Wednesday, July 31, 2019

H&M in Accounting Essay

Content Page Questions Question 1. Using Michael Porter’s five forces model, evaluate the importance of Barriers to Entry to the fast-fashion industry. Support your arguments with evidence from the case study. (20%) Question 2. Conduct a value chain analysis to assess H&M’s capabilities and derive its core competencies. (35%) Question 3. Based on these competencies identify the generic competitive strategy which H&M is pursuing. (10%) Question 4. It is suggested in the case study that the fashion industry is full of companies that have confidently expanded into international markets but later have been forced to retreat. Analyze the international strategy choice being pursued by H&M and assess the extent to which this is appropriate for its future development. (25%) Appendix Global FactorsLocal FactorsIntegration Responsiveness Grid References Question 1. Applying Michael Porter’s five forces model, it includes the threat of entrants and substitutes, bargaining power of suppliers and customers and competitive rivalry. Among all, barriers to entry could be an essential factor to the fast-fashion industry. Even so, the threat of entry is affected by several factors. Different sources of barriers to entry can act as a determinant on the height of barriers. As mentioned in the case study, fast-fashion industries doesn’t require a large capital outlay. Entry to the retail industry is so easy that can be set up with a group of suppliers being chosen from. Therefore, the level of impact of capital requirement to the barriers to entry is low. Secondly, economies of scale is a barrier to entry as its product unit cost will be lowered for the businesses which already attained a production volume so that it will be hard for the new entrants to compete. H&M’s prices have been undercut by an even cheaper competitor. In this ca se, economies of scale’s level of impact to the fast-fashion industry is high. For the absolute cost advantage, for incumbent companies who already have economies of scale can have a significant cost advantage over new entrants. Additional costs may include  the learning or experience curve, proprietary technology and government subsidies. Therefore, the level of impact is high for new entrants. Considering product differentiation, the level of impact is regarded as low as fast-fashion industry has a variety of choices in its suppliers that could be different from many others. Also, it can be overcome by creating in its own brand to avoid this kind of barrier. There may not be a difficulty in access to channels of supply and distribution to the fast-fashion industry because these channels are held by numerous suppliers. New entrants can set up their own like Gap Corporation and Inditex by acting as both manufacturers and retailers which results in low level of impact. The level of impact of the legal and regulatory barriers will be treated as low either. Various controls may be limited by the governments such as the licensing requirement or limit to access to raw materials. These would not be applied to the fast-fashion industry as it generally has less control by the governments and usually bound by the legal system. Last but not least, the level of impact of the expected retaliation could be high since the size and duration of retaliation in fast-fashion industry are intense. These may threaten the new entrants including the price cuts. New entrants have less ability to make retaliation than those incumbents in view of experience and resources. To conclude, the overall height of barriers to entry is low which means a serious threat of entering fast-fashion industry. It implies an intense rivalry and an unattractive environment. Therefore, it is important to consider the barriers to entry in this industry. Question 2. The value chain analysis is mainly divided into two types- support and primary activities. This analysis is made to let companies determine where value is added to the customers and margin is increased to the organization. Under support activities, H&M’s firm infrastructure is easy and simple. Following Erling Persson’s basic values and beliefs, H&M intended to offer the fashion and quality at the best price. Also, the managers are given freedom and autonomy in decision-making processes which lead the success of H&M.For the Human Resources Management, H&M focused on one person’s qualities much more than qualifications which implies that opportunities are given to those people with lower academic levels. It was noticed that practical skills are more important to the company instead. Internal promotion and job rotation are the crucial ingredients to sustain H&M’s continuous growth.Regarding technology development, H&M has been adopting the latest IT systems with continuous improvement. Intelligent use of ICT has been an effective tool in assisting H&M’s business which can be applied to the logistics and warehouse system. Moreover, H&M is tightly connected to the customers through social network and various phone apps.The fourth support activity is the procurement. As H&M does not own any factories so the manufacturing is outsourced to low-cost countries. Procurement is centralized in Stockholm. A good connection network can be seen between the production offices and the suppliers in order to reduce the lead times. On the other hand, the primary activities include five elements-inbound logistics, operations, outbound logistics, marketing and sales and service. H&M provided little information on inbound logistics which should include raw materials con trol and inventory control of input material. This may become a weakness in the management of H&M.For the operation of H&M, it opts for renting store premises to increase flexibility and adaptability. In addition to this, H&M will do the product testing about the quality control. Furthermore, a new interiors program is created to catch up with the latest trend.Under outbound logistics, only transportation is handled by the external contractors. However, H&M deals well with the distribution by offering the best price to avoid middlemen. H&M is cost-conscious and thus can reduce the costs being incurred. Also, daily shipments are available to H&M which implies an effective and efficient shipment scheduling system.Considering the marketing and sales, H&M has been collaborating with 200 in-house designers and several famous ones. In addition to this, it has launched long-term advertising campaigns with high-profile celebrities which can indirectly boost the sales and build up its image. Online promotion is also available for customers for the latest updates.The last category is the service. Usually it refers to the after-sale service that how well a company can do on the quality contr ol. H&M just put little focus on after-sale service such as the customer support. This appears to be a weakness to H&M.Apart from inbound logistics and the service, other activities are considered as H&M’s strengths which makes H&M being world leader. Concerning the two types of the activities, there are three key linkages  between them. From support to support activity, Human Resources management (HRM) is linked to technology development as the intelligent staffs are employed to assist in IT development and continuously making updates through the IT systems. As the advanced technology requires employees to apply the IT skills they have learnt, so there is an important relationship between HRM and technology development. For example, HRM acts as an important role to reply customers’ queries efficiently and let them know the latest trend of the company through social networks. From primary to primary activity, the outbound logistics is linked to the marketing and sales. When the products and services are delivered to customers, the next process will be about the packaging and promotion on the products. Whether the customers choose the company depends on the quality of both products and services. It is said to be closely related because marketing and sales has usually become a must-do item for the large incumbents especially for the fast-fashion industry. For the last type of linkage from primary to support activity, it can be linked to five activities. Procurement, outbound logistics, marketing and sales, human resources management and technology development are all connected with each other in H&M’s operation.Although H&M didn’t own any factories, its manufacturing is outsourced in order to find some fashionable items with the lowest costs in response to the changing market which results in economies of scale. After the procurement process is done, it will be delivered to the customers from the warehouse. Under outbound logistics, it specifies the importance of the order fulfillment and on time delivery. As a large incumbent in retail industry, a budget is spent on t he marketing and sales on the products being delivered to the consumers. When doing the marketing and sales, IT skills and applications will be used to assist. In line with the promotion of its products, its brand name is highly attentive as well. Regarding the firm size and experience in the textile industry, H&M has been paying much attention on CSR keeping the brand name away from the criticisms which is treated as a kind of value driver that manage in its brand and reputation.For example, inventory will be shifted to the more popular regions from those with poorer sales amount in order to boost the sales. From this example, it can be seen that the intranet network is well-developed. From procurement to the technology development, they are all connected between each activity. Based on the 3  main linkages, the linkage between primary and support activity is the most important among all which is likely to be a core competence of H&M. To affirm whether it is core, the VRIN test can act as an effective tool.Whether it is valuable depends on the effectiv eness of the value-creating activities and its future development. The most significant value-creating activity is Human Resources management. Responsible and skilled staffs are essential to H&M as they can apply their experience and techniques in meeting the latest trend and customer needs. Trainings and duration of experience can definitely create value and be further developed.To define how rare it is, this should be compare with other similar competitors. Apart from the collaboration with in-house designers, H&M uniquely co-operated with different famous designers over the years from various countries.The fundamental concept that has already been embedded in the employees. It was said to be unbreakable stubbornness devotion to a goal by the journalists. This in fact is a competitive advantage which H&M can stick to the fundamental principle by offering fashion and quality at the best price and this will be difficult for others to imitate. For the last aspect, the category of the human resources management and the procurement may be vulnerable to substitution. The staff’s mobility is relatively high in this industry as it varies with the times. This theory also applies to the sources of supplies. But the staff trainings can increase their loyalty to the company which becomes non-substitutable. All in all the competency mentioned is sufficient to meet the criteria of the VRIN test. Therefore, human resources management in the linkage between the primary and support activities can be treated as core competency that confer competitive advantage. Question 3. Based on the competencies stated in question 2, H&M is pursuing the Hybrid strategy which is the integration of both cost and differentiation strategies. H&M has been applying economies of scale that is achieving cost leadership. H&M’s core principle is to offer the fashion and quality at the best price. One of its core value is to be cost conscious. H&M is alert to the costs which aim to provide the most worthy price for customers. Bargaining power is particularly important in this industry as fast-fashion changes in a speedy mode. At the same time, H&M has also  put a focus on differentiation. In building its reputation and image, H&M has spent a budget especially for advertising. Besides, working with different types of fashion designers creating innovative collections can lead product differentiation . To compete with others in this industry, cutting cost is not the only way to survive. To become a stable yet significant player, product differentiation is more effective. Based on the analysis in question 2, H&M has already built core competencies in cost drivers and value drivers which generate efficiency and differentiation. Also, H&M can respond quickly to the changing environment to fulfill customers’ needs and technology level. So Hybrid strategy is adopted in H&M. Question 4. Based on the Integration Responsiveness Grid, H&M is likely to pursue globalization strategy. Globalization is the transition of industries from a multinational to a global competitive structure. From the global factors, H&M scores higher than that in local factors. There are different arguments that support H&M pursuing globalization. For the most significant factors, H&M is obviously buying centrally in Stockholm. Stockholm becomes the central purchasing office of H&M. Gaining economies of scale is one of its goal of H&M either. To fast-fashion industry, speed of introducing new products to changing environment is very important to meet the latest trends. As mentioned before, advanced technology is applied in H&M which can improve the quality of products and service. Customers around the world behave in the same way as H&M has been opening over 2,000 stores in 2010 which implies customers in different countries accept the products and services H&M delivered. These factors globalize s H&M. On the other hand, pricing strategy being adopted by H&M has been coherent across borders as it focused on offering the best price to all customers in different countries sticking with the spirit of itself. There is no big difference in the distribution channels as it follows its own practice by distributing from distribution centers to warehouses to the stores. Business regulations and contexts also does not differ much from place to place. Customers contact and after-sale service are less focused by H&M which suggests low customization. Transportation is controlled by the external contractors which means local  operations are not that essential. Concluded from the local factors, H&M is not likely to pursue localization. Furthermore, decision-making like buying and logistics are centralized at the Head Office which confirms its position using a global strategy. Global strategy also has another characteristic which offers standardized products to different countries. In my point of view, global strategy is very suitable for H&M in future development. In fast-fashion industry. H&M belongs to a vibrant player which should aim to be a global leader. Also, it has already been achieving few tactics like economies of scale and increasing its bargaining power. However, there are several benefits and risks associated with the global strategy. By applying this strategy, H&M can achieve global economies of scale and brand consistency. Expanding the target customers as the whole world, independent management is also treated as its strength. For the risks that H&M might be facing, standardized products may not meet all customers’ needs as it might be lack of sufficient innovative ideas to suit everyone. Moreover, centralized decisions will be lack of innovation and creativity, though decentralization is now encouraged in H&M.

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Edith Cavell Essay

In 1914, Edith Cavell had already finished her nurse training and was giving four lectures a week to doctors and nurses, taking care for her friend’s daughter who was a morphia addict, a runaway girl, and also her two dogs. She lived a fairly mundane and busy life as a nurse; however, that changed on August 3rd, 1914 when she was back in Brussels dispatching the Dutch and German nurse homes and also making sure everyone knew that his or her first duty as a nurse was to take care for the wounded irrespective of nationality. The place she worked in became a Red Cross Hospital and so she treated anyone – including the Germans and Belgians. With war going on – Brussels fell and so the Germans commanded for the wounded and sixty nurses to go back home. Edith Cavell was one of the two people who remained in Brussels. By autumn of 1914, two stranded British soldiers discovered Edith Cavell’s training school and stayed there for two weeks. Others followed suit and then came the birth of an ‘underground’ lifeline created by the Prince and Princess de Croy at a chateau at Mons. Within this ‘underground’ lifeline, about two hundred allied soldiers were helped to escape and this secret organization lasted for one year, despite all the risks. Many of those who took part in this dangerous covert ‘mission’ knew that once they were caught for harboring allied soldiers, they’d definitely die. And Edith Cavell was one of them. Although Edith Cavell knew better to not stay involves, as she was a ‘protected’ member of the Red Cross, she made the strong decision to sacrifice her own life for the sake of her fellow men – her country. She thought her action to protect and hide the allied soldiers to be the same as tending for the sick and wounded. Edith Cavell knew very well of the consequences and by august 1915, only just a year after all the events; someone from Belgian found out and uncovered the truth. Her nursing school was searched at the same time as the soldiers escaped out through the back garden. Edith Cavell was calm throughout the whole search and not a single bit of evidence was found of such actions. She had managed through the year of keeping her ‘underground’ activities well hidden. Nurse Cavell may have been successful of not getting caught; the group of soldiers that  had escaped was not. On July 31st, 1915, two members who were escaping were caught and arrested. Five days later, Edith Cavell was arrested and ready to be interrogated. After hearing that several people had already confessed, she too admitted to all the charges against her and confessed. Following the confession, she was going to be executed. United Stated and Spain heard the news about Edith Cavell and tried their hardest to commute her sentence, but failed to do so. And so on October 13th, 1915, Edith Cavell was sentenced to death for hiding and protecting allied soldiers. It was revealed that Edith Cavell was very willing to use anything in her power to save the soldiers. She has said she would have rather died and sacrificed herself than have the soldiers get shot. Her whole life, she had been trained to protect others and heal them and even risk her own life – and so she did. On the night before her execution, Edith Cavell had said to Reverend Horace Graham one of her now most famous quotes: â€Å"I realize that patriotism is not enough. I must have no hatred of bitterness towards anyone.† Her execution led people in the United States and Great Britain to form an anti-German group. They used her as a heroic martyr to the war and honored with a statue. Works Cited: â€Å"British nurse Edith Cavell executed .† 2013. The History Channel website. Oct 31 2013, 7:00 http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/british-nurse-edith-cavell-executed. â€Å"War Declared.† War Declared. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Oct. 2013. http://www.revdc.net/cavell/page41.html

Monday, July 29, 2019

Newspaper and Internet Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Newspaper and Internet - Case Study Example The first newspaper was published in Beijing in 748 (newspaper–industry.org, n.d.). The paper reported further that the first daily newspaper circulated in 1702 in London and was called The Daily Courant. It was further revealed that in 1754, the first commercial newspaper The Daily Advertiser was published in London. In the U.S. earlyamerica.com, (n.d.) revealed that their first daily newspaper Boston News-Letter came out of circulation in April 1704. Since its inception, the newspaper is strictly for news and it was only in 1856 that commercial advertisements were discovered as a profitable endeavor by newspaper New York Ledger (Bellis, 2008). The invention of the radio in 1920 and television in 1939 did not affect the popularity of the newspaper as the source of news and an effective ads placement alternative. Williamson (n.d. 23rd par.) revealed that â€Å"Most all the major stores are getting back to the basics and finding the print advertising to be the best return on i nvestment†. In 1973, the internet was discovered by Vinton Cerf (ideafinder.com, 2007). It is a known fact that the internet is also a provider of news and ideas much like the newspaper. Critics conclude that the internet will cause the slow death of the newspaper and the people economically dependent on it. The conclusion is based on the fact that the internet provides what the newspaper can for free. Based from this, one need not spend a dime to buy a newspaper just for the news and ads because there is the internet, providing them what they need free of charge. This paper 2 aims to document and analyze the strength and weakness of the newspaper compared to internet and come up with strategies in order to survive in the context of customer service operation and excellence. Business Management experts agree that the obvious first step in order to come up with strategies for survival of a business enterprise is determine the developed perception of the customers about the business. The general truth suggests that this is of prime importance for the reason that perceptions should be well addressed in the formulation of strategies and action plans. Burns (2000), a university professor and a web site owner said that in case of a daily traveler, newspaper is still the choice over the internet for the simple reason that he has to download and print the crossword puzzle in order to work at it while on a public transport going to office. He continued by saying "Well, now you have to print it out, or download it onto a laptop for the trip. You're back to hauling things around again." (24th par.). A blogger by the pen name Lockergnome (2005) reported that what he usually read from the newspapers today are the news he read from the internet site yesterday. The blogger continued by saying that if all readers will finally realize this, surely they will not buy newspaper anymore, waste their time reading because what they are reading is already history. In the end, the perception being shown here is with newspaper, the happenings are not in real time unlike with internet. Another blogger by the name of Farsha (2007) feels that internet is not effective as newspaper in areas where access to the World Wide Web is limited. Farsha further said that if continues presence in the mind of the customer is needed

Sunday, July 28, 2019

Assignment 8 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

Assignment 8 - Essay Example standards of effectiveness for the person being supervised in terms of quality assurance and maintenance of functions as well as improving the competencies of the persons being supervised no matter how proficient they may be. Supervision also enhances collaborative effort to improve learning, which eventually helps in the attaining the goals of those being supervised. Without the supervision and the monitoring of efforts to improve the learning atmosphere, the supervisory responsibilities have increasingly encompassed other tasks, which are not usually within the arm bit of supervision. The question then is how one can he be an effective supervisor and deliver the desirable results of supervision. In order to understand how effective supervision should be, it is important to note that there are a variety of trends in the field of supervision, which influence one another (Eley and Murray, 2009). In order to be an effective supervisor, it is important to master your role as a front-line effective supervisor through strategies aimed at building success. The supervision style chosen by a person must endeavor to incorporate leadership skills in the supervision style chosen for the best results. It is important that effective supervision begins with the supervisor and how he is proficient in his role and the levels of the skills and this will require regular planning, acting, reflecting and reviewing of the supervision development progress. Effective supervision demands that the supervisor knows whomever he is supervising and how to motivate them for the best outcomes (Eley and Murray, 2009). This will require that the supervisor is aware of what drives the supervisees to achieve the desired results of an effective supervision strategy. The supervisor should educate and train by clearly defining his expectations, missions and the vision of the supervision that is to be carried out over the supervisees. Effective supervision will require that the supervisor builds a

Saturday, July 27, 2019

Museology of Natural History. Historic Museums And Climate Change Essay

Museology of Natural History. Historic Museums And Climate Change - Essay Example This pressing nature of the problem has necessitated the active participation of merely all sectors and institutions of the world towards alleviating the accompanying effects. Environmental organizations in the past have taken a leading role in informing the public, inspiring them as well as equipping them in manners appropriate to participate effectively in the challenge of controlling the climate change. This is because most of the recent findings point to human beings as being the main cause to the climatic change because of activities that lead to build up of green houses gases within the atmosphere. Burning of fossil fuels as well as deforestation has been majorly blamed on increasing the green house gases, which lead to global warming and in effect lead to the adverse effects that are seen from climate change and alteration of climate systems globally. However, lack of information by many people lead to the low participation towards curtailing the effects of climate change. Nev ertheless, the active participation of all human beings towards the problem necessitates that they are equally involved in finding the solution to the problem. Public awareness of the effects of personal activities towards rising levels of concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere as well as other environmentally unfriendly activities would play a great role in the efforts to contain climate change across the globe. This is the active role that most of the museums (not all) are currently engaged in with efforts towards alleviating the effects of climate change. Discussion Despite the active participation and the evident efforts by many world governments to educate the citizens concerning the problem, much is still to be done. This has therefore necessitated the active participation of nongovernmental organizations, scientific agencies and other institutions towards the common goal of environmental conservation with a motive of alleviating the effects of climate change. In particular, such active participation has been seen in the recent past from the historical museums across the globe. Most of the museums are taking active role in educating the public on such emerging issues in a timely way. There is growing evidence of scientific museums actively participating in empowering the public alongside other agencies such as environmental organizations through information in efforts to control climate change and hence the effects (Ryan, 2005, p. 4-5). The nineteenth century saw great revolution in creation of public awareness by scientific expositions as well as world fairs, which would later trigger active participation of the historical museums into the good course. The growing sense of responsibility over the time slowly led to the strategic moves by museums to participate actively in controlling the menace. The process of adopting the role of educating the populace concerning global warming and effects by the museums have seen development of educationa l theories as well as visitor research. The outcome of such efforts has been seen in development and adoption of conservation related exhibitions, which has been very instrumental in creating public awareness on the topic (Ryan, 2005, p. 23). Museums role as custodians of rich history not only safeguards the history but also enables there to be a link between the past, the present as well as the future. Sustainability has therefore shaped many of the efforts by the museums as defined by

Friday, July 26, 2019

THE USE OF SOCIAL NETWORKING TO FACILITATE LEARNING FOR CPUT Article

THE USE OF SOCIAL NETWORKING TO FACILITATE LEARNING FOR CPUT UNDERGRADUATE IT STUDENTS - Article Example IT lecturers in the university use social sites such as the facebook and MXit to provide students with learning materials ((Chigona and Dagada, 2011). Most students are comfortable with the social platform serving as a source of learning materials and hosting discussion forums (Dasgupta, 2010). Well managed social networking sites can support learning activities in learning institutions. In this vein, social networking sites can be applied in the learning program of CPUT. The use of social networking sites can enhance learning activities in the university. This paper aims at examining the efficacy of social networks as a learning platform for undergraduate IT students at CPUT. The IT department at CPUT places communication at the core of teaching and learning for IT students in order to develop critical soft skills (Sylvester and Greenidge, 2010). Computer-mediated teaching and learning at the institution enhances communication which facilitates the development of cognitive skills of students (Alcock, 2009). The university resolved to this form of learning due to student under preparedness, lack of student engagement in the classroom, link theory and practice, and to give students the necessary 21st century skills (Greenhow, 2009). Instructors work with students in the classroom and students can the access notes from the social sites. The young generation is more experienced in tactic knowledge sharing tools via the internet that they can apply in class work (Warschauer, 2009). Recent studies indicate that about 79.31 percent of the IT students engaged in virtual learning find the system very convenient. This is due to the fact that social sites are acces sible from different places both in the institution and at home (Knight and Rochon, 2012). Over the past years, virtual learning has gained popularity among the IT students due to its ease of use. The use of technology creates flexibility in the learning process and

Case 8-3 Ikea Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Case 8-3 Ikea - Essay Example It can also be defined as the way in which companies manage their business processes to produce an overall positive impact on society (Mallerbaker, 2009). This paper discusses the problems Ikea Corporation faced in the late 1990’s associated with CSR issues particularly child labor accusations. Ikea Corporation create a corporate culture that while it was streamlined and relaxing since the manager did not operate in beaurocratic manner, they also seem to forget about their responsibilities of the activities of the company abroad. Ikea was not well prepared to deal with international issues such as child labor. The company got a wake up call after some of its suppliers were caught involved in child labor practices. The company did not like the negative impact the revelation had on its sales and customer relations. The firm realizes its needs solutions to deal with the issues the company is facing. The company is facing public relations problems due to accusations that the firm is involved in child laborer practices. The child labor violations occurred not directly at Ikea, but as indirect associations since major supplier of Ikea at being accused of such acts. The first reaction of the company was that they were unaware of the child labor activity and they are against that type of illicit activity. The company never before had dealt with these types of issues. The executives of the company were at fault due to their incompetent managerial activity in which they failed to implement any proactive measures that could prevent such circumstances from occurring. The business risk of the company is high regarding its public image. After the public relations issues the company lost 20% of its sales in Denmark (Barlett et. al., 2008). Ikea is a company that has been able to successfully implement an organic growth model during the last 40 years. The

Thursday, July 25, 2019

Public Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Public Policy - Essay Example An organization called Living Well, which is funded by the National Health Service the public health system in the United Kingdom, has embraced this concept of wellness and successfully lead a great number of those suffering from HIV and AIDS through the problems resulting from the diagnoses. HIV infection care was previously managed with progressive immunosuppressant therapy, increasing ill health and the development of pre-terminal AIDS-defining infections and cancers. With the advances brought about by antiretroviral therapy since the mid 1990’s HIV infection has become a chronic condition, managed and maintained within an ability to have an elevated quality of life from those who suffered before these treatments were available. These advances have presented new challenges to those who are no longer dying of a disease but living with a chronic condition. According to the progress report developed by the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on AIDS in 2008 the United Kingdom has the United Kingdom has â€Å"a relatively low prevalence of HIV and AIDS.† (United p. 2) According to the same report as of 2006 there are 73,000 people living with HIV. This figure roughly amounts to â€Å"121 persons living with HIV per 100,000†. (United 2008 p. 2) With public healthcare available to the citizens of the United Kingdom obtaining medication and medical treatment has been accomplished with an average wait of 48 hours for a patient to obtain care. The recommended actions in the report are as follows: As the care for HIV and AIDS infected patients has been addressed in the United Kingdom, the concept of self-care has taken on a preventative aspect of the continuation of life for those working with this epidemic. These figures represent a portion of the population which must deal with a disease that has strong physical and emotional consequences. Society has designated HIV as a disease of social relevance. Those afflicted can be seen as

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Business - Labor Shortage Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Business - Labor Shortage - Essay Example Also, as the global economy improves, talent shortage will be further more evident. Job descriptions have become more complicated and are therefore out of reach of the vast majority looking for employment. Jobs have extensively evolved and are not as simple as they were in the past, what with now requiring more skills to man a particular position compared to before. This is a case of having a job demand, there is a workforce supply but it simply isn’t what the demand is looking for. This disparity created from such causes unemployment not only on particularly countries but rather globally, and it also affects the global economy in its entirety. There are also uncontrollable factors that affect the employment in relation to the line of work and how it is fairing in the economy, especially during recessions where the economy is volatile and unpredictable. A large composition of the unemployed is from the fresh graduates, with statistics saying that 89% of students with new bache lor’s degree cannot secure a job (Carnevale et al., 2012). A college degree does not guarantee a secure job these days. Companies demand that the people they hire have significant experience and are not only knowledgeable but also possess intangibles such as good critical thinking abilities and creativity. I confess myself as lacking in experience in order to play in the global field of competition and economy. Also, having the critical skills in problem solving cannot be verified and certified by a piece of paper, but it should be proven by experience. In order to alleviate such dilemma, it is only a rational decision to further develop ones talent and skills in order to attain job security (Schneider, 2011). Choosing the right course also significantly increases employment. By acquiring an EMBA degree, one achieves an assurance that the knowledge gained in such degree will never become obsolete or unnecessary since it is deemed as the ultimate business credential (Davies & Cline, 2005). Such degree holders are always specially sought by companies. If we follow the same train of thought of the common wisdom of corporations, by acquiring this EMBA degree, I further myself from the others looking for employment because with such I am being equipped with the ability and knowledge on how to generate more productivity and innovation. By completing this program, companies that I apply into are assured that they are looking at a prospect who has in depth knowledge in the economy and business aspects. While experience could still remain an issue, it could easily be overshadowed by the potential that is promised by a person who finished an EMBA degree. In order to finish such, one would and should be able to think critically and give in depth analysis on scenarios and situations and make good and educated procedures in order to solve problems. This degree will also help me be globally savvy regarding economics and marketing, which is a prime asset in this age o f globalized trade and commerce. Not to mention the entrepreneurial skills that I shall have honed that will help me implement and think of creative and innovative ideas, and also the international network shall I shall have developed. Although there is really no clear blueprint to follow in order to have good employment, it never hurts your chances to further develop

Tuesday, July 23, 2019

Action report 4 Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Action report 4 - Article Example The most affected are the young workers looking for the first opportunity to have a job as they have no experience. Also, the increase in the minimum wage reduces the freedom of the American citizens in spending. This is because there will be increase in the price of services and products in the economy (Schmitt, 18). Also according to the article, â€Å"Why Does the Minimum Wage Have No Discernible Effect on Employment,† research has evidently shown that minimum wage has no discernible effect on the employment practice of the low-wage earners. This is because the cost of the minimum wage in most firms is relatively small and that employers have many channels of adjustments. One channel of adjustment is that employers may reduce their expenditures on job training for low wage workers. Employers may also adjust by upgrading the skill level of their workforce and work against the employment of the less-experienced and less-educated workers. Employers in a highly competitive economy may also respond to a high minimum wage by passing the added cost to the consumers in form of high prices (Schmitt, 16). In conclusion, employers can cut pay to more highly paid workers, shift the composition towards higher skilled workers and accept a smaller profit margin as minimum wage has no discernible effect on employment. As for the workers, they may respond to the higher wage by working harder on the job and reducing labor turnover which enables the employers to save on

Monday, July 22, 2019

Foucault and kant Essay Example for Free

Foucault and kant Essay Both Kant and Foucault present a question of what is enlightenment? According to Immanuel Kant enlightenment was mans freedom from his â€Å"self-incurred immaturity†. Kant believes that all that is needed to reach enlightenment is freedom. Enlightenment could not be achieved by any one person, we have to do so as a community. Kant said that we should have the freedom to make public use of our reason in all situations. He also believed that revolution is a great way to remove oppressive government heads but it would not teach the community to think in a different way. Kant says that the matters of religion is the focal point of enlightenment. Thinking and acting freely is mans enlightenment and emerges us from our immaturity. Foucaults text is a reflection upon Kants views on â€Å"What is enlightenment? †. Foucault addresses many of the issues with Kants essay on â€Å"What is Enlightenment? † and says that is written in a world era to which no one belongs to. He says that enlightenment is an â€Å"exit† or a â€Å"way out†. Focault says that we have not yet reached enlightenment and that once we achieve this enlightenment there will be nowhere else to progress to and we will achieve our limit. I agree with Foucault over Kants view on enlightenment. I think as a whole we have not reached our enlightenment and I don’t think we will for a very long time. Although Kant said in order to reach enlightenment we have to do so as a community. We cannot do this because this is something that exceeds our limits as human beings.

Concept of leadership

Concept of leadership Leaders are born and Leadership skills can be developed represent two fundamentally different perspectives towards the development of leadership quality. Which perspective would you support, and what implications may this have for management development in organisations? Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The concept of leadership is as old as man himself. This is because ever since men came together for the purpose of achieving their different goals (communal, economic, political etc), there has always been the existence of a position for a leader/ leaders who would set the path towards the achievement of decided goals. This paper seeks to assume the position that leadership skills can be developed. One truth we know is that all leaders are born and when thrust with responsibilities performs with mixed results: some perform well; others perform woefully while others are able to balance the scales of performance. Upon the study of the various available literatures on leadership it was discovered that so many people have posited beautiful logical arguments for both sides of the divide. Nevertheless the question at hand demands that a position be assumed and supported and this is what i seek to do. The position of this paper is to logically argue against the notion of a breed of people born as leaders as those qualities are not inscribed on a mans forehead but are developed through certain challenges which bring out those qualities which become evident to everyone. As would be highlighted in subsequent sub-topics the paper would attempt to make a point for is assumed position. What is Leadership?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Like many other concepts there are many definitions of leadership. Nevertheless they all assume that it involves the headship of any entity, organization, or group. Many scholars might argue back and forth about the philosophy of leadership, but the fact remains that the leader is the one who determines the path the group or entity would follow. Antonakis, Cianciolo and Sternberg (2004) agree with this point of view as they point out that it is a concept which is very easy to identify but difficult to define.Fieldler, cited in Antonakis et al (2004) also noted that there are many definitions of the concept as there are theorists and scholars working on the subject. John Maxwell, the author of the book 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership believes that leadership is nothing more than influence. Thus a leader to him is the person with the most influence among a group or within an entity. Northouse (2006) however argues that leadership is a diverse concept that might mean many things to different people. Nevertheless he assumes that there are common elements in all the definitions of leadership and he based his view on these common elements. To him, leadership is a systematic process whereby a person is able to influence other people to achieve common goals. Northouse posits that his definition is rooted in the following elements namely: process, influence, groups and common goals. Bryman (1986) is also in support of the position that the context in which the concept of leadership is applied varies from scholar to scholar. He also highlights that there have been ethical attempts by scholars to distinguish between leadership and other methods of influence like power and authority.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Leadership is a concept that is present in every group or entity be it a school, church, business organization, state, association (local and international) etc. There are so many reasons why people emerge as leaders of the various groups they find themselves in. Some emerge by popular consent e.g. as found in a democratic state like the United States, others emerge by appointment e.g. the chief executive officer of an organization or business corporation. Others yet emerge as leaders via their possession or control of the means of coercion e.g. military leaders and dictators and in the business world boardroom politics and manipulation might see the emergence of a new head/ boss. Leadership is an essential feature of all entities that must be present as an entity without leadership might be brought down by internal and external instability. It is for this reason that scholars have taken time to study about leadership and the role it plays in achieving org anizational goals. The recognition of its importance has given rise to the question of ethics in leadership and the dichotomy between good and bad leadership. Nevertheless it must be said on hand that the ethics of leadership is dependent on the position of the interested scholar. Thus while some scholars may concern themselves with leadership by consent, others may be more Machiavellian in nature. However this paper does not want to delve in to the ethics of the matter but rather wishes to pay attention to the question at hand. THEORIES OF LEADERSHIP Many scholars over the years have opined and debated on the various approaches to understanding the concept of leadership. This debate has spanned from the time of early philosophers like Plato down to modern theorist. According to literature there are a number of theories which helps one to understand the concept of leadership and these we shall take a note of briefly. Seleshi Sissaye (2001) provides us with some of the well known theories namely Trait theory Functional theory Situational theory Trait theory According to Sissaye the trait theory can be seen as that which argues that leadership traits are acquired at birth. It is one of the earliest theories as it assumes the notion that some people have these traits while others lack it. It has however been criticized for its inconsistency although it later regained prominence in later years. Northouse (2009) also refers to it as the great man theory because it concerns itself with those qualities that made men great. He further noted that unlike other theories this one was focused on the nature of the leader and not the followers. Functional Theory Sissaye (2001) says that this theory came after the trait theory and it is an important one because it takes recognition of the role that leaders play in their environment. It was propounded by Parsons in 1951. Reisman in Sissaye further teaches that in this theory the leader actually serves three roles in his institution: facilitator, administrator and model. Situational Theory To Sissaye (2001), the situational theory came to replace both the functional and the trait theories of leadership. It is founded on the contingency theory of social organization. Hamilton in Sissaye postulates that the core of this theory is the argument that the nature of the job determines the emergence of the leader. In other words, a leader emerges based on the opportunities presented or on the circumstance he/ she find himself in. Northouse (2009) observed that that this type of leadership theory involved a directive and supportive dimension and these have to be applied when the occasion calls for it. Are Leaders Born?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This is an interesting question. It is one because it attempts to understand the notion that leaders are a special breed of people who come into the world to fulfil their role of leadership. Thus it bears an element of destiny in it. Roger Gill (2006) noted that scholars and philosophers have debated this position over the years like Shakespeare and Aristotle. However many scholars of the modern period have also argued this position on the grounds that there is an innate characteristic in certain individuals which might be highlighted or can be moulded to attain the desired level of leadership characteristics. Indeed Nicholson and Norburn in Gill assume the position that there are innate genetic cells in individuals which may be developed to the desired standard. To them since all people are not leaders it is only reasonable to assume that the leaders have a certain leadership trait that has placed them in that position. This argument is also supported by Kilpatrick and Locke in Torrington, Hall and Taylor (2008). They also believe that leaders possess certain genetical leadership traits such as drive, motivation and self confidence which make it easier for them to perform well in leadership positions. The truth is that all leaders are biologically born. They are all products of the biological reactions which bring forth everyone- leaders as well as followers. There is nothing extraordinary about the birth of leaders because so many factors are involved in the emergence of a leader and it is these factors if favourable to the leaders success that might lend some validity to this statement. This notion makes one to question the existence of the followers. If leaders are born and developed from the womb to be leaders, then are followers already predetermined to become followers from birth? Finzel (2007) proposes that real leaders arent born but learn by trial and error and that inability to learn good leadership habits might haunt a ge neration of subsequent leaders. Cohen (1999) makes an interesting point that there are so many people who are educated and have good qualifications but this does not naturally endow them to lead. Rather than support the claim this paper wishes to disapprove of this philosophy that leaders are born not made and that leadership skills can be developed. Leaders and their skills are developed   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Leadership Development according to McCauley, cited in Day (2001) involves the collective expansion of organizational members to involve themselves in leadership roles and processes. The fact is that all human beings are born with various traits talent and skills: psychological and physical. Leadership should however not be viewed in this light. This is because unlike genetical traits like eye colour, lip colour, looks etc, leadership is a combination of opportunity and ability. Leadership traits as argued by scholars of the trait school are not as evident as those physical traits which individuals are known to exhibit. Thus we might say that all individuals are born with leadership skills all of which are not made manifest, rather their skills are honed and sharpened through the various challenges they face and opportunities presented to them. His/ her ability to head a group visibly confers on him the status of leader (although in some cases the visible head might not be the real leader e.g. as in the case of Mahatma Gandhi and Nehru in India. In management circles a leader is identified through his ability to handle different difficult situations put in his charge. These opportunities are presented to identify key areas of strength and weakness and this gives people the chance to weigh and determine the kind of leader they want at the top. Lenore Mewton (2009) in her paper argues this position by admitting that although it is very possible for individuals to possess traits and qualities which equip them for positions of leadership, it can also be learned and developed from executives and other business practitioners as their experience helps shape and individuals decision making processes. She believes that for a leader to be prepared he must assume leadership of himself of self leadership and proposes that individuals must be conscious and aware of their qualities and abilities as this allows them to decide on which to employ whi le taking decisions in leadership position.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Lets take a closer look at this position. Leadership development might start from any point in an individuals life. Factors such as the environment and the individual a leader comes in contact with also shape the way his leadership abilities are developed. An individual who attends school, goes to church or mosque and develops through life might remain a follower unless given such positions that bring out such leadership qualities in him. It is for this reason why many institutions such as businesses, governments, non-governmental organizations etc spend lots of money engaging their staff in various leadership courses within and outside state boundaries. For instance in institutions such as the military, soldiers rise through the ranks and are given positions of command. Their success in handling these various assignment given to them determines how the move up the military hierarchy. This view is in agreement with the opinion of Lussier and Achua (2009) w ho argue also that most of the worlds major corporations spend millions of dollars on various leadership seminars and training programs around the world. They further posit that irrespective of an individuals talents, he/she could be developed to lead if given a chance or provided an opportunity.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In trying to justify the position of this paper the argument would rely greatly on the opinions of the development theorists. This is because many of the popular businesses in the world today depend on leaders that are developed through their ability to handle various challenges presented to them. The modern business environment is such that the only leaders that are recognized are those who have risen through the ranks and have had their abilities tested and developed through the various programs, seminars and leadership programs they have found themselves in which has brought out those leadership qualities in them. The next sub heading would try to look at how leadership skills are developed in an organizational context. Leadership Skills Development in an Organization   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  How are leadership skills developed in organizations? What are the processes? What does it entail? Do the beneficiaries of such processes end up becoming good leaders? These are some of the questions that this sub heading hopes to answer in a brief yet concise way. Many organizations have many ways of ensuring that leadership skills of her staff are harnessed to the fullest. Many of the popular corporate names like General Motors, General Electric, IBM, Procter and Gamble etc have a culture of developing their staff to bring out the leadership skills in their staff. This was further confirmed in a Fortune Magazine online article of the World best companies for leaders which saw those companies listed earlier as examples as part of the top ten. A look through the list of companies and their profiles show that the companies all have various strategies and methods for identifying and developing managerial talents into the kind of leaders that would benefit th e corporate world. For instance in Procter and Gamble top executives also participate in training staff at the companys leadership colleges, while at IBM mobility assignments are given to thousands of staff spanning from a range of three to six months. At Titan Cement, which also made the Fortune list, their own leadership program also includes a one year program known as the career pre heater, as well as a value system for evaluating people thereby identifying leadership material through their performance.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Why do companies take the effort to develop the leadership skills of their staff? A personal opinion might be that companies prepare to advance to the next phase of growth by preparing their staff and developing their leadership skills so as to ensure that the business has a viable leadership to steer them through to that next phase of growth. A lot of the major corporations try to satisfy their leadership needs internally by developing special leadership programs for their leadership talents or high performing managers. For instance Hewlett Packard or HP for short, the PC and InfoTech Company based in the US according to Carter, Ulrich and Goldsmith (2005) through their Workforce Development and Organizational Effectiveness Group developed a program called Dynamic Leadership; a program which according to HP was to improve decision making and leadership amongst other objectives set by the then CEO Carly Fiorina. The end product of this program was after a study and analysis of the process was that they benefitted financially over the long term after evaluation of various processes as well as successfully merging with another PC company-Compaq. A lot of the big corporations also have a similar pattern for identifying and filling leadership gaps within the organization. Other big corporations that have implemented a similar model to that of HP include Macdonalds Corporation, Intel, Lockheed Martin etc. Macdonalds Corporation for instance is one of the biggest fast food ventures in the world. In 2001 its HR Design Centre created a program for its key managerial staff called the Macdonalds Leadership Development Experience. This program was specifically designed to bring out leadership qualities of staff that would go on to occupy a key position within the Macdonald hierarchy namely the position of Regional Manager. The candidates undertook training and the scholars, Ulrich et al considered the training process good enough to bring out t he leadership qualities in these candidates. However many people are developed through structural positions of leadership. Thus their ability to head a position determines if they have the Capacity to handle people and resources on a larger scale.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Day (2001,a) however notes that there are other methods by which companies develop their potential leaders. Some of the examples given include the 360 degree feedback, which involves the collection of different points of view of an individuals performance, as well as mentoring, which Day defines as formal developmental relationships while performing duties on the job. McCauley and Brutus (1998) identify with Job Assignments as an important tool in training potential leaders and Day (2001, b) notes that this has been employed by Businesses like the Coca Cola Company. IMPLICATIONS FOR MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT IN ORGANIZATION. What are the implications of leadership development in organizations? How does management benefit from the leadership skills development that many organizations are now focusing on? It must be said that a lot of companies in the world today are investing in leadership development because they are aware of the benefits that come with good leadership in business. This is what Mullins (2007) believes, that businesses identify people who would be beneficial to the companys management in the long term. If we borrow from the resource based view of HRM we would understand that leadership skills constitute part of the resources which give a company competitive advantage against rival businesses. Shajahan (2007) is also of the opinion that leadership programs directed at skill development serve as a source of competitive advantage. Some implications which i personally identified include the following namely: Continuity Smooth flow of Communication Identification of the right leaders for the business. Continuity: One of the reasons why companies undertake leadership skills program is to ensure continuity of leadership. Thus businesses undertake different strategies of leadership skills development to ensure that there is continuity in the business. This is because only good leaders have the foresight to keep a company going through to the next phase of growth. As Shajahan (2007) noted in the example of General Electric (GE), while its iconic C.E.O, Jack Welch, was preparing to retire in 2001, executives where being recruited to report to the potential successors of Welch. Thus Shajahans point is that companies concerned with leadership do not wait until the last minute to get a leader. They rather start the process early enough and continue till the process till whenever the process becomes unnecessary. Smooth flow of Communication: Leadership Skills development allows for a smooth flow of communication between potential leaders and other staff. This is because staffs that are trained under these leadership development schemes are knowledgeable of the internal workings of the organization as well as the people who bring about these workings and functions i.e. the staff. Thus it is easier for them to communicate and pass down directives because of their knowledge of the system and familiarity with those that operate the system. This can be seen in companies that recruit their management staff internally. Identification of Right leaders for the business: This is also similar with the first point but is also unique in its nature. Leadership development is a process which highlights the leadership potential of all participants involved in the development program. As a result such programs do not only provide leadership options in times of succession and continuity but also provide options for those who would take charge of key areas of business. Such people might mature over time to take over the leadership mantle if need be as such key positions handled by these persons constitute part of their leadership training process. Others might not assume leadership positions in that company but might be suitable and well qualified for like positions in other companies.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are other key implications of leadership skills development which are crucial to management success in an organization. Nevertheless it can be seen that it is a process that is very good in bringing out that part of individuals which is usually hidden unless identified and sharpened to suit the objectives and mission of the organization. CRITIQUE OF THE LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT POSITION   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Although i have taken the position that leadership skills can be developed, there are still some criticisms that linger over it and much of it come from the philosophical school of thought that leadership qualities are in born, a position adopted by the trait school of leadership theory. These scholars have made some reasonable points that are worthy of consideration and analysis.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  According to Gill (2006), the argument about leaders being born or made started with Hippocrates description of personality types based on body humour. In his book, Gill argues the point that this position is a psychological one, which makes it important because its concerns are crucial to the success and making of a leader. Such psychological concerns include interpersonal, psychological and emotional concerns. One of the major flaws of the leadership development position thus is that it downplays the importance of psychology in leadership. Although it can be argued that leaders are developed over time to suit their roles, one must not ignore the fact that leaders also have certain qualities that identify them as natural born leaders. For instance Northouse in Gill (2006) identified in his analysis certain trait qualities associated with leadership namely integrity, dominance, self confidence and sociability. Judge in Gill (2006) also identified some more characteristics which could be identified with leaders namely agreeableness, extraversion and conscientiousness. This view is also upheld by Kirkpatrick and Locke (1991) who argue that leaders possess those special traits which push them further to develop those identified traits. They make use of examples of personal characteristics of some leaders like Sam Walton of Wal-Mart and John Paul Jones of the US Navy to drive home their point of the relationship between trait and leadership. Nevertheless it must be noted that although possession of leadership traits is a factor, it does not determine the success of a leader.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Another criticism noted with this leadership development position is that the fact that leadership skills which are developed through certain training schemes either formal or informal does not guarantee the success of a leader. Skills development does not uniquely give leaders a successful tenure in their organization just as traits alone does not explain leadership success. CONCLUSION   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This paper has briefly reviewed the concept of leadership and has seen that leadership although identifiable cannot be given an encompassing definition. Many people see leadership in different lights; influence, management, control, power etc and as a result it cannot be given a wholesome definition to embrace all these points of view. The theories surrounding the concept of leadership have also been briefly reviewed as it is the opinion of this paper that these theories have a great influence on the question of concern. The two points of opinion: leaders are born and leadership skills can be developed have also been reviewed in a bid to provide a bit of understanding on the debate. While this paper has adopted the position of leadership development, it nevertheless has sought to point out that any of the positions is subject to the beliefs and opinions of the individual as there is no universally acceptable position on the subject of leadership. One might be forced to make the conclusion that an argument like this is more of a philosophical question and with leaders coming up in different sectors and carrying out their duties in different ways there is no clear superior argument as both positions have considerable weight. Nevertheless the position of this paper still stands: that leadership skill can be honed and sharpened to suit and lead a people in a particular way. This stands because people have certain qualities that could be shaped to be of better use to the larger society, community, organization or country.

Sunday, July 21, 2019

Leadership Of President Bush And President Obama Politics Essay

Leadership Of President Bush And President Obama Politics Essay The race for the president of the United States has for a long time remained a pitched race for the democrats and the republicans who have continued to wrestle the office amongst them. With both camps fighting for the big seat, the promise of a better America has been at the kernel of the race for the votes. After every race for the presidency, the oval office has had new occupant who has adopted specific style of presidency. Their visions, ambitions and performances have differed while others have remained the same. Taking a comparison of President Bush and president Obama, there are strong indication that their presidency differs with Obama exhibiting a paradigm shift in handling of issues which has continued to bolster his unique presidential style thus making a big contrast from his predecessor; president Bush. Leadership style The ascent of President Bush into power as the president of the United States made it clear that an autocratic leader had taken over the highest administrative office in America. Right from his acceptance speech, President Bush affirmed the fact that he had been where the buck stops, both while in business and government (Denton, 109). In his tenure as a president, President Bush exemplified his presidential style as an imperialist who believed in taking charge. Bush believed that he alone was fit to set the agenda, the tone and the framework (Burke, 108). By this token, president bush made little involvement of the American citizenry but instead trusted on his instincts and made decisions based on what he believed was right concerning any issue that he was faced with as a president. This type of leadership is a complete contrast to president Obamas way of taking charge of the federal government. Looking at president Obama way of taking charge as a president, it will be easily noted that President Obama is more of an organizer who advocates for democracy rather than imperialism. Obamas work at the office of the president has made it clear that he is a better organizer who understands the community having an immense sense of social solidarity (Nielsen, 253). Unlike his predecessor, Obama has come out as a president who has increased the peoples involvement and input in the governance process. Obama has even made it possible for the growth of responsibility and activism that has generated positive feedback from the electorate who now feel that they are part of the government. This style of leading the government departs from what Bush believed in. For president Obama, an executive leadership was not a choice let alone an option as America required someone to hold both the democrats and republican towards a collective dream of change. Deceit and sincerity President Bush tenure was allegedly fashioned in deceit and sincerity with his involvement in a number of issues in ways that were deemed as cunning and full of deceit. It is much believed that President Bush continued to weave the deceit into the American Fabric much like his predecessor like President Churchill (Lando 45). With claims that Iraq had in possession weapons of mass destruction (WMD), President Bush marshaled the congress to support the war against Iraq as well as garner support from its allies in Europe. Late on, it did emerge that Iraq had no possession of such weapons. Instead, the war was for unknown motives sponsored by the President as the UN inspectors found no such weapons in Iraq (Rosecrance and Stein, 186). On the contrast, President Obamas stay in the office as a president as so far demonstrated that he is indeed mindful of maintaining integrity rather than employing cunningness to wield the support of the American Congress. To some, the America problem is both substantial and real (Genda, IX). To tackle such problems president Obama has employed a different approach where the Americans are sensitized on the nature of problems facing them but at the same time equipping them with audacity of hope to wear down the challenges and make America be what the people want it to be. With his skills to articulate himself with a purpose and vision, Obama has managed earn the trust of the Americans (Leanne 21). Through the openness that President Obama has so far embraced since his ascend to power; it is more likely that he shall be able to create a unified America where the citizenry are bound together with purpose against a common challenge. This will surely be a significant contrast to President Bush art of keeping the electorate in the dark while making decisions which had national impact to the Americans. The fight against terror Terrorism has been one of the threats that have continued to face the Americans both in the diaspora and at home. History proves that the American has suffered in the hand terrorists. As a result, the presidents of the united have done all under their power to ensure the safety of the American. However, president Obamas approach has been different from that of president Obama in regard as to how the issue of terror is handled. President Bush is well known for his stand against terror where he seems to be in agreement with the notation that the enemy was deemed as deserving the ill and harsh treatment (Grosscup, 12). President Bush stand on the fight against terrorism made him mobilize the American war machinery to combat terrorism both at home and abroad. Bush made sure that policies were enacted which beefed up measures against the terrorists who were regarded as homicidal and cruel. President Bush went further to allow for the development and use of tools in the arrest and interrogation of terror suspects in areas such as Guantanamo bay. In this facility, President Bush advocated the use of interrogation techniques such as waterboarding where suspects are placed in simulation that they are drowning (Welch et al. 440). This detention camp was heavily criticized for human rights violations and thus when Obama came into power; he has endeavored to ease the use of such techniques in interrogation suspects. A dditionally, president Obama has announced intention to close the detention camp and use other effective approaches to fight terror. Conclusion Comparing or contrasting President Bush and President Obama is one of the most critical tasks that seem to preoccupy the Americas given that the present Obamas administration came into power through its promise of change for the good of the American people. While it may be unknown to many, President Obamas mantel was based on change; change that could liberate the American from the mistakes of the past while address the challenges at the present. Obamas decisions to organize rather that lead alone and open up rather than close himself in made has made him emerge as a leader who stands for sincerity and human rights unlike President Bush.

Saturday, July 20, 2019

Sex Addicts Find Each Other Online :: Journalism Essays

Sex Addicts Find Each Other Online To her friends and family, Mary Smith* is a young, hard-working psychology student who never seems to have time for fun. What they don't know is that Mary is a sex addict. Recently, her boyfriend of three months discovered her secret. After they broke up, Mary took her addiction one step further and started experimenting with strangers and bondage, spanking and rape fantasies using the Internet. Mary uses the Internet as her tool to find sex partners. Mary spends most of her time on the Internet exploring erotic Web sites. The Internet changed the way in which she communicates. Late night, she wanders nearby neighborhoods -- dressed sometimes as a dominatrix concealed by her outer coat -- to have sex with men. An honors student, she is terrified of getting caught but can not stop herself. She had her first sexual encounter with a total stranger in the front seat of his car just blocks away from her college campus. She met this man on the Internet through a personal ad directed at college girls. Mary never had sex with strange men before the Internet. Now she spends morning, noon and night surfing adult chat rooms, pornography sites and alternate lifestyle Web sites. â€Å"It all started when a friend called me up one day and told me that she was dating a man that she found off of the Internet.† Smith said. â€Å"Hours later I was hooked.† Smith placed an ad of her own on an erotic Web site. In the ad, she included her picture, physical details and sexual fantasies. She changed her name to protect her identity. â€Å"I got so many responses from guys; it freaked me out at first,† Smith said. â€Å"I went back to the sites minutes later because I couldn’t stop thinking about the idea of having sex with different men.† The convenience of sexually oriented Web sites on the Internet gives the sex addict immediate access to potentially dangerous people. The seeker can become a victim of a sexually related crime. Sexual addiction is defined as any sexually-related, compulsive behavior which interferes with normal living and causes severe stress on family, friends and loved ones and one’s work environment. This behavior is often accompanied by other addictions such as drinking, drugs and eating disorders. The sex addict engages in sex to feel good. They became so consumed with this feeling that they soon avoid their school work and other responsibilities.

Friday, July 19, 2019

Suez Crisis :: Papers

Suez Crisis Anthony Eden was Prime Minister at the time of the Suez Crisis in 1956. His political career began in 1923 and by 1926 he had become a parliamentary private secretary at the Foreign Office. He was very involved with the League of Nations, believing in their principles and at the age of 38, became Foreign Secretary. At this time international affairs were seen as being aggressive and Anthony Eden was forced to resign from Neville Chamberlain's Government over his policy of appeasement. He joined the Government during World War Two and became Secretary of State for war under Churchill. After the war times were very difficult with the Cold War at its peak and trouble in the Middle East. Colonel Nasser became dictator of Egypt in 1954 after leading a successful revolution against King Farouk. British troops left Egypt for the first time since 1882, and as soon as they had gone, Nasser declared the Suez Canal to be the property of the Egyptian Government. The Suez Canal was a vital shipping route for oil being brought to Britain. Eden wrongly saw Colonel Nasser as the next Hitler and was determined to make a stand against him. "Nasser has a finger on our wind pipe", he remarked. Nasser was going to be taught a lesson. Nasser was seen as a nationalist who was determined to rid Egypt of foreign influence and make Egypt the Arab world's leading state. He had tried to buy arms from the West but eventually had to buy them from Czechoslovakia and western powers were concerned that Nasser was leading Egypt towards communism. His seizure of the Suez Canal was justified in his mind by the refusal of Britain and US to finance his ambitious project to build the Aswan Dam across the Nile. In Source A, Eden says Nasser is "not a man who can be trusted", and also "we all know this is how dictators behave and we all remember the cost of giving in to Hitler". This shows that Eden cannot help

the threat of nuclear proliferation Essay -- essays research papers

One of the foremost growing concerns in the modern globalized world is the increasing rate of nuclear proliferation. Coupled with the burgeoning number of nuclear devices is the threat of a terrorist possibly obtaining a weapon of such magnitude. While one could argue that the rising number of states with nuclear capability is a disturbing prospect, particularly as many pursue such capabilities without the approval of the â€Å"traditional† nuclear powers, terrorists in possession of nuclear arms presents the most horrific outlook concerning nuclear proliferation. Terrorist groups, unlike states, are not organized governmental bodies, which complicates any means of formalized diplomacy or negotiation. Furthermore, unlike as compared to a state, one cannot formally declare war on a terrorist group, thus causing difficulties in regards to concerns of specific conflicts or targets. It is not as if one could penalize a terrorist group with economic sanctions or any other means st ates employ to deter threats from and intimidate one another. The globalized world has created a form of terrorism that knows no borders, and it would be very difficult to exert one’s will on a terrorist group, at least on a large scale. The coinciding fact that terrorists do not conduct warfare in the same manner as states do makes them increasingly unpredictable. A terrorist employment of a nuclear arm would not occur during an organized conflict; rather it would be used in a terrorist attack without warning. And due to the growing fervor of fundamental religious terrorism, there is a greater willingness among terrorists to sacrifice their own lives in pursuit of their goals. These combined elements create a frightening world in which today’s most astounding new threat possesses weapons of the most awesome power. The key to identifying the threat posed by a particular terrorist group is its basic tenets, and the level of violence thereof. â€Å"Groups that model themselves on an avenging angel or a vindictive god†¦are more likely to lash out than those whose core myth is the suffering Messiah,† (Stern, p.72). For example, the element that may be both the most prevalent and violent in the world today is fundamental Islamic extremism. With its emphasis on violent martyrdom and conquest on â€Å"infidels,† Islam is a religion based on values that are easily twisted to an extreme. Due to their religious ... ...ain such a weapon. Terrorists will not acquiesce to the terms concerning possession and production of nuclear weapons handed down by an international organization, regardless of its power. The best we can hope for is a level of regulation among the nuclear-capable states of the world that is strong enough to remove the possibility of any terrorist acquisition of nuclear materiel. The inherent lack of rationality in the mind of a terrorist is the quintessential factor behind the frightening prospect of nuclear proliferation among radicals, whether they are fundamental religious extremists, or political radicals. The globalized world of the 21st century has seen the threat of politically driven state ideology fade out and give way to the new threat of terrorist ideology. The dangers of such illogical principles are only compounded when on considers the nuclear element, and its significance in the hands of those who seek solely to harm others. The interconnectedness of the modern global community has compounded the threat of worldwide terrorism, and with greater nuclear proliferation, the potential for a devastating nuclear terrorist attack should shock and awe civilians everywhere.

Thursday, July 18, 2019

Discuss Chaucers poetic methods Essay

Discuss Chaucer’s poetic methods in presenting evil in the pardoner’s prologue and tale in the light of this comment.  In Chaucer’s time, the nature of evil related to any committing of the 7 deadly sins, consisting of greed, pride, blasphemy, sloth, avarice, wrath, lust and envy. The pardoner’s prologue and tale is comprised of many of these sins, the pardoner himself demonstrating the majority. Other characters, such as the 3 rioters also embody many of these sins. This essay will explore these characters as well as their evil natures and formulate an opinion how Chaucer presents evil in the pardoner’s prologue and tale. The pardoner’s evil nature is initiated from his physical description in the general prologue. He is described as having hair as yelow as wex and hood we wered noon – a description immediately illustrating him as a rule breaker, as for most clergymen it was assumed they would cover their hair. In addition to this, he is described as having such glaryng eyen. In the medieval times, this amounted to the suggestion of evil; therefore, Chaucer has constructed the pardoner in such a way to ambiguously imply he may be somewhat evil. Critics, such as Spearing, have noted that the pardoner’s repellent outer appearance reflects his inner corruption. The description of his fake relics, such as the sayle that saint peter hadde and oure lady veyl are used to demonstrate his evil intentions; taking advantage of the peasants’ good faith by tricking them into buying fake relics, that are nothing more than pigges bones. From the onset, Chaucer has incorporated the theme of evil within the pardoner and has maintained this throughout the prologue and tale. The prologue outlines the pardoner’s admittance to his evil nature, and suggests he may even be proud of this. He boldly states that his sermons are constructed around the well-known Latin biblical phrase, radix malorum est cupiditas – loosely translated as ‘greed is the root of all evil’. The missing word omnium from this is used to demonstrate his lack of biblical knowledge, which is emphasised by the repititon of this phrase throughout. In medieval times, it was common and often expected, for members of the church to know and practice in Latin. The pardoner admits to using pieces of Latin to saffron my predicacioun. This cooking imagery may suggest that he only uses Latin to reinforce his false position, and therefore highlighting his evil nature, and may relate to the sin of gluttony as he is referencing food, again reinforcing the evilness of his character. The pardoner states in the prologue, in the form of a confession, that he preche of no thyng but for coveityse. The repetition of this ironic language along with the shocking imagery that is portrayed through his rhetorical question will I live in poverte willfully? and his admittance to taking money from the povereste widye in the village paints an evil picture of the pardoner who is merely driven by greed. Some critics, such as Georgianna believe in the historical school of thought, and note that the pardoner is merely a vehicle for the substantial embodiment of the church’s abusement. It has been suggested and argued amongst several other critics that Chaucer had no other motive when constructing the pardoner’s character other than to criticize and highlight the wrongdoings of the medieval church. Many fake pardoner’s lived amongst the medieval audience, and carried out the same evil methods as the pardoner, all for the same motive; greed. As a result of this, anticlericalism grew popular amongst the peasant’s very quickly. Therefore, it can be suggested that the pardoner’s character was constructed in such a way to shine light on his evil nature and to draw parallels with the medieval church. The pardoner’s tale is a sermon against four particular sins; gluttony, blasphemy, gambling and drinking. He talks at length of each of these particular sins, giving biblical examples that he has twisted to his benefit, such as Adam and also his wyfe who were dryven for that vice. The pardoner is suggesting that gluttony was the downfall of Adam and Eve, when in fact it was temptation. To sermonize against drinking is massively ironic as the pardoner has admitted to needing a draughte before being able to think of a moral tale to tell the pilgrims – irony in itself seeing as he should not have to think about a tale of morality. The fact that the pardoner is guilty of committing the very sins he preaches about only adds to his evil nature. Many critics, such as Ruth Nevo, suggest that the pardoner is a character in his own tale that he tells. The novelle that the Pardoner tells the pilgrims consist of three rioters. He begins by stating the setting of the three men; in the develes temple – metaphorical for a tavern. The three rioters are established as sinners from the very beginning, already being guilty of committing two of the seven deadly sins; drinking and blaspheming. The repeated suggestion of a brotherhood and addressing each other as brethren has underlying irony as each rioter is ultimately killed by each other’s greed. It has been suggested that as the rioters are not named, and therefore are nt personally addressed, that they have been constructed to suggest the embodiment of sin. Their deaths are quick and do not have much effect; instead, the focus is on the sins that they do commit. This stresses that their evil natures are what caused their own deaths. However, it can be argued that although the pardoner presents evil in the pardoner’s prologue and tale, the fact that he acknowledges this suggests he is fully aware of his evil nature. Koff suggests that the pardoner is not so much evil as he is bold. This can be argued to an extent, as he does admit to being a ful vicious man, yet states that a morale tale yet I yew telle kan. This can be portrayed as being ironic, as he is fully aware of his evil nature, yet still believes that he can preach against the sins he so readily admits to committing. In addition to this, Chaucer does incorporate some good nature into the novelle in the form of the old man. It has long been questioned as to whether he is the personification of death himself, and therefore cannot die, or whether he is merely an instrument used to emphasise the evil nature of the three rioters. His addressing of the three rioters as sires in comparison to the rude greetings of the rioters compares and relates age and innocence; the old man may have been faithful during his lifetime and therefore God will not take his life. In contrast, the young sinful rioters quickly come to their death through their own lack of faith. To conclude, I believe that a ‘sinister exploration of evil’ is truly presented in the pardoner’s prologue and tale. Chaucer uses characterization of the pardoner and three rioters to present how corrupt medieval society was, as well as how readily sins were committed. The pardoner’s simile of as dooth a dowve sittynge on a berne to describe how he sees himself is used as an antithesis of his own character; as a dove carries religious connotations of peace and purity; the opposite to what the pardoner is. Despite infiltrating some holy and pure characters, such as the Old man, he only further emphasises the lack of good in the other characters. Overall, Chaucer constructs the prologue and tale in such a way to present several layers of evil in the Canterbury tales.

Wednesday, July 17, 2019

Chinese and Greek Mythology

The Diverging Commonalities of mental institution Myths Long ago, mountain wanted to acquire a check understanding of the beginning of the universe which finally vector sumed in the establishment of religions, beliefs and most pertinent, base myths. Mythology provides explanations for the worlds mysteries especially in regards to the creation of mankindkind, worldity and the environment.This comparative paragraph analyzes the similarities and deflexions mingled with a classic myth entitled, The Beginning of Things, and a Chinese myth named, Heaven and soil and Man, contrasted in the horizons of encroach, solutions, heroic action, and the education of the early serviceman. Conflicts arise for different concerns bargonly aft(prenominal) the battles cease, peace is restored because of supernatural intervention, the world advances and progresses to restrain future misfortune. Firstly, if peace is kept in the heavens of Greece then at that place exit be less despair on Earth.The battle of authority results in a punishment system be oblige to confine cruel people and forbid rebellions. In quaint Greece there was a constant power struggle for the divinity fudges because of the be fear that their children would replace them in the cooking stove of command. The text supports the argument of development and sweetening after unreasonable decisions be give by the deities If any of them breaks the oath, for one category he lies breathless, and layaboutnot partake of sweet nectar and ambrosia after that year he is cut off from the meeting of the gods for ennead years more, and then only may he come back and totality their company. Rouse, 3) During the destruction of the battles, evil is unleashed and causes chaos in the land. The justice system, which is created in chemical reaction to Cronuses rebellion, is demand for any order of magnitude to cover up successfully. in that respect is heroic involvement in deuce myths, with genus Zeus in particular in Ancient Greece. Zeus defeated his sustain and saved his brothers and sisters after being swallowed and confine in his stomach. Cronuses awful deed deserves punishment which results in Zeus creating the Underworld and a standard of the amount of time fagged punished.In fact, the Chinese story as well includes a quarrel, different in rationale promote improvement after the disagreement is a prevalent theme in two. Subsequently, in respect to the Chinese myth, after the warf ar between beset and water, the pillar was sunk Nu-Kua repaired the gaps in the sky by living the sky with additional blocks. The literature provides bear witness to confirm this line of reasoning deflect by block, she patched the holes in the sky. Lastly, she killed a giant turtle, and cut off its decent legs to make pillars between which the sky is intemperately held over the Earth, never again to fall. Birch, 7) afterwards chaos returns for the second time, when the elements fight against each(prenominal) other, involvement from affectionatenesss resolves the crisis and mitigates harm from humanitys. The stupid and aggressive meeting between disregard and water causes destruction but also provides reasoning for the position of the oceans and world geography. obscure from the similarities, there are legion(predicate) discrepancies spread around the topic of impinge. In the Greek myth, conflicts originate from the desire to establish power and authority by rebelling. First, Cronus rebelled against his father Uranus and Zeus against Cronus followed.The competition is caused because children inherit their parents position and both gods prevent this from happening by swallowing or imprisoning them. On the contrary, the Chinese dispute is against the elements fire and water. In Chinese mythology, fire is mannish and symbolizes strength, aggression, impulsiveness. Water is considered feminine and symbolizes fluidity, downward faculty but has the p otential to be noisy. The conflict is probably caused because the elements are opposites and naturally enemies. This clash of the elements is a result of senseless detestation and not a fight for control.The difference in refining is what causes the significant differences in myths. Evidently, in Greek mythology acquiring stipulation and supremacy is valued whereas there isnt a sense of hierarchy but instead teamwork in China. According to the Asian myth, the spirits all work unneurotic towards a common goal which is to provoke and protect the Earth. Another obvious green in relation to either conflict is the presence of a supreme being which triggers and assists the chain of events which form the World. The Greek mythology had many different supreme beings which were responsible for dissimilar forces on Earth.The Chinese version, only include two main beings, one which was the result of the environment and the other was the creator of the human race. Comparative mythology al so requires examining the distinction between the heads of how both cultures though the Earth was created. An trace of how diverse the culture and beliefs of people is demonstrate in the topic of the formation of sympathetic beings and the surrounding eco-system. The creation of humans, wildlife and geographic landscapes varies with the idea of the Greek Gods sculpting most organisms hemselves whereas the Chinese see tear apartKus body transforms into the environment. The aspect of creation and the environment is portrayed actually differently in both legends. The effect of dissimilarities outweighs the number corresponding ideas surrounding the brain-teaser of the beginning of the Universe and our existence. In ancient Greece, after a period of chaos and disagreement between the deities a intellectual titian named Prometheus establishes the start-off human and provides luminosity and inspiration in a world, swallowed by repulsiveness after the sun sets.Prometheus sculp ts animals and accidentally, the first human out of corpse and began to teach them how to hold up including capture and making fire Prometheus was very much pleased with his new pet. He used to watch men hunting for food and living in caves and holes, kindred ants or badgers. He determined to amend men as well as he could. (Rouse, 2) After rebelling by winning responsibility for the Earth underneath the heavens, Prometheus entertains himself by making models out of clay. Accidently, he creates humans and spent most of his time direction humans how to continue to exist.Prometheus sculpts humans by accident whereas NuKua from the Chinese myth wants to heighten beings that get out aid to cure her lonesome(a) state. To contrast, in the Chinese myth, the weather conditions, mountains, rivers and flora are all created by PanKus body. Additionally, after humans are created by NuKua, they are taught many brisk skills in addition to simply the business leader to survive Who in h is life PanKu had brought bring to pass to the universe, by his death gave his body to make it rich and beautiful to the Earth he gave his body (Birch, 6).In the Chinese story, the environment is not created by a specific spirit but instead transforms from a god into the surrounding nature and landscape. A further comparison against the Greek tale is the critical explanation about how the land and plants are created except for the separation of sky and acres which reveals an already existing ecosystem. Moreover, the humans in the Chinese myth are taught how to communicate, sick and to live in peace. The humans in ancient Greece are never taught skills beyond survival. Finally, there is an evident variation for the reasons to satisfy humans.NuKua intends to create a creature that will provide her relief from isolation meanwhile Prometheus is only amusing himself and the first human emerges entirely unintentionally. Nevertheless, both fairy-tales develop a couple of resembling principles. To begin with, humans are formed and educated by the deities. The first humans were taught to hunt, gather food, and construct protective cover to avoid perishing as a species. The head teacher objective is to aid humans to continue to populate and the justification in both fables was that supernatural intervention maintained the growing of such a powerful species.Magical clay was used in both myths as the main material in the doing of creatures and human beings. The motive for why these two parables are so similar is to show how there is an external influence which assist the formation of humans because it is difficult to rely that simple resources could piss conceived such Byzantine living, breathing creatures. Additionally, as a society in the present day, education is a requirement and essential for the genetic doggedness of the human race, peace and maintenance of the Earths resources.By the means of education can ones potential be used to maximum extent. I t is natural for the authors of these dead fictitious stories to assume the heros and goddesses teach humans because then there will be no founding to carry on the sharing of lessons and information. In conclusion, it is in the nature of humans to love about the unknown and search for answers. At the foundation of nearly every culture is a creation myth which explains how the marvelous mysteries of the Earth came to be.Despite geographical barriers, many cultures have developed creation myths with the same fundamental elements and structure. However, there are many pagan and societal influences which cause variations in the beliefs and distort the overall creation myth from kingdom to region. Apart from the fundamental similarities, the Greek and Chinese ideologies deviated in certain aspects of the myth because their determine and morals as separate countries have impacted, adapted and evolved differently in response to world events.