Global Intervention Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Global Intervention - Essay Example US interventions, based on the imposition of democracy on unwilling nations during the Cold War, led to such entanglements as Vietnam. The intervention in Afghanistan may be justified in the light of the WTC attacks. However, the contemporary intervention in Uganda merely uses Kony and his Lord’s Resistance Army as pretext to appropriate control of Ugandan oil reserves. If US global intervention is justified, it logically follows that all other countries also have the right to intervene in the United States to protect their own economic or political interests. Of course, the US remains impervious to such retaliatory action because its status as a superpower, with unmatched military and economic might, puts it beyond the reach of most nations. This state of affairs is the cause of the growing resentment against the strong-arm tactics employed by America. Markets, investment opportunities, and natural resources are crucial to all nations. These do not constitute justifiable conditions for global interventions. The days of colonization and empire are irrevocably gone. It is time the United States realizes that assuming the role of a Global Policeman, wielding the big stick to impose its writ on reluctant nations, will not contribute to national interest. This is particularly relevant in these times of economic depression, when strong relationships with other nations, based on mutual respect of equal partners, will beast contribute to US

Bahasa Indonesia Essay Example for Free

Bahasa Indonesia Essay My Educational background, academic and extra curricular and work experience are as follows. I am currently pursuing an international Baccalaureate education in Sekolah Pelita Harapan in Tangerang Indonesia that is equivalent to a 2 year diploma. The courses I have undertaken include business management (Higher Level / HL), English A2 (HL), Theatre Arts (HL), Bahasa Indonesia A1 (SL), Mathematics (SL), and Environmental Systems (SL). I hope to score a distinction on my final exam. I have been involved in extra curricular activities since primary level these include theater arts where I have participated in plays like the Sandbox by Edward Albee, Shakespearean Monologues and the Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde. My key role has been in charge of costume design, setting and construction. I have been involved in painting and drawing, participated in music especially playing the piano as well as learnt Japanese language. I have participated in many sporting events during my school time and received awards such as fitness where I was awarded with gold equivalent to the international standard, hockey as goal keeper, ice-skating and become first runners-up and basketball. I also participated in the athletics where I become third winner. Apart from sports, during my leisure time I get engaged in charity work such as volunteer as English teacher in local orphanages and organize special events like in Christmas 2007. I have participated and coordinated the Indonesia’s 2007 charity walk where we raised money to help flood victims for purchase of medicine and personal effects. In addition am involved in Sunday school teaching. During my summer holidays I work in the family businesses dealing in supplying of merchandise to companies in Indonesia and in the printing firm contracted by large companies. I have learnt a lot of business skills from my family members especially dad and grand father. They have introduced me to the business world which makes me consider expanding my knowledge and skills that will make me better and productive. I am applying for consideration for admission to FIDM in the following majors’ i. e merchandise marketing, visual communication and business management. I am aware that FIDM offers all these majors. I believe I will be able to undertake these courses so that I can sharpen my skills. For instance in Merchandise marketing I would like to get knowledge and skills about planning, purchasing, promotion of merchandise, technology application, human resource development and critical thinking among others. In Visual communications am much interested in acquiring skills in visual presentation, exhibition and trade show design, retail display, store keeping, event planning, trend analysis and computer graphics. While in business management am quite excited if I get these chance to broaden my knowledge on entrepreneurship, financial management, human resource management and organization, global influence, involvement and management. I have considered this field of profession since my childhood. I have thought about it over and over again for a long time. Given the fact that I was born in business environment, my interest for really integrating fashion and business tickles me. Am persuaded this is the area of my interest and career fulfillment. The reasons for me to chose this college among all your other choices is that Fashion Institute of Design Merchandising (FIDM) is an institute that is reputed internationally in the fashion industry. It has experience of over 35 years in teaching with a unique nature by which the college delivers its curriculum such as being industry driven and practically oriented to the present development. The institute has a diverse community of students and staff from different backgrounds which gives opportunity for broader understanding of global issues. It has well equipped academic materials. This exposure will enhance my understanding of global issues and help me appreciate diversity. The other support services provided such as international student support classes, work experience, transfer offers, student resources and career development services and opportunities such as networking, graduate alumni and career placement after college are other important reasons I would like to attend FIDM than other colleges. I consider this college as a place where I can gain knowledge and skills to help me in my career goals and future plans. After I have completed my college studies I would like to pursue a career in fashion industry especially costume design, creativity and business management. I like watching fashion modeling events with a keen eye on creative design. I have intention of creating my own designs that I would like to be involved in and become one of the world fashion designers. The exposure I have gained from family businesses I have worked and knowledge I expect to gain from attending FIDM will surely enhance my entrepreneurship skills and ambition to own a fashion store business with wide collection of world fashion designs. I would like also to pursue my education to an advanced level so that I can train and nature talents in my country. I am convinced that this is where I want to go and make an impact in the fashion industry. REFERENCES Fashion Institute of Design and Management. (2008). Curriculum. Retrieved April 17, 2008 from http://www. fidm. edu/academics/majors/business-management/curriculum. html

Violence Against Women Essay -- Violent Violence Abuse Essays

Violence Against Women The articles that are going to be synthesized in this paper are â€Å"Ending Violence Against Women† and â€Å"Violence Against Women†. The authors of both pieces were not mentioned but the presumed to be someone who wants to prevent or help those who have been victimized by someone they know. The audiences for both pieces are any one who wants violence against women to stop and people who have and still are being victimized to know that there is help out there. The purpose for both pieces are the same as well, they are to inform people that violence against women is preventable, and that there is help for those who are or have been victimized by people. They both have logos, ethos, and pathos in every aspect of the articles. The logos in â€Å"Ending Violence Against Women† is one in three women have been victimized by someone they know. The logos in â€Å"Violence Against Women† are violence against women happens to one in four females in America. The ethos in â€Å"Ending Violence Against Women† and â€Å"Violence Against Women† is this should happen to no one no matter if they are male or female. The pathos in â€Å"Ending Violence Against Women† is the whole of the person no matter what kind of abuse it is. The pathos in â€Å"Violence Against Women† is it can devastate the whole of any women. Hence, violence against women should be stopped because the differences and similarities are equal to how bad things are for women and their inequalities. The article â€Å"Ending Violence Against Women† is about how violence towards the females of our species is getting out of hand. Gender based violence needs to be stopped because it has gotten out of hand women being beaten by someone she knows like a family member. It... ...nancy outcomes. Abuse has a major, although little recognized, impact on a woman’s reproductive health and sexual well being. Providers can reassure women that violence is unacceptable and that no women deserves to be beaten, sexually abused, or made to suffer emotionally. Therefore violence against women should be punishable to all those who choose to beat the special someone in their lives. Violence against women should be put to a stop because the differences and similarities are equal to how bad things are for women and their inequalities. The differences between them are both interesting and appalling at the same time. The similarities are very appalling but why a person would make someone else do what they wanted by beating the person they supposedly love. Why must women be the submissive type when men want to be just as submissive as women are?

Ernest Hemingway and Zelda Fitzgerald :: Biography Biographies Essays

Ernest Hemingway and Zelda Fitzgerald Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald was born July 24th, 1900 to Anthony Sayre, a judge of the Alabama Supreme Court, and Minnie, a once aspiring actress. She was considered a sought-after Southern belle who had a collection of soldiers' insignia pins by the time she met Scott Fitzgerald at the age of twenty. However, Zelda refused marriage until 1920 when the publication of This Side of Paradise gave Scott the wealth and economic stability, which she demanded. The first few years of their marriage were characterized by extravagant spending, but shortly after the birth of their only child, Frances Scott "Scottie" Fitzgerald, the couple began frequent arguments usually triggered by alcohol (http://www.sc.edu/fitzgerald/biography.html). In 1924, when the Fitzgeralds went to France, Zelda became smitten with a French naval aviator named Jozan, who unlike Scott was tall and athletic. Although it is not known whether the two consummated their affair, many suspect that it was Scott who demanded tha t the two stop seeing each other that summer (Milford 110). In Paris, Fitzgerald met Ernest Hemingway with whom he formed a friendship based largely on his admiration for Hemingway's personality and genius. The Fitzgeralds remained in France until the end of 1926, alternating between Paris and the Riviera. Although Scott and Ernest were very close at this time, they usually only included their wives, Zelda and Hadley, in social gatherings as "wives of writers" (Milford 116) rather than in their intellectual and literary discussions. Ernest became upset when Zelda said to Hadley at this time, "I notice in the Hemingway family you do what Ernest wants"(Milford 116). Thus, Ernest who always did things his way, was greatly disgusted over the amount of influence that Zelda had over her husband (Bruccoli 21). Legend also has it that at Ernest and Zelda's first encounter in the summer of 1926, Hemingway took Fitzgerald aside saying that Zelda was crazy when she asked "Ernest, don't you think Al Jolson is greater than Jesus"(Bruccoli 22). Zelda, on the other hand, thought Hemmingway was a "bogus," a "phony he-man," and a "pansy with hair on his chest". Scott was disappointed by their mutual dislike as he had hoped Zelda would admire Hemingway as much as he did. Hemingway recounts his 1921-1926 Paris years in A Movable Feast. In "Hawks Do Not Share," he introduces Zelda at "a very bad lunch" in the Fitzgerald's "gloomy" apartment.

Sarah Orne Jewett’s description of a New England town in the passage ‘The Country of the Pointed Firs’

Writing in the nineteenth century, Sarah Orne Jewett adopts one of the most contemporaneous literary devices in ‘The Country of the Pointed Firs,' producing a realistic portrayal of American life, whilst setting her scene specifically in the New England town of Dunnet Landing. Various authors of this period embraced this variation of ‘realism' known as ‘regionalism' due to its potential for the exploration of particular social issues, matters which could not be portrayed as effectively without a physical setting to intensify their significance. Caroline Zilboorg outlines this literary movement as often including ‘vivid depictions of particular experience' one which explores ‘the meaning of age, race, class and gender as well as region. ‘ Although undertaking this technique of regionalist writing, the landscape Jewett writes about is merely a small garden at the back of a New England village house, whereas the majority of authors engage in writing about significantly larger and more expansive areas. Despite this, Jewett is just as able to employ her chosen area in the exploration of the attitudes and beliefs in those living there. The narrator's tone varies through the piece, initially perceiving the garden and its contents with little more than acknowledgement of its presence, describing it rather cynically as being ‘retired and sheltered. ‘ However, as the narrator continues to describe the surroundings, the reader gains the impression that the garden is of greater significance even to the narrator than originally thought. The narrator's tone appears to gain a nostalgic tone as the description progresses, almost as the speaker is being overwhelmed by the sheer abundance of its contents. To reinforce this, the narrator's depiction first appears to be rather vague and uninteresting, yet speedily becomes a vivid portrayal of all that is alive in the confined space. The reader gains a sense that almost as though against his will, the narrator has become enraptured by his surroundings, first focusing on the queerness of the arrangement of greenery, then pausing to admire the sea-breezes laden with the sweet smells of various herbs. This detailed contrast to the rather simplistic introduction provokes the reader into wondering why the narrator seems reluctant to take pleasure in surroundings which he obviously recognises as beautiful. The narrator's own words delineate him as being a keen admirer of the garden, finding himself ‘confronted with great pride and pleasure in the display,' yet the opening sentences reveal the speaker's more withdrawn perception of a landscape he later admits finding picturesque. The latter half of the text indicates the narrator's desire discontinue ‘seein' folk,' yet the manner in which he describes the garden suggests that the opening paragraph was merely a method of convincing himself that this is indeed what he wants. This sceptical attitude is dissolved however and replaced with nostalgic reminiscing once the splendour has been rediscovered. The structure of the piece reinforces this idea, for the length sentences serve to have the effect of almost drawing the reader into the body of the text, paralleling the narrator's feelings of being redrawn into the garden he desires to leave. Due to the sheer amount of detailed features contained within the garden, the narrator's portrayal begins with one basic aspect, in this instance ‘two or three hollyhocks and some London-pride were pushed back against the gray-shingled wall,' which eventually progresses into a vivid account of the true subject matter, in this case the narrator's companion, Mrs Todd. Such a methods is similar to that of author Robert Frost, likewise a keen writer of New England landscape. Frost similarly starts with a simple concept such as an explicit description of a scene or a narrator's surroundings which subsequently develops into a more complex depiction of either the narrator himself or how the scene affects his mood. Jewett likewise begins with a description of the greenery which builds up into unintentionally revealing the narrator's feelings towards his companion. The speaker's portrayal of Mrs Todd therefore begins with a general description, picturing her as ‘ a very large person', ‘an ardent lover of herbs. Already in this basic depiction, the narrator unconsciously begins to explore the character of Mrs Todd through his comprehensive language, using words such as ‘ardent' to portray to the reader how highly Mrs Todd values her garden. Her care of the garden, and her assistance to the local community in the form of herbal remedies pictures her as a caring welcoming woman, yet, her statue and overall presence reveal a more domineering eve n controlling persona. Jewett states that ‘her full skirts brushed and bent all the rest,' (of the flowers her feet missed. ) It has been suggested as an enforcement of this point, that her responsibility in caring for the garden also portrays a more authoritative side to her character, a subconscious desire to dominate. In this respect, it is both Mrs Todd and the narrator who subconsciously feel drawn by the garden and what it represents. Nevertheless, Mrs Todd can be seen as a mothering figure, from the rounded figure to her name, depicting her a warm and welcoming character. Additionally, the reader openly recognises Mrs Todd's wisdom, yet only mentions her knowledge concerning the usage of herbs and other such greenery. The reader however, can note that Mrs Todd also appears to be a more ‘worldly' figure than merely knowledgeable on plant life, for she does not show any ill feelings towards the speaker, instead becomes ‘more wistfully affectionate than ever. ‘ Her understanding response to the narrator's decision to leave enforces her kindly character, yet ironically may make it harder for the speaker to leave in such pleasant circumstances. The reader can imagine that Mrs Todd what with her dedication to garden and contents would not be an companion the speaker would want to in any way disappoint or frustrate. Despite the narrator's eagerness to leave, the reader can assume that unknowingly, they have established their own terms between them, conveyed through the narrator's language, ‘what we called ‘seein' folks', and referring to ‘our business. ‘

A Different View essays

A Different View essays Terrorism is defined as a systematic use of terror as a means of coercion. To enforce political or common values on the Iraqi citizens, could that be considered terrorism? Who is the culprit, the military or the Iraqi citizens who crowd the streets? I will discuss whether or not the U.S.A is committing crimes of terrorism by enforcing their style of government on the Iraqi citizens. In addition, how the Iraqi citizens have grown weary and begun to form fierce mobs that crowd the streets ending with who are the real victims military or Iraqi citizens On May 13, 2004, our reconnaissance unit was patrolling the Iraqi border, just about five miles outside of the city. The sky is orange from the rays of the sun and the hot desert sand thats covering my jungle boots. The water is as thick as mud as it goes down my throat; explosion and gunfire are becoming to sound like the latest music. We are now approaching the city where crowds of at least three hundred people are forming picking up massive rocks, guns ,and sticks while chanting fiercely go home we dont need any help. Sergeant strong and powerful had a look of fear that shadowed his face; the unit was in a state of shock. A kid no older than thirteen years ran up to me laughing and chanting I asked him why. He told me an answer that, in our country no thirteen year old would care he said Americans try to change us and make us follow their ways, they call us terrorists, but theyre coming in our country, running tanks down the street who are the real terrorists. I was shock stan ding there holding a M-16 in the middle of their town hall. When I caught, a reflection of myself in their clothing store I wanted to immediately drop the rifle. Suddenly, a massive rock is thrown down from the rooftop, hitting my captain directly on top of his helmet, causing him to instantly drop to his knees; luckily, he was wearing a helmet prev ...

One experience which taught me a positive lesson

One experience which taught me a positive lesson Free Online Research Papers Life experiences bring knowledge to people. Having a lot of good and bad experiences helps us improve our way of thinking; it opens our minds and teaches us unforgettable lessons about life, lessons that we have to apply in the future. I have lived such a life experience in my last high school year. Along with 12th grade and turning up eighteen years old, I was going to become independent, ‘on my own feet’ as some would say. Time has taught me how to take fast decisions. Some of them were bad decisions, some were good. It was a very difficult period for me, as I was forced to fight against time, stress, hidden emotions and most important, I had to choose the road to follow for my career. The final exam was a hard challenge. There were times I felt I would quit; times of weakness when I searched peace in a cigarette without thinking it can make me dependent, all these times I was teaching a great lesson: maturity! I realized I wasn’t a kid anymore and that my own destiny can be influenced by a simple decision. This experience made me learn what truly means making sacrifices for achieving your goals. I gave up to my free time to replace it with hard working, interminable tiredness and meditations. It wasn’t an easy sacrifice, as desperation said her word in some moments. But the most important thing is the positive lesson it taught me, that is, never gives up fighting, no matter what happens because there is a hope for everything in life, and loosing it doesn’t bring you close to your goals. I have lost some of my friends for being able to reach on top, and this thing taught me what true friendship really meant and that some people we see as friend s can turn out to be our worst enemies. However, I learnt that telling everything about yourself can only bring bad things, because you can never know how a relationship can turn out between people. I can say I found myself again in this last high school year, rediscovered my ambition and passion for the things I do and I even regained my patience. I also had happy moments when I met new friends that I wasn’t hoping for and that gave me strength to continue. In conclusion, every life experience can teach you something and you don’t have to be afraid of experiencing because there is a hall life ahead waiting for you to live it. Research Papers on One experience which taught me a positive lessonBook Review on The Autobiography of Malcolm XTrailblazing by Eric AndersonThe Hockey GameStandardized Testing19 Century Society: A Deeply Divided EraHip-Hop is ArtAppeasement Policy Towards the Outbreak of World War 2Capital PunishmentPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Essay

English composition driving

English composition driving ENGLISH COMPOSITION Driving Forget everything you know about driving. Listen to the sound of the engine behind you, enjoy the feeling of your body travelling without moving. Look! In front of you, an empty highway, you are facing your future. Four wheels, a steering wheel, a shape made to pierce the air. Cars are all made of the same elements but incarn various personalities. They are your key to the driving experience. Driving is not only the coordination of eyes, feet and hands, it is a complete involvment of your mind and body. That is why driving is so exciting, you are fighting against yourself. The addition of those two parts define the real meaning of driving, become only one.They seem human, looking at you with two eyes and a heart beating for your pleasure. A mouth open to breathe air and to show their mood. And especially a morphology which reflects their personality.custom car, shot at local car show/swap meetMost of them are fat like those who never practice any sports, t hat is why sports cars are the most interesting, giving you real pleasure, they have been built to race and express themselves. Those thoroughbred are only waiting you to turn on the key. Without them, driving would not have the same meaning. As a bird who needs lightness to fly gracefully they only carry the bare minimum. Their engines are goldsmith's art, made of noble materials and the love of the one who put them together. Take place in the Beast and contemplate a place like nowhere else. Everything here is designed for you, the gages are in your field of vision, the steering wheel has a good grip and the gearbox meets perfectly with your hand. Close your eyes, relax, concentrate and now, fire the cavalry , step on the gas pedal...

The Duchess - Mnage trios and Morality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Duchess - Mnage trios and Morality - Essay Example The film "The Duchess" directed by Saul Dibb based on Amanda Foreman's biography of the controversial socialite Georgina Cavendish, the Duchess of Devonshire, entails her very remarkable yet infamous marital arrangements for which, the most interesting moral conflict with regards to marriage can be drawn and is best suitable for further analysis. In the film, Georgina Cavendish (played by Keira Knightley) was portrayed as a fashion-oriented and gambling patron yet intelligent and politically-inclined woman later unfortunately entrapped in marriage with William Cavendish, the 5th Duke of DevonshirIndeed, a handful of reasons can be assumed in modern times as valid justifications for her to separate from her husband. Such include the various sexual affairs of the Duke, one of which even bore an offspring whom Georgina cared for as her own, her misery being that her role as a wife was deduced to her capability of bearing a son, and last but not the least, his husband's affair with Lady Elizabeth Foster, the closest friend of Georgina to which was described in the film as Georgina's "sole comfort". The affair seemed to be beyond sexual reasons since the Duke refused to banish Lady Elizabeth upon Georgina's knowledge of the affair and even insisted that she live with him despite Georgina's presence in the residence. This is where the moral conflict arises and it is best described in the phrase of mnage trios.Mnage trios literally means household of three in French... Despite the already miserable situation, the Duke refused her agreement for separation in order for her to legitimately start a relationship with Charles Grey for whom she had genuine feelings for. Even worse, the Duke threatened of banning her from seeing her children if she continued to see Grey. Georgina chose to be with her children however, she was apparently pregnant with Grey's daughter. In the end, the Duke decided that Grey's family should take the responsibility of raising the child for which Georgina was only able to visit in discretion. The story of Georgina serves as an inspiration and leads us to assess whether an individual's passive approval of a marital arrangement of mnage trios is morally right or wrong for the sake of being able to live with one's children. We shall do so through the differing Immanuel Kant's theory on morality in his written work entitled Foundations of the Metaphysics of Morals (1785) and John Stuart Mill's work on Utilitarianism (1861). But before we move on, we should clarify that the point of debate that in upon agreeing with the marital arrangement, Georgina was unable to live with her daughter fathered by Grey in return, since Georgina was able to see and visit, therefore to be with, the child though in discretion. Immanuel Kant is known for being "completely un-utilitarian"3 because of his "..rejection of satisfaction of desires as a ground for morals4". In addition, he believes that the basis for actions to be moral is its aspect of obligation because men are capable of reason stating further that "..reason's proper function must be to produce a will good in itself.."5. Moreover, an action should not be based solely upon the use

Effects on environment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Effects on environment - Research Paper Example Pollution is contamination of the natural environment and which brings about environmental degradation. Air pollution caused by industrial emission of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulfur and other harmful gases leads to depletion of the ozone layer which acts as a shield to protect the earth from excessive and harmful sun rays. Water pollution on the other hand which may be caused by harmful farming, mining and even industrial wastes destroy the environment by exposing it to toxic chemicals and hence killing animals and plants which depend on that water. It also leads to destruction of the soil hence rendering the area inhabitable. The excessive population growth that has been witnessed over the last century has also had its effects on the environment. The major effects include deforestation, depletion of natural resources and extinction of species of both plants and animals. As the population continues to expand and with limited land for settlement, the only alternative left is to start clearing forests and even draining swamps in order to build settlement areas. This leads to climate changes and environmental degradation. The minority species are also displaced in a â€Å"battle for the fittest† as explained by Darwin. Species like that of dinosaur which occupy large areas are killed to clear space to accommodate the excess population. Population growth also leads to increased construction which not only causes pollution which as explained earlier degrades the environment but also leads to deforestation and extraction of earth’s important minerals in the process of construction. Other environmental influencers do not however entirely bring about negative effects on the environment. Some farming techniques for example like animal farming enriches the environment by ensuring provision of manure and hence minerals. Practicing biological methods of farming where no chemicals are used also prevents degrading

Discussion borad 3.2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Discussion borad 3.2 - Essay Example FAA: A structured observation was performed three times during the different days of the week and different times of the day to obtain a picture of his disruptive and aggressive behavior. The frequency count of hitting, kicking, biting, pinching, poking, grabbing eyeglasses and jewelry, and screaming was done to establish a baseline. Additionally, Jon’s teacher was interviewed to get her perspective and develop a working relationship in order to develop successful interventions. Setting Event (Ecological) Strategies: During transitions, Jon can be assigned to a peer partner who could model being calm and explain what was going on and what was expected; and the new teacher can be given more training in behavior management. Antecedent Strategies: Jon might benefit from more opportunities to choose which activities he would do first (e.g., allowed to continue working on puzzle if asks appropriately); Easy and preferred tasks may be combined with difficult, less preferred tasks; Activities should be made more appealing (e.g., reduce length, assistance offered). Consequence Strategies: The teacher should listen to and honor Jons new alternative requests (i.e., he was given assistance, or a break, or allowed to choose a different activity if he made the requests appropriately); The teacher will remain emotionally supportive when confronted with problem behaviors. Measures: (a) Number of incidents of aggression, noncompliance, and disruption per week, (b) percent of class activities in which Jon participated, (c) general indicators of quality of educational experience (e.g., type of activities, need for one-to-one assistance). From the information collected during FAA is seems that the function of Brandon’s behavior was actually seeking attention. That’s why when his grandmother moved away, the frequency of negative behaviors at school has increased. It seems that Brandon is lacking some social skills, which is typical among children

Scrapbook Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Scrapbook - Essay Example Further, the local leaders specifically serve the local residents. I am currently eligible to vote for the elective officers of my 13th District. My district is strategically located in N.Y. City. Likewise, I am currently a full pledged registered voter of my very populous New York City 13th district. My district is classified as the congressional district. Consequently, the residents vote for the person who is the best qualified to represent us in the United States House of Representatives. As far as the political party is concerned, I have registered under the political party that espouses my political and social aspirations, the Democratic political party. Our current United States President is Democrat B. Obama. In terms of union membership, I am presently not a member of any union. Since I am not a member of any union, it logically follows that I am not an active member of any union group. In terms of the voting experience, I did not vote in any of the prior elections in my 13th district. However, I am very excited to vote for the first time in the next elections. Further, my city’s 13th district has a unique postal address My city’s postal zip code is 10040. My district includes the Upper portion of Manhattan. My district includes the west part of the Bronx community. Several political figures represent my 13th district (N. Y. City) in the Senate and the House of Representatives. New York City is now Ebola free. Ebola is a deadly incurable ailment. The last Ebola patient, Dr. C. Spencer survived the Ebola infection. The story showed that the Ebola virus can be cured. In N.Y. City’s Bellevue Hospital, Dr. Spencer was literally cured from his Guinea trip’s infection. Dr. Spencer arrived in New Guinea to help alleviate the sufferings of the Ebola virus patients. The news article delved on the hot issue that the untreatable ebola virus may wipe out the N.Y.

Memory Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Memory - Research Paper Example The explicit format of memory is more accessible because conscious and unconscious working of our mind is strongly co-related with our experience of the object reality where some sort of learning is involved. Our conscious mind understands and interprets the sensations according to the partial or total recall of the events. It is a fact that the mind is capable of retrieving images from recess even if no conscious effort was made to commit them to memory. Hence, it can be safely stated that even during the process of intentional recall of an image in some specific format, the mind can generate and explore various other properties of the same image. This type of memory is highly interactive and promotes long term learning. Whenever I go to the school playground, I am always reminded of football match which my team had won with a bang. This is a long term memory that is intrinsically linked with the physical competencies of the persons and is also called muscle memory. Procedural memory is associated with some definite voluntary or involuntary actions in some predefined format. In other words, with or without conscious effort, our memories are linked with some definite actions that are designed to rearrange the physical aspects of our surrounding through the movements of our body parts which is caused by the directives of the mind. Driving a bicycle or a car is a life long ability and one is able to retrieve its usage even after long time. This type of memory retains the procedures of various activities and therefore, it becomes easier for persons to do more than one work simultaneously. Students riding cycles are also able to converse freely because the memory has adjusted or defined its pathways to suit the physical activities. Emotions significantly impact memory and therefore, this type of memory takes precedence

Scrapbook Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Scrapbook - Essay Example Further, the local leaders specifically serve the local residents. I am currently eligible to vote for the elective officers of my 13th District. My district is strategically located in N.Y. City. Likewise, I am currently a full pledged registered voter of my very populous New York City 13th district. My district is classified as the congressional district. Consequently, the residents vote for the person who is the best qualified to represent us in the United States House of Representatives. As far as the political party is concerned, I have registered under the political party that espouses my political and social aspirations, the Democratic political party. Our current United States President is Democrat B. Obama. In terms of union membership, I am presently not a member of any union. Since I am not a member of any union, it logically follows that I am not an active member of any union group. In terms of the voting experience, I did not vote in any of the prior elections in my 13th district. However, I am very excited to vote for the first time in the next elections. Further, my city’s 13th district has a unique postal address My city’s postal zip code is 10040. My district includes the Upper portion of Manhattan. My district includes the west part of the Bronx community. Several political figures represent my 13th district (N. Y. City) in the Senate and the House of Representatives. New York City is now Ebola free. Ebola is a deadly incurable ailment. The last Ebola patient, Dr. C. Spencer survived the Ebola infection. The story showed that the Ebola virus can be cured. In N.Y. City’s Bellevue Hospital, Dr. Spencer was literally cured from his Guinea trip’s infection. Dr. Spencer arrived in New Guinea to help alleviate the sufferings of the Ebola virus patients. The news article delved on the hot issue that the untreatable ebola virus may wipe out the N.Y.

The Demise of Colonial Education Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Demise of Colonial Education - Article Example The first thing that must be understood is how relevant this system of education to the political agenda of the countries asserting their independence. One thing that must be understood is that education is a tool to open the eye about the problems of the world and look for the solutions that are feasible and reasonable. However, this system of education by the colonizers became a tool to forward the deplorable political agenda and harsh practices by the Western powers in very problematic situations. Certain problems that occurred in these colonized systems of education. In Africa back then, education has been focused on the development of family and civilization. This would then result into the development of social roles that is being realized by the kids that complement the lifestyle of the particular group he or she belongs to. However, the advent of the colonized education not only distorted these notions of the family and other socialization processes but have forwarded Western Ideals and the religions, later on turning the system of education as a tool to serve the interests of the colonizer and the missionaries being supportive of the said colonial regime. How underdevelopment happens here? One thing that must be understood as well is that the concentration of education in cities has attracted people to acquire this certain education. In this case, people in the rural areas, wherein most of the economic activity of the African nations is being abandoned.  

Coffee and Starbucks Essay Example for Free

Coffee and Starbucks Essay Starbucks has been the most successful coffee chain using their aggressive expansion strategies to surpass its competitors. Through its expansion, Starbucks has focused on creating a dense network of stores all around US, while also opening up new locations all around the world. However, Starbucks’ aggressive expansion strategies have posed major threats to its financial health such as tight cashflows, increase debts, poor liquidity ratios and etc. In addition, this approach can exacerbate competition among close Starbucks stores. Due to the aggressive expansion, Starbucks has lost its internal focus in its core business coffee and its unique â€Å"Starbucks Experience – third place†. The issues are how Starbucks can stay profitable in the future and at the same time sustain its dominant position in the gourmet coffee industry. We have examined the industry analysis that focuses on the industry trends, the firm competitive environment and followed by a SWOT analysis on Starbucks. Finally, we look at the company strategy analysis that focuses on the Starbucks’ strategic intent and its strategic position. From these analyses, we recommend a few options where Starbucks should pursue moving forward in order to avoid further decline and sustain its dominant position. .:Company Background History:. Starbucks Coffee, Tea and Spice was established in 1971 by Jerry Baldwin, Zey Siegel and Gordon Bowker in Seattle to sell roasted coffee beans and coffee machines. (See Exhibit 1 for timeline) At that time, the founders’ philosophy was to provide high quality coffee and educate the public the art of appreciating fine coffee. It was the founders’ passion and strong commitment on educating the public that attracted Howard Schultz to join Starbucks in 1982 as the head of the marketing department, overseeing the company’s retail stores. On one of his business trips to Milan, Italy, Schultz stumbled upon an opportunity to revamp Starbucks and shift its focus from its original business activities. Schultz’s new business proposition for Starbucks was to serve freshly brewed coffee at their outlets which he sold to the founders without success. After many unsuccessful attempts, he left the Company. In 1987, Schultz acquired Starbucks from the founders and changed its name to the more abbreviated ‘Starbucks’ and modified her logo to what we see today. After the acquisition, he introduced the idea of ‘The Starbucks experience’ to all Starbucks’ outlets; that is to create a comfortable atmosphere for patrons to relax. From then on, every Starbucks outlet was the perfect duplicate of this concept. In 1992, Starbucks had launched an IPO and its common stock was being traded on the Nasdaq. In 1995, Starbucks venture overseas and formed a joint venture with SAZABY Inc to open Starbucks stores in Japan. In 1996, Starbucks first oversea outlet was opened in Tokyo. Today, Starbucks has a total of 7,087 Company operated stores and 4,081 License stores in US. Additionally, it has 1,796 Company operated stores and 2,792 Joint Venture and License store operating in other 43 countries. .:Definition of the Industry, Competitors and Scope of Analysis: Generally, Starbucks is in the Food and Beverages industry. However for the purpose of this paper, we would define Starbucks to be in the gourmet coffee industry with the following competitors : †¢Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf; †¢Costa Coffee; †¢Caribou Coffee. (See Exhibit 2 for a brief write up on reasons for the choice of these competitors and some background information of them) For the purpose of this paper, our analysis will be focusing on Starbucks in US and Australia. The next section provides an overview of the gourmet coffee industry and the competitive environment in US and Australia. .:Overview of the Industry:. .:Political Forces:. Generally both the US and the Australia political situation appeared to be well established and stable. This will provide a good platform for both current businesses and new businesses to operate in. In US, despite the current verge of recession, the political mood is still likely to favour increased regulation of businesses. In addition, even though international tensions are likely to remain but their impact on political stability and economy will remain minimal. Similarly in Australia, the political climate is likely to remain relatively stable. Although the relationship between the federal government and the states had been rocky in the past; it has improved after the introduction of a more stable formula for revenue distribution..:Economical Forces:. US: Real economic growth is expected to slow from an estimated 4% in 2008 to 3. 8% in 2009. The modest slowdown reflects the impact of lower demand from its trading partner. As these exists imbalances in the economy and the poor short-term outlook for growth, it is assumed that conditions in the US are now recessionary and that growth will remain very weak in 2009. This will in turn affect the GDP and the disposable income of its residents. Australia: Traditionally, rapid growth in Australia has been slowdown recently due to recession. Improved monetary and fiscal management have reduced macroeconomic volatility, but risks and imbalances are present. The low domestic savings rate renders the banking system dependant on foreign financing. The current account deficit is large, and international financial markets may start to worry about the underlying causes. Bubble conditions also seem to exist in the housing market. .:Socio-cultural Forces: Consumers’ Perceptions and Disposable Income:. US: There had been an increase in coffee consumption in the US market though the rate had slowed down in 2005 posing threats to coffee retailers. Recently, US consumers had increasingly opt for healthier hot drinks such as tea and RTD beverages which affect coffee consumption rate. The trend is likely to continue, leading to decline in coffee consumption. Australia: Coffee sales had experienced quite lukewarm growth from 2000 to 2005. The culture of cafe had caused more people to opt for on-trade sales coffee at the cafe instead of home-brewed coffee. According to BIS Shrapnel, people increasingly tend to go to cafes for their coffee and there is an increase of 50% within 2 years in coffee consumption. .:Technological Forces: Technological Developments:. Technological changes have created many new products and processes. It helps to reduce costs, improve quality and lead to innovations which in turn benefits consumers as well as organizations. Many organizations in the gourmet coffee industry had recognized the importance of providing wireless internet access and Wi-Fi hotspots to its patrons. These technology advances had created a leisure place for patrons to surf net or hang out after home and work. Most of the organizations had also introduced automated coffee machines to speed up the brewing process so as to shorten waiting time. To further improve business operations and efficiency, some organizations have also make use of information technology systems to help them run their businesses more smoothly. .:Environmental Forces:. With major climate changes occurring due to global warming, many organizations in the gourmet coffee industry had increased their environment awareness by reduced the usage of disposable cups to serve coffee and increased the use of ceramic mugs. Furthermore, the organizations had also reduced the size of their paper napkins, paper bags and in store garbage bags. The organizations were also encouraged to purchase Fairtrade certified coffees so as to promote responsible environmental and economic efforts. The following section presents our analysis of gourmet coffee industry with the aid of Michael Porters 5 Forces model. .: Analysis of Gourmet Coffee Industry- Porter 5 Forces:. Please refer to exhibit 3 for the criteria used for the scoring of each forces and an analysis of each forces. Force #1: Threat of New Entry:. †¢Threat of new entry is high. †¢High start up cost involved in purchasing equipments, sourcing for coffee beans and training barista. †¢Strong brand identity leading to high switching cost for consumers Score: 10 Force #2: Threat of Substitutes:. †¢Substitutes are gourmet coffee of a different brand †¢Current gourmet coffee industries is saturated †¢High switching cost †¢Threat of substitutes considered to be relatively high Score: 6 Force #3: Bargaining Power of Suppliers:. †¢Majority of commercially available coffee beans come from a few industrializes countries. †¢Increase the cost of coffee houses in sourcing and gaining access to these high quality coffee beans. †¢Bargaining power of suppliers is relatively high Score: 5 Force #4: Bargaining Power of Consumers†¢Bargaining power of customers is relatively neutral. †¢Current player gained brand loyalty †¢Product differentiation helps to retain current customer and attract new customers. †¢However price sensitive customers might seek for cheaper alternative. Score: 0 Force #5: Rivalry between Competitors:. †¢Intensity of rivalry is moderate. †¢Brand identity and high switching cost is relatively unfavorable to new player that has just entered the market. Score: 3. Conclusion:From the above analysis, we noted that the threat of new entry, the bargaining power of the supplier and threat of substitutes are relatively high. On the other hand the bargaining power of the consumers is neutral and the intensity of rivalry is moderate. Hence from the above analysis we concluded that even though there is high intensity of rivalry in this industry it is still considered to be attractive. This is because, according to report from Mintel, there is still potential for growth in the coffee industry as the number of coffee houses in US itself had increased by 70% from 200 to 2005. .:Key Success Factors:. The key success factors in the gourmet coffee industry includes: -ensure product quality by applying the highest standards of excellence to the purchasing, roasting and fresh delivery of coffee; -provide a cozy atmosphere where people relax and chill out; -recruit passionate people who love coffee and equipped them with skills to provide upscale customer service; -reduce customer waiting time by implementing many innovations to speed up the process; -accelerate innovation in producing products of a much superior quality than that of its competitors; and -locate stores at high traffic, high visible locations.

Impact Of Barriers To Entry On Market Strategy

Impact Of Barriers To Entry On Market Strategy Purpose The purpose of this paper is to review previous research and to propose a model for the impact of barriers to entry on the market strategy of an entrant firm, where product/market scope and product differentiation are central strategy components. The paper asks, what is the impact of barriers on market strategies of entrants? Are early and late entrants affected in different ways? Design/methodology/approach A model and propositions are developed-based on a review of previous research. The model applies the contingency perspective and company cases exemplify the model. Findings It is proposed that a firm that enters a market late and faces extensive barriers would choose a broader product/market scope and differentiate its products to a larger extent than an early entrant. It is also proposed that incumbents market strategies indirectly affect the market strategy of an entrant firm as incumbents market strategies interact with barriers, and the effects are due to entry timing. Research limitations/implications The study contributes theoretically as it extends current knowledge of the impact of barriers to entry on strategy. Management of entrant firms are advised to strive for a fit between barriers and market strategy and consider the propositions. Originality/value The model and the propositions concern barrier effects on two key components of the nmrket strategy of an entrant firm: product/market scope and product differentiation. Another important value is that the model accounts for interactions between incumbent strategies and harriers to entry, and effects on the market strategy of an entrant firm. Keywords Market entry, Marketing strategy, Competitors Paper type Literature review Introduction Barriers to entry have been a popular field of research since the seminal work of Bain (1956). Barriers are obstacles preventing entrant firms from being established in a particular market (Porter, 1980). However, despite the practical and theoretical importance of the matter, we still have only limited understanding of the impact of barriers on the market strategy of an entrant firm. A deeper empirical exploration of the issue calls for a reliable model that clarifies expected relationships. An empirical example is the comprehensive work that takes place within the European Union in order to create unified rules for international competition and reduce the impact of barriers originating from government regulations. Industries such as telecommunications are subject to these unification processes (Pehrsson, 2001). A general aim is to encourage the establishment of both domestic competitors and competitors stemming from other countries (Karlsson, 1998). But what is the expected impact of barriers on market strategies of entrants? Are early and late entrants affected in different ways? In theoretical terms, we need further knowledge of a relation between conditions external to the firm and the firm strategy, and, therefore, application of the contingency perspective (Hambrick, 1983; Peteraf and Reed, 2007) is appropriate. The central view is that a fit between external conditions and firm strategy provides a basis for competitive advantage and high performance (Miller, 1996). According to the review by Peteraf and Reed (2007), an earlier central criticism of contingency theory was that contingency research was reductionist (Meyer et aL, 1993), and empirical models did not account for the impact of interactions among central elements. However, recent studies on internal alignment focus on interaction effects among firm attributes and impact on firm performance (Kauffman, 1993; Levinthal, 1997). Yet, we still have very limited knowledge of interactions among external conditions and the impact on firm strategy. This paper applies the contingency perspective and focuses on the impact of barriers to entry on the market strategy of early and late entrants. The purpose is to review previous research and to propose a model for the impact of barriers on strategy where product/market scope and product differentiation are central strategy components. The resulting model addresses external firm conditions and proposes direct effects of exogenous and endogenous barriers and indirect effects of incumbents market strategies. These constitute the frame for barriers that originate from incumbents behavior, and incumbent strategies assumingly interact with barriers to entry. Although, for example, the performance impact of barriers to entry has been widely investigated (Marsh, 1998), only a few studies have focused on the impact on the market strategy of entrant firms. Robinson and McI)ougall (2001) studied entrants and found that the negative performance effects of three barriers (scale effects, capital need, and product differentiation) were particularly important when the product/market scope was narrow. Further, Pehrsson (2001) observed that deregulation in the telecommunications industry caused adjustments of the product/market scope of market entrants. Finally, Han et a!. (2001) and Salavou et at. (2004) found that a need for capital stimulated the mnovativeness and product differentiation of entrants. We therefore need to continue to study the impact of barriers on the product/market scope and product differentiation of market entrants. More precisely, there is a lack of knowledge of direct and indirect barrier effects on entrants product/market scope and product differentiation. The fact that competitors may constitute a primary source of barriers has largely been neglected, and incumbents market strategies most probably indirectly affect the strategy of an entrant firm. Competitors are crucial here as they demonstrate certain market strategies and thereby create customer loyalties and other barriers (Porter, 1980). Also, the literature indicates that the effects are due to entry timing Karakaya and Stahl, 1989), and the effects on the strategy of an early entrant may not be the same as those for a late entrant. The paper is organized in this way: In Section 2, I review previous research on barriers to entry and the strategy impact of barriers; in Section 3, I present the model and propositions about relationships in the model; Section 4 presents illustrative company cases; conclusions and implications follow in Section 5. Literature review This section of the paper first presents important exogenous and endogenous barriers to entry that have been observed by scholars. The section then reviews previous studies on the impact of barriers on product/market scope and product differentiation, and the impact on entry timing. Important barriers to entry A barrier to entry can be categorized as either exogenous or endogenous (Shepherd, 1979). Exogenous barriers are those that are embedded in the underlying market conditions and, in principle, firms are not able to control exogenous barriers. On the contrary, endogenous barriers are created by the established firms through their market strategies and their competitive behavior and are thus based on incumbents reactions to new entrants efforts to become established. However, Gable ci a!. (1995) observed that frequently the barrier types are mutually reinforcing, and they may be difficult to interpret. Table I lists important barriers to entry that have been observed in the literature, with studies cited by author and publication date. As regards the exogenous barriers, incumbents cost advantages are considered important by several authors (Gable et al., 1995; Han et al., 2001). This barrier means that incumbents may possess absolute or variable cost advantages, forcing the entrant firm to achieve scale effects and low costs. Incumbents product differentiation (Pehrsson, 2004; Schlegelmilch and Ambos, 2004) is another important barrier as it creates loyalties and relations among buyers and established sellers, and accompanying obstacles for the entrant trying to access customers Gohansson and Elg, 2002). Furthermore, the extensive need for capital in order to be firmly established in a market is an important exogeneous barrier emphasized by many authors (flarrigan, 1981; Siegfried and Evans, 1994), and the importance is also valid for customers switching costs (Gruca and Sudharshan, 1995; Karakaya and Stahl, 1989). This barrier is due to the costs that any potential customer faces trying to switch from one supplier to another. For example, costs may be allocated to employee retraining or changes in product design. Available distribution channels might not be anticipated by the entrant firm, or they may be controlled by competitors, creating customer access obstacles (Han el al., 2001; Pehrsson, 2004). Other barriers may include incumbents brand loyalty Q Endogenous barriers are created by the competitive behavior of incumbent firms in accordance with their market strategies. Important endogenous barriers may originate from excess capacity. This is generally accompanied by increased advertising or promotional activity (Demsetz, 1982; Gable el aL, 1995) or pre-emptive pricing resulting in price competition (Guiltinnan and Gundlach, 1996; Simon, 2005). T A B L E It is thus appropriate to view endogenous barriers as established firms reaction to new entrants (Karakaya and Stahl, 1989; Yip, 1982). In fact, incumbents may deter the entry of new comers simply by creating expectations of fear for the incumbents post-entry reaction (Karakaya and Stahl, 1989). However, Gable et a!. (1995) found that exogenous and endogenous barriers are mutually reinforcing. They studied entry barriers in retailing and found that incumbents frequently increased advertising and sales promotion when reacting to market entrants. These measures enhanced the degree of product and service differentiation attributed to the incumbent, while the measures also provided a method for an existing retailer to increase the costs of entry to a potential competitor. The observed endogenous barriers of increased advertising and sales promotion thus reinforce the exogenous barriers of capital need and product differentiation. Further, a number of studies (Karakaya, 2002; Karakaya and Kerin, 2007; Karakaya and Stahl, 1989; Siegfried and Evans, 1994) have explored the relative importance of individual barriers. Karakaya (2002) examined the importance of 25 potential barriers to entry in industrial markets. The majority of the executives in the survey considered the most important barriers to be incumbents cost advantages and the need for capital to enter markets. The impact of barriers on strategy Researchers have studied the impact of barriers to entry on two strategy components, namely product/market scope (Bonardi, 1999; Delmas and Tokat, 2005; Haveman, 1993; Pehrsson, 2001, 2007; Robinson and McDougall, 2001), and product differentiation (Delmas ci at, 2007; Russo, 2001; Schlegelmilch and Ambos, 2004) including innovativeness (Han ci at, 2001; Salavou ci at, 2004). Table TI summarizes key findings of the studies of strategies of market entrants and incumbents. As regards product/market scope, Pehrsson (2007) studied perceptions of expansion barriers in 191 subsidiaries of incumbent Swedish manufacturing firms in Germany, the United States and the UK. I-Ic found that the impact of balTiers was due to the breadth of the product/market scope of the firms. Hence, obstacles to access customers affect performance in a negative way if the firm has a narrow product/market scope. One reason why the obstacles are not significant if the scope is broad may be that different customer types and delivered products in this context are associated with more degrees of freedom in choosing customers. Problems in accessing a certain customer type may thus be balanced against limited problems regarding other types. Robinson and McDougall (2001) established a similar pattern. They studied the moderating effect of product/market breadth on the relationship between entry barriers and performance of 115 new ventures. Three barriers were closely studied: economies of scale, capital need, and product differentiation, It was found that the negative effect of capital need on return Ofl sales was smaller for ventures pursuing a broad scope. Further, the negative effects of all barriers were smaller for broad-scope ventures as regards shareholder wealth. Government policy changes manifested by, for example, deregulation or other institutional changes stimulate adjustments of the product/market scope of incumbents (Bonardi, 1999; Delmas and Tokat, 2005; Haveman, 1993; Pehrsson, 2001). Haveman (1993) showed that many firms in the savings and loans industry had expanded into new areas as a result of deregulation. Further, Pehrsson (2001) found that choices of customers made by both incumbents and entrant firms followed deregulations in the British and Swedish telecommunications industries. As regards the product differentiation component of market strategy, Han el al. (2001) and Salavou et al. (2004) found that market entrants innovativeness reduced the impact of capital need. A finns innovativeness reflects its way of pursuing product differentiation relative to competitors (Kustin, 2004). The literature also addresses changes in barriers to entry due to deregulation and their effects on rncuinbents differentiation Dehnas el aL, 2007; Russo, 2001; Schlegelmilch and Ambos, 2004). Delmas et a!. (2007) observed a variety of differentiation efforts in response to deregulation in the US electric utility industry, while Schlegelmilch and Ambos (2004) studied strategic options in such industries. In particular, Russo (2001) found that technology differentiation was a common effect of deregulation in the utility industry. Delmas et a!. (2007) advocate that, in fact, differentiation is common in industries that is subject to deregulation. The impact of barriers on entry timing Makadok (998) and Pehrsson (2004) underscore that the entry timing advantages of first- and early-movers seem to be resistant to erosion by the entry of additional competitors in a market. Once a new competitor has entered the market, it is difficult to match the performance of the incumbents due to extensive customer loyalties established previously. For the entrant firm this creates severe obstacles to customer access. Karakaya and Stahl (1989) studied the effects of barriers on the timing of market entry of 49 firms delivering industrial goods and consumer goods. The researchers particularly found that switching costs of potential customers is perceived as more important for late entry than early entry in both industrial goods and consumer goods markets. This finding supports the notion that late market entrants will face extensive obstacles to access customers due to previous loyalties between sellers and buyers. A model of the impact of entry barriers on strategy The model presented in this section proposes relationships between barriers to entry, incumbents market strategies and the market strategy of an entrant firm (Figure 1). The model applies the contingency perspective Hambrick, 1983; Peteraf and Reed, 2007) and proposes that an entrant firms market strategy is contingent on the external conditions of barriers to entry (P12 in Figure 1). It is also assumed that competitors constitute a main source of barriers; therefore, the model proposes indirect effects and interactions between incumbents market strategies and barriers (P3). Further, entry timing is important; the propositions suggest that strategies of early and late entrants differ. This section first defines the key concepts of the model and continues with motivations and presentations of the propositions. The concepts in the model The term barriers to entry stems from industrial organization literature and refers to obstacles that firms have to face when they try to establish themselves in a market (Porter, 1.980). Advantages of incumbent firms established earlier correspond to the extent to which the incumbents can raise their prices above a theoretical equilibrium without attracting other firms to enter the market (Bain, 1956). Barriers are exogenous or endogenous and are mutually reinforcing (see the literature review above). Entrant firms and incumbents demonstrate certain market strategies. Miller (1987) found that the dominant content components of strategy were product/market scope, product innovation, differentiation, and cost control. Product/market scope corresponds to the breadth of business activities and is manifested by the breadth of the range of product types and customer types. As product innovation is a way of differentiating the product in relation to competing products, I include innovation in product differentiation (Kustin, 2004). Further, as cost control is an ingredient of price, and customers are generally more concerned with prices than firm costs, prices are frequently subject to differentiation (Porter, 1980). rrherefore product differentiation in the model also includes pricing. However, product differentiation does not only refer to the physical product core. Usunier (1993) suggests that services linked to products such as after-sales services are central to differentiation, and Pehrsson (2006) further emphasizes flexibility attributes. Th attributes combine with other attributes in order to meet individual customer needs, and include, for example, solutions to customer problems and distribution features. Differentiating products in relation to products of competitors may thus give the firm competitive advantages. In essence, Porter (1980) convincingly argues that differentiation is a way of creating layers of insulation against competitive warfare and increases the odds of achieving high financial performance. Direct effects of barriers to entry Pehrsson (2007) and Robinson and McI)ougall (2001) found that the effects of barriers were less severe if the product/market scope of a market entrant was broad. Based on the findings, the researchers argue that product/market breadth of market entrants generally moderates the relationship between entry barriers and performance. Theoretically, a market entrant that has to face extensive barriers to entry would prefer a broad product/market scope. In that way, the entrant may be able to exploit the degrees of freedom that accompany the broad scope, and balance obstacles in accessing a certain customer type against obstacles relating to other types. However, research has shown that late market entrants tend to be exposed to more comprehensive barriers than early entrants (Makadok, 1998; Pehrsson, 2004). In particular, customer loyalties and customers switching costs (Karakaya and Stahl, 1989) constitute key competitive advantages of early entrants. A late market entrant would, therefore, theoretically have to face more severe obstacles in trying to access customers than would an early entrant: P1. A firm that enters a market late and has to face extensive barriers will chxse a broader product/market scope than an early entrant. In accordance with the results of Han el at (2001) and Salavou el at. (2004), market entrants frequently use product innovations to overcome market entry barriers. As innovativeness manifests product differentiation, it is logical to propose that a market entrant may use product differentiation in order to respond to barriers, and that comprehensive differentiation efforts follow extensive barriers. As a late entrant is theoretically exposed to more extensive barriers than an early entrant, this leads to the second proposition: P2. A firm that enters a market late and has to face extensive barriers will differentiate its products to a larger extent than an early entrant. Indirect effects of barriers to entry P1 and P2 do not pay attention to indirect effects, crucial interactions among barriers to entry and other important conditions external to the entrant firm. However, we can expect that barriers interact with incumbents market strategies. This expectation relies on the necessity of observing competitors as they pursue certain market strategies, and are able to create customer loyalties and other barriers (Porter, 1980). If we pay attention to incumbents, a strategy that promotes the development of brand loyalty, for example, focuses on a factor that create barriers (Krouse, 1984). Further, entry timing advantages of first- and early-movers (Makadok, 1998; Pehrsson, 2004) generally stem from the firms opportunities to penetrate potential customers, start to differentiate products, and develop customer relationships. If successful, the customer relationships and accompanying loyalties become effective barriers to competition. Theoretic-ally, late entrants therefore have difficulty matching the performance of the early entrants. We may therefore propose that the interaction affects early and late entrants in different ways: P3. Incumbents market strategies indirectly affect the market strategy of an entrant firm as incumbents market strategies interact with barriers to entry. The effects are different for early and late entrants. Illustrative cases Deregulation and unification of rules pertaining to firms operating telecommunications networks caused operators to reconsider their market strategies in Europe (Pehrsson, 2001). Unlike many other European countries, Sweden has never legalized a monopoly for the establishment of telecommunications networks or for the offering of services. However, Televerket (the Swedish public telecommunications administration) historically had a monopoly-like hold on many sectors of the market. This organization was converted in 1993 into a company group with a parent fIrm, Telia. As there are no regulations protecting Swedish interests or restricting foreign operators from establishing themselves in the country, many firms have entered the market. Any firm with a desire to enter the market will have to face the barrier of capital need in terms of the arrangement of infrastructure. For example, Tele2 entered the market early and addressed this need for capital by cooperating with the Swedish State Rail Administration. The background for Kinneviks establishment of Tele2 is that Kinnevik had gained experience from mobile telephony in the USA (NetCom Systems, 1994). Parallel with these activities, preparations began within traditional telecommunications for voice and data in the 1980s. A gateway for data traffic was opened in 1986, and in 1989 an agreement was concluded with the Swedish State Rail Administration for joint investments in a fiber optic network. Tele2 was formed in 1987 with the intention to offer stationary telephony primarily to households based on low prices. When the deregulation of the telecommunications market accelerated in 1993, Tele2 was able to act fast and reached second place after the incumbent, Telia. I)otcom l)ata Telecommunications entered the Swedish market late and had to face the extensive barriers caused by the dominance of the incumbent and early entrants. By the end of the 1990s, Dotcom was the only operator in the Swedish market with telecommunications operations that were not part of the original corporate core business Dotcom Data Telecommunications, 1995). The product/market scope was dominated by local data networks and included also stationary telephony, leased lines, office exchanges, extensive communications systems, support systems and so on. Middle-sized companies, large companies, and public administrations were the main target groups. In sum, the case of Dotcom Data Telecommunications illustrates P1. The firm was exposed to extensive barriers due to the firms late market entry and chose a broad product/market scope. In that way, the firm was able to exploit the degrees of freedom that accompanied the broad scope, and balance obstacles in accessing a certain customer type against obstacles regarding other types. Further, Dotcom Data Telecommunications tried to avoid price competition and, instead, strived for long-term customer relationships. As there were six phases of the delivery chain (analysis of needs, systems design, installation, education, service, and financing) there were many options to conduct product differentiation. A comparison with the limited low-price differentiation of Tele2 illustrates P2. However, in accordance with P3, both entrants had to face the barriers caused by the incumbents cTelias) strategy of keeping its market dominance and loyal customers. Conclusions and implications Despite the limitation that there may be more important external conditions beyond incumbents market strategies that interact with barriers to entry, we are now able to conclude the a firm that enters a market late and has to face extensive barriers probably would chxse a broader product/market scope and differentiate its products to a larger extent than an earlier entrant. Also, it is proposed that incumbents market strategies indirectly affect the market strategy of an entrant firm as incumbents market strategies interact with barriers, where the effects are due to entry timing. In sum, the model extends our knowledge as it accounts for the direct impact of barriers to entry on product/market scope and product differentiation, and specifies central conditions external to the entrant firm. Also, the model accounts for entry timing effects. In accordance with the contingency perspective management of entrant firms would be advised to strive for a fit between barriers to entry and market strategy and thereby bear in mind the proposals put forward in this paper. Of importance are not only direct effects of barriers on product/market scope and product differentiation, but also the way incumbent strategies interact with balTiers. It would also be advisable for each firm to evaluate the relative importance of barriers and acknowledge that a late entry is generally accompanied by more extensive barriers than an early entry. Further, as exogenous barriers and endogenous barriers are often mutually reinforcing, attention needs to be paid to combined effects. Further empirical research should be conducted in terms of applying the model developed in this paper. A suggestion for future research is to explore how management perceives barriers to entry, and how this perception contributes to the emergence and sustainability of competitive advantage. Also, it would be interesting to explore managerial knowledge of barriers in early and late phases of market entry.

Cold War Essay -- essays research papers

The Cold War, 1949-1963 25.1 American Commitment to Cold War: National Security Council Document 68 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  How NSC-68 influenced America’s response to Communist North Korea’s invasion of South Korea in June 1950 and to Communist expansion in Southeast Asia in the 1960s. The NSC-68 called for military assistance programs that would meet the requirements of our allies. Since South Korea was an ally, we assisted them in repelling the invasion of another communist nation. This help for South Korea meant that a communist nation would be weakened and therefore possibly cripple a potential ally for the Soviet Union. Also, South Korea would then respond to a call for aid if the Soviet Union ever attacked America. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The implications of NSC-68 for military spending by the United States and its allies. The NSC-68 stated that â€Å"budgetary considerations will need to be subordinated to the stark fact that our very independence as a nation may be at stake.† This meant that no matter how much it cost to build up our military, it would be done in order to protect our nation. Also, the rebuilding of European economies and defenses in order to try and contain Russian expansion without armed conflict, lead to the help of European powers having to return the favor of having their economies rebuilt with helping the United States in the Cold War. 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The implications of the call for â€Å"covert actions† in NSC-68. Covert actions in the NSC-68 implies that the United States was not ready for another war so soon after World War II. Also, the Soviet Union had developed atomic weapons, which meant that the Soviet Union could cause mass destruction in the United States. However, America was unwilling to allow the communist nation of the Soviet Union to expand and gain enough power to crush the United States. So the government decided to use covert operations which would hurt their economy and cause unrest in the Soviet Union. 25.2 American Public Opinion and the Korean War, 1950-1952 1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What these responses reveal about attitudes toward American involvement in the Korean War. At the beginning, American opinion supported the war in Korea. However, as time went on, the American opinion changed because we no longer had a clear chance of winning the war. People then c... ...tution given rights were ignored as well. The Red Scare was therefore similar to McCarthyism in the 1950s because it was a movement against communism that many people had. The Smith Act was passed which prevented the teaching of overthrowing the government and forced all foreign residents over the age of 14 to register their occupation and political beliefs. 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  How successful were United States responses to the Soviet Union in the 1950s? Were there alternatives to these responses? Eisenhower did a brilliant job in his responses to the Soviet Union in the 1950s. He kept the Soviet Union from expanding by rebuilding the economies of the war struck countries in Europe. Had technology developed that would allow the United States to spy on other countries armaments and military actions without exposing ourselves to any risk. Entered nine treaties that would make attacking the United States bring down a multitude of other countries attacks. Eisenhower also developed a large amount of nuclear devices that would allow the United States to respond to any attack with powerful force. Eisenhower could not have developed a better strategy to hold back the Russians.

University of Tennessee Sports :: Free Essay Writer

University of Tennessee Sports It has been a very busy and exciting week at the University of Tennessee. Students had their second week on campus after spring break so that meant a lot of tests to be taken. However, most people in East Tennessee cared more about the activities of the Vols Athletic Department. The week started with a look at the known - - namely the Coach Phillip Fulmer led Football Volunteers starting their second week of spring practice. The Vols completed their first week of Spring Practice with a scrimmage on March 31st after learning of a knee injury to offensive tackle Michael Munoz. Coach Fulmer and his staff were not going to let that slow down their practice schedule. On Tuesday, the team continued their workouts at Neyland Stadium in a light rain with lots of rotation on the offensive line. Coach Fulmer said on Thursday that he has been pleased with the progress of the offensive linemen and hopes to develop enough talent this spring and summer to have lots of depth on the line. Be assured that Coach Fulmer and his entire staff are looking forward to the Orange and White Game on April 21st and to welcoming the latest recruiting class to Knoxville this summer. Of course there was some other news up on the hill this week. In case you missed it, the Men’s Basketball Team has a new coach. Robert â€Å"Buzz† Peterson is coming to lead the Vols to the next level of the college basketball hierarchy. Coach Peterson comes to Knoxville after a season at Tulsa where he led his team to the National Invitational Tournament championship. Prior to his stint at Tulsa, he was head coach of Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina. But what most people recall about Coach Peterson is that he was Michael Jordan’s roommate when they played for Dean Smith at the University of North Carolina, winning the NCAA Championship in 1982. Coach Peterson brings a lot of excitement and energy to the Volunteers. The players seemed enthusiastic after their first meeting with Coach Peterson. Jenis Grindstaff said that having the coaching decision finalized will allow the team to focus on the next season and really likes the enthusiasm that Coach Peterson brings. Forward Ron Slay said that Peterson has already challenged him to a game of pool.

A Game of Thrones Chapter Seven

Arya Arya's stitches were crooked again. She frowned down at them with dismay and glanced over to where her sister Sansa sat among the other girls. Sansa's needlework was exquisite. Everyone said so. â€Å"Sansa's work is as pretty as she is,† Septa Mordane told their lady mother once. â€Å"She has such fine, delicate hands.† When Lady Catelyn had asked about Arya, the septa had sniffed. â€Å"Arya has the hands of a blacksmith.† Arya glanced furtively across the room, worried that Septa Mordane might have read her thoughts, but the septa was paying her no attention today. She was sitting with the Princess Myrcella, all smiles and admiration. It was not often that the septa was privileged to instruct a royal princess in the womanly arts, as she had said when the queen brought Myrcella to join them. Arya thought that Myrcella's stitches looked a little crooked too, but you would never know it from the way Septa Mordane was cooing. She studied her own work again, looking for some way to salvage it, then sighed and put down the needle. She looked glumly at her sister. Sansa was chatting away happily as she worked. Beth Cassel, Ser Rodrik's little girl, was sitting by her feet, listening to every word she said, and Jeyne Poole was leaning over to whisper something in her ear. â€Å"What are you talking about?† Arya asked suddenly. Jeyne gave her a startled look, then giggled. Sansa looked abashed. Beth blushed. No one answered. â€Å"Tell me,† Arya said. Jeyne glanced over to make certain that Septa Mordane was not listening. Myrcella said something then, and the septa laughed along with the rest of the ladies. â€Å"We were talking about the prince,† Sansa said, her voice soft as a kiss. Arya knew which prince she meant: Jofftey, of course. The tall, handsome one. Sansa got to sit with him at the feast. Arya had to sit with the little fat one. Naturally. â€Å"Joffrey likes your sister,† Jeyne whispered, proud as if she had something to do with it. She was the daughter of Winterfell's steward and Sansa's dearest friend. â€Å"He told her she was very beautiful.† â€Å"He's going to marry her,† little Beth said dreamily, hugging herself. â€Å"Then Sansa will be queen of all the realm.† Sansa had the grace to blush. She blushed prettily. She did everything prettily, Arya thought with dull resentment. â€Å"Beth, you shouldn't make up stories,† Sansa corrected the younger girl, gently stroking her hair to take the harshness out of her words. She looked at Arya. â€Å"What did you think of Prince Joff, sister? He's very gallant, don't you think?† â€Å"Jon says he looks like a girl,† Arya said. Sansa sighed as she stitched. â€Å"Poor Jon,† she said. â€Å"He gets jealous because he's a bastard.† â€Å"He's our brother,† Arya said, much too loudly. Her voice cut through the afternoon quiet of the tower room. Septa Mordane raised her eyes. She had a bony face, sharp eyes, and a thin lipless mouth made for frowning. It was frowning now. â€Å"What are you talking about, children?† â€Å"Our half brother,† Sansa corrected, soft and precise. She smiled for the septa. â€Å"Arya and I were remarking on how pleased we were to have the princess with us today,† she said. Septa Mordane nodded. â€Å"Indeed. A great honor for us all.† Princess Myrcella smiled uncertainly at the compliment. â€Å"Arya, why aren't you at work?† the septa asked. She rose to her feet, starched skirts rustling as she started across the room. â€Å"Let me see your stitches.† Arya wanted to scream. It was just like Sansa to go and attract the septa's attention. â€Å"Here,† she said, surrendering up her work. The septa examined the fabric. â€Å"Arya, Arya, Arya,† she said. â€Å"This will not do. This will not do at all.† Everyone was looking at her. It was too much. Sansa was too well bred to smile at her sister's disgrace, but Jeyne was smirking on her behalf. Even Princess Myrcella looked sorry for her. Arya felt tears filling her eyes. She pushed herself out of her chair and bolted for the door. Septa Mordane called after her. â€Å"Arya, come back here! Don't you take another step! Your lady mother will hear of this. In front of our royal princess too! You'll shame us all!† Arya stopped at the door and turned back, biting her lip. The tears were running down her cheeks now. She managed a stiff little bow to Myrcella. â€Å"By your leave, my lady.† Myrcella blinked at her and looked to her ladies for guidance. But if she was uncertain, Septa Mordane was not. â€Å"Just where do you think you are going, Arya?† the septa demanded. Arya glared at her. â€Å"I have to go shoe a horse,† she said sweetly, taking a brief satisfaction in the shock on the septa's face. Then she whirled and made her exit, running down the steps as fast as her feet would take her. It wasn't fair. Sansa had everything. Sansa was two years older; maybe by the time Arya had been born, there had been nothing left. Often it felt that way. Sansa could sew and dance and sing. She wrote poetry. She knew how to dress. She played the high harp and the bells. Worse, she was beautiful. Sansa had gotten their mother's fine high cheekbones and the thick auburn hair of the Tullys. Arya took after their lord father. Her hair was a lusterless brown, and her face was long and solemn. Jeyne used to call her Arya Horseface, and neigh whenever she came near. It hurt that the one thing Arya could do better than her sister was ride a horse. Well, that and manage a household. Sansa had never had much of a head for figures. If she did marry Prince Joff, Arya hoped for his sake that he had a good steward. Nymeria was waiting for her in the guardroom at the base of the stairs. She bounded to her feet as soon as she caught sight of Arya. Arya grinned. The wolf pup loved her, even if no one else did. They went everywhere together, and Nymeria slept in her room, at the foot of her bed. If Mother had not forbidden it, Arya would gladly have taken the wolf with her to needlework. Let Septa Mordane complain about her stitches then. Nymeria nipped eagerly at her hand as Arya untied her. She had yellow eyes. When they caught the sunlight, they gleamed like two golden coins. Arya had named her after the warrior queen of the Rhoyne, who had led her people across the narrow sea. That had been a great scandal too. Sansa, of course, had named her pup â€Å"Lady.† Arya made a face and hugged the wolfling tight. Nymeria licked her ear, and she giggled. By now Septa Mordane would certainly have sent word to her lady mother. If she went to her room, they would find her. Arya did not care to be found. She had a better notion. The boys were at practice in the yard. She wanted to see Robb put gallant Prince Joffrey flat on his back. â€Å"Come,† she whispered to Nymeria. She got up and ran, the wolf coming hard at her heels. There was a window in the covered bridge between the armory and the Great Keep where you had a view of the whole yard. That was where they headed. They arrived, flushed and breathless, to find Jon seated on the sill, one leg drawn up languidly to his chin. He was watching the action, so absorbed that he seemed unaware of her approach until his white wolf moved to meet them. Nymeria stalked closer on wary feet. Ghost, already larger than his litter mates, smelled her, gave her ear a careful nip, and settled back down. Jon gave her a curious look. â€Å"Shouldn't you be working on your stitches, little sister?† Arya made a face at him. â€Å"I wanted to see them fight.† He smiled. â€Å"Come here, then.† Arya climbed up on the window and sat beside him, to a chorus of thuds and grunts from the yard below. To her disappointment, it was the younger boys drilling. Bran was so heavily padded he looked as though he had belted on a featherbed, and Prince Tommen, who was plump to begin with, seemed positively round. They were huffing and puffing and hitting at each other with padded wooden swords under the watchful eye of old Ser Rodrik Cassel, the master-at-arms, a great stout keg of a man with magnificent white cheek whiskers. A dozen spectators, man and boy, were calling out encouragement, Robb's voice the loudest among them. She spotted Theon Greyjoy beside him, his black doublet emblazoned with the golden kraken of his House, a look of wry contempt on his face. Both of the combatants were staggering. Arya judged that they had been at it awhile. â€Å"A shade more exhausting than needlework,† Jon observed. â€Å"A shade more fun than needlework,† Arya gave back at him. Jon grinned, reached over, and messed up her hair. Arya flushed. They had always been close. Jon had their father's face, as she did. They were the only ones. Robb and Sansa and Bran and even little Rickon all took after the Tullys, with easy smiles and fire in their hair. When Arya had been little, she had been afraid that meant that she was a bastard too. It been Jon she had gone to in her fear, and Jon who had reassured her. â€Å"Why aren't you down in the yard?† Arya asked him. He gave her a half smile. â€Å"Bastards are not allowed to damage young princes,† he said. â€Å"Any bruises they take in the practice yard must come from trueborn swords.† â€Å"Oh.† Arya felt abashed. She should have realized. For the second time today, Arya reflected that life was not fair. She watched her little brother whack at Tommen. â€Å"I could do just as good as Bran,† she said. â€Å"He's only seven. I'm nine.† Jon looked her over with all his fourteen-year-old wisdom. â€Å"You're too skinny,† he said. He took her arm to feel her muscle. Then he sighed and shook his head. â€Å"I doubt you could even lift a longsword, little sister, never mind swing one.† Arya snatched back her arm and glared at him. Jon messed up her hair again. They watched Bran and Tommen circle each other. â€Å"You see Prince Joffrey?† Jon asked. She hadn't, not at first glance, but when she looked again she found him to the back, under the shade of the high stone wall. He was surrounded by men she did not recognize, young squires in the livery of Lannister and Baratheon, strangers all. There were a few older men among them; knights, she surmised. â€Å"Look at the arms on his surcoat,† Jon suggested. Arya looked. An ornate shield had been embroidered on the prince's padded surcoat. No doubt the needlework was exquisite. The arms were pided down the middle; on one side was the crowned stag of the royal House, on the other the lion of Lannister. â€Å"The Lannisters are proud,† Jon observed. â€Å"You'd think the royal sigil would be sufficient, but no. He makes his mother's House equal in honor to the king's.† â€Å"The woman is important too!† Arya protested. Jon chuckled. â€Å"Perhaps you should do the same thing, little sister. Wed Tully to Stark in your arms.† â€Å"A wolf with a fish in its mouth?† It made her laugh. â€Å"That would look silly. Besides, if a girl can't fight, why should she have a coat of arms?† Jon shrugged. â€Å"Girls get the arms but not the swords. Bastards get the swords but not the arms. I did not make the rules, little sister.† There was a shout from the courtyard below. Prince Tommen was rolling in the dust, trying to get up and failing. All the padding made him look like a turtle on its back. Bran was standing over him with upraised wooden sword, ready to whack him again once he regained his feet. The men began to laugh. â€Å"Enough!† Ser Rodrik called out. He gave the prince a hand and yanked him back to his feet. â€Å"Well fought. Lew, Donnis, help them out of their armor.† He looked around. â€Å"Prince Joffrey, Robb, will you go another round?† Robb, already sweaty from a previous bout, moved forward eagerly. â€Å"Gladly.† Joffrey moved into the sunlight in response to Rodrik's summons. His hair shone like spun gold. He looked bored. â€Å"This is a game for children, Ser Rodrik.† Theon Greyjoy gave a sudden bark of laughter. â€Å"You are children,† he said derisively. â€Å"Robb may be a child,† Joffrey said. â€Å"I am a prince. And I grow tired of swatting at Starks with a play sword.† â€Å"You got more swats than you gave, Joff,† Robb said. â€Å"Are you afraid?† Prince Joffrey looked at him. â€Å"Oh, terrified,† he said. â€Å"You're so much older.† Some of the Lannister men laughed. Jon looked down on the scene with a frown. â€Å"Joffrey is truly a little shit,† he told Arya. Ser Rodrik tugged thoughtfully at his white whiskers. â€Å"What are you suggesting?† he asked the prince. â€Å"Live steel.† â€Å"Done,† Robb shot back. â€Å"You'll be sorry!† The master-at-arms put a hand on Robb's shoulder to quiet him. â€Å"Live steel is too dangerous. I will permit you tourney swords, with blunted edges.† Joffrey said nothing, but a man strange to Arya, a tall knight with black hair and burn scars on his face, pushed forward in front of the prince. â€Å"This is your prince. Who are you to tell him he may not have an edge on his sword, ser?† â€Å"Master-at-arms of Winterfell, Clegane, and you would do well not to forget it.† â€Å"Are you training women here?† the burned man wanted to know. He was muscled like a bull. â€Å"I am training knights,† Ser Rodrik said pointedly. â€Å"They will have steel when they are ready. When they are of an age.† The burned man looked at Robb. â€Å"How old are you, boy?† â€Å"Fourteen,† Robb said. â€Å"I killed a man at twelve. You can be sure it was not with a blunt sword.† Arya could see Robb bristle. His pride was wounded. He turned on Ser Rodrik. â€Å"Let me do it. I can beat him.† â€Å"Beat him with a tourney blade, then,† Ser Rodrik said. Joffrey shrugged. â€Å"Come and see me when you're older, Stark. If you're not too old.† There was laughter from the Lannister men. Robb's curses rang through the yard. Arya covered her mouth in shock. Theon Greyjoy seized Robb's arm to keep him away from the prince. Ser Rodrik tugged at his whiskers in dismay. Joffrey feigned a yawn and turned to his younger brother. â€Å"Come, Tommen,† he said. â€Å"The hour of play is done. Leave the children to their frolics.† That brought more laughter from the Lannisters, more curses from Robb. Ser Rodrik's face was beet-red with fury under the white of his whiskers. Theon kept Robb locked in an iron grip until the princes and their party were safely away. Jon watched them leave, and Arya watched Jon. His face had grown as still as the pool at the heart of the godswood. Finally he climbed down off the window. â€Å"The show is done,† he said. He bent to scratch Ghost behind the ears. The white wolf rose and rubbed against him. â€Å"You had best run back to your room, little sister. Septa Mordane will surely be lurking. The longer you hide, the sterner the penance. You'll be sewing all through winter. When the spring thaw comes, they will find your body with a needle still locked tight between your frozen fingers.† Arya didn't think it was funny. â€Å"I hate needlework!† she said with passion. â€Å"It's not fair!† â€Å"Nothing is fair,† Jon said. He messed up her hair again and walked away from her, Ghost moving silently beside him. Nymeria started to follow too, then stopped and came back when she saw that Arya was not coming. Reluctantly she turned in the other direction. It was worse than Jon had thought. It wasn't Septa Mordane waiting in her room. It was Septa Mordane and her mother.

Making Moral Decisions in Different Religious Context Essay

Does religion make a Difference to Moral decision making? Bibliography Declaration Introduction The title of my project is making moral decisions in different religious context. The initial aim was to gain insight into various world religions and determine if ones faith influences the decisions one makes. In order to achieve this goal the project will focus on seven religions differentiated by origin. Confucianism, Taoism both of Chinese origin, Judaism, Christianity and Islam which are of Semitic origin, Buddhism and Hinduism which are of Indian origin. Analysing the traditions, practices and belief systems will establish that moral guidelines exist within a religion and religious deity. These guidelines however do not force a decision upon an individual; belief systems simply guide a person in the correct direction toward a moral lifestyle. This in turn draws attention to decision making and how a human can act as a moral agent. The aim is to achieve knowledge and insight into questions such as how does one make a distinction between good and bad? What determines if an act is moral or immoral? Who and what is involved in the decision making process? Do certain factors such as background and life experience influence the choices one makes? These are the questions that will be addressed . Researching theologians and their perspective on the matter of moral decision making will clarify and shed light on the importance of the conscience and how an individual should evaluate a situation using a principle called the triple font theory. The concept of immorality shall be touched on in trying to find out if an act; although immoral does it constitute intrinsic evil? The final aim is to investigate morality in each specific religion, to achieve this objective the knowledge and information obtained from the research of previous topics will be put into practice in the different cultures. This project begs to ask the question, does religion make a difference to moral decision making? Chapter One: World view of seven world Religions. Religions of Chinese origins The Chinese traditions and religions share similar features and significant differences. The idea of nature is of huge importance and the concept of harmony with nature and oneself is the defining characteristic of the ancient Chinese belief system. There is an emphasis placed on the welfare and well being of the individual in the present life as opposed to a future one. What separates Confucianism, Taoism and Chinese Buddhism is the meaning which is associated with nature. Confucianism places emphasis on the nature of the human. Taoism focuses on harmony with the universe and Chinese Buddhism sees an amalgamation of the nature of the universe with the nature of the self and also with the Buddha nature. Chinese people however have no difficulty in living by all three traditions and have no loyalties to any specific tradition. For this project the focus will be on Confucianism and Taoism. Confucianism This belief system as stated previously is concerned with the nature of the human. The aim in one’s life is to become â€Å"fully human†. Their view of life is that nature was received by heaven. Achieving a good life is living by the will of heaven; this is only possible by living according to good human nature. Developing consideration for fellow beings and having a sense of humanity is essential. Family plays a huge role in Confucianism as it is where these values are first established. Confucius was a man born in 552BC and died in 479BC. He was born in a period known as the spring and autumn period in the independent state of Lu. He was well educated and had an enormous interest in the history of his people. At twenty two years of age he opened a school where he educated others. He was later promoted to office of minister of justice. Confucius introduced a moral order never seen before and the state prospered from the changes. He tried to tackle the state of Lu to conform to his teachings yet failed; the preservation of a good government was not a priority for Lu.