First Grade Classroom Analysis

Causes of Mass Wasting and Landslides

Causes of Mass Wasting and Landslides Mass wasting, sometimes called mass movement, is the downward movement by gravity of rock, regolith (loose, weathered rock) and/or soil on the sloped top layers of the Earth’s surface. It is a significant part of the process of erosion because it moves material from high elevations to lower elevations. It can be triggered by natural events like earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and flooding, but gravity is its driving force. Although gravity is the driving force of mass wasting, it is impacted mainly by the slope material’s strength and cohesiveness as well as the amount of friction acting on the material. If friction, cohesion, and strength (collectively known as the resisting forces) are high in a given area, mass wasting is less likely to occur because the gravitational force does not exceed the resisting force. The angle of repose also plays a role in whether a slope will fail or not. This is the maximum angle at which loose material becomes stable, usually 25Â °-40Â °, and is caused by a balance between gravity and the resisting force. If, for example, a slope is extremely steep and the gravitational force is greater than that of the resisting force, the angle of repose has not been met and the slope is likely to fail. The point at which mass movement does occur is called the shear-failure point. Types of Mass Wasting Once the force of gravity on a mass of rock or soil reaches the shear-failure point, it can fall, slide, flow or creep down a slope. These are the four types of mass wasting and are determined by the speed of the material’s movement downslope as well as the amount of moisture found in the material. Falls and Avalanches The first type of mass wasting is a rockfall or avalanche. A rockfall is a large amount of rock that falls independently from a slope or cliff and forms an irregular pile of rock, called a talus slope, at the base of the slope. Rockfalls are fast moving, dry types of mass movements. An avalanche, also called a debris avalanche, is a mass of falling rock, but also includes soil and other debris. Like a rockfall, an avalanche moves quickly but because of the presence of soil and debris, they are sometimes moister than a rockfall. Landslides Landslides are another type of mass wasting. They are sudden, fast movements of a cohesive mass of soil, rock or regolith. Landslides occur in two types- the first of which is a translational slide. These involve movement along a flat surface parallel to the angle of the slope in a stepped-liked pattern, with no rotation. The second type of landslide is called a rotational slide and is the movement of surface material along a concave surface. Both types of landslides can be moist, but they are not normally saturated with water. Flow Flows, like rockfalls and landslides, are fast moving types of mass wasting. They are different however because the material within them is normally saturated with moisture. Mudflows, for example, are a type of flow that can occur quickly after heavy precipitation saturates a surface. Earthflows are another type of flow that occur in this category, but unlike mudflows, they are not usually saturated with moisture and move somewhat slower. Creep The final and slowest moving type of mass wasting is called soil creep. These are gradual but persistent movements of dry surface soil. In this type of movement, soil particles are lifted and moved by cycles of moistness and dryness, temperature variations and grazing livestock. Freeze and thaw cycles in soil moisture also contribute to creep through frost heaving. When soil moisture freezes, it causes soil particles to expand out. When it melts though, the soil particles move back down vertically, causing the slope to become unstable. Mass Wasting and Permafrost In addition to falls, landslides, flows and creep, mass wasting processes also contribute to the erosion of landscapes in areas prone to permafrost. Because drainage is often poor in these areas, moisture collects in soil. During the winter, this moisture freezes, causing ground ice to develop. In the summer, the ground ice thaws and saturates the soil. Once saturated, the layer of soil then flows as a mass from higher elevations to lower elevations, through a mass wasting process called solifluction. Humans and Mass Wasting Although most mass wasting processes occur via natural phenomena like earthquakes, human activities like surface mining or the building of a highway or shopping malls can also contribute to mass wasting. Human-induced mass wasting is called scarification and can have the same impacts on a landscape as natural occurrences. Whether human-induced or natural though, mass wasting plays a significant role on the erosion landscapes all over the world and different mass wasting events have caused damage in cities as well. On March 27, 1964, for example, an earthquake measuring a magnitude of 9.2 near Anchorage, Alaska caused almost 100 mass wasting events like landslides and debris avalanches throughout the state that impacted cities as well as more remote, rural regions. Today, scientists use their knowledge of local geology and provide extensive monitoring of ground movement to better plan cities and aid in reducing the impacts of mass wasting in populated areas.

Bond Market Indexation Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Bond Market Indexation Strategy - Essay Example of returns, inflation protected securities are mainly government issued bonds whereby the inflation is adjusted according to the principal on each bond (Pistolese Clifford, 16). Protection of inflation is the major motivation for investing in IPS either in a global basis or single market. Moreover, there is an enhanced alpha potential and diversification in a global approach to inflation protected security. Pistolese Clifford added that, inflation pressure comes as a result of many sources that exist in both local and global economies (16). But traditional bond are not regarded as inflation adjusted. Inflation can therefore reduce the return of investment of traditional equity as only some inflation percentage may be considered through equity returns. In conclusion, not only global IPS protects against prolonged inflation demands but also improve alpha potential as well as diversification to global bond

The argument in The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith depends on the Essay - 1

The argument in The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith depends on the possibility of failure. Why is this so What implications does this have - Essay Example Smith has based his theories about opulence on the general principle that man is not by nature a benevolent creature but is rather motivated by self interest to seek the best benefits for himself, it also follows that viewed from the other side of the coin, such actions to promote himself and improve his own welfare arise out of a reluctance to fail. The extent of man’s industriousness and motivation are dependent upon the depths to which he expects to fall if he fails. Smith’s views were offered in the context of mercantilism where a protectionist policy on trade and a free market was preferred, under the mistaken notion that wealth could be preserved within the boundaries of rich nations only by preventing free trade. Smith contested the prevalent views that stated â€Å"England would soon be ruined by trade with foreign countries† and that â€Å"in almost all our commercial dealings with other nations, we are losers†, leading to the assumption that England would be drained of her wealth through such trade and this would lead to poverty.(Smith, 1775: I:18) Therefore the policy of protectionism was mooted by those who were afraid of failure and loss of the wealth and riches they had accrued. Smith on the contrary believed that money was not consumable and that the consumption of goods was the greatest source of wealth and also the source of man’s industry which led to additional wealth. Therefore, his views rebutted the belief that indulging in a free trade of goods would produce failure in that it would lead to a loss of wealth. He argued that inspite of the arguments that had been advanced by political writers for decades that â€Å"in a few years we would be reduced to an absolute state of poverty† , the realities of a system of free trade and exchange between nations actually demonstrated that rather than the feared loss of money actually coming through, â€Å"we find ourselves far richer than before.† (Smith, 1776, I:19). Therefore Smith’s arguments

Ethics of the Sale of Body Parts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Ethics of the Sale of Body Parts - Essay Example The National Organ Transplant Act of 1984 outlaws remittances and compensations to individuals who provide body parts for transplantation. This legislation was prompted by the need to curb the sale of body parts from living individuals, as well as by the need to prevent the likelihood of people selling rights for the removal of their body parts upon death. Even though remittances to donors are prohibited, organ procurement agencies are however allowed by the act to receive payment for the removal and shipping of organs. The revised Uniform Anatomical Gift Act of 1987, is however categorical that the sale of human organs is illegal within the United States. In section 10, the revised version states that, individuals should not intentionally for valuable reasons, sell or purchase human organs for therapy or transplantation, if the removal of such organ is meant to be carried out after the demise of the decedent. But valuable reasons in this case do not include realistic payment for dis posal, removal, preservation, storage, quality control, shipping and implantation of an organ. Prohibition of human organs trade in the U.S was necessitated by the emergence of kidney markets in the early 1980’s. Such kidneys were being obtained from living individuals in exchange for a fee, with most of those kidneys being acquired from poor members in the society (Browning, 2001). There are various sources of ethics that apply to the sale of body parts. The following section of this paper addresses five of such ethical issues, but in this case, the biomedical products are not addressed. The sale of human organs raises various ethical arguments both in support and against such undertaking. There are two main arguments that are regularly advanced is support of organ sale. First is the rationale that an individual’s organs belong solely to them and therefore everyone is at liberty to do anything with their body organs. Second is the argument that the scarcity of organs is so severe such that extreme measures are required in the acquisition of additional organs – and that if trade in human organs would avail more body parts, then the trade is justified. There are also various arguments that have been put forth against the sale of organs and three of those are concerned with commodification of human anatomy, exploitation of the poor and the unjustifiable pressure endured by potential donors. In regard to commodification, it is often argued that selling one’s organs is synonymous with debasing oneself and equating a human’s worth to that of ordinary commodities. Therefore whereas one has the right to use their body for one’s own benefit, they cannot permanently avail their bodies or part of their anatomy to others (Burd & Kerbeshian, 1998). Another argument raised against the sale of human organs is that it inherently leads to the exploitation of the poor by the rich. Generally, it is the poor who sell their organ to the r ich and not the other way round. Thirdly, individuals who sell parts of their bodies may be put under pressure to perish by those people who at the benefiting end of the subsequent organ harvest. Every so often, concerns have been raised that some doctors are keen to have life support

Power of suppliers analysis

Power of suppliers analysis Analysis Each of the five forces will now be evaluated individually in terms of the UK supermarket industry to see how attractive the industry is. Background information on the UK supermarket industry The industry consists of the following UK supermarkets: Aldi, Asda, The co-coperative, Iceland, Lidl, Marks and Spencers, Morrisons, Netto, Sainsburys, Somerfield, Tesco and Waitrose (Supermarket, 2009). Researching into these supermarkets show that they were all established in the late 1800s and early 1900s. This shows how established they are within the industry and how they have continued there success. The UK food retailing industry is dominated by four major supermarkets (Tesco, Asda, Simsburys, Morrisons), who together account for over two-thirds of UK retail food sales (Fearne et al, 2005, p570). The UK grocery market is worth  £146.3bn for the calendar year 2008 (IDG, 2009) and has been steadily rising each calendar year: The bargaining power of suppliers Analysis The UK supermarket industry would not be capable of running without suppliers to stock their shelves. This means that the bargaining power of suppliers is an extremely important force to look at in depth, as, if the bargaining power of suppliers is high it makes the industry less attractive as the suppliers will be able to push prices up and take control of the supermarkets power. There are many different elements that are looked into to analyse to the full extent of the bargaining power of the suppliers which are looked at below: Porter states that suppliers are more powerful if there are only a few suppliers (Lynch, 2009: 97). With the supermarket industry they have to deal with a large number of suppliers of goods and products that they will stock in their shops. This means they are in constant communications with different suppliers. This means that the UK supermarket industry are in a very strong position, as there are thousands of different products and ranges this means the supermarkets can pick and choose their suppliers depending on price, quality and service, meaning the bargaining power of suppliers in this sense is not high as they need to get there products into the supermarkets and therefore need to have contracts with huge Supermarkets like Tesco and Asda. However, Tescos and many other supermarkets have started to create relationships and good working ethics between themselves and suppliers. For example Tesco have created a supplier partnering approach which is by forging long-term partnerships with our suppliers and identifying new innovative suppliers (Tesco, 2009) which as a result, our supply base is distinguished by its long-term constructive relationships (Tesco, 2009. Tescos has over 1,5000 suppliers who have been working with them for over five years, this shows that Tescos has learnt that working in co-operation with the suppliers causes better relationships as has Simsburys who have recently launched there supporting fairtrade campaign. If there are no substitutes for the suppliers they offer (Lynch, 2009: 97) it is said that the suppliers are more powerful as they will exert there power if they know they do not have anyone to compete with, therefore setting higher prices and in the case of supermarkets holding power over them. In the supermarket industry this can be looked at from two different views as most Supermarkets offer a range of different brands to substitute each other along the same line, for example Supermarkets stock both Nestle and Kelloggs cereal, so in that respect they do have different substitutes within product lines but in this case the supermarkets and branded products both need each other. The brands need to get shelf space to gain market share and the supermarkets need to offer the products being marketed to the consumer to attract customers into the shops. Due to the huge market shares of the main supermarkets the suppliers have little bargaining power at all. Porter also believes that if suppliers prices form a large part of the total costs of the organisation (Lynch, 2009: 98) then the bargaining power of the supplier is high. This means that if suppliers prices were to be raised then the supermarkets in this case would also have to raise their prices and they would be adversely affected. In the case of the UK supermarket industry, the top supermarkets are not affected by the suppliers prices changing as the suppliers have such large dependency on the supermarkets for contracts and repeat business meaning they are in some ways controlled by the prices the supermarkets are willing to pay as the power they have means they can just find another cheaper supplier. However, with the smaller supermarkets they do not have as much control as the suppliers price will affect them and they may not have the higher market share meaning they cannot exert any power over the suppliers as they can choose to supply the bigger supermarkets instead. Overall, it would not benefit the supplier to change to higher prices as supermarkets buy in such high volume and their relationship is crucial therefore the bargaining power is low. Overall, taking into account all aspects of Porters theories on bargaining power of suppliers is low as, the fact that a handful of supermarkets control access to consumers means that they are increasingly in a position to exercise buyer power. This is because distribution through these outlets is critical to manufacturers and suppliers as these suppliers have no other viable means of setting up distribution that offers the same scale and economic benefits (Dobson et al, 1998 as cited in Fearne et al, 2005, p571) and the key players in the UK food industry are dominated, led and controlled by retailers to a large extent (Howe, 2008 as cited in Robson et al, 2001, p 39). However it can be seen that the supermarkets in the UK are working towards forging strong relationships with suppliers. The bargaining power of buyers Analysis Within the analysis of the UK Supermarket Industry the buyers in Porters five forces are the customers. There are four main ways in which the bargaining power of buyers is high and they are under the following conditions: If the buyers are concentrated and there are few of them (Lynch, 2009: 98). The UK Supermarket Industry has thousands of customers all around the UK, this meaning that the power of the customers is not high in this sense as their target market is phenomenally large with 6,410 supermarkets covering most of the UK meaning they are easily accessible for a huge range of customers. Another condition which means the bargaining power of buyers is high is when the product from the organisation is undifferentiated (Lynch, 2009: 98). This means that the customers can switch from one supermarket to another as they all basically offer the same products, this is an issue in the supermarket industry as most customers are not loyal to just one supermarket, but the volume of customers is so high this does not really have a negative impact on the supermarkets this meaning the buyer power is not strong enough to create a problem for the industry unless a high percentage of loyal customers decided not to use the supermarket again, however the supermarkets are continuously running advertising campaigns to attract new customers and to retain there original loyal customers. If backward integration is possible (Lynch, 2009: 98) then the bargaining power of the customers is high. In the UK Supermarket Industry it is impossible for the customers to integrate backwards and take over the supermarkets role, so the bargaining power of buyers is non-existent. This shows that the bargaining power of buyers/suppliers is extremely low in the UK supermarket industry as there are so many customers that the supermarkets will always be in demand but because of the nature of the industry and UK customers always needing them to supply them with their weekly shopping etc so they do not have any bargaining power. The threat of potential new entrants Analysis Whenever new firms can easily enter a particular industry, the intensity of competitiveness among firms increases (David, 1997: 128). Porter states there are seven major sources of barriers to entry, as UK supermarkets are highly profitable the industry looks attractive in that sense, but the real issue is whether or not the industry can be entered easily. If the UK supermarket industry has low barriers of entry this means that the industry becomes more competitive and if you are already established this is not good news as the competition becomes fierce as David (1997) suggests; however if the barriers of entry are high and you are already established this is very comforting news as it means there will not be many competitors and new competitors very unlikely. The economies of scale in the industry need to be looked at closely, especially as it has a huge effect. This is because in terms of stock, supermarkets can purchase products from suppliers on a huge scale, meaning they get better deals and reduced costs, a new entrant to the supermarket industry would find this hard to do as the capital needed would be extremely large and not achievable straight away. The second source of barriers to entry is the branding, customer knowledge, special levels of service and many other aspects (Lynch, 2009: 99), which can create high barriers. This is very true in the UK supermarket Industry as the supermarkets are established and have already created different strengths within the market; most of them from the late 1800s. The extent to which the supermarkets already established are recognised is an enormous advantage, this meaning the barriers of entry are very high as lots of money would have to be spent marketing, setting up and creating a successful supermarket idea that would be sustainable amongst the long established competitors. The capital requirements to enter the UK Supermarket Industry are financially challenging to compete with the established supermarkets; raising such funds and taking such a high financial risk, makes the barriers to entry extremely high. Switching costs deal with the motion that if customers are happy with the supermarkets already within the industry then the cost to a new entrant would be very high to persuade the customers any different; therefore making the industry unattractive, as there is already lots of choice within the supermarket industry I feel it would be very hard to make customers switch therefore the costs would be very high. Porter argues that the access to distribution channels is a threat to new entrants. Within the supermarket industry however this links in with could a new entrant find suitable locations to distribute its products that would be easily accessible and would these kinds of sites be too costly to fund from the beginning; also with high competition levels around each town or city. The cost disadvantages independent of scale (Lynch, 2009: 99) also need to be looked at as possible new entrants need to assess how easily they will be able to gain stability and a foothold in the market, they will do this by seeing how well the other supermarkets in the industry are established, have constant customers that are loyal and trusting and the supermarkets knowledge of the marketplace. As many of the supermarkets in the industry are extremely well established and recognisable for their different traits this makes an extremely high barrier of entry for new entrants, as they do not have this bank of knowledge and experience. Government policy has a big effect on new entrants, as within the supermarket industry there are many different laws. Legislations and regulations that have to be abided by especially as food products are being sold. This means that a new entrant within the supermarket would find this process very costly and timely, therefore raising the barrier to entry. Overall, the threat of new entrants within the UK supermarket industry is very low as the costs to enter the market will be extremely high and the competition against the established supermarkets would be high due to their knowledge, experience and networks with suppliers and distribution channels. The threat of substitutes Analysis Substitution reduces demand for a particular class of products as customers switch to alternatives (Johnson et al, 2005: 82); it can be argued that there is no substitute to food but whilst looking at the UK supermarket industry each supermarket is each others substitute, hence the competition being fierce and constant as each food product they offer the competitor will also offer. The way in which supermarkets have overcome this however, is that they each have there own different strategies and strengths for example Asda offers a huge range of low cost products where as Waitrose focuses on having high quality products at a higher price. There are also other substitutes outside of the supermarket industry which really need to be analysed like local corner shops, newsagents, farm shops, markets and budget shops. The threat of substitutes has taken on a different meaning during the recession as UK supermarket giant Tesco has lost market share to discounters Aldi and Lidl as consumers cut back on spending (BBC News, 28.04.09), where there has been a shift by shoppers from high-end to low-end stores (BBC News, 27.06.08). This means that the threat of substitutes have become an issue within the UK supermarket industry as other retail shops like Poundland and Wilkinsons offer discounted products which have become more attractive to the UK customers due to the recession. This means that the threat of substitutes has risen over the past years making the industry become less attractive. The extent of competitor rivalry Analysis Rivalry among competing firms is usually the most powerful of the five competitive forces (David, 1997: 127). Competitor rivalry plays a huge role in the UK supermarket industry, Competition may take the form of price competition, advertising and promotion, innovation, or service during and after sales (Thompson, 2003: 296) The reason why competitive rivalry is high in the UK supermarket industry is because most of the competitors are of equal size, therefore meaning that if one competitor decides to try and gain more market share then the rivalry considerably increases. This has happened recently with Asda as they are constantly running advertising campaigns showing how much cheaper they are than all the other supermarkets. Since this has happened the other supermarkets have fought back and have shown they are also just as cheap therefore raising the competition barriers and therefore rivalry. Here are some adverts below to show how they are naming their competitors and their prices: There is also a high level of competition within the UK supermarket industry as it is difficult to differentiate products and services (Lynch, 2009: 100) so therefore competition becomes based upon costing and offering the better deal to the customer to attract them to keep as many loyal customers as possible. There are extremely high levels of competition within the UK supermarket industry making it an unattractive industry. Conclusion of the UK Supermarket Industry according to Porters five forces Analysing the above information the UK supermarket industry is attractive in three of Porters five forces The bargaining power of suppliers, the bargaining power of buyers and the threat of new entrants. In the remaining two forces however, the industry is extremely unattractive the threat of substitutes and the extent of competitor rivalry. Critique of Porters five forces Porters five forces gives a basis of analysing the environment within an industry, but there have been many criticisms, which will be explored further. The dynamic nature of industry structure (Hax et al, 1991: 50) is something that needs to be analysed in terms of reliability with Porters five forces. As with most models and frameworks Porters model is static and is only a snapshot in time, where as in reality the nature of industries is that they are constantly changing, evolving and competing. The model may not be able to keep up with these constant changes and therefore not give a clear and accurate picture of the industry. For example the computing industry is constantly changing with new software available, new technologies therefore the level of competition constantly changing. The model also does not take into account how to define an industry and this causes a lot of implications as looking at the UK supermarket industry it is hard to define the difference between that of a supermarket industry to that of a grocery industry and where one stops and the other starts. Porter assumes that the industry is easily definable, but in reality this is near impossible as most industries overlap and/or people have different views or perceptions of a make up of an industry. This was found whilst looking at the UK supermarket industry as it was very hard to define which shops were deemed as supermarkets or other retail outlets. Another aspect that was hard to define was the fact that the supermarket industry seemed to overlap the grocery industry making the information very hard to extract. Another critique of the model is that it does not deem buyers, or in the supermarket industry case customers, as any more important than the other aspects within the micro-environment, where in fact in reality the customers are one of the most important aspects of being successful within an industry. This in turn means that within strategy development customers should be treated differently within the analysis. Porters model also suggests that the main intention of the organisation is to address its own interests before others, where in reality charitable and governmental organisations have different intentions therefore making this function of the model incorrect in some cases and industries. It can also be seen that just to survive is a main concern of most businesses rather than just focusing on profits. The model is also based on the idea of competition and that competitive advantage is essential both over other market competitors, customers and their suppliers. As Porter focuses on this he does not take into account strategies like strategic alliances, electronic linking of information systems of all companies along a value chain, virtual enterprise networks or others (The Manager, 2001) It can also be seen that Porter ignores the Human Resource aspect of strategy which includes management skills and cultures which form some industries beliefs and how they carry out their work therefore affecting the industries attractiveness. One of the five forces within the model is bargaining power of suppliers. Porter looks at suppliers as a threat to the industry where in fact in some organisations and industries have found it very useful to engage in closer co-operation with suppliers (Lynch, 2009: 101). Robson et al (2002) suggest that Supermarkets are leading the way in developing vertical relations in the food industry. It can be seen that some supermarkets have created a relationship and partnership between themselves and their suppliers as they are both as dependent on each other. Hence why working in harmony is a more ideal situation than Porters suggested aggressive approach to suppliers. This therefore means they are no longer a threat leading to the force not needed in some cases. In different industries not all forces are equally important (Hax et al, 1991: 50) therefore the simplicity of the model gains only limited information and to make a complex evaluation thorough research into the different forces and how much weight they carry in comparison to others needs to be established before a conclusion can be made about how attractive the industry is. For example, It could be very well be that many factors add to an unattractive position, and yet, when judged from its entirety, the industry still presents an overall attractive picture (Hax et al, 1991: 50). The government is a huge force that influences industry attractiveness or not. Porter does not suggest this within his chosen five forces but instead as a factor within the force of threat of new entrants. In recent economic times the government has been truly shown how it has in the final say of organisations. The recession and the recent break down within the banking sector showed the governments true role as it helped as it In total, the Government has put  £74 billion of taxpayers money into the banks, including RBS, Lloyds and HBOS, since the start of the financial crisis last year(Winnett et al, Telegraph, 2009) . Thus showing that if the government was not involved then the banking sector would have completely collapsed hence the government playing a huge role in supporting industries, for example the banking industry. Grant (2002) believes that there is a missing dimension in the five forces model. As the five forces model addresses the suppliers of substitute goods as threats, Porter does not explore that as well as substitutes for products there are also complements. Substitutes within the framework are shown as reducing the profit available in the industry where as complements have a positive impact on value (Grant, 2002: 90) and can help to exercise bargaining power (Grant, 2002: 91). This is because the more complements there are and the closer their relationship to the products supplied by the industry, the greater the potential profit within the industry (Grant, 2002: 90). In conclusion complementary businesses have to be taken into account as well as substitutes as dynamics within these organisations will affect the industry attractiveness; for example new technologies. Overall there has been many different critiques about Porters five forces, the main theme seems to be that the model is useful to get a general idea of how attractive an industry is, but to make sure you get a fully comprehensive analysis you need to look much more in depth at the industries elements that are not necessarily mentioned within Porters model and realise that this is only a snapshot in time and will change considerably over times and different economic events that occur. Reference List Books Grant, Robert M (2002). Contemporary Strategy Analysis. Fourth Edition, Page 90, Blackwell Publishers Ltd Grant, Robert M (2002). Contemporary Strategy Analysis. Fourth Edition, Page 91, Blackwell Publishers Ltd Thompson, John L (2003). Strategic Management, Page 296, Thompson David, Fred R (1997). Strategic Management. Sixth Edition, Page 127, Prentice-Hall Inc David, Fred R (1997). Strategic Management. Sixth Edition, Page 128, Prentice-Hall Inc Johnson, G et al. (2005). Exploring Corporate Strategy. Seventh Edition, Page 82, Prentice Hall Lynch, Richard (2009). Strategic Management. Fifth Edition, Page 97, Pearson Education Lynch, Richard (2009). Strategic Management. Fifth Edition, Page 98, Pearson Education Lynch, Richard (2009). Strategic Management. Fifth Edition, Page 99, Pearson Education Lynch, Richard (2009). Strategic Management. Fifth Edition, Page 100, Pearson Education Lynch, Richard (2009). Strategic Management. Fifth Edition, Page 101, Pearson Education Hax, Arnaldo C et al (1991). The strategy concept and progress. A pragmatic approach. Page 50, Prentice Hall Bibliography Books Grant, Robert M (2002). Contemporary Strategy Analysis. Fourth Edition, Blackwell Publishers Ltd Thompson, John L (2003). Strategic Management, Thompson David, Fred R (1997). Strategic Management. Sixth Edition, Prentice-Hall Inc Johnson, G et al. (2005). Exploring Corporate Strategy. Seventh Edition, Prentice Hall Lynch, Richard (2009). Strategic Management. Fifth Edition, Pearson Education Hax, Arnaldo C et al (1991). The strategy concept and progress. A pragmatic approach, Prentice Hall Hill, C et al (1995). Strategic Management, an integrated approach. Third Edition Houghton Mifflin Company De Wit, B et al (1998). Strategy process content context. Second edition, International Thomson business press Hitt, M et al (1995). Strategic Management, Competitiveness and Globalization, West Publishing Miller, A (1998). Strategic Management. Third Edition. McGraw-Hill Websites Winnett et al, 2009,  £4,350 per family to bail out banks. Telegraph [Online] Available from www.telegraph.co.uk [accessed on 20.11.09] Recklies, D, 2009, Beyond Porter A Critique of the Critique of Porter, The manager [online] Available from www.themanager.org [accessed 11.11.09] BBC News (2008) Supermarkets to Battle on prices, BBC News Business [online] Available from www.bbc.co.uk BBC News (2009) Tesco is losing UK market share, BBC News Business [online] Available from www.bbc.co.uk Visit4info (2009), visit4info, [online] Available from www.visit4info.com [accessed 1.11.09] Supermarket (2009) Supermarket, [online] Available from www.supermarket.co.uk [accessed 319.10.09]

Othello :: essays research papers

Othello. Othello is the title of the character and play that we all studied earlier this semester. However, it is Othello the character that I intend to discuss. Othello is the husband to the beautiful and innocent Desdemona, whom he murders because the villainous and honest Iago has misled him. A Moorish general in Venice, a society plagued with racism and where adultery is neither condemned nor approved of, Othello is in the midst of a society that will hinder and not support his progress. The central theme of the drama is the alteration of a noble lover to a raving killer, under the influence of the deliberate connivance of his aide, Iago, who convinces him that his wife is having a love affair with another officer named Cassio. Unable to trust the falsely corrupted Desdemona - he lacks the essential element of love and it is this absence of trust that causes Othello to disintegrate morally. This destructiveness extends to his own suicide, when his error of judging Desdemona to be an adulteress fails him. Our closely woven relationship with this traumatised and gullible Othello causes us to suffer with him, as he experiences emotional agonies, such as the destruction of his once reputable nobility, character and marriage to the young Desdemona. Through Act II, Scene I, Othello presents himself to us as a grandly positive and content character, "It gives me wonder great as my content To see you here before me. O my soul's joy!" (Act II, Scene II). At this stage in the play Othello has also assembled his character to impose on us an impression, that he is a noble and prominent figure in the Venetian establishment, and respected military man and a loving husband. He carries himself with an impressive dignity while frankly delighting in his young wife's unconditional love, which he values above the "seas worth", (Act II, Scene I). When the couple defend their marriage against the prejudiced Brabantio, father to Desdemona, who associates Othello with witchcraft, (because Othello is black), in Act I, Scene III, it becomes evident that the couple share an unconditional love for one another. However, in the second half of the play Othello abandons this perfect love, for a blind and unfounded jealousy too strong to act in a just manner. He loses all faith not only in Desdemona, but especially himself, "That's he that was Othello; Here I am.

Me Talk Pretty One Day By David Sedaris From

Me Talk Pretty One Day – By David Sedaris From his book Me Talk Pretty One Day At the age of forty-one, I am returning to school and have to think of myself as what my French textbook calls â€Å"a true debutant. † After paying my tuition, I was issued a student ID, which allows me a discounted entry fee at movie theaters, puppet shows, and Festyland, a far-flung amusement park that advertises with billboards picturing a cartoon stegosaurus sitting in a canoe and eating what appears to be a ham sandwich.I’ve moved to Paris with hopes of learning the language. My school is an easy ten-minute walk from my apartment, and on the first day of class I arrived early, watching as the returning students greeted one another in the school lobby. Vacations were recounted, and questions were raised concerning mutual friends with names like Kang and Vlatnya. Regardless of their nationalities, everyone spoke what sounded to me like excellent French. Some accents were better tha n others, but the students exhibited an ease and confidence that I found intimidating.As an added discomfort, they were all young, attractive, and well-dressed, causing me to feel not unlike Pa Kettle trapped backstage after a fashion show. The first day of class was nerve-racking because I knew I’d be expected to perform. That’s the way they do it here – it’s everybody into the language pool, sink or swim. The teacher marched in, deeply tanned from a recent vacation, and proceeded to rattle off a series of administrative announcements. I’ve spent quite a few summers in Normandy, and I took a monthlong French class before leaving New York.I’m not completely in the dark, yet I understood only half of what this woman was saying. â€Å"If you have not meimslsxp or lgpdmurct by this time, then you should not be in this room. Has everyone apzkiubjxow? Everyone? Good, we shall begin. † She spread out her lesson plan and sighed, saying, â₠¬Å"All right, then, who knows the alphabet? † It was startling because (a) I hadn’t been asked that question in a while and (b) I realized, while laughing, that I myself did not know the alphabet. They’re the same letters, but in France they’re pronounced differently.I know the shape of the alphabet but had no idea what it actually sounded like. â€Å"Ahh. † The teacher went to the board and sketched the letter a. â€Å"Do we have anyone in the room whose first name commences with an ahh? †12 Two Polish Annas raised their hands, and the teachers instructed them to present themselves by stating their names, nationalities, occupations, and a brief list of things they liked and disliked in this world. The first Anna hailed from an industrial town outside of Warsaw and had front teeth the size of tombstones. She worked as a seamstress, enjoyed quiet times with friends, and hated the mosquito.Oh, really,† the teacher said. â€Å"How very in teresting. I thought that everyone loved the mosquito, but here, in front of all the world, you claim to detest him. How is it that we’ve been blessed with someone as unique and original as you? Tell us, please. † The seamstress did not understand what was being said but knew that this was an occasion for shame. Her rabbity mouth huffed for breath, and she stared down at her lap as though the appropriate comeback were stitched somewhere alongside the zipper of her slacks. The second Anna learned from the first and claimed to love sunshine and detest lies.It sounded like a translation of one of those Playmate of the Month data sheets, the answers always written in the same loopy handwriting: â€Å"Turn-ons: Mom’s famous fivealarm chili! Turn offs: insecurity and guys who come on too strong!!!! † The two Polish Annas surely had clear notions of what they loved and hated, but like the rest of us, they were limited in terms of vocabulary, and this made them ap pear less than sophisticated. The teacher forged on, and we learned that Carlos, the Argentine bandonion player, loved wine, music, and, in his words, â€Å"making sex with the womans of the world. Next came a beautiful young Yugoslav who identified herself as an optimist, saying that she loved everything that life had to offer. The teacher licked her lips, revealing a hint of the saucebox we would later come to know. She crouched low for her attack, placed her hands on the young woman’s desk, and leaned close, saying, â€Å"Oh yeah? And do you love your little war? † While the optimist struggled to defend herself, I scrambled to think of an answer to what had obviously become a trick question. How often is one asked what he loves in this world? More to the point, how often is one asked and then publicly ridiculed for his answer?I recalled my mother, flushed with wine, pounding the table top one night, saying, â€Å"Love? I love a good steak cooked rare. I love my ca t, and I love †¦Ã¢â‚¬  My sisters and I leaned forward, waiting to hear out names. â€Å"Tums,† our mother said. â€Å"I love Tums. †13 The teacher killed some time accusing the Yugoslavian girl of masterminding a program of genocide, and I jotted frantic notes in the margins of my pad. While I can honestly say that I love leafing through medical textbooks devoted to severe dermatological conditions, the hobby is beyond the reach of my French vocabulary, and acting it out would only have invited controversy.When called upon, I delivered an effortless list of things that I detest: blood sausage, intestinal pates, brain pudding. I’d learned these words the hard way. Having given it some thought, I then declared my love for IBM typewriters, the French word for bruise, and my electric floor waxer. It was a short list, but still I managed to mispronounce IBM and assign the wrong gender to both the floor waxer and the typewriter. The teacher’s reaction le d me to believe that these mistakes were capital crimes in the country of France. â€Å"Were you always this palicmkrexis? she asked. â€Å"Even a fiuscrzsa ticiwelmun knows that a typewriter is feminine. † I absorbed as much of her abuse as I could understand, thinking – but not saying – that I find it ridiculous to assign a gender to an inanimate object which is incapable of disrobing and making an occasional fool of itself. Why refer to Lady Crack Pipe or Good Sir Dishrag when these things could never live up to all that their sex implied? The teacher proceeded to belittle everyone from German Eva, who hated laziness, to Japanese Yukari, who loved paintbrushes and soap.Italian, Thai, Dutch, Korean, and Chinese – we all left class foolishly believing that the worst over. She’d shaken us up a little, but surely that was just an act designed to weed out the deadweight. We didn’t know it then, but the coming months would teach us what it was like to spend time in the presence of a wild animal, something completely unpredictable. Her temperament was not based on a series of good and bad days but, rather, good and bad moments. We soon learned to dodge chalk and protect our heads and stomachs whenever she approached us with a question.She hadn’t yet punched anyone, but it seemed wise to protect ourselves against the inevitable. Though we were forbidden to speak anything but French, the teacher would occasionally use us to practice any of her five fluent languages. â€Å"I hate you,† she said to me one afternoon. Her English was flawless. â€Å"I really, really hate you. † Call me sensitive, but I couldn’t help but take it personally. 14 After being singled out as a lazy kfdtinvfm, I took to spending four hours a night on my homework, putting in even more time whenever we were assigned an essay.I suppose I could have gotten by with less, but I was determined to create some sort of identity for m yself: David, the hardworker, David the cut-up. We’d have one of those â€Å"complete this sentence† exercises, and I’d fool with the thing for hours, invariably settling on something like, â€Å"A quick run around the lake? I’d love to! Just give me a moment while I strap on my wooden leg. † The teacher, through word and action, conveyed the message that if this was my idea of an identity, she wanted nothing to do with it. My fear and discomfort crept beyond the borders of the classroom and accompanied me out onto the wide boulevards.Stopping for a coffee, asking directions, depositing money in my bank account: these things were out of the question, as they involved having to speak. Before beginning school, there’d been no shutting me up, but now I was convinced that everything I said was wrong. When the phone rang, I ignored it. If someone asked me a question, I pretended to be deaf. I knew my fear was getting the best of me when I started wondering why they don’t sell cuts of meat in vending machines. My only comfort was the knowledge that I was not alone.Huddled in the hallways and making the most of our pathetic French, my fellow students and I engaged in the sort of conversation commonly overhead in refugee camps. â€Å"Sometimes me cry alone at night. † â€Å"That be common for I, also, but be more strong, you. Much work and someday you talk pretty. People start love you soon. Maybe tomorrow, okay. † Unlike the French class I had taken in New York, here there was no sense of competition. When the teacher poked a shy Korean in the eyelid with a freshly sharpened pencil, we took no comfort in the fact that, unlike Hyeyoon Cho, we all know the irregular past tense of the verb to defeat.In all fairness, the teacher hadn’t meant to stab the girl, but neither did she spend much time apologizing, saying only, â€Å"Well, you should have been vkkdyo more kdeynfulh. † Over time it becam e impossible to believe that any of us would ever improve. Fall arrived and it rained every day, meaning we would now be scolded for the water dripping from our coats and umbrellas. It was mid-October when the teacher singled me15 out, saying, â€Å"Every day spent with you is like having a cesarean section. † And it struck me that, for the first time since arriving in France, I could understand every word that someone was saying.Understanding doesn’t mean that you can suddenly speak the language. Far from it. It’s a small step, nothing more, yet its rewards are intoxicating and deceptive. The teacher continued her diatribe and I settled back, bathing in the subtle beauty of each new curse and insult. â€Å"You exhaust me with your foolishness and reward my efforts with nothing but pain, do you understand me? † The world opened up, and it was with great joy that I responded, â€Å"I know the thing that you speak exact now. Talk me more, you, plus, please , plus. †

Four Major Principles that Define the Collaborative Organization in 2013

Four Major Principles that Define the Collaborative Organization in 2013 Abstract The world of business is ever evolving as new factors come into play with time. Traditionally, most businesses would focus on making profits and everything else regarding the business’ operations would take second priority, but today, numerous multibillion-dollar corporations have worldwide reach.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Four Major Principles that Define the Collaborative Organization in 2013 specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The emergence of various factors has lead to the evolution of business management and development practices. Jacob Morgan, in his book, The Collaborative Organization, discusses the importance of collaboration in corporations and mentions some factors that affect businesses with regard to emergent collaborative tools. However, particular to the discussion in this paper is his mention of four principles that define collaborative organizations in the present era. Th e principles include a technological push, the demand-pull principle, the aspect of a demographic kick, and organizational transformation mechanisms. This paper provides an in-depth analysis of each of these principles by applying views from other authors to provide balance to the discussion. The Four Major Principles The Technology Push One of the main topics in Morgan’s book, The Collaborative Organization, is the issue of technology and its effects on the operational activities of businesses today. He highlights dissemination of information as one of the core applications of the internet by stating that employees use the Internet as a means of sharing information amongst them and with the management, thus ensuring that the organization works as a team even though each individual has his or her own specific role to play (Morgan, 2012). Technology has evolved at a faster rate than was the case fifty years ago. The development of the Internet, mobile phones, and other communi cation tools has changed normal business operations and strategic planning. The two tools have made communication faster and access to information easier. Guy Klemens (2010), author of the book, The Cellphone, gives a perspective of how much the cell phone has changed communication and its importance by giving an example of how the device has transformed business even in third world countries, with people viewing it more as a necessity than a luxury item. Morgan (2012) expresses the same view regarding the use of the Internet as a collaborative tool in business organizations. He explains that the Internet is one of the most important technological tools that companies apply, for both communication purposes and strategic management.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Daniel Goleman (1998), the creator of the mixed model of establishing emotional intelligence, which is one of many theories on effective management, states that teamwork is essential in any organization for the development of social skill, and thus an important ingredient for a successful company. He adds that good managers should formulate policies that foster teamwork through the enhancement of communication and creation of relationships in the work place. Goleman’s theory suggests that employees with good relationships and strong ties are more likely to improve the productivity of a company. He adds that a company has better chances of synchronizing the operations of its employees in a manner that creates alignment with the company’s goals when the employees have good working relationships (Goleman, 1998, P.56). T. J. Allen, author of Managing the Flow of Technology (1977), presents ideas that support this theory by stating that employees that work more than thirty meters apart from each other reduce collaboration, hence negatively affecting communication. T he author explains that employees who work closely together communicate more thus sharing ideas that positively affect the productivity of the company. For instance, it is easier for one employee to ask for help from another if they have a good relationship as opposed to employees who rarely talk to each other. Mark Granovetter, the author of The Strength of Weak Ties (1973), presents a contrasting idea from that shared by Goleman and Allen. Granovetter presents the ‘weak ties’ or ‘bridges’ theory, which suggests that employees with weaker ties are more productive than those with stronger bonds. He likens ties between individuals to bridges by stating that they are weak structures that provide useful links between two points. According to him, two employees with a strong bond between them are likely to think and act the same way in various situations and depend on each other for solutions to problems. However, due to their constant interaction, such employe es are likely to experience the same difficulties in similar situations and are of little or no use to each other in terms of solution generation. In contrast, employees with weaker ties have different approaches to problems thus bringing an aspect of objectivity to solution generation (Morgan, 2012). Morgan supports this theory by adding that weak ties are easier to develop and take less time thus presenting an individual with the option to create as many as possible, within and outside the organization.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Four Major Principles that Define the Collaborative Organization in 2013 specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More He explains that such ties are easier to make through technological tools such as social media avenues like Facebook and Twitter over the Internet. Weak ties, according to Morgan, foster innovation, help in developing existent ideas, and prevent monotony through interact ion with several different individuals at a time (p.14). Jacob Morgan (2012) considers it noteworthy that although it would be wise for companies to use the Internet and other forms of technological tools for collaborative purposes, companies should weigh the negative risks that the tools present against their benefits. One of the risks that Morgan highlights in the application of the Internet tools is the possibility of distribution of confidential information to parties not authorized to access it. It is easy for employees to leak out trade secrets and other confidential company information whether intentionally or not. This aspect creates the necessity for companies to control the use of the Internet tools, as is the case in China. The government banned the use of Facebook in China as a way of ensuring productivity at the workplace. Secondly, companies that apply the use of the Internet tools have to ensure that they develop structures for the improvement of alignment in various departments. As companies expand, especially for those that merge with others and multinational corporations with subsidiaries all over the world, it becomes increasingly difficult to maintain efficient communication structures. The use of the Internet tools brings with it the problem of controlling and filtering information appropriately within various departments. Lack of proper structuring is likely to lead to a chaotic situation and loss of valuable income. It is thus the prerogative of every company to ensure that the collaborating tools they use present as many advantages as possible at minimal risk. Demand-Pull The second principle that applies in the definition of collaborative organizations is demand-pull. The concept of demand-pull explains how inflation starts. The basic mechanism in this theory is that when demand for goods and services is higher than the supply, companies employ more people in order to increase production. However, increasing the labor force causes an i ncrease to the price of production for goods and services, which companies transfer to consumers by increasing the price of goods. The ultimate result of the process is inflation, an aspect that affects company policies through the formulation of mitigating mechanisms. In order to ensure that company productivity remains high when facing the demand-pull problem, most companies result in specialization, producing the goods they are best at and leaving the rest to other corporations. At an organizational level, the application of specialization takes the form of employment of employees with different skills to work in the same organization.Advertising Looking for research paper on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The use of experts and specialists ensures that the company gets quality results from each department without having to apply additional funds for training programs. Although the use of specialization as a strategy is cost effective, Morgan (2012) notes that the involvement of people with different skills working towards the same goal requires a high level of collaboration. Steven Covey (1994), in a discussion of his time management matrix for effective management, notes that in order to improve and maintain high productivity, good managers should foster the creation of relationships amongst employees. The essence of this is the improvement of communication and aversion of crises due to differences in objectivity and goal orientation. Covey suggests the use of team-building activities and discussion forums in improving teamwork and encouraging the dissemination of information in the work place (Covey et al., 1994). However, Covey’s theory is restricted to the work environment while Morgan (2012) takes a more holistic view in his discussion. Morgan explains that by applying the use of the Internet tools, employees are able to connect and align their goals to the company goals without having to bother with the creation of strong ties, which take unnecessary time to develop. An additional advantage with the application of the Internet tools is that it allows employees in a corporation to link with others in other corporations, fostering innovation and enabling the generation of solutions that would otherwise be unavailable to employees who depend on colleagues for problem solving (Morgan, 2012, p.49). Additionally, companies have the opportunity to outsource goods and services from professionals all over the world at cheaper rates, lowering the cost of production and creating the residual effect of generating competitive prices. This makes a company’s goods and services attractive to consumers and increases the company’s profit levels. The th ird advantage Morgan notes with the Internet, as a collaborating tool is that it eases the possibility of a company to expand its market potential. Through links with people from other regions, marketing of goods and services is easier and has a far-reaching effect in economies that are more receptive to products that a company has to offer. The Internet tools provide a cheap market research option for companies looking to expand into other countries. For instance, a company located in a country undergoing inflation would benefit immensely from exploration of markets in other regions through social sites, as a response for the proposed goods or services is instant. Therefore, depending on the budget at the time, the company may decide to open a subsidiary in the target market or opt to sell goods and services online as a way of testing the market and establishing the success rate. Demographic Kick On 20 October 2011, the global population hit the seven billion mark and according to an online article by Rajesh Kumar of USA Today (2011), surveys by the United Nations showed that the population is likely to rise to eight billion by 2025. Jacob Morgan (2012) states that such rapid changes in the population are bound to affect corporate structures both positively and negatively. For instance, high increase in population usually leads to less availability of resources per individual. As a coping mechanism, most regions experience changes in cultural practices sometimes having residual effects on economic structuring in a country. For instance, in the 1960s, Abu Dhabi was a state with a low population and less than average economy. Although the state had oil, its benefits were dismal to the population. Most of the families near the Persian Gulf practiced fishing and subsistence farming, occasionally getting a little income from ocean pearls. However, with the manufacture of synthetic pearls and border disputes with Saudi Arabian neighbors, the economy continued to de teriorate until the reign of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Sheikh Zayed implemented policies that allowed expatriates to work in the state and generate revenue for the government to take care of its people. Today, more than 80% of the population in Abu Dhabi comprises expatriates, with the citizen population totaling a mere 10%. The increase in population created a positive change in the economy by attracting investments from multinational corporations. These corporations have to ensure that their policies allow them to remain competitive and provide goods and services that suit the region without compromising on productivity (Federal Research Division, 2004). Another way that demographic changes affect corporate structuring is through changes in consumption trends. Companies have to ensure that their policies adapt to constant changes in consumption trends for goods and services. A good example of how population changes affect consumption trends is the fast food industry. A de cade ago, most fast food companies produced products that were mainly luxury items as people preferred to make their own food. However, as the population rose, so did the demand to make more money for sustainability. This aspect is one of the factors that have seen drastic growth in the fast food industry. High population provides for a large labor force and a decline in wages. As prices of goods remain the same or higher, most people have to work for longer hours therefore reducing the time they have available for tasks such as preparing meals. The fast food industry has capitalized on this fact by making fast food products available at affordable prices. Most people now find fast foods as an easier cheaper option in comparison to healthy foods that require prior preparation. Thanks to dissemination of information and collaboration structures, fast food companies now have subsidiaries all over the world. MacDonald generated great controversy when it first opened a branch in China, with residents complaining that it was unnecessary because Chinese culture encourages home-cooked meals. Today, the company enjoys high sales as the fast food consumption trend has caught on in the country, with the massive population providing a steady market. Demographic changes thus have the ability to dictate corporate policies and corporations gain advantage by researching trends through collaboration tools as Morgan (2012) suggests. Organizational Transformation Organizational transformation is the fourth major principle that Morgan (2012) mentions in his definition of collaborative organizations. He explains that globalization and industrialization have led to extensive growth for the majority of the companies thus necessitating the restructuring of policies to match the changes (p.136). He notes that in earlier years, most companies preferred the application of a vertical hierarchy of power and command. In his opinion, that such structuring in companies ensured that there wa s a definite chain of command, making it easier to establish accountability for various actions and decisions within the company. However, this form of structuring has had its share of shortcomings. One such demerit is that the hierarchy limits the distribution of information. An employee has to go through an intermediary to relay information to top management, leaving room for delays and distortion of information. The resultant effect is the creation of unnecessary confusion and escalation of problems to crisis level. The hierarchy also makes it difficult for employees to access information from top management regarding their duties in cases where they need tools for the enhancement of their performance and overall company productivity. Another disadvantage the structure presents is the creation of a barrier between the management and employees. Such barriers make employees feel unappreciated and underpowered, reducing their moral and subsequently their productivity and the profita bility of the company. Thirdly, innovations as all actions have to undergo an approval by management. Even though the hierarchy serves its purpose, its application to current companies would be impracticable, especially for companies with several branches or multinational corporations. Henry Mintzberg (2008), a proponent of the emotional intelligence concept of business management, states that the manager has an obligation to make employees feel valued and appreciated by boosting their morale, an aspect that Morgan agrees with in the book. Morgan adds that by providing employees with essential tools for the performance of their tasks and letting the employees know that the management values their opinion; managers increase the morale of their employees, thus reducing the need for constant supervision and averting the creation of a hostile work environment for everyone. The current global economic trends require adaptability of policies to suit evolving trends and keep the company si gnificant. Collaborative tools ensure that companies stay in touch with the latest trends and foster innovative ideas that ensure the company does not lose to newer competitors. Morgan gives an example of the need for companies to employ new talent and adapt to new ideas while improving on existent talents in the company where possible. Conclusion Although the Morgan (2012) talks a lot about the application of technological tools in improving company collaboration, he also makes observations on some of the mains that define corporations today. He provides an in-depth discussion of each of the principles while connecting them to his other topics. Morgan explains that companies today operate under different structures from companies in earlier years, with some of the structural changes being results of external forces. The four principles in this paper constitute part of such external forces. Although some authors in their discussion of corporate management choose to indulge in a more localized perspective of issues by discussing internal workings of a company to the exclusion of global interactions, Morgan takes a more holistic view. This makes his discussion more objective and relevant to different other fields. Reference List Covey, S., Roger, A., Merill, R. (1994). First things first. New York, NY: Free Press Federal Research Division. (2004). United Arab Emirates: A country study. Whitefish, MT: Kessinger Publishing. Goleman, D. (1998). Working with emotional intelligence. San Francisco, CA: Jossey Bass Press. Klemens, G. (2010). The Cellphone: The history and technology of the gadget that  changed the world. Jefferson, NC: McFarland. Mintzberg, H. (2008). Mintzberg on management. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster Morgan, J. (2012). The collaborative organization: A strategic guide to solving your  internal business challenges using emerging social and collaborative tools. New York, NY: McGraw Hill.

The National Flag of Canada

The National Flag of Canada The Canadian red and white maple leaf flag is officially called the National Flag of Canada. The flag bears a stylized red maple leaf with 11 points on a white background, with red borders down each side. The Canadian flag is twice as long as it is wide. The white square containing the red maple leaf is the same length on each side as the width of the flag. The red and white used in the National Flag of Canada were proclaimed the official colors of Canada in 1921 by King George V. Although the maple leaf did not have official status as an emblem of Canada until 1965, it had historically been used as a Canadian symbol and was employed in 1860 in decorations for the visit of the Prince of Wales to Canada. The 11 points on the maple leaf have no special significance. A Flag for Canada It wasnt until the 1965 inauguration of the maple leaf flag that Canada had its own national banner. In the early days of the Canadian Confederation, the Royal Union flag, or Union Jack, was still flown in British North America. The Red Ensign, with a Union Jack in the upper left corner and a shield containing the coats of arms of the Canadian provinces, was used as the unofficial flag of Canada from about 1870 to 1924. The composite shield was then replaced with the Royal Arms of Canada and was approved for use overseas. In 1945 it was authorized for general use. In 1925 and again in 1946, Canadian Prime Minister Mackenzie King tried to get a national flag of Canada adopted but he failed, although more than 2,600 designs were proposed for the second try. In 1964, Prime Minister Lester Pearson appointed a 15-member, all-party committee to come up with the design of a new flag for Canada. The committee was given six weeks to complete its task. Three Finalists The process resulted in three final designs: A red ensign with a fleur-de-lis, recognizing Canadas French history, and the Union Jack.Three joined maple leaves between blue borders.A single red maple leaf design between red borders. The suggestion for a red and white, single maple leaf design that was selected for the Canadian flag came from George Stanley, a professor at the Royal Military College in Kingston, Ontario. In his speech at the national flag inauguration ceremony, Pearson said: Under this Flag may our youth find new inspiration for loyalty to Canada; for a patriotism based not on any mean or narrow nationalism, but on the deep and equal pride that all Canadians will feel for every part of this good land. Dignity of the Canadian Flag The Department of Canadian Heritage provides the rules of Canadian flag etiquette, which govern how the flag should be flown and displayed in different situations: affixed to a car, carried in a procession, or flown on ships or boats, for example. Fundamental to these rules is the principle that the National Flag of Canada should always be treated with dignity and that it takes precedence over all other national flags and ensigns when it is flown in Canada. Sources History of the National Flag of Canada. Government of Canada.Rules for flying the National Flag of Canada. Government of Canada.

Write a two page summary about psychologist Erik Erikson Essay

Write a two page summary about psychologist Erik Erikson - Essay Example He later came up with his view regarding the blossoming of the personality of an individual. Erik Erikson held the view that man had to pass through numerous stages, to attain full growth and development. According to his view, about eight different stages helped man attain his full growth. This was an improvement and a diversified opinion, as compared to that of Sigmund Freud's. Erikson is often described by the adjective, Neo-Freudian, since his concept was an extension of that of his mentor and yet, had its distinct quality. His theory of personality is a generic description of human life and the different stages it evolves through. Here is a list of the stages of man's life, as illustrated below 4. Competence - Industry vs. Inferiority - Around age 6. Child comparing self worth to others (such as in a classroom environment). Child can recognize major disparities in personal abilities relative to other children. 5. Fidelity - Identity vs. Role Confusion - Teenager. Questioning of self. Who am I, how do I fit in Can be observed through cliques one sees at a high school, eg - nerds, preps, emos all dressing the same. 6.

How Convincing Is Porters Model of National Competitive Advantage in Essay - 6

How Convincing Is Porters Model of National Competitive Advantage in Explaining the Characteristics and Performance of the Business Systems of Major Economies - Essay Example This essay uses examples from Apple, CyberPower UK, Sennheiser, Sony and Lenovo to reach the conclusion that the framework is not a good assessor of business characteristics or performance in major economies, in an era of rapid globalization. Porter’s work focuses on home economies, leveraging home diamonds to create competitive advantages; he advocates entrepreneurship and innovation as drivers of advantage, rather than inherited endowments such as land, raw materials, and size of the labour pool, the lack of which he believes can be overcome. He further argues that factor creation is supported by the quality of consumer demand, rather than its size; the extent of relevant clustering and knowledge-sharing; and competition in the economy. Researchers have found cross-country evidence for all of these concepts. However, Porter’s concept of national competitiveness has also been criticized. Krugman argues that nations do not compete, like companies; and the idea of nation al competitiveness can be used to drive inefficient policies into play. Other researchers have criticized Porter’s methodology, arguing that global export shares are not a well-rounded measure of international competitiveness. Gray and Oz critique Porter’s narrow focus, which ignores macroeconomic environments and government policies, while Lazonic advocates that rivalry can lead to price-wars, decreasing the drive to innovate. In addition to this, Rugman & D’Cruz have created a Double Diamond Model, designed to fill in the gaps present in Porter’s model, which does not factor in the role of the multi-national enterprise. Perhaps the most case-based evidence in support of Porter’s Diamond framework emerges from his proposition on factor creation.