Sunday, November 3, 2019

HUMAN RIGHTS LAW Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

HUMAN RIGHTS LAW - Assignment Example A council of Europe, which was then newly formed, drafted it in 1950 but it was enacted in 1953. The European Court of Human Rights was established by this convention so that any person who felt their rights were violated could take the matter to that court. The States that were bound to violate the rights were executed (Barstow 2010). The establishment of such a court for individuals’ protection from violations of human rights is a feature of innovation for a convention on human rights that is international. It offers an international active role for an individual. Internationally, the European convention is ranked first in the provision of a high degree of protection to individuals. This is implemented by active and full partnership with international organisations, civil society, and member states of the European Union, partner countries and regional organisations (Weissbrodt & De La Vega 2007). From a historical perspective, the establishment of a Human Rights protection regional system across Europe was seen as a response to two concerns. The first concern was in the second world war aftermath, where the convention drew inspiration from Universal Declaration of Human Rights to be part and parcel of the broader response of Allied powers to deliver agendas on human rights, through which a notion was tabled that serious violations of human rights were rampant in the second world war and could be prevented in the future. The second concern was that, the convention in Europe was an opportunity and a response towards the growth and development of Eastern Europe Communism and. It was in the concern to grant protection to the members of state of the European Council from subversion of the communist. The democratic societies within the convention have the necessary principles and values as required of them even though such principles

Friday, November 1, 2019

Discuss the dual role of the security sector in the Arab World as both Essay

Discuss the dual role of the security sector in the Arab World as both a source of political stability and instability - Essay Example ROL promotion by international community will enable securitization explain the reforms in practice to assist post-communist transitions. Arab States are the majority in Middle East region characterized by a high complex relationship between the military agencies and other security enforcement agencies in the state, politics, and the society. Kodmani, Bassma, and May (97) claim that Arab Security Sector still receives little attention in the recent years with rare information on comparative advances in the study of the security sector. The objective of the study is to inform the role of Arab Security Sector in the state, politics, and the society. The study will evaluate scholarly journal information in the field of Security Studies in Middle East in both English and Arabic press. Different themes receive considerable attention in the theoretical and comparative literature on civil society relating to Arab Security Sector. The role of the security sector in the socio cultural facets affects the role of status and legitimacy of the security. Formal and informal connections operate within the security sector in the civilian and political system. The role of the security sector reflects and reinforces the relationship between major sectors of the society. Al-Khalifah (24) emphasizes from the beginning that better relationships with the Arab Security Sector fails to result to successful policies toward Middle East. According to Kodmani et al. (97), one of the critical policy junctures is the Unites States strategy to scatter Iraqi Army after the invasion attack. At the time prior, the invasion Iraqi Army had 350,000 troops. Iraqi complex political-military relationship leads to imposition of effective and formal civilian control in the newly established Iraqi Security Forces. Since that time, Kurdish and Shiite militias penetrate the Security Forces. The relationship between Iraqi Army and

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Explore the long and short term social and economic consequences of Essay

Explore the long and short term social and economic consequences of the dissolution of the monasteries under King Henry VIII (8th) - Essay Example Henry, working through his chief minister Thomas Cromwell, decided to cut England's ties with the papacy in Rome and introduce the Reformation into the kingdom. Historians have argued that the dissolution of England's monasteries was a social and economic revolution. It was the biggest change in the ownership of land in the kingdom since the Norman Conquest. In the 16th century, England needed more land because of a rise in the kingdom's population and improvements in agriculture, allowing previously uncultivated lands to be opened up. The Dissolution also allowed people outside the Church to take advantage of the monasteries' property, and nobles and the gentry bought much of it. A large part of England's wealth was thus taken out of the hands of the Church; this allowed the gentry to take a more important part in the kingdom's affairs because they could afford to attend university and sit as Members of Parliament. Many of the dismantled monasteries and friaries were sold for nominal amounts (often to the local aristocrats and merchants), and some of the lands the King gave to his supporters; there were also pensions to be paid to some of the dispossessed clerics. Many others continued to serve the parishes. Although the total value of the confiscated property has been calculated to be 200,000 at the time, the actual amount of income King Henry received from it from 1536 through 1547 averaged only 37,000 per year, about one fifth of what the monks had derived from it. Money from the monasteries helped to ensure that Henry would have no difficulty financing the Crown. Consequences of the Act for the Suppression of the Lesser Monasteries: Prior to 1536, Henry had ordered that Thomas Cromwell, his Vicar-General, carry out an audit of the monasteries, which he did with four men in just six months, resulting in some wrong decisions. Cromwell reported 'Manifest sin, vicious, carnal and abominable living is daily used and committed amongst the little and small abbeys'. The reports of Cromwell often differed with the reports of the relevant Bishops and he tended to brand all houses as corrupt. It was in this spirit of reform that the Act for the Suppression of the Lesser Monasteries, 1536 was passed. The Act clearly pointed out the worthiness of 'great and honorable monasteries right well kept', contrasting these with the smaller houses that were 'sunk irredeemably in iniquity' and had 'resisted all attempts at reform for 200 years or more', and it was these that should be closed down. The Act also stated that 'The idle and dissolute monks and nuns who live in these little dens of vice should be dispersed amongst the greater abbeys where they will, by discipline and example, be brought to mend their ways. The properties and endowments thus vacated can then be transferred to the King, to put to such better uses as he may think fit'. Henry used the money to finance the building of forts around the English coast, hardly a better use. According to the Act, all the land and property of a religious house that had an income of less than 200 a year was transferred to the Crown. The Act allowed for the abbots, priors, abbesses and prioresses to be compensated with generous pensions and other monks and nuns could be transferred to another house or return to the secular way of life. The new owners of the lands were encouraged

Monday, October 28, 2019

The contemporary issue of technology Essay Example for Free

The contemporary issue of technology Essay Buddhism is an ever-growing religion with approximately 350 million adherents worldwide, prominently found in Thailand, Indo-China, Burma, and Sri Lanka[1]. The word â€Å"Buddhism† comes from â€Å"Budhi† which literally means ‘to awaken’. This essentially makes up the basis for the belief system as it originated when Siddhartha Gautama, an Indian prince commonly known as Buddha, was himself awakened during his lifetime. It is every adherent’s goal in life to reach this same state of enlightenment, or nirvana. Not only is Buddhism a religion, it is often a way of life for many Buddhists[2]. Buddhism is a traditionalistic religion containing aspects that remain constant over time but is also highly adaptable and advances with current global progressions and issues. Many aspects of the belief system represent notions of continuity and change including gender roles, sacred places and scripts and the contemporary issue of technology. Buddhism has been subject to both aspects of continuity and change almost from the time the religion originated. This was clearly highlighted in the role and acceptance of dissent in the belief system in 383BC. This was after Buddha’s death in a time known as the Second Council where a large change occurred and the significant split into two variants of the religion occurred. This was due to arising conflicting interpretations of Buddha’s teachings and the meaning behind them. The Buddhist movement divided into the Theravada (Teaching of the Elders), also known as Hinayana (small vessel), and the Mahayana (large vessel) movements. This division essentially arose from disagreements over matters of practice and doctrine. The most significant different between the two variants is the belief of the Theravadans that Buddha is a fully enlightened human teacher whilst the Mahayana’s developed a transcendental view of him. The Mahayana concept welcomes the idea of worship of a divine grace rather than the attainment of enlightenment through practice[3]. As well as this, there is also the slightly smaller Vajrayana variant, most prominent in Tibet. This variant is known as Tantric Buddhism, referring to the application of Buddha’s teachings in regards to unique explanations and meditation techniques used by Vajrayana Buddhists[4]. Gender roles in Buddhism have been subject to much change over time. At the time Buddha lived, women were placed in a domestic sphere, essentially denying them of authoritative positions. Women were expected to care for the family and men to provide for the family[5]. Siddhartha himself was not always accepting of women entering the monastery. His attitude solely changed when his closest disciple, Ananda, used the traditional Buddhist value of impermanence as a way to demonstrate how the position of women at the time should not necessarily remain this way. From this resulted the allowance of women into the sangha through acculturation. Despite the ordination of women into the sangha as well as the Buddhist belief that both males and females are equal is however not necessarily the case in practice[6]. For example, In Theravada, a conscious effort is made to follow the Buddhas lifestyle as closely as possible as outlined in Vinaya[7]. However, this can be viewed as merely a matter of culture. In many Buddhist communities it is often normal for a man to have more authority over a woman. This was the restraint women felt for a long time until recent westernisation and modernisation. Through globalisation and the emergence of Buddhism into western nations, the status of women is now changing in many countries, even traditionally Buddhist ones. There is an acceptance that western women are no longer subservient as well as the equal address of both genders in recent teachings and books[8]. Western women have even had the ability to influence powerful figures including the Dalai Lama to support women’s spiritual practice and leadership[9]. Gender roles in Buddhism are quite obviously changing over time, at a slow but steady pace. In a world where gender stereotypes are slowly but surely becoming a thing of the past, women Buddhists, from westernised countries or not, will become more aware of the patriarchal society they live in and inevitably push for equal gender status. Although, one aspect that may pose a setback to equal gender status is the fact that nuns must still serve the monks and cannot run services and have different roles in the monastery[10]. Although this slightly traditional notion continues, Buddhist communities are consciously making an effort to live out the Buddhist teaching that says both women and men are equal. In the Vajrayana variant there are many female Buddhas and bodhisattva including Green Tara, Kuan Yin and prajnaparamita who represents the mother of all Buddha’s as she is the anicca[11]. As well as this, the rapid increase of the religion, most notably in Australia, will undoubtedly create an incline in discussion of gender issues as it is a nation based on equality and multiculturalism. Buddhist sacred places and scripts are a highly traditional and continual aspect of the religion. Despite the split into separate variants of Buddhism, the message of Buddha remains the same for all. Initially the teachings of Buddha were passed down through oral tradition although as time progressed the four major councils formed the sangha and dharma consistent in practice and doctrine and had them form a written canon, the Tipitaka[12]. This text has not changed in any way since 250BCE and continues to be the foundation of all Buddhist communities. This is one of only a few things that have remained constant despite divergence and change within the religion. As time progressed, the Mahayana variant also created sacred texts, usually attributed to bodhisattva. These texts held a great amount of authority as they were held in likeness to the words of Buddha himself. These texts are an essential part of Buddhism as they are used in important activities and rituals that remain constant with tradition over time. The main story in the Buddhist tradition is the legend of the Buddha’s life and his search for enlightenment. This places high sacred significance on the location of Bodh Gaya and the Bodhi tree found there, where it is said Siddhartha found enlightenment and became Buddha. There are also many types of Buddhist shrines or temples visited by both monks/nuns and lay people for meditation and ritualistic purposes. Shrines often contain symbolic objects, helping one to keep in mind the ‘Four Noble Truths’ and the ‘Noble Eightfold Path’[13]. The continuous nature of the sacred texts and places visited can be expected to remain so in the near and distant future. In Australia; Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrana all assume the traditional practice and observation of the sacred texts and places. Being a western culture, this is highly significant as it is the one aspect of the religion that remains constant and traditional in a diverse culture. This is also the case with other western nations as well as the traditional Buddhist locations. Contemporary issues have arisen relatively recently within Buddhism with the continual advancement of technology in today’s society. Due to Buddhism’s highly adaptable nature, it is becoming more welcoming of the world’s technological advances. Global communications such as the internet are now allowing for readily available and easily accessible information including Buddhist sacred texts. This allows for people from around the globe being able to access and translate texts at their own ease and from the comfort of their own home. Buddhists view technology in a varied light[14]. On one hand, the consumption of technology causes problems geared to feeding greed, hatred, and delusion. On the other hand, ‘constructive’ technology is beginning to be adapted to, within the constraints of three principles; technology which is moderate, technology which is used for creating benefit and technology which serves to develop understanding and improve the human being[15]. Essentially, the basic traditional principles of Buddhism are maintained through the safe, beneficial and constructive implementation and use of modern equipment. Technology is inevitably an ever-growing facet of today’s society. Buddhism is learning to adapt to such changes. As Buddhists accept technology that does not harm sentient beings, it is having a significant influence in the western world. Buddhism is now the fastest growing religion in Australia. From 1991-2006 there was a 109.6% increase in adherents in Australia, making up 2.1% of the total population[16]. Much of this is reliant on the introduction of technology in Buddhism resulting in bringing people together through the communication devices such as the internet. Not only is this affecting Australians, it is evident throughout the world. As Buddhism is introducing more technology into their practices, information is readily accessible to millions of people worldwide. This allows for a greater knowledge and acceptance of Buddhism and so expansion of the religion will inevitably occur on a large scale. Buddhism is now ranked the fourth largest belief system in the world and will undoubtedly continue to rise. In summation, Buddhism is embarking on a continual journey of adaptation to changing cultures and climates. With this comes the continuation of traditional aspects as well as applying these in ways to suit the consensus of different cultures, most notably western. Many influencing factors attribute to the continuity and change of Buddhism including gender roles, sacred places and scripts and contemporary issues. Each of these play a fundamental role in underpinning the belief system in contemporary society and the religion will inevitability continue to change given its highly adaptable nature. ________________ [1] Buddhanet, 2012, Buddha Dharma Education Association Inc., global, http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/history/bud_statwrld.htm [2] Buddhanet, 2012, Buddha Dharma Education Association Inc., global, http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/5minbud.htm [3] Buddhism’s Impact and Appeal in the West, Culturescope Volume 79, April 2006 [4] Vajrayana Institute, 2012, Vajrayana Buddhism, Australia, http://www.vajrayana.com.au/index.php?option=com_contentview=categorylayout=blogid=56Itemid=81 [5] Buddhism’s Impact and Appeal in the West, Culturescope Volume 79, April 2006 [6] TSC Learning, 2012, TSC Learning Inc., Australia, http://www.tsclearning.catholic.edu.au/groups/societyculture/weblog/2953c/Belief_System__Buddhism__Gender_Roles.html [7] Buddhanet, 2012, Buddha Dharma Education Association Inc., global, http://www.buddhanet.net/ftp07.htm [8] Buddhism’s Impact and Appeal in the West, Culturescope Volume 79, April 2006 [9] Buddhanet, 2012, Buddha Dharma Education Association Inc., global, Buddhanet.com [10] Enabling Organisation, 2012, BSQ Tracts on Buddhism No.7, http://www.enabling.org/ia/vipassana/Archive/D/DeSilva/WomenInBuddhism/womenInBuddhismSwarnaDeSilva.html [11] Vajrayana Institute, 2012, Vajrayana Buddhism, Australia, http://www.vajrayana.com.au/index.php?option=com_contentview=categorylayout=blogid=56Itemid=81 [12] Buddhism’s Impact and Appeal in the West, Culturescope Volume 79, April 2006 [13] Buddhism’s Impact and Appeal in the West, Culturescope Volume 79, April 2006 [14] Buddhism’s Impact and Appeal in the West, Culturescope Volume 79, April 2006 [15] Buddhanet, 2012, Buddha Dharma Education Association Inc., global, Buddhanet.com [16] Buddhism Australia, 2012, Census date from ABS, Australia, http://www.buddhismaustralia.org/census2001.htm

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Depravity and Destruction in Blood Meridian Essay -- Blood Meridian Es

Depravity and Destruction in Blood Meridian Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian is a passionate, lyrical, and ugly novel of depravity and destruction of life in the Old West. It is a story of a hellish journey where violence and corruption are currency in a life of murder and treachery. Contrasting scenes of scenic beauty, poetically described by McCarthy, are negated by his gruesome accounts of despicable scenes of human cruelty in the examination of evil. Like all of McCarthy's earlier novels, Blood Meridian (1985) had a lukewarm arrival to the literary world in the sense of sales and publicity, in part due to McCarthy's own aversion to self-promotion (Woodward 28). Yet critics and scholars were captivated by the mindless violence of the story and its tale of deceit, genocide, and gruesome realities set around the US-Mexico border in the 1840's (James 31). Blood Meridian, McCarthy's fifth book, was received with a variety of reactions from critics. Terence Moran, though finding McCarthy's writing to be "evocative," believed the author "failed in Blood Meridian to retell a simple Western in his haunting, original voice" (37). Conversely, Steven Shaviro wrote, "Cormac McCarthy, the solitary poet of his exultation, is our greatest living author...[this novel] manifests a sublime visionary power that is matched only by a still more ferocious irony" (144). This novel, due to its candid narration of barbarous events, prevails as one of a few books which challenge traditional molds of literature. Not a story of the redeemable antagonist or the helpless victim, Blood Meridian blurs the lines of sanctity and depravity in this lawless and demoralized land. This examination of the most unimaginable e... ...stence in a world of depravity that seems foreign to the reader, but is all too normal in the world created in the book (147). As the novel tells of the kid's appalling journey, much of the action seen is centered around Judge Holden. The mysterious, malignant man varies in interpretation from godlike to child-like. Many critics have commented on Holden's manipulative power, ability to remain unchanged by years, and his appearance in several places at what seems the same time. Many lines are drawn between Judge Holden and the devil (Wallach 125). Though not a literary success in terms of book sales and overall recognition, Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian tells and intriguing story in a light in which the Old West is rarely seen. Conscienceless violence, devil-like characters, and breathtaking scenery fill this novel uninhibited by morality or rectitude.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Advantages of Medical Isolation and Quarantine Essay

Advantages of Medical Isolation and Quarantine Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   According to many health experts, medical isolation and quarantine does very little in curbing the spread of contagious diseases (Kliff). Although isolation and quarantine tend to have some similarities, they are very different. According to studies, whereas isolation involves the seclusion of people infected with contagious diseases, quarantine is the seclusion of people who are not sick but have been exposed to a contagious disease (â€Å"Diffen†). Although isolation and quarantine are different, they have one main objective, which is to prevent further spreading of contagious diseases in a society. Isolation and quarantine comes alongside a number of advantages. For instance, in addition to minimizing the spread of contagious diseases, placing people under medical isolation and quarantine also assists in neutralizing deadly diseases such as Ebola. By providing a detailed analysis of both isolation and quarantine, the study intend s to provide an argument on their advantages. Neutralizing Contagious Diseases   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Placing people under medical isolation or quarantine is quite beneficial to any society. This is because through medical isolation and quarantine, a nation is able to neutralize any contagious disease, hence, preventing it from becoming spreading any further. When sick people have been placed under medical isolation, chances of further spreading of the disease are minimized compared to if they were treated in public places. In order to make the isolation process successful, it is vital that these patients be secluded from the public. According to Stambaugh (5), the quarantine process is normally conducted in five phases. For instance, after the decision to quarantine has been reached, the next phase is to locate a quarantine area and ensuring that the quarantine process is maintained. Locating a quarantine area normally depends on the number of people that require quarantine.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   After successfully maintaining the quarantine, the next phases are demobilization and recovery (Stambaugh 5). Apart from hospitals, isolation can also be done in special healthcare facilities or in the patient’s homes. The case is however different for quarantine, this is because, unlike in isolation, people exposed to contagious diseases are placed in quarantines, which can either be located in designated emergency facilities as well as specialized hospitals. This is normally in a move to prevent these people from making any contacts with the public until the incubation period of the diseases elapses. Proper Medical Attention   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Placing people under medical isolation and quarantine also enables medical practitioners to offer appropriate medical attention to patients. The recent Ebola outbreak in West Africa is one example of how medical isolation and quarantine can minimize further spreading of the disease. If it were not for medical isolation and quarantine processes, the disease would have spread throughout Africa as well as other continents. According to Resnikoff, all the people who tested positive for the Ebola virus were placed under isolation, which was in a move to offer them proper medical attention in addition to minimizing further spreading of the disease.The large number of deaths reported due to the Ebola outbreak prompted many nations to set up quarantine facilities in order to attend to all citizens coming from the Ebola stricken nations.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Citizens coming from Ebola stricken nations were normally placed in quarantine for a period of twenty-one days, which is usually the incubation period of the Ebola virus. It was only after the twenty-one days that citizens were allowed to see their families, that is if they had tested negative for the Ebola virus. If they tested positive for the virus, they were then moved from quarantine to isolation where they were to were to under special treatment and monitoring. Minimizing of Medical Expenses   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Apart from neutralizing the disease as well as offering proper medical attention, another advantage of medical isolation and quarantine is that it minimizes excessive medical expenditures (â€Å"NCSL†). When there is an outbreak of a contagious disease, many people are likely to be infected. This implies that a nation is likely to spend a lot of money on purchasing medication drugs as well as hiring international medical practitioners to aid in controlling the disease. In order to avoid these expenses, it is normally essential that nations embrace the medical isolation as well as quarantine programs in a move to minimize their expenses. According to my opinion, the main reason why West Africa was greatly affected by the Ebola outbreak was because they were not quick in establishing isolation and quarantine centers, hence, allowing the disease to spread rapidly. Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Medical isolation is the process where sick people are secluded from the public in a move to prevent further spreading of a disease. Although quarantine is similar to isolation, people secluded through quarantine are not sick but were exposed to a contagious disease. Medical isolation and quarantine have a number of advantages to a society. For instance, through isolation and quarantine, a nation is in a position to curb the spreading of a contagious disease. Apart from curbing the spread of diseases, when people are placed under medical isolation and quarantine, this enables medical practitioners to offer proper medication since it will be easy to monitor any changes once they occur. Additionally, medical isolation and quarantine also reduce medical expenses of a nation. This is because once a disease has been neutralized in the isolation and quarantine centers, a nation will only spend little amount of money to treat the infected. References Diffen.Isolationvs.Quarantine.2014.Web2015. Kliff, Sarah. â€Å"3 reasons public health experts think Ebola quarantines are a  terrible  idea.† VOX. 2014. Web. 2015. < http://www.vox.com/2014/10/28/7079147/three-reasons-public-health-experts-think-ebola-quarantines-are-a> NCSL. State Quarantine and Isolation Statutes. 2014. Web. 2015. http://www.ncsl.org/research/health/state-quarantine-and-isolation-statutes.aspx Resnikoff, Ned. â€Å"Ebola quarantine policy sparks controversy in medical community.† MSNBC. 2014. Web. 2015. < http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/doctors-question-ebola-quarantine-policy> Stambaugh, Hollis. Quarantine Facilities for Arriving Air Travelers: Identification of Planning Needs and Costs. 2008. Print. Source document

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

A Useful Reminder About An

A Useful Reminder About An A Useful Reminder About An A Useful Reminder About An By Maeve Maddox English has two forms of the indefinite article: a and an. In modern usage, the form a is used in front of words that begin with a consonant sound; an is used in front of words that begin with a vowel sound. The following uses of an are nonstandard in modern English: OK, I admit it, I dont see why the iPad would be an useful device. Plot is an unique feature that indicates the address of the place. Found an useful paper on grid generation Fastest way to find an unique element out of given numbers We are an uniform based school and the design of our uniforms has been a careful and consultative process with executive, staff, student and community. It may be that writers who put an in front of unique or useful have misunderstood the rule; perhaps they think that an goes in front of any word that begins with u, regardless of how the u is pronounced. Although the letter u usually represents a vowel sound, it does not always do so. Such words as umbrella, undertaker, and ugly do begin with a vowel sound, [uh]. These words should be preceded by an: an umbrella an undertaker an ugly dog Sometimes, u represents a consonant sound that incorporates the y sound heard at the beginning of yellow: unique [yoo-neek] useful [yoos-ful] usual [yoo-zyoo-l] I’ve never heard anyone pronounce the word an in front of one of these words, although I suppose that somewhere in the world someone may talk that way. For a speaker who pronounces the word unique as [uh-neek] or [oo-neek], there would be some justification for writing â€Å"an unique feature.† What I think is that some speakers say â€Å"a useful paper† but go to write it and think it â€Å"looks funny† with a instead of an. In the case of an before a word that begins with u, let your ear guide you: a useful device, but an unusual device a unique feature, but an ultra-interesting feature a useful paper, but an undervalued paper a unique element, but an unknown element a uniform-based school, but an unconventional school Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Spelling category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:5 Uses of InfinitivesWhen to Form a Plural with an Apostrophe12 Misunderstood and Misquoted Shakespearean Expressions

Monday, October 21, 2019

Biography of A. Philip Randolph, Civil Rights Activist

Biography of A. Philip Randolph, Civil Rights Activist Asa Philip Randolph was born April 15, 1889, in Crescent City, Florida, and died May 16, 1979, in New York City. He was a civil rights and labor activist, known for his role in organizing the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters and for heading the March on Washington. He also influenced Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry Truman to issue executive orders that banned discrimination and segregation in the defense industry and the armed forces, respectively. A. Philip Randolph Full Name: Asa Philip RandolphOccupation: Labor movement leader, civil rights activistBorn: April 15, 1889 in Crescent City, FloridaDied: May 16, 1979 in New York CityParents:  Rev. James William Randolph and Elizabeth Robinson RandolphEducation: Cookman InstituteSpouse: Lucille Campbell Green RandolphKey Accomplishments: Organizer of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, chair of the March on Washington, recipient of the Presidential Medal of FreedomFamous Quote: â€Å"Freedom is never granted; it is won. Justice is never given; it is exacted.† Early Years A. Philip Randolph was born in Crescent City, Florida, but grew up in Jacksonville. His father,  the Rev. James William Randolph, was a tailor and minister in the African Methodist Episcopal Church; his mother, Elizabeth Robinson Randolph, was a seamstress. Randolph also had an older brother named James. Randolph likely inherited his activist streak from his parents, who taught him the importance of personal character, education, and standing up for oneself. He never forgot the night that his parents both armed themselves when a mob set out to lynch a man at the county jail. With a pistol beneath his coat, his father went to the jail to break up the mob. Meanwhile, Elizabeth Randolph stood watch at home with a shotgun. President of the Brotherhood A. Philip Randolph, sitting at his desk. Rex Hardy Jr. / Getty Images   This was not the only way his mother and father influenced him. Knowing that his parents valued education, Randolph excelled in school, as did his brother. They went to the Jacksonville area’s only school for black students at that time, the Cookman Institute. In 1907, he graduated as valedictorian of his class. An Activist in New York Four years after high school, Randolph moved to New York City with the hope of becoming an actor, but he gave up on his dream because his parents disapproved. Inspired by W.E.B. DuBois’ book â€Å"The Souls of Black Folk,† which explored African American identity, Randolph began to focus on sociopolitical issues. He also concentrated on his personal life, marrying a wealthy widow named Lucille Campbell Green in 1914. She was a businesswoman and a socialist, and she was able to provide financial support for her husband’s activism, including his oversight of a magazine called The Messenger. The publication had a socialist bent, and Columbia University student Chandler Owen ran it with Randolph. Both men were opposed to World War I and were monitored by the authorities for speaking out against the international conflict, which the United States became involved in during 1917. The war ended the following year, and Randolph pursued other forms of activism. Members of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, the first successful African-American Labor Union, proudly display their banner at a 1955 ceremony celebrating the organizations 30th anniversary. Asa Philip Randolph (1889-1979), Union president, seen wearing black and white shoes, holds up Brotherhood flag.   Bettmann  /  Contributor Starting In 1925, Randolph spent a decade fighting for the unionization of the Pullman porters, the black men who worked as baggage handlers and wait staff in the sleeping cars of trains. Randolph not only knew a great deal about unions, but he also did not work for the Pullman Company, which manufactured most of the railroad cars in the US during the first half of the 1900s. Since he did not have to fear that Pullman would retaliate against him for organizing, the porters thought he’d be a suitable representative for them. In 1935, the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters finally formed, a huge victory. No African American labor union had been organized before. Taking on the White House Randolph parlayed his success with the Pullman porters into advocacy work for black workers at the federal level. As World War II unfolded, President Franklin Roosevelt would not give an executive order to prohibit racial discrimination in the defense industry. This meant that African American employees in this sector could be excluded from jobs based on race or paid unfairly. So, Randolph asked African Americans to march in Washington, D.C, to protest the president’s inaction against discrimination. Tens of thousands of black people were prepared to take to the streets of the nation’s capital until the president changed his mind. This forced  Roosevelt to take action, which he did by signing an executive order on June 25, 1941. Roosevelt also established the Fair Employment Practices Commission to see his order through. Additionally, Randolph played a key role in getting President Harry Truman to sign the Selective Service Act of 1947. This legislation outlawed racial segregation in the armed forces. During this time, black men and white men served in different units, and the former often were placed in high-risk situations without the proper resources to defend themselves. Desegregating the military was the key to giving black servicemen more opportunity and safety. US President Dwight Eisenhower (1890 - 1965) meets with Civil Rights leaders at the White House to discuss desegregation, Washington DC, June 23, 1958.   Abbie Rowe / Getty Images If President Truman had not signed the act, Randolph was ready to get men of all races to take part in mass nonviolent civil disobedience. It helped that Truman was counting on the black vote to win his reelection bid and knew that alienating African Americans would put his campaign at risk. This prompted him to sign the desegregation order. During the following decade, Randolph continued his activism. The new labor organization the AFL-CIO chose him as vice president in 1955. In this capacity, he continued to advocate for black workers, striving to desegregate labor unions, which had historically excluded African Americans. And in 1960, Randolph founded an organization exclusively focused on black workers’ rights. It was called the Negro American Labor Council, and he served as its president for six years. The March on Washington Mahatma Gandhi often gets the credit for influencing the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and other civil rights leaders to take a nonviolent approach to activism, but A. Philip Randolph was an inspiration to civil rights activists, too. Without using violence, he’d ushered in the formation of the first major black labor union and influenced two different presidents to sign executive orders to ban racial discrimination. Knowing how effective Randolph had been, the new crop of black activists followed his example. August 1963: More than 200,000 protesters gather to demand equal rights for black Americans on Constitution Avenue in Washington, DC. Among them are Martin Luther King Jr. (1929 - 1968) (4th L), A. Philip Randolph (2nd R) as well as Roy Wilkins, Whitney Young and Rabbi Joachim Prinz.   MPI / Getty Images When they called for 1963’s March on Washington, the biggest civil rights demonstration in the history of the United States, they appointed Randolph as chair of the event. There, an estimated 250,000 people turned out to march for jobs and freedom for African Americans, and witnessed King give his I Have a Dream speech, arguably his most memorable. Later Years While 1963 was certainly a standout year for Randolph because of the March on Washington’s success, it was also a tragic one. His wife, Lucille, died that year. The couple had no children. 1964 Wahington, DC: President Johnson presents A. Philp Randolph with the presidential Medal of Freedom. Bettmann  Ã‚  /  Contributor In 1964, Randolph turned 75 years old, but he continued being singled out for his advocacy work on behalf of African Americans. That year, President Lyndon Johnson honored him with the  Presidential Medal of Freedom. And in 1968, Randolph presided over the new A. Philip Randolph Institute, which works to garner African American support of trade unions. During this time, Randolph kept his position on the AFL-CIO Executive Council, leaving the role in 1974. A. Philip Randolph died on May 16, 1979, in New York City. He was 90 years old. Sources â€Å"A. Philip Randolph.† AFL-CIO.â€Å"Hall of Honor Inductee: A. Philip Randolph.† US Department of Labor.

Sunday, October 20, 2019

The Commonwealth of Nations - African History

The Commonwealth of Nations - African History What is the Commonwealth of Nations? The Commonwealth of Nations, or more commonly just the Commonwealth, is an association of sovereign states consisting of the United Kingdom, some of its former colonies, and a few special cases. The Commonwealth nations maintain close economic ties, sporting associations and complementary institutions. When was the Commonwealth of Nations Formed? In the early twentieth century, the government of Britain was taking a hard look at its relationship with the rest of the British Empire, and particularly with those colonies populated by Europeans – the dominions. The dominions had reached a high level of self-government, and the people there were calling for the creation of sovereign states. Even amongst the Crown Colonies, Protectorates, and Mandates, nationalism (and the call for independence) was on the rise. The British Commonwealth of Nations was first noted in the Statute of Westminster on 3 December 1931, which recognized that several of the United Kingdoms self-governing dominions (Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa) were autonomous communities within the British Empire, equal in status, in no way subordinate one to another in any aspect of their domestic or external affairs, though united by a common allegiance to the Crown, and freely associated as members of the British Commonwealth of Nations. What was new under the 1931 Statute of Westminster was that these dominions would now be free to control their own foreign affairs – they were already in control of domestic affairs – and to have their own diplomatic identity. Which African Countries are Members of the Commonwealth of Nations? There are 19 African states who are currently members of the Commonwealth of Nations. See this Chronological List of African Members of the Commonwealth of Nations, or Alphabetical List of African Members of the Commonwealth of Nations for details. Is it Only ex-British Empire Countries in Africa Who Have Joined the Commonwealth of Nations? No, Cameroon (which had only partially been in the British Empire following World War I) and Mozambique joined in 1995. Mozambique was admitted as a special case (ie could not set a precedent) following democratic elections in the country in 1994. All its neighbors were members and it was felt that Mozambiques support against white-minority rule in South Africa and Rhodesia should be compensated. On the 28th November 2009 Rwanda also joined the Commonwealth, continuing the special case conditions under which Mozambique had joined. What Kind of Membership Exists in the Commonwealth of Nations? The majority of African countries who had been part of the British Empire gained independence within the Commonwealth as Commonwealth Realms. As such, Queen Elizabeth II was automatically the head of state, represented within the country by a Governor-General. Most converted to Commonwealth Republics within a couple of years. (Mauritius took the longest to convert – 24 years from 1968 to 1992). Lesotho and Swaziland gained independence as Commonwealth Kingdoms, with their own constitutional monarchy as head of state – Queen Elizabeth II was recognized only as the symbolic head of the Commonwealth. Zambia (1964), Botswana (1966), Seychelles (1976), Zimbabwe (1980), and Namibia (1990) became independent as Commonwealth Republics. Cameroon and Mozambique were already republics when they joined the Commonwealth in 1995. Did African Countries Always Join the Commonwealth of Nations? All those African countries still part of the British Empire when the Statute of Westminster was proclaimed in 1931 joined the Commonwealth except for British Somaliland (which joined with Italian Somaliland five days after gaining independence in 1960 to form Somalia), and Anglo-British Sudan (which became a republic in 1956). Egypt, which had been part of the Empire until 1922, has never shown an interest in becoming a member. Do Countries Maintain Membership of the Commonwealth of Nations? No. In 1961 South Africa left the Commonwealth when it declared itself a republic. South Africa rejoined in 1994. Zimbabwe was suspended on 19 March 2002 and decided to leave the Commonwealth on 8 December 2003. What Does the Commonwealth of Nations do for its Members? The Commonwealth is best known for the Commonwealth games which are held once every four years (two years after Olympic games). The Commonwealth also promotes human rights, expects members to meet a set of fundamental democratic principles (curiously enough spelt out in the Harare Commonwealth declaration of 1991, given Zimbabwes subsequent departure form the association), to provide education opportunities, and maintain trade links. Despite its age, the Commonwealth of Nations has survived without needing a written constitution. It depends upon a series of declarations, made at Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings.

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Rise of Big Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Rise of Big Business - Essay Example After 1860, many changes occurred that were linked to development which ultimately gave rise to the Big Businesses which even though face a lot of stringent controls from governments, but still have a lot of power if they are huge firms. The rapidity of growth can be attributed to several factors like improvements in transportation by introducing and expansion of railroads, the usage of more mechanized products and tools in agriculture, the emergence of financial institutions like banks and the increasing role of stock exchanges. The essay would revolve around the features of the big business and as to how it influenced the infrastructure. Features of Big Businesses Following the American Civil War, big businesses found many opportunities to expand and become bigger. There were banks like JP Morgan who were ready to give loans to companies. After the companies earned enough profits, they repaid their loans and had their money in banks which was directly beneficial for banks. Moreover , companies grew by converting their competition into cooperation. They understood that cooperation was more beneficial for companies as it lead to greater power and creation of monopolies which meant more power. Many companies like Rockefeller, Morgan and Carnegie which were trusts of oil, banking and steel respectively, which were the emerging industries of that time, that had been involved in horizontal integration (merging with and acquiring companies in the same industry).Some of the big emerging corporate giants that were created at that time grew by vertical integration (expansion in the forward or backward processes of the industry) such American Tobacco and AT & T. The general change in the society led to many improvements which ultimately led to the emergence of these big corporations. These include the eradication of slavery, reduction of social and economic tension, increased usage of technology and financial growth. The end of the 19th century is famous for the merger m ovement in which companies merged with each other, either vertically or horizontally to become more powerful and led to trusts and cartels. Trusts were factually monopolies that were created to become more influential than smaller companies. Trusts were official agreements within firms from the same industry who were competing with each other, to come to terms with each other together and follow cooperation instead of competition in terms of dividing markets, price levels, quotas and other agreements done voluntarily, in order to achieve benefit. Furthermore, rival firms would list their stocks to a single board of trustees in order to attain non-voting certificates for a small amount of interest after which it was the trustees’ responsibility to make relevant policies for the companies. However, the disadvantages of these trusts such as Rockefeller’s Standard Oil Company were that they controlled trade and became more powerful than the government hence creating proble ms which led to the Sherman Antitrust Act to break the power of monopolies and ensure free trade and competition. Previously, small businesses had many weaknesses to overcome which, these large corporations replaced them. First, these small businesses had less finances and lesser resources and operated on a small scale, produced fewer products,

Friday, October 18, 2019

Critical Thinking Exercises Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Critical Thinking Exercises - Essay Example As a consultant, the data that should be reviewed and analyzed to determine whether the Ford Motor Company is discriminating against their employees because of age is the following: the age of the employees, the year the employees was hired, and whether the employees have reached or is approaching the age of retirement. First, the age of the employees would be evaluated because the lawsuits were claiming that the Ford Motor Company is discriminating against age. Should the Ford Motor Company be discriminating against age, the ages of most employees should range within the younger age brackets, depending on the age after which the Ford Motor Company considers employees to be "older." Second, the year the employees were hired is important because, in the Title VII class action age and reverse discrimination suit, President Jacques Nasser was accused of eliminating older employees because he wanted to build his management team with younger employees. The year the employees were hired would help determine whether the employees were employed on with the Ford Motor Company during Nasser's presidency. Lastly, whether employees have reached or are approaching the age of retirement is important because it would settle the reason why older employees who have reached or are approaching the age... Additionally, the Ford appraisal system is fair in that it rates the employees on job performance. Employees should perform their job well in order to maintain their position at the company. Ford has much to offer their employees, and they probably adopted the forced-discrimination approach to eliminating their employees because they needed to eliminate the employees that were employed but not performing their jobs well. 8.1 - Workplace Diversity Training The diversity program that will be designed for incoming freshman will, first, consist of training towards all of the ethnicities of the university. Further, all ethnicities of the university will be represented because the freshman will, most likely, encounter all of the ethnicities at least once during their term as a student at the university. Second, the diversity program will consist of training for both male and female students. Women are not the only ones that have problems with racial comments or sexual harassment in the workplace. Men are also subjected to this treatment. As a result, the training should be geared towards both men and women. Third, the freshman will be entered into groups where they will role-play situations in which they might find themselves. All ethnicities of the university might not be represented in the students present, but the role-plays will include a script for all ethnicities.Males will discover diversity and harassment in the workplace from a female's perspective, and the females will get to portray the males. The different ethnicities will have a chance to portray another ethnicity and realize the situations with which they are presented. The diversity program will also have training

Discussion posts Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Discussion posts - Essay Example An EMR would definitely help me as a nurse in such situations. I can seek the help of other doctors with the help of the EMR of the patient. It should be noted that EMRs usually contain information with respect to the laboratory results and a list of the patient’s medications. The second doctor can go through these details and suggest suitable medicines for the patient. CDSS tools can prevent drug interactions also. Suppose a medicine prescribed by a doctor may have interactions with another medicine used by the same patient. CDSS can help nurses to check the interactions between different medicines prescribed by the doctors. It is not necessary that the doctor may check such interactions before prescribing certain medicines to a particular patient. In such cases, nurses can check the possible interactions between different medicines used by the patient with the help of CDSS and remind the doctor about it. In short, CDSS and EMRs are the foundations of the modern healthcare systems which help me as a nurse immensely in decision making. My healthcare organization utilize EPIC as its documentation system. I begin my shift with verbal bedside report and by reviewing the electronic chart SBAR. I have an opportunity to review orders with pending discontinuance times and dates, labs, medication administration record and written documentation notes by each discipline within the hospital setting. I enjoy the electronic version because it limits problems with penmanship. Often times I use different areas within the EPIC system to help me understand the scientific rationale for orders and plans of care which helps me proactive care for my patient instead of reactive providing care. I have my dashboard settings set up to notify me of orders, results and new documentation notes to keep me abreast to updates regarding my patients care. I love the idea of having my chart at my fingertip without literally having the

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Case Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Case Analysis - Essay Example From this time, people started getting more interested in bike racing as a medal event. With this increasing demand by the day, there is need for Breakaway to keep up with these by expanding production. The company is seeking to meet these demands by looking for financial options so that they can expand their business. The following discussion specifically focuses on the company in reference to its past performance as well as future prospects. In addition, the discourse focuses on cycling which has progressively gained prominence as a sporting activity. Analysis The company has been in existence since 1990 and has since then recorded success after another because of the lucrative and blossoming market. The bike frames that the company makes have been popular not only with professionals but also with other cycling enthusiasts. Mr. Giro, the founder of the company, has nurtured the company from its formative stage to the successful firm it is today. He started the company by crafting b icycle frames from a workshop behind his house and then later on moved to a larger shop. Mr. Giro is an experienced designer who has a specialization in this field for more than 20 years now. He started working with bicycle frames in his teenage years before eventually forming the Breakaway Bicycle Company. The company has several employees now, who work to ensure perfection of the customized bike frames. After Mr. Giro formed BBC, he obtained contracts that gave him the chance to design frames for highly professional teams in U.S. This exposure was a major boost to the success of the company because demand for Breakaway products kept on increasing. By 1992, two years after the company started business, BBC had hired professional frame-builders to help sustain the quality output of the company. According to their business expansion plans, BBC has proposed to borrow $200,000 from our bank. According to the financial and growth records of the company, our bank is considering granting them the loan request. In addition to making high sales, this company has been recording successful returns. BBC has gained a lot of exposure in the market by working with professional firms and cyclers as well as advertising its services in bicycle magazines. These advertisement campaigns have managed to reach to cycling enthusiasts and, consequently, boosted the success of the company. The strengths of the company are pretty notable. The company has an undisputed reputation in the market for its top of the range customized bicycle frames. They have an outstanding advantage with their innovative approach which they have used to conquer the market thus far. With innovation, the company has managed to cut a niche and stay ahead of competition. In reference to the company’s size, it can exercise a lot of flexibility in the business and, therefore, it is well in a position to adapt to changes in the market. Interestingly, competitors cannot afford this type of flexibility becaus e most of them are pretty large companies. BBC is, therefore, able to make quick company decisions and consequent implementations.We are also going to give the loan that BBC has requested because the company has almost limitless opportunities that they can seize if they are financially empowered. The company has an established consumer base among the racing circuits in Europe. Professionals who have used BBC products give impressive reports with the view that these products are way more innovative than those from other companies. With the loan that

The future of the Health Information Profession Research Paper

The future of the Health Information Profession - Research Paper Example mands in that field have been on the increase and the lowest qualifications being required by most health care organizations is a Master’s degree due to the advancement of the technology as well as changes in the relevance of the field and the increase demand for such professionals (Green and Bowie, 2010). Due to the high demand and the low supply, the Health Information Managers salaries have increased with more than $25,000 per annum with the lowest paid Health Information Managers who is also a Bachelor’s degree holder is $75,000 and this is still on the increase as long as the demand still remains high. The remunerations increase with the increase in educational level and job experience. The job roles and duties of the Health Information Managers have also been changing. Previously, their work majorly involved data entry in the hospitals but with time and currently, their duties has increased and become more complicated to include duties such as managing the patients’ records, administration of computer information systems and coding procedures to all the health care service providers’ not necessarily just hospitals as before. They are also required to link data and information on health data electronically to the department of health and hospitals for more efficient and effective health care service delivery (Zeng, Reynolds and Sharp, 2009). As mentioned above, Health Information Management is a very fast growing and most in demand career field due to its integration with technology. According to the Chicago Tribune, there are several more advanced and higher paying job opportunities lined up for now and in future for the Health Information Managers (Lee, 2013). These prospective future careers include home health care services, nursing care facilities, the outpatient care centres (McWay, 2013). There are also jobs as compliance risk managers in other health care organizations and whose role is meant to alleviate the health care conditions for the

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Case Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Case Analysis - Essay Example From this time, people started getting more interested in bike racing as a medal event. With this increasing demand by the day, there is need for Breakaway to keep up with these by expanding production. The company is seeking to meet these demands by looking for financial options so that they can expand their business. The following discussion specifically focuses on the company in reference to its past performance as well as future prospects. In addition, the discourse focuses on cycling which has progressively gained prominence as a sporting activity. Analysis The company has been in existence since 1990 and has since then recorded success after another because of the lucrative and blossoming market. The bike frames that the company makes have been popular not only with professionals but also with other cycling enthusiasts. Mr. Giro, the founder of the company, has nurtured the company from its formative stage to the successful firm it is today. He started the company by crafting b icycle frames from a workshop behind his house and then later on moved to a larger shop. Mr. Giro is an experienced designer who has a specialization in this field for more than 20 years now. He started working with bicycle frames in his teenage years before eventually forming the Breakaway Bicycle Company. The company has several employees now, who work to ensure perfection of the customized bike frames. After Mr. Giro formed BBC, he obtained contracts that gave him the chance to design frames for highly professional teams in U.S. This exposure was a major boost to the success of the company because demand for Breakaway products kept on increasing. By 1992, two years after the company started business, BBC had hired professional frame-builders to help sustain the quality output of the company. According to their business expansion plans, BBC has proposed to borrow $200,000 from our bank. According to the financial and growth records of the company, our bank is considering granting them the loan request. In addition to making high sales, this company has been recording successful returns. BBC has gained a lot of exposure in the market by working with professional firms and cyclers as well as advertising its services in bicycle magazines. These advertisement campaigns have managed to reach to cycling enthusiasts and, consequently, boosted the success of the company. The strengths of the company are pretty notable. The company has an undisputed reputation in the market for its top of the range customized bicycle frames. They have an outstanding advantage with their innovative approach which they have used to conquer the market thus far. With innovation, the company has managed to cut a niche and stay ahead of competition. In reference to the company’s size, it can exercise a lot of flexibility in the business and, therefore, it is well in a position to adapt to changes in the market. Interestingly, competitors cannot afford this type of flexibility becaus e most of them are pretty large companies. BBC is, therefore, able to make quick company decisions and consequent implementations.We are also going to give the loan that BBC has requested because the company has almost limitless opportunities that they can seize if they are financially empowered. The company has an established consumer base among the racing circuits in Europe. Professionals who have used BBC products give impressive reports with the view that these products are way more innovative than those from other companies. With the loan that

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

The discussion on austerity measures Assignment

The discussion on austerity measures - Assignment Example However, consistently high government deficit can be detrimental for the economy in the short run owing to the fact that the government will have to borrow in order to finance government deficit. (Nellis & Parker, 1996). There are two methods through which the government can actually finance its deficit i.e. it can either impose more taxes or have to borrow domestically or from the international organizations such as IMF and World Bank. Similarly having the higher government debt would ultimately put pressure on the government because most of the government revenue would go towards the servicing of the debt. Further, a higher quantum of government debt creates crowding out effect thus reducing the amount of credit available for the private sector. The lack of credit available to the private sector will therefore ultimately increase the interest rates in the economy and therefore invariably affecting the level of investment into the economy. The lack of investment therefore can furthe r result into the lack of capital formation and the economy may not be able to grow according to the estimates. The above laws therefore are critical owing to the fact that they outline the maximum limits to which economic variables such as government debt as well as the deficit can relate to the gross domestic product. Keeping both these economic variables therefore within a certain range will allow the governments to keep the detrimental affects of these economic variables under control. Data published recently indicate that the government deficit as a percentage of the GDP in EU area is 6.3% whereas the government debt is almost 80% of the GDP1. Countries with largest government deficits included Greece, Ireland, UK, Spain and almost all other major economies of the EU. Countries like Ireland and Greece received support from the EU whereas there is growing discussion about the Spain’s ability to repay its sovereign debt owing to higher government debt. Further, UK has init iated austerity measures in order to control the government expenditure so that the government debt can be rationalized. UK’s government deficit in almost 11.5% suggesting that the economy may not be in good shape and there is a greater need to implement economic strategies which can actually allow the country to remain within economic soundness. The higher ratios of the government debt as well as the government deficit therefore may suggest that the economies may require external support in order to keep themselves solvent. Thus the rules outlined clearly provide the best estimates for the countries to keep their debt and deficit within certain percentage to avoid such economic issues. 2) The circular flow of income suggests that there are three players in the economy i.e. the households, firms and the government. The national income which is generated in the economy therefore is generated with the interaction of these three economic entities. The exact relationship between these components therefore can be described in following equation: Y= AD= C + I + G The above relationship assumes that there is no external trade with other countries. However, if we introduce the trade with the external world, the above relationship will be : Y = AD= C+I+G+X X= Total exports – Total Imports The components of aggregate demand include the consumption, investment, government expenditure assuming that there is no foreign trade. The circular flow of income therefore suggests that the goods and services produced by the firms are consumed by

Monday, October 14, 2019

Slavery in Africa Before Imperialism and After Essay Example for Free

Slavery in Africa Before Imperialism and After Essay Africa can sadly be called the center of the world’s slavery. Slavery’s origins can be traced down to Africa. Of course, before slaves hit the market as a hot trade item, war captives and lawbreakers had been used as slaves in many countries around the world for all time. But the act of the slave market began in Africa. Before the Europeans arrived in Africa, the slave market was much more relaxed. In a way it was just a small community business. There were Arab flash markets, and the Africans themselves, had been trading slaves for centuries before the Europeans arrived around the 1450s. Their strategy was to charge higher prices for the slaves that could not easily escape back to their homelands or be easily rescued by their kin. Along with that tactic, the slave brokers also purposely separated family members and slaves from the same villages. The African slave trade before the Europeans inhibited the expression of regional African cultures and tribal identities. When the Portuguese arrived they saw the potential value of the slave trade and quickly adopted the Arab and African policies and practices of the trade. They also added their own systematic traffic in slaves that were sent to work the sugar plantations that Portugal and eventually Spain established on the West African coast. The Portuguese need and desire for slaves completely topped the previous slave trade. And instead of the local African tribal slave system, slave trading became a huge business. Millions of Africans were taken from their homes and villages to be shipped around the world, but mainly the Americas and Europe. The new work force on the American plantations shaped the future for the Americans. Overall, when the Europeans arrived in Africa the slave trade was quickly turned around and shaped into a super successful and booming business that was one of the Europeans best money making projects.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Tsingtao Marketing Strategy

Tsingtao Marketing Strategy This report base on Tsingtao Brewery Companys marketing strategy. Tsingtao beer is one of the most famous products in China. It has over 100 years history. The following market assessment has five sections. In the first section, there are some basic details of Tsingtao Brewery Company. And then the report will explain environment of Tsingtao beer in China; in the next section, there is the market mix strategies analysis which will be made to identify how Tsingtao beer use its strategies to adapt changing environment. In the fourth section, the report shows how the company operates STP strategies and percent examples. In the last part, connecting with brief SWOT analysis, writer rise up some recommendations. 1. Company Background Tsingtao Beer is the main product of Tsingtao Brewery Limited Company which is the oldest brewery in China. Its root can be traced back to 1903 when its predecessor Germanic beer Qingdao stock company, was established by the German businessmen and British businessman and joint venture in Qingdao (Tsingtao Brewery Limited Company, 2011). The Company was registered on 16 June 1993, and then issued H-shares in Hong Kong (Tsingtao Beer Stock (0168)), which were listed on the Stock of Exchange of Hong Kong Limited on 15 July 1993. It is the first domestic enterprise listed on an overseas stock exchange.(Hong Kong Stock Exchange, 2012) In the same year, the company issued A-shares in China (Qingdao beer (600600)), which were listed on Shanghai Stock Exchange on 27 August . This firm is the first company which listed in two places at the same time (Tsingtao Brewery Company Limited Official Web, 2012). After 100 years of development, Tsingtao Beer was listed among the top 500 brands all around the world successfully and became one of the official sponsors of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. The business scope of the Company is the production and sales of beer, and other related business. It occupies leading position in the domestic beer industry in terms of size and market share with 56 breweries in 18 provinces, cities and regions all over China (Tsingtao Beer, 2011). The value of its brand is à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ¥50.258 billion as at 2012 (ChinaNews, 2011). 2. Business Environment It is very important that an organization considers its environment before beginning the marketing process. Once a marketer makes the initial decision to enter a new business, the company must have a good understanding of the local conditions in that region (Solomon, 2013). Usually, a market can be divided into two kinds of environment: macro and micro. 2.1  PEST Analysis of Tsingtao In macro environment analysis, PEST (Political, Economic, Social and Technological) is the most frequent decision to be used. This way focuses on the external, macro-environment in which your business operates. It provides the big picture framework, which helps business owners to build a vision of the future and to decide on appropriate actions that take into account (Dynamiq, 2012). (P)olitical Factors During the period of adopting the Reforming-and-Opening Policies, China has maintained social stability as it achieved rapid economic growth and raised peoples living standards. Productivity improves continuously. In such a policy environment, people do no longer just notice solving the problem of food and clothing, but the condition to achieve a higher quality of life. In this century, Chinese government started to encourage consuming and issue new economic strategies to stimulate that. Beer industry had a rapid development. In 2011, the beer industry achieved sales revenue, à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ¥158.94 billion more than last year the corresponding period grows 22.9%, higher than the growth of beer production, liters of beer sales increase of 11.1% over the previous year(National Bureau of Statistics of China,2012). At the same time, China government increased the import tariffs on drinks, in a recent policy issued on the 15th Notice of Chinese General Administration of Customs by General Administration of Customs of the Peoples Republic of China in March 2012: From 15th April, a new duty tariff table entry articles will enforce. It said that the wines (including beer, wine, etc.) tariff rate increase to 50%. So it offers a good protection to the national beer enterprises, which has played a positive role in promoting sales (General Administration of Customs of the Peoples Republic of China, 2012). In addition, the Chinese government made a number of policies to regulate the food processing industries vigorously, in order to improve the admittance threshold, to improve the recall and delisting system and to strengthen the punishment on the illegal processing food industries. And they use product packaging policy to prevent vicious competition between beer enterprises (China International Beer Web, 2010). (E)conomic Factors The current economic situation in China now is keeping a stable growth. In 2008, the government decided to stimulate consumption, so there was a high rate of Economic growth. But in 2010, China cancel stimulate consumption policy gradually. Economic growth rate has dropped, but still keep in a normal range. Such growth not only shows Chinas growing potential of the Chinese market, but also led to the improvement to the Chinese peoples standard of livings. Since the economic crisis, the export volume of the international barley decline sharply. At the same time, the barley demand of Chinese beer industry is increasing. In this supply behind demand situation, the rising price of raw materials is another economic factor. Chinese beer industry has to maintain high speed development for many years, and become the largest beer barley importer all over the world. At present Chinese beer industry development speed is still as high as about 15% (China International Beer Web, 2011). However, although there is a huge demand of barley in China, China is not the traditional planting countries of barley. Rice in barley prices lead to the increasing of production cost greatly. (S)ocial-Cultural Factors Along with the beer market increasingly expanded in China, beer consumption gets bigger. Drinking beer has been transformed into a form of beer culture. The enthusiasm of Chinese seems to be gradually warming; they love to use beer to exchange emotions on the table. Comparing with drinking spirit, the feeling of drinking beer is cooler and more relax. It is suitable for all kinds of social occasions. The Olympics add passion, fashion, happy young elements into the products. It promotes the market share. An investigation shows that, in last few years, the amount of consumers who are 18-29 become the largest consumer groups of Tsingtao beer, risen by 14%(NBD, 2009). This will enhance the competitiveness of Tsingtao in the future. (T)echnical Factors In todays society, people pay more attention to health. So they improve the quality requirements of alcoholic drinks. Development of technology can improve the production efficiency, reduce production cost. Beer is a kind of popular drink, domestic and foreign constantly develops new technology beer production. Scientists found that, with the wavelength 410 mm, the intensity is 0.2 w / à £Ã… ½Ã‚ ¡of fluorescent lamp to yeast suspension uniform illumination hours later, fermentation activity can improve the 25-30%, and fermentation time shorten one day(Forhecz ,2009). 2.2 Micro Environment Marketing managements job is to attract and build relationships with customers by creating customer value and satisfaction (Kotler, 2005). It is related to the micro environment. In this section, the report mentions two aspects. 2.2.1 Competitors Analysis As alcoholic drinks, alternative products of Tsingtao beer exist. The first kind is called product competitor. This competitor can be divided into two kinds: soft drinks (nonalcoholic drinks) and alcohol. Soft drinks include carbonated drinks, fruit juices, dairy products and mineral water, etc. In some family parties, hotel get-together party banquets, they often become the beers alternative products. In terms of alternative products, the competitiveness yellow wine and spirit is not strong. But wine and beer for high-end customers are certain competitors. Of course, beer has its unique market positioning. In celebrating or party occasions, if people dont want to get drunk, beer will be the best choice. The second kind of competitors is Brand competitors. Main competitors are Snow beer and Yanjing beer. From the regional distribution, Tsingtao beer bases on Shandong province, and has made the good record in the south China, east China; Snow started from northeast China, then set up base areas in Sichuan, Anhui and Tianjin; Yanjing beer occupied more than 95% of the market in Beijing firmly(Liu, 2008). However, we need notice that in China, there is not any manufacturer having the absolute control of market share. In 2011, Tsingtao beer only has 19% of the share, the sum share of former three manufacturers market (Tsingtao, Yanjing, Snow) is less than 45%. So the company faced this extremely competitive market environment (National Bureau of Statistics of China, 2012). 2.2.2 Customer Behavior Analysis In China, with the improvement of living standards and the deregulation of government, buying beer has become routine problem solving (Solomon, 2013). As a kind of fast moving consumer goods, beer appears in the Chinese daily life frequently. When people need to drink beer, everyone will have some brands for choosing. Some of them are come from internal experience, such as middle-aged people, they have many drinking experience. On the other hand, for the younger, it is likely come from the external experience, such as advertisings or recommendations (Mooij, 2011). In addition, when consumers are making purchase decision, they may have preferences of beers taste, price or the enterprise culture. The taste of Tsingtao is light type. It is conform to the Asian habit. Most products strategy of Tsingtao is high quality and high price. When feting friend or business mates, Chinese are more willing to choose this to show their sincerity. 3. Marketing Mix A planned mix of the controllable elements of a products marketing plan commonly termed as 4Ps: product, price, place and promotion (BusinessDictionary, 2012). 3.1 Production The product is the code of the marketing operation. The enterprises all behavior is focus on the product. When the products purchased in different situation, they meet the diverse needs from different consumers. This is what the companys managers should consider. Tsingtao beer introduced different types of beer to satisfy the requirements of different social activities. Such as in the south of China, the people prefer sweet and refreshing beer, so Tsingtao introduced Draft beer; And successful middle-aged business people normally need higher life quality and have certain economic ability, so in business negotiation occasion, they will choose Gold beer; Besides, the economic ability of university graduates who just enter the society is limited, in the leisure occasions, they would choose Shanshui beer which the price is a bit lower(Tsingtao Brewery Company Limited Official Web, 2012). Tsingtao beer also develops new products actively and gives them heterogeneity packages. Such as in the packing of Gold beer, Pure Draft beer, there are clearly epidemic elements. It establishes a solid foundation for entering the market of the Tsingtao beer. For the high-end product, as Gold beer, managers mainly adopt unified luxury packaging strategy, but the cost of product packaging is higher. Luxury packaging reflected their high grade brand strategy in order to maintain consumer idea of high quality low. 3.2 Price More and more consumers buy the product rationally. As long as the product of each attribute can meet consumers psychological recognition, the price is no longer the key influence factors. In the modern marketing, the high grade product is still accepted by consumers even sold in high price. Tsingtao beer adopts differentiated pricing strategy. Its product positioning is very clear, so different product has different price. Company distributes products from the low to high level. For example, Shanshui beer, low-end products, has a low price which basically close to the cost. The result of this strategy is the increasing of their market share. Such as Tsingtao canned beer market price is à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ¥3.50 each can. Comparing with the similar product of other brands, there is more than à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ¥0.5 to 0.7 higher. Meanwhile, High-end products, such as Tsingtao Pure Draft, Tsingtao Gold, can increase sales of Tsingtao beer, and make positive effects on the own brand shaping, so the price is over à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ¥8 generally(Alibaba, 2012). 3.3 Place The sale channel is divided according to the product classes in Tsingtao beer. In beer industry, many products are divided into three levels. The channels are divided into three categories: food straight channel, super market retail channels, circulation wholesale channel, different grades of products is corresponding to the different terminal; terminal is corresponding to the different channels. In China, Tsingtao beer keep setting up relationship with various levels terminals what including the national distributor, high-grade restaurant, super market retail store, places of entertainment and community retail terminal. At the same time actively strengthen the same they maintain the good cooperation relations with operators. 3.4 Promotion 1) Advertisement Tsingtao beer advertising is Centaury as one, passion achievement dream (Tsingtao beer, 2011). It not only mentions the companys history, but also gives their products with a sense of the Times image and full of vitality. In the Tsingtao beers official website, home page design unique creativity. In the left, a bottle of beer gives a person the feeling of sweet and refresh. The light yellow foam shows the high quality and high grade of Tsingtao beer. This design sets up the heart guide to the potential customers who have never tried Tsingtao beer. At the same time, in view of the different brands of products for different types of star endorsement also play a guiding role. Such as Pure Draft series looking for China is a very famous band, advertising effect is good. 2) Public Relation In the public relations Tsingtao beer mainly uses the government marketing, Olympic marketing to attract consumers eyes. After Beijings bid for the Olympic Games the success, they became Olympic sponsors, and actively use the Olympic platform to promote the brand in the international influence. Tsingtao beer has been insisting on the concept of the Olympic Games, the Olympic spirit of communicators. In order for the greatest degree of spread the Olympic spirit and enhance the brand image, Tsingtao beer made in stages of Olympic marketing plan, respectively for 2006 years light the passion, 2007 transfer passion, 2008 release passion, 2009 deductive passion'(China International Beer Web, 2010). Furthermore, they connected beer to music, sports through a variety of activities. Now Tsingtao international beer festival is Chinas most influential one of the beer festival, to the world propaganda Tsingtao beer long beer culture. At the same time, Tsingtao Beer Company did public charity in 2008. It shows the companys social responsibility, in this way a wide range of publicity, consumers won the favor deeply. 3) Sales Promotion In the daily sales activity, Tsingtao beer in order to be able to improve sales, the company puts forward for all kinds of promotional activities. Such as, for the people who purchase with a certain amount of Tsingtao beer in one time will present a new research and development of products to customers. It is not only the way to increase sales, but also can promote new products to customers. Personnel promotion is commonly used. The enterprise sent promotions specialist on the site promotion, such as promotion to consumers, evening show supermarket shopping guide, etc. 4. Segmentation, Targeting and Position Strategy 4.1 Segment Strategy Market segmentation is the inevitable trend of the development of market maturity. Segments of the market stand from the point of view of consumers in the division. The overall market of a certain product divided into several consumer groups, each consumer group is a market segment. Due to the beer belong to fast moving consumer goods, the average price is low in price by à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ¥2-15, and Chinas average annual income per capita is à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ¥24,000 (National Bureau of Statistics of China, 2012). So in the national scope, consumers purchase ability are basic same. Tsingtao beer uses the many kinds of segmentation methods. The first is the regional segmentation. Although the national regional consumer purchasing power is similar, but different areas formed different tastes, because of the influence of their eating habits. Through the investigation, the northern people like to powerful, roundly type of beer; Jiangsu, Shanghai and people from the south like gentle type of taste. Guangdong, Fujian coastal areas is fond like tasting strong alcohol and acid with bitter taste. According to this difference, the company will form different taste characteristics of beer to meet the needs of the consumers. Secondly, the company does the vertical segmentation in population. With age as segmentation criteria, different age paragraph has different demand. Such as young people like light beer. In the party, they can have a good time, and do not need to worry drunk. Middle-aged group people be fond of liking taste a little strong beer. It is to be in commonly business negotiation or with friends and family to get together to drink. In addition, the age always related the income level. Usually, age and consumption is proportional to the ability. So the market can be divided into high-end market and mid-low market. 4.2 Targeting Strategy and Positioning Strategy This two operations have close relationship. Market targeting is when the market segmentation later, in a number of subsidiaries in the process of optimization. Meanwhile, the market positioning is the enterprise according to the target market similar products competitive situation, in view of the customer for this kind of products are some characteristics or attribute value degree, for the enterprise products shape strong, distinctive bright individual character, and the vivid image transfer to the customer, get customer recognition(MBAlib, 2012). After one hundred years of development process, market targeting has gradually determined for high-end market. Market positioning of products is the noble, elegant, have grade and fashionable. From the product strategy, the Tsingtao beer products completely have into the target market conditions. In Germany the traditional brewing process and the improvement of science and technology, Tsingtao beers quality is undoubted fantastic. Additionally, the companys pricing is also slightly higher than other brand. No matter in hotel or the places of entertainment or the large supermarket, as long as consumers spend some money to buy high quality, high grade of beer. But as the market competition has been more intense, Tsingtao beer began to consider to enter the lower level market. So they develop Tsingtao beer family series wine. Its brand positioning is popular, cheap and fine, amiable. The situation is the consumer to Tsingtao beer high-end product of high popularity. Due to the expansion of the company mid-low products in 2000 was launched, so they need time to further improve the business. 5. Recommendation Integrated above four parts analysis, we can know that Tsingtao beer now has some advantages and disadvantages, as well as they need to face the opportunities and threats. As the leader of industry, brand awareness of Tsingtao is high, has obvious brand advantages. And they owned breweries distributed in all parts of the country. This is favorable conditions for Tsingtao beer into except outside Shandong. But at the same time, the regional differences also can become one disadvantage of Tsingtao beer. Although the beer brands of local place are not as famous as Tsingtao beer, but they have deep knowledge by locals. When Tsingtao beer gets merger and acquisition of these enterprises, if they do not pay attention the replacement of excessive of the brand, it will deeply touch native inner to local cultural beliefs. Then it will make local consumers ricing up a big rejection mood, and lead to the agent cannot easily agent, and the sales cannot reach expected. Furthermore, Tsingtao beer is beer brand from the north, though in the north of the city has many reputation, to the south of the consumers, it is still a relatively new brand. In addition, Tsingtao beer through way of merger in process with the original formula keeps consistent, but due to the reason of soil and water, it maybe cannot keep its original quality. At the soma time, the situations of acquisition enterprise are intermingled. So the completed integration is difficult. The government policy and the support of the huge beer consumption space is a good opportunity Tsingtao beer. Because of listing in both of Hong Kong and Shanghai, new issues bring new opportunities to the development of Tsingtao beer. It is an important opportunity that cooperates with important events. Each year, the international Tsingtao beer festival brings a large number of consumers and partners. It Expand the Tsingtao beers popularity. But there is growing number of new brands into the beer market. The promotion strategies which they use will drive the whole market declining profits. And raw material prices also bring pressure to the firm. At present, Tsingtao beer has entered into the mature period. Tsingtao beer market prospect is very broad. Along with the social development progress continuously, and social activities become more and more frequently, people put forward higher the quality of life of the new requirements. This requires the Tsingtao beer with the continuous development of society to improve product quality to increase the added value of products. Tsingtao beer sales area is narrow; the high-end product market share is low. In the sales channels, they should expand sales channels, and make full use of the dealers financial products into the domestic big cities. The strategic alliance and domestic and foreign well-known hotel for strategic alliance is right choice, like Pepsi and KFC as alliance. Tsingtao beer enterprise must be good at catch opponents weak and then open marketing offensive. Such as Beijing Yanjing, Nanjing dealer for instant noodles, beverage and other non now drink terminal product distributors. They are lack of operation drink terminal market corresponding network and the actual status of the experience. Tsingtao beer should increase in Beijing drink terminal market in terms of has formed a fixed consumer groups.