in the market. The process of ordering for the company is carried out in every season based on the scheduli ng of delivery of products by the buyers on a monthly basis. The produced products are then distributed to the warehouse located at Peterborough. The process of delivery in Fashion Wholesalers includes showrooms from where the buyers can directly make their purchases in person. Notably, the clothing products are manufactured all-round the year and the samples are distributed in all the seasons, along with the continuation of warehousing and dispatching activities. Contextually, it can be observed that the demands for the products are quite high attracting most of the targeted customers in the niche markets of retailing. It is worth mentioning in this context that most of the targeted customers depend on Fashion Wholesalers for supplying quality products at cheaper rates which has further accelerated the growth rate in the organisation. 1.2. Rise of Conflict in Fashion Wholesalers Channel conflict usually occurs if there are clashes of methods and goals between the members belonging to a channel of distribution. Notably, because the distribution channel of Fashion Wholesale is performed on the basis of multiple dimensions involving multiple layers such as the suppliers, the producers and the end users, which further continues throughout the year, there are high chances for Fashion Wholesalers to witness similar disruptions in their distribution process. Theoretically, distribution channel conflicts can be categorized into horizontal and vertical categories. Where horizontal channel conflicts signify gaps and limited cooperation among members belonging to similar level, the vertical channel conflict indicates dismissal among members belonging to different levels in the channel distribution (Jicheng, n.d). In the currently practiced distribution channel of Fashion Wholesalers, probability of both these conflicts to arise can be observed apparently. Additionally, resource scarcity can be determined as another significant aspect to cause conflicts in the channel of distribution. In the context of Fashion Wholesalers, it can be stated that owing to the complexity of the distribution channel framework, conflicts might occur among the members due to insufficiency of resources for manufacturing clothing products and/or due to their inefficiency to allocate the available resources efficiently so as to serve the retailers all around its target market in a time-efficient and cost-effective way. Moreover, if Fashion Wholesalers attempt to sell a proportion of the produced products by themselves directly

Propose system Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Propose system - Essay Example I would ensure that a constitutional democracy is set up consisting of three-tier system of government similar to that of the United States. However, I shall make some changes in the judicial system that will have to be autonomous and publicly elected by the people to ensure impartiality in the delivery of services. Consequently, in order to reduce the workload in courts, I would establish two independent courts: the constitutional court and the Supreme Court operating independent of each other. In this case, the Constitutional court will only be concerned with cases pertaining to constitutional matters while the Supreme Court will serve as the highest court dealing with appeals independent of constitutional matters. For lawmakers, I would create a Congress house made up of several representatives to serve the interest of everyone from provices. However, I will ensure that the representation is distributed in accordance with the population of the provinces. This implies that provinces with few people will have low representation. The population density will be determined using census report, which will be conducted within a span of 10 years, (Bardes, Shelley, and Schmidt, 2008). Like the federal system, the party with the majority of congress representatives will establish the government of the day, elect its president, and the vice president. I will also make sure that there is a national Council of Religion similar to the U.S. Senate where each religious faction is given equal representation as noted by Wood (2002). This will certainly help reduce any conflict that may result if the distribution is not equitably allocated. I will also ensure that there is the executive branch that controls the religious council, the power, which I will vest upon the vice president. The political parties will play a major role in ensuring that bills are passed by the Council and

Practice based learning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Practice based learning - Essay Example In Ethiopia, there is a coffee growing region called ‘Yirgacheffe’ where these farmers start their work from the early hours of the day. The raw coffee cherries that enclose the coffee bean grown by the hard work of the farmers are sold by them in a local farming cooperative market. The farmers are paid in accordance with the weight of the raw coffee beans they have brought in their sacks. If the farmer happens to be selling the coffee cherries many times to the local farming cooperative market, the cooperative then advances the farmer’s capital to invest before the harvest. Sometimes the farmer accepts advance cash from a middleman who is willing to buy his harvest below market price. The farmer does that in order to be able to invest on his farming activities and also be able to feed his family with that amount of cash. When the farmers have harvested the coffee cherries, the cherries are taken to his home and kept for drying outside. The pulp on the coffee cher ries are removed in order to get the enclosed coffee beans out. This task is done by the female workers. The coffee bean is fermented in water and then scoured. After that it is kept outside for getting dried and become ready for further processing. The farmers’ main concern is to harvest and sell quality coffee to Starbucks so that their customers remain satisfied. They involve themselves in the careful picking out of coffee cherries from their farms which meet the criteria put forth by Starbucks in order to maintain the standard of quality coffee that Starbucks has always provided to their customers. When Starbucks purchases coffee beans from the farmers, they first critically evaluate the beans in order to make sure that they meet the quality benchmark. Starbucks work with farmers who are consistently providing them with quality coffee beans and secure their jobs. Community of Practice Concept in Business Functions A Community of Practice (coP) concept is a collection of p eople sharing a common interest or a profession. The group can have a variety of purpose. It can also include just the goal of gaining knowledge related to their area of interest or it can grow as time passes by and with experience. The main idea of this concept is that the members of the group help each other to grow and develop. A coP can exist online also. In case of the Starbucks farmers’ issue, a coP can be established in order to help the farmers learn more about quality standards. Kim, Park and Prescott (2003) in their book discuss about business functions. They discuss about the manner in which multi-national companies’ businesses are assimilated, how global industries synchronize and monitor research and development (R&D), marketing as well as manufacturing functions across the borders that have high potential for performance. According to their recommendation, global industries should use definite integrating modes as it will be more operative than other mode s in comprehending and incorporating a business function globally. Each business function has a different combination of integrating modes. Taking example of global R&D, people based and information based modes are more operational than formalization based and centralization based modes. Such involves the coP concept as in R & D, people based an

Propose system Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Propose system - Essay Example I would ensure that a constitutional democracy is set up consisting of three-tier system of government similar to that of the United States. However, I shall make some changes in the judicial system that will have to be autonomous and publicly elected by the people to ensure impartiality in the delivery of services. Consequently, in order to reduce the workload in courts, I would establish two independent courts: the constitutional court and the Supreme Court operating independent of each other. In this case, the Constitutional court will only be concerned with cases pertaining to constitutional matters while the Supreme Court will serve as the highest court dealing with appeals independent of constitutional matters. For lawmakers, I would create a Congress house made up of several representatives to serve the interest of everyone from provices. However, I will ensure that the representation is distributed in accordance with the population of the provinces. This implies that provinces with few people will have low representation. The population density will be determined using census report, which will be conducted within a span of 10 years, (Bardes, Shelley, and Schmidt, 2008). Like the federal system, the party with the majority of congress representatives will establish the government of the day, elect its president, and the vice president. I will also make sure that there is a national Council of Religion similar to the U.S. Senate where each religious faction is given equal representation as noted by Wood (2002). This will certainly help reduce any conflict that may result if the distribution is not equitably allocated. I will also ensure that there is the executive branch that controls the religious council, the power, which I will vest upon the vice president. The political parties will play a major role in ensuring that bills are passed by the Council and

Industry Analysis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Industry Analysis - Research Paper Example When we mention drugs, there are those specifically targeted to help smokers, for example ginseng. Many of its effects are similar to those of nicotine, for example the herb lowers stress levels while boosting energy. The immune system is also boosted using this herb which is normally prepared by brewing it into tea (Charles, Marianne 2009). Kava is another herb that mimics the effects of nicotine such as relieving of anxiety and stress. It also acts as an anti-convulsant as well as a mild anesthetic. By using this herb, smokers do not miss the effects of tobacco as they gradually stop smoking and adapt to taking Kava (Peter, Clive 2006). Lobelia, also known as Indian tobacco, has nicotine-like properties such as acting as a relaxant and a stimulant. This herb offers great help by reducing cravings. It also offers much assistance to smokers during withdrawal of nicotine by providing mild antidepressant effects (Melvyn, Edward 1991). Other products that help smokers are seen in terms of lifestyle. Smokers are advised to eat healthily while taking lots of water. This helps reduces craving and improves resistance to triggers. Let us not forget that having lots of sleep is also good for those planning to quit smoking (Peter, Clive 2006). There are gums that help smokers quit their habit. A good example is the nicotine gum. This helps the smokers to quit smoking gradually and is helpful by reducing the passage of dangerous particles to the lungs. Thus the smoker saves himself or herself from the risks of lung or throat cancer. The nicotine patch is also helpful to smokers to help them quit their smoking habit. Meditation is another form of self enhancement technique that would prove valuable to smokers in a bid to help them quit their habit. This helps them focus their energy from cravings and channel it to self improvement meditation (David 2011). There is the naval spray that contains nicotine that smokers

Cadet Entrance Response Essay Example for Free

Cadet Entrance Response Essay Compose your own response. What are the most important qualities in becoming a successful USMA cadet and a successful Army officer? Resilience, dedication and leadership are qualities befitting for a successful USMA cadet and a successful Army officer. Resilience is not only an essential quality for becoming a successful cadet or officer, it is also essential for your life. Resilience is the ability to resurrect one’s self from hard times, to never give up, and displays ones mental strength. In the academy I’ve heard that on a cadet’s first year they undergo times of overwhelming stress in tests of emotional stability, perseverance, and ability to organize and perform under stress. With resilience and resolve a cadet will be able to overcome these stressful obstacles. Likewise, discipline is another quality in becoming a successful USMA cadet and a successful Army officer. At times resilience may complement dedication because when one dedicates their self to something, one needs the resolve to continue on with it and never give up. Dedication shows ones loyalty, commitment, and devotion, in which is an important trait when offering one’s service to their country. To finish, a successful USMA cadet and Army officer should have the quality of leadership. As a leader one must offer guidance and work together as a team to get things done efficiently. Leadership brings out control and order in a group. Showing resilience and dedication as a leader conveys a sense of trustworthiness and cooperation among their followers. Any person with a position of leadership needs to set a positive example in order to make their self charismatic and a successful leader. Having these qualities will show the mental strength, devotion, and management skills it takes in becoming a successful USMA cadet and Army officer.

Strategies in the management of Human Resources

Strategies in the management of Human Resources The contemporary businesses environment is continuously changing due to the arrival of the information based, knowledge driven, service intensive economy. Managers today are recognizing that speed, flexibility and continuous self-renewal are required in the organization. As people are the number one assets in the organizations and companies, the daily business tasks and functions cannot be completed without people. The skilled and motivated people are the central point in the operation of companies in the new age. HRM is to help an organization to meet strategic goals by attracting, motivating and maintaining employees and also to manage them effectively. Attracting and retaining the quality staff is the competitive advantage for many organizations in challenging economic environment. There are two main approaches to attracting and retaining employees by the strategies employer of choice and employee engagement. Employer of choice has become in HRM in contemporary business recent years. It is representative of a whole new design of corporate culture. Employer of choice is applied in the company priorities by most successful and respected business leaders today. Now more and more employers are using an employer of choice strategy by providing and offering varieties of employee benefits in order to attract and retain best people. There are four measurements for monitoring the companys performance. In addition to market share, consistent financials and being a valuable corporate citizen, the fundamental element for a successful company is being an employer of choice. When companies are losing talent and experienced staff, the companies are losing professionals and expertise that gained at company expense, hard -built customer relationship as well that are very hard to replace todays labour market. To put employer of choice as the top priorities list can give the company competitive advantage be cause it can attract and retain critical human assets. The employee engagement is becoming very important across the globe as the customer power and employee power are increasing in the modern economic and business world. As 200 companies survey found that it can have $21 million benefit moving a workforce of 8000 employees from low level to high level engagement. And compared with 20% of disengaged the employees, more than 65% engaged employees say that they have a better understanding how to meet the customer requirements and needs. Employee engagement can also make effort on mental and emotional commitment to the organization. Engaged employees are willing to give extra effort to their job that can lead to increase the productivity. Some researches show that the employee engagement strategy makes an average less than three days sick leave per year than six days for the disengaged employees A successful employee engagement strategy helps create a community at the workplace and not just a workforce. When employees are effectively and positively engaged with their organisation, they form an emotional connection with the company. This affects their attitude towards both their colleagues and the companys clients and improves customer satisfaction and service levels. As the question mentioned that the companies must reject the concept that the loyalty is dead among todays employees. The company has to create a challenging environment that can attract and retain people. I totally agree this conception that employee royalty and satisfactory can be build up by employee engagement. It make employee make effort to the organization from coginitive level, emotional level and physical level. Engaged employees always think about the company, feel inspired by their job, they are customer focused in their approach, they care about the future of the company and are prepared to invest their own effort to see that the organization succeeds. It is now a generally acknowledged business fact that employee engagement is a key driver of business success. Employee engagement strategy can be applied no matter in small or large companies. It benefits the organizations and individuals, improving the performance, boosting the bottom line and makes employees happier and the work more enjoyable. However, it is not always the win-win situation. Some organization use employee engagement that can drive work intensification. It would obviously run this risk of being detrimental to the individuals concerned. The organization is expecting the employees to go one step further that can make overtime working normalised. And the over-performance rewarded can leave behind the staffs that just do a good job. In other hand, it is not easy to achieve work-life balance in some high-performance companies under employee engagement strategy. The priority of work with long and non-standard hours takes over family and social life. The increasing effort that engaged employees put into the work time make the work and life unbalanced. The latest research shows th at the employee engagement by high performance work systems may accrue marginal benefits in terms of the higher level of involvement and commitment. However, these benefits are outweighed by the associated increases in responsibility, workload, work-life spill over and work stress. 2. How companies are dealing with the linkages between HR and strategic formulation. Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM) in an organization can be defined as accepting and involving the HR function as a strategic partner in the formulation and implementation of the companys strategies through HR activities such as recruiting, selecting, training and rewarding personnel. SHRM means linking of HR with strategic objectives to improve business performance and company culture to develop competitive advantage, innovation and flexibility. There are four different levels of linkage between HR strategic and the strategic management process: administrative linkage, one-way linkage, two-way linkage and integrative linkage. These four levels of linkage are very helpful for an organization to categorize which HRM strategy has to be applied. The administrative linkage has no linkage between strategic plan and HR function. It simply engages in administrative work that has no emphasis placed on achieving the linkage in both strategy formulation and strategy implantation. It focuses on day to day activities and personal management. In one-way linkage, the company develops the strategic plan and then informs the HR function. Although it does recognize the importance of human resources in implementing the strategic plan, it precludes the company from considering human resource issues while formulating the strategic plan. In two-way linkage, he strategic planning team informs the HRM function of the various strategies the company is considering Æ’Â   HRM executives analyze the human resource implications of the various strategies, presenting the results to the strategic planning team Æ’Â   The strategic plan is passed on to the HRM executive, who develops programs to implement it. The Integrative linkage is based on continuing interaction. The HRM function is built right into the strategy formulation and implementation processes. In the higher level linkage such as two-way linkage and integrative linkage are characterized by a close relationship between HRM and business strategies. HRM effectiveness can be explained by examine the contributions of the HRM function in the process of achieving strategic integration. In both of the short term and long term, SHRM should complement and contribute to the improvement of the productive capacity of enterprises. Strategic business partner: a role performed by HR practitioners, aiming to execute organisational strategy by aligning HR processes with the organisational strategy. HR managers become able to reengineer the way HR department executes its job, accomplishes those transactional HR jobs cost-competitively, and increasingly turn its attention to truly being a strategic partner with the firms top executives With an integrative linkage, strategic planners consider all the people-related business issues before making a strategic choice. These issues are identified with regard to the mission, goals, opportunities, threats, strengths and weakness, leading the strategic planning team to make a more intelligent strategic choice. While this process does not guarantee success, companies that address these issues are more likely to make a choice that will ultimately succeed. Research has supported the need to have HR executives integrally involved in strategy formulation. The level of HR involvement was positively related to the refinery managers evaluation of the effectiveness of the HR function. HR involvement was highest when top managers viewed employees as a strategic asset and this was associated with reduce turnover. HR practices that are properly implemented do deliver significant financial benefits to an organization. ( profitability, shareholder return, stock prices and organizational survival) Administrative linkage level will either become more integrated or face extinction. In addition, companies will move toward becoming interactively linked in an effort to strategically manage human recourses. Integrating the HR function into strategy formulation may help the strategic planning team make the most effective strategic choice. Once the strategic choice is determined, HR must take the active role in its implementation. HR is emerging as the key concept in assessing the competitive assets of organizations. HR managers and professionals, by virtue of their knowledge of human performance, are well positioned to exercise strategic leadership and contribute significantly to a firms competitive advantage. Therefore, the company has to create opportunities for the HR function to develop a more strategic role in a firms operation (Lawler Mohrman, 2003). As the arrival of the global economy, the HRM has more challenges to create an environment to maintain the competitive advantages. In order to become a strategic partner in the organization, the HR executive must have the abilities to research and training that from being acknowledge of the HR concepts, logic and practices. HR executives have to show the competencies which add more value to the organization. The role of HRM is becoming more creative and strategic to adapt the changes of worldwide workforce structures. More and more high performing companies have HR executive involved in business at a strategic level. There are four major factors of competencies related to how well an HR professional contributes in a strategic way to businesses in areas such as strategic decision making, culture management, fast change, and market driven connectivity. Previously, organization structured on a centralized and compartmentalized basis-head office, marketing, manufacturing, financing etc. By the end of the 1980s, HR played largely on administrative work that focus on HR operations and processing standardisation and technology which has no connection with the strategic management. The role of HR traditionally in the organization is no more than a one- way linkage role. They were doing what the business manager wanted. In recent years, theres a fundamental reassessments of human resources structures and positions. The massive change of business conditions, organizational structure and strategic decision makers has been leading HR to develop their perspectives and functions. Today, senior management expects HR to move beyond its traditional. HR is more tightly linked to corporate strategy and to creating business value through HR services that address a companys most pressing strategic challenges. HR now seek t decentralize and to integrate their operations and developing cross-functional teams. HR is anticipating critical workforce trends, shaping and executing business strategy, identifying and addressing people-related risks and regulations, enhancing workforce performance and productivity, and offering new HR services to help a company improve and grow. In order to become a strategic partner in the company, the HR executives need to fulfil five challenges to help the company to achieve critical goals. Posses and use their knowledge of how people can and do play a role in competitive advantage as well as policies, programs and practices that can leverage the companys people as a source of competitive advantage Firstly, knowledge management is essential for competitive advantage for helping HR to play an important role in developing company culture for organizational learning as a strategic partner. With knowledge management, business success is achieved in a culture of learning and workplace planning. The Research Quarterly found that the HR executives can leverage the company people through knowledge management, for competitive advantage in a challenging economy. HR executive and professionals has to acquire the knowledge and skills that are necessarily link HR to stakeholder value. And HR related policies, programs and rules can have a fundamental influence on workforce behavior that helping company to achieve the competitive advantages. To become the strategic partner, it requires HR executive to be involved in transferring knowledge. HR professionals must know how to optimize policies and practices, how to manage the learning that results from any change or execution process associated with new business structures. And HR executives need to have multiple channels to make sure the engagement of business strategies. HR executives must demonstrate business knowledge includes not only how it fulfills its mission, but also how it serves its customers and differentiates itself from its competitors. When HR professionals demonstrate their understanding of what is driving their business, they will add value by mobilizing the right workforce with the right skills to achieve the business goals of enterprise. Knowledge management requires knowledge managers. Key business resources like labor and capital have substantial organizational functions devoted to their management. Knowledge wont be well managed until some group within a  ®rm has clear responsibility for the job. Among the tasks that such a group might perform are collecting and categorizing knowledge establishing a knowledge oriented technology infrastructure, and monitoring the use of knowledge. HR need to have clear strategies, outcomes, products , services and structures So the HR staff can achieve their goals and deliver the necessary outcomes. HR staff can do this to fulfilling for management roles Strategic HR role- aligns HR and business strategy and delivers the executive of strategy HR executives must be able to translate business needs in HR strategies to build up individual, team and organizational capabilities. HR strategy should be directly relevant to business requirement and delivering value that lead to an intense focus on structural realignment for HR teams. It requires HR to have competing perspectives, values and services. It also involved meeting stakeholder need for respect and ownership. HR executives need to widen the focus on learning new behaviours, changing attitudes and processes. Management of company infrastructure role- reengineers organization processes and builds an efficient infrastructure Management of employee contribution role- listening and responding the employees- employee commitment and capability is increased Transformation and change role- ensuing the organization has the capacity for change and delivers a renewed organization HRIS- HR information systems- technology is facilitating the transformation of HR function HRIS is designed to help provide information used in HR decision making such as administration, payroll, recruiting, training, and performance analysis. HRIS makes HR department working more effective to handle daily administrative tasks. Using the value-added approach to justify the HRIS expenditure links the system with the key business direction of the organization, and makes the critical of HR information to business success. The HRIS becomes not just a way to reduce administrative costs, but a key element of the business strategies. In additional to providing a framework of justifying HRIS expenditure as a strategic investment, the value-added approach emphasizes the role of HR as an active strategic partner in achieving the originations strategic business objectives Technology is facilitating the transformation of HR function. These technology solutions can cover multiple HR tasks, such as recruiting, benefits administration, and training administration. Applications and data a re usually shared in common across the company, with links to other systems in services centre operations, finance, and accounting as well as third-party systems for such tasks as payroll and benefits. Modern HRIS are comprehensive, accurate and accessible systems for recording employee and work data relevant to HRM, HR and organizational planning. HRIS helps the organization to improve strategic planning and program development and faster information processing times. By increasing administrative efficiency, technology allows HR to have fewer staff marking more value-added contributions to their organizations. The rapid evolution of electronic HR delivery systems is pushing more information in more usable formats to employees and managers who can use it directly for the benefit of their organizations. Fast and cheap access to accurate real time HR information Access and the ability to analyse, assess, interpret, manipulate, leverage and share the information effectively will be key to giving organizations a strategic edge. Successful data mining will be made possible by the use of date warehouses with their ability to consolidate internal and external information with powerful analytical tools Ubiquitous access to information to improve employee effectiveness and efficiency. This means working from anywhere and at anytime, the size, format, the footprint of technology deliverables will more from departmental desktop devices operating under the full control of the user organization to a mixture of hand-held, pocket-sized, integrated devices and wireless linkage that provide needed access on a real time basis to centralized processing and data storage capabilities. Instant access to all needed knowledge and to essential meaningful data will be a keystone for the successful enterprise. A variety of analytics and decision trees. Smart self-service. Customized content. HR executives must implement the new plans or programs. HR executive must have the skills to oversee the change in a way that ensures it success. Change was more successfully where HR professionals had been involved in developing the vision of the organisation, strategic planning, the change required and where the HR manage was well paid and reported directly to CEO. In previous times, change is constant. HR executives like scanning, scenario building and search conferences can help to predict the future and manage change. However, the most effective HR executives will not depend on formulas but will develop their strategic intelligence including foresight, partnering with people who complement their strengths, visioning with systems thinking, motivating and empowering their collaborators to realize their visions to create a winning future for their organizations. HR executives must have integration competence, the ability to integrative the three other competencies to increase the companys value. Although specialist knowledge is necessary, a generalist perspective must be taken in making decisions. This means that how HR all functions fit together to be effective and recognising that changes in any one part of HR package are likely to requires changes in other parts of the package. There are a few competencies the HR executives have to master to become a strategic partner. The integration competency is one of the most important that can integrate the other three competencies together to increase the organizations value. HR executives are playing the role as connecting hiring, training and worker evaluations via organizational competencies. From talent mapping and planning to performance evaluation, recruitment, retention and even benefits administration, todays human capital professionals are constantly seeking new ways to streamline, integrate and align human capital functions with broader corporate objectives The organization management has to realize that it is very important to have an integrated and consistent technology platform for HRM. The more integration between activities as diverse as recruitment, payroll and benefits management, training/development and performance measurement, the better HR executives can be at overall workforce planning and managing and motivating individual workers. As the result, the organization can be more effective These developments lead to an entirely new set of competencies for todays strategic Hr executive. The new strategic role of HR shows both opportunities and challenges. These include forming a series of partners with senior executives, line managers and external providers of HR services. As companies cope with the economy, HR can be instrumental in helping organizations leverage knowledge-based resources for business results. As highlighted in Creating People Advantage, critical HR challenges focus on three strategic categories, all related to knowledge management: 1) developing and retaining the best employees (talent, leadership development, work/life balance); 2) anticipating change (demographics, change, cultural transformation, globalization); and 3) enabling the organization (becoming a learning organization). (4) As indicated in a SHRM April 2009 poll of U.S.-based organizations and multinational companies, the primary focus of companies now is workforce planning. Although hiring expectations are low, talent management priorities remain high despite the economic downturn (see Figure 1 Competitive challenges influencing HRM The challenge of HR innovation Knowledge management It is no secret that knowledge is power. Knowledge management can create competitive advantage for a company and its customers. By sharing information and best practices, organizations create expanded opportunities for market share and financial growth. Furthermore, knowledge management provides a means for organizations to differentiate themselves from competitors. Second, KM can create a truly customer-focused culture. Appropriate organization resources can be directed toward solving customer problems or meeting customer needs quickly and effectively. Third, knowledge management can be a catalyst. Through tools, resources, and systems, it can help ignite creativity and innovation in the development of an organizations products and services. Fourth, KM can improve time to market. By leveraging best practices, learning and other time-savers to improve productivity, products can be introduced faster. Last, KM can expand a companys strategic options. By leveraging intellectual property in research and development efforts as well as overall market and business strategy, organizations can discover new ways to create value. Knowledge management can provide an organization with man benefits. Organizations can more effectively counter problems and threats and can respond more proactively to opportunities. In a knowledge based economy, managing knowledge along with other resources is a requirement, not an option. Knowledge workers Self-managing, automony, responsibility for continuing innovation Knowledge workers in todays workforce are individuals who are valued for their ability to interpret information within a specific subject area. They will often advance the overall understanding of that subject through focused analysis, design and/or development. They use research skills to define problems and to identify alternatives. Fueled by their expertise and insight, they work to solve those problems, in an effort to influence company decisions, priorities and strategies As the workers become more knowledge based, firms will need to implement strategic human resource practices in order to retain their tacit knowledge base either by retaining the tacit knowledge or by retaining the knowledge worker and thus retaining a critical competitive advantage. Performance of knowledge based industries depends on organizations attracting, holding, and motivating knowledge workers (Drucker, 2003). The transition to knowledge workers is having a significant impact on human resource practices. The knowledge workers must think like entrepreneurs, and the firms must think of the knowledge workers as entrepreneurial professionals as well as ensure a learning organization where tacit knowledge is actively diffused throughout the firm. This will allow the firm to better manage their knowledge resources through HR practices and help sustain their competitive advantage. High-performance work systems (HPWS)- combining people and technology- self-managing work teams Change in employees work roles and skill requirement The use of teams to perform work Changes in the nature of managerial work Changes in company structure Increased ability of HR information HRM practices in HPWS The challenge of sustainability The challenge of globalisation The challenge of attracting and retaining people NOKIA CASE:- Connecting People Exernal and internal people Nokia is the worlds leading mobile phone supplier and a leading supplier of mobile and fixed telecom networks including related customer services. Nokias corporate headquarters are in over 120 countries and employees are more than 47000 people worldwide. Human Resource Management plays an important role for Nokia to become the giant among the communication rivals, HRM in the new economy should to be human centric with a strong technology focus. Nokia use the SHRM to leverage on emerging technologies to better satisfy the wants and needs of the knowledge workers and in the process to build a competitive advantages. Nokia Australia is recognized as an employer of choice having been named National Best Employer in 2002 by Best Employer to Work for in Australia Awards sponsored by Hewitt, AGSM and John Fairfax. Nokia is one of only five companies to have consistently featured in the Best ployer category since the inception of these awards. Nokias HR policies have played a key role in helping the company to reach its 45 percent share of the global handset market and industry-leading profit margins of 20 to 25 percent, at a time of technological change and intense competition from Asian manufacturers. At Nokia values are the foundation and people the core. Nokia offer a workplace with a world of opportunities, engaging work, global culture and competitive rewards. The goal of Nokia HR is to create an environment in which all employees can fulfill their potential. It is crucial for the company to have the ability to adapt successfully to the high speed of change in the global market. The scale of Nokias business also means that Nokia employees can lead or participate in projects that have global impact, affecting the lives of millions of people and fulfilling Nokias mission: connecting people. Attracting, motivating and retaining people have become the main external influence on Nokias HR strategies. These four elements are: The first element of Nokia HR strategy is the Nokia way and values. Nokia is a networked organization with speed and flexibility decision making. Nokia provides individuals with a platform for personal growth in a challenge environment with a clear vision, goals and management principles. The Nokia Way brings talented people together who share the principles and success. Through the extensive employee engagement, Nokia have renewed their values that reflect their business and changing environment. Nokia is continuing engage all the stakeholders and employees to meet the needs of customers. And Nokias HR strategy includes the passion for innovation through new and improved ways and better understanding the world. Professional and personal growth (Challenge of Innovation) Nokia is focusing on professional and personal growth. Only with truly innovative ideas can make the company and its people to develop the industry and improve the products and services. Commitment to Self-developments People at Nokia is continuously looking for ways to improve their performance in order to stay at the forefront of technology and develop own competencies. Employees are encouraged to create their own development plan and take advantage of the variety of available learning solutions and methods. On the job learning is heavily encouraged. Nokia has the high-performance work systems (HPWS). First, Employees reward and compensations at Nokia is related to the companys performance.Nokia provides employees with market competitive rewards through a flexible global structure, which can address diverse and changing business and employment environments, as well as specific individual preferences. Nokia rewards employees for good performance, competence development, and for overall company success. This creates a positive and encouraging environment with opportunities for employees to optimize their potential and be rewarded fairly. Higher performance and contribution will lead to higher rewards. The Nokia global market competitive rewards structure addresses the need for flexibility, personalization, empowerment and commitment. Second, Nokia has the coaching and management training system. Coaching is regarded as a vital part of continuous learning. Highly skilled colleagues at Nokia provide employees with rich sources of experience and knowledge. Receiving coaching and partic ipating in different teams will fuel employees ´ development as well as give them the opportunity, every day, to share ideas and goals with innovators and industry leaders. Employees have access to a wide variety of training activities. Through global network of Learning Centers, Nokia HR aim to offer a consistent standard of training and development to all employees. The Learning Market Place Intranet contains information on all Nokia ´s learning solutions including e-learning as well as classroom training. Management Training Nokia place particular focus on developing managers in management and leadership skills. It is one of the key areas in competence development. There is a full range of training available from new managers ´ programs to senior programs for our more experienced people. Internal Job Market (Changes in the place of work) All employees at Nokia are invited to look at the job opportunities available inside Nokia. All vacancies, with the exception of very senior positions, are advertised internally. Employees are encouraged to improve their competencies through changing their positions. Internal job opportunities, the possibility to register to our internal candidate pool and other services for job-seeking inside the company are available through the Internal Job Market Intranet. The aim is to give Nokia people the opportunity to manage their own careers. Performance Management Nokia has created a successful performance management system across the whole

Lewis and Clark Matter :: History Expeditions Essays

Lewis and Clark Matter Amid all the hoopla, it’s easy to lose sight of the expedition’s true significance As the Lewis and Clark bicentennial approaches—the Corps of Discovery set out from Camp Dubois at the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers on May 14, 1804—all the signs of a great cultural-historical wallow are in place. Hundreds of Lewis and Clark books are flooding the market—everything from The Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition to Gary Moulton’s magnificent 13-volume edition of the expedition’s journals, to cookbooks, coloring books and trail guides. A gift catalog from Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello offers stuffed versions of a prairie dog, a bison and a Newfoundland dog made to look like Seaman, the animal that accompanied Lewis on the trip. You can even order dolls of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, Sacagawea and York "with detailed removable clothing." There are Corps of Discovery television documentaries, an IMAX movie and dozens upon dozens of Internet Web sites. There are Lewis and Clark conferences, museum exhibitions and trail rides. Last summer Harley-Davidson motorcycle riders drove parts of the trail. When Harley hogs discover Lewis and Clark, you know something big is going on! Now I would be the last person to dump mashed potatoes on all of this; after all, I’ve written four books about the expedition. Much of this bicentennial celebration is good, clean family fun that’s both informative and entertaining. But in all this hoopla I fear that we may miss the underlying significance of the Lewis and Clark story and the chance to connect these early explorers to the larger and richer stories of our past. On the road with Thomas Jefferson’s Corps of Discovery, or even standing alongside the trail as they pass by, we meet ourselves, and more important, we meet people who are not ourselves. Not the first Lewis and Clark were not the first white men to cross the continent from the Atlantic to the Pacific north of Mexico. (Scottish fur trader Alexander Mackenzie crossed Canada a decade earlier.) Nor did they visit places not already seen and mapped by generations of native people. You could even say that Lewis and Clark began the American invasion of the West, which aimed at making it safe for cows, corn and capital at the expense of bison, prairie grasses and cultures not fitting the expansionist agenda. If we want to be hard edged, we could even make a case that the Lewis and Clark story is a mainstay of the same shelf-worn narrative that glorifies and justifies the American conquest and dispossession of the North America natives.

Shakespeares King Lear - Suffering of Cordelia in King Lear Essay

The tragedy of Shakespeare’s King Lear is made far more tragic and painful by the presence and suffering of the king's youngest daughter, Cordelia. While our sympathy for the king is somewhat restrained by his brutal cruelty towards others, there is nothing to dampen our emotional response to Cordelia's suffering. Nothing, that is, at first glance. Harley Granville-Barker justifies her irreconcilable fate thus: "the tragic truth about life to the Shakespeare that wrote King Lear... includes its capricious cruelty. And what meeter sacrifice to this than Cordelia?"5 Yet in another passage Granville-Barker has come much closer to touching on the real explanation. I quote the passage at length. It will be a fatal error to present Cordelia as a meek saint. She has more than a touch of her father in her. She is as proud as he is, and as obstinate, for all her sweetness and her youth. And, being young, she answers uncalculatingly with pride to his pride even as later she answers with pity to his misery. To miss this likeness between the two is to miss Shakespeare's first important dramatic effect; the mighty old man and the frail child, confronted, and each unyielding... If age owes some tolerance to youth, it may be thought too that youth owes to age and fatherhood something more--and less--than the truth...6 Again he sums it up: Pride unchecked in Lear has grown monstrous and diseased with his years. In her youth it shows unspoiled, it is in flower. But it is the same pride.7 As in his portrayal of Desdemona, here too Shakespeare has presented a woman of beauty and culture. Her demeanor is gentle and refined though not lacking in strength or determination. Her emotions are deep, pure, loyal and e... ... speak When power to flattery bows? To plainness honour's bound When majesty falls to folly. (I.i.144-8) The immediate result is the order for his own exile from the kingdom and his donning a disguise so that he may continue his service to Lear. It is noteworthy that none of the truly evil characters in the drama have yet taken a conscious initiative. Up to this point everything centers around the interaction of Lear, Cordelia and Kent and all the terrible sufferings which follow have their source in this encounter. To rightly comprehend King Lear, we must see the true significance of the court and the direct relationship between it and the tragedy that follows. We must discover the source of the great intensity and direction which finds expression in the action of the drama, and carries it to its inexorable conclusion.