Discussion format 2 Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Discussion format 2 - Assignment Example What needs to be known about both of these big companies is that they provide many of the products for the lesser known store brands. In one store the mustard might have the store name on it, but it actually was made by either Kraft of Heinz. In many instances these store brands are made in the same factory and at the same time. These products are put into different bottles or plastic containers that carry the store’s name or brand. This is the way that business is being done in order to keep the cost of the store item low. Very few people understand how this is accomplished. The larger companies are not hurt by the store brands. What these companies would like for one to believe is that they have the customer’s interest at heart, when in actuality all they are interested in is the money that one will spend on their product. 2. Macy’; s vs. JC Penny has been competitors for many years; they have very similar shoppers. However the Penny shopper tends to be a littl e more frugal and is always watching her budget. The Macy’s shopper is a more outgoing and ready to spend. Both stores are in the same ball park; but in a game of their own.

Halleys Comet arrives Essay Example for Free

Halleys Comet arrives Essay The poem begins with Good evening, little visitor, in this first line two things are brought to our attention. First, Good evening is a very formal greeting, it implies a great deal of respect and shows us the poets opinion of the comet as a thing that should be revered and appreciated. Second, the words little visitor present a slightly different opinion of the comet, one of smallness and insignificance, in fact, its almost diminishing, but still retaining the same fondness we found in the first half of the line. These contrasting ideas of importance and insignificance are maintained throughout the remainder of the poem. Still very near the beginning of the poem another significant line can be found: But whod have thought youd be so shy, the significance of this line lies partly in the beginning But whod have thought this establishes the idea that the shyness is unexpected, the world was expecting a fantastic display but have yet to see it. Also with the introduction of contracted words whod and yould which are the beginning of a far less formal and more relaxed style of writing. The informality is associated with the theme of insignificance, almost as if the comet, being nothing more than, a dirty undense snowball is not deserving of such respect. Also, the subject of shyness, also an important theme, is first brought to light in this line. Furthermore, here it becomes noticeable that the poem is divided into a few distinguishable parts the first of which is Abrahams physical description of the comet in the sky. Continuing from the theme of modesty and the comets description is a statement of the worlds presumption of the comets behaviour; that it would streak through, flashing that famous double tail, / autographing the prophetic sky. These actions are not dissimilar to the behaviour you would expect from a celebrity, because to the people of the world the comet is a celebrity, it has been on the news, theyve heard of its awesome mysteries and, above all, they have been expecting its return for years. However, this is not what they actually discover. Instead, they find it has done an elusive Garbo act the use of Garbo is strikingly apt as she was an incredibly famous and beautiful actress who was widely known and held in great regard by most of the world at the time, but she also shunned the spotlight and the attention she gained from her career, she rarely made public appearances and therefore developed a great air of mystery, rather like Halleys Comet. Equally, the use of prophetic is meaningful as the notion of prophecy becomes very important it the latter parts of the poem. The second section of the poem deals with the effect of modern science on the comet. It returns to notion of shyness, and, more specifically, the reason for it. The reason being that people know too much, that modern technology and science have stripped the comet of its ancient awesome mysteries and revealed that it is, in fact, nothing more than a dirty undense snowball () that only shines because the sun / lends it a bit of common light during this phrase Halleys Comet is no-longer personified, it is no-longer directly addressed as you but, instead, is referred to as it, this implies that that the poet is paraphrasing somebody elses opinion of the comet and, while these facts are true, they do not, in Abrahams opinion, retract from the importance he gives the comet in the opening line, he feels that these revelations combined with the comets new subtlety, as it hides among our city lights, only serve to make it more moving. This transition between the worlds opinion of the comet and Abrahams opinion of the comet is marked by the line I like it, in a way. What is also significant about this line is that it marks a definitive change in the style of writing Abrahams is now using very informal language which not only serves to re-engage the reader but also allows for a clear division between his own point of view and the rest of the worlds. Essentially, Abrahams is saying that the comet has lost its majesty due to our technological advancements, such as the city lights which make the comet seem inconspicuous. However, this leaves the reader curious as Abrahams has not explained why this makes the comet important. During the next part of the poem Abrahams discusses how he believes the comets journey to be one that requires a heroic effort, how it is only barely making its orbit by the skin of its momentum. We should applaud like mad he writes that you make it again on time. This sentence reiterates that the comet is barely managing to arrive at Earth, and as the poet believes we should be applauding the comet for this achievement shows that, in his opinion, the fact that the comet returns is incredible when the vast distances it crosses on its long, lonely orbit are taken into account. Youve shed the scary Nostradamus mask says Abrahams, meaning that through our scientific discoveries the comet is no-longer a symbol of anything as it used to be, can no-longer move the likes of the old Wise Men, King Harold and Mark Twain as we do not believe it to be prophetic anymore. Instead, he likens the comet to some private rare Aunt Maud, the generic distant relative that nobody really knows but will occaisionally drop by merely to show herself and check our face. The casual dropping by in this sentence continues the theme of insignificance surrounding the comet, that its visits are no more important than those of a friend we see every day. This idea is re-enforced in the line No more fortune-teller, dearest Aunt, though the word dearest shows that this guise of the comet is far more friendly than scary Nostradamus. However the use of the word private is also noteworthy, it demonstrates that while the comet is not important to the world at large it is still important on a personal level, this is the clear message of the poem, because as Aunt Maud arrives she gives she gives us her gift, allowing that we achieve a stroke of prophecy. Meaning that the comet is prophetic of itself returning and it is one of the few things that we can predict. Continuing with this idea he closes the poem by saying We thank you, little comforter: / that the dark potent emptiness ahead / contains one probable smear of light firstly, in this sentence Abrahams returns to the use of we showing that he speaks for the entire globe as he says this giving a lot of weight to the next lines of the poem. Secondly, use of little comforter mirrors the little visitor at the beginning of the poem, drawing more attention to these lines but also mirroring the feeling on fondness that we saw at the beginning of the poem. The comet is not seen as a foreteller of great events as it used to be. It has shed its scary Nostradamus mask and is not prophetic of human events anymore, but it is prophetic of its own return and in doing so fulfils its own prophecy, an this is the important message of the poem; that despite all we have done to damage the comets image, it is, perhaps, more important than ever as because of our advances in technology we cannot possibly conceive what the world will be like the next time Halleys Comet arrives, but the one thing we can be sure of is that it will.

The Physics of Bowling Essay -- Physics Bowling Papers

The Physics of Bowling The definition of physics by some may be the science that deals with matter, energy, motion, and force. Therefore everything in the world uses physics in some way or another. One of the numerous things that deal with physics is bowling. Some of the major parts of physics bowling has is the motions, the ways that Newton’s laws apply, the different momentums, and the energy. Other physics topics include torque, pendulum theory and collisions. In the motion of bowling many things are going on that apply to bowling. There is displacement, velocity, gravity, and acceleration. There is also an opposition to motion, which is friction. The displacement would be the bowling ball going from the position of leaving the hand to where it rests at the back by the pin collector. The velocity of the ball would include the speed and direction of the ball. The equation to find the velocity of the ball would be the displacement divided by the time taken to reach the destination. Gravity affects everything on this planet. Bowling is no exception. If the bowling ball were thrown up out of the hand of a bowler, gravity would bring it down to the floor. If the pin and bowling ball fell at the same time from the same height they would hit the ground at the exact same time. This is one main reason everything deals with physics. The acceleration would be in a slowing down state or deceleration. It would decelerate because of the small friction f rom the ball to the floor. The opposition to the motion, called friction is the ball touching the floor. In bowling this is a great factor because it is used to spin into the pins in an exact location. As soon as the ball makes contact with the lane's surface, friction comes into ... ...f the physics world that most don’t take time to think about. In this sport it was noticed the many applied physics that happens. It includes the motions, the ways that Newton’s laws apply, the different momentums, and the energy. Some of the other physics topics include torque, pendulum theory and collisions. This sport as well as anything else is affected by physics. Even though physics is involved and it might not seem so complicated to hit down pins but physics affects everything so it would take a lot of luck and skill to not mess anything up with the physics. Works Cited: 1.Internet website, http://kingfish.coastal.edu/physics/projects/2000_Spring/bowling/ by Colleen Bryan Emily Butsic Bo Hu Adrienne Metz. 2.Book, â€Å"A World View fourth edition,† by Kirkpatrick and Wheeler, 1992. 3.Article, â€Å"The Physics of Bowling,† by Tim Burgess, vol.34, May 1996. The Physics of Bowling Essay -- Physics Bowling Papers The Physics of Bowling The definition of physics by some may be the science that deals with matter, energy, motion, and force. Therefore everything in the world uses physics in some way or another. One of the numerous things that deal with physics is bowling. Some of the major parts of physics bowling has is the motions, the ways that Newton’s laws apply, the different momentums, and the energy. Other physics topics include torque, pendulum theory and collisions. In the motion of bowling many things are going on that apply to bowling. There is displacement, velocity, gravity, and acceleration. There is also an opposition to motion, which is friction. The displacement would be the bowling ball going from the position of leaving the hand to where it rests at the back by the pin collector. The velocity of the ball would include the speed and direction of the ball. The equation to find the velocity of the ball would be the displacement divided by the time taken to reach the destination. Gravity affects everything on this planet. Bowling is no exception. If the bowling ball were thrown up out of the hand of a bowler, gravity would bring it down to the floor. If the pin and bowling ball fell at the same time from the same height they would hit the ground at the exact same time. This is one main reason everything deals with physics. The acceleration would be in a slowing down state or deceleration. It would decelerate because of the small friction f rom the ball to the floor. The opposition to the motion, called friction is the ball touching the floor. In bowling this is a great factor because it is used to spin into the pins in an exact location. As soon as the ball makes contact with the lane's surface, friction comes into ... ...f the physics world that most don’t take time to think about. In this sport it was noticed the many applied physics that happens. It includes the motions, the ways that Newton’s laws apply, the different momentums, and the energy. Some of the other physics topics include torque, pendulum theory and collisions. This sport as well as anything else is affected by physics. Even though physics is involved and it might not seem so complicated to hit down pins but physics affects everything so it would take a lot of luck and skill to not mess anything up with the physics. Works Cited: 1.Internet website, http://kingfish.coastal.edu/physics/projects/2000_Spring/bowling/ by Colleen Bryan Emily Butsic Bo Hu Adrienne Metz. 2.Book, â€Å"A World View fourth edition,† by Kirkpatrick and Wheeler, 1992. 3.Article, â€Å"The Physics of Bowling,† by Tim Burgess, vol.34, May 1996.

Revenge and Release in High School Lexicography :: Education Teaching Lexicography Essays

Revenge and Release in High School Lexicography Eighteenth Century British literature can be a hard sell for high school students: excepting Gulliver’s Travels, it seems they would rather chew through the ossified gum underneath their desks than the period’s personal essays and heroic couplets. Given their general reaction to the century, studying Dr. Johnson’s lexicography would not seem a sure-fire plan for pedagogical fireworks. Nevertheless, it was; I had underestimated the emotional potential of high school lexicography. Simply reading portions of Johnson’s A Dictionary of the English Language did not ignite my students’ interest, but reading his entries with the prospect of writing their own caused a few mental sparks. It was, however, the process of defining and sharing these words--their words and their world--that brought literary ignition amidst a seemingly inflammable century. Why? There are peripheral reasons which I will discuss, but the central fuel was the emotional element of lexi cography, the potential for revenge and release. Our crucial first step was acquaintance with "the Great Lexicographer" (Dixon 220). We needed the invigoration of knowing the man, and his friend Boswell introduced us. In our text’s excerpt from his The Life of Samuel Johnson, the passage which ingratiated Johnson with students was his initial joke at the biographer’s expense: for with that quickness of wit for which he was so remarkable, he seized the expression "come from Scotland," which I used in the sense of being of that country: and, as if I had said that I had come away from it, or left, retorted, "That, Sir, I find, is what a very great many of your countrymen cannot help." (578) Perhaps Johnson’s cockiness or Boswell’s reaction--"This stroke stunned me a good deal; and when we had sat down, I felt myself not a little embarrassed, and apprehensive of what might come next" (578)--resonated with the students’ experience. Either way, reading and discussing this passage coalesced the 18th C. parlor and the 20th C. locker room, instilling some respect and preconditioning recognition of Johnson’s witty agenda. Analysis of Johnson’s preface to A Dictionary of the English Language deepened their relationship with the lexicographer. We appreciated his sarcasm in contrasting his labor with that of other scholars and artists: Among these unhappy mortals is the writer of dictionaries . . . doomed only to remove rubbish and clear obstructions from the paths through which learning and genius press forward to conquest and glory, without bestowing a smile on the humble drudge that facilitates their progress.

Imperialism and World War I Essay

Having ruled for 63 years, Queen Victoria was considered the longest reigning monarch in British history. She assumed position in the 20th of June 1837 and from then on reigned until May 1st of 1876. This period, therefore, earned the name Victorian age. Queen Victoria headed not only the United Kingdom of Britain and Ireland. She also ruled the colonies of her vast empire which including parts of Asia, Africa and North America. The British Empire was built up for three decades and in the third century, included almost one-third of the countries in the world. Since Queen Victoria became the monarch of the empire at the time Britain was at its highest in terms of economic and imperial expansion, she intended to make her empire the exemplar to other domains. In her time, due to the economic forces brought about by the industrial revolution, there was a need for acquisition of more lands. The desire for the greater or the greatest economic advantage urged European powers to extend their territories. More territories meant more power. Territories are sources of raw materials needed for the manufacture of products for export. They, too, are seen as potential markets and trade partners of the ruling country. Having colonies overseas was very important that imperialism should be carried on. Imperialism involves the political, economical, and social domination of lands. European powers had several reasons for imperialism. First, they needed territories to gain political and economic power. Second, they needed sources of raw materials and markets. There was the search for spices, sugar, rubber, tea and gold from different territories (The Norton Anthology of English Literature, 2008). Third, they felt the need for them to propagate Christianity to the world. Imperialism during Queen Victoria’s time was the new imperialism which was primarily driven by the Industrial Revolution which had the greatest economic influence at that time. This was parallel to the old imperialism that was driven by mercantilism. In 1900, the British Empire had territories extending to five continents. Their territories have expanded and there was much competition among European countries. An example of this would be the competition for the acquisition of lands in Africa. This had caused rivalry among European countries like Britain and France which they have settled later on. Soon after, conflict arose in the northern part of Africa; Germany was against Britain and France. Conflicts brought about by imperialism are said to have set the stage for the First World War. Considered the most destructive war in European history, World War I lasted for four years involving 32 countries worldwide. The war began in August 1914 and was triggered by the assassination of the then Archduke of Austria, Francis Ferdinand. Causes of the war are said to be complex, interrelated, and are rooted deeply in history. Some of the apparent reasons of the war include militarism which involves the construction of a powerful military army; nationalism which involves the strong devotion and loyalty to one’s country; capitalism which is motivated by profit and desire for economic power; and imperialism which is the domination of lands to gain economic and political power. There are other reasons that up until now have not yet been determined. After the war, there were great financial losses and the number of fatalities was high. European countries began to weaken. Reference: The Norton Anthology of English Literature. The Victorian Age.   8. Retrieved March 27, 2009, from http://www.wwnorton.com/college/english/nael/victorian/welcome.htm

International Management International Business Plan Analysis

International Management International Business Plan Analysis Introduction The recent wave of globalization has transformed business operations on global scale. International businesses have been compelled to modify their products and services as well as management strategies to enable them meet the needs of this modern generation. As such, the banking industry has not been spared at all.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on International Management: International Business Plan Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More For instance, unlike the traditional trend when banks only concentrated in offering commercial services, modern banking calls for diversification of services to include investment, insurance and pension plans, underwriting securities and portfolio management. On the same note, although Citibank enjoys enormous branch network globally, it has been equally trapped in this mayhem. As a result, the bank has put in place strategies to improve its international presence by expanding into emerging markets. On the same note, product diversification has also been employed by the bank as one of the expansion strategies. Citibank prides itself in the history of international banking for being the oldest operator to venture in international marketing (Deloitte, 2006, p. 14). The company was established in New York way back in 1812. However, it began its international operations in 1902 having been elevated to position of the largest bank in United States banking industry (Cleveland Huertas, 1985, p. 112). It commenced its initial international presence by investing in Asian markets in countries like Manila and Shanghai (Zweig Wriston, 1995, pp. 74-82). The expansion was rapid and heightened by major acquisitions of already established banks such as International Banking Corporation in 1918 and other subsequent mergers with Farmer’s loan and trust company. Hence, by 1929, Citibank had already assumed sterling position in international banking (Clev eland Huertas, 1985, p. 112). It is imperative to mention that Citibank operated under different names until 1980s when it adopted its current name (Zweig Wriston, 1995, pp. 74). Moreover, in 1998, it started operating under Citigroup Inc. and it is under this umbrella that the bank has grown to be a giant player in international banking. It has always remained ahead of competition as illustrated in the figure below (Grosse, 2003, p. 24). Figure 1. Citigroup Major Competitors for the last 20 yearsAdvertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Definitely, the path to Citibank’s success has not been easy. However, the road ahead is not smooth at all as international banking sector becomes more complex due to numerous globalization challenges and opportunities (Ammann, Gemes Lenzhofer, 2010, p. 4). The effects of globalization which have been more pronounced in the 21st century have attracted new challenges for businesses since they have to keep up with the trend to avoid being redundant in the contemporary banking world (Hufner, Metzger Reichenstein, 2000, p. 66). The latest technology in the banking sector has facilitated identification of new market segments, development of customized services as well as opportunities for capturing new markets (Kim, 2010, p. 46). However, the same technological innovation has attracted its own share of management challenges (Kim, 2010, p. 48). Citibank is not an exception in the sense that despite its success stories in the past, the new era might bring devastating outcomes. It is against this background that this insightful analysis was conducted with an aim of establishing challenges of international banking in 21st century. Moreover, this paper provides the much needed business plan guidelines that may enable Citibank to survive amidst myriad of challenges likely to be faced international banking. Study meth od To facilitate the success of this case study, data was collected from credible secondary sources which included authentic websites, books, financial magazines and reputable financial consulting companies’ reports and the justification of each source is explained below. Euromoney –this is very resourceful for this case study because of its long standing reputation in financial publications focusing on the banking industry Datamonitor- is a company that specializes in businesses analysis in six key industry sectors such as health, technology, automotive, energy, consumer markets and financial services Wall street journal and financial news magazine are also reputable for their objectivity in business reporting. Emerald and Ebsco Host online databases provide recent peer reviewed articles on all subjects and hence they are very relevant in this case study. World Bank and OECD journal (financial markets trends) are very relevant for this case study because these report s cover diverse global issues. Booz company, a leading consulting firm on management issues with a high reputation in financial analysis. Citibank is also very insightful especially the Investment research and analysis section which provides current reports about the organization performs across all regions. Organizational Analysis – Citibank products and Services Citibank operates under the wide umbrella of a giant financial services company known as Citigroup (Grosse, 2003, p, 16). The company offers consumer and corporate banking services via wide network of over 1,700 branches which are spread worldwide in over 100 countries (Datamonitor. 2004, p. 4).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on International Management: International Business Plan Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More These branches are interlinked via strong electronic system and ATMs as well as the World Wide Web. The company is headquartere d in New York. It is further subdivided into sub brands such as Citicorp Investment services, Citiphone Banking and CitiTerm life insurance to facilitate smooth delivery of wide array of services. Citibank mostly concentrates on banking, lending and investment services. It serves wide range of clientele ranging from individual consumers, institutional and individual investors, large corporations and governments to small businesses (Datamonitor. 2004, p. 6). In order to facilitate delivery of the above services, the company has streamlined its operation under three major sectors namely personal finance, small business and corporate/institutional sector. However, most of these products and services tend to overlap across the different sectors. For instance, insurance and credit cards are available across the three sectors. As highlighted above, Citibank is rigorously branded and each of the brands offers wide range of selected products and services. The Citicorp investment services of fers basic banking accounts and investment services such as mortgages and asset management. The banking accounts are further subdivided into savings, checking and college savings categories. Checking accounts are very flexible and they offer different rates depending on the average balance under each category. Therefore, customers have an opportunity to select a checking account within their reach (Grosse, 2003, p, 16). Similarly, the savings account also varies in terms of interest earned and Citibank encourages their customers to maintain large balance by paying attractive interests to big savers. The college savings account allows parents to deposit money for their children until they reach college level of education whereby the amount is paid in installments (Datamonitor. 2004, p. 4). On the same note, CitiTerm Life insurance specializes in business and personal insurance while CitiPhone Banking enables its consumers to access banking services via phones (Datamonitor. 2004, p. 4 ). However, Citibank card division is much diversified and offers quite a number of credit card solutions to businesses and individuals. This credit card services is one of the Citibank’s strongest point and they have diversified them to incorporate each and every need of their diverse customer base. The card services falls under three subcategories namely college, value and reward cards. The most popular are value cards since they offer low interest rate of 11.24 % (Datamonitor. 2004, p. 6).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More On the other hand, reward cards charge slightly higher interest rate of 14.24% but it has numerous benefits to consumers through the various reward schemes that are earned depending on frequency of usage. The college cards category offers students wide range of credit cards to choose from such as Citi Dividend Platinum and Citi Platinum Select. Each of the cards attracts myriad of benefits and opportunities to users (Citi, 2011b, par.4). Consequently, Citibank has realized significant role of internet to business and by so doing they have embraced online banking services whereby consumers are able to access wide range of their services without the need for physical contact (Datamonitor. 2004, p. 4). Through their effective website, Citibank.com, consumers are able to apply for various Citi Cards, open and access accounts among other functions (Datamonitor. 2004, p. 4). As mentioned above, Citibank originated in the United States. Besides operating in the U.S, domestic market its pre sence is greatly felt in other parts with most of its operations being concentrated in Asia markets such as china, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Singapore and Philippines (Gkoutzini, 2005, p.23). In addition, it has several branches in Europe. Latin America, Middle East and Africa and also its growth vision is to expand in emerging markets in these regions (Citi, 2011b, par.5). International Market Analysis The fact that Citibank presence is felt in over 100 countries indicates that it enjoys a wide market share in international banking. However, a SWOT analysis is necessary to portray the extent to which its strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats affect its business operations within the international market. Strengths Weaknesses Global network Innovative product offering Citigroup support Tarnished brand name Branding problems Online operations restrictive to US clientele Opportunities Threats Emerging markets Chinese and Asian markets Online presence Click C iti Foreign exchange fluctuations Regulatory forces Market conditions Strengths Citibank operations in over 100 countries has given the organization a competitive edge in global arena and also cushioned it against huge losses in case of financial turmoil in any of its representative region (Datamonitor. 2004, p. 6). In addition, Citibank has undue advantage over its rivals because of its huge capital base under the umbrella of Citigroup. Hence management at Citibank is capable of taking huge investment risks (Datamonitor. 2004, p. 8). Similarly, Citibank innovative product offering has enabled it to remain ahead of its competitors because specifically tailored products attract large number of consumers (Citi, 2011b, par. 3). Weaknesses Recently, Citigroup, the umbrella under which Citibank operates, has been accused of wrongful practices leading to severe tarnishing of its brand. This negative perception is likely to drift away investors especially from its investment servi ces since they fear negative outcome from the ongoing law suit (Bianco Timmons, 2002, p. 38). Similarly, Citibank needs to expand its online presence beyond United States in order to compliment physical branch operations worldwide (Bianco Timmons, 2002, p. 42). Past failures in website branding has also cost the organization whereby it relentlessly attempted to sell the company under a different online brand name (Timmons, 2002, par, 8). Opportunities Citibank interest in emerging markets has enabled it to become a pioneer in highly profitable but risky markets such as Moscow and this has given it a strategic positioning advantage (Dennis, 2010, par. 6). However, the Chinese market which is on a fast lane towards becoming fully liberalized presents the best opportunity for Citibank although it is yet to make any significant impact in this market largely due to tight government regulations (Busch, 2009, p. 86). In spite of the increasing tendency towards online shopping, credit car d holders are still reluctant to provide their card details to online vendors (Mullineux Murinde, 2003, p. 70). Therefore, in order to encourage usage of its credit cards for online transactions, Citibank has come up with Click Citi option that enables one to pay online without keying in confidential card details (Citi, 2011b, par. 12). Threats Economic instability following the 2007 financial crisis in the United States has created uncertainties among investors thus negatively affecting financial institutions (Busch, 2009, p. 86). This has lead to fluctuation in foreign exchange rates. As such, Citibank, being a global financial institution, is likely to be hard hit by this fluctuation. Interest rates have also dived thus impacting Citibank profits negatively. For instance, foreign exchange fluctuations in Argentina and Brazil led to substantial losses at Citibank (Datamonitor. 2004, p. 8). In addition, over the recent years, market conditions have not been conducive and the deter iorating financial performance is indeed clear evidence. To make matters worse, strict regulations in consumer banking industry are hurting banks negatively (Gkoutzini, 2005, p. 8). For instance, regulations put a cap on the amount of interests that loans are supposed to earn of which failure to comply might attract far reaching consequences (Mullineux Murinde, 2003, p. 74). Foreign entry in emerging markets In spite of the above challenges, the future looks bright for Citibank if it takes the big leap towards investing in emerging markets in Asia and Middle East. According to Wilkinson (2011, par, 12), Citibank has embarked on massive recruitment drive to hire managers for the new branches that are yet to be opened in Asia and Middle East. Other banks such as Barclays, HSBC, Goldman Sachs and JP Morga have also followed similar trend in preparation for new expansion to Asia-Pacific region. These two markets are quite promising due to recent discovery of potential benefits in Islam ic banking (Divanna, 2007, p. 66). In addition, although these regions are also experiencing spill over effects of financial crisis, there is still some possibility of rebound and subsequent growth. Therefore, reaching out for these customers might prove to be profitable in the near future (Weldon, 1998, p. 46). However, Citibank has to be a bit cautious even as it enters these markets via private banking brand and introduce investment services on a later date (Wilkinson, 2011, par, 8). According to Yuksel (2010, p. 24), private banking services are highly resilient and are able to withstand economic turmoil as evidenced in continued profitability of private banks amidst current economic downturn. International Challenges Volatility of emerging markets As epitomized above, emerging markets present the best opportunity for Citibank to invest during this period of economic downturn. According to Citi (2011a, par 6), emerging markets offer greater potential for growth as compared to ad vanced economies. According to Dennis (2011, p. 5), emerging markets refer to developing countries that are experiencing above average economic growth rate which is fueled by rapid infrastructural development and large populations that provide cheap labor. Economists’ forecasts indicate that emerging markets will recover from economic down turn faster than core economies in the current year (Citigroup Inc. 2011, par, 5). A recent survey by International monetary Fund highlighted a huge disparity between core economies and emerging markets growth rate whereby in 2001 they grew by 2.2% and 6.4% respectively (Dennis, 2011, par, 8). Therefore, markets such as Central Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa will present the best opportunity for Citibank to invest. Nevertheless, emerging markets should be approached with caution because they are deemed to be very volatile (Jaffer, 2004, p. 8). Mikdashi (2001, p. 112) underscores that although past political instability and lack of t ransparency in emerging markets is slowly fading away especially in large markers like China and India, caution is still needed while venturing in these markets. Therefore, prior research is necessary to determine the volatility risk. This implies that investment managers will have an uphill task establishing whether any venture in emerging markets has potential for profitability or not. Operational Inefficiency due to limited technology in emerging markets Operations in emerging markets especially in Africa will be greatly hindered by too much paper work that reduces efficiency (Clacher et al., 2006, p. 112). This may be due to limitations in technological advancement which has been a persistent problem in African emerging markets. Clacher et al. (2006, p. 112) further underscore that paper transactions are very costly and also tend to expose banks to transactional errors and deliberate frauds. Moreover, due to lags in settlement of cheques and drafts business liquidity is highly c onstrained leading to increased operation risks. Human resource management challenges in highly technological era Over the recent years, employees have been regarded as the most important asset for organizational growth and success (Smith, 2007, p. 130). In banking industry, employees are equally important due to the fact that it is a service industry whereby customers have very high expectations. A cursory look at the new trend of online banking might despise the role of employees in service delivery. Nonetheless, Gkoutzini (2005, p. 8) expounds that they are still critical in facilitating online banking success. According to Citigroup Inc. (2011, par, 5), online consumers have very high expectations and unmet expectations may lead to organizational failure unlike in traditional banking whereby customers can blame an employee. Therefore, the challenge today is how to keep the IT staff on their toes so that they can be more vigilant to avoid service failure. In addition, these emplo yees need to be extra vigilant to protect customers from internet fraud. Otherwise, Citibank might end up losing considerable market share (Gkoutzini, 2005, p. 8) International Business Strategy (Planning): Investment plan for emerging markets In spite of high volatile nature of emerging markets, it is imperative to note that benefits outweigh possible risks if the business plan outlined below can be adopted. Furthermore, neither the core economies nor emerging markets can guarantee 100% return on investment if the recent debt crisis in Europe is anything to go by (The Committee on the Global Financial System, 2010, p.6). To begin with, pooled investment strategy is the best due to minimal risks involved. Citibank bank can merger with existing financial services provider in these emerging marketing and run a joint mutual fund entity (Gkoutzini, 2005, p. 8). Moreover, Citibank investment division might consider investing in Exchange Traded Fund which is usually invested via internati onal brokerage service. The latter is another option of pooled investment. However, it is crucial to mention that the latter move is rather risky due to the high volatile nature of stock markets. Introduce modern banking where absent Citibank has recorded success in implementation of modern banking equipments to facilitate transactions in core and some emerging economies (Citigroup Inc. 2011, par, 5). The same strategy can be adopted in emerging markets where such services are absent. However, great care should be taken to avoid locking out significant clientele who may be unable to use modern technological equipments (Gkoutzini, 2005, p. 8). Most importantly, security concerns should be taken into consideration while adopting modern internet banking (Gkoutzini, 2005, p. 12). Needless to say, such a strategy will facilitate business operations by increasing efficiency and subsequent reduction in transaction errors and fraud. Integrate human asset with technology In this era of globa lization, technology will play significant role in business operations and performance (Citigroup Inc., 2011, par, 5). According to Deloitte (2006, p. 14), banks should strive to reconnect with their customers through a combination of technology and personal service (The Committee on the Global Financial System, 2010, p.6). This implies that employees are still significant in spite of the major shift towards online banking. Although technology is the main resources for performance optimization, full implementation will require huge capital base (Busch, 2009, p. 86). To reduce cost, banks should consider entering into global partnerships on technology in an attempt to reduce initial costs (Gkoutzini, 2005, p. 8). As epitomized above, employees can either make or break online service delivery process, therefore, it is important for human resources managers to ensure that employees are motivated to carry out their duties effectively. According to Walker (2001, p. 102), employee motivat ion is anything from compensation to non-monetary benefits that makes employees loyal towards fulfilling organizational goals. Conclusion In a nutshell, Citibank is obviously a pace setter in international banking. Data collected during this analysis indicate that the bank is headed for notable success owing to its wide capital base and diverse network across the globe. However, some weaknesses still persist. Most of these weaknesses are mainly external in nature. As a critical example, it is imperative to note that businesses today are operating in a highly competitive world due to globalization which has also attracted myriad of challenges for international businesses operations. As such, Citibank interest in emerging markets appears to be an excellent initiative. However, this giant financial institution ought to approach such a move with extra caution owing to the high volatile nature of these markets. Most importantly, the management at Citibank has to come to the realization t hat employees are indeed potential assets. Better marketing strategies should be adopted to integrate latest technological platform in order to boost online marketing and banking. References Ammann, C., Gemes, A Lenzhofer, A. 2010. Private Banking: After the Perfect Storm, BoozCo. [Online] Web. Bianco, A Timmons, H. 2002. Crisis at Citi, Business Week, [Online] Web. Busch, A. 2009. Banking regulation and globalization. New York: Oxford University Press. Citi 2011a. Emerging market growth forecast for 2011, [Online] Available at  https://www.ipb.citibank.co.uk/citigold/index.htm . Citi. 2009. Major and emerging markets agent bank reviews. Web. Citi. 2011b. Our product expertise. [Online] Available at  https://www.ipb.citibank.co.uk/citigold/index.htm . Citigroup Inc. 2011. Citi Private Bank Identifies 2011 Investment Themes. Web. Clacher, I. et al. 2006. Challenges facing banking in emerging markets: A case study of the Tanzanian national payments systems. Journal of Financial Regulation and Compliance, 14(1, 112 – 118. Cleveland, H. B. Huertas, T. F. 1985. Citibank, 1812-1970. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press. Datamonitor. 2004. Citibank, N.A. Swot analysis. [Online] Web. Deloitte. 2006. Global banking industry outlook, growth solutions in changing world. Web. Dennis, G. 2011. Emerging market earnings: Holding up well, Citi [Online] Web. Divanna, J. A. 2007. Middle Eastern Wealth Management. London: VRL KnowledgeBank Limit. Gkoutzini, A. 2005. International Trade in Banking Services and the Role of the WTO: Discussing the Legal Framework and Policy Objectives of the General Agreement on Trade in Services and the Current State of Play in the Doha Round of Trade Negotiations. International Lawyer, 39 (4), 877-915. Grosse, R. 2003. The Challenges of Globalization for Emerging Market Firms. Latin American Business Review, 4(4), 12-32 Hufner, K., Metzger, M. Reichenstein, B. 2000. Challenges for international organizations in the 21st centu ry: essays in honor of Klaus Hà ¼fner. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan. Jaffer, S. 2004. Islamic asset management: forming the future for Sharia-compliant investment strategies. London: Euromoney Books. Kim, S. 2010. International banking in the New Era: Post-Crisis Challenges and opportunities. Bingley: Emerald Publishing Group. Mikdashi, Z. (ed.). 2001. Financial Intermediation in the 21st Century. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan. Mullineux, A. W. Murinde, V. 2003. Handbook of international banking. Cheltenham, U.K.: Edward Elgar. Smith, A. D. 2009. Internet retail banking: A competitive analysis in an increasingly financially troubled environment. Information Management Computer Security, 17(2), 127 – 150. The Committee on the Global Financial System (CGFS). 2010. Long-term issues in international banking: new report by the Committee on the Global Financial System. [Online] Available from  https://www.bis.org/publ/cgfs41.pdf Timmons, H, et al. 2002. Citis Sleepless Nights: The Bank Faces Lawsuits, Fines, and Closer Scrutiny,Business Week, [Online] Available from  https://www.bloomberg.com/europe [Accessed 23 September 2011] Walker, G. A. 2001. International banking regulation: law, policy, and practice. London: Kluwer Law International. Weldon, L. 1998. Private banking: a global perspective. Cambridge: Gresham. Wilkinson, T. L. 2011. Managers hire for emerging markets, financial news, [Online] Available from  https://www.fnlondon.com/ Yuksel, U. 2010. A Risky Mode Of Foreign Market Entry: International Portfolio Investments. Journal of Business Economics Research, 8(8), 22-32. Zweig, P. L., Wriston, W. 1995. Citibank, and the Rise and fall of American Financial Supremacy. New York, NY: Crown.

buy custom Murder Law in the United Kingdom essay

buy custom Murder Law in the United Kingdom essay Introduction Since World War II in 1945, there has been a continued controversy regarding capital punishment in the UK. Various abolishment campaigns were actually launched after the war and the Homicide Act was passed in 1957. The Act introduced restrictions to the capital punishment law in an attempt to reserve the punishment in law for those who actually deserve it. However, several controversies erupted after the review and there was widespread dissatisfaction from the public regarding murder laws. In fact, convictions in capital punishment became less common. The last persons to face the murder law in Britain were executed in 1964. After continued campaigns from various human rights groups, the death penalty was abolished in 1999 when Home Secretary signed the 6th protocol of European Convention of Human Rights. The main debate has been that capital punishment denies a person a right to life, which is a democratic right of any individual. However, crime is everywhere and there is always loss of life due to criminal activities or in most cases psychological torture and decrease in the quality of life. Some of these crimes include rape, murder and terrorism, just to name a few. This paper will evaluate various contexts of the current murder law in the UK to assess its acceptability. Elements of criminal liability Generally, the basis of liability imposition on a criminal is that there must be enough proof that the defendant is guilty of committing a criminal offence while in a guilty state of mind. This comprises of physical elements known as actus reus followed by the mental state referred to as mens rea. The prosecution has a fundamental duty to verify proof of these elements in the offence to the level that satisfies the judge or the jury beyond doubt. If the is no sufficient proof, the jury is required to acquit the defendant. The two elements are used to analyze criminal offences in the English law. They stipulate that a defendant is not necessarily guilt unless he or she committed crime with a guilty mind. The actus reus constitutes more than just a mere act. It determines whether the circumstances and the consequences of the crime are recognized for prove of liability of the criminal offence under evaluation. This simply means that every element of the offence apart from the mental element is encompassed by the actus reus. It is the external or physical element of a criminal offence and is the Latin word for guilty act. Therefore, if the defendant did something amounting to criminal offence, there are other situations of omission that may be sufficient for actus reus. However, under normal rule, omission cannot guarantee that the defendant is guilty of an offence. However, a criminal offender may incur criminal liability if the crime was committed as a positive act, for example, forcefully holding the head of another person in water leading to his or her death. In case of a stranger who watches as a victim drowns without interening, the stranger would not incur criminal liability sinc e the victim would have whatsoever. On the other hand, mens rea literally means a guilty mind contrary to actus reus which means guilty act. In any offence, both of these elements must be present for proof of criminal liability. The idea of fault proven resides in the mind of the offender when he or she is committing the criminal act. Most notably, the actual state of mind required may vary from one crime to another. For instance, in murder and manslaughter, the intention to kill must be proved for imposition of criminal liability. The only exception to this principle is the strict liability concept. Here, no mens rea is required to be proved prior to one or more elements of the actus reus. The rationale of mens rea is whether the crime was committed as voluntary action, intentionally or with knowledge of all elements of the crime. Voluntariness, causation and omission in actus reus Under actus reus, there are concepts of voluntariness and causation besides the previously discussed omission. In the features of Actus reus, a murder must be a voluntary act and in some cases, there must a consequence of the offence. For example, in other offences such as assault that results in actual bodily harm, there must be visible injuries inflicted on the plaintiff. The law of causation in actus reus stipulates that an act must cause the result. It shows that death would not have results were it not for the conduct of the defendant. However, irrational application of this rule can lead to unjust rulings hence legal causation is established before the defendant is convicted of murder. It means that the conduct that led to the plaintiffs death must be worth of blame. Nevertheless, there are difficult questions that arise regarding where to draw the line but the extremes are clear. For example, if someone invites the other to dinner and the invitee is run over by a car on his wa y to the dinner, it would be absurd to claim that the inviter is guilty of murder. A guilty case of causation would be an individual who points a gun at another with an intention of killing him and eventually pulls the trigger. His conduct has undoubtedly caused the death of the victim and both factual and legal causation are obvious. Actus reus omissions are only viable when there is a duty to act. In English law, a defendant can be found to be criminally liable if he has failed to act in places where he or she has a duty to act. For example, a railway employee who opens a railway crossing to let a cart pass but forgets to shut the gates leading to the death of the cart driver when ran over by a train will be criminally liable for manslaughter. However, in normal criminal law, a defendant may not be found guilty just because he or she merely failed to act. Nevertheless, there are limited exceptions to this rule. Actus reus must always be voluntary. This includes strict liability offences in relation to actus reus. A bus driver would not be convvicted with murder of passengers if he suffered a heart attack leading to a car crash that kills several passengers. His actions will be involuntary hence an essential element of actus reus will be missing. However, the British courts ensure strict boundaries governing invo luntary conduct to emphasize the importance of fault absence of the defendant. In the previous example, if the bus driver had experienced heart attack signs before driving and continued to drive, he would be liable of criminal offence of murdering the passengers since he would have deferred driving and sought help. Mens rea of murder and the problems with proving intention The jury is charged with the duty of deciding whether the accused has satisfactory mens rea or not. The meaning of the term intention has been met with reluctant expression from judges. It should be noticed however that it is possible to intend to do something without desiring it. This is referred to as oblique intent as was reinforced in Moloney case law (1985). In case of murder, the meaning of intention is not clearly defined but definitions state what it is not. This is not satisfactory as a mens rea consequence. In this context, a defendant may be regarded to act intentionally with respect to the circumstance that he or she hoped to exist would exist. Intention also entails recklessness which means taking an unjustifiable risk. However, it is wider than intention. The state of mind constitutes of intention and is one of the main elements of mens rea. In fact, in murder it is the only element of mens rea. The jury must make a decision using all available evidence whether the accu sed intentionally committed the murder intentionally. The jury has the responsibility to find out if the accused intended to bring about the consequences of his conduct or if he was virtually certain and recognized it as so. Intention should not be confused with motive or recklessness and for this reason; crimes are categorized as basic intent or specific intent. Murder law: sufficient or in need of reform? The current UK murder law is not satisfactory and has raised various controversies in a quest for review. The legislation is needed to be clear and ensure public confidence. There are calls for various degrees of murder which have been supported by the director of public prosecutions. This is in the wake of criticism towards the current life sentence to murder convicts. The cries are pressuring the jury to implement various degrees of murder charges. In fact, the government has been responsive and is considering recommendations. A similar approach was used in the US and such a change could result into the UK having a legal system with first degree murder having a life sentence on proof of intent to kill. Moreover, second degree murder as well as manslaughter with proved intent to kill would bear a discretionary life sentence. The law commission suggested that murder should be graded which is an appropriate reform to the murder law. Buy custom Murder Law in the United Kingdom essay

The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels

The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels Free Online Research Papers The Communist Manifesto, is one of the most influential pieces of literature in modern history, yet the least read. In the Communist Manifesto Marx and Engels argue that class struggles are what is responsible for all of the developments in history. They both argue that sooner or later these class struggles fail to work together and actually start causing problems. When the classes start to fail at working together that is when a revolution starts and then we see a different class become the dominant one. Marx calls this the â€Å"march of history†. They believe in two classes, the bourgeoisie and the proletariat. Marx concludes with the idea that the Proletariat will someday lead the revolution against the bourgeoisie and destroy all concepts of private property and classes. In the Communist Manifesto they argue that all of this is inevitable and that someday the proletariat will take over because capitalism is far too unstable. As communists it is their belief that they need to speed up this process that leads to revolution. Now that I have provided the basic ideas behind the Communist Manifesto I will elaborate with each of the various sections. The first section of the Manifesto is titled The Bourgeoisie and the Proletariat. The first thing that it brings up is the idea of class struggle. Marx states that throughout history there are two main classes the class that oppresses and the class that is oppressed. Marx states that the fight either ends in a revolution or the complete destruction of the classes. He goes on to state that currently there are two classes, the Bourgeoisie and the Proletariat. These classes are, as Marx states, are just a simplified version of the feudal system that came before it. He explains how the bourgeoisie came out of the industrial revolution and are basically the â€Å"industrial millionaires†. He says that the bourgeoisie completely replaced the middle class. From there the bourgeoisie basically forced the lower classes into oppression and slavery. He states that the state is made up for the bourgeoisie’s interests. He claims that the bourgeoisie are responsible for making so tha t men only care about their own self-interest. He believes that the bourgeoisie have made it so that everything in society is about money including family. Marx writes that the bourgeoisie are responsible for the materialism that takes part in society. They create materialism as to make the proletariat dependent upon the bourgeoisie. Marx argues that free competition is what led the bourgeoisie to power. He now begins to talk about the proletariat. Marx states that it is the proletariat that will rise and defeat the bourgeoisie. The proletariat is both a slave and a soldier. The proletariat have been in constant struggle with the bourgeoisie ever since their existence. He states that they tried to establish unions to help fight against the bourgeoisie but in actuality they were working for the bourgeoisie. He goes on to argue that the creation of industry has given the proletariat more power because it increased their numbers. Soon the differences disappear and they all become low wage workers. Basically what happens is that the proletariat continue to become stronger and stronger. He goes on to claim that the bourgeoisie will fall and that the proletariat will win. The proletariat will destroy all property rights and make everyone equal. Marx goes on to speak of what the Communists do. He says that the Communists basically speed up this process. They help the proletariat defeat the bourgeoisie. They help in destroying private property. He makes the point that property actually ends up exploiting a person. This is because it is controlled by the bourgeoisie. He makes arguments that even if there is no private property that people will still work because the bourgeoisie have not worked and have still attained private property. He goes on to argue against the family saying that the family because it leads to exploiting children. He basically goes on to defend all of communisms most ridiculous ideas. For example his ideas on abolishing nationality and his idea that there are no universal truths. Soon the proletariat will take over and be the ruling class. Marx goes on to talk about the different kinds of socialism and communism that there are. The first one is Reactionary Socialism, which is basically the ones who fight against the bourgeoisie without knowing the history behind them. They dislike the bourgeoisie because they believe that they are a threat to their own way of life. The next for is that of Conservative Socialism. Basically the whole idea behind them is that they do not want the class struggles that capitalism brings but they do want all of the benefits from modern industry. The last type is that of Critical-Utopian Socialism or Communism. This is the most extreme version and is basically the idea behind the manifesto. That the proletariat rise up and defeat the bourgeoisie for their own end. Finally Marx ends with explaining the role of the what a Communist is actually supposed to do. They are supposed to fight for the workers. They work through political parties. Sometimes it seems as if they have infiltrated both of them. They help the proletariat gain power to defeat the bourgeoisie. Lastly they remark that the only way that they will be able to attain their goals is by destroying all current social and political conditions. To give a brief opinion on the Manifesto, I believe that it is strictly founded upon fear. Marx actually has the influence to make people hate because of their fear. This is probably one of the scariest political philosophies that I have read. Research Papers on The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx and Friedrich EngelsAssess the importance of Nationalism 1815-1850 EuropeQuebec and CanadaStandardized TestingThe Effects of Illegal ImmigrationComparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoPETSTEL analysis of India19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraUnreasonable Searches and SeizuresBionic Assembly System: A New Concept of SelfCapital Punishment

Term paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words - 1

Term paper - Essay Example One significant example of how one culture has absorbed musical styles from other cultures is jazz music. The role that has been played by blacks, creoles, and whites in the musical amalgamation that eventually came up with jazz music is a vital element in the development of the genre. African Americans in the South, as well as those living elsewhere in America, adopted many values held by their white counterparts. However, their musical style has remained inherently reflective of dichotomies that they faced as Americans living in the United States and these were absorbed into their music (Hardie 31). Slave music remained a distinctive cultural form for African Americans. African Americans had little distinction between sacred and secular music. They sang varieties of songs as spirituals and for work, just as their ancestors had done in Western Africa. Black music was never limited to any single tradition of music. While we tend to view black music in terms of all genres such as funk and other art forms, some of these genres are not informed by the reasoning that African American musicians treat their music as an oral art form rather than a written one. African Americans, living in a country that was, and in some cases still is, covertly and overtly hostile to them, attempted to accommodate these different cultures in the United States with the aim of speaking out (Hardie 32). They fit these cultures very well into their music, which allowed them to incorporate and learn a new repertoire that became acceptable as part of their music, especially in the initial stages of jazz and its formation. In the 20s and 30s, many producers were in the business of marketing race records, which allowed them the chance to target the black demographic and had more chance of making money (Hardie 35). African Americans were exposed to different music genres, and they played blues music rich with influence from performance by the creoles. Their music also had borrowed aspects from Haiti, Cuba, and Jamaica and came to be known as Afro-Caribbean music. This style included some ethnic styles borrowed from the Spanish Creole, the French Creole, Germans, and the Cajun. A situation also arose where African Americans played jazz and folk music, sharing a repertoire of music with their counterpart White Americans (Hardie 35). Many locations in New Orleans, by the year 1940, consisted of an increasing population of citizens born outside the United States. In this city, the brass wind ensemble of the 1840s, for example, the Richmond Light Infantry Blues was enlisted in Southern America together with Allen’s Brass Band (Hardie 36). Some of the American states had a society that allowed free slaves. This allowed a few slaves and freemen to earn special a reputation and recognition as musicians and performers in the nineteenth century. Such artists included legends like Anthony Jackson and Klondike. Others included such Southern artists also Roland Hayes and Willi am Grant, as well as female performers including Chieppie Hill and Bessie Smith. This list also extends to the Mississippi Urban Blues singers like B.B. King and Muddy Waters (Hardie 36). There were also the buck dancers and reels of banjo pickers and slave fiddlers that had evolved from Northern Mississippi’s fife drum bands, New Orleans’s brass bands and the Charlestown and Memphis based jug bands evolved into the early

Technological Determinism and Media Determinsim Essay

Technological Determinism and Media Determinsim - Essay Example (Williams) Technological determinism, attributed to Marshall McLuhan, frames questions around technology in terms on what effect technology has on culture. Marshall McLuhan when discussing media determinism states that the medium is the message. The personal and social consequences of any medium result from the new scale that is introduced into our affairs by each extension of ourselves or by new technology. The medium of conveying the information is bigger that the information, the information results as a consequence of the medium. He goes further to state that it is not the media but what one does with it that makes it important, makes it have consequences. (McLuhan) Raymond Williams on discussing cause and effect states that for a piece of technology to be in existence, something must have necessitated its creation. Alternatively, he states that technology occurred as a result of a sequence of events which might not have necessarily been geared toward the discovery of that piece of technology. Through all this he maintains that technology is self-generating. (Williams) I choose to look at technology as being developed with certain purposes in mind, and not in a haphazard manner as Williams tends to suggest. Taking the example of the television, one would be remiss not to see that there was a need to capture and transmit so as to occupy the time of the citizenry at the time, i.e. fulfil a particular purpose. Debates were had as to how much time one would spend watching television but none of them envisioned the impact that the television would have on their culture. (Williams) Another way to look at technology would be technological advancement brought about by the realization that the particular piece of technology would be used in a particular way. Necessity leading to invention, because of the lack thereof of a certain thing, it prompts an individual to set forth and try to come up with

Water wars the Middle East Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Water wars the Middle East - Essay Example Fresh water is a very important resource that is in short supply and continuously diminishing in numerous regions across the globe. In barren, semi-arid, and desert regions, like the Middle East, water shortages are a serious problem. Regions lacking access to adequate supply of water resources had witnessed vicious competitions for fresh water supplies since ancient times.   The likelihood of conflict is aggravated by the fact that numerous major rivers extend to the territories of various nations, and political boundaries partition underground water tables. Proponents of the water wars hypothesis cite numerous subjective proofs to substantiate their assumption that conflicts over access to water resources will lead to wars, like the statement of former Egyptian President Anwar Sadat that Egypt will soon fight over water resources, or the warnings of Turkey to discontinue water supply from Euphrates to the detriment of Iraq.   However, these predictions are not actually backed u p by evidence, and are filled with methodological weaknesses. Declaring a trend, like what Peter Gleick, a well-known environmental security scholar, did is unjustifiable because Gleick and others do not take into consideration the earlier prevalence of conflicts over water, which requires a comparison between the prevalence of actual instances of conflict and the number of such instances across the globe.   The examination of present and future situations is also subjective and unreliable, and the affirmation of a trend is not supported.

Organ donation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Organ donation - Essay Example consent for use of their organ following such a person’s death, this becomes sufficient for donation to proceed as long as such a person qualifies as being competent. Even the relatives do not have any right to challenge this decision. This consent could be given through registration as a donor or the donor informing close relatives and friends. Under circumstances where no records to prove the wishes of the dead exist, relatives could be approached to give their consent, the reason why Olson (2001) indicates that relatives need to make a decision on organ donation immediately their loved one dies. This legal approach is protected by the Uniform Anatomical Gift Act in the US (Kerridge, Saul, Lowe, McPhee, & Williams, 2002). The organ donation legal guideline matches the nursing principle of autonomy. According to Stacy and Lough (2013), autonomy entails an agreement into which a nurse enters to respect the right of the patient to take action or make a decision without interfer ence or coercion. In the same way, donors have the right to donating their organs and should consent to such action without which it would not be executed. Statistics indicate an increasing gap between the number of organ recipients and organ donors. As observed by Brezina (2010), the number of organs from the dead and living donors falls far below the number of patients waiting for transplant. Because of this high demand, there has been a rise in the black market business for human body organs. Kerridge et al. (2002) observe that the high prices that these organs fetch encourage nurses and other healthcare practitioners to remove organs from dead bodies, even where there was no consent to do so, for their own good, giving the example of a kidney which would cost between $ 1,000 and 3,000 in the black market. Such acts go against nurses’ obligation to treat a dead client with dignity and respect. In light of these findings, organ donation would be something that I would advocate for,

Social policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Social policy - Essay Example Social policy in United Kingdom is inclined towards conservatism policies. According to Spicker (1991: 9), the concept of ‘subsidiarity’ can be a dominant influence on the European community. It upholds the responsibilities resulting from the closeness of the traditional society inside smaller social units. Therefore, intervention in the United Kingdom impersonates subsidiarity and establishes solidarity. Social insurance plan mostly dates back to the Elizabethan period when the society approved poor taxation policies (Www2.rgu.ac.uk, n.d.). The conservatives operate inside the limitations involving xenophobia in the immigration policies. At the same time, the people reviewed the immigration policies in reaction to the 2001 riots where immigrant criminal offenses were prominent in the Northern English cities (Young, 2003, p. 452). Following the adoption of social policy, the generation of immigration staff has received economic prosperity, legal equality, as well as discrimination inside the borders of the country. According to Spicker (1991, p.10), the government features policies in coping with the success of the economy. This involves outdated manufacturing industry. This is because the manufacturing efforts of the government were ignored in the workforce (Www2.rgu.ac.uk,

Organ donation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Organ donation - Essay Example consent for use of their organ following such a person’s death, this becomes sufficient for donation to proceed as long as such a person qualifies as being competent. Even the relatives do not have any right to challenge this decision. This consent could be given through registration as a donor or the donor informing close relatives and friends. Under circumstances where no records to prove the wishes of the dead exist, relatives could be approached to give their consent, the reason why Olson (2001) indicates that relatives need to make a decision on organ donation immediately their loved one dies. This legal approach is protected by the Uniform Anatomical Gift Act in the US (Kerridge, Saul, Lowe, McPhee, & Williams, 2002). The organ donation legal guideline matches the nursing principle of autonomy. According to Stacy and Lough (2013), autonomy entails an agreement into which a nurse enters to respect the right of the patient to take action or make a decision without interfer ence or coercion. In the same way, donors have the right to donating their organs and should consent to such action without which it would not be executed. Statistics indicate an increasing gap between the number of organ recipients and organ donors. As observed by Brezina (2010), the number of organs from the dead and living donors falls far below the number of patients waiting for transplant. Because of this high demand, there has been a rise in the black market business for human body organs. Kerridge et al. (2002) observe that the high prices that these organs fetch encourage nurses and other healthcare practitioners to remove organs from dead bodies, even where there was no consent to do so, for their own good, giving the example of a kidney which would cost between $ 1,000 and 3,000 in the black market. Such acts go against nurses’ obligation to treat a dead client with dignity and respect. In light of these findings, organ donation would be something that I would advocate for,

Differences and Similarities Between positive and Negative Thinker Essay

Differences and Similarities Between positive and Negative Thinker - Essay Example The more problem coming into their lives the stronger they are. In every depth of problem; they will overcome it. The more fall down into thinking to the solution; the more strong their faith to God. The problem passes by into them the more they enjoy, it. Positive thinker is the people who think that there is a GOD. They believe that every problem that coming into their lives is just a test from the Supreme Being. They believe that God will not going to give a problem that they cannot solve. Deeper the problem deeper the faith in God. Every situation in their lives happier or pain , they going to face it The more test the more perseverance in them. Our lives is only given by GOD. They believe that every cry out into their lives GOD is listening. More and more they persevere. Every problem they face ; they face it with enthusiasm. They think that learning is enjoyable; exciting; learning is just okay; something is required for the job. Activates the world around him positively. A negative thinker is a person who is more to depressive. In every problem they think that it has a one. They think that God has a favorite child. In every problem the negative thinker is always an opposite traits of a positive person. They always tremble in every problem. They always think of nothing will going to happen even if they tried many times. In their lives they always think that every time they try to speak somebody will going to control them.

Marketing Research Essay Example for Free

Marketing Research Essay Conclusion The purpose of this research is to identify whether Dilmah should continue the current campaign or modify the campaign. The result from the secondary research and primary qantative research show the total black tea sales has great increased about 13% from 2008 – 2009 which is a fantastic result in the world economic recession period of time. Dilmah has market share of 29% which is the highest share of one brand. Dilmah target customer is traditional family and age is from middle to mature group. The Larry report says their customers are satisiftied with the freshest and finest tea quality and consumers agreed Dilmah has achieved the goal of tea quality. The main tea market are in Auckland 51% in 2009, Wellington and Canterburry. From primary research findings, female has higher purchasing tea percentage than male and the age group is 36 and more. People who are employeed as income earner less than 20 hours is recall seeing the TV advertising. Dilmah doesn’t have the top of mind brand awareness for the age group 36-45 but it is mostly recognized by the age group 26-35. Dilmah issues Bell is a very strong competitetor of Dilmah in black tea market as they have a very close market share percentages over years from 2005 to 2009. Bell is more reconigized at the age group of 35 – 46 by 94% (193) but the age group of 18 – 25 and 46 and over still have 67% and 61% top of mind brand awareness for Bell. The 58% of age group 26 – 35 has top of mind brand awareness for Dilmah and the 33% of age group 18 – 25 has top of mind brand awareness for Dilmah. 59% of male and 64% female all reconigized Bell but 39% male and 13% female know Dilmah as top of mind brandawareness. 6% of less 20 hrs knows Bell but 15% knows Dilmah. 61% of non employeed knows Dilmah†¦but which they might not be the main group who purchase tea normally in the household. 32% of 35 – 46 who purchased tea Be to cafe last 4 weeks: Female purchased tea more $704,000 and is about 4 times than male $188,000 at sales. Top main 3 group purchase tea 40 – 44, 45  œ 49 and 70 and over RM: Who bought tea last 4 months: * 2 main group:64% of traditional family (middle to mature age with stable income and family oriented and traditional value) and 41% visible achievers and they have very similar family values Who purchased tea last 3 months * 36 – 45 and 46 and over for bell (29% of interviewers purchased Bell Tea) * 26 – 35 and 36 – 45 for Dilmah (30% of interviewer purchased Dilmah) * 25% purchased Twinings The market trend to drink black has started from 2007 because the black tea sale. The total black sale of 2005 to 2009 has increased steadily which presented the successful of the media and publicity from the secondary data findings. The result shows that those three major brands Dilmah, Bell and Twinings are invested into the most effective forms of media at the past three to four years. Dilmah media expenditure has always been the highest in TV advertising from 2005 – 2008 ( 67% to 91% of Dilmah total expenditure of media) apart from 2009 comparing to the major three tea brands. Bell, the second tea brand spent the most amount of money in TV advertisement at 2009 which showed the result of the total tea sale was the only one brand has had increases sales from 2008 to 2009 about few percentages. Dilmah reduced the spending for TV advertisement about 23% which has slightly reduced the tea sales about little percentage but Dilmah is still No. 1 of black tea market. As a result, Dilmah has been always focusing on the right media form for advertising their product and has been successful on the result of sales and market share. Nevertheless, Dilmah still lacks the brand awareness as it shows in the primary / qanatative research findings that Dilmah did not come to â€Å"Top of mind brand awareness† and Bell was the first tea brand comes to their mind. 62% of interviewers chose Bell and only 22% of interviewers chose Dilmah which makes Dilmah comes second. This clearly shows Dilmah has significant issue about the brand awareness which has always been an issue of them trying to achieve it. From the research findings, the main group which has been purchased tea for last four months are The total black tea market sales from 2008 – 2009 has huge growth about 13%. The total The purpose of this research is to identify whether Dilmah should continue the current campaign or modify the campaign. The result from the secondary research and primary qantative research are showing the most effective forms of media and publicity is TV advertising which the campaign is focusing on. The past few years that Dilmah has been focus on TV advertising and the result shows the sales of Dilmah black tea has been increased steadily. It proved TV advertising has achieved the result of increasing the sales of tea. The research has investigated the 5 objectives which are key trends in the tea market, key customer segments and a profile of each, levels of brand awareness and measure attitudes towards teas as a drink. The findings show Dilmah should continue the current campaign as it is. Key trend in the tea market (market size, market share and price†¦etc) Key customer segment and a profile of each Brand Awareness The most effective form of media and publicity Attitude toward to tea as a drink Recommendation Id research problems / to understand / to investigate / to explore The primary research has contained five objectives are key trend in the tea market, key customer segments, the most effective forms of media and publicity and the measurement attitude towards tea as a drink. Unfortunately, it has had 800 survey but female is almost double of male. This may because the survey accuracy as the secondary research findings shows female has much higher percentage of purchasing the tea which might affect the survey. Beside, there is one more important finding that from middle to mature age groups are also the main groups of tea purchasing. The survey also has higher percentage people at the age group of 36 – 45 and 45 and over. In the primary research, it has covered quite well at the brand awareness question but there are not enough information which required to support the campaign should keep going or modify at the objectives of effectiveness of media, attitude to buy / drink tea and profile of customer segment. The key customer segment by employment should be full time worker, part time worker or non-employed. It will be good to know who does grocery shopping of the household. Full time housewife with out job or Housewife with part time job, part time student or full time student The attitude toward to tea as drink will be good to have the question of what kind of tea is the most favorite to drink? Answer to be black, herbal and green tea which can help to know the current trend of drink tea. * Main reasons of purchasing the tea What kind packaging is the most favourite etc paper bag, tin, glass jar †¦etc†¦ * What kind of advertising comes to mind when you think about tea advertising? * What would you expect to see from tea advertising? Tea history, fashion trend, tea taste†¦etc * Attitude to buy / drinking tea? (change to actionable statement – to identify * Effectiveness of advertising * Profile of segments – behaviour (drinking tea) The secondary and primary researches have got a numbers of good information and data to support the continued campaign of TV advertisement as the most effective form of media. However, it still lack the important information and data key customer segment, attitude toward to tea as drink and the type of tea advertising to support the campaign. The key customer segment will indicate which group is main consumers purchase tea for the household and when and where will the best time to have campaign on according the life consumers. The great information of attitude toward tea as drink can modify the campaign to the advertising that consumers would expect to see and also show who main consumers are. The type of media form will encourage consumers to purchase Dilmah tea brand. Sometimes, it is very hard to encourage consumers to change the brand they have drunk for long time as tea is a very family oriented drink. Drinking tea can be the family habit which dominated by the main person who is shopping for the household. For that reason, it is essential to have the focus group qualitative research to The research requires 8 – 12 people and homogeneous in terms of demorgraphic and socio-economic characteristics. Of course, those people need to have the habit of drinking tea. The final thing is has not participated in many focus groups. The reseach will also require a relax environment and it will takes about 1. 5 – 2 hours. The research will be recorded all relvant information including facial expression and body language so the recorder will need to be in the central front of the room behind the moderator. The moderator will question the group and lead the discussion to the proper way to encourage the group not be afraid to express own ideas and opinions. A good qualified moderator will be detached but kind and Final statement Identify the need for qual research †¦ (topic) To explain yes we have got some good information but still lack some important information†¦ for support to provide more about how to present to public†¦ to recommend what should need according to behaviour†¦ or age group†¦ Just comes one statement that is actionable to complete by the research (your task)†¦ Going to Appendix Good morning/ afternoon Thank you for taking the time to meet with us. We will honor your time by making sure that we wrap up in the next 90 minutes. Does anyone mind if we tape record this for our records? The tape will be only use for the case study of the major tea brand campaign design. We are researchers under contract with the major tea brand to conduct the tea brand awareness and the attitude toward to tea as a drink. Our evaluation is formative and qualitative. This means that our primary point is to gather information that helps the major tea brand origination finest tea product and improve the brand awareness. The information we collect is by design descriptive rather than numeric. We have a system for quantifying qualitative information, but for now, we don’t need to be concerned with counting things. We just want your ideas and opinions. There is no right and wrong for each question and each idea and opinion are all very valuable information for the research. Any question before we start? Be sure that everyone signs and completes the info on the sign-up sheet. Key themes Suggested question End the guide with some kind of thank you and conclusion – recognize that people will have gone out of their way to participate

Leadership Within Pixar Animation Studios

Leadership Within Pixar Animation Studios Pixar(2010) Pixar is an American animation production company based in California, United States. The company was started in the year 1979 as the part of the computer division of Lucasfilm and was bought by The Walt Disney Company in the year 2006. The company during its 17 years of existence has delivered several movies that has redefined the world of visual technology and animation. Pixar is known for its some of the basic values that form the foundation of its unbeatable success. People at Pixar are extremely talented and there exists an open collaboration among people coming from multiple disciplines. However, a formal structure is followed at the company where it is necessary for every member to ensure enhancement of three inter-related facets of the business, namely, leadership, process and accountability. Leadership is taken very seriously at Pixar and it is ensured that leaders are able to tune their communications, and value the vision of the organization and come up with the ability to provide lots of ideas (Jeremy, 2010) Managers as well as workers of the enterprise have the freedom of expression so that their vision and ideas can be communicated freely that helps the organization to come up with innovative ideas ensuring a sustainable position in the market (Morris, Jeremy, 2010). Another important element of Pixars environment refers to its collaborative approach towards work. It is fine to have talented people hired in the company, but it is equally important to make these people work in a motivated manner towards achievement of organizational goals (Milter and Matveev, 2004). At Pixar, everyone is made to understand that his/her success lies in the success of all other members. This helps in moving in a collaborative manner to ensure that everyone working in the company succee ds. The team spirit at Pixar helps in development o fold hires and new hands in a similar fashion with a healthy respect for each other resulting in an environment of credibility and trust prevailing throughout the organization. Apart, from these two elements, accountability forms the foundation of the working environment at Pixar. Leaders and managers at Pixar follow a clear line of accountability that helps them in seeking ways to improve themselves. Every project is headed by a Director/Producer duo, to whom all members of the project are accountable. These directors and producers are in turn accountable to leaders of the company and have the opportunity to utilize the experience and knowledge of senior filmmakers who are the part of top management of the company. In short, Pixar follows a highly structured process aims at fostering a meaningful collaboration resulting in a culture that comprise of value for ability and contribution of others. Cultural Analysis Before going for a discussion on cultural analysis, we need to understand the meaning of culture in a proper manner. Various scholars and academicians have given several definitions for culture. Formally, culture has been defined as a pattern of shared beliefs that were developed by a group during the process of external adaptation and internal integration, that has worked well enough to be considered valid and, therefore, to be taught to new members as the correct way to perceive, think, and feel in relation to those problems. Martin (2002) explained that everyone knows about the groups, organizations, and societies in which certain beliefs and values prevail at cross purposes with the beliefs of others, resulting in a condition where conflicts and ambiguity prevails in a high degree. This is often the result of insufficient stability prevailing among members, insufficient shared history of experience, or the presence of several subgroups with difference in their personal experience s (Thorngate, 2004). Many a times conflicts and ambiguity also results because of the fact that an individual is not a part of a single groups but belongs to several different groups and this has an impact on the assumptions and beliefs that one brings to a particular group and is influences by the assumptions that re appropriate to some other groups to which an individual belong. Khan (2005) argued that it is necessary that people are matched with the organization in order to ensure success of the company. There is a set of collective rules through which a company operates, which is termed as the culture of the organization. (Conolly, 2008) explained that employees of the enterprise should be well aware of their workplace that will clearly define appropriate and inappropriate behavior. In the present paper, an analysis of cross-cultural issues arising out of the merger of The Walt Disney and Pixar will be undertaken. It makes it necessary to understand the meaning of cross-cultural analysis. Under a cross-cultural analysis, an investigation is made into the ways through which people coming from different backgrounds communicate with each other. Whenever any merger takes place there is an amalgamation of the culture of the two organizations participating in the merger (Stening, 2002). Here several cross-cultural issues may arise because of the interaction of people coming from two different groups with different background, beliefs, values and functions. Cross-cultural analysis thrives to harness the utilitarian function of culture in order to use it as a mode of increasing the adaptation of people and bringing an improvement in patterns of communication (Nigel, 2001). It is one of the discipline of international management that focus on cultural encounters, aiming at discovery of methods that can be adopted to handle cultural differences that often give rise to conflicts, ambiguity and miscommunication. There are several different models that can be used to conduct a cross-cultural analysis. Various models includes those suggested by Hawkins (1992), Terpstra and Sarathy (2000), Hofstede (1994), and Wills (1991). The framework suggested by Hawkins and Terpstra are similar in nature and explains some of the common elements such as values, education and learning, social status and organization. Hawkins has tried to approach culture from the perspective of a consumer lifestyle, while Terpstra approaches culture in somewhat wider contexts. Thus, it is much more easy to use the model suggested by Terpstra and Sarathy. In addition, Hofstedes model will be used to understand the various dimensions of culture that are based upon individualism, power distance, masculinity and uncertainty avoidance. Wills (1991) considered learning as the key element of their model of culture. This will explain the basic idea of culture at Pixar as after the merger with The Walt Disney, the major aim of the co mpany was to establish Pixar as a learning organization. The dimensions of learning are used to consider a model of cross-cultural analysis suggesting a relationship between high/low context of a culture and the rate at which new products are adapted. In addition, it is to be noted that culture and leadership are interconnected. These are viewed as the two sides of the same coin, in that leaders first create cultures when they create groups and organizations (Edgar, 2004). Once cultures exists they determine the criteria for leadership and thus determine who will or will not be a leader. The unique function of leadership helps in managing the existing culture in case the elements of a culture becomes dysfunctional. Leadership also manages evolution of culture and change in such a way that the group is able to thrive in a changed environment also (Bal, 1999). Thus, it is right to say that it is necessary to understand the culture both for group members as well as for their leaders. The cultural analysis in relation to leadership roles will also be discussed and analyzed for Pixar. Cross Cultural Issues at Pixar The Walt Disney acquired Pixar with the view that Pixar would be able to bring some creativity to Disney, which had lost the luster in its animation. However, various major factors of the success of a merger were recognized by both the parties and they emphasized on The concept of transformational leadership and the importance of its existence for the success of the merger Creating a new strategic vision and mission for the new organization that is shared by both the parties to the merger Developing and maintaining learning teams resulting in fostering a learning environment throughout the organization. Creating and maintain a learning culture throughout the merged organization. Pixar is well known for its culture of collective creativity. Management think in a way to build capability to recover when some failures occur and not in the direction of preventing the risk. It is believed that smart people are more important as compared to good ideas (Catmull, 2008). The company aims at enhancing the power of creative people and builds a creative culture on the foundation of active feedback among peers. An open culture and communication prevails in the organization where people at all levels support each other and help each other to turn out their best (Catmull, 2008). All members of the organization respect each other and there are very rare cases of any unhealthy conflicts with groups having considerable problem-solving powers that act as an inspiration to be creative and innovative. However, with the merger of Pixar with The Walt Disney, the culture of the two organizations also merged and then arouse several cross-cultural issues that could have resulted in a failure of the merger if not managed properly (Haspeslagh, 2006). The Walt Disney is characterized with a highly regimented culture while Pixar is known for its unique, free-spirited, independent work dynamic culture (Lam; Chi and Lee, 2007). The successful combination of these two totally different cultures was the hallmark for the success of the merger. In case Disney would have made any attempt to get the people of Pixar work under pressure to generate efficiencies, even though the way of increasing its productivity or bringing about an elimination of the overlapping support positions, would have resulted in high rates of turnover with skilled employees leaving the Disney Pixar (Lam and Lee). It is to be noted that many a time sin such highly skilled industries such as animation and communication, people are allowed to let go because of skill gap. However, it is the issue of cultural gap that makes most of the skilled people switch companies frequently in animation and communicat ion industry (Keating, 2006). It is the clear understanding of magnitude of synergies that makes the mergers successful. Analysis of the cross-cultural issues at Disney Pixar As discussed in the previous section, to manage cross-cultural issues at Disney Pixar, management concentrated on four important elements of transformational leadership, shared vision, learning team and learning culture. These elements and Disney Pixars approach to these are discussed as follows: Transformational Leadership at Disney Pixar It is necessary that an organization have transformational leaders in order to develop creative thinking and problem solving to foster organizational growth. Transformational leaders are those who lead through social exchange. They help their followers grow and develop into leaders by responding to individual followers needs by empowering them and by aligning the objectives and goals of the individual followers, the leader, the group and the larger organization (Riggo and Bernard, 2008). It is the elements that can encourage organizations to develop and change more rapidly so as to be able to meet challenges of dynamic and competitive environments. Disney Pixar followed the approach of defining and developing the transformational leadership. The company decided to follow the approach in order to make employees easily adapt the new culture, which is a mix of the cultures of two organizations. It is believed that creative powers come from creative leadership (Riggo, 2008). It is so because effective leadership helps in effective development of support structures, the necessary resources and access to the experience and knowledge of the top management of the organization. At Pixar, access to the brain trust of the organization was easy for all individuals because of its independent and free-spirit culture. However, it was for Disneys culture to adopt this key feature in order to be successful in the competitive environment. Transformational leadership was chosen as a route to achieve this objective and make Disney Pixar a learning organization. Shared Strategic Vision Another key element ensuring the success of a merger is the sharing of a shared vision of goals and objectives by the merging organization. This helps in providing proper guidance and reducing the anxieties and uncertainties associated with the process of merger. It is necessary in case of a merger to develop an environment of learning throughout the organization. This is possible only if there is an availability of diverse learning teams that are led by leaders who are sharing a common strategic vision. An organization is able to create a sustainable competitive advantage through such a process (Jemison, 2006). This further makes it easy to manage the increasing complexities associated with economies of scale and then competitors find it more difficult to copy a companys operational methods (Janik, 2006). As explained by Gill (2010), managing through a shared vision proves to be much more productive as compared to the management done through coercion or control. Creation of a shared vision refers to the process where a consensus has to be achieved on the direction of the group and on the desired results. The basic aim is to make the members of a team approach their work with aim of achieving same goals for the future and being guided by same principles. A shared vision is also necessary for developing and fostering learning and change in an organization. In the case of Disney Pixar, a formal team of leaders was created in order to integrate the two companies. Among these steps, the Vice President of Pixar was appointed as the chief creative officer of Disneys and Pixars animation studios. Despite of his having the authority to green light films for both the studios, the ultimate authority to approve rested in the hands of Disneys CEO. The main aim was to maintain the Pixars culture. However, it is not enough to develop teams of leaders. It is necessary that leading teams emerge throughout the organization and leaders try to develop learning of each and every individual about the new cultural values, mission and vision of the organization and the objectives for which the various operations are being carried out in the organization (Gancel and Rodgers, 2002). Every individual is required to have a commitment towards the strategic vision of the merger. There is a need of combining the best skills as two organizations to enhance the shar ing of the strategic vision and avoid any cultural issues. Developing Team Learning At Pixar, it is believed that providing freedom to take decisions helps in development of teams. People are given full chance to be creative and use their ideas in order to learn from their success or failures. The cofounder of Pixar and his executives gives tremendous authority to their directors. All decision-making authority rests in the hands of teams and no single individual is considered as a decisions making authority. The rule is that the opinions and advice received from the brain trusts of directors will be used only as an advice and directors have full authority to refuse their suggestions if it does not fit their plans. However, Disney having a tight control culture, followed an approach where corporate executives micromanage by keeping tight control over budgets and entering in the departments to take final creative decisions. These two different approaches resulted in several cultural issues after the merger. Many of the key employees left the company because of Disneys dominating cultural values. Ed Catmull, the cofounder of Pixar had recently changed his vision to build the organization where everyone work in the direction of creating a magic even when the directors and cofounders are gone (Prokesh, 2008). This called for a strong transition in the culture of the organization where executives were expected to do something of themselves even when people carrying out the organization were not there. Same was expected out of Disney, and unfortunately Disneys staff lacked the spirit and failed to develop a strong learning approach towards their work. Creating a Learning Culture Traditionally, organizations used to follow a top to down bureaucratic, controlled and narrow approach to management. This approach used to limit the learning process in the organization. In case of a learning organization, new directions of growth and development can be identified and recognized that makes it possible to handle challenges and problems. In todays competitive global era, diversity and cross-cultural complexities have become the synonymous to the challenges that a business organization face while improving their operational efficiency. Disney Pixar failed to recognize the method through which an organization can turn into a learning organization (Keating, 2006). The process is being undertaken successfully at Pixar through developing relationships and recognizing the fact that talent is rare and thus its retention is essential. Ed Catmull believes that the assumptions of the organization must be constantly challenged and the search for flaws that can destroy the culture of the organization should not stop throughout the operations of the organization. However, the process could not be undertaken successfully at Disney Pixar and resulted in several cultural issues. The new company was unable to keep Pixars talent together as there were vast differences between the cultural values and working styles of the two companies (Haspeslagh, 2006). Management was not successful in creating a learning culture throughout the organization and the unionized culture of Disney may not successfully coexist with non-unionized culture of Pixar. Recommendations Disney Pixar has failed at many levels while making the merger successful. The company has taken strong steps to initiate learning in the organization but it is doubtful whether such learning will be institutionalized throughout the organization. Some recommendations to foster learning and avoid any cultural clashes are discussed as follows: A utilization of differences can be made through the use of matrix strategy. This will help in finding a perfect balance between the competencies of managers of both the companies. In addition communication plays an important role in managing cultural differences (Lodorfos, 2006). Leaders should allow open communication and integration between team members as well as between teams to ensure smooth flow of knowledge and information. This will help in people from both the organization understand each others values, beliefs and working style resulting in more respect for each others culture (Harding and Rouse, 2006). Treating the partner company members with respect is the key to the success of a merger. Additionally, formal as well as informal training should be provided to the employees of Disney in order to adjust themselves with the open and free culture of Pixar. The decision making authority should not rest in the hands of few authorities and managers must be delegated more and mo re decision making power as in case of Pixar. Furthermore, Disney and Pixar studios are kept separate in order to reduce the complications. However, it is advised to design a single studio where a combined set of values coming from the combination of the ideas of both the companies should be fostered to ensure success of the merger. This is so because keeping the two parts of the Disney-Pixar merger as separate organizations can create the conditions for separation in future. Such a separation will result in more differences on account of cultural values and style of leading to more clashes and conflicts among the individuals of two companies. Disney-Pixar should aim at developing a learning organization through efficient flow of information and knowledge throughout the organization in order to be successful in future. Conclusion From the above discussion, it can be concluded that proper management of cultural differences is one of the key factors in success of a merger. Todays business environment is characterized with an increasing number of organizations desiring to avail the advantage of globalization. Many of the companies take the route of mergers and acquisitions to achieve the objective. Many of such mergers fail due to cultural clashes among people of different organizations. Each of the merged company is required to integrate the corporate cultures of their organizations. It is the leadership style, management styles and communication lines that are necessary to be developed and managed in order to be successful in managing cross-cultural issues. It is evident that there is always a possibility of cross-cultural issues in case of a merger that cannot be avoided at any cost. However, it is possible to manage these issues through developing the organizations into a learning organization in order to fo ster knowledge sharing throughput the organization resulting a in a successful merger.