Critical Thinking Exercise Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Critical Thinking Exercise - Essay Example The brand collectively has over 33,000 restaurants, franchises and outlets serving on a daily basis over 68 million people in almost 120 countries. (About McDolands) The business model of franchising helps McDonald’s to convey reliable, quality oriented and locally-relevant eating experiences to its customers. The total assets of the company amount to $32,990 million including a $22.8 billion of fixed assets. The current assets of the company amount to $4.4 billion and a goodwill of $2.6 billion. The proportion of the current assets over the total assets is 13% and the net identifiable and tangible assets of the company have a proportion of 69.2% which indicates a healthy backing of tangible assets. The major portion of the company’s liabilities is the long-term debt of the company which amounts to $12.1 billion and takes 65.24% of $18.6 billion of the total liabilities. The current liabilities of the company, which majorly include payroll and trade payables, has a low standing as compared to the current assets as the current liabilities amount to $3.5 billion as at December 31, 2011. The company has generated total revenue of $27 billion for the year 2011 and $18.3 billion of that revenue has been generated through company operated restaurants while the remaining from franchised restaurants generating an operating profit of $8.4 billion whereby the operating expenses majorly include food, payroll and other operational expenses such as the ambiance and maintenance related costs of the company. These expenses make up a total of $14.8 billion out of the total $18.5 billion operating expenses. The net income of the company after tax is $5.5 billion for the year which is quite attractive for such a company operating in such a competitive environment. The company also declared a dividend of $2.6 billion for its common shareholders. The company was able to maintain the same level of cash as last year as the company’s total cash was $2.34

Bbq Sauce Essay Example for Free

Bbq Sauce Essay The biggest strength of this sauce is that it can be used as dipping sauce also. People love to eat this sauce with roosted food and fast food as dipping sauce. It means that this sauce has two different uses that we can use it for barbecue purpose and we can also use it as dipping sauce. The price of this sauce is very moderate and comparatively to other brand BBQ sauce, the ETA Original Barbecue sauce has less price. The taste of this sauce is very rich or in other words unique taste this is a big strength of this sauce. The colour of the sauce is very impressive which is dark brown. People who love barbecue food also like this sauce and are the favourite sauce of many people. The sauce quality is high and can compete with any competitive sauce around the world as both barbecuing and dipping sauce. This sauce has a higher shelf life than its competitors and it has expiry date of 1 year that’s mean user can utilise this sauce as much as long for 1 year. It does not need to be refrigerated we can put it anywhere within room temperature and we can take it anywhere we want such as to any party or any picnic. Due to its popularity it can be found anywhere in Australia. We can purchase this sauce from wool worth or from any big or small grocery shop. WEAKNESSES This sauce has a bad packaging and also the material of the bottle is not a good quality. The bottle is also unattractive. Few people do not like to purchase it due to previously mentioned reason. The label of the product is also unattractive. Few people also don’t like the colour combination of the bottle and the labelling which is red and yellow. The sauce is mostly placed on the last shelf in many big stores like Coles and Woolworth and this really affects the sale of any good. This sauce is basically famous in only Australian people not in people from other countries. Therefore, mostly overseas students, people and migrants do not wish to eat this sauce because they don’t know about it because of its placement. The bottle shape is not good and unattractive so mostly people buy the other BBQ sauce rather than ETA Original BBQ sauce. The bottle of ETA original barbecue sauce is made up of plastic and is not seeing through so people can not judge that how many sauce is left into the bottle and that’s the weak point of this ETA original barbecue sauce. The labelling of this product is also not attractive because it is scratch able. Some people in Australia do not like the smell of this sauce. So it is hard for them to eat this sauce due to irritating smell. The one more weakness of this product is that the BRAND is not popular that’s mean that the brand is weak so people dose not know about it because of its unpopularity. OPPORTUNITIES The ETA original Barbeque sauce is the product of Goodman Fielder Foods Services and this company can put more effort to promote this sauce as much as they can within different groups of people to get better result. This company can make better packaging and labelling by using the good plastic quality of bottle and by putting the sticker rather than labelling the bottle like â€Å"Masterfoods† does. They can also make packaging of this product more stylish according to the modern needs. They can also make it more attractive with cool grip and stylish shape. The taste of people changes time to time so they should do more and more market research to make the taste of this sauce according to the people needs. They can do expansion by advertising it more and more particularly in students and young people. The company can also reduce the price of ETA Original Barbecue Sauce so can easily compete in the market and more people will buy this product so the supply will increase as the demand will increase, so company can make larger profit. The company can also distribute free samples in schools colleges and universities for make people familiar with this ETA original barbecue sauce. THREATS The threats for this sauce are mostly due to other barbecue sauces like Masterfoods and Fountain barbecue sauce which is more famous then ETA Original Barbecue Sauce. The biggest threats for ETA Original Barbecue Sauce are other competitors and most of them are Woolworths Home Brand, Masterfoods, Fountain, Nandos and Oporto. Woolworths Home Brand Barbecue sauce is more likely cheaper than ETA Original Barbecue Sauce and this can easily affect the sales of ETA Barbecue Sauce because consumer will consume the same quantity in cheaper price so they mostly go for the Home Brand sauce. Other competitor like Nandos and Oporto can also defiantly affect the sale of ETA Original Barbecue Sauce because Nandos and Oporto have a long range in different sauces for example Mild Barbecue sauce, hot Peri Peri Barbecue sauce. Nandos and Oporto have sauces according to the taste and mood of people. If weather is rainy then people do more activity like making barbeque in homes etc and they need sauces to make their barbecue more tasty so they mostly use different sauces like Nandos and Oporto because they have different kind of sauces such as mild, hot and etc. So weather conditions really affect the sale of this ETA barbecue sauce. Other threat to this sauce is environmentalist groups because ETA barbecue sauce has a plastic bottle and is difficult to recycle as compared with other materials. TARGET MARKET The target Market for ETA Original Barbecue sauce can be anyone such as students, young people, elderly people or a group of people who loves to eat barbeque with sauce. So in simple words any Barbeque sauce lover could be the target market for ETA Original Barbeque Sauce. A person who buys ETA barbecue sauce can use it as a dipping sauce and also for barbecue use. This is not necessary that the ETA Original Barbecue Sauce is only compatible with only Barbeque but it can also use for different purposes such as consumer can consume this product with rice, hot chips, hash browns and etc. In different get-together friends can use this barbecue sauce for making barbecue food or enjoy their meal with this sauce as dipping sauce. It can also be used in parties such as friends get to gather, any type of celebration like birthday or marriage ceremony or house warming parties. ETA Original Barbecue Sauce can also make or target their market by distributing the free sachets in universities, schools, Westfield and WestPoint or any shopping centres in order to tell people about the product, and as people will familiar with the product, they could definitely buy the product so ETA Original Barbeque Sauce could make more customers and cpuld easily make more profits.

The Day Of The Dead In Mexico

The Day Of The Dead In Mexico Every Mexican is closely acquainted with death, jokes about it, caresses for it, sleeps with it, celebrates it, said the Mexican poet Octavio Paz (Kuhn. 2006). Day of the Dead (Spanish: Dà ­a de los Muertos) is a holiday, festival which is dedicated to the memory of the dead people, and is held on the 1st -2nd of November in Mexico. There is a belief that the souls of dead people come to their relatives` homes these days (Williams, 1998). The origin of the holiday goes back to the tribes of Maya, Purà ©pech, Naun and Totonac. These people had been praising the dead during more than 3 thousand of years. The Aztecs considered that the death was more important than the life. The life was worth of nothing, and they believed that leaving, a man was going through the nine lower worlds in Miktlan, which is the shelter of the dead people. No matter how people lived, it is important how they were dying; it influenced their fate in the netherworld. It is also said that the Day of the Dead was brought to Mexico by Spanish people. But the Catholic Church is not able to eradicate pagan holidays till the end. Day of the Dead is a dangerous mix of Christian traditions of the conquerors and the ancient Aztec customs. Talking about the history of this holiday, it is necessary to mention that the life for the inhabitants of ancient Mexico was just a moment. Death was waking dreams in the present, in order to enter the world of the dead and appear in front of the other gods, depending on the type of case, which took away their lives. Those who have been sacrificed or died in a result of the war, went to the sun after death, the same fate awaited the women who died, giving life to the child. Those who have drowned found themselves in paradise (Smith, 2005). The souls of the dead children were regarded as precious, thats why they stayed in the house; the soul that was not chosen by God was left in the underworld. In order to help souls to travel from this world into the world of the dead, without delay, people who died were buried or burned, along with things, food, a dog as a companion and water for the road. In the sixteenth century, when the conquest and colonization began, the widespread dissemination of the Catholic religion also started. People were afraid of death and hell that time. But in the eighteenth century, two types of attitude toward death were intertwined in a single cult. Skeletons and bones appeared again, but with a festive and the comic mood, in addition, the Catholic symbols appeared in the local crafts and foods. Now it is a popular holiday, which involves all segments of society. It is believed, the souls of the dead people return to the world of alive in order once again to see their families for two days. Houses in these days look like the crypts, but the graves are decorated with flowers and ribbons, and all the relatives and friends come to honor the memory of dead people. And in order their souls which are returning to earth in the form of butterflies or hummingbirds dont get lost, candles are lit everywhere, pointing them the way home (Verti, 1993). The holiday gathers the friends and family together in order to remember and pray for those have already died. The cult of the dead was very important for Indian tribes, which are why nowadays ceremonies, rituals and traditions come from that time. One of the mysteries of the holiday is the altar, which is traditionally built on October 31. The Aztecs believed that the dead are returning home in order to take the necessary things for the journey to the world of the dead: el Mictlon. Now to build the altar is an unusual way to show the deceased relatives, friends, that they are remembered and loved. Each component of the altar has a special meaning. The altar stands on a table covered with an embroidered cloth. The most important component is the bread which has the shape of the human body and has the name of the deceased. The bread is surrounded by orange flowers of calendula, symbolizing the sadness. Candles should be burning around the altar (each of them gets the name of the deceased). In some homes the road from the entrance door to the altar is sprinkled with petals of calendula, in order the deceased not to get lost. On the 1st of November Mexicans go out, meet friends, and then have dinner at home, telling funny stories. Usual altar, which Mexicans have on The Day of Dead has such things as: calaveras, fruit, nuts, candles, bread of dead, alcohol, cigarettes, papel picada (perforated paper) and a lot of petals of flowers (Conklin, 2001). And on the 2nd of November people bring rice with milk, sweets, tequila, cigarettes and coffee to altar. The bottom of the altar is decorated with pumpkins and rolls of various shapes and colors. Sometimes the part of the altar, is carried to the grave of the deceasedà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ decorating tracks of cemetery with candles. In those days, people treat each other on behalf of the deceased, in the hope that in the future the deceased will help in a difficult moment. The first day of the holiday is called Dà ­a de los Angelitos (Day of angels) and is dedicated to the commemoration of little children. For adults is meant to be the second day; which is in fact, the Day of the Dead. All major events and celebrations are on the second day. It is the day when street marches, especially in small towns and villages are arranged. The way of the celebration can be very different: in some areas of the country the residents organize sad solemn torch procession, the type of funeral, while others prefer the burlesque fun, bright colors, dances and songs. Usually people dress up as skeletons and at night the whole country under the light of torches rushes to the graves of relatives, taking traditional tequila, favorite food of the deceased and sugar skulls with the names of dead people on forehead. In the night, it looks like a fiery river flows in the direction of the cemetery. At cemeteries people drink, eat, and dance (Greenleigh, 1998). On the Day of the Dead it is common to write humorous epitaphs and draw caricatures of the deceased. Thus, during the holiday people can buy sugar and chocolate skulls of all sizes, marzipan coffins, skeletons and marmalade in every shop. Women bake cakes and donuts with the pattern of bones, the crosses of the dough, and other decorations for the altar, for the picnic at the cemetery. The Day of the Dead is the most popular holiday in Mexico. Mexicans` attitude to the death is not usual; it is not tragic, but joyous day for meeting with those who were dear for them. It is not a tragic holiday, but triumphant festival, with the colorful costumed procession and the music. This holiday is so significant, unusual, and colorful, that in 2003, it was declared the heritage of mankind by UNESCO (Kuhn, 2006). It is very beautiful and interesting to walk at Mexican cemetery at the Day of Dead. Every grave is a peace of art, which can form an idea about the dead person: whether he was a carpenter, or a watchmakerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ There is a small building at every cemetery, which looks like a room with a hole in the ceiling. This is a special place which people use in order to talk to dead people. If someone has something important to tell to the dead people, he can go into this room and whisper his important information. And if the teller is sincere, then he will be always heard by the deceased person. There is a need to say that while celebration, people cook sweets in the form of skulls, make special figurines of dressed female skeletons Katrina (Spanish: La Calavera de la Catrina). In 2004 the students of the National Autonomous University of Mexico, built a wall from 5,667 sugar, chocolate and caramel skulls, which is 2,667 skulls more than the former wall. The wall has become one of the records from the Guinness Book of Records (Brandes, 2006). Mexicans have very specific attitude to death, that is why their holiday Day of the Dead is one of the best and popular holidays in their culture. As famous Mexican poet Octavio Paz wrote: Fearless Mexican doesnt feel confused when death comes, he is ready to move forward it, to teas, tempt it, squeeze it in his arms, lie down with it in bed; it is his favorite toy and the last love. Work Cited Brandes, Stanley. Skulls to the Living, Bread to the Dead. Blackwell Publishing. ISBN 1405152478. 12.15 (2006). pp. 232. Conklin, Paul. Death Takes A Holiday. U.S. Catholic 66 (2001): 38-41. Greenleigh, John., Beimler, Rosalind Rosoff. The days of the dead: Mexicos Festival of Communion with the Departed. (1998). p. 56. Kuhn, John. Making a night of Day of the Dead. Los Angeles Times 18. 10 (2006). Smith, Fiona. Bolivians Honor Skull-Toting Tradition. Associated Press. 11.08 (2005). Verti, Sebastià ¡n. Mexican traditions. (1993). pp. 112-115. Williams, Rick. The Day of the Dead, Halloween, and the Quest for Mexican National Identity. Journal of American Folklore 442 (1998). pp. 359-80.

Lessons of a Child Entomologist :: Personal Narrative Bugs Essays

Lessons of a Child Entomologist The screaming began after someone on the playground killed a stinkbug. With looks of horror and disgust on their faces, my classmates who had been near the insect fled, pinching their noses as they shouted, "Ew! Stinkbug!" I witnessed the chaos from another section of the playground, where I had been kicking the sand around in search of colorful rocks. I watched the scene with curiosity. Did stinkbugs really smell so vile? I wanted to find out, but I couldn't very well rush towards the scene as the others raced away, otherwise I would be nicknamed Stinkbug Lover forever and ever (at least a week in kid years). I waited until my peers were distracted with some other activity, when I could safely study the creature without attracting attention. But when I got there, I was disappointed to discover that it no longer smelled foul. However, upon closer inspection, I noticed that oozing out of its cracked exoskeleton was an opalescent substance. How pretty, I thought. Like any other eight-year-old child, I was enthralled by beautiful colors. I built Lego houses with bright blocks of red, yellow and green; I drew butterflies with pastel pencils; and, when my mother wasn't looking, I covered my eyelids with the frosty blues and pinks found in her makeup palettes. To discover a shimmering substance hiding inside an otherwise drab beetle was indeed a treat. And so began my rampage: for weeks I stomped on nearly anything that crawled, hopped, or wriggled, all to get a look at its innards. The bottoms of my jelly sandals had accumulated a fair amount of bug parts before I began noticing that the insides of insects were nearly always either white or dark brown—not the wide array of colors I had expected. This realization reduced my eagerness to squash immediately whatever insect I encountered, and instead I slowed down enough to make observations about my prey before I killed them. On one occasion, I watched a trail of ants carrying off the remnants of a dead insect I had squished a few days earlier. The ants marched in a single-file line up to their meal, and then, after collecting a tasty portion of it, circled back around in the opposite direction. I flicked one of the ants off its path and observed its reaction. Ordinarily, I would have thoughtlessly pressed down on the ant with my thumb, but that day I waited, fascinated, as I saw it skitter this way and that, frantically waving its antennae in the air.

Acquisition is a High Risky Strategy Essay

In the literature, several motives for takeovers have been identified. One is the desire for synergy. That is, similarities or complementarities between the acquiring and target firms are expected to result in the combined value of the enterprises exceeding their worth as separate firms (Collis and Montgomery, 1998). A second motive involves the expectation that acquirers can extract value because target companies have been managed inefficiently (Varaiya, 1987). A third motive is attributed to managerial hubris – the notion that senior executives, in overestimating their own abilities, acquire companies they believe could be managed more profitably under their control. Agency theory motive is the anticipation that firm expansion will positively impact the compensation of top managers since there tends to be a direct relation between firm size and executive pay. Contemporary specialists contend that managerial ownership incentives may be expected to have divergent impacts on corporate strategy and firm value. This premise has been recognized in previous studies. For instance, Stulz (1988) has examined the ownership of managers of target companies and has proposed that the relationship between that ownership and the value of target firms may initially be positive and then subsequently become negative with rising insider ownership. Moreover, Shivdasani (1993) empirically shows that the relationship of the ownership structure of target companies with the value of hostile bids is not uniformly positive. McConnell and Servaes (1990) have likewise analyzed the relationship of equity ownership among corporate insiders and Tobin’s q. Their results demonstrate a non-monotonic relation between Tobin’s q and insider equity stakes. Wright et al. (1996: 451) have shown a non-linear relationship between insider ownership and corporate strategy related to firm risk taking. Ownership Incentives and Changes in Company Risk Motivating Acquisitions An agency-theoretic motive for acquisitions has been used to explain managerial preferences for risk-reducing corporate strategies (Wright et al., 1996). The implication is that both principals and agents prefer acquiring target companies with higher rather than lower returns. In that, shareholders and managers have congruent interests. The interests, however, diverge in terms of risk considerations associated with acquisitions. Because shareholders possess diversified portfolios, they may only be concerned with systematic risk and be indifferent to the total variance of returns associated with a takeover. Senior managers may alternatively prefer risk-reducing corporate strategies, unless they are granted ownership incentives. That is because they can not diversify their human capital invested in the firm. In the literature, it has been argued that agency costs may be reduced as managerial ownership incentives rise. The reason is that, as ownership incentives rise, the financial interests of insiders and shareholders will begin to converge. Analysts conjecture, however, that such incentives may not consistently provide senior executives the motivation to lessen the agency costs associated with an acquisition strategy. Inherent is the presumption that the nature of executive wealth portfolios will differently influence their attitudes toward corporate strategy. The personal wealth portfolios of top managers are comprised of their ownership of shares/options in the firm, the income produced from their employment, and assets unrelated to the firm. Presumably, as senior executives increase their equity stakes in the enterprise, their personal wealth portfolios become correspondingly less diversified. Although stockholders can diversify their wealth portfolios, top executives have less flexibility if they own substantial shares in the firms they manage. Hence, if a significant portion of managers’ wealth is concentrated in one investment, then they may find it prudent to diversify their firms via risk-reducing acquisitions. In the related literature, however, takeovers and risk taking have been approached differently from the described approach. Amihud and Lev (1999) have contended that insiders’ employment income is significantly related to the firm’s performance. Thus, managers are confronted with risks associated with their income if the maintenance of that income is dependent on achieving predetermined performance targets. Reasonably, in the event of either corporate underperformance or firm failure, CEOs not only may lose their current employment income but also may seriously suffer in the managerial labor market, since their future earnings potential with other enterprises may be lowered. Hence, the risk of executives’ employment income is impacted by the firm’s risk. The ramification of Amihud and Lev’s (1999) contentions is that top managers will tend to lower firm risk, and therefore their own employment risk, by acquiring companies that contribute to stabiliz ing of the firm’s income, even if shareholder wealth is adversely affected. Consistent with the implications of Amihud and Lev’s arguments, Agrawal and Mandelker (1987) have similarly suggested that managers with negligible ownership stakes may adopt risk-reducing corporate strategies because such strategies may well serve their own personal interests. With ownership incentives, however, managers may be more likely to acquire risk-enhancing target companies, in line with the requirement of wealth maximization for shareholders. The notion that at negligible managerial ownership levels, detrimental risk-reducing acquisition strategies may be emphasized, but with increasing ownership incentive levels, beneficial risk-enhancing acquisitions may be more prevalent is also suggested in other works (Grossman and Hoskisson, 1998). The conclusion of these investigations is that the relationship between insider ownership and risk enhancing, worthy corporate acquisitions is linear and positive. Some experts assert that CEOs’ personal wealth concentration will induce senior managers to undertake risk-reducing firm strategies. Portfolio theory’s expectation suggests that investors or owner-managers may desire to diversify their personal wealth portfolios. For instance, Markowitz (1952: 89) has asserted that investors may wish to â€Å"diversify across industries because firms in different industries. . . have lower covariances than firms within an industry.† Moreover, as argued by Sharpe (1964: 441), â€Å"diversification enables the investor to escape all but the risk resulting from swings in economic activity.† Consequently, managers with substantial equity investments in the firm may diversify the firm via risk-reducing acquisitions in order to diversify their own personal wealth portfolios. Because they may be especially concerned with risk-reducing acquisitions, however, their corporate strategies may not enhance firm value through takeovers, although managerial intention may be to boost corporate value. The above discussion is compatible with complementary arguments that suggest that insiders may acquire non-value-maximizing target companies although their intentions may be to enhance returns to shareholders. For instance, according to the synergy view, while takeovers may be motivated by an ex-ante concern for increasing corporate value, many such acquisitions are not associated with an increase in firm value. Alternatively, according to the hubris hypothesis, even though insiders may intend to acquire targets that they believe could be managed more profitably under their control, such acquisitions are not ordinarily related to higher profitability. If acquisitions which are undertaken primarily with insider expectations that they will financially benefit owners do not realize higher performance, then those acquisitions which are primarily motivated by a risk-reducing desire may likewise not be associated with beneficial outcomes for owners. Additionally, it can be argued that shareholders can more efficiently diversify their own portfolios, making it unnecessary for managers to diversify the firm in order to achieve portfolio diversification for shareholders. Risk Associated with HRM practices in International Acquisitions There are a number of reasons why the HRM policies and practices of multinational corporations (MNCs) and cross-border acquisitions are likely to be different from those found in domestic firms (Dowling, Schuler and Welch, 1993). For one, the difference in geographical spread means that acquisitions must normally engage in a number of HR activities that are not needed in domestic firms – such as providing relocation and orientation assistance to expatriates, administering international job rotation programmes, and dealing with international union activity. Second, as Dowling (1988) points out, the personnel policies and practices of MNCs are likely to be more complex and diverse. For instance, complex salary and income taxation issues are likely to arise in acquisitions because their pay policies and practices have to be administered to many different groups of subsidiaries and employees, located in different countries. Managing this diversity may generate a number of co-ordination and communication problems that do not arise in domestic firms. In recognition of these difficulties, most large international companies retain the services of a major accounting firm to ensure there is no tax incentive or disincentive associated with a particular international assignment. Finally, there are more stakeholders that influence the HRM policies and practices of international firms than those of domestic firms. The major stakeholders in private organizations are the shareholders and the employees. But one could also think of unions, consumer organizations and other pressure groups. These pressure groups also exist in domestic firms, but they often put more pressure on foreign than on local companies. This probably means that international companies need to be more risk averse and concerned with the social and political environment than domestic firms. Acquisitions and HRM Practices: Evidence from Japan, the US, and Europe In contemporary context, international human resource management faces important challenges, and this trend characterizes many Japanese, US and European acquisitions.   From the critical point of view, Japanese companies experience more problems associated with international human resource management than companies from the US and Europe (Shibuya, 2000). Lack of home-country personnel sufficient international manage ­ment skills has been widely recognized in literature as the most difficult problem facing Japanese compa ­nies and simultaneously one of the most significant of US and European acquisitions as well. The statement implies that cultivating such skills is difficult and that they are relatively rare among businessmen in any country. Japanese companies may be particularly prone to this problem due to their heavy use of home-country nationals in overseas management positions. European and Japanese acquisitions also experience the lack of home country personnel who want to work abroad, while it is less of an impediment for the US companies. In the US acquisitions expatriates often experience reentry difficulties (e.g., career disruption) when re ­turning to the home country: This problem was the one most often cited by US firms.   Today Japanese corporations report the relatively lower incidence of expatriate reentry diffi ­culties, and it is surprising given the vivid accounts of such problems at Japanese firms by White (1988) and Umezawa (1990). However, the more active role of the Japanese person ­nel department in coordinating career paths, the tradition of semi ­annual musical-chair-like personnel shuffles (jinji idoh), and the continu ­ing efforts of Japanese stationed overseas to maintain close contact with headquarters might underlie the lower level of difficulties in this area for Japanese firms (Inohara, 2001). In contrast, the decentralized structures of many US and European firms may serve to isolate expatriates from their home-country headquarters, making reentry more problematic. Also, recent downsiz ­ing at US and European firms may reduce the number of appropriate management positions for expatriates to return to, or may sever expatri ­ates’ relationships with colleagues and mentors at headquarters. Furthermore, within the context of the lifetime employment system, individ ­ual Japanese employees have little to gain by voicing reentry concerns to personnel managers. In turn, personnel managers need not pay a great deal of attention to reentry problems because they will usually not result in a resignation. In western firms, reentry problems need to be taken more seriously by personnel managers because they frequently result in the loss of a valued employee. A further possible explanation for the higher incidence of expatriate reentry problems in western multinationals is the greater tendency of those companies to implement a policy of transferring local nationals to headquarters or other international operations. Under such a policy, the definition of expatriate expands beyond home-country nationals to en ­compass local nationals who transfer outside their home countries. It may even be that local nationals who return to a local operation after working at headquarters or other international operations may have their own special varieties of reentry problems. Literature on international human resource practices in Japan, the US and Europe suggest that the major strategic difficulty for the MNCs is to attract high-caliber local nationals to work for the company. In general, acquisitions may face greater challenges in hiring high-caliber local employees than do domestic firms due to lack of name recognition and fewer relationships with educators or others who might recommend candidates. However, researchers suggest that this issue is significantly more difficult for Japanese than for US and European multinationals. When asked to describe problems encoun ­tered in establishing their US affiliates, 39.5% of the respondents to a Japan Society survey cited â€Å"finding qualified American managers to work in the affiliate† and 30.8% cited â€Å"hiring a qualified workforce† (Bob ; SRI, 2001). Similarly, a survey of Japanese companies operating in the US conducted by a human resource consulting firm found that 35% felt recruiting personnel to be very difficult or extremely difficult, and 56% felt it to be difficult (The Wyatt Company, 1999). In addition to mentioned problem, Japanese acquisition encounter high local employee turnover, which is significantly more prob ­lematic for them due to the near-total absence of turnover to which they are accustomed in Japan. The US, European and Japanese companies admit very rarely that they encounter local legal challenges to their personnel policies. However, in regard to Japanese acquisitions large   amount of press coverage has been given to lawsuits against Japanese companies in the United States and a Japanese Ministry of Labor Survey in which 57% of the 331 respondents indicated that they were facing potential equal employ ­ment opportunity-related lawsuits in the United States (Shibuya, 2000). Conclusion This research investigates whether corporate acquisitions with shared technological resources or participation in similar product markets realize superior economic returns in comparison with unrelated acquisitions. The rationale for superior economic performance in related acquisitions derives from the synergies that are expected through a combination of supplementary or complementary resources. It is clear from the results of this research that acquired firms in related acquisitions have higher returns than acquired firms in unrelated acqui ­sitions. This implies that the related acquired firm benefits more from the acquirer than the unrelated acquired firm. The higher returns for the related acquired firms suggest that the combination with the acquirer’s resources has higher value implications than the combination of two unrelated firms. This is supported by the higher total wealth gains which were observed in related acquisitions. I did however, in the case of acquiring firms, find that the abnormal returns directly attributable to the acquisition transaction are not significant. There are reasons to believe that the announcement effects of the transaction on the returns to acquirers are less easily detected than for target firms. First, an acquisition by a firm affects only part of its businesses, while affecting all the assets (in control-oriented acqui ­sitions) of the target firm. Thus the measurability of effects on acquirers is attenuated. Second, if an acquisition is one event in a series of implicit moves constituting a diversification program, its individual effect as a market signal would be mitigated. It is also likely that the theoretical argument which postulates that related acquisitions create wealth for acquirers may be underspecified. Relatedness is often multifaceted, suggesting that the resources of the target firm may be of value to many firms, thus increasing the relative bargaining power of the target vis-a-vis the potential buyers. Even in the absence of explicit competition for the target (multiple bidding), the premiums paid for control are a substantial fraction of the total gains available from the transaction. For managers, some implications from the research can be offered. First, it seems quite clear from the data that a firm seeking to be acquired will realize higher returns if it is sold to a related than an unrelated firm. This counsel is consistent with the view that the market recognizes synergistic combinations and values them accordingly. Second, managers in acquiring firms may be advised to scrutinize carefully the expected gains in related and unrelated acquisitions. For managers the issue of concern is not whether or not a given kind of acquisition creates a significant total amount of wealth, but what percentage of that wealth they can expect to accrue to their firms. Thus, although acquisitions involving related technologies or product market yield higher total gains, pricing mechanisms in the market for corporate acquisitions reflect the gains primarily on the target company. Interpreting these results conservatively, one may offer the argument that expected gains for acquiring firms are competed away in the bidding process, with stockholders of target firms obtaining high proportions of the gains. On a pragmatic level this research underscores the need to combine what may be called the theoretical with the practical. In the case of acquisitions, pragmatic issues like implicit and explicit competition for a target firm alter the theoretical expectations of gains from an acquisition transaction. Further efforts to clarify these issues theoretically and empirically will increase our understanding of these important phenomena. Bibliography Sharpe WF. 1964. Capital asset prices: a theory of market equilibrium under conditions of risk. Journal of Finance 19: 425-442 Markowitz H. 1952. Portfolio selections. Journal of Finance 7: 77-91 Grossman W, Hoskisson R. 1998. CEO pay at the crossroads of Wall Street and Main: toward the strategic design of executive compensation. Academy of Management Executive 12: 43-57 Amihud Y, Lev B. 1999. Does corporate ownership structure affect its strategy towards diversification? Strategic Management Journal 20(11): 1063-1069 Agrawal A, Mandelker G. 1987. Managerial incentives and corporate investment and financing decisions. Journal of Finance 42: 823-837 Wright P, Ferris S, Sarin A, Awasthi V. 1996. The impact of corporate insider, blockholder, and institutional equity ownership on firm risk-taking. Academy of Management Journal 39: 441-463 McConnell JJ, Servaes H. 1990. Additional evidence on equity ownership and corporate value. Journal of Financial Economics 27: 595-612. Shivdasani A. 1993. Board composition, ownership structure, and hostile takeovers. Journal of Accounting and Economics 16: 167-198 Stulz RM. 1988. Managerial control of voting rights: financing policies and the market for corporate control. Journal of Financial Economics 20: 25-54 Varaiya N. 1987. Determinants of premiums in acquisition transactions. Managerial and Decision Economics 14: 175-184 Collis D, Montgomery C. 1998. Creating corporate advantage. Harvard Business Review 76(3): 71-83 White, M. 1988. The Japanese overseas: Can they go home again? New York: The Free Press. Bob, D., ; SRI International. 2001. Japanese companies in American communities. New York: The Japan Society.

Procrastination and Homework

Procrastination and Homework Do you procrastinate? Most of us put things off from time to time, like when were supposed to be studying for a test or starting our lengthy research paper assignments. But giving in to diversions can really hurt us in the long run. Recognizing Procrastination Procrastination is like a little white lie we tell ourselves. We think we’ll feel better if we do something fun, like watch a TV show, instead of studying or reading. But when we give in to the urge to put off our responsibilities, we always feel worse in the long run, not better. And whats worse, we end up doing a poor job when we finally get started on the task at hand! Those who procrastinate the most are usually performing below their potential. Do you spend too much time on things that don’t matter? You may be a procrastinator if you: Feel the impulse to clean your room before you get started on a project.Rewrite the first sentence or paragraph of a paper several times, repeatedly.Crave a snack as soon as you sit down to study. Spend too much time (days) to decide on a topic.Carry books around all the time, but never open them to study.Get angry if a parent asks â€Å"Have you started yet?†Always seem to find an excuse to avoid going to the library to start on the research. You probably did relate to at least one of those situations. But don’t be hard on yourself! That means you are perfectly normal. The key to success is this: it is important that you don’t allow these diversion tactics to affect your grades in a bad way. A little procrastination is normal, but too much is self-defeating. Avoiding Procrastination How can you battle the urge to put things off? Try the following tips. Recognize that a feisty little voice lives inside every one of us. He tells us it would be rewarding to play a game, eat, or watch TV when we know better. Don’t fall for it!Think about the rewards of accomplishments, and put reminders around your study room. Is there a specific college you want to attend? Put the poster right over your desk. That will serve as a reminder to be your best.Work out a reward system with your parent. There may be a concert youre dying to go to, or a new coat youve spotted in the mall. Make a deal with your parents way ahead of time- make an agreement that you can receive the reward only if you reach your goals. And stick to the deal!Start with small goals if you’re facing a big assignment. Don’t get overwhelmed by the big picture. Accomplishment feels great, so set small goals first, and take it day by day. Set new goals as you go.Finally, give yourself time to play! Set aside a special time to do whatever you want. Afterward, youâ⠂¬â„¢ll be ready to get to work! Find a study partner who will help you stay on track. Meet regularly to discuss your commitments and deadlines. Its a strange thing about human nature: we might be willing to let ourselves down easily enough, but we hesitate to disappoint a friend.Give yourself ten minutes or so to clean your space before you get started. The urge to clean as a procrastination tactic is common and it is based on the fact that our brains desire the feeling of starting with a clean slate. Go ahead and organize your spacebut dont take too much time. Still find yourself putting off those important projects? Discover  More Procrastination Tips  to help you manage your time effectively.

Rite, Shine, and Recognize

Rite, Shine, and Recognize Rite, Shine, and Recognize Rite, Shine, and Recognize By Maeve Maddox Here are three miscellaneous errors that cropped up in one morning’s batch of letters to the editor in my morning paper. 1. A reader responding to an editorial opposing a proposed state requirement for schools to provide compulsory instruction in cursive handwriting: Your thumbs-down reasoning on the state imposing cursive (a right of passage), and linking that to change vs. â€Å"old† ways, overlooks, as many often do, an important point. The purchase of a plane ticket might be said to confer a â€Å"right of passage.† In the context of the letter, however, the learning of cursive handwriting is viewed by the reader as a significant event in a child’s journey to adulthood. Such a transition from one phase of life to another is a â€Å"rite of passage.† 2. A reader urging the newspaper staff to scrutinize elected officials in order to make their failings public: First, I want to assure you I believe in light being shown on how our elected people are managing their responsibilities. The past form of the verb to shine is shone. The reader believes that light should be shone on elected officials. Note: Some English speakers prefer shined to shone. 3. A reader talking about the way politicians try to hurry the public into making decisions before all the facts are known: There are plenty that oppose this, but most intelligent people realize a railroad when they see one. The verb â€Å"to railroad† is a colloquialism meaning â€Å"to rush or coerce a person or thing in a particular direction or to a particular conclusion.† The noun deriving from this verb is also railroad. It means â€Å"an attempt at hurrying someone into a questionable decision.† The problem here is the use of realize in a context that calls for recognize. The intended meaning is that people are familiar enough with the practice of railroading to know an example of it when they see it. A person could â€Å"realize that they are being railroaded,† but they would â€Å"recognize a railroad when they see it.† recognize verb: to perceive to be the same as something or someone previously known or encountered. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Inquire vs EnquireOne Sheep, Two Sheep, One Fish, Two Fish . . .Word Count and Book Length

Bmw Films Case Analysis Essays

Bmw Films Case Analysis Essays Bmw Films Case Analysis Paper Bmw Films Case Analysis Paper Marketing I : Professor Ian Fenwick Marketing I : Professor Ian Fenwick | BMW Films Case Analysis| | | Chalit Borwonnauwarux D540010| | | Executive summary BMW face though competition in US market after try to improve the situation by introduce number of new model to the core series, adjust pricing so it can compete, reorganize the dealer network and introduce new series of car to the market. Now we have a chance to focus on brand campaign call â€Å"BMW films† which is very successful campaign base on number of people who visit the web site and number of people who want more information about BMW. After analyze the data I found that viable option for management should do after very successful BMW films campaign is to utilize the film more by spreading and make more people see the film. We also can make people get DVD of the film if they go to the BMW dealer and this will show how we improve our dealer. This will only last for short term since the impact will be decrease as time goes by. My purpose for long term plan is for BMW to launch new BMW 1 series, which is design to be to capture younger customers. From data of people who visit bmwfilms. om website younger generation is also interested to buy our car but they can’t because of price barrier. I want to introduce new coupe for this new market segment. BMW films Analysis In BMW films we shift from what we normally do which is push strategy to pull strategy and emprise more on what make a BMW a BMW focus on branding only. To measure it success, movie quality is not the main measure of success, I will look at it from 3 perspective viewer data, target group and brand image. In this analysis I will make Lexus and Mercedes as main competitor because from data in chart1 and Chart 2 we can see that a lot of BMW owner witch from BMW to Mercedes and they switch to buy another car not to truck or SUV that BMW didn’t have. For Lexus they are the next brand that customers of BMW switch to in luxury segment and in term of volume they are number one in this market segment. While their car are at lower price point but they triple media expenditure compare to BMW, while Mercedes is spend twice compare to BMW, try to defend and counteract to Lexus is important or otherwise Lexus brand may surpass BMW in north America too. First I will focus on data that we collected from user who watch the film from website so we can see how many people are watching each movie and then judge whether target customer, both current and prospect, is watching this film. From data in chart 3 we can see that number of user who came in and watch movie is over 9. 6 million views we also got almost 2 million visitors. The most important thing that we get from that is data for both current target market and prospect customer in the future and in that we found that around 30 percent of user who register already own luxury cars, some may argue that data that have been put in may be fake. Even so the number of data that we gather is a lot, if we cut half of them as fake, we still get one million prospect customers and we get 300 thousand luxury car owners. We got around 1. 2 million user who want email update and if we run campaign again this group will also tell their friends about that ,if manage well, they may turn in to brand ambassador protect BMW brand. Another way to make sure accuracy of data is to cross check name and address with current BMW customer database and see how many of them are match. This campaign may attracts younger audience the average age is only 31 compare to average age of BMW owner which is 46 years old and have less average income only 88,000 compare to 150,000 but one thing that you need to keep in mind is most of BMW owner when they want to buy new car they still prefer BMW if we can persuade younger generation to buy BMW 3-series as their first car there are very high chance that they will upgrade to BMW 5 series and 7 series when their salaries increase especially since we have broader type of car to answer different need of customers that’s very profitable when we look at customer lifetime value to company. Attracting younger customer also help us improve brand image compare to competitor. From data (Chart 4) we can see that BMW driver are younger compare to main competitor, such as Lexus and Mercedes, if we can make BMW brand attach with â€Å"young â€Å" and then make other competitor brand look old this will help to attract more younger customer and make them commit to use BMW for the rest of their life. Another thing that we can see from BMW customer base is while average ages of BMW owner are younger but their average incomes are higher we make people remember that BMW is the car for â€Å"highly educate, bright, affluent person who want to have a great driving experience†. If we can own that position which utilize BMW strong point as â€Å"Ultimate driving machine† then push other competitor to â€Å"car for boring and old people†. This campaign also improve brand image by reduce bad thing that associate with BMW brand such as â€Å"Status symbol, Yuppie-Machine† and also stress what BMW is all about â€Å"amazing performance† and try something new and exciting. This show people what make a BMW a BMW which is the main purpose of this campaign. From all reason above I think this campaign is successfully improving brand image of BMW and since target customer of BMW in another part of the world is almost the same we can use this movie to another part of the world. The effect may be not as successful as original one because we lose element of due to the internet age some may already watch movie via internet. It may not be as effective but since we already paid for the cost of production if it improve brand image we can utilize it more without any drawback. Some may argue that movie from America may not suitable for European or Asia but most of blockbuster movie also came from US not just that all movie critics were very positive about our films. One thing that we need to adjust is to make it more effective we should select only 3 films that have high positive impact on our brand then we need to add subtitle to make sure that peoples in each continent, which use different language, understand what movie is all about. We should run campaign to draw people to the BMW website in each continent then make them register their data to the website the same way that we do it in America. BMW owner demographic is different compare to main competitors such as Mercedes and Lexus. BMW owner are male, the same as our main competitor, but average age is lower compare to others (chart4). Median income is higher compare to Lexus customer base but lower than Mercedes. When we compare that demographic to data of people that watch BMW films we can see that viewer are younger and have lower median income this could be one of the opportunity of BMW. - BMW target is different from competitors, not just in term of demographic, in term of positioning. Mercedes are focus on classic prestige luxury and status, more comfortable and more conservative the same go for Lexus. BMW though we focus on driving experience car shouldn’t be just the tools to move you to point a to point b but experience in between BMW slogan as â€Å"ultimate driving machine† said it all. Evaluate options Before we decide what we want to do next I would like to go through each option strength and weakness of each option separately 1st Option: making existing five movies available for wider audience. We can make full length version of the existing movie in DVD and distribute it for people who come and test or buy any BMW car this will draw people to come to dealership and try our car. Another thing we can do is distribute this movie to every BMW customers who have owned BMW before and from record we didn’t see them bring their car for the routine checkup and didn’t buy any new BMW this can interpret that they already sold car and didn’t buy new BMW as their new car. We can use that movie to impress them with what BMW is all about and how we improve. Final group that we can send DVD to is current BMW owner who have come to checkup in the last 6 month to show them the new version of the car and remind them that if they want to buy a new car BMW is still a great choice. Strength 1. This will fully utilize money that we already spend on the movie. 2. Draw people to the showroom which increase chance of sell 3. Improve BMW brand image by remind people who never watch BMW films before what make a BMW a BMW improve our brand image. 4. Make people who may use to own BMW but switch to another brand to re-consider BMW next time they buy new car. Weakness . A lot of current BMW owner or used to own BMW may already see that movie so this DVD may not have any impact at all on brand image. 2. Some who switch to another brand may be because of another reason that didn’t about brand image such as quality of dealer and/or price this campaign isn’t help to improve anything. 3. We didn’t emphasize on improvement that we make a t all. Since we have improve a lot of thing from number of new model in core series to new series especially on pricing strategy and dealer which may be more important factor for a lot of people compare to just brand image alone. nd Option: Develop more short films, all featuring same lead actors. Since a lot of people who watch the film tell us that they want more this type of short films and the movie is help improve BMW brand image. While some may argue that we look like we repeating ourselves. We can build another 5 films and then we can distribute it as â€Å"collectors set† Strength: 1. We build on something that proves work last time around. This time more people may want to see it since last one is love by critics. 2. If we build different type of movies not only just action film we may draw new group of customer who never watch the first batch of movies. Weakness: 1. Since competitor will copy our success, impact of the new film will be a lot less because we lose element of surprise that we got from the first movie plus another will copy it so people may see new movie and look down on it. This may have bad impact on brand image. 2. Amount of money that we need to invest in this new movie will be high, may be higher because we need to improve from the first one. We will need to decrease normal advertising which will be used to introduce new model to people. Trade off will be hard to justify since impact of campaign will be reduce. We also need money to introduce a lot of model that will be launch. If we reduce money that use to make new movie the impact of the movie will be reverse now BMW brand may look cheap not luxuries. 3rd Option: Develop a feature-length movie and air in theatres around country. Strength: 1. Brand awareness that we will get from movie will be very high since this movie will be air around country and BMW will be the first brand who do something like this. All of the buzz will be belong to BMW and tell customer what make a BMW a BMW. Weakness: . Cost to do full feature-length film will be very high and this is not counting cost of promoting the film properly, cost of make BMW films available in movie theater all across country. While another film can charge full ticket price but this film since a lot of people will know that it is came from BMW it will be hard to ask for audience to pay full price for movie that want to show a car. With very high cost we can’t just share it with nor mal marketing budget it won’t be enough or you will need to use all budget for the movie alone. You will need a lot of sales to support that amount of spending which I don’t think it will increase that much. 2. With another brand launch short films, people may be bored with this type of tactics and make not that much improvement in brand image. 4th Option: move to the next thing While this option may be look like it is more risky but it’s show that BMW as a brand is not just an boring brand but a brand who always defined what can be done which show both in the BMW car and way we market them. Recommendations My recommendation is to use option 1 to spread out movie to draw customer to a improve dealer and see what BMW car really all about but also use option 4 Move to the next thing done something that hasn’t been done before in the long run I select option 1 at the beginning because it can be done very fast and almost without any draw back but it cannot work in the long run. Most people who want to see the movie will see it already. How can we make a progress from this very good brand image? We need to make sure that we communicate to more people what make BMW a BMW It’s something that consistent with our brand image. We can’t just do the same thing over and over again then call our brand â€Å"exciting edgier and youthful† it is inconsistency which bad for BMW brand image. Especially when your target is highly-educated, bright and affluent person they will see that BMW is about doing the same thing which is not what we want to do. Let others do it make competitor follow us that way our brand look like leader not a follower the same for BMW owners. From demographic of people who watch BMW films we can see that the average age is younger and because of that their average salary is lower. I saw this as an opportunity to make them BMW owners. Now they want to own BMW but they can’t, they have to buy from other brand which mean we loss customers not only for that car but it’s possible that we may lost that customer forever. From data we know that most of BMW owner will stick with BMW I would like to make an entry level car for customers who want a driving experience which they cannot get from other car in the market. We can show that BMW can do something that other can’t, we will make new coupe for young manager who want to experience the â€Å"ultimate driving experience† that other cannot give them. Price of this new car which I will call it â€Å"BMW 1-series†, the smallest car BMW will ever make, the base car will be the same as competitors while we can add another optional extra to increase on the road price of the car. Currently (in 2002) Lexus still didn’t have coupe car and Mercedes A-class isn’t well accepted since they have problem about the car will be overturn when you change direction so suddenly (eventually they have to recall). We will start new category which is luxury sport coupe and make it work this time. We can make profit from this car because of additional extra normally are fitted to another BMW, we don’t need money to develop new technology for that. Another thing that we can do the sport version like BMW M1 which will show if you willing to pay more how much faster you can go compare to normal version. This will make profit especially when we look at life time value of customer when they age is increasing their salary will be increase too. They will move from 1-series to 3-series and then when they have family they can move to BMW X5. The new BMW 1-series must be represent what BMW is all about â€Å"what make a BMW a BMW†. When other coupe are focus on folding seat and space inside car, BMW 1-series while we still need to have folding seat but main focus will be on the driving experience. Normally in Japanese or European coupe are front wheel drives which make driving is boring. BMW 1-series should be rear wheel drive and have higher horse power compare to competitors. We can advertise this car as a ultimate driving coupe, the only coupe that care about how you get to the place you want to go. Not just that but we still need to focus on another part which we still need to focus on it is luxuries. This is not easy we need to control cost to make the price low enough so it’s lower than BMW 3 series but still have performance and luxuries that consistent with BMW brand image. To make a car more luxury we didn’t have to put everything in a car what we need to do is put something that make a car more civilize such as good air-conditioner and radio as a standard we didn’t have to put something that customer in this market segment is consider important such as vibrate seat or cruise control as standard. We still have all of that option as optional extra if customer want it you can add it to car at a price. Some may argue that BMW series 1 will reduce prestige of BMW brand and that happen to Mercedes when they launch the A-Class. We can prevent that by make sure that the new BMW 1 series meet the standard that our brand has been doing all along. Start from the look and feel of the car, it still need to look sport that’s the reason why I am focus on coupe instead of hatch back which have image of cheap car. Another thing that shouldn’t be forgot is the build quality including quality of material that we use in the car from plastic console to rubber seal that use to make sure that noise from outside won’t come in to the car. If we do it properly consistent with our brand value we will improve our image since we can do something that our competitor can’t. We introduce â€Å"ultimate driving experience† to more people and we do that in the price that younger generation can’t resist. Another argument that may arise is this new BMW 1 series cannibalize 3 series. They won’t because the difference is not only price but it is also difference in size and power. If you want to buy mid-size sedan, which what 3 series is in, you can’t buy BMW 1 series since it’s smaller and power that it have also lower too. Since 1 series design as a coupe you will only get 2 seat not four it is more suitable for young people who still didn’t have children which from average age of bmwfilms. com visitor profile there will be market for this car that is not cannibalize BMW 3 series. Some may ask how about Z3 roadster is this new 1 series cannibalize it that is impossible because of price different and Z3 is a roadster which have different target customer. Exhibits Chart 1 : BMW Defection to all makes (4Q,2000) Chart 2 : BMW Defection to competition in luxury segment (4Q,2000) Chart 3 : BMWfilms. com visitor profile Median Income| $ 88,000| Total Visitors register| 1,981,049| Opted in for email update| 1,170,953| Voluntarily responded to survey | 41,411| Recommended films to others| 94%| Want to see more films| 88%| Chart 4 : BMW customer base Vs the competition

Human resource Management outline Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Human resource Management outline - Essay Example A majority of organizations would do exceedingly well if they integrated an efficient human resource management policies and practices. The latter would enable them to address the challenges faced by the professionals in the field and their daily routines. Also, it is a step in countering the goals set by the organization. However, this is not the case since not all the organizations value the role that the human resource management would play and the benefits that come with its acceptance into the business. The research will focus on how human resource management can aid in developing competitive advantage, particularly when aligned with a firm’s competitive tactic. I will further contest how Human Resource Management policies influence employees’ skills and motivations by contrasting two different companies and providing analytical examples to exemplify the various standings (Mazurek, 2015). The research will also seek to illustrate contradictory statements and why HRM policies fail by providing summaries to demonstrate each effect. The terms used at present in this paper include HRM referring to Human Resource Management The efficiency of a firm depends significantly on the abilities of employees to work on a common goal and the efficient utilization of resources. These measures cannot get achieved without developing a Human Resource department that needs to develop and identify the best human resource policies (Armstrong, 1999). The recruitment and facilitation of employee skills require a dedicated and well equipped HRM department. However, the success of the human resource department depends on the dedication of all stakeholders and without these the policies are bound to fail. Attaining objectives and the firm’s mission statement requires the cooperation and coordination of HRM policies with the top management. Through these

Hebrew Bible and Bhagavad-Gita Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Hebrew Bible and Bhagavad-Gita - Essay Example On the other hand, there are few faiths that are called earthly religions, which are pluralist faiths, and seek inspiration from multiple gods and goddesses; Jainism, Buddhism, Hinduism and Sikhism etc come under the definition of this category (Beckerlegge, 2000). Although the teachings and belief system of Abrahamic monotheist faiths and pluralist faiths like Hinduism and others appear to be pole-apart from one another in all respects, yet the researchers observe few commonalities between their scriptures and declare them the source of the same sacred light enkindling the world with the concept of the Lord. The Old Testament or Hebrew Bible serves as the Holy Scripture for the Jewish and Christian communities, as they claim that it contains the word of God in the form of covenant between the Lord and His favorite nation House of Jacob as well as the commands and decrees God issued in the form of Ten Commandments to Moses determining the code of life to be observed in order to win t he Will of God in this life and hereinafter according to the Jewish and Christian faiths and traditions (Dimont, 2003). ... Jesus Christ is the central figure in according to the Christian faith, which arrived in the world through a unique virgin birth as the Savior of the humanity or Messiah, in order to preach the humanity going astray from the right path of glory and submission to the commandments of the Lord. And in case of non-compliance with his commands by the rebels and non-believers, he would sacrifice his life in order to protect the entire humanity from the wrath of God because of their sins and deviancies they committed in their life on the earth (Damascene, 2009). It is, therefore, the Christians regard Jesus as the son of God in human form. The same is the feelings of reverence and regard for Krishna in Hindu mythology and their holy book Gita, which declares him as God incarnated for the welfare of humanity, as Krishna is attributed to stating that: â€Å"I am birth-less and changeless. I am the lord (Gita, IV: 6); almost the same statement is associated with Jesus Christ, where he views h imself as the Lord, which does not experience any change in his person altogether (Malachi 3:6). Thus, both the holy books i.e. Bible and Gita regard Christ and Krishna as gods. It has aptly been observed that the Old and New Testaments discuss the belief system and commandments of the Lord, and warn the deviants by narrating the fate of their forerunner nations in past, these Scriptures do not provide any detailed account of Christ’s life; as a result, it is actually Gospel that particularly defines him as deity (Revelation, 22:13), the name and account of which resembles with the Hindu scripture, Gita.  

AUCA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

AUCA - Essay Example Also, their stories captivate people such that for instance the tale of Ghismunda and Tancredi is translated into so many languages like Latin severally and Italian among others because it appeals to people’s emotions greatly. These two stories are similar in a number of ways. Both Ghismunda and Madonna Filippa stand up for themselves. Nobody would stand up for them and they both brave up and speak up to defend themselves. Moreover, they both stand up to defend their love. Filippa Madonna is accused of adultery and she is encouraged to plead innocent but she boldly pleads guilty and even goes ahead to speak against the cruelty that the society has on women. She sees it unfair for all the blame to be put on the woman yet even the man in adultery and the husband of the adulterer could be at fault. She explains that, â€Å"†¦Sir, it is true that Rinaldo is my husband, and that last night he found me in Lazzarinos arms, in which I enjoy myself. And because of the good and perfect love I have for him, many times I have done this, which I would never deny. But as I am certain that you know, the laws must be fair and made with the agreement of those who are affected by them. In this case it is not so, sinc e this law affects only the unfortunate women, who much better than men could satisfy many. And besides this, no woman agreed when the law was made, and no woman was ever consulted. Therefore, we could justly define this law as unfair.† â€Å"†¦Is it not much better to serve a gentle man who loves more than himself than let it wither or go waste?† On the other hand, Ghismunda stands up to her father for her right as a woman and states all the reasons she actually took matters to her hands and found for herself a lover. She also gives her reasons for choosing the man she chose despite the father’s seemingly displeasure for choosing

To analyze the historical significance of a figure studied in this Term Paper

To analyze the historical significance of a figure studied in this course - Term Paper Example It is in this regard that Churchill is considered one of the most influential historical figures for courageous political and military leadership. This paper gives a critical analysis of Winston Churchill in line with the past history that influenced his courageous leadership, his influence during his leadership period and how his influence on political and military leadership has extended to the current era. How Previous History Influenced Churchill The leadership skills that Churchill demonstrated were motivated or influenced by his experiences within the military. Churchill attended and was part of the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, which culminated the beginning of his career in the military. At the college and later in the military, Churchill’s leadership abilities and skills were obvious. In the year 1901, Churchill entered parliament. At this time he was only 26 years old and his courage and leadership qualities made him to gain significant admiration from members a nd colleagues within his party (Bell 1097). When the Second World War broke out, Churchill was appointed within the Royal Navy as the First Lord of Admiralty. However he resigned from this role after the Dardanelles expedition which was characterized by disastrous incidents. This however did not weaken his spirits. As a result, Churchill rejoined the military and later went back to a political career where he played senior governmental roles within missions in overseas nations. The 1939 breaking out of the war caused Churchill to be reappointed as the First Lord of Admiralty. The resignation of the British prime minster Chamberlain in 1940 was followed by the Churchill takeover as the new prime minister. This officially marked his important role in the political and military reigns within the UK and other parts of the world. His charisma and courage was demonstrated by the fact that he refused to give in to the Nazi Germany. This led to great inspiration to his country and the milit ary in addition to political leaders. Their focus was therefore to stage a retreat and win against the influence of the Germans. An air defense was therefore organized by Churchill which successfully marked the victory in the battle of Britain and Mussolini’s Italy. Italy in return gained the trust of Britain under the leadership of Churchill. It is therefore notable from the historical perspective that Churchill was both a charismatic and influential leader within the political and military reams of Britain and other parts of the world. The Influence of Churchill during his Time Even though Churchill lost his prime minster position in the year 1945, his passion for leadership in politics was not lost. This reveals that he was a determined individual who was focused at achieving his dreams. Because of this determination, Churchill was reelected in the year 1951 as the prime minister of Britain (Dumbrell 35). During his tenure as prime minster, Churchill was an exceptional mil itary or war time leader who served both political and military roles for his country. More importantly, Churchill was a successful literary scholar. This is disclosed by the fact that he started writing his campaign reports early when he was only 24 years old. From the campaign reports, Churchill came up with his first publication in the year 1900. The culmination of Churchill’s achievements and influence in leadership was achieved in 1953 when we was honored with a Nobel Prize for Literature in addition to an

Aeronautical Science Perspective Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Aeronautical Science Perspective - Essay Example Consequently, aircrafts roll to the right or left; and this is referred to as rolling. Ailerons tilt the wings in the required direction hence turns the aircraft. The elevator tilts down or up on a horizontal tail surface leading to an increased or decreased lift on the tail, this is known as pitching. An aircraft’s nose is tilted down or up from the pitching maneuver. When an aircraft rotates along its longitudinal axis (x-axis) then this motion is known as rolling while the maneuver is a roll. Control surfaces found on the aircraft’s wings know as ailerons initiate this rotation by deflecting differently (that is one trailing edge down and one trailing edge up) thus creating less lift on one wing, while more on the other. This net difference in lift establishes a rolling moment. Ailerons are hinged on the outer edge of the wings; they are movable and controllable from the cockpit via mechanical linkage. When lowered, aileron increases angle of attack on the wing hence increasing the lift; and vice versa. From these lifts, an aircraft rolls laterally around a longitudinal axis. During a pitch-up maneuver, an aircraft rotates about its lateral axis. A control surface known as stabilator or elevator situated near the rear of the aircraft gets deflected thus generating lift force that as a result of its moment arm (distance) from the aircraft’s center of gravity it produces a pitching moment. In most cases, an elevator is attached to a fixed (immovable) surface known horizontal stabilizer. The horizontal stabilizers acts as the feathers of an arrow that maintains an aircraft pointed at the right direction. Stabilator is a combination of both functions of the elevator and horizontal stabilizer. The stabilator is all-moving because it has no fixed portion. Elevator’s up positioning minimizes the camber of the elevator hence creating

English Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

English - Research Paper Example In this paper, I will seek to prove that Franz Kafka’s work has been to some extent influenced (directly or indirectly) by A Thousand and One Nights (Kafka, The Metamorphosis 67). The Research To come up with this, I had to do a lot of in depth research on all books and writers. This required me to re-read the book, A Thousand and One Nights, first. Next, I researched on the themes of the various books and the stylistic devices employed by the two writers in their books. I read reviews, journals, documentaries and watched movies made from all of the books mentioned above. While most of what I read seemed to confirm my idea, most materials did not share this idea, and I had to differ from them. The main challenge I encountered in my research is that no previous material has been written regarding this topic. As such, I had to start my research from scratch to confirm my ideas. This required extensive and intense reading which kept me awake for days. Luckily, the two books have many reviews on themes and stylistic devices, and I was lucky to refer to them (Foulkes 23). The comparison Transformation as the main theme In my research, I discovered that transformation has been employed in changing the behavior and attitude of the characters. In A Thousand and One Nights, the story of The Merchant and Hind has transformation as a major theme. This is observed when the witch’s wife goes on a journey leaving his witch-wife with the adopted son. The witch-wife, who is extremely ungrateful, uses her witchcraft to transform the adopted son into a calf. She also goes ahead to transform her husband’s other wife into a cow. When the husband returns, the witch informs him that his adopted son disappeared while his slave woman passed on. In the next eight months, the woman remained in the state of a cow without the husband having any idea about it. During the feat of Bairam, the husband asked the servant to choose any fat cow for their sacrifice. The cow he chose turned out to be her beloved wife. Although the woman was now transformed into a cow, she still possessed human consciousness. She lowed piteously in a bid to beg for mercy. â€Å"With eyes streaming with tears†. The husband tried to kill her but was unable. The servant killed her. Upon slaughtering her, they discovered that she was nothing but bones and skin, despite looking so fat. In Metamorphosis, the main character, Gregor Samsa wakes up to find himself transformed into an insect (Kafka 13). This transformation serves to change his entire family. Prior to this, they all depended on him for their financial needs. However, when he becomes an insect and can no longer work, they are forced to start working to earn their own money. The similarity between this transformation and the transformation of the woman in the story above shows that Kafka borrowed from A Thousand and One Nights (O'Neill Pp. 408-409). Use of animal characters One of the aspects used in poetry is t he use of animal characters. This helps to criticize human characters in a more acceptable and friendly way (Sperling Pp. 70-84). â€Å"The Husband and The Parrot† is one of the stories in A Thousand and One Nights that uses animal characters. In the story, the wife offends her good husband. The parrot is aware of this and tells the husband of this offence. The husband scolds the wife. To revenge this act, the woman lies to the parrot that it was raining. The parrot informs the

To analyze the historical significance of a figure studied in this Term Paper

To analyze the historical significance of a figure studied in this course - Term Paper Example It is in this regard that Churchill is considered one of the most influential historical figures for courageous political and military leadership. This paper gives a critical analysis of Winston Churchill in line with the past history that influenced his courageous leadership, his influence during his leadership period and how his influence on political and military leadership has extended to the current era. How Previous History Influenced Churchill The leadership skills that Churchill demonstrated were motivated or influenced by his experiences within the military. Churchill attended and was part of the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, which culminated the beginning of his career in the military. At the college and later in the military, Churchill’s leadership abilities and skills were obvious. In the year 1901, Churchill entered parliament. At this time he was only 26 years old and his courage and leadership qualities made him to gain significant admiration from members a nd colleagues within his party (Bell 1097). When the Second World War broke out, Churchill was appointed within the Royal Navy as the First Lord of Admiralty. However he resigned from this role after the Dardanelles expedition which was characterized by disastrous incidents. This however did not weaken his spirits. As a result, Churchill rejoined the military and later went back to a political career where he played senior governmental roles within missions in overseas nations. The 1939 breaking out of the war caused Churchill to be reappointed as the First Lord of Admiralty. The resignation of the British prime minster Chamberlain in 1940 was followed by the Churchill takeover as the new prime minister. This officially marked his important role in the political and military reigns within the UK and other parts of the world. His charisma and courage was demonstrated by the fact that he refused to give in to the Nazi Germany. This led to great inspiration to his country and the milit ary in addition to political leaders. Their focus was therefore to stage a retreat and win against the influence of the Germans. An air defense was therefore organized by Churchill which successfully marked the victory in the battle of Britain and Mussolini’s Italy. Italy in return gained the trust of Britain under the leadership of Churchill. It is therefore notable from the historical perspective that Churchill was both a charismatic and influential leader within the political and military reams of Britain and other parts of the world. The Influence of Churchill during his Time Even though Churchill lost his prime minster position in the year 1945, his passion for leadership in politics was not lost. This reveals that he was a determined individual who was focused at achieving his dreams. Because of this determination, Churchill was reelected in the year 1951 as the prime minister of Britain (Dumbrell 35). During his tenure as prime minster, Churchill was an exceptional mil itary or war time leader who served both political and military roles for his country. More importantly, Churchill was a successful literary scholar. This is disclosed by the fact that he started writing his campaign reports early when he was only 24 years old. From the campaign reports, Churchill came up with his first publication in the year 1900. The culmination of Churchill’s achievements and influence in leadership was achieved in 1953 when we was honored with a Nobel Prize for Literature in addition to an

English Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

English - Research Paper Example In this paper, I will seek to prove that Franz Kafka’s work has been to some extent influenced (directly or indirectly) by A Thousand and One Nights (Kafka, The Metamorphosis 67). The Research To come up with this, I had to do a lot of in depth research on all books and writers. This required me to re-read the book, A Thousand and One Nights, first. Next, I researched on the themes of the various books and the stylistic devices employed by the two writers in their books. I read reviews, journals, documentaries and watched movies made from all of the books mentioned above. While most of what I read seemed to confirm my idea, most materials did not share this idea, and I had to differ from them. The main challenge I encountered in my research is that no previous material has been written regarding this topic. As such, I had to start my research from scratch to confirm my ideas. This required extensive and intense reading which kept me awake for days. Luckily, the two books have many reviews on themes and stylistic devices, and I was lucky to refer to them (Foulkes 23). The comparison Transformation as the main theme In my research, I discovered that transformation has been employed in changing the behavior and attitude of the characters. In A Thousand and One Nights, the story of The Merchant and Hind has transformation as a major theme. This is observed when the witch’s wife goes on a journey leaving his witch-wife with the adopted son. The witch-wife, who is extremely ungrateful, uses her witchcraft to transform the adopted son into a calf. She also goes ahead to transform her husband’s other wife into a cow. When the husband returns, the witch informs him that his adopted son disappeared while his slave woman passed on. In the next eight months, the woman remained in the state of a cow without the husband having any idea about it. During the feat of Bairam, the husband asked the servant to choose any fat cow for their sacrifice. The cow he chose turned out to be her beloved wife. Although the woman was now transformed into a cow, she still possessed human consciousness. She lowed piteously in a bid to beg for mercy. â€Å"With eyes streaming with tears†. The husband tried to kill her but was unable. The servant killed her. Upon slaughtering her, they discovered that she was nothing but bones and skin, despite looking so fat. In Metamorphosis, the main character, Gregor Samsa wakes up to find himself transformed into an insect (Kafka 13). This transformation serves to change his entire family. Prior to this, they all depended on him for their financial needs. However, when he becomes an insect and can no longer work, they are forced to start working to earn their own money. The similarity between this transformation and the transformation of the woman in the story above shows that Kafka borrowed from A Thousand and One Nights (O'Neill Pp. 408-409). Use of animal characters One of the aspects used in poetry is t he use of animal characters. This helps to criticize human characters in a more acceptable and friendly way (Sperling Pp. 70-84). â€Å"The Husband and The Parrot† is one of the stories in A Thousand and One Nights that uses animal characters. In the story, the wife offends her good husband. The parrot is aware of this and tells the husband of this offence. The husband scolds the wife. To revenge this act, the woman lies to the parrot that it was raining. The parrot informs the

Ideas and Values Shape Who You Become in Society Essay Example for Free

Ideas and Values Shape Who You Become in Society Essay Most people strive to have a good social standing and the ideas and values they hold on to can often influence their place in society. Society dictates which ideas and values will be accepted and which will be rejected. The values that stick with us the most are usually taught to us as children and help to influence who we become. In Girl and Good People, the characters were raised to have religious values and to behave in a way that will make it easy for them to fit into their society. The main characters in these stories had their values imposed on them at a young age, and helped to shape who theyve become and how they behave in society. Read more: Good people by David Foster Wallace  essay Religion is a cornerstone for the characters in both stories. They are taught what is acceptable in their religion, in this case Christianity, and realize certain actions could alienate them from their social groups. In Girl, the girl is given specific instructions on how to behave, including dont sing benna in Sunday school (Kincaid, 120). She is taught that singing folk music on the Lords day is improper, and even though she doesnt sing benna on Sundays at all and never in Sunday school (120), she is explicitly told a few times not to do it. There, it is important for her to be on her best behavior. On Sundays she is shown she must try to walk like a lady and not the slut you are so bent on becoming (120) because how she is perceived on Sundays can be detrimental to her public image. In Good People Lane A. Dean Jr and his girlfriend Sheris values weigh heavily on their thoughts as they consider their options when making a momentous decision. The two are very religious and theyd prayed on it and talked it through from every different angle (Wallace, 152). They are worried about how their society will perceive them and if they are still good people if they go through with having an abortion and never really mention the word in conversation. Even  on the phone they speak in a kind of half code in case anybody accidentally picked up the extension (153). Neither of them goes to a friend or even religious leaders to talk about their situation, not Pastor Steve or the prayer partners at campus ministries, not his UPS friends or the spiritual counselling available through his parents old church (152) because they are ashamed. Specifically, Lane feels like he knew now why it was a true sin and not just a leftover rule from past society (152). In Girl and Good People, the main characters religious values have an affect on who they are in society, a good person or someone who gets to touch the bread (Kincaid, 121). Even though Lane Dean and Sheri had made the appointment, they were still uncertain of their decision. Lane knew he couldnt make up his girlfriends mind because he knew if he was the salesman of it and forced it upon her that was awful and wrong (Wallace, 152) and he knows it isnt his place to make a decision for her. However, he wishes he could know what Sheri is thinking and get her to open up and say enough back that he could see her and read her heart and know what to say to get her to go through with it (152). Sheri knows Lane Dean is a good person, and that he respects her enough to know he cannot force her to side with him, but he still wishes he could persuade her to have the abortion. Ultimately, it is Sheris decision to have the abortion, or cancel the appointment. Similarly, included in the long list of instructions in Girl is how to make a good medicine to throw away a child before it even becomes a child (Kincaid, 120), so the girl can decide for herself whether or not to have an abortion. Beside how to make medicine, the girl is taught other gender specific lessons that include cooking, sewing, laundry, and grocery shopping. She needs to learn how to sew in order to hem a dress so to prevent yourself from looking like the slut I know you are so bent on becoming (120) and looking indecent in public. All of these instructions are aimed to make it easier for the girl to find a husband by teaching her how you set a table for dinner with an important guest†¦ how to behave in the presence of men who dont know you very well (120). Understanding of gender roles and how to behave around men, or be a wife, are important lessons for the girl to learn in order to survive in her society. Class affiliation plays a role in the upbringing of the girl. She is instructed to wash the white clothes†¦ and put them on the stone heap(119) and when buying cotton to make yourself a nice blouse, be sure that it doesnt have gum on it(119-120) because it doesnt matter which social class she belongs to, she still needs to have clean, well-made clothes. Sewing is a useful skill for her, because she cannot afford clothes that are already made, or even premade fabric. Harsh words and phrases that are repeated throughout the story such as slut and wharf-rat boy accentuate the point that there is a certain way for her to behave in society and that if she acts like a slut or associates with wharf-rat boys, people will view her as being lower than them. Unlike the girl, Lane A. Dean Jr seems to belong to the upper middle class based on his name, and the fact that he attends junior college while living at home with his parents. He was named after his father, and perhaps this close affiliation with the patriarch of his family makes him apprehensive of confiding in his parents about his situation. He is close with his mother as well, and she thinks Sheri is good people†¦she made this evident in little ways (150). Lane is worried their decision and their sins mean they will no longer be viewed as good people to the people in their upper class society and knows Sheri can neither [have an abortion] today nor carry a child alone and shame her family (155). Trying to fit in to society, whether upper or lower class can be an arduous task with many lessons to learn and roles to play. Knowing your place and where you fit in determines your success. The ideas and values imprinted on youth to build character and deter bad behavior allow them to conform to society. Works Cited Mays, Kelly J. ed. _The Norton Introduction to Literature._ Portable 11th ed. New York: Norton, 2013. Print. Kincaid, Jamaica. Girl. Mays 119. Print. Wallace, David Foster. Good People. Mays 149. Print.

Why Do We Need Global Governance Politics Essay

Why Do We Need Global Governance Politics Essay Ruling the world has been the main aim for every major leader throughout history. It is the feeling of power and achievement that makes one feel superior to any other citizen with older examples such as Alexander the Great to later (1900s) ones such as Hitler and Lenin who eventually aimed for the same concept. However, the consequences of the actions of these leaders also resulted in corruption and revolution. Not only conflicts between average citizens were created, but also nation states prepared themselves to fight back. Since the Second World War, organizations and unions have been created to maximize global governance and interference in order to prevent unbalance between states. Not only should one country have a say towards world issues, but decisions should rather be taken together and internationally which is the main characterization of global governance. Global governance derives from local democracy. The local laws further expand to national law where unions or organizations such as the European Commission unite the local and national votes into one. Today, global governance is at a point where it is being observed by not only statesmen but also its citizens. It has reached a peak where the involvement and cooperation of all societies is vital. The world situation is worsening where jobs have been lost; most farmers have been replaced due to globalization and environmental issues have cost billions. Yet, the biggest test (since the formation of UN) that global governance has been put to is the major economic crisis during these past recent years. It has experimented the boundaries and abilities on how states have taken action in the direction of governance and responsibilities towards world issues. It is therefore vital for such issues to be acknowledged, understood and spoken out about and by applying the three points, decent coope rations between states are created, debated upon discussed on how to tackle these issues. State-building With global interference and governance, new states that dont have the ability to nationally build themselves up get the aid needed to sustain their state (e.g. Kosovo) from international movements and organizations. This concept also applies to failed or collapsed states for legitimate reasons. An example of this is the post colonial states. It was after the Second World War when states were being de-colonized and were gradually attaining independence from the help of the UN trusteeship council that assisted them to attain and stabilize their independence. This illustrates and proves that without global governance, that would not have been possible. A federation of all humanity together with a sufficient means of social justice to ensure health, education, and a rough equality of opportunity, would mean such a release and increase of human energy as to open a new phase in human history. H.g Wells  [1]   It is a key role to have international involvement for a sustainable working economy and fair global politics. With globalization, one of the most important factors is the functioning and facilitation between borders and governments cooperating. By standing united, countries have more capacity through joint efforts than they most likely individually both economically and politically. An economical example is taken with the agricultural subsidies in France. Today millions of Euros of Frances GDP goes to agricultural farmers as subsidies every year, it is most likely that this would not be a possibility if it was not for the common policies which it is heavily dependent on of the European Union and the cooperation of countries such as Germany (being called the core countries, with France of Europe  [2]  ) -a major supplier of French subsidies. Schengen By referring to the Schengen Zone, one can clearly see how global governance has turned to work out for the best. It is kept as a foreign policy where it first (of many reasons) make travel exceptionally simple. Another byproduct with the Schengen Zone though is that it also controls criminal movements. E.g. one may believe that it is very simple for criminals to pass around borderless countries without being checked at borders and sent back to their original location. Yes, indeed this is true, though at the same time it is very difficult for them to hide. When looking back before the creation of Schengen, if a criminal had illegally left and fled a country, due to judiciary policies and processes, these two countries (the original country and the one where the criminal fled to) would have to go through legal negotiations and procedures to be able to send people with such criminal records back. However, today due to being in a joint venture or an agreement, such issues do not occur. Instead of each country being very compact with its rules and borders, zones such as the Schengen have become stronger as a whole and less harsh internally. So yes, it may be very difficult to become part of the Schengen, but once you are in, you are free to go wherever within the border. WTO World Trade Organization EU is aiming for a good common market between all nations including fair trade, therefore many organizations have been created to to keep issues such as trade and production of supplies arranged and fair between all countries. The World Trade Organization is the only global international organization that deals with the rules of trade between nations  [3]  . Although the system has various flaws, the core values or the principles are important in bringing countries and policies together. The way of cooperation may be strong; however the idea behind it is to establish fair rules and trades so that countries unlike e.g. the US can as well compete in the global market. This was a main aim of global governance which has proved to have some succession. An important factor to keep in mind though is the comparisons of how the globe is today compared to the past. These days, the problems we face are different to the ones before. There is more terrorism (as people go by such means to get their voices heard), there is a more rapid climate change, financial problems and also pandemics such as HIV, which cannot be tackled easily and will be in need of global efforts. It is therefore very difficult as an individual state to face these problems and tackle them than it is more likely with the help of the trusteeship of other countries. Global governance is a vital key towards mitigating conflicts and wars. Before the League of Nations, there was barely a platform for nations to meet and do decisions together. It was basically only individual states and the congress of Vienna and the Council of Europe. In other words, today, if a state wants to go into war, she can be stopped by its membership partners and together they will deal with the problems not having to use armed forces. If you compare this to the times before global governance was so important and played a role, then this country would already be preparing for this war. This proves that trusteeship is based on respect towards one another. It is like the second voice that makes you double think and council to before taking it a step further. The League of Nations (1900-1924) The League of Nations was an important breakthrough after the First World War with one main task: to maintain a war from happening again. It was after the chaos that erupted from the treaty of Versailles that people looked for hope in this league and mainly wanted stability. This international body was created by Mr. Woodrow Wilson, who also was the president of the United States. What is ironic though is that the US decided they would not join this league, being as powerful as they were and as isolating as they were becoming. The idea behind the League of Nations was very bright and many were keen on how it worked. Britain and France were the two most important nations that had joined this league as neither Germany nor Russia was allowed into it due to its internal problems. Germany who is claimed (by the Treaty of Versailles) to have started the war was not seen a as a part of the international community and was therefore not allowed to join the decision makers in the League of Nations. In one way though, this was a great relief to the league as it did not have to finance the country in bad times. In spite of the joining of these two nations, the league was a good idea and it was a kick-off for global governance. It aided countries economically though not militarily (as in what the United Nations is doing today) due do its lack of weapons after the World War. The league has been proven to be successful and given a great push towards global governance, the members together have prevented wars from occurring and by this cooperation, communication between the members has been enhanced. Which reforms are needed in the UN for global governance? Following the current economic situation in the world; booming of sub-national communities, the rise of strong nation states, successful regionalism and no compatibility in the globalization, things are bound to go on as long as there is no democracy and compromises triumph at all levels, so it was the responsibility of the UN to step in and make the difference (Reforms at the UN). The UN is also charged with the responsibility of addressing governance challenges in sub-national and national frame work being one of the major international community organizations and has to take the role of supporting national governments democratic reforms. They have been claims on a major disconnect between the management of the international communities and the reforms that are associated with them. Gupta (p346) says that due to the above conditions, the UN had to do something and tackle those pending reforms. Though it had very many topics to be addressed, the main areas of concentration were sugg ested to be economic issues, security and legal affairs. It should be noted that the UN role in the mentioned issues vary and differ from each other. Calls for reforms were also received from world leaders such as the French President Nicolas Sarkozy. Felder (p36) asserts that he warned the UN that time was running out for them to make global governance reforms on economic, political and environmental crises. He stated that the world was facing a lot of challenges like global warming, recession, poverty and nuclear proliferation and said that the world is getting impatient of waiting for the reforms. He mentioned some specific areas that he felt really needed to be reformed like the expansion of it membership, restructuring of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, equal rights of voting among nations and the curbing of the green house gases. The Italian Prime Minister Berlusconi also called for reforms in the Security Council so as to make the body more representative and effective and economic reforms that would take into account the voices of more countries. Reforms needed in the UN for global governance Most of the panel members were for the idea of the reforms being undertaken by the United Nations but some still said that no reforms were needed. Though there were some disagreements here and there on some specific issues like the World Health Organization and the Food and Agricultural Organizations, the call for reforms was clear both from inside the UN and the outside world. The reforms cut across several areas and agencies and differed from one to the other depending on the importance and the how adverse the area was affected. On July, Kofi Annan released the Maurice Strongs plan who was the Executive Coordinator to begin reforms of the United Nations which at that time was considered as a sprawling system. The reforms mainly involved the implementations of the many recommendations that were brought forward by the commission on Global Governance (Klingbeil, p349). The UN had appointed a Commission to look at the global economic and financial crisis and it had come up with its own recommendations reforms. The reforms covered areas such as; The International trade in Agriculture and the Right to Food. As a branch of the right to live, the right to food was aimed at guaranteeing every human being to be free from hunger. To achieve this, the Agricultural trade policy had to be formed to help fulfill this right. This was not obvious as it could also serve as a hindrance if it was conceived but in neglect of the human rights (Bongang, p86). It called for all the states to respect all the human rights while entering trade agreements. Basing on the report from the commission, especially the part covering the World trade Organization and the right to food suggested the strengthening of the special role of agriculture in trade agreements. This would ensure that the two are compatible with the states responsibility to fulfill its populations Food rights. The commissions came up with the possibilities to reconcile the human rights requirements and trade policies (Global Policy Forum). The commis sion also had recommendations towards a Socially Responsible and Democratic Global Economic system. It suggested for transparency, accountability and governance in central banks, national governments and international financial institutions. These institutions had rushed blindly with efforts to rescue the global financial system and the reforms were to step in and check on this urgent pace. The commission then came up with proposals and principles which would strengthen these reforms and enable the institutions move towards a more democratic global economic system and socially responsible. The proposal faced challenges as these institutions denied some of the allegations on transparency and accountability (Zifcak, p50). Like the Central Bank claimed that it would be transparent only if it followed simple and previously policy goals particularly on commitment to use monetary policies in fighting the price inflation on commodities and not asset bubbles. The policy asserted that the as set inflations can be ignored considering the consumer price inflation and at the same time the asset deflations also cut into profits. The Security of Council also came to question and the commission suggested a new approach to it. This was not the first time the Security Council had come under scrutiny as the UN members had been discussing reforms on it over decades but nothing had really come out of the discussions. The suggestion was that a council which was newly forged and one that had a common ground on which progress could be easily made. The Security Council is charged with the responsibility to maintain peace and security internationally. The council comes up with resolutions that bind all members the UN Member States. The responsibility needed a lot of reforms in order to become more democratic, transparent and accountable to the UN member States and to the public. The reforms are as delicate as they are political in nature and the situation worsens when it gets to enlargement and debates covering regional political rivalries. The procedural issues also make the reforms more complicated as there are some w hich can be implemented while others require voting which will need amendments in the UN charter and changes in the council composition. The proposals may result to the Member States holding on to their old positions although they will be given the freedom to change (Oxford Journals). Members are also going to find other avenues to address their issues and the reforms will remain a national interest issue that have strategic interest regionally and global power ambitions. The International Financial System also needed reforms according to the commission as it was at the peak of financial crisis hence something had to be done to avoid such situations in future. It advocated for the repudiation of the US dollar to be the key international currency and that it should be able to bear responsibilities that come along (Herman, p213). The commission also insisted on the importance of adjusting mechanisms that will solve the imbalances in the international payments and how the capital controls stabilizes the international financial market. It directed most of its efforts on the role of the regional monetary cooperation. The reforms faced challenges from the US which was against any changes that would result to the dollar loosing its standards though it accepted to adjust the voting shares between European countries and Asia. There was a strong call for sustainable Governance for the 21st centaury. To attain this, the UN had to address economic and environmental crises and the changing geopolitics. The UN was running out of time to position itself in a way that it could effectively manage the new global changes that included the financial and economic crisis, energy and food crises and climate change. Hence the commissions recommended the transformation in policies governing human resource and provide findings for UN research. It also came up with ways of improving the leadership policies by Secretary -General especially in times of crises and the establishment of an institution that was independent analytically. The UN was asked to improve its own policies on research capacities, planning and better division of labor between other multilateral organization and the UN. The UN also had to check on its democratic support and it was challenged to come up with a new beginning democratically. The financial cri sis was believed to be the opening for democracy support and to achieve a democratic future, the UN was supposed to respond directly to crisis especially concerning economic vulnerable, it should direct specific focus on young democracies and support them and come up with ways of strengthening international organizations. Which model should we use in global governance and why? When it comes to governance, all aspects should be included so as to come up with a government that is efficient, democratic and meets all the needs and expectations of the people it governs. This is to say that in governance, the executive, legislature and judiciary should not be divided into separate and independent bodies. Such divisions limit the proper working of the government and the excesses by the government since all these three are required for making, executing and administering laws. This not only applies to a nation but cuts through even for global governance hence the best method that can be used in global governance should be a model that includes all the three branches of government. With the incorporation of all the three, then we will achieve the global governance that we need. With the prevailing world situations and crisis, we need institutions and governances that are democratic, transparent, accountable and those that can work properly with the civil societies and the NGOs. All these are beyond what a single country can achieve no matter how powerful it may be to solve all these and still be responsible enough to cater for the responsibilities of all the mankind. Trenkov (p90) says hence the need for a world institution which has the legitimacy, clout and the caliber to handle effectively all these weaknesses and enact the possible reforms. An organization that can be fit to do such is the UN. We need a government that will ensure that international cooperation grows stronger despite the rise in the number of rifts and divides, global governance that will provide solutions to the increasing security concerns, come up with policies that will strengthen the c ivilians and not the military. One which has policies that protect and conserve nature and also addresses all the causes of insecurity clearly providing good solutions. All these are just but some of the roles the UN. The UN considers dialogue and diplomacy in handling military parties, pass resolutions and sends peacekeepers to solve disputes. The UN has peacekeeping troops and personnel in more than 110 countries which are normally send all over the world for peace keeping missions. Some of the organizations that have exercised global governance include International Criminal Court, MDGs and Kyoto. The NGOs and civil societies have also been working globally without biases. They have worked together in issues like protecting the environment, helping the poor in fighting HIV/AIDS and have taken part in prosecution for crimes against humanity. Treaties such as the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty have contributed in large extent to the global security and economic development. What are the main difficulties when achieving global governance? The issues and difficulties with global governance usually start at the same point which is state sovereignty. The Westphalian system the concept of nation-state sovereignty based on two principles: territoriality and the exclusion of external actors from domestic authority structures   [4]  is widely popular and accepted worldwide. Any kind of attempt of an external interference with any kind of domestic issue is usually not widely welcomed. States can feel this comes with a loss of their independent decision making. However what one must always consider is that all states are involved in the decision making process and that means that the outcome selected is a product of their thinking as well. It does not mean that a state can be governed by a third power and that it can interfere in its issues without their permission. Other than the actual issue of loosing the concept of self decision making and sovereignty, the concept of the ruling system of global governance itself is often considered a problem. This is mainly related to the way of how for example the United Nations system is carried out. As it is the largest decision making body in terms of the global governance issue, it can be used as an example for any further innovations of the system. Overall the main difficulty to overcome in the UN is the system of votes and the share of power. There are two main problems with this topic. Firstly the system of votes gives every country the same vote no matter what size, political and economical characteristics it might have. As this may seem like a rather fair system, which is how it was initially meant, in real daily basis of decision making in the UN it means that states much smaller in size and economical power can decide on issues which do not relate to them at all or will not influence them at such a large scale. The second problem the UN might have in terms of its power sharing is the widely criticized Security Council and overall the fact that a few set selected states with rather larger amounts of power, govern the UN and have a bigger say in the decision making process which is then unfair because no matter what issue comes up a hand full powerful countries in the world will always be at the centre of the decision makin g, often rather than those who would be influenced by this issue in the future. Another major issue of global governance comes down to the characteristics of a democratic process. In an ideal democratic discussion as all parties should be heard and considered and a debate over all the concerning aspects should be carried out, the process of decision making through global governance can be longer as compared to the one on only a national or regional scale. As the duration of the decision making process grows the effectivity of the policy implemented declines. To conclude the major points that make it difficult for achieving global governance these would include : fears of losing state sovereignty, criticism of the vote share both in the General Assembly and the Security Council and the speed of decision making and its effects on implementing various policies. How to overcome these difficulties of global governance The reason behind why some states are threatened by global governance and fear the loss of sovereignty is due to the fact that either they feel excluded from the decision making and fear that they will be ruled by another power or that there are issues which tackle topics that might be considered as nationalist. To improve this a different system of voting sharing could be imposed. If decision making only touches a few countries than these countries should have a bigger say in the process as it will concern only them and no one else. However it is important to somehow maintain the process as of course countries may be biased. Therefore this policy would usually not be helpful if only one country is concerned by a topic as naturally it would just defend its stand without any need to compromise. On a regional scale of a few countries that all understand the issue and might bring something new into a collective debate, it would be more progressive to only apply regional governance rather than global. Another positive aspect of this solution would be the fact that countries that are not involved with such an issue what so ever would not spend on time on such things and would be able to focus on other important issues that need to be solved. The fact that certain issues may concern topics that touch the nationalist side is widely known. As the sense of nationalism usually varies across the world it is very difficult to point out exactly what topics should be off limits when it comes to the decision making. While topics such as culture are very obvious, other aspects vary as different countries take pride in different areas and losing the power to fully ad solely decide in such areas would mean losing a sense of national pride. Such topics that should be off limits should be discussed and decided by the general body of the global governance to avoid any sense of misunderstanding and unnecessary pressure in the future. A reform in the Security Council has been widely discussed. It is obvious that this system does not fully support democracy but on the other hand benefits few and takes away power from the small states. The main problem with Security Council seems to be the fact that the setting we practice now in the UN can be rather permanent. Some suggest a rotating presidency would bring more efficiency in the Un as the decision making would then be balanced. However this on the other hand might not be the most effective solution as any kind of mistake could be blamed on the ruling circle before the present Security Council. One of the greatest improvements global governance needs is interconnectedness. As global governance is an aspect of globalization it should stand up to the standards of growing interconnectedness of the world. This means it should connect its public and private sectors, regional and global aspects and encourage citizenship participation. A greater interconnectedness of public and private sectors be it in the economical, educational or medical sector would not only help to improve these areas by bringing in new aspects and a broader view on things but would work in a greater stabilization of the sectors and most importantly it would possibly prove more efficient in implying certain policies and would make it a faster process when implementing various policies. A more cooperative regional and global approach would help focus on the areas really needed in regions in turns rather than trying to generalize a solution which may not be as efficient at times. If regions were able to present a unified solution in the start it would mean that the issue of single votes would not be as problematic as before. An encouraged citizenship participation could bring in new ideas and aspects and again a more focused approach on certain ideas. A citizens view might bring in new insights and ideas which on a greater scale if they are unified can serve the populations specific needs rather than generalized policies. It should be a vital point in the decision making of global governance which is only highlighted by this quote of Listening to what citizens have to say is the surest way of meeting their needs. And the organization of world governance needs to be founded on the satisfaction of these needs. The principles of citizenship are therefore a necessary condition in the creation of any new model for managing the planet.  [5]   It is important to understand why achieving global governance is so important, what it would bring to world citizens and what are the criteria for overcoming difficulties with global governance. For this it seems rather appropriate to quote Dr. Rajesh Tandon, president of the FIM  [6]  (Montreal International Forum) and of PRIA (Participatory Research in Asia) and his works on Democratization of Global Governance for Global Democracy: Civil Society Visions and Strategies (G05) conference. Democratic policy at the global level requires legitimacy of popular control through representative and direct mechanisms. Citizen participation in decision making at global levels requires equality of opportunity to all citizens of the world. Multiple spheres of governance, from local to provincial to national to regional and global, should mutually support democratization of decision making at all levels. Global democracy must guarantee that global public goods are equitably accessible to all citizens of the world  [7]   Conclusion So to conclude it is important to understand the points mentioned above fully as without legitimacy and control of power, equal opportunities to all world citizens, democracy and accessibility of public goods and services a reform of global governance is not possible as it needs the basic criteria to develop. Fears of losing state sovereignty, issues of nationalism, criticism of the vote share both in the General Assembly and the Security Council and the speed of decision making and its effects on implementing various policies all have to be dealt with through a changed voting system in the UN, areas restricted to global governance and areas that are off limits and should only be dealt with on a national scale, a reform of the Security Council and very importantly a greater need of interconnectedness on all levels. The UN would not have managed to meet its expectations and the requirements of the 21st century without reforming several aspects of its governance. Its responsibility is to protect the ordinary people against poverty, conflicts, diseases, hunger and erosion of the natural environment. With the reforms at place, the organization is now in the best position to carry out these global governance issues that happen to be under the jurisdiction of the organization, it is independent and indispensable to the international community and has all it takes to handle global governance issues. Hence we can see that the UN is the best global governance we can have to promote peace, rule of law, protection of human rights and development of the poorest regions in the world. Bibliography/Sources