An Evaluation At Primark Stores Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

An Evaluation At Primark Stores - Essay Example They are expected to produce and market the products and services ethically and in an environment-friendly manner, provide good working conditions for the employees, etc,. Along with these, the organisations owe their revenues to the society, and thus have to pay back a part of it by serving the community at large. All these expectations in Toto make up the Corporate Social Responsibility(CSR) of a firm. It is defined as, â€Å"a concept whereby companies integrate social and environmental concerns in their business operations and in their interaction with their stakeholders on a voluntary basis† ((Mcnall & Hershauer, 2011) CSR is a means of ensuring the sustainability of an organization. Unless it conducts the trade morally, the malpractices and loop holes in the operations may surface at any time and become the organisations’ weakness in winning the hearts of customers. Decent working conditions attract good job-seekers and make the organization a better place for the employees, this again reflects on their loyalty. When a percentage of profits are diverted towards community development, the company appeals to the attention of larger audience and helps it build a brand image. Finally, the stress on environment is the order of the day and there is growing concern in the consumers towards using eco-friendly products. Thus, CSR is a social investment that reaps huge competitive advantage to the companies and guarantees their viability in the competitive markets (Banerjee, 2007). 2. Primark Stores Primark is a chain of 235 clothing stores spread in 7 countries including Ireland, Spain, UK, Netherlands, Portugal, Germany and Belgium. Associated British Foods (ABF) plc., is its parent company. The clothing line offered by Primark include men, women, kids and baby clothing, accessories such as shoes and home linen and upholstery. Its competitive advantage lies in presenting variety to the fashion-conscious customers at affordable rates. The factors tha t allow Primark to sell high fashion products at such low prices are Bulk-buying merchandising only the most popular sizes Stream-lining of operations their easy and unsophisticated design logic low expenses on promotion good ties with suppliers 3. Corporate Social Responsibility at Primark Primark’s CSR is aligned according to the instructions drawn out by ABF. These initiatives fall into 6 categories under the Twinings Ovaltine Strategy Model developed by ABF. The model is illustrated in figure 1. The facets of this strategy pertinent to Primark are discussed in the following sections. Figure 1: Twinings Ovaltine Strategy Model of CSR at ABF (Source: Associated British Foods url: http://www.abf.co.uk/our-decentralised-approach.aspx) 3.1. Its People The company believes that its human resources are one of its main assets. All the employees are treated equally, provided with equal opportunities in case of employment, training, promotion, etc., based on their skill and ability . The company gives due regard to their safety during work. They abide by the regulations set by national and international statutory bodies in the countries where they operate. Harassment is considered as a crime. Primark accords due respect to the cultural differences among employees, who belong to different backgrounds. Open communication among the entire workforce is encouraged. The strong whistleblowing policy guarantees that the employees abide by Primark’s code of conduct (Werther & Chandler, 2011). 3.2. Upstream and Downstream

Home Depot Essay Example for Free

Home Depot Essay It is not common for an enterprise to rise from the level of start-up to market domination in less than 3 decades, but Home Depot has this special distinction. With annual sales in excess of $80 billion from over 2 thousand retail stores (A Portrait of Growth, 2007) this remarkable corporation did not even exist until 1978. This stunning growth, which has an impressive record of profitability as well, has been largely achieved in North America, during the less than dynamic times of the last quadrant of the 20th century. The Home Depot success story is not in mere commercial or financial terms alone, but is also a powerful symbol of the spirit of free enterprise: the company was founded by a team of just 2 entrepreneurs, and has made deep inroads in all the communities it serves (Roush, 1999). This document combines both internal and external views and accounts of the functional histories and accomplishments of Home Depot, and concludes with observations about the possible future prospects of the corporation in the global markets which have begun to unfold. Company Analysis Home Depot has been built on a triad of platforms, which can be used to analyze its performance in qualitative terms (A Portrait of Growth, 2007). The first of these planks has been to build on a core business, which the company has executed with finesse and with impressive results. The corporate brand has become virtually synonymous with all do-it-yourself and do-it-for-me home improvement activities in the United States. The company is present in all 50 States, and has a comprehensive package of products and services for all categories of individual home owners. The company brand is an assurance of quality and value-for-money for an entire generation of U. S. citizens. Easily accessible customer advice (Roush, 1999). and strong cultural roots in the multi-racial values of modern America are inextricably linked with all phases of company operations. A second dimension of Home Depot has been to extend business (A Portrait of Growth, 2007). The management has been relatively conservative in this respect, adding wholesale and electronic business lines, but without the kind of aggressive expansion that was a hall-mark of its early years of store expansion. Indeed, it is also interested to dispose off its wholesale business. It is possible to think of many extensions of the original home improvement business in a retail format, which the company seems to have ignored. However, business extension remains a key stated aim of Home Depot. The third plank of Home Depot is to enter new markets (A Portrait of Growth, 2007). Implementation, being restricted to Canada, Mexico, and China, has been poor. Russia, India, the European Union, Brazil, the Middle East, and South Africa, are some of the potential markets which Home Depot has ignored. There seems to be no systematic effort to exploit the Internet and establish a strong global presence, as many other U. S. based corporations have done. The overall qualitative company analysis of Home Depot shows excellence in and focus on growing the core business, with limited forays in diversification, and weak attempts to extend the business to all available markets. Quantified company analysis leads to the same conclusion: Home Depot yields high short-term cash, but seems to be low on initiatives for new investment. 2005 Gross Profit, at over $27 billion, is more than a third of sales revenue. This is quite extraordinary for a business without proprietary products or technology. It reflects the success of the company’s basic philosophy of achieving economies of scale (Roush, 1999). The 2005 achievement is no ‘flash in the pan’ for the company has an impressive record of 5 years of operating margin expansion. Long term debt is less than 10% of equity, indicating some possible diffidence of company management about future prospects. It does not augur well for investors who look for superior growth opportunities. The 2005 Quick Ration is below 0. indicating efficiency in purchasing and logistics, with due leverage of its commanding market share and brand strength. It is clear that Home Depot is a successful and profitable enterprise, though it is inadequately geared to exploit new opportunities and emergent market trends. The company’s financials and business structure indicate that it may have already crested its best years, especially with respect to the limitations to further growth in North America. Segregated accounts for operations in China are not available in the public domain, but it appears that the company has not matched its historical success in a new continent. The entrepreneurial origins of Home Depot may not be entirely relevant for the professionalism demanded by a global market environment. Economics High volumes at low prices are at the heart of the business model (Roush, 1999). The network of over 2 thousand retail stores, with national spread in the United States, and enviable brand equity, combine to attract a plethora of suppliers with apparent deep discounts for the company’s endorsement. The economics of Home Depot act as an entry barrier, preventing regional competitors from attacking its market share. High cash generation puts Home Depot in a formidable bargaining position, and with the power to sustain predatory pricing offers. The Home Depot economic model has deeper roots in people than in numbers! Decades of intensive training and close interaction between the founders and front-line employees (Roush, 1999) make the company’s stores more than mere warehouses of branded goods. Home Depot emphasizes customer education, which attracts middle-class first time home buyers in sustained and large numbers. The company has carved a large segment in the U.  S. market with such deep footprints that they are almost impossible for newcomers to erase. Accounting Home Depot is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (Home Depot Inc, 2007). It has met all reporting and disclosure requirements without any exceptions on record. Auditor comments on its financial statements show adequate compliance with statutory accounting standards. It is apparent that the company has an adequate accounting system, which is able to capture details of millions of transactions in reliable manner. Though the Management Information Systems of Home Depot are not in the public domain, it is possible to observe that even statutory treasury functions are advantageous for the company. The control of such a large number of sales items spread trans-nationally over such a large number of locations, would itself serve as an entry barrier for a new entrant. The company must excel in systems development, even if some parts are outsourced, to account correctly for such a large number of daily transactions. The Home Depot accounting system is therefore a significant non-financial asset of the corporation. Such systems have large future profit potentials if the company diversifies and enters new markets. Finance Earnings have grown by more than 20% for 4 consecutive years (A Portrait of Growth, 2007). Cash generation exceeds $7 billion. Total assets are about $44 billion. The equity base is stable at just over 2 billion shares, but long term debt is just 9. 9% of equity. The company is amazingly liquid for a business, which on paper should be most vulnerable to the vagaries of customer demand. The Current Ratio is just 1. 7, which is remarkable for so many items on sale across more than 2 thousand depots. Return on Investment in 18. 31, which exceed expected performance for a business without patents and proprietary technologies. Home Depot has a sterling financial performance, and is extremely sound by all financial yardsticks. However, the equity is not adequately leveraged. It appears that the management does not have new ideas about the future, though the business segment in which it operates is full of technological, economic, spatial, and demographic changes. Even the Current and Quick ratios, while admirable from an accountant’s perspective, may be questioned in terms of inventories of scare materials such as wood. Overall, finance has opportunities to excel as a function when a company grows aggressively, makes ambitious expansion plans, and deals in multiple currencies. The financial waters of Home Depot are placid! Marketing The Finance function of Home Depot may be a quiet place, but Marketing is a dynamic function for the company! Excellence in customer service is a founding value of the company (Roush, 1999). Much of this is achieved through intensive training programs, and by innovation in store design. It is hard to match the incomparable product and service combination of Home Depot and it is apparent that the company has a strong understanding of middle-class Americans as a customer segment. All home improvement needs can be met at the company’s stores, and customers have come to rely on the company’s pricing for a wide variety of tools and fixtures. The company brand enjoys top-of-the-mind recall, and has strong associations with the generic product category of retail home improvement. The do-it-yourself product category is very large in most sections of U. S. society, so Home Depot has a durable line of revenue by dominating this market. The business calls for deep understanding of the multi-faceted needs of home owners, and Home Depot has nurtured a special bonding with typical customers ever since its inception. The brand loyalty is extremely strong and has not been broken by any competitor as yet. The company has such a strong hold on the market that new manufacturers of appliances, fittings, and surfaces, are forced to enter the market through Home Depot stores. Customer education is a key consideration at Home Depot (Roush, 1999). This serves to protect the company’s market shares for even the most generic product lines, because no one else matches the information needs of new home owners, or older ones who encounter new problems in their properties. Since the company also offers favorable pricing, customers have little motivation to switch loyalties. Repeat custom is ensured through universal customer satisfaction. There is also plenty of space devoted to do-it-for-me market segments, which combines well with the wholesale business (now on the block for sale) to bring in valuable endorsements from experts in the professional home repair and redecoration businesses. Customers routinely visit Home Depot without any specific product in mind, or even without fully knowing what exactly they need to buy. The friendly advice which is easily and freely available at Home Depot serves to hook customers and has them returning for all home improvement needs. The service also serves to expand the overall market for home improvement, encouraging home owners to take on tasks which they may have left unattended or passed on to service providers, were it not for the guidelines forthcoming from the stores of Home Depot. The encouraging ambience in the stores of Home Depot is reinforced by wise and timely mass media communication. By advertising on a NASCAR theme on television (A Portrait of Growth, 2007) the company shows deep appreciation of its typical customer cluster, and their preferences. Home Depot is also an official NFL sponsor, which is most appropriate considering the profile of the typical customer who shops at Home Depot, and who is responsible for the vast majority of home improvement decisions. Home Depot excels in all aspects of Marketing with sharp focus on a targeted segment. The Marketing Mix is a coordinated mix of product and service elements guaranteed to ensure repeat custom and durable brand loyalties. Though Home Depot has not slackened its intensive marketing efforts to this day, the residual effects of the goodwill it has generated can stand it in good stead for years. It is considered to be one of the best retailers in North America by customers, associates, and peers alike. Management The Chief Executive Officer and senior Legal and Human Resources personnel have left the company in the last 3 months ending February 2007 (A Portrait of Growth, 2007). All the vacancies have been filled by internal promotions. Such moves would indicate strong management resistance to proposed changes of basic direction, and a determination to persist with established business patterns. The implications are even clearer for a company such as Home Depot, with strong traditions for developing and depending on people. The possible power struggle may have left significant sections of the remaining staff in turmoil, and perhaps now actively searching for alternate jobs. The former Chief Executive Officer is bound by a year’s no-compete clause, and cannot solicit employees to leave and join in his other ventures for the next few years: such clauses in separation contracts also suggest that many people in Home Depot may want to search for alternate jobs as soon as they have options. There is no merit in this matter as far as Home Depot’s future prospects are concerned. There is worse conflict with a major share-holder as well, over strategic direction (A Portrait of Growth, 2007). The share-holder entity, which is professionally managed, has merely asked for an independent strategy review, which is not something against the best interests of Home Depot. However, the Board has decided to oppose the constructive resolution. Reviews by outsiders are never binding on clients, so the management’s intransigence in this matter leaves room for doubt about cohesion at the top of the hierarchy. It is apparent that the company is divided between proponents of change, and a powerful group which favors the status-quo-ante. Though Home Depot has a spectacular performance record, it is true that the 21st century global market is quite different from domestic USA towards the end of the last millennium. New demographic segments of the wealthy, and of some immigrants, have emerged even within the strong hold of the home market, so a recasting of strategy seems in order, even if such an exercise were to conclude that the company is already on the right course. Hands on Human Resources Management, with emphasis on training (Roush, 1999) formed the template of the early success of Home Depot. However, a modern corporation cannot survive on breakfast meetings between employees and founders alone! Diversity concerns have certainly altered the composition of the work force, so new ways of managing people and deploying resources are inevitable. The present Home Depot management may have become prisoners of past achievement, preferring to stay with a course which may not be appropriate any longer. While internal promotions are creditable to a certain extent, Boards also need infusion of new perspectives from other successful companies. By filling all the recent vacancies internally, Home Depot may have deprived itself of valuable perspectives from the street. The company’s close association with middle-class America may become a limitation as it is forced to engage with unfamiliar markets and new customer types. Overall, serious discontinuities are evident in the highest echelons of Home Depot.

The Concept Of Balance Of Power Politics Essay

The Concept Of Balance Of Power Politics Essay When one state or alliance increases its power or apply it more aggressively, the balance of power theory is maintained. By forming a counter-balancing coalition, threatened states will increase their own power in response. The central concept in neorealist theory is Balance of power. Since Martin Wright said, the notion is notoriously full of chaos and confusion, it is difficult to provide exact definition to balance of power. The main difficulty prevails with the balance of power is that there are too many meanings associated with it. Nevertheless, the indispensable idea is very simple but when the principle is applied to the international relations, the concept of power means that with the help of shifting alliances and countervailing pressures, not a single power or mixture of powers will be allowed to become strong enough to threaten the security of the rest of the world according to Perkins and Palmer. In order to be more effective, identification and sensing of threats from th e neighboring countries and rebels is an essential need for applying the balance of power effectively. A balance of power can be formed by multiple states when alliances are fluid, for instance when they are formed easily or broken on the basis of practicality by not taking into consideration form of government, history, religion or values. Shifting its support to oppose whichever alliance or state is strongest, a single state occasionally plays the role of a balancer. In the 18th and 19th centuries, specifically in its relations with Germany, Russia and France, this role was played by Britain in Europe (Williams, Andrew 2004). By matching their increases in military capability, two states can balance against each other. Both the United States and the Soviet Union expanded their nuclear arsenals to balance against each other in the cold war. The complexity of measuring power is one weak point of the balance of power. From the size of its land mass, level of technology and population, the states power ultimately derives its power. Nevertheless, this potential power translates into mili tary capability in a flawed manner. There is a dependence on such elements of luck, geography, morale and leadership with the effective use of military force. Throughout history in various regions of the world, there are found some historical examples of power balancing. For instance, through a constantly shifting network of alliances, these Chinese states pursued power (China Superpower, 2010). (2) Evaluate how effective power balancing is, in practice, toward preserving peace. Without the Soviet threat, the United States, as the dominant world power, would face difficulties in its relations with such states as the European powers and china and the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 left the United States as the worlds sole superpower (The Globalist: June 2, 2010). The ever changing nature of power, in the present-day international system further complicated the operation of the global balance of power. For the smaller states, the internet, Globalization, weapons of mass destruction and other developments of technology have made them acquire power in a significant manner. Even though, the balance of power is less applicable to conflicts involving other non state groups and terrorists, the balance of power may continue to operate among other states which are engaged in prolonged disputes in the future. In the present study of international relations for the past five hundred years, the balance of power played a prime role in achieving power and peace and for the past five hundred years, the balance of power has been a central concept and practice of international relations. Liberalism also plays an important part here and it carries a legacy of international imprudence (Hume, David. 1752). The purpose of the balance of power is to put in place to explain the situation where states will ally themselves to prevent the domination of one state upon others and peace will obviously be preserved by effective balancing of power and by matching their increase in military capability, two states can balance against each other. (Shubhya pandey, 16th March, 2009). Early intervention will often be more cheaper and effective than late intervention, if security is now better procured than defended. Before they have the time to gain momentum and focus, the threats to security should be addressed. References: 1. Williams, Andrew (2004). D-Day to Berlin. Hodder Stoughton. ISBNÂ  0340833971 2. . China Superpower (PDF). http://www.casaasia.es/pdf/9200595422AM1127202862621.pdf. Retrieved 2010-08-27 3. The Globalist June 2, 2010 cite: An Insecure Foothold for the United States; Russia is certainly still a superpower comparable only to the United States 4. Hume, David. 1752/1963. Of the Balance of Power, Essays: Moral, Political, and Literary. Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 346-347. 5.Shubhya pandey (16th March, 2009) Balance of Power in International Relations, article Student Semester IV, Hidayatullah National Law University, Raipur 7. List and describe some of the major multilateral attempts at arms control and disarmament. How effective have these attempts been in the past? How effective are they likely to be in the future? Do you believe that agreements of this kind will play a significant role in stemming nuclear proliferation to rogue states and terrorists? Why or why not? Arms control and disarmament are not the same. The objective of arms control is to limit weapons in certain selective and agreed methods with regard to certain aspects like transparency, lethality, range and quantity while the latter aims at the destruction of certain types of weapons capable of wreaking mass destruction. The entire globe sought to eliminate all types of weapons of mass destruction which are chemical arms, biological and nuclear and the use of multiple types of conventional weapons apart from their production and sale are sought to be controlled by the world after their bitter experience post the two world wars (Conventional weapons, 2004, p.36). The term general and complete disarmament means the elimination of all weapons of mass destruction or WMD along with the balanced reduction of conventional armaments and balanced reduction of armed forces which is based on the principle of undiminished security of the parties along with a purpose of promoting or improving st ability at a lower military level after taking into account the requirement of all States to protect their security and achieve peace and stability (Speech, 2002). Besides being supported by an implementing institution, a regime is a multilateral arrangement governing either the elimination or control of certain weapons. On the prohibition of bacteriological weapons and poisonous gas to which Canada became a signatory on 6th May 1930, the inter-war period was also witness to the Geneva Protocol, 1925 (Canadian Reference Guide to the United Nations. Ottawa, 1994). Until April 1975, the protocol introduced by the United States was not endorsed by the Senate of United States. The General assembly of the United Nations called for the total elimination of atomic weapons and use the atomic energy for peaceful purposes and it was the foremost resolution passed by the General assembly of the United nations (World Military Expenditures and Arms Transfers 1996). But all these attempts were not full effective as some countries of the world are still continuing to produce weapons of mass destruction under the pretext of security reasons and have not been fully cooperative in destroying weapons of mass destruction completely. Treaties were signed seeking to eliminate and prevent the production of weapons of mass destruction which include the treaty of Non-proliferation of Nuclear weapons and the Biological weapons convention and the Chemical Weapons Convention. In order to promote their WMD non proliferation goals which include the Nuclear Suppliers Group and the Zangger committee, Wassenaar Arrangement (for dual-use goods and conventional arms), the Missile Technology Control Regime and the Hague Code of Conduct (for missiles) and the Australia Group (for chemical and biological weapons), some countries of the world have decided to establish various non-binding suppliers regimes. How effective are they likely to be in the future? In the future, these measures are not going to be effective unless universal application of multilateral disarmament treaties are promoted and its awareness is created for both the Government and its citizens, improving compliance with the commitments of treaty, improving transparency (Some countries fear that reporting of possessions of WMD might compromise on their diplomatic goals or security, strengthening verification by effectively implementing intrusive inspections, vigorous accounting methods and physical security and at the same time not compromising legitimate defence secrets. The development of a politically binding code of conduct was proposed by Netherlands in 2002 when it chaired the Missile Technology control Regime. For this purpose, several international meetings were organized by the European Union (The Netherlands, Ministry of Foreign Affairs,ICOC Background information, 2002). In spite of all these attempts, the lack of public understanding of the contribution of treaties to international security makes non-proliferation education and disarmament a compelling priority. There is a concentration of specialized knowledge only in a very few ministries or in some governments lack the knowledge altogether. Preoccupations with other pressing issues and conflicting priorities faced by many developing countries in areas like internal conflicts, environmental challenges, economic development, health needs and poverty have reduced the effectiveness of these treaties and control and still a long way is to go in order to implement the measures effectively. Do you believe that agreements of this kind will play a significant role in stemming nuclear proliferation to rogue states and terrorists? Why or why not? I do believe that Agreements and treaties arms control and disarmament will play a significant role in stemming nuclear proliferation to rogue states and terrorists only if cooperation prevails among the nations of the world and by maintaining good relations and key contributions are made by the parliaments which has the prime major responsibilities for enacting implementing legislation under the relevant disarmament and arms control treaties apart from the effective role played by the United Nations as they face multiple challenges with regard to the promotion of is armament . Unless collective efforts are put forth by all the nations of the world, any treaty or measures of arms control will not work and remain a challenge and problem forever to be faced by all the countries over the globe. References: 1. Conventional weapons are weapons that are not WMD; see UNIDIR 2004, p. 36. 2. The Netherlands, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ICOC Background information, http://www.minbuza.nl, 2002. 3. Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. Canadian Reference Guide to the United Nations. Ottawa, 1994. 4. U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency. World Military Expenditures and Arms Transfers 1996. Washington, 1997. 8. International relations theorists disagree about the propensity for states to balance versus bandwagon. On the one hand, some theorists claim that states form counter-alliances against the powerful to prevent any one state from achieving hegemony over everyone else. On the other hand, a second group of theorists claim that states tend to gravitate toward the powerful, joining the strongest rather than participating in a blocking coalition. Which claim do you believe is best supported by the historical evidence? Explain your answer. Striking an alliance with powerful nations to fulfill the concerns of security was followed by many countries since the North Atlantic Treaty Organization or NATO which is an intergovernmental military alliance based on the North Atlantic Treaty which was signed on 4th April 1949((The official Emblem of NATO,2008). A system of collective defence whereby its member states agree to mutual defence to an attack by any external party is constituted by the organization. Even though some theorists claim that states form counter alliances against the powerful to prevent any one state from achieving control over everyone else, the story has always been on the other side. The countries of the world normal strike alliances with the powerful countries for their own security reasons. For example, Israel always lean on the United States for its support instead of maintaining cordial relations with its neighbours. Even during the gulf war many European nations like the United Kingdom, France and Italy joined hands with the United states in waging war in the Persian gulf against Iraq which did not get any support even from its own neighboring countries. The second group of theorists who claim that states have a tendency to gravitate towards the powerful joining the stronger rather than participating in a blocking coalition and this claim is valid as a lot of historical data is available to support this kind of theory. For instance even during the post world war time, in 1954, South Korea formed an alliance with the United States of America and South Korea signed the ROK/U.S Mutual Security Agreement in which they agreed to defend each other in the event of aggression by outside nations (Manwoo Lee,1988,pp. 35-36). Even during the war waged in Afghanistan after the September 11 terrorist attacks on United States, Pakistan supported United States because of security concerns. The major reason why most of the nations of the world depend on the United States is that in recent years it has been the most formidable military power in recent years and its spending levels is the principle determinant of world military spending and recent increases are connected to the so-called war on Terror and the Afghanistan and the Iraq invasions. Japan struck an alliance with the United States of America because it feels that its presence in the western pacific is very much important to the regions peace and stability (Jusuf Wanandi, 1997). Rather than adopting leniency and initiating collective efforts to prevent the disaster of war in the gulf, numerous countries were on the side of the United States in its war against Iraq including Saudi Arabia. Many countries like the United Kingdom and France even went to the extent of spending huge sums of money for the military operations in the gulf. Many countries in the Southeast Asia feel that the transformation of Southeast Asia as a region of stability could not have been achieved in such a quick manner without the help of the United States (Straits Times,1997). Therefore the second claim of the theorists who stated that the states tend to gravitate toward the powerful, joining the strongest rather than participating in a blocking coalition were right in their perspective. Reference: 1. The official Emblem of NATO. NATO. http://www.nato.int/multi/natologo.htm. Retrieved 20 February 2008 2. Manwoo Lee, et.al. Alliance under Tension: the Evolution of South Korean-U.S. Relations (Boulder, Co.: West view Press, 1988), pp. 35-36. 3. Jusuf Wanandi, Time for Japan to rethink its regional and global role, Straits Times, 27 August 1997 4. Straits Times, 20 November 1997. 9. Assess the concepts of direct opposition and competition as described in the textbook. Do you believe that instances of either competition (which seems to approximate the situation leading up to both World Wars I and II) or direct opposition (which the textbook applies to the Cold War) are more preferable in terms of ensuring international stability? Are they equally useful (or useless) toward achieving this end? Do you believe that the future of world politics will be characterized more by competition of some kind (as suggested in the textbook) or by a renewed form of direct opposition (potentially between the United States and China)? Given your earlier arguments, what ramifications might this have for international stability? Support your arguments with evidence. Assess the concepts of direct opposition and competition as described in the textbook. Do you believe that instances of either competition (which seems to approximate the situation leading up to both World Wars I and II) or direct opposition (which the textbook applies to the Cold War) are more preferable in terms of ensuring international stability? The relationship that developed first and foremost between the United States of America (USA) and the Union of Soviet socialist Republic (USSR) was given the name cold war because the two was always at loggerheads with regard to the domination of international affairs (The origins of the Cold War, 2004). The term was used to describe their relationship from 1945 to 1980. They fought for their beliefs using client states who were fighting for their beliefs on their behalf because these two superpowers did not trust each other. Since times immemorial, the competitive rivalry among nations is largely attributed to the uneven distribution of resources across the world to a great extent. Nations have been working hard to control resources and not merely to develop their geographical extent of colonialism from the age of exploration to the two world wars and from the Middle East to the west. For the purpose of determining a nations strategic direction apart from helping the nation outperform its rival through gaining the competitive, geopolitics highlights about the spatial analysis in terms of social sciences, politics and geography. Due to healthy competition among the nations of the world, the importance of world resources have been highlighted by Mackinders Heartland Theory in the year 1904 (The Geographical Journal, 2004). Huge concentration is made on the co-existence of nations through their mutual economic interdependence by the modern geopolitics even though it does not necessarily talk about power shi fts. Healthy competitions therefore make the nations to realize their potential and awareness about their resources and this in one way can be utilized to maintain cordial relationship with other countries by helping the other countries by mutual exchange of resources. Are they equally useful (or useless) toward achieving this end? The outcomes or effects of competition of some kind will be favorable for international stability. This is supported by the fact that a favorable environment has been created for export diversification and competitiveness in sub-Saharan Africa and many African countries concentrated on getting the essentials economic management in the right way (Borner, S., Brunetti, A. and Weder, B., 1995). In order to reduce their debt and controlling inflation and putting in place sustainable fiscal policies, they worked together. All these happened due to the healthy competition which prevailed among these nations and fostered a good relationship between them (Sachs, J. and Warner, A., 1996). Do you believe that the future of world politics will be characterized more by competition of some kind (as suggested in the textbook) or by a renewed form of direct opposition (potentially between the United States and China)? I do therefore believe that the world of future politics will be characterized more by competition of some kind in comparison to a renewed form of direct opposition because in a direct opposition healthy competition can never take place. For instance when it comes to China and the United States of America, China always opposed the United States power politics, hegemonism and unipolar strategy and vice versa even though both of them have relatively mature ideas, tactics, policies and strategies on the global configuration of international order and power (Peter Grier and James N. Thurnman, 1999). On the other hand, if these two countries nurture a healthy competition and foster good relationship, it will be beneficial for them apart from the rest of the world. Majority of the other countries of the world also favour this. Given your earlier arguments, what ramifications might this have for international stability? Support your arguments with evidence. Right from the historical periods, economic inequalities have existed in a wide range of societies and the negative phenomenon arising out of economic inequality can be removed only with a healthy competition between the nations of the world. Healthy competition may also pave the way for the trade liberalization which will shift economic inequality from a global to a domestic scale where low skilled workers in poorer countries will see higher wages. Therefore international stability can be achieved globally by healthy competitions among the nations. International trade is promoted and significant benefits arise out of this. In concurrence with comparative advantage, it allows numerous countries to specialize. Considerable gains of efficiency may arise out of this. Severe competition takes place only out of trade which breaks down institutional impediments to change and promotes innovation. The advantages of the utilization of increased returns to scale is further provided by trade. A ll these facts were realized by many countries of the world after the post war era. Under the sponsorship of the GATT (General Agreements on Tariffs and Trade), numerous tariffs relating to international trade was introduced after several rounds of negotiations and it lead to successful trade liberalization in the developed nations (Jacob Kol and L.B.M. Mennes, 1990).

China - The Epicenter of Overpopulation Essay -- Exploratory Essays Re

China - The Epicenter of Overpopulation In 1999 the world population reached six billion. Roughly 200,000 lives have been added each day since then, about one small city a week. This population boom however, is not evenly distributed throughout the globe. In fact, many countries in Europe have experienced negative population growth in the last ten years. It is the developing nations of our world that are most responsible for the exponential increase the world has begun to experience. The busy-bodied human mind has rushed and hurried to find "tech-fix's" to sustain our ever growing population. The population should have hit a glass ceiling a few billion people ago, many argue that it has explaining the 1-2 billion people dying of hunger at this very moment. We have reached a point where we are uncontrollably increasing in size, exploiting our resources in an effort for survival before we can begin to map out ways to protect them, increasing the total output they could give. As Edward O. Wilson says, "The epicenter of enviro nmental change, the paradigm of population stress, is the People's Republic of China". China is home to one fifth of the world's population, about 1.3 billion people. This population is expected to reach 1.6 billion by the year 2030. The majority of this population is crammed into the Yangzi River Basin, the most southern region of China. The wave of population was brought on in the late 1950's when the world experienced a baby boom after the world wars. This time period is referred to as the "golden age" in Chinese history. The country had suffered nearly 40 years of warring states and corruption from many differing political parties, so when the communist party finally came into power, a united nation o... ... of water distribution, mass public work projects have been developed and started to combat this issue. The success of these projects could quench the looming water shortages of over 300 major cities. China is under serious pressure to find all the "tech fix's" possible to support its large scale hatchery. Meanwhile, the eyes of the world will be on China to see how it manages its mass population. Hopefully, they will be successful, hopefully they will find answer and the genius of humanity will be able to continue to stretch the glass ceiling that the bacteria, that human population has become, is up against. Bibliography: Aird, John S. "China's family planning terror" The Human Life Review, Summer 1994 Wilson, Edward O. The Future of Life (excerpt, the bottle neck theory) U.K, Random House Inc. 2002 www.gdrc.org/icm/grameen-info.html www.worldbank.org

Latino Civil Rights in School

Latino Civil Rights in Schools One area in American society in which racial groups were separated was in school. Segregation of races and schools were common through the late 1940’s, until a Puerto-Rican Mexican family took action. Through this area the common race that known during this time where you were both classified as white or black and therefore left Hispanics unclassified. Depending where you lived according to McCormick, J. and Ayala, C. 2007) describes Felicita Mendez a Puerto Rican woman’s experience, â€Å"she belonged to a group that was racialized in Arizona as black, in California as Mexican, and now in court, her children figured as white. † In this situation her children not allowed to enter a white school called Westminster Elementary. Felicita did not want to enroll her children into a Mexican school because they lack resources and only did vocational training as she wanted a better future for her children, because she knew that education wil l give her children opportunities. She and her husband decided to take action so they followed lawsuit, along with four other Mexican families against Westminster County. During their struggle the law was against them saying that their reasons for segregation of Mexicans school were due to language. â€Å"The ruling was sustained at the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco on April 14, 1947, in a unanimous 7–0 decision. † (McCormick, J. and Ayala, C. , 2007). This was a tremendous decision that had great impact towards creating integration for Mexicans as well as Indians, and Asians in schools. Shortly after the victory, the legislation passed the Assembly Bill of 1375 in California which eliminates segregation of these races. The bill was signed into law on June 14, 1947. Other states such as Arizona then followed, and it led to other cases which completely terminated legal segregation in schools in the United States in 1954. It took some effort and some years to finally integrate whites with other races in schools. Such effort had its accomplishments, however it took various years for the majority of people to get used the fact that we are human beings and therefore all created equal. We still encounter racism unfortunately but not in the same fashion or numbers as we encountered 50 years ago. As the future approaches us in many years to come we are all going to be integrated as one race of a human being, hopefully making this world a much better place. References McCormick, J. and Ayala, C. (2007). Felicita â€Å"La Prieta† Mendez (1916–1998) and the end of Latino school segregation in California. Retrieved from http://content. ebscohost. com. wf2dnvr2. webfeat. org/pdf19_22/pdf/2007/GWW/01Oct07/28320951. pdf? T=P&P=AN&K=28320951&S=R&D=aph&EbscoContent=dGJyMMTo50SeqK44y9f3OLCmr0mep7ZSs6q4TbSWxWXS&ContentCustomer=dGJyMPGvtEyvrbVLuePfgeyx44Hy7fEA

HistoricalACT Percentiles for 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, and 2011

HistoricalACT Percentiles for 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, and 20 SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips For those currently taking the ACT or who took it in 20-2018, you might wonder:how does your percentile compare with students who got the same score in other years?In this guide, I'll explain what percentiles are, how they work for the ACT, and why they matter. I'll also give you ACT percentile charts for 20-2018 so you can see how your scores stack up against historical ones. What Is an ACTPercentile Score? Before diving in, let's define what an ACT percentile is. First off, a percentile is not the same as a percentage score you get on a test in school (i.e., when you receive 85% on your biology test, you answered 85% of questions correctly). Rather, an ACT percentile score lets you know how you did in comparison with other test takers. This in turn makes your score easier to understand since the ACT uses a pretty ambiguous scale of 1-36. For instance, a 25th percentile score means you scored higher than 25% of ACT test takers, while a 98th percentile score means you scored higher than 98% of test takers. In short, the higher your percentile is, the better you did compared with others who took the ACT. For instance, on an easy in-class test (on which most students scored 90% or above), you could get a high test score like 91% and get a relatively low percentile like 10%. However, if the test were very hard for your class(e.g., only a few students scored above 20%),you could get a low test score like 28% and a relatively high percentile score like 95%. Percentile shifts tend not to be as extreme as this example since the ACT is equated,but I’ll discuss this more in-depth later on. Nonetheless,ACT percentiles are helpful for understanding your scaled scores,aspercentiles allow youto determine where you fall in comparison with other test takers. Do ACT Percentiles Change Over Time? Generally, for a specific scaled ACT score, the percentile of that score stays the same from year to year.That said, there can be some very slight changes (typically 3% at most from year to year). If you’re unsure how scaled ACT scores are determined,learn how to calculate your score. The reason there are only minimal percentile changes for a specific scaled score from year to year is that the ACT is equated to ensure the same curve on every test date. As anexample of the slight variation in percentile for a specific score, a score of 31 was the 96th percentile in 2014 but the 97th percentile in 2013. What does it mean for percentiles for each scaled score to stay about the same from year to year? As I mentioned earlier, ACT, Inc., tries to keep the score distributions the same so that onescaled score indicates the same level of ability across different test dates. For example, ascore of 32 means you scored better than around 97-98% of test takers in 2013 and 2016 (and any other year). Ultimately, thismeans that no one test date (or test year) is advantaged over another. All test dates are equated to ensure similar (if not identical) score distribution. Why Care About ACT Percentiles- EspeciallyPercentiles From Other Years? Your ACT percentile is important because it lets colleges compare your ACT score with those of other applicants (and, more generally, students across the country).Why is this important? If colleges looked at just your scaled score without any other information, they wouldn't have a clear sense of what makes a good ACT score and what makes a bad one. For example, if you got a 33 composite score and colleges didn't know your percentile, admissions officers might judge the ACT as a school test and think you got 33 out of 36- about 92% or an A-, which is good but not great. However, with ACT percentiles, colleges can know that a 33 is actually a 99th percentile score, meaning you scored better than 99% of test takers! Essentially, percentiles allow colleges to get a sense of how test takers perform on the ACT and allow them to compare you with students in the rest of the country. You should care about ACT percentiles from other years because you are applying to college with students who might have taken the ACT in other years, too.For example, although you might have taken the ACT in 2016 as a high school junior, some of your classmates applying to the same colleges as youmight have taken it later in 2017 as seniors. Say you and your classmate both scored 33, but you took the ACT in 2015 and he took it in 2016. Your score places you in the 99th percentile but puts him in the 98th percentile. This makes your 33 just slightly more impressive than his. ComparingACT percentiles for specific scaled scores across years is useful to know how you stack up against students who took the ACT a different year but are applying to the same colleges and at the same time as you. While percentile scores are important, theACT score rangefor your target college is the more important consideration. The ACT score range for colleges is the range in which the middle 50% of admitted students’ ACT scores fall.For instance, Yale’s ACT score range is 32-35- meaning 25% of admitted students scored at or below 32, and 75% scored at or below 35. Universities rely primarily on score ranges when making admissions decisions. For this reason, you’ll want your score to be at or above the 75th percentile (for example, 35 for Yale) to give yourself the best chance of being admitted. To find ACT score ranges for your schools, search â€Å"[School Name] ACT scores PrepScholar.†For a more detailed explanation, with tips on how to calculate your target score, readour guide to what a good ACT score is. The main reasons colleges care about their particular score ranges over national ACT percentiles are as follows: A college’s ACT score range is often a consideration in college ranking lists. As a result, colleges want to admit students with higher ACT scores so that they will be ranked higher. Colleges publish their score ranges each year. Thus,the higher the score range, the more impressive it seems to the public. While ACT score percentiles are an important part of the college admissions process, your final ACT composite score is the number that is most significant. OK, maybe not this historical. Historical ACT Percentiles for 20-2018 Below, I’ve listed the ACT score percentiles for each composite scaled score from 20-2018. I used data provided by ACT, Inc.,to assemble this and the charts below (for the percentiles for individual sections). Remember, apercentile is the percentage of test takers who scored at or below a certain scaled ACT score. ACT Score 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 20 36 100 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 35 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 34 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 33 98 98 98 99 99 99 99 99 32 97 97 97 97 98 98 98 98 31 95 95 96 96 96 97 97 97 30 93 93 94 94 95 95 95 95 29 91 91 92 92 92 93 93 93 28 89 88 89 89 90 91 90 91 27 86 85 86 86 87 87 87 87 26 82 82 83 82 83 84 83 83 25 78 78 79 78 79 79 79 79 24 74 73 74 73 74 75 74 74 23 69 68 69 68 68 69 68 68 22 63 63 64 62 62 63 62 62 21 58 57 58 56 56 56 55 55 20 51 51 51 50 50 50 48 48 19 45 44 45 43 43 43 41 41 18 39 38 39 37 36 36 34 34 17 32 31 32 30 30 30 28 28 16 26 25 26 24 24 24 21 22 15 20 19 19 18 18 18 16 16 14 14 13 14 12 12 12 13 8 7 8 7 7 8 6 7 12 4 3 4 3 4 4 3 3 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 10 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 9 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 8 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 7 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 6 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 5 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 4 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 ACT English Historical Percentiles 20-2018 Below, I’ve listed the ACT score percentiles for each English scaled score from 20 to 2018. ACT English Score 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 20 36 100 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 35 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 34 97 97 98 98 98 99 99 98 33 95 95 96 96 97 97 97 97 32 93 93 94 95 95 95 96 96 31 92 92 93 93 93 94 94 94 30 91 91 91 91 92 92 92 92 29 88 88 89 89 90 90 90 90 28 87 86 88 87 87 88 88 88 27 85 84 85 84 85 86 86 85 26 82 81 82 82 82 83 82 82 25 79 79 79 78 79 79 78 78 24 75 74 75 73 74 75 74 73 23 70 69 70 69 69 70 68 67 22 64 64 65 63 64 64 63 63 21 59 58 59 58 58 59 57 56 20 53 53 53 52 52 52 50 49 19 47 47 47 46 45 45 43 43 18 43 43 43 41 40 40 38 38 17 39 39 39 36 36 36 33 34 16 35 34 35 32 32 32 29 29 15 29 29 29 27 27 26 24 24 14 23 22 23 21 21 21 18 18 13 18 17 17 16 6 16 14 14 12 14 13 14 3 13 13 12 10 10 10 10 10 9 9 10 6 6 7 7 7 7 6 6 9 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 8 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 7 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 6 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 5 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 4 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 ACT Math Historical Percentiles 20-2018 Below, I’ve listed the ACT score percentiles for each Math scaled score from 20 to 2018. ACT Math Score 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 20 36 100 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 35 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 34 97 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 33 95 98 98 98 98 98 98 98 32 93 97 97 97 97 97 97 97 31 92 96 96 96 96 96 96 96 30 91 95 95 95 95 95 95 94 29 88 93 94 93 93 94 93 93 28 87 91 91 91 91 92 91 91 27 85 88 88 88 88 88 88 88 26 82 83 84 83 84 84 84 84 25 79 78 79 78 78 79 78 79 24 75 73 75 73 73 73 73 73 23 70 68 69 68 67 67 66 67 22 64 63 64 62 61 61 60 60 21 59 59 59 58 57 56 54 55 20 53 55 56 54 53 52 51 51 19 47 51 52 49 49 48 46 46 18 43 46 47 43 44 42 40 41 17 39 38 40 37 37 36 34 434 16 35 29 30 27 28 27 25 26 15 29 18 18 16 15 15 14 14 14 23 8 8 7 6 6 5 5 13 18 3 4 3 2 2 2 2 12 14 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 10 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 10 6 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 9 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 8 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 7 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 6 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 5 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 4 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 ACT Reading Historical Percentiles 20-2018 Below, I’ve listed the ACT percentiles for each Reading scaled score from 20 to 2018. ACT Reading Score 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 20 36 100 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 35 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 34 97 97 98 98 98 99 98 99 33 95 95 96 97 97 97 97 97 32 93 93 94 94 95 95 95 95 31 90 90 91 92 92 93 93 93 30 88 88 89 89 89 90 90 90 29 85 85 86 86 86 87 87 87 28 83 82 83 83 84 84 85 85 27 80 79 81 80 81 82 82 82 26 77 77 78 77 78 79 78 79 25 74 74 74 74 74 76 75 75 24 71 70 71 71 71 72 71 71 23 66 65 66 66 66 66 66 66 22 60 60 60 60 61 62 60 61 21 54 53 56 54 56 56 55 55 20 48 48 48 48 48 49 48 48 19 43 42 43 42 42 43 42 42 18 37 37 37 36 35 37 36 36 17 31 30 31 30 31 31 29 30 16 27 26 26 25 25 26 24 25 15 22 21 22 20 20 21 20 20 14 17 16 16 15 16 16 15 15 13 12 12 12 12 10 10 12 8 7 7 7 7 8 7 7 4 5 4 3 4 4 3 3 10 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 9 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 8 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 7 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 6 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 5 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 4 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 ACT ScienceHistorical Percentiles 20-2018 Below, I’ve listed the ACT score percentiles for each Science scaled score from 20 to 2018. ACT Science Score 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 20 36 100 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 35 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 34 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 33 97 97 98 98 98 99 99 99 32 96 96 97 97 97 98 98 98 31 95 95 96 95 96 97 97 97 30 94 94 94 94 95 96 96 96 29 92 92 92 93 93 94 95 95 28 91 90 89 92 92 92 93 93 27 88 88 86 89 90 90 91 90 26 86 85 83 87 86 87 87 87 25 82 82 79 82 83 84 83 83 24 77 77 74 76 77 77 77 77 23 70 70 69 69 70 70 69 70 22 64 63 64 62 63 64 62 62 21 56 55 58 55 55 57 55 56 20 49 49 51 48 48 48 47 47 19 42 41 45 40 41 40 38 38 18 36 35 39 33 32 33 31 31 17 29 28 32 27 27 26 24 24 16 23 22 26 22 21 22 19 20 15 18 16 19 16 16 17 15 15 14 14 12 14 12 13 13 12 13 10 8 8 9 9 10 8 8 12 6 5 4 6 6 7 6 6 3 3 2 3 4 4 4 4 10 2 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 9 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 8 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 7 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 6 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 5 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 4 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 What’s Next? Got more questions about ACT scores? Learn about what qualifies asa good ACT score for your collegeandhow to calculate your target score. Already got an ACT score goal? Then tryour 15 top tips for taking the ACTorour 20-hour prep guide. Finally, make sure you're studyingthe right way with our guide to reviewing your mistakes. Disappointed with your ACT scores? Want to improve your ACT score by 4+ points? Download our free guide to the top 5 strategies you need in your prep to improve your ACT score dramatically.

Mistreatment of Native American by the English essays

Mistreatment of Native American by the English essays Native Americans were mistreated by the English. Because the new settlers of America believed that land would benefit them greatly with a new life and new settlement. The Native Americans were driven off there land, they became slaves for New England, they were forced to choose a religion and they had social mistreatment. Settlers coming to America had many negative images of Native Americans. In 1502, Sebastian Cabot began parading around three Eskimos that he had kidnapped on an Arctic voyage. These Eskimos were described as "flesh-eating savages" and "brute beasts" that had a language they spoke in which no one could understand. Amerigo Vespucci stated that, "these Native Americans were, brutal, loathsome half men, who lived with an outlaw, religion, rulers, immortality of the soul, and private property." The English had another reason for believing that Indians would not be friendly. They had read the experience of the Spanish and the Aztecs. These books had very detailed descriptions of the violent attacks upon the meeting of the Mayan. Native Americans had possession of the land necessary for settlement. English knew this would be a problem, so they decided to solve the problem by believing that "English settlers did not intend to take Indians' land but wanted only to share it with them. In return, they would offer the natives the advantages of a more advanced culture and, most important, the Christian religion." (29) In Virginia, English population increased. More and more settlers began settling up the rivers that flowed into the Chesapeake Bay, causing the local tribes to worry about coming in contact with the new settlers. By 1680 the Chesapeake Native Americans had been reduced by as many as 1,000. Virginians now believe that these Native Americans need to be removed because they are just obstacles in trying to create a new settlement. The Massachusetts Bay Company claimed that it intended, "to win and inc...

Free Essays on Neanderthals

The Neanderthals lived in areas ranging from Western Europe through central Asia from about 200,000 to between 36,000 and 24,000 years ago. The Neanderthals lived in groups of 30 to 50 individuals, they invented many of the tool types that were to be perfected by fully sapient peoples, they had weapons adequate to deal with both the cave lion and cave bear, they used body paint, buried their dead. Neanderthal Man survived through the Ice Age. They are thought to have had fire. Neanderthals lived side by side with modern humans for over 10,000 years. There are many theories on why the Neanderthals disappeared. Most of them involve Homo Sapiens in one way or another, considering that the Neanderthal's extinction coincides with the early human's estimated arrival in Europe from their original home in Africa. The first theory states that modern humans killed off the Neanderthals. With a much more sophisticated technology, Neanderthals would have had to compete with modern humans for their meals. This would have definitely led to fight with starvation and a decrease in the overall Neanderthal population, which could have been the cause of extinction. Also, in contrast to Cro-Magnons, who lived to well into there fifties, Neanderthals had a much shorter life span, barely surviving until the age of forty. The Neanderthals may have reacted to the new humans as enemies. Since the modern humans are presumed to have been smarter than the Neanderthals, and since modern humans are still alive today, this theory concludes that fighting wiped the Neanderthals out. However, this theory does have its faults. First of all, why would two cultures begin to fight after many thousands of years of peaceful coexistence? Also, it shows a lot of human arrogance to assume that early man could take an entire spe cies that was stronger and almost as smart as them and fight it to extinction. The second theory suggests that diseases introduced by the mode... Free Essays on Neanderthals Free Essays on Neanderthals The Neanderthals lived in areas ranging from Western Europe through central Asia from about 200,000 to between 36,000 and 24,000 years ago. The Neanderthals lived in groups of 30 to 50 individuals, they invented many of the tool types that were to be perfected by fully sapient peoples, they had weapons adequate to deal with both the cave lion and cave bear, they used body paint, buried their dead. Neanderthal Man survived through the Ice Age. They are thought to have had fire. Neanderthals lived side by side with modern humans for over 10,000 years. There are many theories on why the Neanderthals disappeared. Most of them involve Homo Sapiens in one way or another, considering that the Neanderthal's extinction coincides with the early human's estimated arrival in Europe from their original home in Africa. The first theory states that modern humans killed off the Neanderthals. With a much more sophisticated technology, Neanderthals would have had to compete with modern humans for their meals. This would have definitely led to fight with starvation and a decrease in the overall Neanderthal population, which could have been the cause of extinction. Also, in contrast to Cro-Magnons, who lived to well into there fifties, Neanderthals had a much shorter life span, barely surviving until the age of forty. The Neanderthals may have reacted to the new humans as enemies. Since the modern humans are presumed to have been smarter than the Neanderthals, and since modern humans are still alive today, this theory concludes that fighting wiped the Neanderthals out. However, this theory does have its faults. First of all, why would two cultures begin to fight after many thousands of years of peaceful coexistence? Also, it shows a lot of human arrogance to assume that early man could take an entire spe cies that was stronger and almost as smart as them and fight it to extinction. The second theory suggests that diseases introduced by the mode...

The importance of emotions and emotional quotient Article

The importance of emotions and emotional quotient - Article Example "A survey of the children's parents and teachers found that those who as four-year-olds had the fortitude to hold out for the second marshmallow generally grew up to be better adjusted, more popular, adventurous, confident and dependable teenagers. The children who gave in to temptation early on were more likely to be lonely, easily frustrated and stubborn." (Gibbs) Therefore, the author of the article has been very effective in providing evidences from the various studies in psychology to prove that emotions are more credible measures of intelligence than IQ. Nancy Gibbs also brings out the various misconceptions and misjudgments with regard to the measuring of intelligence. She maintains that the scientists have long worshipped the hardware of the brain and the software of the mind whereas the elements of emotions were completely ignored. Here, she makes out significance of the phrase 'emotional intelligence' which was coined by the Yale psychologist Peter Salovey and the contribut ions of Goleman are analyzed in detail, along with the studies by other scholars. Therefore, the article by Nancy Gibbs makes a central contribution to the study of psychology with regard to emotions and IQ in the measure of human intelligence. J. ... ich the author is trying to find a good explanation of why the cases of autism and closely related disorders like Asperger's are exploding in number with a seeming suddenness and the various arguments and opinions about the issue are thoroughly analyzed by the author. Significantly, the rise in autism and Asperger's is not confined to high-tech enclaves or to the children of computer programmers and software engineers and it occurs in every job category and socioeconomic class and in every state. The author provides alarming statistical data to prove that these disorders are fast becoming serious threat to the US society and one in one fifty kids below 10 years of age may be affected by autism or a related disorder. Considering the seriousness of the issue, the parents in the contemporary society are besieging the offices of psychologists and psychiatrists in their search for remedies whereas scientists are racing to identify the genes linked to autism and to examine environmental fa ctors contributing to the development of autism. In the next sections of the article, Nash deals in detail with the genetic roots of autism, a difference of mind, and a matter of misconnections and the author makes use of the rich new insights by the scientists into the baffling spectrum of disorders gained in the process of contemporary studies. Various factors contributing to the increase in autism and other disorders are analyzed in detail. "In the end," the author remarks, "it is not merely possible but likely that scientists will discover multiple routes--some rare, some common; some purely genetic, some not--that lead to similar end points. And when they do, new ideas for how to prevent or correct autism may quickly materialize. A decade from now there will almost certainly be more

Research dissertation proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Research dissertation proposal - Essay Example The modern day society in multi-racial countries is of people from different backgrounds. Some races are considered inferior in some countries. This notion extends into the workplace whereby managers are prone to make impaired judgments on their employees based on their race. Some countries in the world consider members of the female gender inferior and incapable of serving some functions. On accessions, women in these countries are discriminated from performing some duties strictly set apart for men. The primary aim of the research entails shedding light on cases of workplace discrimination and helps create information that will improve how employment law prevents the effects of job discrimination (Hagelskamp, and Hughes, 2014). This dissertation will be based on information derived from a literature review. Information compilation will be through examination of selected literature material. A consideration of the previous literature from human resource departments across the public and private sector will be carried out. Trade union reports will be examined for the public sector. Human resource department reports from selected organizations will be considered for the private sector. Hagelskamp, C., and Hughes, D. L. (2014). Workplace discrimination predicting racial/ethnic socialization across African American, Latino, and Chinese families.  Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology,  20(4),

Midterm- assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Midterm- - Assignment Example The promotions received are determined by various things, i.e. personal characteristics, appearance, job performance and intellectual capacity. Promotions to higher level need to maintain an impression on the superiors with intellectual capacity and this intellectual capacity can only be communicated through communication that is done through report writing. Reports exist because business needs information in order to function. Every member or employee who is enrolled into a business, for instance workers and staff employees, have some relevant information regarding his or her job that needs to be communicated. The nature and requirements at different levels in business is different. At lower organizational levels the need for information is relatively low. Work assignments at higher levels require more information. Information is required for business from different aspects. For example, the supervisor needs to keep a record of the data on the output and quality of the production. The supervisor also needs to record the information on the competition, new production techniques; new equipment etc. to be specific information is required by every person inany business. In order to find the relationship of this need in report writing, it can be said that the reports would provide systematic information that is needful for the business because a business must have information in order to function

The Leaders Preparation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Leaders Preparation - Essay Example (Zechariah 4:6). A Spiritual leader must remember that he does not operate on his agenda, but God's agenda. The six steps to leadership by Robert Clinton are important for development of effective leaders. This essay will discuss on the main points of "The Leader's Vision" In chapter four. All leaders must have a clear vision. The leader must be able to inspire people and articulate their vision to the followers. However, the most important question one must ask is, where does the vision come from Secular leaders look first to the past history and try to duplicate success. However, God rarely works the same way trice, therefore for a Spiritual leader this model of duplication may prove ineffective. Spiritual leaders should always rely on the Words of God and be sure that their vision is within the will of God. Spiritual leaders should learn to discern to understand God's vision. Christian views of strong leaders are in sharp contrast to world views. In the Gospel Christ demonstrates strength through weakness of people. The world view is one of human strength and human will. Jesus Christ focused on small groups and individuals. The world continues to look at large numbers of people equ ating to success, which stands in contrast to the teaching of Jesus Christ. The primary objective for all Christian Spiritual leaders is it to bring glory to God. The leader must operate as a vessel for the Holy Spirit to operate in, without the leader getting in the way of the will of the Lord. 15. This essay will discuss the main points of Chapter four "Natural and Spiritual Leadership". Li Hung Chang a leader in China said, "There are three kinds of people- those who are immovable, those who are movable, and those who move them." We as Spiritual leaders must realize that there is no such thing as a self-made Spiritual leader." (p28). Christian leaders are made and led by the Holy Spirit. However, people do need to have natural leadership skills. An effective leader does not happen at the moment of conversion. The leader must remember to not major in the minors, and become distracted by minute details. The leader should always have the ability to make clear and decisive decisions. Furthermore, they must be able to focus on priorities and understand his or her weakness. Jesus Christ said, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." (2 Corinthians 12:7). Therefore, make decisions based on the strength and power of Jesus Christ. The final objective should be for his glory. 16. This essay will discuss the main points of chapter 5 "Can You Become a Leader" Many leaders in church today look for leaders based on prestige or education. However, Jesus ignored the world view of leaders. Jesus started with individuals who were untrained and without social prestige. For one to be an effective leader he or she must investigate their potential for leadership. A leader must remain calm in crisis and show restraint. A strong leader will be willing to listen to other views and handle criticism. Leaders should always think before speaking. People must have trust in their leaders; one misspoken word can decrease the credibility of the leader.

The Magisterium & Ecumenical Councils and General Documents Essay

The Magisterium & Ecumenical Councils and General Documents - Essay Example An Outline of Nichols’s Treatment of the Relationship between Theologians and the Magisterium According to the Dogmatic Constitution of the Church, lumen Gentium, the magisterium, i.e the pope and the bishops of the Catholic Church constitute the teaching authority of the Church. Having direct apostolic succession from the disciples of Jesus Christ, the magisterium of the Church has legitimate authority from Jesus Christ himself to preach and to spread the Gospel everywhere, to the ends of the world. As such, the catholic faithful are expected to faithfully respect and obey the teachings and the directives of the magisterium. But, although the Magisterium derives its authority from Jesus Christ himself, due to natural human limitations, sometimes the directions and the teachings of the magisterium are in need of refinements and improvements. This fact has led to the debate and the controversy between the relationship of the theologians, who often propose refinements of the tea chings of the magisterium, and the magisterium, which constitute the legitimate teaching authority of the Church. The following is the outline of the relationship between theologians and the Magisterium according to Nichols. ... the Holy Spirit will always shower abundant spiritual gifts upon the members of the Magisterium, thus giving them the directives on how to lead the people of God in accordance with the will of God. In this view, the Holy Spirit will guide the Magestrium in all the teachings of the church and rid the Church of errors. The theologian therefore is expected to abide by the teachings of the Magisterium and to be guided by all the teachings of the Magisterium in all their interpretations of the Scriptures and the traditions of the Church. In this view, the theologian is not given any clear cut distinctive role in the Church because their functions is merely to make known/ to interpret the teachings of the Magisterium. The main problem with this approach is that, the rightful distinctive position of the theologian among the people of God is not recognized and respected. Theologians are treated merely as the other faithful. The work of the theologians is not viewed as an ecclesial duty given by God for the good of all the members of the Church and, therefore, the theologian is not viewed as possessing a divine calling for the good of the Church. For this reason, theologians are not accorded their rightful distinctive position among the members of the Church. With this approach, theologians, therefore, are not encouraged to come up with divergent opinions, but instead they are expected to limit their studies to what is already accepted by the Magisterium. The second view of the relationship between the Magisterium and the theologians is the view that the theologian’s work is a direct derivative of the ordinary Magisterium. According to this view there is a master- servant relationship between the work of a theologian and Magisterium. Magisterium is the master while the

Developments aimed at increasing the number of tourists going to Miami Research Paper

Developments aimed at increasing the number of tourists going to Miami - Research Paper Example The city is known for its famous beaches, sunny weather, luxury hotels, its numerous nightclubs and a number of fun activities that tourists can enjoy. However, there is a lot that can be done to help boost the tourism industry in the city. This paper will focus on two potential developments for the area that will facilitate in tourism attraction. These developments will benefit both local and international tourism in that the developments are essential to the well being of human being. These developments include affordable vacation homes for hire/rent and medical facilities for medical tourism. 2. Affordable vacation homes Accommodation is one of the most expensive necessities when traveling. This is because most tourists have no choice but to stay in hotels during their visit. According to (Simpson 2012: 32), the number of beds in most hotel rooms is two. This is usually not suitable for families or large numbers of friends visiting an area. This results to a lot of money being spe nt on accommodation, money that could be spent on other fun activities during the visit. He goes on to say that, some disadvantages of staying in hotels like long lines at the reception when getting a room, the remoteness of some hotels and the noise from traffic or the city are some of the reasons why people dislike traveling. This is because people leave their homes to relax on their vacations, but they end up hustling. In the long term, this leads to less people traveling both locally and internationally due to the high cost of accommodation in these hotels per night and the process involved in checking in and out of hotels (Becker 2013:15). The development of affordable vacation housing in Miami will attract more tourists in the area because these will represent their homes away from home. The vacation houses will vary in cost depending on the number of bedrooms i.e. 1 to 4 bedrooms. Tourists will have an opportunity to live as they live back home with their own privacy and spac e at an affordable price. The housing development will resemble a normal neighborhood the only difference being that the houses will only be rented to tourists and not locals for residence. The cost of this development will be approximately $15 Million according to (Ogershok 2004: 35) for 10 vacation homes that are fully furnished. The homes will also be very close to the beach in a secure location away from other residential houses. This recommendation has been welcomed and criticized by the public. These were the findings from an interview conducted on the views of the public regarding this development. Most people think it is a good because the affordability of the homes will attract more tourists to Miami, and development will be unique in that the project has not been done before in Miami and that aspect will promote more tourists in the area. Other people said that the houses may remain vacant during the low season and that some tourists may not want to have a home setting whi le they are away from home on vacation. The sustainability of this development will be quite easy and cheap. This is because the houses will only need occasional checkups for plumbing, wiring, gardening and other things that would need to be checked. This will be cheap because what will be required are the occasional repairs, which will not be too many. The tourists hiring the houses will have to sign an agreement that makes them responsible for damages to the houses that they will cause during their stay. This will facilitate the houses durability in their new form for a long time. The houses will only

The Leaders Preparation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

The Leaders Preparation - Essay Example (Zechariah 4:6). A Spiritual leader must remember that he does not operate on his agenda, but God's agenda. The six steps to leadership by Robert Clinton are important for development of effective leaders. This essay will discuss on the main points of "The Leader's Vision" In chapter four. All leaders must have a clear vision. The leader must be able to inspire people and articulate their vision to the followers. However, the most important question one must ask is, where does the vision come from Secular leaders look first to the past history and try to duplicate success. However, God rarely works the same way trice, therefore for a Spiritual leader this model of duplication may prove ineffective. Spiritual leaders should always rely on the Words of God and be sure that their vision is within the will of God. Spiritual leaders should learn to discern to understand God's vision. Christian views of strong leaders are in sharp contrast to world views. In the Gospel Christ demonstrates strength through weakness of people. The world view is one of human strength and human will. Jesus Christ focused on small groups and individuals. The world continues to look at large numbers of people equ ating to success, which stands in contrast to the teaching of Jesus Christ. The primary objective for all Christian Spiritual leaders is it to bring glory to God. The leader must operate as a vessel for the Holy Spirit to operate in, without the leader getting in the way of the will of the Lord. 15. This essay will discuss the main points of Chapter four "Natural and Spiritual Leadership". Li Hung Chang a leader in China said, "There are three kinds of people- those who are immovable, those who are movable, and those who move them." We as Spiritual leaders must realize that there is no such thing as a self-made Spiritual leader." (p28). Christian leaders are made and led by the Holy Spirit. However, people do need to have natural leadership skills. An effective leader does not happen at the moment of conversion. The leader must remember to not major in the minors, and become distracted by minute details. The leader should always have the ability to make clear and decisive decisions. Furthermore, they must be able to focus on priorities and understand his or her weakness. Jesus Christ said, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." (2 Corinthians 12:7). Therefore, make decisions based on the strength and power of Jesus Christ. The final objective should be for his glory. 16. This essay will discuss the main points of chapter 5 "Can You Become a Leader" Many leaders in church today look for leaders based on prestige or education. However, Jesus ignored the world view of leaders. Jesus started with individuals who were untrained and without social prestige. For one to be an effective leader he or she must investigate their potential for leadership. A leader must remain calm in crisis and show restraint. A strong leader will be willing to listen to other views and handle criticism. Leaders should always think before speaking. People must have trust in their leaders; one misspoken word can decrease the credibility of the leader.

Developments aimed at increasing the number of tourists going to Miami Research Paper

Developments aimed at increasing the number of tourists going to Miami - Research Paper Example The city is known for its famous beaches, sunny weather, luxury hotels, its numerous nightclubs and a number of fun activities that tourists can enjoy. However, there is a lot that can be done to help boost the tourism industry in the city. This paper will focus on two potential developments for the area that will facilitate in tourism attraction. These developments will benefit both local and international tourism in that the developments are essential to the well being of human being. These developments include affordable vacation homes for hire/rent and medical facilities for medical tourism. 2. Affordable vacation homes Accommodation is one of the most expensive necessities when traveling. This is because most tourists have no choice but to stay in hotels during their visit. According to (Simpson 2012: 32), the number of beds in most hotel rooms is two. This is usually not suitable for families or large numbers of friends visiting an area. This results to a lot of money being spe nt on accommodation, money that could be spent on other fun activities during the visit. He goes on to say that, some disadvantages of staying in hotels like long lines at the reception when getting a room, the remoteness of some hotels and the noise from traffic or the city are some of the reasons why people dislike traveling. This is because people leave their homes to relax on their vacations, but they end up hustling. In the long term, this leads to less people traveling both locally and internationally due to the high cost of accommodation in these hotels per night and the process involved in checking in and out of hotels (Becker 2013:15). The development of affordable vacation housing in Miami will attract more tourists in the area because these will represent their homes away from home. The vacation houses will vary in cost depending on the number of bedrooms i.e. 1 to 4 bedrooms. Tourists will have an opportunity to live as they live back home with their own privacy and spac e at an affordable price. The housing development will resemble a normal neighborhood the only difference being that the houses will only be rented to tourists and not locals for residence. The cost of this development will be approximately $15 Million according to (Ogershok 2004: 35) for 10 vacation homes that are fully furnished. The homes will also be very close to the beach in a secure location away from other residential houses. This recommendation has been welcomed and criticized by the public. These were the findings from an interview conducted on the views of the public regarding this development. Most people think it is a good because the affordability of the homes will attract more tourists to Miami, and development will be unique in that the project has not been done before in Miami and that aspect will promote more tourists in the area. Other people said that the houses may remain vacant during the low season and that some tourists may not want to have a home setting whi le they are away from home on vacation. The sustainability of this development will be quite easy and cheap. This is because the houses will only need occasional checkups for plumbing, wiring, gardening and other things that would need to be checked. This will be cheap because what will be required are the occasional repairs, which will not be too many. The tourists hiring the houses will have to sign an agreement that makes them responsible for damages to the houses that they will cause during their stay. This will facilitate the houses durability in their new form for a long time. The houses will only

Accountability of the UN Peace Support Operations Essay Example for Free

Accountability of the UN Peace Support Operations Essay Global peace and security are among the United Nations core missions (Charter of the UN; chap. 1, art. 1). At its founding in 1945, the UN aimed to serve as a global high command to keep the peace in a post-colonial, post-fascist world. The end of the Cold War has made the United Nations an ever more important partner and player in the varied tasks of conflict resolution and conflict avoidance. With the closing of the ideological gap between East and West many look to the peacekeeping apparatus of the United Nations as the best tool to deal with the lesser crises that emerged after the collapse of the Soviet Union (Morrison Blair 243). Thus, there is a belief that the United Nations has a pre-eminent role to play in global peace and security (Falk 627) by means of undertaking measures that fall under the category of preventive diplomacy – peace-keeping, peace-making and peace building (Inoguchi 3). At the same time there are many critics of the way the UN has managed its security roles in the post-Cold War period. See more:Â  Masters of Satire: John Dryden and Jonathan Swift Essay Some see threatening trends in the strengthening of the powers of the UN Security Council since the Gulf War; most agree that the Security Council has limits to its effectiveness as a global policeman. Both advocates and critics of the UN peacekeeping policies recognise that to be successful the peace support operations have to be sufficiently accountable – the same way as any use of military forces in democratic nations (Newman 16). The purpose of this study is to explore what channels of accountability of peace support operations under the auspices of the UN exist and how sufficient they are. Toward this end we will scrutinize how accountability is established, who is accountable for a mandate that cannot be carried out because of insufficient personnel, examine the degree of transparency in establishing responsibility of the parties involved, discuss the cases of peacekeepers’ misconduct, and make the conclusion. The Channels of Accountability of Peace Support Operations Such conceptions as preventive diplomacy, preventive deployment, humanitarian assistance, peacekeeping and peace-building make the essence of common vision on global peace missions. This has called forth an international partnership comprising the military, civilian police, governments and NGOs, diplomatic services, mass communication media, and other establishments supporting democratisation and advancement processes (Newman 8). At present time decisions on the uses of military forces for peacekeeping operations can be taken in international establishments far from legislative authorities that democratic administrations relied on to ensure accountability. Sometimes the principles of decision-making in such supranational institutions run counter to democratic foundations (Ku Jacobson 24). In the case of peace support operations carried out under the auspices of the UN the issue of accountability especially bring up when they deal with plenary powers and amenability for decisions on deploying military forces, incurring certain risks, choosing mission goals, and carry mandates into effect (Morrison Blair 254). Here it is of great importance to realise in what ways national governments may share responsibility with the UN and at the same time retain sufficient degree of accountability to their citizenry. The scholars define such channels of accountability as: international authorisation [and] [ ] national authorisation to use military forces, democratic civilian control of military personnel and operations, civilian responsibility to the military for the safety of deployed personnel, [and] responsibility to comply with norms governing the conduct of military and other international personnel in the field (Ku Jacobson 22). Among them the first one has been implemented successfully, for the most part, due to major shift in international politics from nations operating on their own to nations which act under the auspices of international establishments. The other channels were covered by national authorities by means of legal systems and appropriate domestic procedures inculcated in national constitutions, laws, legislative instruments and regulations as well as political and military traditions (Chesterman 99). At the national level legislative and executive authorities take decisions on the goals and targets of military missions, define the rules of conduct and involvement. Officials in charge of such decisions incur a full liability for adequacy of their deeds and are accountable to the citizens who elected them (Falk 634). But in case of peacekeeping operations under the auspices of the UN the issue of accountability is more complicated. It seems unrealisable to set responsibility at the international level in the same way. Hague and Geneva Conventions which are considered as the principal international laws of war provide precise directions on the conduct of military staff in the course of their peacekeeping missions and their responsibility toward the civilians and property in their zone of operations (Boulden 9). Hence, to evaluate the sufficiency of accountability of the UN peace support operations we have to discuss how these norms apply to peacekeeping troops deployed under the UN auspices and whether such norms are observed in practice.